Realistic or Modern Fallen Stars

[Darkbloom]

As the sun dips low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the campus grounds, a flurry of activity unfolds near the main quad. Students, clad in various shades of jeans and hoodies, bustle about, hauling speakers, amplifiers, and crates of equipment onto the grassy expanse. A stage crew clad in black tees and cargo pants diligently sets up a towering stage adorned with colorful banners and twinkling lights, while technicians scramble to test the sound system, their voices drowned out by the intermittent bursts of feedback. Laughter mingles with the strains of music as excited chatter fills the air, signaling the impending arrival of a night filled with rhythm and revelry.

rainingxme

 

[rainingxme]

Autumn sat in the grass, she'd kicked off her shoes and just kind of centered herself. It was always impressive to be among the bowl. The music college had put a lot of time and effort into the space, it was their literal crown of glory. Every student who stepped through the doors of the college and graduated would perform in this bowl at least once. Autumn couldn't wait for hers, but today. Today she was here for Andrew. She'd heard him play before and he had the raw talent, it had given her goosebumps the first time she'd heard him. Now she'd made it her mission to hear him play whenever she was able. She was a year behind him so he'd have no idea who she was, but she hoped to possibly change that this evening. She had a bouquet of flowers with her that she finally was going to work up the nerve to give him.

 

[Darkbloom]

After he was announced, Andrew walks out onto the stage. The students cheered, not because he was everyone's favorite student. No, not at all. He had been working tirelessly on a full length album since his first year. He had personally talked to probably almost everyone in this audience for help with his guitar playing, song writing, and singing. The audience was cheering for all the progress he had made and was excited to hear the song he meticulously wrote for this night. Andrew steps up to the mic, saying "Hello everybody! Who's ready to get this thing staaaaarteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeed?" The cheering gets much louder as the anticipation grows. He grins, and not wanting to keep them waiting any longer, places his fingers on the guitar and strums the first chord. It reverberates throughout the whole stadium, hitting the very core of every individual. "YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAS! GET IT ON!" Kyle cheers, although only a handful of people around him hear it. Okay Andrew, you've been practicing so much for this. Let them have it!



(singing)

Will someone please radio for help?

Cuz I think I'm allergic to myself

And they think they can throw us all away

We gotta stop it before it's all too late

He holds the word "late" for a few seconds, playing the hard hitting guitar chords at the same time. It seems to make everything vibrate. Some people's glasses comically fall off as they scramble to put them back on again and keep cheering.



(singing)

There's got to be a better way

They dissect everything we say

To try to make us feel this way

And you can take the one thing I have left

I'd give it all away for so much less

Can even take the heart inside my chest

Whoa-whoa

And you can take the one thing I have left

Beat me to the ground and take my breath

But you can't take who I am

whoa-whoa



Kyle's special way of picking out unique people goes off in his head. He pauses for a moment to look around the crowd and he sees a girl in the crowd watching his brother more closely than anyone else. He takes note of this and memorizes her features. Andrew, however, is quite oblivious. It's clear he's just having fun singing and playing this song for the audience. Right as Andrew finishes the last line of the chorus, he puts the side of his hand on the guitar strings to stop it from making noise while he sings the first line of the second verse with just his voice and then picks up playing again as soon as that first line is over.



(singing)

And I swear we were born to let you down

We scream but never make a sound

We point but don't know which direction

We are America right now



There's got to be a better way

They dissect everything we say

To try to make us feel this way

The song is going off perfectly! It's a nice catchy tune made to get people excited and in a mood to rock all night long, but this is the only song Andrew will be singing tonight because there are other performers, being the other students who studied alongside him. He goes through the chorus two more times and then starts winding down the song but his energy doesn't drop a single bit. He plays a progression for thirteen seconds before resuming.



(singing)

How can I be the same?

How can I say the blame?

How come I am so tired of all these charades?

How can I be the one?

How can I hold the gun?

How can I see if everyone else is to blame?



hey! hey!

Don't want to be the

hey! hey!

Don't want to see the

hey! hey!



Cuz we point the finger

Think everyone else is to blame



Everyone else is to blame



The song ends with the last line, leaving Andrew smiling out at the crowd on stage, waving to everyone. "Thank yooooooooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu everyone! Have a great rest of the night. PEACE!" He walks victoriously off the stage to the chanting of his name. Heh, hell yeah! This is the right way to start things off! Backstage, Andrew wipes his face with a towel having gotten a little bit sweaty and takes a long drink of water. Kyle runs up and punches his shoulder. "YOU DID IT! THAT WAS AMAZING!" Kyle is still very much hyped from that song, bouncing off the walls (not literally). "Whoa! Settle down!" Andrew puts a hand on Kyle's head and tussles his hair. "Hey!" Kyle protests. "It took an hour to get my hair to look like this!"

 

[rainingxme]

Autumn cheered Andrew on with a huge smile on her face. His energy was infectious as she tapped her toes in the grass and her hands kept pace on her knees. The song was over to quickly and she stood to clap at his departure. She didn't join the kids chanting his name, instead she slipped her sandals back on and grabbed up her flowers to head backstage. If she didn't do it now she would absolutely lose her nerve.

She'd reached the backstage entrance just as the next performer started and she smiled to hear her friends familiar voice, but Hazel knew what she was doing tonight. She heard what sounded like an excited young kid, and she slowed, hanging back slightly to not crowd the moment. She took the moment to take in Andrew in his post adrenaline high, her cheeks flushing crimson and starting to second guess her decision. He'd just think she was weird, she was sure he had people fawning over him all of the time. He didn't need some girl he didn't know bothering him. Especially when it was clear the boy was family or something.

 

[Darkbloom]

After Kyle had finished harassing him and he was done wiping his face with a towel, a familiar looking face appeared backstage carrying flowers. Must be for the gal who's singing now. Regardless, Andrew dismisses his brother for a second to see what she's here for. "Hello there!" He says with a grin, now recognizing who it is. He's seen her walking with Hazel in the halls before, and has heard her name when Hazel was talking. "Autumn, isn't it? I've collaborated with Hazel a few times and she's mentioned you. The two of you must be amazing friends that you'd wait to give her flowers after her song." Meanwhile, Kyle was waiting to ambush him soon. But not yet. "I hope you enjoyed the song tonight. The rest of the album it's going to be on will be absolutely killer!" Andrew was everything that people had said about him and more. Always willing to lend a hand, an ear, or anything else students needed if he was able to help.

Not to say that Andrew wasn't good with people, but he misses things sometimes, such as Autumn's flushed cheeks. "Oh, your cheeks are red. Are you all right? Do you need to go see the school nurse?" He scratches his head in contemplation, unable to think of what could be up. Other than that, he looked at her overall appearance. She's cute, and might even qualify as being his type of girl, even though that was the last thing on his mind in the moment. "So..." He begins awkwardly, looking around for Kyle and feeling a little wary for not seeing him right away. "...what kind of instrument do you like listening to and/or playing the most? Singing is fine too."