Page 142 of Bad at Love
This is a big deal for Laz and Magic 8 Ball though.
For one, they’ve never played a show this big.
For two, it’s been a few months now that Laz and Frank have started writing their own material and half of their setlist is now all original songs.
That’s right, shortly after Laz and I got back together, he threw himself head first into writing original songs for the band. He says I’m his muse, that I inspired him.
He inspires me. Every day. To love harder. To work harder.
We’re head over heels in love with each other.
It’s not fading.
It’s growing stronger and stronger every day.
“This is so cool,” Noah whispers to me in awe. “Is that Trent Reznor?”
“Where?” I ask, whipping my head around, hoping to see one of my heroes. I catch a glimpse of a guy with short, dark hair heading down the stairs at the back of the stage. Maybe…
We’re on the side of the stage at the show with other musicians and VIPs and because big acts play this stage later in the day and night, it’s huge and the festival crowd spreading out in front of the stage is even bigger. I know they aren’t all here to see Magic 8 Ball, probably the band afterward, Chromeo, but it doesn’t matter. I can feel their energy.
So can the band. Laz whips into their first song, one he wrote called “A Friend for the End of the World,” and I’ve never seen them play with such confidence and vibrancy before.
It blows me away.
And the lyrics, Laz’s lyrics sink even deeper hearing them live.
“I don’t want to save the world. I just want to be with you when the world ends. My arms around you, my heart around you, anything to make you know that you were the only thing that mattered, my friend, my friend for the end of the world.”
He’s sharing them with the world but they’re meant for me.
I’m still his friend.
His best one.
Best friends in love with each other, which is the way that love should be.
“I think I’m going to be a rock star now!” Noah yells at me over the music.
I quickly wipe away a tear and nod.
“Are you crying?” he yells again.
I smile at him. “I’m fine!”
It’s just that the music, his words, his voice, it reaches deep into my soul, always stirring up so many emotions.
But they’re happy ones.
I’m just so fucking happy.
I keep grinning at Noah. He looks happy too.
Daryl, his stepfather, ended up in jail for domestic abuse, even though he was posted out on bail soon after (that’s what big bucks buys you). But he’s not allowed to come near the house, Noah or Laz’s mother, so for now they’re safe and figuring out their next moves, one of which includes putting the McMansion up for sale.
Noah’s doing fine with it. It’s been tough, obviously, because Daryl is still his father after all. Jane has flown back twice already in the last two months, just to spend time with Noah and help him transition, to keep the family together. They’ve been through so much already in their life but I know they’re strong enough to get through it. And now Noah feels he can finally embrace who he is. Right now, he’s a teenager who hasn’t quite figured it out but at least he’s free to discover it. No more judgement, no more fear.
It’s also helped Laz’s mother, Sarah, and Noah repair their relationship, or at least start over. Even she and Laz have grown closer since the incident.
