Only Baby Scars (Contest Entry)
1/1
I lost my dad when I was 12; he was a cop and he was killed in the line of duty. I had no other family but my cousin Austin and his parents. So I went to live with them and I attracted trouble like a moth to a flame. It sucked all of the pain I dealt with growing up and allowing my heart to broken constantly. But I always pushed past it. I saw each scar on my heart as a little scrape, a baby scar. I wanted to make my dad proud of me. So I took up photography like he did and I made something out of it and I landed a job at Warped Tour 2012 as a photographer to help Adam Elmakias take pictures of different bands, including All Time Low, Sleeping with Sirens, Pierce the Veil, and Austin’s band Of Mice & Men. It was my job working under Adam that led me to meet the man that stole my heart with his skunk hair and big goofy smile.
I woke up on the Mice bus, and slipped out of my bunk and hopped into the nice shower, reveling in getting the nice warm water first. When I got out I dressed in a black tank top, black shorts, my black toms, and my black I then grabbed my laminate and bus key before I slid my ray-bans on my face and headed out to the grounds and started getting my pictures of the tour roadies setting up the stages.
“Well there’s the early bird,” Austin greeted me when I came back from wandering to get breakfast and rehydrate from my trip out.
“Morning,” I replied as I grabbed a slice of toast from Austin and dished up some scrambled eggs and a couple strips of bacon and then got a second slice of toast to complete my breakfast sandwich.
“So what’s your day sheet like,” Austin asked as we sat down at the table to eat.
“Let’s see, I have to take pictures of Sirens on the Tilly’s stage. Then I have Pierce after them on main stage, and then I have a huge block of doing whatever I want until I have All Time Low’s photo pit tonight. So I’ll be able to be side stage for your show today,” I told him.
“You want to help Danny today and sing instead of Aaron during Sebring,” he asked.
“Austin I’ve told you before that I don’t sing on stage. I can’t handle the idea of it,” I told him. I was terrified of being the center of attention. It was the only reason I had managed to remain single and in the background was by not doing things that draw attention to me.
“Aerie you are such a pansy,” he teased.
“I am not singing on stage ever again, Austin. Remember what happened last time I did it and the loser I end up with for three months of hell. My scars are still fresh,” I practically yelled at him.
“I won’t ask again Aerie, sorry for upsetting you. You’ll sing again when you’re ready to,” he replied as he patted the back of my hand, letting me know he was sorry.
“I shouldn’t have snapped at you Austin. I’m going to wrap up my sandwich and store. I think I’ll go get an early start on setting up my station in the Tilly’s photo pit,” I got up and got my sandwich into the fridge before I headed out the bus again to get to work.
I got up like any other day rather late, around say 10. I rolled out of my bunk and pulled out a pair of grey cut off shorts and a simple v-neck shirt to show off the top of my Jack Skellington tattoo on my chest. Once I showered and dried off my hair and dressed, I styled my hair into the spiky Mohawk I’ve started doing to show off my new skunk patch. I missed my old one and I found that resigning to Hopeless and jumping on Warped again gave me the chase to bring it back again.
“Well it’s about time the Lebanese Princess joined us,” Alex joked. He already had his ass ready since he wakes up the earliest of the four of us. He’s beat only by Flyzik since he has to be up to get the day sheet from Kevin when we pull up to a venue.
“Haha, fuck you Alex,” I flipped him off as I grabbed my box of Cookie Crisp out of our secret pantry to fix myself a bowl of cereal.
“Today we’re getting a new photographer in the pit today working with Elmakias. The plus is she’s cousins with Carlile from Mice. The only rule both Austin and Adam ask us to follow is to be nice with her and to help out if she needs any while in the pit. Meaning if she wants a good shot of a guitar sign, you give it to her Jack,” Matt told us.
“As long as she’s not one of the photographers that’s a huge fan of us that freaks out on us I’m fine with helping her,” I agreed with the rule.
I decided on watching the Pierce set from stage side to chill and listen to my amigos play some sick music. I liked hanging with these four guys; they were a blast to hang with. I was looking out on their crowd and into the photo pit and I saw a new face in an Elmakias shirt. She looked like a hot female version of Austin. She had long wavy light brunette, her skin had a soft tan, her eyes were doe like and a warm shade of brown, she was pretty thin and she had to five foot six at the most. She was hot.
“I saw you eying the young Carlile in the photo pit,” Vic commented when he came off stage.
“I was not eying her,” I defended myself, trying really hard to hide my light blush by taking a sip of my beer.
“You so were. Don’t worry, you’ll see her again. She’s going to be working your photo pit tonight,” Vic patted my back, most likely encouraging me that she was worth chasing by impressing her while she worked our show.
It came time for me to get into the photo pit for All Time Low’s set. I was nervous since I liked their music and it helped save my life from being too dark to stand. They kept me smiling when I wanted to cry and be angry at every guy that stomped on my heart and whenever I thought to the guy that killed my dad.
When the show finally started, I saw him. His hair was jet black like a city sky at midnight with a huge bleach patch. He was tall and pretty lanky too. I saw the start of a Jack Skellington tattoo on his chest. He wore a v-neck shirt and cut off skinny jeans. He looked pretty hot, but when I looked into his dark chocolate brown eyes, the world melted around me and I fell hard and fast for him.
I shook myself from my love spell that he put me under and I got right to work. I tried to not focus on him, but since he was a bouncing energetic guitarist that was ruling the stage and running around, I kept seeing him.
When the show was over, I was released from working anymore today. I took this chance to run off before I could get caught by him. I didn’t want that boy to pull me in and hurt me like the others. I wanted to make my dad proud that I chased my dreams and that for the little time he was in my life; I wanted him to know what he taught me I followed it and grew upon it.
I was spellbound by Austin’s cousin. I found her in our photo pit and I could tell that when we looked into each other’s eyes, we felt a connection. I saw into her soul and saw pain and loneliness. I wanted to change that for her. I had to find out what her name was; who better to go to than her protector, Austin Carlile himself.
“Hey Jack, what’s up,” Austin greeted me when I got to the Mice barbeque.
“Nothing much, I wanted to know if your cousin was on the tour working for Adam. I wanted to know her name,” I told him.
“Her name is Aerie. Jack you are not hooking up with her for a one night stand. I will skin you alive before you can even charm her pants off,” he threatened.
“I would never do that. I want to get to know her. Fall in love maybe,” I told him.
“If you break her heart, I will kill you,” Austin warned.
“I’ll accept that I guess,” I told him.
“Aerie, you have a visitor,” Austin called into the bus. Low and behold, Aerie came out in a cute sundress and a pair of white toms with her hair in a loose braid over her right shoulder.
“Aerie, you have a visitor,” Austin called in as I slipped on my toms. When I came down the stairs, I was greeted by the guy I saw on stage.
“Aerie, this is my friend Jack. He’s the lead guitarist of All Time Low. He saw you in the photo pit while you were working today,” Austin introduced me to Jack.
“It’s actually really nice to meet you Aerie,” Jack said, smiling so warmly that I smiled too.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Jack. You were great today,” I replied.
“Would you like to go for a walk with me? I’ll have you back for bus call,” Jack held out his hand.
“Sure, I guess,” I replied as I took his hand sheepishly.
We walked and talked about everything and anything. I found that being around Jack I opened up so much more. I even told him about my fear of attention. I told him about my dad and about my life growing up the rest of the way with Austin. I even told him about my constant driving force to keep moving up in my dream to make my dad proud like how Austin pushes to make his mom proud.
“You connect to Second and Sebring,” Jack asked.
“Yeah, Austin had me listen to the demo and I cried. I told him that a lot of the song I connected with because I lost my dad too soon and he didn’t get to see me follow my dream. Ever since I was six, I wanted to take pictures for a living. My dad encouraged it and got disposable cameras all the time so I could take pictures of anything and everything. When he died, I stopped taking pictures for a while. I started to sing at that point and I got really good. I got to sing on a stage for the first time when I took part in a school talent show. I hooked up with a guy and he took my v card before dumping me, leaving me to cry over a one night stand. After a while, I stopped singing on stage and learned to hide in the background. It was my way to protect myself. I fell back into photography when I stopped performing, and since then I’ve healed from the baby scars of being heartbroken by all the jerks I dated,” I told him.
“Well I would never hurt you. Can I hear you sing it? Just right here, away from a crowd and a stage,” Jack asked.
“Sure,” so I began to sing Second and Sebring for him; the only guy to ever ask me to sing my cousin’s song away from a stage and just on a hill overlooking the bus park.
I believe it’s time for me to be famous,
and out of place.
I believe it’s time for me to move for forward,
when I break through.
This time I'll, make you,
Proud to see me overcome all day life.
Proud of, who you raised.
Your shelter, your peacefulness
So this time I'll make you proud.
Proud of, who you raised up.
You know that I will,
always be here till' the end.
Come back so I can say thank you for this,
home cooked meals and a place to rest,
my troubled head when you're away,
I've passed the test, I've earned an A,
not just in school, but in life,
you'll always be right by my side.
To help me show, hope to all,
that are lost and sick in this dying world.
I'll use the love you left behind,
I'll change their minds, I'll change their minds.
I hope, I hope you smile,
when you look down on me.
I hope you smile.
This can't, we won't know.
I hope that I make you proud.
This is not what it is, only baby scars.
We need your love like a boy needs his mother's side.
This is not what it is, only baby scars.
I need your love like a boy needs his mother's side.
“This is not what it is; only baby scars. I need your love, like a boy needs his mother’s side,” I sang out softly at the end.
“Thank you, Aerie. That was beautiful. You are right. Those guys that hurt you only left baby scars. You are so much stronger,” Jack smiled and I noticed he started to lean closer to me. Before I realized what was happening, my lips met Jack’s and we kissed softly. It was so soft I barely felt his lips on mine.
“Thank you Jack, for letting me sing to you where I felt most comfortable. But can I ask you something,” I looked into his eyes.
“What would that be Aerie,” he replied.
“Will you be my boyfriend? I felt a connection when I saw you take that stage and I can’t let you pass me by,” I asked.
“I was about to ask you to be my girlfriend. My answer is 200% yes. Thank you Aerie,” Jack pulled me in for another kiss.
Jack and I ended up moving in together into his house in Baltimore. We got married during a break in his tour schedule and I went to Soundwave and Spring Fever with him. He and I had three kids, two boys and a girl. They grew up and chased their dreams like we had. Jack died three years ago, and I miss him every day, but I always see him in my dreams. I welcome my death soon so I may reunite with my true love. I need his love like a girl needs her father’s side and a boy needs his mother’s side.
Thank you Jack for loving me at first sight, I would have been so lost in this world without you. ♥
I woke up on the Mice bus, and slipped out of my bunk and hopped into the nice shower, reveling in getting the nice warm water first. When I got out I dressed in a black tank top, black shorts, my black toms, and my black I then grabbed my laminate and bus key before I slid my ray-bans on my face and headed out to the grounds and started getting my pictures of the tour roadies setting up the stages.
“Well there’s the early bird,” Austin greeted me when I came back from wandering to get breakfast and rehydrate from my trip out.
“Morning,” I replied as I grabbed a slice of toast from Austin and dished up some scrambled eggs and a couple strips of bacon and then got a second slice of toast to complete my breakfast sandwich.
“So what’s your day sheet like,” Austin asked as we sat down at the table to eat.
“Let’s see, I have to take pictures of Sirens on the Tilly’s stage. Then I have Pierce after them on main stage, and then I have a huge block of doing whatever I want until I have All Time Low’s photo pit tonight. So I’ll be able to be side stage for your show today,” I told him.
“You want to help Danny today and sing instead of Aaron during Sebring,” he asked.
“Austin I’ve told you before that I don’t sing on stage. I can’t handle the idea of it,” I told him. I was terrified of being the center of attention. It was the only reason I had managed to remain single and in the background was by not doing things that draw attention to me.
“Aerie you are such a pansy,” he teased.
“I am not singing on stage ever again, Austin. Remember what happened last time I did it and the loser I end up with for three months of hell. My scars are still fresh,” I practically yelled at him.
“I won’t ask again Aerie, sorry for upsetting you. You’ll sing again when you’re ready to,” he replied as he patted the back of my hand, letting me know he was sorry.
“I shouldn’t have snapped at you Austin. I’m going to wrap up my sandwich and store. I think I’ll go get an early start on setting up my station in the Tilly’s photo pit,” I got up and got my sandwich into the fridge before I headed out the bus again to get to work.
I got up like any other day rather late, around say 10. I rolled out of my bunk and pulled out a pair of grey cut off shorts and a simple v-neck shirt to show off the top of my Jack Skellington tattoo on my chest. Once I showered and dried off my hair and dressed, I styled my hair into the spiky Mohawk I’ve started doing to show off my new skunk patch. I missed my old one and I found that resigning to Hopeless and jumping on Warped again gave me the chase to bring it back again.
“Well it’s about time the Lebanese Princess joined us,” Alex joked. He already had his ass ready since he wakes up the earliest of the four of us. He’s beat only by Flyzik since he has to be up to get the day sheet from Kevin when we pull up to a venue.
“Haha, fuck you Alex,” I flipped him off as I grabbed my box of Cookie Crisp out of our secret pantry to fix myself a bowl of cereal.
“Today we’re getting a new photographer in the pit today working with Elmakias. The plus is she’s cousins with Carlile from Mice. The only rule both Austin and Adam ask us to follow is to be nice with her and to help out if she needs any while in the pit. Meaning if she wants a good shot of a guitar sign, you give it to her Jack,” Matt told us.
“As long as she’s not one of the photographers that’s a huge fan of us that freaks out on us I’m fine with helping her,” I agreed with the rule.
I decided on watching the Pierce set from stage side to chill and listen to my amigos play some sick music. I liked hanging with these four guys; they were a blast to hang with. I was looking out on their crowd and into the photo pit and I saw a new face in an Elmakias shirt. She looked like a hot female version of Austin. She had long wavy light brunette, her skin had a soft tan, her eyes were doe like and a warm shade of brown, she was pretty thin and she had to five foot six at the most. She was hot.
“I saw you eying the young Carlile in the photo pit,” Vic commented when he came off stage.
“I was not eying her,” I defended myself, trying really hard to hide my light blush by taking a sip of my beer.
“You so were. Don’t worry, you’ll see her again. She’s going to be working your photo pit tonight,” Vic patted my back, most likely encouraging me that she was worth chasing by impressing her while she worked our show.
It came time for me to get into the photo pit for All Time Low’s set. I was nervous since I liked their music and it helped save my life from being too dark to stand. They kept me smiling when I wanted to cry and be angry at every guy that stomped on my heart and whenever I thought to the guy that killed my dad.
When the show finally started, I saw him. His hair was jet black like a city sky at midnight with a huge bleach patch. He was tall and pretty lanky too. I saw the start of a Jack Skellington tattoo on his chest. He wore a v-neck shirt and cut off skinny jeans. He looked pretty hot, but when I looked into his dark chocolate brown eyes, the world melted around me and I fell hard and fast for him.
I shook myself from my love spell that he put me under and I got right to work. I tried to not focus on him, but since he was a bouncing energetic guitarist that was ruling the stage and running around, I kept seeing him.
When the show was over, I was released from working anymore today. I took this chance to run off before I could get caught by him. I didn’t want that boy to pull me in and hurt me like the others. I wanted to make my dad proud that I chased my dreams and that for the little time he was in my life; I wanted him to know what he taught me I followed it and grew upon it.
I was spellbound by Austin’s cousin. I found her in our photo pit and I could tell that when we looked into each other’s eyes, we felt a connection. I saw into her soul and saw pain and loneliness. I wanted to change that for her. I had to find out what her name was; who better to go to than her protector, Austin Carlile himself.
“Hey Jack, what’s up,” Austin greeted me when I got to the Mice barbeque.
“Nothing much, I wanted to know if your cousin was on the tour working for Adam. I wanted to know her name,” I told him.
“Her name is Aerie. Jack you are not hooking up with her for a one night stand. I will skin you alive before you can even charm her pants off,” he threatened.
“I would never do that. I want to get to know her. Fall in love maybe,” I told him.
“If you break her heart, I will kill you,” Austin warned.
“I’ll accept that I guess,” I told him.
“Aerie, you have a visitor,” Austin called into the bus. Low and behold, Aerie came out in a cute sundress and a pair of white toms with her hair in a loose braid over her right shoulder.
“Aerie, you have a visitor,” Austin called in as I slipped on my toms. When I came down the stairs, I was greeted by the guy I saw on stage.
“Aerie, this is my friend Jack. He’s the lead guitarist of All Time Low. He saw you in the photo pit while you were working today,” Austin introduced me to Jack.
“It’s actually really nice to meet you Aerie,” Jack said, smiling so warmly that I smiled too.
“It’s nice to meet you too, Jack. You were great today,” I replied.
“Would you like to go for a walk with me? I’ll have you back for bus call,” Jack held out his hand.
“Sure, I guess,” I replied as I took his hand sheepishly.
We walked and talked about everything and anything. I found that being around Jack I opened up so much more. I even told him about my fear of attention. I told him about my dad and about my life growing up the rest of the way with Austin. I even told him about my constant driving force to keep moving up in my dream to make my dad proud like how Austin pushes to make his mom proud.
“You connect to Second and Sebring,” Jack asked.
“Yeah, Austin had me listen to the demo and I cried. I told him that a lot of the song I connected with because I lost my dad too soon and he didn’t get to see me follow my dream. Ever since I was six, I wanted to take pictures for a living. My dad encouraged it and got disposable cameras all the time so I could take pictures of anything and everything. When he died, I stopped taking pictures for a while. I started to sing at that point and I got really good. I got to sing on a stage for the first time when I took part in a school talent show. I hooked up with a guy and he took my v card before dumping me, leaving me to cry over a one night stand. After a while, I stopped singing on stage and learned to hide in the background. It was my way to protect myself. I fell back into photography when I stopped performing, and since then I’ve healed from the baby scars of being heartbroken by all the jerks I dated,” I told him.
“Well I would never hurt you. Can I hear you sing it? Just right here, away from a crowd and a stage,” Jack asked.
“Sure,” so I began to sing Second and Sebring for him; the only guy to ever ask me to sing my cousin’s song away from a stage and just on a hill overlooking the bus park.
I believe it’s time for me to be famous,
and out of place.
I believe it’s time for me to move for forward,
when I break through.
This time I'll, make you,
Proud to see me overcome all day life.
Proud of, who you raised.
Your shelter, your peacefulness
So this time I'll make you proud.
Proud of, who you raised up.
You know that I will,
always be here till' the end.
Come back so I can say thank you for this,
home cooked meals and a place to rest,
my troubled head when you're away,
I've passed the test, I've earned an A,
not just in school, but in life,
you'll always be right by my side.
To help me show, hope to all,
that are lost and sick in this dying world.
I'll use the love you left behind,
I'll change their minds, I'll change their minds.
I hope, I hope you smile,
when you look down on me.
I hope you smile.
This can't, we won't know.
I hope that I make you proud.
This is not what it is, only baby scars.
We need your love like a boy needs his mother's side.
This is not what it is, only baby scars.
I need your love like a boy needs his mother's side.
“This is not what it is; only baby scars. I need your love, like a boy needs his mother’s side,” I sang out softly at the end.
“Thank you, Aerie. That was beautiful. You are right. Those guys that hurt you only left baby scars. You are so much stronger,” Jack smiled and I noticed he started to lean closer to me. Before I realized what was happening, my lips met Jack’s and we kissed softly. It was so soft I barely felt his lips on mine.
“Thank you Jack, for letting me sing to you where I felt most comfortable. But can I ask you something,” I looked into his eyes.
“What would that be Aerie,” he replied.
“Will you be my boyfriend? I felt a connection when I saw you take that stage and I can’t let you pass me by,” I asked.
“I was about to ask you to be my girlfriend. My answer is 200% yes. Thank you Aerie,” Jack pulled me in for another kiss.
Jack and I ended up moving in together into his house in Baltimore. We got married during a break in his tour schedule and I went to Soundwave and Spring Fever with him. He and I had three kids, two boys and a girl. They grew up and chased their dreams like we had. Jack died three years ago, and I miss him every day, but I always see him in my dreams. I welcome my death soon so I may reunite with my true love. I need his love like a girl needs her father’s side and a boy needs his mother’s side.
Thank you Jack for loving me at first sight, I would have been so lost in this world without you. ♥
lol. Well you pulled it off wonderfully!
5/8/13