A/N: Thanks to spikesbabyblues for being a very helpful beta.
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Chapter 1: William


The only thing sixteen year old William Randall could hear was his heart beating. The loud music and continued chatter from the people around him drowned out by the loud thump, thump of his heart. He had been preparing for this for weeks. He could do it with his eyes closed while hanging upside down.

Xander had put him up to this. He knew William had been practicing guitar for two hours everyday for the last seven years. Only recently had William begun to write lyrics for his songs. Sure he played them for his closest friends, Willow and Xander, but that didn’t mean he wanted others to hear them.

“William, you’ll do great.” Willow had come up behind him. William was so jittery he barely heard her.

“I just hope they like my music” William uttered. He closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths.

“Hey Wills” Xander said to both, walking up to them “Everything all set to go?”

“Yeah, I think I’m ready”

“Good cause it’s time to show the Bronze what you’re made of.”

The previous band had finished their set and cleared the stage. William grabbed his guitar and uneasily went up on stage. He walked up to the mike just as the spotlight turned on him.

Looking down into the faces he said inwardly to himself, The Bronze sure is packed tonight.

Someone snickered. William’s eyes scan the crowd for his friends. His support system, he felt that maybe if he could reassure himself that they were there for him like they always were then he would be less nervous.


“Sometime today would be nice!” someone shouted.

Taking a deep breath he said, “I’m William. These are my words”

William plays his first few notes when his fingers freeze. He can’t remember the rest of the song! He can hear the crowd snickering and some outright laughing. Humiliated he rushes offstage and towards the main door. He has to get away, away from the mean laughs of his
peers, he just had to get away.

“William! William, wait!” He hears someone call for him. Ignoring it he runs out the door and heads home. The cool night air feels like ice on his hot face, but he can’t stop until he’s safe at home.

I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to do it! Why did I let Xander talk me into it?

His music was something he wasn't confident enough to perform in public. It was personal for him, and now he had made a laughing stock of that, and of himself. He wanted to get away from the horrible feeling that left him with.

Finally reaching home, he runs up to his room and crawls in bed.

Summer just started. No one will remember tonight by the time school starts up. I just have to hide all summer.

William started planning a nice summer in his room but by 4:30 had passed out under the covers. He had no idea tomorrow his life would change and tonight wouldn’t even cross his mind for a long time.





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