33. Chapter Thirty-Three
It’s been six months since we got here to chase our dreams, and Xander still isn’t himself. I know for a fact he hasn”t hooked up with anyone during this time. Despite the many attempts from eager girls, he prefers getting wasted on his bottle of Jack or smoking a joint. This behavior is unlike the Xander I know. He”s definitely not okay. He”s become more of a loner, keeping to himself most of the time. We hardly talk anymore and our experiences aren”t the same. I miss the connection I had with my brother, the one who used to confide in me.
I’m not sure what went down between him and Poppy Reeves that made him so determined to leave earlier than we planned. I’ve asked him multiple times, but he just tells me to leave him alone. So I haven’t brought it up for months now. However, there’s still a noticeable tension in the air, almost like he’s hiding something and doesn’t want to talk about it.
It turned out to be fortunate that we left when we did because everything fell into place. If we hadn’t, I’m confident that Nate Reynolds, the drummer, would have been recruited by another band. Now, he and his friend Theo are part of Broken Oasis, and I must say, they fit in perfectly. Although Xander now spends more time with Theo than with me, they enjoy hanging out, having a drink, sharing a joint, and jamming on their guitars together. I do miss the good old days when Xander and I used to do that. However, at least he’s slowly getting back to some sense of normalcy and no longer sitting there, feeling miserable like he did during the first month after we arrived.
The past few months have been a whirlwind for us. I kicked things off by leaving demo tapes at local bars and ended up getting us two gigs per week. Suddenly, everything took off at full speed.
At first, we performed for small crowds of around ten or fifteen people. However, as word spread, more and more people started showing up. Eventually, the demand grew so much that the bar had to sell tickets, and every night became a sold-out show. It”s insane to see how much attention we were getting. Before we knew it, record labels started showing interest.
Just last week, we officially signed our very first album contract with Victory Records. And you won’t believe what’s happening next week - we’re heading to the studio to record our debut album! I am absolutely bursting with excitement! Xander and I have been dreaming about this moment since we were just twelve-year-old boys, and now, finally, it’s becoming a reality. It”s crazy to think that two boys from broken homes, who everyone in town thought were worthless, got discovered by a record label that”s worked with some of the biggest bands. All I can say is that we are on our way up, and there is absolutely nothing that can stand in our way now.