separation//[t.j.]

jace.

when it was finally time, mom, debby, and i went out to the pit. dad sent two security guards to sit with us, just to be safe. i didn't really understand it. the clikkies wouldn't be that bad would they? but at the same time, i saw how some were on social media.

when everyone started filling the venue, it became chaos. lots of people were pointing at mom, debby, and i because they noticed us. they weren't being rude though. they were just surprised.

"you okay?" mom checked up on me. i smiled and nodded. i loved my mom, but i felt like she worried too much sometimes. i was going to be just fine.

soon, the show started and dad and josh entered the stage. this was an arena show, so this time they opened with good day. i liked good day, even though lots of people didn't.

but once good day ended, came my favorite. no chances. i loved how dad's mask smoked and when he pretty much threw himself off stage it was sick.

they played a bunch of my favorite songs and i absolutely loved it. i swayed with mom and debby and the rest of the crowd and that was when i realized it.

this was my life now. sure, in the moment i felt like a fanatic seeing their favorite band in concert, but that was how my life was going to be. my dad was the lead singer of my favorite band and his fans liked me. i was literally living a fever dream.

i couldn't have been happier.

after they did a cover of bennie and the jets (which was one of my favorites) they got together for the campfire medley. this time, i got to just witness it and not be up there. secretly, i was thankful. i may have been okay with publicity but that didn't help on stage anxiety at well.

when dad and josh and the backup band were singing the medley, i noticed something. when dad sang formidable, he was looking right at mom. it made me excited.

call it a childish dream of mine, but i always wanted my parents to be together. with this case it felt like they were clearly still in love. but, that could have just been my imagination.

"mom, he's looking right at you." i told mom. she just shook her head.

"wow, so insane. the lead singer of twenty one pilots is looking at me." she replied.

"yeah and during formidable." i pointed out. it seemed that she didn't want to push the matter further so i dropped it.

the medley ended and they played the rest of the setlist. finally, came the moment i had been waiting for all night. it was finally time for trees.

yay, confetti!

we got the platform ready for dad to stand on and held it up for him. on one side i had mom but on the other side, it was someone i didn't know. i probably wouldn't have noticed them but they were extremely pretty. they smiled and gave me a small hi, so i said hello back.

holding my dad up for trees was amazing. probably the best experience of my life. for that moment, probably the last moment i'd ever see him as that, i saw him as tyler joseph again. not my dad, but my idol. my favorite singer.

"hello!" dad sang as pink, blue, and yellow confetti flew everywhere. the sight was gorgeous. i loved it.

with trees ending, so did the concert. everyone clapped and cheered and some were even crying. i turned to mom and debby and they both looked ecstatic.

"so, was that better than up there?" mom asked.

"are you kidding? that was sick!" i exclaimed. mom and debby chuckled.

"are you gonna get the full fan experience and collect some confetti?" debby asked.

"duh!" i said, turning around and going to collect confetti.

when i was picking up confetti, i accidentally bumped into someone. ugh, curse my clumsiness. but when i realized who it was i realized it was the pretty person that i had seen earlier.

"oh my gosh, i'm so sorry. i didn't mean that." i apologized to them. they smiled and shook their head.

"that's alright!" they told me. "you're riley, right? tyler's kid."

"yup, that's me." i said, proudly.

"i'm jace! my pronouns are she/they. wow, you're even prettier in person." the person, who i then knew as jace, spoke quickly. i blushed at her words. they were so sweet.

"that's so sweet of you. i think you're pretty as well." i told them. i then took a small breath of courage. "do you think that maybe i could get your number?"

"what? you want my number?" jace asked, surprised. i smiled.

"yes..if that's okay?" i replied.

"absolutely! i mean- yeah i can give you my number."

i opened my contacts and let jace put her number in. when they were done, they gave me my phone back.

"i have to get back to my parent but, it was really nice to meet you." jace told me.

"it was nice to meet you too, jace. i'll text you." i replied. they then went in for a small quick hug and then walked away, leaving me speechless. did i mention they were pretty?

i turned around to see mom and debby smiling widely.

"you got a bit distracted so we picked up some confetti for you." debby said.

"yeah, i'll say you got distracted. does someone have a little crush?" mom chimed in. i looked down and became a bit flustered.

"let's just go inside." i said, not wanting to talk to them about my new crush. who even knew if jace would text me back when i texted? i still had that to find out.

but either way, that was still one hell of a show.