Thank God for Empty Classrooms and Glen Campbell Chapter One
August 25th 2012
I knew Jensen before the lawsuits, before the press attention and before the fame. I knew him when he was just like everyone else, when he had time for his friends and family, when he had time for me. Before his career took off Jensen and I had been best friends, if you ask him he will say that we still the best of friends but you would never have guessed it by the way his manager, his publicist and the fuck heads he hangs around with treated me. It was as if I were the token trailer trash that Jensen took from the very bottom of the barrel and had now become nothing but an annoyance, I had started to feel this way long before this latest shit storm but it had never gotten to the point where I just wanted out.
“ Jared come here and look at this, I'm number one on the charts.”
“ I knew you could do it Jen, it's no surprise really.” I replied with a small smile.
“ Yeah it's the break I have been waiting for, this is the hit that is going to help me cross over in to the mainstream chart as well as country. People are going to fucking love it.”
And I knew he would, not only was his voice the best there was out there, his face and body were also to die for.
“ Yes they will.” I heard his publicist Daniel Jones say from over at his table in the corner.
“ I hope so because the press are trying to screw me over all the time and I have no fucking idea where they get these stories from in the first place.” Was Jensen's reply.
I wanted to shake him then and tell him it was the pricks he ran around with but I just put my head down and went back to reading my paper.
“ Jared why don't you make yourself useful and go and get everyone some lunch, what do you want Jensen?” Daniel asked.
“ I'm not hungry Daniel.”
“ Well I am, here 's the money and go and find out what everyone wants and when you get back check with the front office they have some forms for you to pick up.”
“ Anything else?” I asked in the most sarcastic voice that I could pull off.
“ Yeah watch how you speak to me, you don't have to be here. A lot of people would love too be in your position so don't think your irreplaceable.” He growled.
“ Lay off Daniel.” Jensen snapped at him.
“ What he thinks he can come in here and do anything he fucking wants.”
Jensen pulled Daniel down and whispered something in his ear that made him get even angrier but instead of lashing out he just walked out slamming the door behind him.
“ He's just upset about this latest shit storm Jay, he thinks it might have a negative affect on my career.”
“ And his salary.” Was my reply.
“ That too.” He chuckled giving me a rare opportunity to see that smile and I sure as hell enjoyed seeing it.
“ I should get going, don't want to keep that lot waiting.”
“ He didn't mean it like that Jared.”
“ Whatever you say Jen, whatever you say.”
We had been in the same High School for three years and didn't know the other had existed. I had my friends and he had his, not to mention that our backgrounds were as different as night and day. I came from a poor family that lived in a trailer park and my parents were quite religious and tried there hardest to keep me under their thumb as long as they could. All I ever did was go too school, go too church and read my bible. Not much of a life but how could you want what you never had or experienced and I didn't think anything was wrong with my life until I met Jensen who was from a wealthy family and was as far as I knew was your typical jock type, but meeting him changed my perspective completely and set me on a path that even today I never regretted.
Fourth period was over and I was on my way over to the lunch hall when the sweetest sound I had ever heard hit my ears and I followed it in to the music hall where I was met with the future love of my life even though I didn't know it at the time. He stood tall at over six foot, eyes closed and chest heaving as he sang his heart out to Honey Come Back by Glen Campbell, and even as he bought the song to a close I could still feel his voice vibrating around the room. When he finished he opened his eyes, walked over to the CD player and shut it off the background music then before I could stop my self I spoke.
February 10th 1999
“ You sounded fantastic.”
He turned to look at me with the most amazing green eyes I had ever seen. “ Thanks, I have been practising for a while now for that talent show on Saturday night down at the DALLAS.”
“ Where?”
“ The DALLAS club on Burnet road, the country place.”
I was still unsure of where it was but pretended as if I had heard of it. “ Oh yeah, that club.”
“ You have no idea what I’m talking about do you?” He said with a smile.
“ No I really don't sorry.” I said with a sheepish grin.
“ That's OK, not a lot of kids know about the place it's not exactly a high school hot spot.”
I watched as he put on his leather jacket and his back pack, getting ready to leave but I found my self not wanting to see him go just yet.
“ So when is the talent show?” I knew he had already told me bit I wanted to hear his voice again.
“ Saturday night, you want to come?”
“ Yes.” I answered a little to desperately which made him laugh.
“ Wait a minute aren't you one of those kids that hang around outside handing out pamphlets on the bible?” He asked me.
“ No.”
“ Yes it is you, you tried to get me to come to your church last year.”
If I had met him before I think I would have remembered. “ It was not me.” I replied defensively not wanting him to be disgusted by me.
“ It's OK...I don't care, I think it's good that you stand up for what you believe in, it's like what I am doing on Saturday...my father does not want me to have anything to do with music but I like it and I'm going to make a career out of it.”
“ Yeah...I think you have what it takes...they don't even sound that good in church.”
“ Yeah well if you think that was good, you should come to the show on Saturday night. There is going to be a lot of people entering the contest trying to win the top prize.”
“ I think that you are going to win it hands down.”
“ I hope so.” He said quietly and with that he turned to walk out the door only stopping briefly to ask my name.
“ Jared Padalecki... but my friends call me Jay.”
“ Nice to meet you Jay, my friends call me Jensen... I’ll look out for you on Saturday night.”
“ OK.” I managed to get out as he walked out the door.
I was in bed reading that night after my stressful day with that prick Daniel when my phone rang.
“ Hello.”
“ Hey baby...miss me?”
And there was the voice that used to turn me on so much but now just pissed me off most of the time.
“ Not really Christian, what do you want now it's late.”
“ I just wanted to call my favourite person in the world and find out how he was doing.”
“ And I turned straight over night... so again I ask what do you want?”
He sighed before speaking. “ OK I just called to find out...but first promise me you won't get mad.”
“ Just spit it out will you.”
“ I just wanted to know if you could get me an autographed copy of the new Jensen Ackles CD....I know he's your best friend in the world and I know you can do this small favour for your ex....please Jared.”
“ And what makes you think that I can just walk up to him and get a signed copy for you, don't you know that I am just his lowly assistant.”
“ Bullshit Jared and you know it, you are practically his right hand man and for the record I think you make a much better publicist than that prick he has now.”
“ Thanks.”
“ Your welcome...so does that mean you will do that for me?”
“ Have I ever turned you down Christian Kane?”
“ Nope never...I'll call you tomorrow, sweet dreams lover.”
“ Only in your dreams.” I said to him as I hung up with his laughter still ringing in my ears.
The history between Chris and me span over 12 years but our relationship or our attempt at one only began 5 years ago and it had been a disaster. So many broken promises and a lot of mistrust broke up a good friendship that was reduced too a phone call once in a while if I was lucky or if he wanted something from me. And even though Christian and I would never reach the same level of friendship we once had, I could still talk to him about Jensen which I did often and it was priceless. He had been a bad boyfriend but what he lacked in boyfriend material he made up for in the countless hours he had had to listen to me gripe about Jensen. And I knew that if the need arose I would have an ear in Christian.
September 10th 2012
Seeing him do a sound check on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry reminded me of that first time, that first performance of his that I saw.
February 12th 1999
I had missed the last two school days due to very heavy rain but that just gave me more time to think about him. My parents had noticed the change in me and asked my younger brother about it.
“ I don't know what his problem is, maybe it has something to do with school.”
And being the type of parents that they were, they encouraged me to pray about whatever was wrong and pray I did, pray that I could find a way to make it out of the house without them knowing. They had prayer meetings all night at our local church which lasted till about 11pm and then it took them about an hour to get home. That absence would give me enough time to sneak out but the real problem would be getting back in. If they caught me I knew that it would take more than a few hail Mary's to save me.
“ We are leaving now Jared.” My mother called from downstairs breaking me out of my thoughts.
I silently threw my hands up in the air in joy then started arranging my clothes for the evening. I had never been to a club before and had no idea what to wear, I noticed my brother Jeff who was only 14 months younger than me kept strolling past my room probably hoping to find out what I was doing.
“ Your sneaking out aren't you?” He asked me making me jump as I didn't even realise that he had come into my room.
“ Yes and you better not tell mum and dad.”
“ I wont but only on one condition.” Was his reply.
“ What do you want?”
“ You have to take me too.”
“ No way, it's not the kind of place you should go too Jeff.” I said in shock at his request.
“ I don't care Jared, if I can't go then neither can you.” And no matter how hard I tried I could not change his mind, so I took him with me.
It was about an hour later that we found ourselves standing in line with the hoards of other patrons just waiting to get into the club, it was only about five minutes after entering the line that we found ourselves out of it as the bouncer escorted us to the side.
“ I have money.” I stated as I went to take my money out to show him.
“ Sorry kid but this is an eighteen and over only party and neither of you look eighteen, so unless your performing as a duo, you are not getting in there.”
I was nearly reduced to tears at the thought of not seeing Jensen, then I heard that magical voice.
“ They are with me John.”
I turned around and saw him standing in the doorway dressed to the nines and smiling at me.
“ You know the rules Jensen, no kids.”
“ They aren't kids John, they are my cousins.”
The bouncer looked at us then back to Jensen with a frown on his face.
“ Really.... Says who?”
“ Says this.” Jensen replied pulling a fifty out of his pocket and handing it to the bouncer and with that the bouncer smiled at us then let us in.
“ I wasn't expecting you to come.”
“ I said I would.” Was my shy reply to him.
“ Well you guys should find a table and get comfortable, we are about to start soon and I really hope you enjoy the show.” He said as he walked off.
And what a show it had been, by the end of that night I hadn't even cared if I got in trouble with my parents because it had been worth it. Too see so much talent in one place and to experience all the different types of music sang was something that I had never thought I would see. And when Jensen took the stage it was as if the whole world disappeared, I had watched his every move and had listened to his every word. He sang Honey Come Back by Glen Campbell, and he bought the house down with that performance and won first place for best male vocalist.
We have Country Weekly wanting to get an up and close interview with you and of course there's MTV and Take Country Back, but I think that you should go with Country Weekly.” Daniel said to Jensen as we were all waiting around in the dressing room.
“ Didn't I do something with them just recently?”
“ Yes, but they want to go again. You are hot stuff now Jensen and they want you, plus they are willing to pay almost twice as much as Take Country Back and I am sure I can get them to pay more than MTV.”
“ I don't know Daniel, the last time I did an interview with them, they made me really uncomfortable with their questions.... What about doing something with one of the mainstream magazines?” Jensen asked.
Daniel sighed before he spoke. “ Why you always want the support of all the mainstream networks is beyond me. Country Weekly has been behind you from the the start and now you want to turn your back on them like your better than them now.”
“ What the hell is wrong with you today Daniel with all this shit?” Jensen asked in a tone of voice that I knew meant he was starting to get pissed off.
“ Nothing is wrong with me, I just think you need to remember who got you to where you are today, it wasn't the fucking kids that listen to all that pop shit, their nothing but poor trailer trash.” He said while turning around to look at me.
“ Just drop it Daniel.” Jensen's manager Christopher Said.
“ Why should I, we are the ones buying his albums and supporting him and he is not even grateful for it.”
“ That's not what he said.” Was Christopher's reply.
“ Well that's how it sounds to me, I guess this trailer trash standing in the corner has been filling his head up with stupid shit.” He said while glaring at me.
“ If you have something to say, fucking say to me Daniel and leave Jared out of it.” Jensen shouted as he jumped up and headed towards Daniel.
Christopher stepped between them before anything could happen and spoke. “ This is not the time or place for this discussion Daniel, We have a show in less than 10 hours and we are still running behind.”
And with that Daniel walked out of the dressing room slamming the door behind him as Jensen walked towards me.
“ You OK?” He asked me.
“ Yeah.... Why wouldn't I be?” I asked him puzzled by his question.
“ You know with all that shit that just came out of Daniels mouth.”
“ No, I'm cool with it Jen.... I don't even listen to half the shit that comes out of his mouth.”
“ Thank god for that.... I don't know what I would do if I had to choose.” He said quietly as he walked away.
I stayed through the entire show and as always I was in awe at his talent, not only was his voice taking the crowd to new levels but his stage presence was phenomenal. At one point I could have sworn that I saw a woman in the crowd throw her panties at him, you could tell that his fans were really into his performance as they were singing along to all his songs word for word.
I on the other hand watched him from my quiet corner at the side of the stage, I couldn't help but study his profile as his lips moved and brought me to ecstasy and once again I had to remind myself where I was, it was times like these I wish I had Christian by my side. He had gotten his signed CD and had called me only last night to thank me once again.
Intermission was just beginning and Jensen was trying to change clothes, freshen up and grab a bite to eat at the same time.
“ Where the fuck is that.... there you are, what happened to that sandwich I asked for half an hour ago?” Daniel screamed at me causing the room to get very quite and everyone’s attention to zero in on me.
I was as embarrassed as hell and tried to keep my blushing to a minimum as I spoke. “ I ordered it but it's stuck in traffic, outside is a mess with all that rain and...” I trailed off as Daniel interrupted me.
“ And nothing... he goes back on stage in 15 minutes and he has no fucking food in his stomach. You should have ordered the food when you were told to.”
And even though I did just that, I wasn't going to waste my time and grace Daniel with an answer. Jensen sat on the edge of a table listening to the exchange between us and not saying a word, his inaction really pissed me off and had me seething. He could be like that some times, one minute ready to fight for my honour and the next minute just standing there like a bystander while his supposed best friend was reduced to nothing but shit. At times like these I felt like our friendship was being compromised and that his career took centre stage and it forced me to think about life after this, after Jensen. It took me less than half a year to be demoted from his manager to his publicist and even less time to go from his publicist to his assistant, and it made me wonder what the next few months would bring, it was like a game of how low could you go with me stuck under the limbo bar.
“ You were great man.” Daniel told him , patting him on the back as he walked off stage after a third and final bow.
“ Thanks, I felt good.... I was really feeling the crowd and I know they were feeling me.”
“ And you should feel good Jensen, you sold out tonight, we even had some celebrity’s in the crowd.”
“ Yeah I know... I saw that chick from lost girl in the crowd.”
“ Now would you not like to fuck that through the floor?” Daniel asked him.
“ Your damn right I would.”
And that was another thing that I had started do dislike about Jensen, his entire attitude towards women was drastically changing, he was never one to be involved in women’s rights or anything like that but he used to have great respect for them especially since he had a very close and loving relationship with his mother. He never used to say anything out of term about women or degrade them an any way but since Daniel and the rest of the fuck heads had come on the scene it seemed like Jensen had turned in to nothing but a player.
“ I swear two weeks ago a girl was trying to bribe me with three hundred just to let her in the back-door in the hopes of blowing you.” Daniel said breaking me out of my thoughts.
Jensen laughed at that and asked Daniel what stopped him.
“ She was way to busy on mine.” He said making lewd hand gestures towards his cock which made me want to throw up my lunch. The thought that any girl would want blow him was inconceivable to me.
“ Though you wouldn't know anything about that would you Jared.” Daniel said putting emphasis on my name.
“ I guess I wouldn't.”
“ No of course you wouldn't.... not with being a faggot and all.”
“ Hey Daniel lay the fuck off.”
“ What Jensen, I'm just calling it as I see it. You better watch yourself around him Jensen or he just might end up trying to blow you in your sleep.”
“ Whatever Daniel, just go and deal with the media will you.” Was Jensen's reply.
Daniel held up his hands in a defensive position and began laughing as he walked out of the room, when he was out of sight Jensen apologised on his behalf.
“ Forget it Jen. “ I said in a pissed off tone of voice.
“ You need to chill out Jared or the guys won't like you, sometimes I think that you deliberately try to separate yourself from the group.”
“ First of all Jensen I don't want the fuck heads that hang off you to like me as half of the so called friends of yours hardly give a fuck about what happens to you, they just like the attention they get when they ride with you. Secondly it's clear that my presence here is intruding on some sort of rich boy/ straight boy code or some shit like that. Thirdly I don't need you or anyone else telling me what the fuck to do.”
He just stood there staring at me as if he couldn't believe that I could stand up for myself, but soon his surprise turned to anger when he spoke.
“ You know what Jared I don't even know why I bother with you any more, it's like ever since I made it big you are acting jealous, well I'm not going to let you or anyone else fuck with me, I worked to hard for this.”
“ Well fuck you then Mr Ackles don't bother yourself with me any more, it's obvious that your busy life style is just to damn important for your friends, but just remember who was there before you made it big, who stood beside you when no one wanted to give you a recording contract, whose money practically financed all of this shit.”
“ So it's about the money, your acting like this because you want your cut?” Jensen screamed at me.
And with those words it was like he had stabbed me in the back, for him to even suggest that I was just another gold digger cut me deep and bought me to my breaking point with all this shit, it was as if all our years of friendship meant nothing to him.
“ Forget it Jensen, I don't need this shit, I don't need this job and I certainly don't need you.” And with that I walked out of the room slamming the door behind me not even stopping to register the words that Jensen was saying.
Chapter II