Notes

Dear Patrick Stump,

First of all I just want to start this off by saying that I completely understand if your answer to this is no as I know fall out boy are touring around this time and I know it will be highly unconventional for you if you have a concert on this day but please hear me out x

Basically my whole life I've been bullied.Throughout primary school + high school I suffered from being beaten up pushed down stairs, had my locker trashed, my bag was stolen twice from class and I found it in the bin outside school, called names as I walked through the corridors and often I was chased home by a gang of boys who threw bricks and bottles at me and my sisters till we managed to run through my door and my mum ran out and screamed at them but they only laughed and ran away..and I also had acid poured on me in biology.. the teacher did nothing, and Its taken 3 years to get rid of the scar it left on my arm. My childhood was miserable. I didn't sleep at all at night, I would stay up crying and wishing I could be someone..anyone else other than me..I didn't want to go to school but there was nothing my mum could do..she thought I would be strong enough to ignore the bullying because at first it was just name calling but it quickly progressed into something very violent. The police were called 4 times by my mum but they didn't do anything either..The entire town was corrupt, it was the sort of town where everyone knew everybody and everyone was related and it so happened that the headteacher was very close with the mothers of most of the people bullying me so nothing was ever done to help me.

Fast forward about 4 years into high school, I was 14 then and my best friend went on holiday and had a tragic accident and died and it destroyed me. He was the one that would make me laugh even though I felt like crying and would stand up for me when the bullies would say things when he was with me and because of this he was bullied too. I stayed off school for a few weeks until his funeral and I was shocked when I realised that everyone that bullied us had turned up just to mock me and get the day off school..I was so angry I couldn't even stay for long as I was so upset that they would try and disrupt his day.

Your probably wondering where does fall out boy come into this? Well in summer 2013 I went on holiday to the USA and one day on the way back to our hotel "my songs know what you did in the dark" by a band I had never heard of before, Fall Out Boy, came on the radio and I fell in love. The second I returned from america, I downloaded that song and listened to it on repeat and for the first time I felt happy and when I plugged my headphones in and pressed repeat, all my problems and sadness melted away and it was just me and the perfect voice of patrick stump and awesome drum solos and guitar riffs from Pete, Andy and Joe.

I'll come back to that but heres a bit more of my story (I promise its nearly done!)

After another year of bullying my mum had enough and moved my family to england in 2014 but the damage had already been done. I had been suffering from depression since I was 12 because of the bullying and because I was overweight and had no friends. When i started at my new school I found it impossible to make friends, my self confidence was completely non existent. I would go to the bathroom and plug in my headphones and listen to music until the bell went, but after a few months I made friends but for some reason the depression wasn't getting any better, in fact it had got worse...I felt more alone than ever. By early summer I started self harming and eventually my whole arm was covered in cuts and I couldn't even leave my house. I was so convinced that somehow I would have to take off my jumper/hoodie and everyone would see them so I would bail on my friends and constantly stay off school and stay in my room with the blinds closed watching funny videos to try and make myself feel better but it never worked.

I barely felt alive. I was at the point where if a car came out of nowhere I would gladly step into its path. I had, had enough with my life and I tried to commit suicide twice but both my attempts failed which made me feel even worse because I couldn't even achieve that along with anything else, but I tried again and this time I almost achieved my goal. I had never told anyone how I felt before and so It had been building up inside me and eventually pushed me over the edge. I spent two weeks off school and a few days in the hospital and when I went back my friends were so nice to me and made sure I was okay because they had heard I was in hospital..they still dont know why though I haven't got the heart to tell them what I almost did..I started seeing the school counselor and she helped me through therapy and by a lot of talking It turns out that Its very likely I have bipolar disorder but they can't test me until Im 18 so I have to wait another year.

So thats my story, its pretty long so im really sorry I just didn't want to leave out anything because I feel like you deserve the full story after everything you and pete and andy and joe have done for me. You guys have literally saved my life. I became a what you might call a "super fan" of FOB last year after searching the internet and finding out that you guys had made even more songs than I thought and I downloaded them all and absolutely love every single song on them :) I started spending my days after school watching old fall out boy tour videos and I found myself laughing and smiling when pete did something crazy like jump through a wall or when you went all awkward and cute in an interview or said something really funny like when you owned pete by saying he wears girls pants xD, something I hadn't done in a long time..and as I started to get more and more into your music, I felt so much more alive and happy :) I learned every single one of the songs and I made friends who also loved fall out boy so we would talk about your songs and your next tour dates, I felt my self esteem slowly getting better. I looked forward to coming home everyday after school just to sing your songs and sing along with you :) There are no words to describe how amazing your music makes me feel. I can say that honestly I wouldn't still be here if it wasn't for you and Pete and Joe and Andy and I cannot thank you all enough <3 Im slowly recovering and I have so much more confidence than I used to have but every now and then I fall backwards but I try and stay positive and I just plug in my headphones, put my favourite song American Suitehearts on repeat and block out the negative thoughts :)

Now to the part where I ask you probably the most unusual thing a fan has ever asked you.

Will you, Patrick Stump go to prom with me?

There are no words to describe how much it would mean to me if you agreed. I can say that honestly it would be the best day of my life and something I would never forget. Prom is something i've been looking forward to since I was a little girl, the idea of being almost like a princess for one night really appealed to me but now with my scars I have lost that self confidence but if you were to accompany me I know I would feel so much more confident and be able to go with you and wear my beautiful royal blue prom dress I got for my 16th birthday :)
Dont worry, I'm not a crazy fan girl I wont try and kidnap you or anything haha all Im asking for is for you to come with me and maybe take a few photos with me and most importantly it would give me the chance to meet you and be able to tell you in person what a huge impact you have made on my life. what do you say Patrick? will you make me the happiest girl alive and make my dream come true and go to prom with me? :)

Thank you for everything,
AJ x

PS: The reason I haven't included my school etc is because I dont want you to be mobbed by paparazzi and fans if you do come and because I want to keep my identity a secret from everyone except from you of course. Please follow me on twitter on this account and DM me so I know its you :D x