Tripping Over Raindrops, chapter 7
The next morning Jess woke up in one of the happiest moods she had been in, in a long time. Billie Joe was still sleeping as Jess quietly slipped out of bed. She was happy and a little proud when she managed to not wake him. As Jess made her way down stairs it felt as if everything had gone back to normal. She was up before the guys, and she didn't have anything to worry about except making breakfast. As she started the waffles she remembered she had to make a list for Mike, so he could go down to the store later. She quietly rumaged through a few draws looking for a pen and a pad of paper. Without any luck she headed upstairs to Billie Joe's room. Of course he would have them all hoarded in "his room" because he was the only one that ever actually used them. Jess made her way quietly upstairs and tried not to make a lot of noise as she opened the door to his room. To her surprise it was actually somewhat neat, for a rocker's room anyway. She looked around for a moment taking in how it looked. She saw Billie Joe's guitar Blue by his bed and a few stray pieces of crumpled paper laying around here and there. As Jess made her way over to his bed she became more and more curious of what the pieces of crumpled paper said. Of course, she knew it was lyrics, but she just wanted to know. When Jess reached Billie Joe's dresser she pushed the thought back and began looking through piles of mess everywhere for a pen or pad of paper. Eventually she moved to the drawers. No luck in the first drawer, none in the second, but something caught Jess off guard. It was a picture laying down face up in the last drawer of all the guys and Jess. It was old, very old, Jess smiled as she picked it up. 'This picture must be from at least three years ago,' Jess thought. She laughed quietly as she noticed how short she looked compared to all of them. She quietly laid it back down in it place and pushed the drawer shut slowly. Jess thought to herself as she sat on the bed, 'If I were BJ...where would I put a pad of paper and a pen?' Then it hit her, 'Of course, he carries it with him!'
As Jess made her way to the door the random pieces of crumpled paper caught her eye. Jess was not one to be nosey, but for once she let her curiosity get the best of her. She walked nervously over to the end on Billie Joe's bed and kneeled down to pick up the paper. She started to unfold it while glancing at the door every few seconds as if Billie Joe was going to appear any second and snatch the paper out of her hand before she could read it. After a few seconds Jess had the paper completly unfolded and looked down to read it.
Now it seems I can't keep my mind of you
My brain drifts back to better days we've been through
Like sitting on blacktop of the school grounds
The love I bitched about I finally found
But now it's gone and I take the blame
So there's nothing I can do but take the pain
Why?
Jess stopped and started to think of who he could be talking about. Surely, she would have known if Billie Joe had been in any serious relationship, right? Of course, what a silly thought. Billie Joe wouldn't hide something from her...would he? Who could he be talking about? Why had she not been told of this other girl? Was it one of Mike's protective brother actions or what? Jess felt a sledge hammer hit her heart as she thought these questions. Looking back at the paper she continued to read:
Now I dwell on what you remind me of
A sweet young girl who sacrificed her love
As for me... I am blind without a cause
And now I reazlied what I have lost
It was something real that I could have had
Now I play the fool whose stable soul's gone bad
Why?
Tell me the words I might have said
That's pumping pressure deep inside my head
Was it bad enough to be too late?
Just tell me the words I might have ate.
Jess finished reading the last line slowly and set the paper down on the bed. She stood up quietly and walked to the door and to her bedroom. There she saw Billie Joe still sleeping, his arms wrapped around her pillow, replacing her. She could see this was going to be difficult as she walked over to the bed. He was still dressed, so trying not to wake him while rummaging through his pockets would be a bit hard. Instead, Jess decided to go check the kitchen one last time. As she lightly thumped her way downstairs she saw Mike lying on the couch watching television and drinking his morning coffee. She turned sharply as she went into the kitchen. She didn't feel like talking. Jess dug through every drawer she could find and checked the cabinets too, yet still nothing. Just then she heard slow footsteps coming down the stairs. Jess waited to see if it was Tre' or Billie Joe. Billie Joe appeared seconds later at the doorway of the kitchen. Still grogy, obviously.
"Morning Jess." Billie Joe said stretching.
"Morning." Jess said quietly, walking over to him.
"What are you doing?" Billie Joe asked as Jess stopped in front of him. Jess didn't answer, instead she shoved her hands in his pockets and searched for a pad of paper and a pen. After a few seconds she pulled out the two items and turned to the counter to start making her list. Confused, Billie Joe just watched as Jess finished her list and tore out the paper then turned to walk out of the kitchen. He moved so she could get by, as she past she slipped the pad of paper and the pen back into his pocket. Without a word Jess walked to the couch and handed Mike the list then headed upstairs, not even caring to glance at Billie Joe.
As Jess made her way to the door the random pieces of crumpled paper caught her eye. Jess was not one to be nosey, but for once she let her curiosity get the best of her. She walked nervously over to the end on Billie Joe's bed and kneeled down to pick up the paper. She started to unfold it while glancing at the door every few seconds as if Billie Joe was going to appear any second and snatch the paper out of her hand before she could read it. After a few seconds Jess had the paper completly unfolded and looked down to read it.
Now it seems I can't keep my mind of you
My brain drifts back to better days we've been through
Like sitting on blacktop of the school grounds
The love I bitched about I finally found
But now it's gone and I take the blame
So there's nothing I can do but take the pain
Why?
Jess stopped and started to think of who he could be talking about. Surely, she would have known if Billie Joe had been in any serious relationship, right? Of course, what a silly thought. Billie Joe wouldn't hide something from her...would he? Who could he be talking about? Why had she not been told of this other girl? Was it one of Mike's protective brother actions or what? Jess felt a sledge hammer hit her heart as she thought these questions. Looking back at the paper she continued to read:
Now I dwell on what you remind me of
A sweet young girl who sacrificed her love
As for me... I am blind without a cause
And now I reazlied what I have lost
It was something real that I could have had
Now I play the fool whose stable soul's gone bad
Why?
Tell me the words I might have said
That's pumping pressure deep inside my head
Was it bad enough to be too late?
Just tell me the words I might have ate.
Jess finished reading the last line slowly and set the paper down on the bed. She stood up quietly and walked to the door and to her bedroom. There she saw Billie Joe still sleeping, his arms wrapped around her pillow, replacing her. She could see this was going to be difficult as she walked over to the bed. He was still dressed, so trying not to wake him while rummaging through his pockets would be a bit hard. Instead, Jess decided to go check the kitchen one last time. As she lightly thumped her way downstairs she saw Mike lying on the couch watching television and drinking his morning coffee. She turned sharply as she went into the kitchen. She didn't feel like talking. Jess dug through every drawer she could find and checked the cabinets too, yet still nothing. Just then she heard slow footsteps coming down the stairs. Jess waited to see if it was Tre' or Billie Joe. Billie Joe appeared seconds later at the doorway of the kitchen. Still grogy, obviously.
"Morning Jess." Billie Joe said stretching.
"Morning." Jess said quietly, walking over to him.
"What are you doing?" Billie Joe asked as Jess stopped in front of him. Jess didn't answer, instead she shoved her hands in his pockets and searched for a pad of paper and a pen. After a few seconds she pulled out the two items and turned to the counter to start making her list. Confused, Billie Joe just watched as Jess finished her list and tore out the paper then turned to walk out of the kitchen. He moved so she could get by, as she past she slipped the pad of paper and the pen back into his pocket. Without a word Jess walked to the couch and handed Mike the list then headed upstairs, not even caring to glance at Billie Joe.
