Childhood Sweetheart Punks, chapter 5
After they had both showered and dressed in slightly fresher clothes, Becci and Billie Joe made their way downstairs, alternately bickering and kissing. Becci made her way into the kitchen, feeling slightly hungover for reasons unknown to herself. It was like she was coming down off a high or something
Then it occurred to her--Billie Joe was definitely her drug. He was exciting, addictive--he sent her crazy. As that thought crossed her mind, he caught her from behind again and scared the crap out of her. 'Dollar for the lady's thoughts,' he said, grinning. She raised an eyebrow at him and said: 'I'm not cheap darlin'.' He caught the slightly acidic sarcasm behind her words, and then asked, affectionately: 'Are you always this tetchy in the morning?' She smirked at him and said: 'Only when I wake up to something unpleasant.' He pulled away then and gave her an injured look. At first Becci thought he was joking, but then she saw the genuine doubt in his eyes.
She wrapped her arms around him again, and said, quietly: 'I was only playing Billie Joe. You of all people should know that you're one of the most important things in my life. If not the most important.' He looked at her again, his gaze intense, unmoving..... green orbs filled with black fire. 'I don't know that. All I know is that I walked in here last night and held you in my arms...... and I never wanted to let you go. I haven't given you any answers, and you haven't exactly played revelations with me either. It's been fun...'
Becci wrenched herself from his embrace then, worried, maybe even slightly angry about what he was implying. 'Fun? Don't play games with me, damn you! You show up here, without any explanation, and I didn't say a thing. I can't read minds Billie; I'm only fucking human! If you want me to know why you're here, only you can tell me.'
The second that the words had left her mouth, she wished that she could take them back. Billie Joe backed off and staggered a few steps, as if she had actually physically hit him. He looked up after a few minutes of silence, and then he said, his voice hoarse: 'You don't know why I'm here? You've really got no idea?' Becci threw her hands up in exasperation, but became worried by the growing dullness in Billie Joe's eyes. She waited, and she wasn't disappointed.
A few seconds later, he croaked out, a small tear running down his cheek: 'I'm not here for fun. I never was, and never will be. I'm here because I love you.'
Becci stood, stunned. She then recalled what she had thought of as Billie Joe's casual use of the words 'love' and 'babe'. She had believed that he was merely going to hang around for as long as it suited him, and then take off, leaving only memories of a wonderful friendship with benefits. Which was why she hadn't allowed herself to open up for so long. But somehow, she had missed the way he would stare at her and touch her. She had missed the true meaning behind the gifts that he had been sending her, dismissing it as a crush that he would be over in a few weeks.
And somewhere along the line; she had overlooked something very important--she had fallen stupidly, idiotically in love with him.
As she stood in a daze, Billie Joe had apparently taken her silence as rejection, and was racing towards the door. 'WAIT!' she shouted desperately. Her only answer was the sight of a retreating back and the resounding slam of the front door as it closed behind him. She ran out after him, and blessed the fact that Sophie had persuaded her to stay on at the gym with her when she had considered leaving. Thanks to that, she was in excellent shape, and soon caught up with Billie Joe.
He kept running, but Becci could see that he was running out of breath. Sure enough, he stopped a few yards away after he almost stumbled over a rock on the ground. He sat down and put his head in his hands, and Becci slowed down as she pulled up next to him. At her touch on his shoulder, he shuddered slightly, and then glanced at her with eyes of ice. The coldness in them terrified her, and she knew then that she would do anything to get the mischievous look she had fallen in love with back.
He got up to take off again, but she pushed him down and sat down next to him. He moved away from her, obviously hurting and tried to go again. Finally, Becci had had enough, and she tackled him to the ground and pinned him with an iron grip, so that even he could not move. He avoided her glance, until she said, coolly: 'Look at me. Look me in the eye and listen to what I have to say.' Somehow unable to resist the command with the underlying quiet desperation, Billie did finally look at her directly, his eyes sad and yet defiant even as the tears continued to roll down his cheeks. He looked the picture of devastation, and Becci felt her heart wrench inside of her.
It was then that Becci took a deep breath, and began what was quite possibly the most important speech of her life.
'I didn't think you cared so much. I thought that I was just a fling for you, a 'friendship with benefits' if you choose to term it that way. Now that I know better, I can tell you honestly how I feel.' At this, Billie Joe flinched as if he expected her betrayal immediately. Instead, she leant down and whispered: 'I love you too. Beyond music, beyond life itself. You're the only thing in my life that I can trust apart from my friends. The only thing. You have no idea how much you mean to me.'
Seeing Billie Joe's eyes light up, she knew that she hadn't screwed up. Far from it. He looked something close to ecstatic.
Suddenly, he began to speak quietly, his voice catching on a few of the words:
I want you to know, I'll always love you
Be right there, whatever you do
Wherever you go, I'm waiting for you
I promise that I'll see it through
There's only so many lines we can cross
But at least we'll cross them together
All I really want to do
Is stay in your arms forever
I don't know how long we'll last
I can't promise eternity
But darlin', all I can tell you is
You were meant for me
I want you to know, I'll always love you
Be right there, whatever you do
Wherever you go, I'm waiting for you
I promise that I'll see it through
Just as long as you know
That I've found your love at last
That I'm always here for you
I can't believe that I've fallen so fast
You're my music, you're my soul
You'll never age a day, I won't let it be
'Cause no matter where I go
I'll always take you with me
I want you to know, I'll always love you
Be right there, whatever you do
Wherever you go, I'm waiting for you
I promise that I'll see it through
Becci felt her eyes well up with tears, and she kissed him, unable to help herself. Into that kiss, she poured everything that she was feeling. When they finally pulled away, a beatific smile and an awed expression adorned Billie Joe's features as he reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. When he finally got his breath back, he muttered: 'Fuck me,' unable to find any other more creative words at that moment. Becci smirked cheekily and said: 'Maybe later.' When Billie Joe finally got her drift, his eyes widened and he broke out into his characteristic cheeky grin.
'Be very, very careful about what you say; I just might take you up on that.' She smirked back again, and said: 'That was the idea. Quick, aren't you?' He smacked her gently on the butt, and then said: 'I resent that comment. I shall have to punish you for that.' Becci endeavored to keep a straight face as she replied, trying to look downcast: 'Wouldn't have it any other way love.' Billie Joe nodded absently, not realising what he was agreeing to. Becci lay on top of him and absorbed his features, waiting for him to realise.
When he finally did, he gawped at her like a fish. She reached down and closed his mouth for him, giggling all the way. The old manic glint was back in his eye when he exclaimed: 'You little minx you! I almost fell for that!' and with that they started playfighting, kissing each other in between tickling and laughing hysterically. Life was good once again.
Then it occurred to her--Billie Joe was definitely her drug. He was exciting, addictive--he sent her crazy. As that thought crossed her mind, he caught her from behind again and scared the crap out of her. 'Dollar for the lady's thoughts,' he said, grinning. She raised an eyebrow at him and said: 'I'm not cheap darlin'.' He caught the slightly acidic sarcasm behind her words, and then asked, affectionately: 'Are you always this tetchy in the morning?' She smirked at him and said: 'Only when I wake up to something unpleasant.' He pulled away then and gave her an injured look. At first Becci thought he was joking, but then she saw the genuine doubt in his eyes.
She wrapped her arms around him again, and said, quietly: 'I was only playing Billie Joe. You of all people should know that you're one of the most important things in my life. If not the most important.' He looked at her again, his gaze intense, unmoving..... green orbs filled with black fire. 'I don't know that. All I know is that I walked in here last night and held you in my arms...... and I never wanted to let you go. I haven't given you any answers, and you haven't exactly played revelations with me either. It's been fun...'
Becci wrenched herself from his embrace then, worried, maybe even slightly angry about what he was implying. 'Fun? Don't play games with me, damn you! You show up here, without any explanation, and I didn't say a thing. I can't read minds Billie; I'm only fucking human! If you want me to know why you're here, only you can tell me.'
The second that the words had left her mouth, she wished that she could take them back. Billie Joe backed off and staggered a few steps, as if she had actually physically hit him. He looked up after a few minutes of silence, and then he said, his voice hoarse: 'You don't know why I'm here? You've really got no idea?' Becci threw her hands up in exasperation, but became worried by the growing dullness in Billie Joe's eyes. She waited, and she wasn't disappointed.
A few seconds later, he croaked out, a small tear running down his cheek: 'I'm not here for fun. I never was, and never will be. I'm here because I love you.'
Becci stood, stunned. She then recalled what she had thought of as Billie Joe's casual use of the words 'love' and 'babe'. She had believed that he was merely going to hang around for as long as it suited him, and then take off, leaving only memories of a wonderful friendship with benefits. Which was why she hadn't allowed herself to open up for so long. But somehow, she had missed the way he would stare at her and touch her. She had missed the true meaning behind the gifts that he had been sending her, dismissing it as a crush that he would be over in a few weeks.
And somewhere along the line; she had overlooked something very important--she had fallen stupidly, idiotically in love with him.
As she stood in a daze, Billie Joe had apparently taken her silence as rejection, and was racing towards the door. 'WAIT!' she shouted desperately. Her only answer was the sight of a retreating back and the resounding slam of the front door as it closed behind him. She ran out after him, and blessed the fact that Sophie had persuaded her to stay on at the gym with her when she had considered leaving. Thanks to that, she was in excellent shape, and soon caught up with Billie Joe.
He kept running, but Becci could see that he was running out of breath. Sure enough, he stopped a few yards away after he almost stumbled over a rock on the ground. He sat down and put his head in his hands, and Becci slowed down as she pulled up next to him. At her touch on his shoulder, he shuddered slightly, and then glanced at her with eyes of ice. The coldness in them terrified her, and she knew then that she would do anything to get the mischievous look she had fallen in love with back.
He got up to take off again, but she pushed him down and sat down next to him. He moved away from her, obviously hurting and tried to go again. Finally, Becci had had enough, and she tackled him to the ground and pinned him with an iron grip, so that even he could not move. He avoided her glance, until she said, coolly: 'Look at me. Look me in the eye and listen to what I have to say.' Somehow unable to resist the command with the underlying quiet desperation, Billie did finally look at her directly, his eyes sad and yet defiant even as the tears continued to roll down his cheeks. He looked the picture of devastation, and Becci felt her heart wrench inside of her.
It was then that Becci took a deep breath, and began what was quite possibly the most important speech of her life.
'I didn't think you cared so much. I thought that I was just a fling for you, a 'friendship with benefits' if you choose to term it that way. Now that I know better, I can tell you honestly how I feel.' At this, Billie Joe flinched as if he expected her betrayal immediately. Instead, she leant down and whispered: 'I love you too. Beyond music, beyond life itself. You're the only thing in my life that I can trust apart from my friends. The only thing. You have no idea how much you mean to me.'
Seeing Billie Joe's eyes light up, she knew that she hadn't screwed up. Far from it. He looked something close to ecstatic.
Suddenly, he began to speak quietly, his voice catching on a few of the words:
I want you to know, I'll always love you
Be right there, whatever you do
Wherever you go, I'm waiting for you
I promise that I'll see it through
There's only so many lines we can cross
But at least we'll cross them together
All I really want to do
Is stay in your arms forever
I don't know how long we'll last
I can't promise eternity
But darlin', all I can tell you is
You were meant for me
I want you to know, I'll always love you
Be right there, whatever you do
Wherever you go, I'm waiting for you
I promise that I'll see it through
Just as long as you know
That I've found your love at last
That I'm always here for you
I can't believe that I've fallen so fast
You're my music, you're my soul
You'll never age a day, I won't let it be
'Cause no matter where I go
I'll always take you with me
I want you to know, I'll always love you
Be right there, whatever you do
Wherever you go, I'm waiting for you
I promise that I'll see it through
Becci felt her eyes well up with tears, and she kissed him, unable to help herself. Into that kiss, she poured everything that she was feeling. When they finally pulled away, a beatific smile and an awed expression adorned Billie Joe's features as he reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. When he finally got his breath back, he muttered: 'Fuck me,' unable to find any other more creative words at that moment. Becci smirked cheekily and said: 'Maybe later.' When Billie Joe finally got her drift, his eyes widened and he broke out into his characteristic cheeky grin.
'Be very, very careful about what you say; I just might take you up on that.' She smirked back again, and said: 'That was the idea. Quick, aren't you?' He smacked her gently on the butt, and then said: 'I resent that comment. I shall have to punish you for that.' Becci endeavored to keep a straight face as she replied, trying to look downcast: 'Wouldn't have it any other way love.' Billie Joe nodded absently, not realising what he was agreeing to. Becci lay on top of him and absorbed his features, waiting for him to realise.
When he finally did, he gawped at her like a fish. She reached down and closed his mouth for him, giggling all the way. The old manic glint was back in his eye when he exclaimed: 'You little minx you! I almost fell for that!' and with that they started playfighting, kissing each other in between tickling and laughing hysterically. Life was good once again.
