1988, chapter 6
Billie Joe woke up with a bead of sweat running down his right eyebrow "Not again" he murmured and he sat up and yawned. He was just about to jump out of bed when he thought of another song, he searched around for his notebook and pen and he started writing a song down "Late last night I had a dream, And she was in it again, She and I were in the sky flying hand in hand, I woke up in a cold sweat, Wishing she was by my side, Praying that she'll dry tears, Left on my face I've cried" 'wow' he thought to himself 'one whole verse done'. Billie Joe got out of bed and just in his boxes walked to his kitchen, he scratched himself and heard Maria at the door "shit" he whispered, bit his lip and hid behind the wall listening to Maria's and Mike's conversation. Mike then closed the door and walked to the garage, Billie Joe followed him "whose guitar is that?" he asked acting dumb
"Maria's... and Billie Joe please put some clothes, nobody wants to see that" and Mike rested the red 'Fender' down on the old sofa. Billie Joe smiled at it and walked to his room, got changed and walked back to the garage. Mike had left so Billie Joe picked the red 'Fender' up and plugged it in, he strummed a few cords
"Nice" he smiled. He looked around so he could make sure nobody was watching and started to sing the song he wrote yesterday, but someone was watching: Billie Joes brother.
"Who's the chick?" Billie Joe stopped and looked up
"No one"
"Bill, I know it's a chick"
"Well maybe I just don't wanna tell you"
"Fine little bro" and he walked out
"Urgh" Billie Joe grunted trying to figure out where he was up to and then Mike walked in with a piece of half eaten toast in hand
"New song?"
"Yeah, I guess"
"Let me guess by your love sick lyrics its about Maria?"
"Meh... I guess"
"Just ask her out man"
"What if she says no, anyway I don't know what to say"
"Then say it in a song"
"Seriously?" Mike nodded and lest the garage "thank god" Billie Joe sighed and started playing again. 2 hours later Billie Joe was no longer alone, Al had arrived and they had serious practise to do for tonight. After practising the 3 songs they were going to play that night ('Why Do You Want Him?' '409 In You Coffee Maker' and '16')
"Guys we need another song" Mike suggested plucking the strings on his bass
"Yeah I agree" Al added
"What then?" Billie Joe asked picking at his crooked front tooth
"What about the song I heard you playing earlier?"
"You wrote another song?"
"Yeah he did, and guess who its about?"
"Maria?" Mike nodded and Al laughed "Well lets hear it then"
"No"
"Aww come on Bill"
"It's not really good" Billie Joe whispered picking up 'Blue' and he started playing the song he wrote earlier.
"Another hit" clapped Al
"Yeah, I told you" smiled Mike
"Is it that good to it drums and bass then?"
"Yeah of course" Mike said picking up his bass and just like with '16' 'Sweet Children' slowly added drums and bass to the song.
After they were finished, the 3 boys sat around in the lounge room drinking root beer and sharing a joint between them Mike asked
"Anyways Bill what's the song called?"
"Huh?" answered a now stoned Billie Joe Armstrong "what about 'Only Of You'?" giggled Billie Joe
"Yep, that'll do!" giggled Al. It was 6 o'clock so they decided to head down to Gilman. In the car Billie Joe had butterfly's in his stomach and not from the fact that they'll finally going to play at Gilman he'll be playing 'Only Of You' in front of Maria he wondered if she'll know its about her, He knew she was smart so maybe she would know and think its creepy or something. Mike noticed Billie Joe's face as he was thinking
"Don't worry man, she'll like it"
"Should I say it's about her then?"
"Maybe not, keep her guessing"
"Then what if she thinks it's about some other chick?"
"Well don't play it then"
"Good we won't!" at this time Al turned around to the back seat
"We won't play it then Bill, don't get all shitty, tonight's really important"
"I know Al".
After a day of watching 'The Lookouts' practise at Gilman, Maria and Tre got burgers at a small café, sat down at a park and ate picnic style at the foot of a tree.
"Geez remember when we did this all the time?" Maria laughed
"Yeah" and Tre took a bite of his burger. After they finished eating they started talking again "So your friends with 'Sweet Children' now?" asked Tre
"Yep I have"
"So you've become a groupie then Maria?" smirked Tre
"What?" and she punched him in the arm "You can be such a dickhead sometimes Tre!"
"I was kidding!"
"I know". Tre stood up and looked at his watch
"We better head back and get ready"
"Yep sure" and Tre pulled her up. They walked hand in hand just as they used to, until they were ¾ way there when Tre dropped her hand and piggybacked Maria the rest of the way to Gilman.
"Maria's... and Billie Joe please put some clothes, nobody wants to see that" and Mike rested the red 'Fender' down on the old sofa. Billie Joe smiled at it and walked to his room, got changed and walked back to the garage. Mike had left so Billie Joe picked the red 'Fender' up and plugged it in, he strummed a few cords
"Nice" he smiled. He looked around so he could make sure nobody was watching and started to sing the song he wrote yesterday, but someone was watching: Billie Joes brother.
"Who's the chick?" Billie Joe stopped and looked up
"No one"
"Bill, I know it's a chick"
"Well maybe I just don't wanna tell you"
"Fine little bro" and he walked out
"Urgh" Billie Joe grunted trying to figure out where he was up to and then Mike walked in with a piece of half eaten toast in hand
"New song?"
"Yeah, I guess"
"Let me guess by your love sick lyrics its about Maria?"
"Meh... I guess"
"Just ask her out man"
"What if she says no, anyway I don't know what to say"
"Then say it in a song"
"Seriously?" Mike nodded and lest the garage "thank god" Billie Joe sighed and started playing again. 2 hours later Billie Joe was no longer alone, Al had arrived and they had serious practise to do for tonight. After practising the 3 songs they were going to play that night ('Why Do You Want Him?' '409 In You Coffee Maker' and '16')
"Guys we need another song" Mike suggested plucking the strings on his bass
"Yeah I agree" Al added
"What then?" Billie Joe asked picking at his crooked front tooth
"What about the song I heard you playing earlier?"
"You wrote another song?"
"Yeah he did, and guess who its about?"
"Maria?" Mike nodded and Al laughed "Well lets hear it then"
"No"
"Aww come on Bill"
"It's not really good" Billie Joe whispered picking up 'Blue' and he started playing the song he wrote earlier.
"Another hit" clapped Al
"Yeah, I told you" smiled Mike
"Is it that good to it drums and bass then?"
"Yeah of course" Mike said picking up his bass and just like with '16' 'Sweet Children' slowly added drums and bass to the song.
After they were finished, the 3 boys sat around in the lounge room drinking root beer and sharing a joint between them Mike asked
"Anyways Bill what's the song called?"
"Huh?" answered a now stoned Billie Joe Armstrong "what about 'Only Of You'?" giggled Billie Joe
"Yep, that'll do!" giggled Al. It was 6 o'clock so they decided to head down to Gilman. In the car Billie Joe had butterfly's in his stomach and not from the fact that they'll finally going to play at Gilman he'll be playing 'Only Of You' in front of Maria he wondered if she'll know its about her, He knew she was smart so maybe she would know and think its creepy or something. Mike noticed Billie Joe's face as he was thinking
"Don't worry man, she'll like it"
"Should I say it's about her then?"
"Maybe not, keep her guessing"
"Then what if she thinks it's about some other chick?"
"Well don't play it then"
"Good we won't!" at this time Al turned around to the back seat
"We won't play it then Bill, don't get all shitty, tonight's really important"
"I know Al".
After a day of watching 'The Lookouts' practise at Gilman, Maria and Tre got burgers at a small café, sat down at a park and ate picnic style at the foot of a tree.
"Geez remember when we did this all the time?" Maria laughed
"Yeah" and Tre took a bite of his burger. After they finished eating they started talking again "So your friends with 'Sweet Children' now?" asked Tre
"Yep I have"
"So you've become a groupie then Maria?" smirked Tre
"What?" and she punched him in the arm "You can be such a dickhead sometimes Tre!"
"I was kidding!"
"I know". Tre stood up and looked at his watch
"We better head back and get ready"
"Yep sure" and Tre pulled her up. They walked hand in hand just as they used to, until they were ¾ way there when Tre dropped her hand and piggybacked Maria the rest of the way to Gilman.
