1988, chapter 8

Later that night... .
"SWEET CHILDREN, SWEET CHILDREN!!!" the crowd chanted as Billie Joe, Al and Mike stepped onto the stage. With Billie Joe's first step, he suddenly felt a rush of energy and while holding 'Blue' he walked up and grabbed the microphone
"Hello Gilman!" he shouted, the crowd screamed in delight. The lights hit him, which made him squint but yet feel so alive. After their songs the crowd ordered an encore, so they played 2 covers, which Billie Joe hated doing except for 'My Generation' When they were done Billie Joe unplugged 'Blue' and looked down at a young female screaming his name "BILLIE JOE ROCKS!!!" and sure enough it was Maria, he smiled at her and she waved back wildly with her two hands. Billie Joe packed up 'Blue' and went backstage as 'The Lookouts' begun setting up. After a few minutes Maria stepped threw the door into their 'dressing room/ storage room/ equipment room'
"Congrats 'Sweet Children'!" she screamed hugging each member of 'Sweet Children', this made Billie Joe intensely blush and resulting in Mike and Al laughing and Maria not knowing what they were laughing at.
"So we were good?"
"Of course Bill! The crowd loved you guys! I think L.L. might ask you guys back!" she beamed "Ok, rock stars I better go and watch 'The Lookout's' now, otherwise Tre will kill me! So see ya's later!" and she walked out.
"So what was that Bill?" mike asked
"What's what?" Billie Joe asked back
"For fuck sake ask her out" Al said and pulled a 'Budweiser' out of his backpack "you guys want one?"
"Yeah, just watch out for Livermore" and John passed Mike a bottle and then Billie Joe
"They're not cold, but beer's beer right?" After finishing their bottles while listening to 'The Lookout's' backstage 'Sweet Children' stumbled out into the mosh pit and meeting up with a still screaming Maria
"DON'T THEY ROCK?" screamed Maria trying to go over the top of the music without much luck
"YEAH" Billie Joe screamed back. After a night at Gilman and a party afterwards A random person at the party had offered to take Billie Joe and Maria home because Maria had thrown up all over the host's kitchen. Billie Joe helped a very sloshed Maria out of the car.
"Thanks buddy" Billie Joe called to the driver
"Hope she feels better, damn she was like the exorcist!" and he drove off.
"Urgh! Where are we?" Billie Joe held her up
"Home"
"Oh, ok... " she trailed off and fell asleep on his shoulder. Billie Joe was about to knock on the door but didn't, deciding she'd probably get busted, he then remembered nobody was home at his house and Mike was still at the party or with a girl. So Billie Joe carefully carried a passed out Maria to his bedroom. He laid her down on his scruffy bed and took off her 'Converses' and covered her with his blankets. He smiled at her sleeping body and threw his doona down on his bedroom floor moving mountains of dirty clothes before hand. He found a spare blanket in the linen closet to cover himself and sunk down into his doona, it wasn't comfortable but he was drained and quickly fell asleep.