Billie Joe Decided to Shut the Door to His Past, Once and For All, chapter 13

Adie felt each sob ripping through her heart and causing it to die a little more. The tears made her mascara bleed, streaming down her face leaving traces of Billie Joe's mistakes. She didn't only cry 'cause he'd walked away ignoring her. No she cried for all the times that he'd hurt her as well as for the times that he'd been hurt but pushed her away instead of letting her comforting him. How was she supposed to make things better if he wouldn't let her? She couldn't. She couldn't do anything and it hurt more than the thing he did or said, but he didn't see that. What hurt the most however was to see him suffer in silence, not being able to help. Not being allowed helping. Adie wondered if he had might turned to Mike instead of her. Perhaps he ran to Mike for comfort. For protection and understanding. For love. She knew it wasn't like he and Mike would get together or anything like that, no not that kind of love. Still love though. All that talk about married people being soul mates was, well, sometimes it was just talk. Everybody knew that Billie Joe's soul mate was Mike. Everybody knew they loved each other, that they had a special bound. Mike meant more to Billie Joe than anything else, and vice versa. Another heartbreaking sob made Adie's body shake slightly. She hated Mike for that. Hated him for being the most important person in Billie Joe's life. For being his world. Being everything to him. It wasn't completely true but Adie was so hurt and upset that her thoughts were sharp and bitter. They folded around her mind like a rough blanked of darkness covering her in despair. If she only knew how much he loved and cared for her. She probably did, deep down inside she knew. But, right then she couldn't bring herself to believe it and Billie Joe was unable to show her. He did love Mike but of course his heart belonged to Adie. He loved her more that words could even begin to describe. It was just that Mike was the one who had always been there, who would always be there no matter what. Adie wiped her tears away drawing a shaky breath. Crying was no use even if it made her feel a little better. It wasn't until then she noticed that Jakob was crying clinging to his older brother. They both looked devastated and it made the rest of Adie's heart die. Suddenly she felt very numb like she had been shut down. The pain was too much to take so she created a shield of apathy to protect herself. Her protection left her soul cold and her eyes empty. Billie Joe could go ahead and do whatever he wanted. She didn't care anymore. Adie was too hurt, too tired, to concern herself with his behavior. With a feeling of being distant she tried to comfort her youngest son but he wouldn't stop weeping. She picked him up and went over to the couch where she sat down placing Jakob on her lap. She rocked him calmly as she stroke his hair speaking softly to him. The little boy's loud sobs slowly became faint snuffles. During the whole time Joseph had been standing at the same place. He hadn't moved since his dad had left the room but all of a sudden he felt like running. Joseph wanted to run away and never ever come back. His dad scared him. His dad who he loved so much. His hero. Or he used to be, but Joseph wasn't sure anymore. Right at that moment he hated them all with a child's momentarily but honest passion. Joseph turned away and ran. No one noticed it and it would be a while before they realized it. At that point it would be to late though 'cause he was really hurt and it would take time for him to heal. It wouldn't matter if they said that they're sorry. Joseph will forgive them, of course he will, but he won't forget. He sneaked out the back way and when he decided that he was out of sight and earshot he started to run as fast as his little legs would carry him. The rain was still falling from the darkened sky. It covered everything around the little boy in a haze. He wasn't even fully sure where he was going and frankly he didn't care. He just wanted to get away.

Mike was dreaming that he was completely alone. He's friends were missing and he couldn't find them. No matter how hard he tried. At first he had no idea where he was but then he realized that he was walking down the street towards his home. Obviously it was night and as Mike gazed towards the sky he saw that the moon was on the wane. Strangely there was not a star to be seen. It gave Mike an unpleasant feeling even though he didn't know exactly why. He continued to walk and before he had reached his house a storm had swept in. It started to rain and Mike began to run from the rain. It was like he couldn't run though; he didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Eventually Mike reached the front door to his house. Of course it was locked and Mike tried to find the keys. He searched for them feeling more and more uncomfortable. He was sure that he'd had them so he guessed he must have lost them, and it made him feel slightly worried for some reason. Since there was no way he could get in through the door Mike went looking for an open window. Just when his luck appeared to change and he found an open window he got inside only to be met by decay. The house was almost completely tumbled-down. Sure it hadn't felt much like a home but it had been all that he had, and now it was gone. Feeling even more down Mike wandered around in the ruins of his house. He almost tripped over a few bottles that lay on the living room floor. Mike gave one of them an uninterested kick and watched it roll away into darkness. More bottles where to be found on the living room table. Mike looked at them for a while wondering why they where there to begin with. Then he noticed something on the table. A bit curious he went closer to have a look. The object turned out to be a joint. Mike felt very tempted to smoke it but he just let it fall back down onto the table. He started to walk again and found his way to the kitchen. On the bench he found a cup and to his surprise and happiness it was filled with coffee. Mike took a sip but spitted it out immediately. The coffee was bitter. Mike sighed deeply and left the kitchen. He didn't quite recognize the rooms and felt kind of lost. After walking around for a while, looking over his shoulder every now and then, Mike found himself in front of his bathroom mirror. Just to see a bathroom mirror gave him the creeps although he wasn't sure why. None the less he got closer only to find that it was to dark to see anything. He could discern his mouth in the mirror for some reason though. A shiny object on the floor soon distracted Mike and he bent down to picked it up. It was a razor. Mike held it up in front of his face staring at it for a while. He was just about to use it to make some cuts on his arm when he heard something. Whispers where coming form somewhere in the house. Mike dropped the razor and tried to locate from where the whispers were coming. He walked around trying to locate its source and after a while he thought he seemed to be getting closer. Then he heard laughter to his left. It sounded like Billie Joe and Mike called out his friend's name. A shadow fell on Mike and he knew it was Billie Joe although he had no idea how he could know. The shadow started to run in opposite direction and Mike chased after it. He understood that Billie Joe was running 'cause he tried to hide something. Mike was sure his friend had a secret. When he finally caught up to his friend he felt scared for some reason. Mike knew that Billie Joe was somewhere in the dark room in front of him even though he couldn't see him. Soon enough Mike heard him however. Once again Billie Joe's laughter broke the silence and echoed through the empty house. It sounded somewhat intimidating and all of a sudden Mike felt that he needed to hide. He felt like it would be dangerous if his friend found him. The thought was perhaps irrational but Mike was convinced, without knowing why, that Billie Joe would do something horrible to him if he found him. So Mike quickly hid in another room. He could her Billie Joe walk around in the hallway. Even though Mike still felt scared he just wanted to see what his friend was doing. Careful not to make a sound he opened the door so he could peep out. He still couldn't see his friend as anything more that a shadow but what Billie Joe was holding in his hand was visible in detail. It was a long kitchen knife and the grim razor sharp blade was gleaming in the dark. Terrified Mike stepped back into the room closing the door behind him. The door closed to quick and made a loud sound that ripped up the silence. Immediately hasty footsteps were drawing near accompanied by a silent laughter. Frightened Mike started to run from Billie Joe who chased after him. Mike leaped out of the opened window and as soon as his feet touched ground he knew he was safe, and yet again he had absolutely no clue where he was. From what he could gather he was somewhere outside. There was a mysterious light that had no source; it appeared to be coming from all around. It was gloomy and it was just enough to allow Mike to see where he put his feet. Walking around a little he came to the conclusion that he was in the middle of nowhere. Then he heard the sound of metal against rock and dirt. Someone was digging. The sound was kind of loud and Mike guessed the one digging must be close. Following the sound Mike stumbled away in the gloom until a man was in his line of vision. The digging man walked away just as Mike approached and Mike called for him but it was like the darkness had swallowed him. He was nowhere to be found. Mike looked down at the ground only to find that there was no ground in front of his feet. It was a long but not so broad hole. It reminded an awful lot about a grave. Mike shuddered. The sound of digging started again further of. This time Mike decided to walk in the opposite direction. The sound grew fainter and fainter untilled it died out. Then it came back even louder but now it sounded more like something knocking against wood. Mike looked around trying to understand from where the sound was coming. Slowly he woke up. Mike stretched, yawned and then rubbed his eyes tiredly. The knocking continued even though he was awake. It took him a few seconds to realize that it wasn't just something he'd been dreaming. Hoping it wasn't BJ or Tré, or God forbid, 80 who were knocking on his front door he turned around where he laid. Mike didn't feel like dealing with a worried Tré, a crazy Billie Joe or an upset Adie. He was tired and had his own worries and problems. Thinking both once and twice that he should just pretend that he hadn't heard a knock on the door he leisurely got up to see who it could be, though going back to sleep was a more attractive alternative. He decided however, for a reason he couldn't understand, to open the goddamned door. Mike walked there tiredly and took his time not caring that the rain was poring down outside. When he finally opened the door he did it slowly and slightly unwillingly. What he found outside made him revive instantly though. There stood a soaking wet little boy shivering with cold. The young child lifted his head looking up at Mike with weary eyes. For a very short space of time Mike was sure he was staring at Billie Joe the way he was when he had been ten years old. Then he realized that the little kid in front of him was Joseph, Billie Joe's son, and not Billie Joe himself. Joseph looked very much like his dad though and in the dark and rainy night it wasn't so surprising that the recently awoken Mike for a moment mistook the boy for his dad. It wasn't just the way Joseph's looks resembled Mike's friend's features it was also or maybe more because of the look in the child's tired eyes. Joseph had clearly run away from home. Mike could easy tell that with one look at the kid. How many times hadn't he done the same thing? How may times hadn't BJ done it? And every time with the same look on his face which now was painted all over little Joseph's features. The tired and empty eyes, which only rage now managed to fill, seemed to have lost its former glow. The look of hopelessness and apathy mixing with something very close to hate in a rare combination. Also there was a sense of rejection covering everything, like a thin layer on top of the other expressions. Mike could see the child's eyes glister with tears that hadn't fallen. He moved aside letting Joseph in closing the door behind him.
"Don't call mom and dad," was the first thing he said as soon as he got inside. Mike just shook his head in reply. He wouldn't do that, both for Joseph's sake and his own. He knew all to well what Billie Joe and Adie's reactions would be. Dealing with a runaway was so much simpler than dealing with those two when they were angry. Especially an angry Billie Joe was more than a handful. Mike sighed deep and followed the boy into the living room.

Joseph sat down on the couch where Mike minutes earlier had been sleeping. The water dripping of him made a little puddle on the floor. The child hung his head, which made his ruffled hair hang down in his eyes. Mike strode over to the couch and sat down next to the boy.
"Joseph," he spoke softly but got no reaction. Therefor he placed a hand on Joseph's shoulder but still the boy didn't even flinch.
"Hey, I know how you feel. I ran away many times when I was a kid," Mike told him. Joseph still didn't move but at least he spoke.
"You have no idea how I feel," he mumbled, his voice shaking with restrained anger.
"Really? Then tell me," Mike said looking at Joseph who had turned his head towards Mike. There was a lot of hesitation in the child's eyes and he bit his bottom lip.
"My dad, he's. Scary," Joseph started and Mike nodded at him to go on. "He don't care about us anymore. I think he might hurt someone. I'm scared he'll hurt me if I say or do something wrong. Or not wrong, more like unwanted. You know. Like he don't want me to know what's up with him. I don't think he want me to mention it."
"Mention what?" Mike asked although he was pretty sure he already knew the answer. Joseph looked away and shifted uncomfortably.
"I-I don't know. It's just a feeling. I don't think he wants me to say anything about the person that's inside him," Joseph whispered huddling up like he was afraid that his dad could hurt him.
"Oh, Joseph," Mike said with a sorrow filled voice. He really felt for the poor child. It was bad enough that that Jimmy character affected Adie and Tré but if it did this to Joseph things was getting ugly. The child didn't have anything to with the whole situation and hadn't done anything to deserve what's been happening to him. Mike put an arm around Joseph's shoulders in effort to make him feel safe and relaxed.
"You were partly right when you said that I didn't know how you felt," Mike told the child. "I've never felt scared of my adoptive father nor the guy my adoptive mom lived with after she'd divorced my adoptive father. Not for the reasons you feel intimidated by your dad anyway. But, I have been afraid of them. Sometimes I ran away 'cause I was scared. Unlike you though I had nowhere to go. No grown up to speak to. If I would've gone to Bill his mom would've sent me home instantly."
Mike smiled a wry smile at the memories. Growing up is always hard no matter what. For some children it's a lot more difficult than for others though. When you don't belong anywhere and have neither a home nor a real family, things can look very dark form time to time.
"Bill?" Joseph asked leaning his head to the left exactly like Billie Joe has done countless times. Mike gave the boy a smile and prayed silently that the kid wouldn't end up like his dad. He looked so much like him but hopefully he didn't have the same dark mind.
"Yeah, you're dad was called Bill. Or actually two dollar Bill 'cuz he, eh well that's not interesting really," Mike ended trying to keep from telling Joseph things his parents probably didn't want him to know.
"No, tell me! I wanna know why they called him Bill!" Joseph demanded with glowing eyes. Mike laughed at him and his sudden burst of energy. Yeah, the child resembled his dad in many ways. No doubt about it. Once again Mike had to use his skill to answer a question and at the same time avoiding to actually answer it. He was very good at giving away enough information to reply without reviling anything he shouldn't. That was one of the thing's Adie hated so much about him. He himself found it to be quite useful.
"He was a bit of a salesman and what he sold cost two dollar, hence the name two dollar Bill. Or just Bill for short," Mike explained. Joseph didn't seem satisfied with the answer though. He pouted with his lips a little and folded his arms across his chest.
"What?" Mike asked him a little surprised that Joseph didn't just accept the explanation without further notice.
"That's no good! You can't just tell me he sold stuff! You gotta tell me the whole story. Like what he sold and why he did it and and everything!" Joseph rambled waving his hands somewhat.
"Ya know, I think it's best if I save that story for you're dad to tell when he feel like it," Mike told Joseph and laid a hand on the discontent child's head.
"He'll never do that. He doesn't care. And mom doesn't care either. Please?" Joseph pleaded with the cutest puppy dog eyes imaginable. Mike shook his head at him.
"You remind an awful lot of you're dad, has anyone ever told you that?" Mike sighed trying not to look too much at the adorable expression on Joseph's face.
"Yeah, a lot of people. And I hate it," Joseph grunted and the discontent look was back on his face.
"Why? It's not a bad thing," Mike said trying to see what could be so bad about it.
"Oh yeah? Well, I'm not him. And people shouldn't see him when they look at me. They should see me. I'm a whole different person. I'm unique, and special. I'm special too," Joseph snuffled like he was about to cry. He didn't however and Mike was pretty sure he held back the tears. Mike choused to not say anything about it unlike a lot of adults would have. 'It's ok to cry' often had the affect of making young boys angry rather then relived. Mike knew 'cause he remembered being Joseph's age. Whenever his adoptive mom had told him it was ok to cry he'd sneered at her that he wasn't a crybaby. Mike also remembered Billie Joe telling him the same thing only to get in reply from him that he wasn't crying. At which Billie Joe had said 'But you want to, don't you?'. That was one of the few times Mike could recall weeping, at lest in front of others. To let bitter tears fall when you're all alone is a whole different thing. It was much easier to be angry than sad though, like Billie Joe. Or like Mike preferred to be, quiet and withdrawn. Joseph appeared to resemble Billie Joe once again whether he wanted it or not. Instead of crying he turned the sadness into anger and he wasn't far from letting that anger out through actions instead of just words.
"Of course you're special. I know you're not him even though you look and sometimes act like he dose. You are you; you're Joseph Marciano," Mike said trying to grasp what it must be like for the young boy. He hadn't experienced it in any way and could therefore not related at first. Then he realized that it was simply another form of lack of identity. Joseph didn't quite know who he was since everyone saw his dad and not the person he really was. Although Mike's identity problem was due to the fact that he didn't have a family and didn't belonged anywhere he could still understand Joseph in a way.
"Thanx Mikey," Joseph said giving Mike a sad smile. Then he threw his arms around him and hugged him tightly. He clutched Mike's shirt and buried his head in the soft material hiding away with his head resting against Mike's chest. A bit surprised Mike hugged the boy back stroking him softly over the hair.
"Hey you, since I didn't tell you 'bout your daddy's nickname I'll tell you 'bout mine. How 'bout that, huh?" Mike asked softly. Joseph looked up at him with slightly happier eyes and Mike smiled warmly at him.
"Hell yeah!" the boy exclaimed causing Mike to raise an eyebrow.
"Watch your language young man," he warned the kid whom gave him a defiant smile. "Well, about my last name. Dirnt is a rather peculiar name and you're most unlikely to find it if you try to look it up somewhere. The whole story is kinda long, and a bit boring actually, but the short version is okay. It started when I was in High School. As you know I've played bass guitar for quite a while but those lame ass people at school wouldn't allow it. I mean geeze, how was I supposed to practice hum?" Mike asked making a funny wondering face that made Joseph laugh a little.
"So I pretended that I played on my bass at school and, 'cuz I'd such a ability to enter into playing on my air bass, I made up this noise. When I pretended to play I would go 'dirnt, dirnt, dirnt' trying to imitate the sound of my bass. Therefor I was soon called Dirnt. I kinda liked the name so I kept it. It's just a part of who I am," Mike finished thoughtfully. To his astonishment and sadness Joseph seemed downhearted instead of glad. The boy gave him a gloomy look and sighed, hanging his head down.
"What's wrong?" Mike asked confused. Yet again the child had become still and quiet, not responding to Mike's question. "Hey, Joey. C'mon now, tell me," Mike tried. The child took a deep breath raising his shoulders somewhat in the process. He moved around where he sat like he was pretty uncomfortable.
"It's just. Just that you're special and I'm not. Not really. I mean I want to be and I try to convince myself that I am, but. But I-I'm n-not," Joseph whimpered looking away like he was ashamed that he was on the verge of tears.
"Whatthehell! That's bullsh-, eh, nonsense!" Mike said sounding angry which made Joseph huddled up once more. Mike noticed it and softened his face giving the boy a friendly smile.
"Sure you are, why shouldn't you be?" he asked patting Joseph comforting on the back.
"Mmm well, because you have a unique name and no one plays bass like you. Everyone has those personal things, like mom she's called 80 and dad's nicknamed Bill among other tings. Estelle-Desiree is called Stella or Hero. She's very special to you right? So you gave her a special nickname. And Frank got the oddest name of all being called Tré Cool. No one cares enough about me to call me anything personal like that. I'm not original enough to have an extraordinary nickname," Joseph explained sobbing a little but without starting to cry.
"You know, not everyone are called something. You didn't mention Ramona, Frankito or your little brother Jakob," Mike pointed out making Joseph pout dissatisfied.
"Yeah but I know that both Ramona and Frankito have nicknames. It's just that Tré being their father the names is kinda weird. I swore not to tell anyone about it," Joseph confessed solemnly.
"Ok, and what 'bout your brother? He doesn't have one. At least you're called Joey," Mike stated which caused Joseph to get slightly annoyed.
"I know! It's cause everyone's too lazy to say my whole name. But they've no problem at all saying Billie Joe, like that's not long! It's just 'cause he's he. Me nobody notice," the boy said folding his arms across his chest sinking down where he sat.
"Hey! That's not true. Now you're being silly. I'm not called Mike just 'cuz Micheal is too long. Those who're close to me started to call me that simply 'cuz they like me. And I'm sure that you're called Joey for a similar reason," Mike lectured Joseph who did nothing more than glaring at him. Mike was just about to roll his eyes at the kid when he remembered that he wasn't talking to Billie Joe. It felt a lot like he did though since father and son had the same expressions, similar personalities and the exact same stubbornly belief that they weren't loved.
"Fine, you're right," Mike said suddenly which made Joseph blink a few times in surprise.
Sometimes people says something simply because they want a certain answer when all of a sudden they don't get what they expected. That's when it's necessary to stop to think. Joseph had never experienced such a thing and was therefore utterly shocked by Mike's statement.
"I. I am?" he questioned like he couldn't believe what he just had heard. Mike simply nodded at him. Joseph's eyes widened in amazement. He'd never thought that an adult did anything else than told you that you were wrong when you obviously where. 'Cause of course Joseph knew he's arguments didn't hold, he just wanted Mike to feel sorry for him and convince him that he was special. He had no reason to believe he wasn't. It was just a feeling he had. A probably irrational and quite silly feeling he admitted to himself but it wouldn't leave. That's why he'd been a martyr, after Mike told him about his last name, saying that he wasn't anything extraordinary. Mike agreeing to that completely turned everything he ever though he knew upside-down. Still wide-eyed and stupidly blinking Joseph tried to comprehend what just had happened.
"So, you don't think I'm special?" he asked with a shaking voice, his eyes filling up with tears which he like usually held back.
"Oh, I think you are but you don't, and you're right about why you don't have a unique nickname," Mike answered with a neutral look on his face like it was no big deal at all.
"I don't get it," Joseph complained perplexed as he knitted his brows.
The smallest of smiles momentarily crossed Mike's face. He knew he was messing with Joseph's head a great deal. It was for his own good though, the kid needed to get some perspective of things. Besides it felt good to finally be able to help someone. Even though that someone wasn't Billie Joe.
"Well, you haven't done anything out of the ordinary that could have give you a name like the kind of name I got. To feel special you have to be special. You can't get a nickname to be proud of without doing anything to get it. You gotta sorta deserve it ya know?" Mike explained smiling once again as Joseph bit his lip deep in thought trying to figure out exactly what Mike had meant.

Tré lied down on his bed sprawling his arms and legs across it and leaning his head upside-down over the edge. He couldn't seem to figure out what the hell was wrong with his friends. The unpleasant feeling refused to leave however and everything had gotten worse since he had visited Billie Joe. His intentions had been to sort everything out but instead he was, if possible, even more confused then before. What's so wrong with talking? Why couldn't they just tell him what was going on?
"I don't get it!" Tré spitted out angrily. "I thought we were friends, so why won't they talk to me? Oh no, Tré's too stupid to get it, he's too childish, too, too, grahh!" Tré punched the air in front of him. Noting was like it used to be and it was really getting to him. Billie Joe behaved strange, even scary and Mike was so cold.
"What the hell's wrong with them!" Tré muttered and folded his arms across his chest. "Maybe I could talk to Mike. I guess there's no use trying to speak to Bill, he's too fucked up right now. But then again, so is Mike. Damn," he reasoned with himself. It seemed like talking to either of them wasn't an option, but neither was trying to figure things out on his own.
"Perhaps I could at least try to figure out why everything feels so wrong," Tré thought. "Let's see now hmm. Mike is down, no doubt about that. Why? That's the big question. What have happened lately then? Think now Tré. Let's think really hard here. He's been kinda lonely lately hasn't he? Well, I've been busy and I know Bill has spent a lot of time with his family. Mike must have been alone for quite some time. Poor him. Coming to think of it, he's always been rather lonely. Wonder what it must feel like to never belong. No, focus here Tré! Right where was I? Oh yeah! Mike's down 'cuz he's alone. And then it's the thing with long sleeves. Something's up with that. But why the hell would he be wearing something with long sleeves? That's just weird. Wait a sec! He wouldn't unless he wanted to hide something, and what would he want to hide if not. If not cuts. Oh, holy fucking mother of God! That's so fucking obvious! He's cutting 'cuz he feels abandoned. Shit. Oh, God, oh shit, fuck, holy crap!"
"He's alone right now. What if he cuts right in this very moment? He could fucking kill himself. Oh shit!" Tré spoke aloud completely terrified that Mike would decide that there was no reason for him to live on. For the moment forgetting all about why Billie Joe acted so strange he jumped of the bed and sprinted to the front door throwing it open and slamming it shut after him. Right then all he could think of was that Mike might was in trouble. Billie Joe he had to deal with later. Thinking that Mike was more urgent matter Tré prioritized making sure Mike was ok rather than checking in on BJ. Later he would realize he couldn't have been more wrong.

"So you mean that I need to be a certain way to get such a name?" Joseph asked Mike when he'd thought about it for a long while.
"Yeah, you gotta be the person who's given the nickname," Mike nodded. "Or, rather, if you're not just ordinary Joseph you gotta have a new name ya know?"
"So I got to change? I can't be someone I'm not, that's not right," Joseph protested thinking that if changing was what it took to get a name like Dirnt it wasn't worth it.
"No, no! You aren't going to pretend that you're someone you're not! You just gotta be you and find out what make's you unique," Mike explained trying to make the child understand what he was saying. It wasn't the easiest think though 'cause he had a hard time understanding himself. He knew exactly what he wanted to say it was just hard trying to explain it.
"I think I understand," Joseph started slowly. "If I just am who I am and don't let people tell me who I should be and how I should live that's a good start. And I got to figure out what I like and what make's me the person I am and show everybody that I'm special and then they'll call me something cool!" he ended with glowing cheeks and glittering eyes.
Mike smiled at him and patted him on the head. Not even that gesture could suppress his newfound enthusiasm. He was practically bouncing up and down where he sat.
"Wow Mikey! Thanx a lot, now I'll always feel special no matter what thanks to you! Because now I know that I am unique if I stay true to who I am," Joseph exclaimed bubbling with happiness.
"No problem kiddo," Mike laughed. "And did jus notice that you call me Mikey? Did you even think 'bout it?"
"Well, no it kinda felt natural to say it. I dunno why," the kid said trying to come up with a reason he didn't call Mike Mike.
"I think I know why though," Mike confessed smiling softly at Joseph who looked at him with big, curious eyes. "It's simply 'cuz to you I'm special right? And therefor you give me a special name. That's how it works."
"Oh! I see," Joseph breathed understanding what Mike had been talking about a little better. "A nickname like the one I gave you is given to someone because that person means very much to the one who gives the name?"
"You could say that," Mike nodded thoughtfully. "It's a lot more complicated than that, but hey let's keep it simple."
Joseph opened his mouth to say something more when he was interrupted by a loud knock on the door. For the second time Mike considered not to open. He certainly didn't feel like dealing with any more problems. The knocking went on however increasing in both speed and volume for every second that went by. Sighing Mike got on his feet slowly making his way towards the door. Just as slowly he opened it.
"Micheal Ryan Prichard!" screamed a freaked out Tré as he threw himself onto Mike almost knocking him down. Mike patted Tré on the back slightly choked over his friend's behavior.
"I thought that you had hurt yourself or even kil-" Tré started with a touch of panic in his voice when he was silenced by Mike.
"Shut it for the love of pink dancing elephants Tré!" Mike hissed at his friend who almost bit his tongue when he closed his mouth to keep quiet. "Joseph is here," he said nodding in the child's direction.
"Oh," mumbled Tré looking down slightly in shame. "So, I guess that means you're not alone. Which means you're not going to do anything stupid."
"I believe we need to talk later though," Mike said scratching the back of his head. "But first, could you perhaps let go of me now?"