A Note Don't Come Easy, chapter 24
A collection of dresses draped over my arm that was folded slightly and pressed against me to stop the items of clothing from slipping off. Tre seemed to be having more fun than I was in the dress shop. He was off like a spark down the different aisles, picking out varies styles of dresses. To be honest, I wasn't keen on his 'taste', they would suit him more. I guess he had to have some knowledge of dress style though if he was always the one to dress up as the opposite sex. The holiday video and the 'Vote Billie Joe' campaigns being a few mentions.
"How about this sexy piece of silk Stef?" Tre asked me, pulling out a dress amongst the millions of others in rows.
I cringed as he swung the dress out, putting it to him and over his body. The dress itself was awful. I didn't know who he meant it to be for. Me or him!
"Tre that really suits you." I told him sarcastically, my eyes widening in my joke and turning to Mike. "Don't you think so?"
Mike sniggered, putting his fist up in front of his mouth to hide his childish laughter.
"I can't help it if I'm purty!" Tre sang, fluttering his eyelashes and wiggling his hands down his hips causing the dress to fall on the floor still on the hanger.
He bent down and quickly picked the dress up before anyone else could see what he was doing. If any of the shop assistants found out he would probably have to pay for the slightest damage that was caused to the item of clothing. He made space for it on the rail and hooked it back up to blend it in with the rest of the dresses.
"So, or we just gonna stand here for the rest of the day staring at the dresses, or are you actually going to go and try the god dam things on?" Tre asked me sarcastically, planting his hands on his hips and frowning at me, one eyebrow raised slightly higher than the other.
I looked down at the numerous dresses that were folded over my arm, the hangers clattering against each other. Wearing dresses certainly wasn't my thing, but I guess I had to try them on some time. What else was I going to wear to the Grammies? I couldn't exactly wear jeans, t-shirt and my converse could I? But something inside me wanted to wear a dress. I didn't know why but I had a thought that it could be something to do with Billie Joe. I didn't want to embarrass him, I wanted him to be proud that he took me and not the scrappy kid that I was deep down inside with a broken past.
"Ok, I'll go try them on." I protested, rolling my eyes and dragging myself towards the fitting rooms. "Don't screw at me if I'm in there all day though."
"Why would you be in there all day anyway?" Mike asked, his eyes following me as I refuged towards the fitting rooms.
"I'm not exactly the, 'dressy' type am I Mike?" I suggested, pausing in between my words to think about how to word what I was thinking.
"I think you'd look pretty neat in a dress." He commented, smiling from the side of his mouth a little.
I looked at him, gulping at what he just said and feeling embarrassed about it a little.
"What I'm trying to say is, I'll be in there for a while because I hate wearing dresses so it takes me time to gain the confidence to wear one."
"I shouldn't worry about it." He told me, putting his hand upon my shoulder sympathetically. "You've got a... great figure and well... don't abuse that."
I looked up at Mike, unsure of what he had just said. I suddenly walked towards the changing room after giving him a weak smile, feeling touchy on the subject.
"We'll be waiting outside to see the dresses on you!" Tre called after me, making the situation worse.
I made it to the fitting room entrance, quickly counting how many dresses I had in my arms so the assistant wouldn't have to stand there and stare me out as she counted the number of items I wanted to try on.
"Oh, so you're going to try them on, huh?" Billie Joe asked, appearing out of nowhere and heading towards me.
"Oh, um yeah. I thought I'd better try them on sometime."
The fitting room's assistant popped around the corner at the sound of our voices and looked at me carefully.
"Hi, can I help you?" She asked confusingly towards the two of us.
What else was I the hell here for? She obviously hadn't noticed the stack of dresses draped over my left arm that was now aching due to the weight. Either that or she was blind.
"I'm here to try on some dresses." I told her, but it sounded more like I had asked her.
"Oh, erm... ok then." She stumbled over her words in surprise, looking at me and then Billie Joe.
Yes, we were two punks in a posh dress shop, but there was no reason for her to be surprised that I had asked to try on a couple of lousy dresses.
"How many items have you got then?" She asked me, falsing a smile and taking the dresses from off over my arm just to check that I was telling the truth.
"Five." I replied, watching her check through every gap in between the dresses.
God, everyone was so touchy in this shop.
"Make that Six." Billie Joe suddenly interrupted, talking over my shoulder to the assistant who suddenly looked up at him.
I turned round, raising my eyebrows in not understanding him. He pulled out a black dress from behind his back, looking sheepishly towards the ground.
"Well, Tre and Mike had a say in what dresses you should pick. I like this one. Maybe you could try it on? For me?"
I slowly took the slinky dress from out of his hands, looking at it, my heart sinking. He didn't quite understand the fact that I hated wearing dresses did he? But after what had happened last night and all of those things I had said to him, I felt as if I might as well try it on in an attempt to redeem myself.
"Yeah, make it six now." I told the assistant, placing the dress Billie Joe had just handed to me on top of the pile.
She looked at me in disgust, rolling her eyes before handing me back the dresses and a bright orange tag saying how many items I had to try on. I took the weight of the dresses over my arm again, the tag being put into my buried hand for me. I smiled weakly at the assistant before heading off into the fitting rooms - that could have been the size of my house back in England. I locked myself away in a room, and hung the dresses up on the hook, before taking a step back and staring at them. God, I wasn't going to enjoy this. I took the first dress that was in front of me, which turned out to be some tight red dress that Mike had chosen. That guy did have a good taste in some sense. I slipped it on, the slinky dress not suiting my rough edge look. I was going to look like a man in a dress. Great stuff. I looked at myself in the mirror, closing my eyes because I couldn't stand seeing myself in a dress. It was ok if the dress actually suited me, but it was 1 in a million chances that I actually found one that I liked AND suited me well. This was going to be an eventful session, I could tell.
"Stefy!" Tre cooed from outside of the changing rooms. "Oh, where are you?"
Oh Jesus. I couldn't even have some time on my own. What did I have to do to just get away for a few minutes? I screwed my face up at hearing him standing outside, because I didn't want to have to show him me in the dress. It would have been better if it were anyone but Tre. In fact, Mike would have even been better than Billie Joe. I don't know why. It probably had something to do with the fact that I was scared about what Billie Joe thought of me, because I liked him. I was scared of what he would think of me in a dress.
"Stef!" Tre chanted again, wondering into the ladies changing rooms and banging on all of the doors one by one as he walked past them. "Where are you? I want to see you in that sexy dress!"
He banged on my door, causing me to suddenly snap at him, but not in a hurtful meaningful way.
"What?!" I screamed, shooting my head at the door and noticing his feet under the doorway stopping suddenly at my voice.
"Oh, so you're hiding in there!" He commented. "You can run but you can't hide from the Tre-mister!"
Yeah that was true enough.
" So, um... have you got the dress on?" He cut to the point pretty quick.
"Tre! This is the ladies changing room. You're not supposed to be in here! Unless you're trying to tell me something."
"Don't take the piss out of my sexuality Stef!" He smirked, as I heard him lean against the door using his right arm. "You know it's something I like to keep a mystery."
"Yeah well. We all know that one Tre." I answered rolling my eyes, even though he couldn't see me.
"So, have you tried on that dress yet?" He asked, pausing a little and repeating himself.
God he was such a perv sometimes!
"No... " I lied.
"Don't lie!"
"How'd you know I'm lying?!"
"I can see your trousers in a heap on the floor under the door." He laughed.
"Tre!" I screamed. "For fuck's sake! What ARE you doing looking under there in the first place?"
I wouldn't have minded it so much if I hadn't been in a dress. Any other item of clothing and I would have been fine.
"Ok, chill Stef!" He defended himself. "You're not normally this touchy. What's wrong with ya'?"
"Nothing's wrong." I grumbled, looking at myself in the dress in the mirror.
"And you lie once again!" He cooed.
"Tre!"
"Come on Stef," he sighed. "What's 'sup? You normally tell me everything. I am your agony uncle remember? You tell me anything. Or is it me just pissing you off? Have I upset you?"
Oh god, now Tre thought he had done something to upset me. I sighed. Nothing was simple these days. Especially when it came to certain members of a band going by the name of Green Day.
"You haven't done anything Tre." I told him, sighing deeply so he could hear me.
"Then - what is it?" He asked in curiosity, leaning against the fitting room door.
"I... I - I just don't want anybody to see me." I admitted, mumbling my words. "That's all."
"Why don't you want anyone to see you? What do you thinks going to happen to 'ya?"
"Nothing. Nothing's going to happen to me. I just don't want anybody to see me - like THIS."
"Like what?"
"In a dress Tre! In a flipping dress!" I screamed from inside the door that he was leaning against. "I'm... too scared too. I look... ugly."
There was an awkward pause after, as I waited for an answer from Tre. I swayed from side to side in the dress, the dress panning out at the sides as I stared coldly at myself in the mirror. Sometimes I even hated myself.
"Stef... you're not ugly, ok?" Tre sighed, in a calming voice and soft tone.
"You're just saying that." I scowled selfishly.
"Stef, just listen to me. You're not ugly. I repeat, you are NOT ugly. And you know you're not. Billie Joe thinks your pretty doesn't he?"
I didn't say anything as I just listened from the other side of the door. The last part of his sentence sinking through my mind.
"Doesn't he?!" Tre repeated, drumming it into my idiotic mind.
"Exactly! It's Billie Joe I'm worried about!" I blurted out, half screaming. "It's because of Billie Joe that I'm scared! I'm scared of what he will think of me in a dress. It's not like I'm Adrienne is it Tre? I'm nowhere near as pretty as she is and I never will be but... but... it's just... "
"It's just what?" Tre asked, as if wanting to hear the rest.
"I'm just scared that Billie Joe won't like me and that... he'll run off with someone else. If you could see me Tre... if you could see what I looked like - then you'd understand."
I let out a little cry as I stared at myself in the dress, not knowing what to do or how to work things out.
"Oh Stef... " He whispered sympathetically, sadness in his voice.
"It's pathetic I know but... I have no-one else to... to love... and - I just don't wanna loose him Tre. Is that too much to ask?"
"Let me see you." Tre grumbled softly, making me jump and no relevance to what I had just said.
"Wh-what?!" I stuttered, becoming nervous and paranoid.
"Let me see you Stef. Come on, we've got to see you at some point haven't we?"
Oh dear fucking god!!!!!! Why why why WHY? Why was everything just so god dam fucking complicated?
"Just take this as a... erm... a trail. I'll tell you what I think of each dress, and what Billie Joe would think of it. Would that help? Come on. You can do this. I know you can."
There was an awkward silence between us, when I finally gave in. Taking a deep inhale of breath and choking back pitiful tears I slowly opened the door, pushing the lock open. The clanking sound it made opening echoed throughout the empty changing rooms. Only Tre and I were there. The noise alerted the drummer, causing him to get up from leaning against the door and stand back to see me. I looked down as I revealed myself to him, feeling incredibly stupid.
"Stef... " Tre smiled towards me opening his arms up. "Come here."
His gesturing lead to me flinging myself at him, soaking up a hug as he wrapped his arms around me.
"It's going to be ok. I promise. I can't read Billie's mind, but what I can do is promise you that he would never do anything to harm you. The guy like's you a lot. And after all you two have been through, you deserve each other. He'll see past the dress Stef, believe me. He's not that type of guy. But you got to trust me when I say this - you do look stunning in a dress. Billie Joe will be smitten. Because to tell you what, I sure as hell am!"
* * * * * * * *
I had tried on every dress we had picked up, and it turned out that the one I had chosen to wear was the one Billie Joe had picked last minute. Ironic, wasn't it? It was also the most comfortable one, and I some what liked it. Tre had helped me along the way with his opinion on each costume, us spending over an hour in there. It had caused some suspicion amongst Mike and Billie Joe as to why we had taken so long, as they knew what Tre was like when it came to him and his erotically perverted mind. Nevertheless I had finally picked a dress, and much to Billie's disappointment, I refused to let him see me in it until the actual night. I wanted it to be a surprise, but Tre wasn't helping with teasing him that he had seen me in the dress and he had to wait. I felt guilty, as I stood back and watched Billie Joe pay for the dress on his bit of plastic, but I wanted the night to be just perfect. So I guess I had to put up with the guilt for now. We left the shop and its snobbish dress assistants and all 4 of us strolled down the boulevard, the sun blaring against our backs as I held onto my bag that contained my neatly wrapped dress. We headed off towards the nearest café, as Mike was feeling peckish from not having eaten any breakfast. As we walked, I leaned closer towards Billie, tenderly holding his hand, and for the very first time in public.
* * * * * * * *
2 more days had passed and it was only a few hours away from the Grammies. I couldn't tell you enough how nervous I was. I had spent the whole afternoon getting ready and prepared for the evening - both physically and mentally. I hadn't had the courage to see any of the Green Day members today. I think I would have thrown up if I had. I was too young to deal with this sort of thing! Billie Joe had paid for me to have my hair done professionally, which resulted in a soft high ponytail, that had a rough edge to it, sweeping my usually dishevelled side fringe off of my face and being pushed in with the rest of the hair. It turned out to be some kewl quiff thingy. It was the only way to describe it! It didn't look too severe though like it usually did when I attempted something like that. It was just right. I had sat for ages heavily applying my eyeliner, bringing out the blue in my eyes and trying desperately not to smudge it. I had also stood and stared at myself in the mirror for a long time - hesitant to as whether it was a good idea to wear the thing. But Billie Joe HAD spent a fortune on it, and what else was I meant to wear if I had abandoned it? It was a pretty dress; it just didn't look that way on me. No dress on me could make me look pretty - no matter how beautiful it was. I left my room, making sure everything inside was turned off. I was paranoid like that. Apparently it was some mental behaviour I had. My uncle had it too. In my heels that I had only just mastered, I strode down the hallway, feeling a little too on show if anyone came past. In some ways it was embarrassing for me for people to see me in a dress. The worst part of it though was going down the stairs. The heels didn't help at all. For a moment I had to hold onto the banister - it made me feel like a cripple. I finally made it to the 4th floor, and hesitantly moving towards Billie Joe's room, knowing that this would be the moment where he would see me for the first time in a dress. I took a deep inhale of air, noticing that his door was already slightly open ajar. This was it. This was the moment of truth. I stepped into Billie Joe's room, not sure whether to look him in the eye or not. I just hurried up and got on with it. The longer I made myself wait, the worse it would be. He looked up to see who it was who had entered his room, and everything seemed to stop around us. The time, the noise, our minds. All that seemed present were the feelings between us. I looked away in slight embarrassment, because I didn't know what he would think of me seeing me dressed up like the way I was. He just seemed to stare at me, as if nothing else mattered. Holy shit Billie Joe. If you stare any longer you'll burn me out! He was kind of speechless. I didn't know whether that was a good thing or not. I didn't even know WHY he was speechless. I was nothing compared to Adrienne. He slowly stood up straight from being hunched over his jacket that was laid out on his bed. Billie Joe walked over to me and I gazed into his eyes before taking a deep inhale of air through my nose.
"You... look... erm... you look beautiful." He stuttered.
"Really?" I whispered, my confidence not being very strong.
"Of course you are. You always have been."
He was definitely wrong there. I had never been pretty in my whole entire life. I didn't see why I should be either.
"That dress is just so - " he tried to continue.
Billie Joe kicked the door behind me with the top of his foot, giving us some privacy. A lump rose in my throat as he turned around to look at me, his gorgeous green eyes looming into mine. I wanted to die right there and then, right on the floor right in the middle of Billie Joe's room, INFRONT of Billie Joe and in this dress he had brought me. I felt so insecure. He reached down without looking where he was putting his hand and took my arm up inside of it.
"You're just gorgeous. That dress was worth the fucking wait. You don't know how frustrated I've been!" He laughed, smiling sweetly. "I can't believe how lucky I am."
I returned the smile, slightly beaming from happiness that he liked it but also feeling anxious at the same time.
"There's no need to be worried hun. Just be yourself." He whispered softly.
God, I wanted to jump on him and hug him so tight. I decided I didn't want to die right now. This was too good of a moment to waste. Funny how feelings change isn't it?
"And you look lovely too Billie Joe." I recalled, looking at him in his suit and polka dot tie.
"Don't be daft." He mocked, laughing at himself. "I just look the same as I always do."
"Exactly." I quickly replied, feeling a little desperate for him to understand me. "You... always look... lovely."
I bowed my head quickly, not wanting to see his reaction and feeling a little embarrassed. Billie Joe cleared his throat, not knowing what to say either.
"Stef," He started as if he was about to say something important.
"Yeah?"
I was quick to reply, looking straight back up at him. He inhaled a little, pursing his lips slightly before deciding to continue speaking.
"I don't know how to say this but - oh fuck..."
He furrowed over his temple, thinking carefully about how to say things.
"Ok, it's kind of obvious that we have feelings for each other right?" He managed to say, blurting it out in a sudden urge.
I stood and stared at him for a few seconds before acknowledging what he had actually said to me. I swallowed hard as I tried to think of something to say to him.
"Come on, it's obvious. How long has this been going on for?" He asked again, making it even more difficult.
Too long. But I think it was more of a statement than a question to be honest.
"You like me and - I like you." He continued, leaving a pause before he said the last bit. "Ever since we first touched lips... I just... I don't know... this is just embarrassing you isn't it?"
"No!" I suddenly burst out. "No! Billie Joe, I - I like you more than anything! I just didn't want to say anything because... well... you have a wife and I wasn't sure if you would feel the same way as I did. I didn't want to embarrass you or cause any more rifts between us. I didn't want to hurt you. After the other night when I got drunk and - and I said those things I... well I - "
"Hey, I said let's forget about that didn't I?" He assured me, rubbing his hands up and down my bare arms. "It's all in the past."
"I just didn't know how to tell you. I mean, you and Adrienne are perfect. I don't want to ruin that. Plus, I could never live up to it if I did. I thought I was just being stupid."
Emotions started to build up inside of me as I fiddled with my spare hand the loose tassels on the side of my black dress. Billie Joe caught me doing it from the corner of his eye, moving his arm across and taking my other hand and joining it with the other one, cupping them together.
"Stef, you shouldn't think like that. You should have told me this before."
I looked down in knowing what he was saying was true. I had just caused myself more grief by leaving my emotions bottled up and leaving it so late. He realised my sudden embarrassment and quickly tried to end the subject.
"This is why I wanted you to come to the Grammies. Not just because there was a spare place, but because I wanted you to come with me, for the fact that I like you."
I looked up and straight into the punk rockers gorgeous green eyes. How many times had I done that? I seemed to do it all the time. And every time it killed me even more - in a different way.
"And I know things haven't been going - so well - but I just - I don't know... maybe feel - guilty about how things - have worked out between us - "
He was starting to struggle with his words, trying to express the complex thoughts that were inside of his mind. I decided to put things straight.
"No Billie Joe! It's none of your fault. None of this is. It just happened. If it's got to be anyone's fault - then it's mine. Straight as hell. And everything happens for a reason." I told him, as he concentrated on my face. "If it was meant to happen then so be it. But it's made us stronger as a - a... erm... couple hasn't it?"
I didn't know whether to brand us a 'couple' yet or not or whether it was too early for that. He quirked his eyebrow as he bit his bottom lip, before opening his mouth to slip a few more words in.
"But I've just fucked up really bad and I - "
"Shhhh." I hushed him, cutting him short of his sentence and placing my finger to his lip.
His eyes followed my finger, causing them to go cross-eyed. I giggled as I watched his lush green eyes collide with each other in the direction they were both going. His mouth melted into a hot warm smile. I grumbled to myself in comfort.
"You look cute when you do that." I complimented him, as I moved in closer towards his waist.
"That's not the only cute thing I can do." He hinted, raising his eyebrows in a playful manner and slowly snaking his arms around the back of me and pulling me even closer so I was practically standing against him.
I could feel his chest pondering up and down in the process of breathing regularly, sometimes also feeling the slight heartbeat here and there.
"Oh really?" I giggled, feeling playful and joining him in smiling.
I bent the top of my body back slightly in his arms still, drawing my hands up to his face and cupping them around his jaw line. He smiled, showing off his pearly white teeth that had obviously just been cleaned. Before I knew it, his lips were locked with mine, my breath being stolen by him. What did this remind you of? Maybe the night I had been attacked and Billie Joe had come up to see me, both pouring our hearts to each other. But this time there was no broken guitar to stop us from getting any further than we already had. He pulled away from me, his eyes twinkling in the light softly as I gazed up endlessly at him. He smiled sweetly, cocking his head to one side slightly before raising me up in his arms and letting me stand up properly myself.
"Come on," he beckoned. "Let's get ready. We don't wanna keep Mike and Tre waiting long."
I smiled back at him, as he swept past to collect his blazer from off of his bed. God, that kiss had just been the best yet. Not the most passionate, but definitely the best. Tonight, I was hoping we would take it a little further. Just that extra step that we needed to take. Maybe this was our big break. I could only hope with everything I had.
* * * * * * * *
I sat in the limo, nervously flicking the ends of my fingers in my lap, my stomach not being able to settle at all. Oh my god, I was going to the Grammies. Not some crappy local educational awards show, but THE Grammies. The fucking Grammies god dammit! I looked at the ends of my fingers as I nervously twitched them here and there. It was funny; my left hand finger nail's were really short and hardly noticeable due to being a guitarist. On my other hand though, my nails were really long and thin. It was just weird. Not that you needed to know that though. I sat there amongst the three punk rockers; my hero's. I didn't know what to do. What was I meant to do? Only a few days ago I had thought I had lost all of them within a sudden decision and one action ceased upon both me and Tre on one drunken night. If Billie Joe hadn't stayed behind then I don't know what would have happened. Billie Joe glanced down at my constantly shaking hands from the corner of his eye. Without me realising what he was doing, he slowly moved his hand along the leather seat and placed it upon mine, stopping me from shaking but making me jump a little. I looked down at his hand clasped around my own in my lap, before nervously looking up at him and into those gorgeous eyes of his. He smiled, making me feel somewhat calmer within the whole situation and myself. God, how was I going to survive this in the state I was in? At the moment it didn't look like I was going to last long. Billie Joe leaned his upper body towards me before whispering something in my ear, giving me the shivers.
"You'll be fine. Stop panicking. Just relax, and enjoy yourself." He comforted me.
I swallowed hard, trying to let myself go but my muscles were so tense that I had no control over them at all. He sneaked a quick peck onto my cheek, turning my face a distance shade of red, as I blushed in the company of Tre and Mike sitting opposite. Tre turned round to face us as he pulled a cocktail from off of the mini bar that he had just spent the last 10 minutes making.
"Ta-da!" He sung showing us all the cocktail glass in presentation. " I call this... .The Ultimate Cool!"
Mike laughed light heartedly as he watched his drummer pal and band mate sitting next to him take a sip of his dangerously mixed alcoholic drink.
"Hmmmmm... tastes... pretty demented!" He said, sapping his lips together with the taste. "Just the way I like it."
"It looks fucked up!" Billie Joe sniggered, his hand still placed comfortably upon mine.
"Yeah, it IS fucked up!" Tre returned, taking another sip and contradicting himself in what he had just said. "But then again, I'm fucked up too!"
Tre was cute when he said things like that. We all watched in amusement as Tre gulped down the rest of the sour substance which looked like a mixture of vodka, Malibu, baileys, and some corona maybe. I couldn't tell. It was all so mixed up. But one thing was for sure. It DID look like shit. He pounded the glass onto the mini bar and pulled a face, sticking his tongue out in the sourness.
"Fucking hell... " he croaked, every few seconds sticking his tongue out from the awful taste.
"Guys, this going to be one big night." Mike commented, slightly nervous too by the look on his face.
As if I didn't know that already!
"Yup." Billie Joe replied, arching his back against the seat and stretching a bit, too sighing. "Let's make the most of it ok?"
"Holy shit." Tre screamed hyperactively, interrupting Billie and looking out of the blacked out window and spotting the huge crowd. "Look at that fucking crowd!"
My heart all of a sudden jumped in my throat, finding it hard to breathe. This was just so unreal. I couldn't be here - I felt as if I was cheating. Of what though, I will never know. I followed the eyes of everyone else as we all leaned to take a glance outside. Holy shit. I didn't want to get out of the limo. I just couldn't. The crowd grew bigger and bigger as we journeyed further down the boulevard, the screams of fans deafening and flashes off of camera's flickering constantly. The atmosphere amongst the limo was just too intense. No one could speak a word. We all just couldn't stop staring outside at the huge reception that was awaiting us. I suddenly felt sick. The limo stopped slowly, the big red carpet appearing in view right in front of us, outside the door along with laser lights brightening the night sky. Screams grew louder at the sight of another limo pulling up, the press and media everywhere, hungry for photos and gossip.
"We'll here we are guys." Billie Joe gulped, shakily within his voice.
My heart was gone. It was somewhere else but I didn't know where. I was just so numb. The adrenaline was killing me; I didn't know what to do. I just sat there, my eyes widening and the sweat sedating from off of my palms. Tre leaned forward, Mike watching him as he grabbed the handle to open up the door. His sweaty hand clasped around the shiny piece of metal, polished to a finish. He turned it down; all he had to do now was push the door open. He looked at it for a moment, then around at all of us one by one, saying a few final words before he and Mike took the first steps outside.
"Let's go show these fuckers how it's done Green Day style."
"How about this sexy piece of silk Stef?" Tre asked me, pulling out a dress amongst the millions of others in rows.
I cringed as he swung the dress out, putting it to him and over his body. The dress itself was awful. I didn't know who he meant it to be for. Me or him!
"Tre that really suits you." I told him sarcastically, my eyes widening in my joke and turning to Mike. "Don't you think so?"
Mike sniggered, putting his fist up in front of his mouth to hide his childish laughter.
"I can't help it if I'm purty!" Tre sang, fluttering his eyelashes and wiggling his hands down his hips causing the dress to fall on the floor still on the hanger.
He bent down and quickly picked the dress up before anyone else could see what he was doing. If any of the shop assistants found out he would probably have to pay for the slightest damage that was caused to the item of clothing. He made space for it on the rail and hooked it back up to blend it in with the rest of the dresses.
"So, or we just gonna stand here for the rest of the day staring at the dresses, or are you actually going to go and try the god dam things on?" Tre asked me sarcastically, planting his hands on his hips and frowning at me, one eyebrow raised slightly higher than the other.
I looked down at the numerous dresses that were folded over my arm, the hangers clattering against each other. Wearing dresses certainly wasn't my thing, but I guess I had to try them on some time. What else was I going to wear to the Grammies? I couldn't exactly wear jeans, t-shirt and my converse could I? But something inside me wanted to wear a dress. I didn't know why but I had a thought that it could be something to do with Billie Joe. I didn't want to embarrass him, I wanted him to be proud that he took me and not the scrappy kid that I was deep down inside with a broken past.
"Ok, I'll go try them on." I protested, rolling my eyes and dragging myself towards the fitting rooms. "Don't screw at me if I'm in there all day though."
"Why would you be in there all day anyway?" Mike asked, his eyes following me as I refuged towards the fitting rooms.
"I'm not exactly the, 'dressy' type am I Mike?" I suggested, pausing in between my words to think about how to word what I was thinking.
"I think you'd look pretty neat in a dress." He commented, smiling from the side of his mouth a little.
I looked at him, gulping at what he just said and feeling embarrassed about it a little.
"What I'm trying to say is, I'll be in there for a while because I hate wearing dresses so it takes me time to gain the confidence to wear one."
"I shouldn't worry about it." He told me, putting his hand upon my shoulder sympathetically. "You've got a... great figure and well... don't abuse that."
I looked up at Mike, unsure of what he had just said. I suddenly walked towards the changing room after giving him a weak smile, feeling touchy on the subject.
"We'll be waiting outside to see the dresses on you!" Tre called after me, making the situation worse.
I made it to the fitting room entrance, quickly counting how many dresses I had in my arms so the assistant wouldn't have to stand there and stare me out as she counted the number of items I wanted to try on.
"Oh, so you're going to try them on, huh?" Billie Joe asked, appearing out of nowhere and heading towards me.
"Oh, um yeah. I thought I'd better try them on sometime."
The fitting room's assistant popped around the corner at the sound of our voices and looked at me carefully.
"Hi, can I help you?" She asked confusingly towards the two of us.
What else was I the hell here for? She obviously hadn't noticed the stack of dresses draped over my left arm that was now aching due to the weight. Either that or she was blind.
"I'm here to try on some dresses." I told her, but it sounded more like I had asked her.
"Oh, erm... ok then." She stumbled over her words in surprise, looking at me and then Billie Joe.
Yes, we were two punks in a posh dress shop, but there was no reason for her to be surprised that I had asked to try on a couple of lousy dresses.
"How many items have you got then?" She asked me, falsing a smile and taking the dresses from off over my arm just to check that I was telling the truth.
"Five." I replied, watching her check through every gap in between the dresses.
God, everyone was so touchy in this shop.
"Make that Six." Billie Joe suddenly interrupted, talking over my shoulder to the assistant who suddenly looked up at him.
I turned round, raising my eyebrows in not understanding him. He pulled out a black dress from behind his back, looking sheepishly towards the ground.
"Well, Tre and Mike had a say in what dresses you should pick. I like this one. Maybe you could try it on? For me?"
I slowly took the slinky dress from out of his hands, looking at it, my heart sinking. He didn't quite understand the fact that I hated wearing dresses did he? But after what had happened last night and all of those things I had said to him, I felt as if I might as well try it on in an attempt to redeem myself.
"Yeah, make it six now." I told the assistant, placing the dress Billie Joe had just handed to me on top of the pile.
She looked at me in disgust, rolling her eyes before handing me back the dresses and a bright orange tag saying how many items I had to try on. I took the weight of the dresses over my arm again, the tag being put into my buried hand for me. I smiled weakly at the assistant before heading off into the fitting rooms - that could have been the size of my house back in England. I locked myself away in a room, and hung the dresses up on the hook, before taking a step back and staring at them. God, I wasn't going to enjoy this. I took the first dress that was in front of me, which turned out to be some tight red dress that Mike had chosen. That guy did have a good taste in some sense. I slipped it on, the slinky dress not suiting my rough edge look. I was going to look like a man in a dress. Great stuff. I looked at myself in the mirror, closing my eyes because I couldn't stand seeing myself in a dress. It was ok if the dress actually suited me, but it was 1 in a million chances that I actually found one that I liked AND suited me well. This was going to be an eventful session, I could tell.
"Stefy!" Tre cooed from outside of the changing rooms. "Oh, where are you?"
Oh Jesus. I couldn't even have some time on my own. What did I have to do to just get away for a few minutes? I screwed my face up at hearing him standing outside, because I didn't want to have to show him me in the dress. It would have been better if it were anyone but Tre. In fact, Mike would have even been better than Billie Joe. I don't know why. It probably had something to do with the fact that I was scared about what Billie Joe thought of me, because I liked him. I was scared of what he would think of me in a dress.
"Stef!" Tre chanted again, wondering into the ladies changing rooms and banging on all of the doors one by one as he walked past them. "Where are you? I want to see you in that sexy dress!"
He banged on my door, causing me to suddenly snap at him, but not in a hurtful meaningful way.
"What?!" I screamed, shooting my head at the door and noticing his feet under the doorway stopping suddenly at my voice.
"Oh, so you're hiding in there!" He commented. "You can run but you can't hide from the Tre-mister!"
Yeah that was true enough.
" So, um... have you got the dress on?" He cut to the point pretty quick.
"Tre! This is the ladies changing room. You're not supposed to be in here! Unless you're trying to tell me something."
"Don't take the piss out of my sexuality Stef!" He smirked, as I heard him lean against the door using his right arm. "You know it's something I like to keep a mystery."
"Yeah well. We all know that one Tre." I answered rolling my eyes, even though he couldn't see me.
"So, have you tried on that dress yet?" He asked, pausing a little and repeating himself.
God he was such a perv sometimes!
"No... " I lied.
"Don't lie!"
"How'd you know I'm lying?!"
"I can see your trousers in a heap on the floor under the door." He laughed.
"Tre!" I screamed. "For fuck's sake! What ARE you doing looking under there in the first place?"
I wouldn't have minded it so much if I hadn't been in a dress. Any other item of clothing and I would have been fine.
"Ok, chill Stef!" He defended himself. "You're not normally this touchy. What's wrong with ya'?"
"Nothing's wrong." I grumbled, looking at myself in the dress in the mirror.
"And you lie once again!" He cooed.
"Tre!"
"Come on Stef," he sighed. "What's 'sup? You normally tell me everything. I am your agony uncle remember? You tell me anything. Or is it me just pissing you off? Have I upset you?"
Oh god, now Tre thought he had done something to upset me. I sighed. Nothing was simple these days. Especially when it came to certain members of a band going by the name of Green Day.
"You haven't done anything Tre." I told him, sighing deeply so he could hear me.
"Then - what is it?" He asked in curiosity, leaning against the fitting room door.
"I... I - I just don't want anybody to see me." I admitted, mumbling my words. "That's all."
"Why don't you want anyone to see you? What do you thinks going to happen to 'ya?"
"Nothing. Nothing's going to happen to me. I just don't want anybody to see me - like THIS."
"Like what?"
"In a dress Tre! In a flipping dress!" I screamed from inside the door that he was leaning against. "I'm... too scared too. I look... ugly."
There was an awkward pause after, as I waited for an answer from Tre. I swayed from side to side in the dress, the dress panning out at the sides as I stared coldly at myself in the mirror. Sometimes I even hated myself.
"Stef... you're not ugly, ok?" Tre sighed, in a calming voice and soft tone.
"You're just saying that." I scowled selfishly.
"Stef, just listen to me. You're not ugly. I repeat, you are NOT ugly. And you know you're not. Billie Joe thinks your pretty doesn't he?"
I didn't say anything as I just listened from the other side of the door. The last part of his sentence sinking through my mind.
"Doesn't he?!" Tre repeated, drumming it into my idiotic mind.
"Exactly! It's Billie Joe I'm worried about!" I blurted out, half screaming. "It's because of Billie Joe that I'm scared! I'm scared of what he will think of me in a dress. It's not like I'm Adrienne is it Tre? I'm nowhere near as pretty as she is and I never will be but... but... it's just... "
"It's just what?" Tre asked, as if wanting to hear the rest.
"I'm just scared that Billie Joe won't like me and that... he'll run off with someone else. If you could see me Tre... if you could see what I looked like - then you'd understand."
I let out a little cry as I stared at myself in the dress, not knowing what to do or how to work things out.
"Oh Stef... " He whispered sympathetically, sadness in his voice.
"It's pathetic I know but... I have no-one else to... to love... and - I just don't wanna loose him Tre. Is that too much to ask?"
"Let me see you." Tre grumbled softly, making me jump and no relevance to what I had just said.
"Wh-what?!" I stuttered, becoming nervous and paranoid.
"Let me see you Stef. Come on, we've got to see you at some point haven't we?"
Oh dear fucking god!!!!!! Why why why WHY? Why was everything just so god dam fucking complicated?
"Just take this as a... erm... a trail. I'll tell you what I think of each dress, and what Billie Joe would think of it. Would that help? Come on. You can do this. I know you can."
There was an awkward silence between us, when I finally gave in. Taking a deep inhale of breath and choking back pitiful tears I slowly opened the door, pushing the lock open. The clanking sound it made opening echoed throughout the empty changing rooms. Only Tre and I were there. The noise alerted the drummer, causing him to get up from leaning against the door and stand back to see me. I looked down as I revealed myself to him, feeling incredibly stupid.
"Stef... " Tre smiled towards me opening his arms up. "Come here."
His gesturing lead to me flinging myself at him, soaking up a hug as he wrapped his arms around me.
"It's going to be ok. I promise. I can't read Billie's mind, but what I can do is promise you that he would never do anything to harm you. The guy like's you a lot. And after all you two have been through, you deserve each other. He'll see past the dress Stef, believe me. He's not that type of guy. But you got to trust me when I say this - you do look stunning in a dress. Billie Joe will be smitten. Because to tell you what, I sure as hell am!"
* * * * * * * *
I had tried on every dress we had picked up, and it turned out that the one I had chosen to wear was the one Billie Joe had picked last minute. Ironic, wasn't it? It was also the most comfortable one, and I some what liked it. Tre had helped me along the way with his opinion on each costume, us spending over an hour in there. It had caused some suspicion amongst Mike and Billie Joe as to why we had taken so long, as they knew what Tre was like when it came to him and his erotically perverted mind. Nevertheless I had finally picked a dress, and much to Billie's disappointment, I refused to let him see me in it until the actual night. I wanted it to be a surprise, but Tre wasn't helping with teasing him that he had seen me in the dress and he had to wait. I felt guilty, as I stood back and watched Billie Joe pay for the dress on his bit of plastic, but I wanted the night to be just perfect. So I guess I had to put up with the guilt for now. We left the shop and its snobbish dress assistants and all 4 of us strolled down the boulevard, the sun blaring against our backs as I held onto my bag that contained my neatly wrapped dress. We headed off towards the nearest café, as Mike was feeling peckish from not having eaten any breakfast. As we walked, I leaned closer towards Billie, tenderly holding his hand, and for the very first time in public.
* * * * * * * *
2 more days had passed and it was only a few hours away from the Grammies. I couldn't tell you enough how nervous I was. I had spent the whole afternoon getting ready and prepared for the evening - both physically and mentally. I hadn't had the courage to see any of the Green Day members today. I think I would have thrown up if I had. I was too young to deal with this sort of thing! Billie Joe had paid for me to have my hair done professionally, which resulted in a soft high ponytail, that had a rough edge to it, sweeping my usually dishevelled side fringe off of my face and being pushed in with the rest of the hair. It turned out to be some kewl quiff thingy. It was the only way to describe it! It didn't look too severe though like it usually did when I attempted something like that. It was just right. I had sat for ages heavily applying my eyeliner, bringing out the blue in my eyes and trying desperately not to smudge it. I had also stood and stared at myself in the mirror for a long time - hesitant to as whether it was a good idea to wear the thing. But Billie Joe HAD spent a fortune on it, and what else was I meant to wear if I had abandoned it? It was a pretty dress; it just didn't look that way on me. No dress on me could make me look pretty - no matter how beautiful it was. I left my room, making sure everything inside was turned off. I was paranoid like that. Apparently it was some mental behaviour I had. My uncle had it too. In my heels that I had only just mastered, I strode down the hallway, feeling a little too on show if anyone came past. In some ways it was embarrassing for me for people to see me in a dress. The worst part of it though was going down the stairs. The heels didn't help at all. For a moment I had to hold onto the banister - it made me feel like a cripple. I finally made it to the 4th floor, and hesitantly moving towards Billie Joe's room, knowing that this would be the moment where he would see me for the first time in a dress. I took a deep inhale of air, noticing that his door was already slightly open ajar. This was it. This was the moment of truth. I stepped into Billie Joe's room, not sure whether to look him in the eye or not. I just hurried up and got on with it. The longer I made myself wait, the worse it would be. He looked up to see who it was who had entered his room, and everything seemed to stop around us. The time, the noise, our minds. All that seemed present were the feelings between us. I looked away in slight embarrassment, because I didn't know what he would think of me seeing me dressed up like the way I was. He just seemed to stare at me, as if nothing else mattered. Holy shit Billie Joe. If you stare any longer you'll burn me out! He was kind of speechless. I didn't know whether that was a good thing or not. I didn't even know WHY he was speechless. I was nothing compared to Adrienne. He slowly stood up straight from being hunched over his jacket that was laid out on his bed. Billie Joe walked over to me and I gazed into his eyes before taking a deep inhale of air through my nose.
"You... look... erm... you look beautiful." He stuttered.
"Really?" I whispered, my confidence not being very strong.
"Of course you are. You always have been."
He was definitely wrong there. I had never been pretty in my whole entire life. I didn't see why I should be either.
"That dress is just so - " he tried to continue.
Billie Joe kicked the door behind me with the top of his foot, giving us some privacy. A lump rose in my throat as he turned around to look at me, his gorgeous green eyes looming into mine. I wanted to die right there and then, right on the floor right in the middle of Billie Joe's room, INFRONT of Billie Joe and in this dress he had brought me. I felt so insecure. He reached down without looking where he was putting his hand and took my arm up inside of it.
"You're just gorgeous. That dress was worth the fucking wait. You don't know how frustrated I've been!" He laughed, smiling sweetly. "I can't believe how lucky I am."
I returned the smile, slightly beaming from happiness that he liked it but also feeling anxious at the same time.
"There's no need to be worried hun. Just be yourself." He whispered softly.
God, I wanted to jump on him and hug him so tight. I decided I didn't want to die right now. This was too good of a moment to waste. Funny how feelings change isn't it?
"And you look lovely too Billie Joe." I recalled, looking at him in his suit and polka dot tie.
"Don't be daft." He mocked, laughing at himself. "I just look the same as I always do."
"Exactly." I quickly replied, feeling a little desperate for him to understand me. "You... always look... lovely."
I bowed my head quickly, not wanting to see his reaction and feeling a little embarrassed. Billie Joe cleared his throat, not knowing what to say either.
"Stef," He started as if he was about to say something important.
"Yeah?"
I was quick to reply, looking straight back up at him. He inhaled a little, pursing his lips slightly before deciding to continue speaking.
"I don't know how to say this but - oh fuck..."
He furrowed over his temple, thinking carefully about how to say things.
"Ok, it's kind of obvious that we have feelings for each other right?" He managed to say, blurting it out in a sudden urge.
I stood and stared at him for a few seconds before acknowledging what he had actually said to me. I swallowed hard as I tried to think of something to say to him.
"Come on, it's obvious. How long has this been going on for?" He asked again, making it even more difficult.
Too long. But I think it was more of a statement than a question to be honest.
"You like me and - I like you." He continued, leaving a pause before he said the last bit. "Ever since we first touched lips... I just... I don't know... this is just embarrassing you isn't it?"
"No!" I suddenly burst out. "No! Billie Joe, I - I like you more than anything! I just didn't want to say anything because... well... you have a wife and I wasn't sure if you would feel the same way as I did. I didn't want to embarrass you or cause any more rifts between us. I didn't want to hurt you. After the other night when I got drunk and - and I said those things I... well I - "
"Hey, I said let's forget about that didn't I?" He assured me, rubbing his hands up and down my bare arms. "It's all in the past."
"I just didn't know how to tell you. I mean, you and Adrienne are perfect. I don't want to ruin that. Plus, I could never live up to it if I did. I thought I was just being stupid."
Emotions started to build up inside of me as I fiddled with my spare hand the loose tassels on the side of my black dress. Billie Joe caught me doing it from the corner of his eye, moving his arm across and taking my other hand and joining it with the other one, cupping them together.
"Stef, you shouldn't think like that. You should have told me this before."
I looked down in knowing what he was saying was true. I had just caused myself more grief by leaving my emotions bottled up and leaving it so late. He realised my sudden embarrassment and quickly tried to end the subject.
"This is why I wanted you to come to the Grammies. Not just because there was a spare place, but because I wanted you to come with me, for the fact that I like you."
I looked up and straight into the punk rockers gorgeous green eyes. How many times had I done that? I seemed to do it all the time. And every time it killed me even more - in a different way.
"And I know things haven't been going - so well - but I just - I don't know... maybe feel - guilty about how things - have worked out between us - "
He was starting to struggle with his words, trying to express the complex thoughts that were inside of his mind. I decided to put things straight.
"No Billie Joe! It's none of your fault. None of this is. It just happened. If it's got to be anyone's fault - then it's mine. Straight as hell. And everything happens for a reason." I told him, as he concentrated on my face. "If it was meant to happen then so be it. But it's made us stronger as a - a... erm... couple hasn't it?"
I didn't know whether to brand us a 'couple' yet or not or whether it was too early for that. He quirked his eyebrow as he bit his bottom lip, before opening his mouth to slip a few more words in.
"But I've just fucked up really bad and I - "
"Shhhh." I hushed him, cutting him short of his sentence and placing my finger to his lip.
His eyes followed my finger, causing them to go cross-eyed. I giggled as I watched his lush green eyes collide with each other in the direction they were both going. His mouth melted into a hot warm smile. I grumbled to myself in comfort.
"You look cute when you do that." I complimented him, as I moved in closer towards his waist.
"That's not the only cute thing I can do." He hinted, raising his eyebrows in a playful manner and slowly snaking his arms around the back of me and pulling me even closer so I was practically standing against him.
I could feel his chest pondering up and down in the process of breathing regularly, sometimes also feeling the slight heartbeat here and there.
"Oh really?" I giggled, feeling playful and joining him in smiling.
I bent the top of my body back slightly in his arms still, drawing my hands up to his face and cupping them around his jaw line. He smiled, showing off his pearly white teeth that had obviously just been cleaned. Before I knew it, his lips were locked with mine, my breath being stolen by him. What did this remind you of? Maybe the night I had been attacked and Billie Joe had come up to see me, both pouring our hearts to each other. But this time there was no broken guitar to stop us from getting any further than we already had. He pulled away from me, his eyes twinkling in the light softly as I gazed up endlessly at him. He smiled sweetly, cocking his head to one side slightly before raising me up in his arms and letting me stand up properly myself.
"Come on," he beckoned. "Let's get ready. We don't wanna keep Mike and Tre waiting long."
I smiled back at him, as he swept past to collect his blazer from off of his bed. God, that kiss had just been the best yet. Not the most passionate, but definitely the best. Tonight, I was hoping we would take it a little further. Just that extra step that we needed to take. Maybe this was our big break. I could only hope with everything I had.
* * * * * * * *
I sat in the limo, nervously flicking the ends of my fingers in my lap, my stomach not being able to settle at all. Oh my god, I was going to the Grammies. Not some crappy local educational awards show, but THE Grammies. The fucking Grammies god dammit! I looked at the ends of my fingers as I nervously twitched them here and there. It was funny; my left hand finger nail's were really short and hardly noticeable due to being a guitarist. On my other hand though, my nails were really long and thin. It was just weird. Not that you needed to know that though. I sat there amongst the three punk rockers; my hero's. I didn't know what to do. What was I meant to do? Only a few days ago I had thought I had lost all of them within a sudden decision and one action ceased upon both me and Tre on one drunken night. If Billie Joe hadn't stayed behind then I don't know what would have happened. Billie Joe glanced down at my constantly shaking hands from the corner of his eye. Without me realising what he was doing, he slowly moved his hand along the leather seat and placed it upon mine, stopping me from shaking but making me jump a little. I looked down at his hand clasped around my own in my lap, before nervously looking up at him and into those gorgeous eyes of his. He smiled, making me feel somewhat calmer within the whole situation and myself. God, how was I going to survive this in the state I was in? At the moment it didn't look like I was going to last long. Billie Joe leaned his upper body towards me before whispering something in my ear, giving me the shivers.
"You'll be fine. Stop panicking. Just relax, and enjoy yourself." He comforted me.
I swallowed hard, trying to let myself go but my muscles were so tense that I had no control over them at all. He sneaked a quick peck onto my cheek, turning my face a distance shade of red, as I blushed in the company of Tre and Mike sitting opposite. Tre turned round to face us as he pulled a cocktail from off of the mini bar that he had just spent the last 10 minutes making.
"Ta-da!" He sung showing us all the cocktail glass in presentation. " I call this... .The Ultimate Cool!"
Mike laughed light heartedly as he watched his drummer pal and band mate sitting next to him take a sip of his dangerously mixed alcoholic drink.
"Hmmmmm... tastes... pretty demented!" He said, sapping his lips together with the taste. "Just the way I like it."
"It looks fucked up!" Billie Joe sniggered, his hand still placed comfortably upon mine.
"Yeah, it IS fucked up!" Tre returned, taking another sip and contradicting himself in what he had just said. "But then again, I'm fucked up too!"
Tre was cute when he said things like that. We all watched in amusement as Tre gulped down the rest of the sour substance which looked like a mixture of vodka, Malibu, baileys, and some corona maybe. I couldn't tell. It was all so mixed up. But one thing was for sure. It DID look like shit. He pounded the glass onto the mini bar and pulled a face, sticking his tongue out in the sourness.
"Fucking hell... " he croaked, every few seconds sticking his tongue out from the awful taste.
"Guys, this going to be one big night." Mike commented, slightly nervous too by the look on his face.
As if I didn't know that already!
"Yup." Billie Joe replied, arching his back against the seat and stretching a bit, too sighing. "Let's make the most of it ok?"
"Holy shit." Tre screamed hyperactively, interrupting Billie and looking out of the blacked out window and spotting the huge crowd. "Look at that fucking crowd!"
My heart all of a sudden jumped in my throat, finding it hard to breathe. This was just so unreal. I couldn't be here - I felt as if I was cheating. Of what though, I will never know. I followed the eyes of everyone else as we all leaned to take a glance outside. Holy shit. I didn't want to get out of the limo. I just couldn't. The crowd grew bigger and bigger as we journeyed further down the boulevard, the screams of fans deafening and flashes off of camera's flickering constantly. The atmosphere amongst the limo was just too intense. No one could speak a word. We all just couldn't stop staring outside at the huge reception that was awaiting us. I suddenly felt sick. The limo stopped slowly, the big red carpet appearing in view right in front of us, outside the door along with laser lights brightening the night sky. Screams grew louder at the sight of another limo pulling up, the press and media everywhere, hungry for photos and gossip.
"We'll here we are guys." Billie Joe gulped, shakily within his voice.
My heart was gone. It was somewhere else but I didn't know where. I was just so numb. The adrenaline was killing me; I didn't know what to do. I just sat there, my eyes widening and the sweat sedating from off of my palms. Tre leaned forward, Mike watching him as he grabbed the handle to open up the door. His sweaty hand clasped around the shiny piece of metal, polished to a finish. He turned it down; all he had to do now was push the door open. He looked at it for a moment, then around at all of us one by one, saying a few final words before he and Mike took the first steps outside.
"Let's go show these fuckers how it's done Green Day style."
