Green Day Is A Boy With A Peculiar Name, chapter 3
"Well, that was easy," said Mike Joe as he hung up. "Uh... Do I actually have to go to the dance with her now?"
"Yeah," said Green Day quickly. "That was part of the dare, obviously." He knew this was what he had to do to get his friends to stop making fun of him, as much as it tore him up inside.
"Ha, ha," Tre sang, pointing at Mike Joe. "You have to go to the dance with a stupid girl."
Mike Joe shrugged. "I guess it could be worse. Erica's not that bad."
Tre gasped dramatically. "Oooooooooh, Green, you have some competition. Mike Joe likes her too."
Mike Joe shook his head. "No, I don't."
"Yeah, you do."
"Whatever." Mike Joe stood up and stretched. He glanced at the clock. "I have to go now anyway, it's almost seven. If I'm late for dinner again, my mom'll kill me. C'mon, Tre."
"Awwww, do I have to?"
"Yes. Now, let's go."
"Hmmph." Tre pouted, but stood up. "Bye, Green, see you Monday."
"Bye, guys." Green Day waved weakly as his friends left. He sighed after he heard the front door slam.
"Don't fucking slam the door!" came Eddie's raspy voice from the living room. As much of a loser as he was, occasionally he liked to use his "authority" to say parent-type things, like "don't slam the door" or "don't stay out too late," even though he never followed any of his own rules.
Green Day sighed again, thinking over what he had just done. He was pretty sure he had managed to convince his friends that he didn't like Erica, but at what cost? What if she started going out with Mike Joe now? It was more than he could take. All he wanted to do was sleep through the next week, so he wouldn't have to talk to or see anyone, especially Mike Joe or Erica, until after that stupid dance.
***
Erica fell back onto her bed with a sigh. Her mind was racing. She couldn't believe that Mike Joe Armstrong had just asked her to the school dance. Nothing could be better. This was the best thing that had ever happened to her, this was what she had been waiting for for almost three years. She couldn't wait until Monday.
***
The weekend passed slowly and uneventfully for both Green Day and Erica. Monday morning broke cloudy and gray and Green Day dragged himself out of bed for school. He trudged through his morning routine, trying not to think. He was afraid of the thoughts he would have, evil thoughts about how angry he was at Mike Joe. He knew that he had no right to be, that all of this was his own fault, but he wanted someone to blame.
Green Day knocked loudly on Eddie's door. "Hurry up, I'm gonna be late!"
No answer. Green Day figured that he would probably just wait, so he went to sit in the kitchen. He watched the hands on the clock tick further and further towards eight, the time school started.
"C'mon, Eddie! Can we go TODAY?" he yelled. Again, no one answered. Green Day sighed angrily and walked toward Eddie's room. "Hurry up!" He banged on the door. Finally, tired of waiting, he turned the doorknob and entered, prepared to shove Eddie out of bed. "Hey, you lazy..." His voice trailed off as he realized Eddie's room was empty. "Eddie?" he said softly. He ran quickly through the rest of the house, looking everywhere, but his brother was nowhere to be found. "Shit! Now I have to walk... I'm gonna be SO late..." Green Day muttered to himself as he left his house, prepared to walk the mile to school.
***
It was ten minutes until school started. Erica watched Mike Joe and Tre, standing across the grass from her, talking. She knew that any second now, Mike Joe was going to come over and ask her to be his girlfriend. He had to, right? He had asked her to the dance, wasn't that how these things worked? She picked nervously at her thumbnail and waited. He and Tre were laughing at something. Did she just hear Tre say her name? Oh, good, they're talking about me, she thought. That means Mike Joe's going to come over here now. Right now. Again, she waited, but he didn't move. Erica's nervousness grew. Maybe he's not coming, she thought. Maybe he hates me, maybe him calling me was just a dream I had. Maybe... But then the bell rang.
Oh no, she thought, but walked to her first period math class anyway. She took her usual seat at the back of the class and waited for Mike Joe. Finally he entered with Tre, but with no sign of Green Day. That's weird, Erica thought. Those three are usually inseparable.
As if reading her thoughts, Tre said, "Hey, I wonder where Green is."
Mike Joe nodded. "Yeah, I bet he's... "
"Hey, Mike Joe," Erica blurted out. Why did I just interrupt him like that? She thought angrily. Now he's going to think I'm the biggest idiot...
"Uh... Hey, Erica," Mike Joe said confusedly, as if wondering why she was talking to him. He sat down quickly, as if in a hurry to get away from her.
You are so stupid, Erica, she thought to herself. Of course he doesn't like you. But then why did he ask me to the dance? She wanted to cry, she was so confused and hurt. She managed to hold in her emotion as their math teacher, Ms. Rame, began her lecture.
"Okay, class, today we will be discussing..." But before she could finish her sentence, Green Day burst into the classroom, out of breath. He was completely soaked, his green hair matted down with water, and his black T-shirt and jeans clinging to him. Water ran into his eyes from his hair, and off his clothes, leaving a huge puddle on the floor.
"Sorry I'm late," he panted, bending over and holding his knees, obviously exhausted from running.
"Mr. Day, why are you dripping all over my classroom?" Ms. Rame peered through her thick glasses at him.
"It's... Raining." Green Day was still out of breath.
"And why are you late?"
"My brother was supposed to drive me, but he... Couldn't."
"I see. Normally I would give you a detention for being tardy, but I'm in a particularly good mood today, so I'm simply going to ask you to head up to the nurse's office for a towel."
"Okay." Green Day saluted her and left.
"But come right back, do you hear me?" Ms. Rame shook her head as she returned to the board and picked up a piece of chalk with her bony fingers. "As I was saying, today we will be going over integers, so if you could all open your books to page..."
Erica tuned her out. She was glad Green Day had cost them a few minutes of math class, one of her least favorite subjects, but she was still preoccupied with what had happened before, with Mike Joe. She wondered how someone could do something that so obviously signified that he liked her one day, and completely be repulsed by her a few days later. It just didn't make sense.
***
"What is it?" the pudgy nurse asked Green Day.
"I just need a towel."
"Okay." The nurse shook her head as she opened a cabinet. "Freak weather we've been having lately, hmmm? It's not raining one minute, then the next it is. Ah! Here you are." She smiled and handed Green Day a fluffy white towel.
"Thanks." Green Day grinned as he took it and skipped out of the office. For once his brother had been good for something. The running and getting drenched had sucked, but he loved being the center of attention, and that was exactly what he had been as he walked into class. Maybe Erica noticed, he thought, and for once didn't tell himself to stop thinking about her.
He returned to class, making sure to say, "I'm back!" loudly, so everyone noticed. Ms. Rame gave him an angry look, but said nothing as he took his seat next to Erica. She wasn't paying attention, she was just doodling in her notebook, and it looked like she was holding back tears. Green Day had a sudden urge to hold her in his arms and make every ounce of her pain dissolve, but he ignored it.
Instead he sat, saying, "Hey, stupid." Erica ignored him. "I said, hey, stupid," he repeated, squeezing a handful of water out of his hair and throwing it on Erica.
"Ewwww!" she screeched, wiping at the drops on her shirt. A few people turned to look, but thankfully their teacher was oblivious.
"Stop it, Green," she muttered, her eyes flashing angrily.
Green Day shrugged. "If you think that was bad, watch this." Without thinking about what he was doing, he took off a soaking wet shoe and dumped it over Erica's head, causing a stream of water to pour out of it onto her hair and making her scream. Green Day hurried to put his shoe back on and sit back down, pretending as if nothing had happened.
"Ms. Davis!" Ms. Rame said sharply. "WHAT, may I ask, is going on?"
"Green just got me wet!" Erica whined, trying to get water out of her hair.
"Mr. Day," their teacher said angrily. "I thought that my kindness in looking over your tardiness would be enough incentive for you to stay out of trouble for ONE DAY, but I can see that I was wrong. Get up to the principal's office, RIGHT NOW. Let them deal with you."
"But I didn't do anything!" Green Day insisted.
"NOW!" she repeated. Green Day grinned maliciously and slunk out of the classroom. That'll teach her to go out with my best friend and not me, he thought.
"Yeah," said Green Day quickly. "That was part of the dare, obviously." He knew this was what he had to do to get his friends to stop making fun of him, as much as it tore him up inside.
"Ha, ha," Tre sang, pointing at Mike Joe. "You have to go to the dance with a stupid girl."
Mike Joe shrugged. "I guess it could be worse. Erica's not that bad."
Tre gasped dramatically. "Oooooooooh, Green, you have some competition. Mike Joe likes her too."
Mike Joe shook his head. "No, I don't."
"Yeah, you do."
"Whatever." Mike Joe stood up and stretched. He glanced at the clock. "I have to go now anyway, it's almost seven. If I'm late for dinner again, my mom'll kill me. C'mon, Tre."
"Awwww, do I have to?"
"Yes. Now, let's go."
"Hmmph." Tre pouted, but stood up. "Bye, Green, see you Monday."
"Bye, guys." Green Day waved weakly as his friends left. He sighed after he heard the front door slam.
"Don't fucking slam the door!" came Eddie's raspy voice from the living room. As much of a loser as he was, occasionally he liked to use his "authority" to say parent-type things, like "don't slam the door" or "don't stay out too late," even though he never followed any of his own rules.
Green Day sighed again, thinking over what he had just done. He was pretty sure he had managed to convince his friends that he didn't like Erica, but at what cost? What if she started going out with Mike Joe now? It was more than he could take. All he wanted to do was sleep through the next week, so he wouldn't have to talk to or see anyone, especially Mike Joe or Erica, until after that stupid dance.
***
Erica fell back onto her bed with a sigh. Her mind was racing. She couldn't believe that Mike Joe Armstrong had just asked her to the school dance. Nothing could be better. This was the best thing that had ever happened to her, this was what she had been waiting for for almost three years. She couldn't wait until Monday.
***
The weekend passed slowly and uneventfully for both Green Day and Erica. Monday morning broke cloudy and gray and Green Day dragged himself out of bed for school. He trudged through his morning routine, trying not to think. He was afraid of the thoughts he would have, evil thoughts about how angry he was at Mike Joe. He knew that he had no right to be, that all of this was his own fault, but he wanted someone to blame.
Green Day knocked loudly on Eddie's door. "Hurry up, I'm gonna be late!"
No answer. Green Day figured that he would probably just wait, so he went to sit in the kitchen. He watched the hands on the clock tick further and further towards eight, the time school started.
"C'mon, Eddie! Can we go TODAY?" he yelled. Again, no one answered. Green Day sighed angrily and walked toward Eddie's room. "Hurry up!" He banged on the door. Finally, tired of waiting, he turned the doorknob and entered, prepared to shove Eddie out of bed. "Hey, you lazy..." His voice trailed off as he realized Eddie's room was empty. "Eddie?" he said softly. He ran quickly through the rest of the house, looking everywhere, but his brother was nowhere to be found. "Shit! Now I have to walk... I'm gonna be SO late..." Green Day muttered to himself as he left his house, prepared to walk the mile to school.
***
It was ten minutes until school started. Erica watched Mike Joe and Tre, standing across the grass from her, talking. She knew that any second now, Mike Joe was going to come over and ask her to be his girlfriend. He had to, right? He had asked her to the dance, wasn't that how these things worked? She picked nervously at her thumbnail and waited. He and Tre were laughing at something. Did she just hear Tre say her name? Oh, good, they're talking about me, she thought. That means Mike Joe's going to come over here now. Right now. Again, she waited, but he didn't move. Erica's nervousness grew. Maybe he's not coming, she thought. Maybe he hates me, maybe him calling me was just a dream I had. Maybe... But then the bell rang.
Oh no, she thought, but walked to her first period math class anyway. She took her usual seat at the back of the class and waited for Mike Joe. Finally he entered with Tre, but with no sign of Green Day. That's weird, Erica thought. Those three are usually inseparable.
As if reading her thoughts, Tre said, "Hey, I wonder where Green is."
Mike Joe nodded. "Yeah, I bet he's... "
"Hey, Mike Joe," Erica blurted out. Why did I just interrupt him like that? She thought angrily. Now he's going to think I'm the biggest idiot...
"Uh... Hey, Erica," Mike Joe said confusedly, as if wondering why she was talking to him. He sat down quickly, as if in a hurry to get away from her.
You are so stupid, Erica, she thought to herself. Of course he doesn't like you. But then why did he ask me to the dance? She wanted to cry, she was so confused and hurt. She managed to hold in her emotion as their math teacher, Ms. Rame, began her lecture.
"Okay, class, today we will be discussing..." But before she could finish her sentence, Green Day burst into the classroom, out of breath. He was completely soaked, his green hair matted down with water, and his black T-shirt and jeans clinging to him. Water ran into his eyes from his hair, and off his clothes, leaving a huge puddle on the floor.
"Sorry I'm late," he panted, bending over and holding his knees, obviously exhausted from running.
"Mr. Day, why are you dripping all over my classroom?" Ms. Rame peered through her thick glasses at him.
"It's... Raining." Green Day was still out of breath.
"And why are you late?"
"My brother was supposed to drive me, but he... Couldn't."
"I see. Normally I would give you a detention for being tardy, but I'm in a particularly good mood today, so I'm simply going to ask you to head up to the nurse's office for a towel."
"Okay." Green Day saluted her and left.
"But come right back, do you hear me?" Ms. Rame shook her head as she returned to the board and picked up a piece of chalk with her bony fingers. "As I was saying, today we will be going over integers, so if you could all open your books to page..."
Erica tuned her out. She was glad Green Day had cost them a few minutes of math class, one of her least favorite subjects, but she was still preoccupied with what had happened before, with Mike Joe. She wondered how someone could do something that so obviously signified that he liked her one day, and completely be repulsed by her a few days later. It just didn't make sense.
***
"What is it?" the pudgy nurse asked Green Day.
"I just need a towel."
"Okay." The nurse shook her head as she opened a cabinet. "Freak weather we've been having lately, hmmm? It's not raining one minute, then the next it is. Ah! Here you are." She smiled and handed Green Day a fluffy white towel.
"Thanks." Green Day grinned as he took it and skipped out of the office. For once his brother had been good for something. The running and getting drenched had sucked, but he loved being the center of attention, and that was exactly what he had been as he walked into class. Maybe Erica noticed, he thought, and for once didn't tell himself to stop thinking about her.
He returned to class, making sure to say, "I'm back!" loudly, so everyone noticed. Ms. Rame gave him an angry look, but said nothing as he took his seat next to Erica. She wasn't paying attention, she was just doodling in her notebook, and it looked like she was holding back tears. Green Day had a sudden urge to hold her in his arms and make every ounce of her pain dissolve, but he ignored it.
Instead he sat, saying, "Hey, stupid." Erica ignored him. "I said, hey, stupid," he repeated, squeezing a handful of water out of his hair and throwing it on Erica.
"Ewwww!" she screeched, wiping at the drops on her shirt. A few people turned to look, but thankfully their teacher was oblivious.
"Stop it, Green," she muttered, her eyes flashing angrily.
Green Day shrugged. "If you think that was bad, watch this." Without thinking about what he was doing, he took off a soaking wet shoe and dumped it over Erica's head, causing a stream of water to pour out of it onto her hair and making her scream. Green Day hurried to put his shoe back on and sit back down, pretending as if nothing had happened.
"Ms. Davis!" Ms. Rame said sharply. "WHAT, may I ask, is going on?"
"Green just got me wet!" Erica whined, trying to get water out of her hair.
"Mr. Day," their teacher said angrily. "I thought that my kindness in looking over your tardiness would be enough incentive for you to stay out of trouble for ONE DAY, but I can see that I was wrong. Get up to the principal's office, RIGHT NOW. Let them deal with you."
"But I didn't do anything!" Green Day insisted.
"NOW!" she repeated. Green Day grinned maliciously and slunk out of the classroom. That'll teach her to go out with my best friend and not me, he thought.
