Salt of the Earth, chapter 2
Tre sat by himself behind his kit for around 20 minutes warming up before his friends came. He really couldn't be bothered playing a friends gig tonight, no matter how much he enjoyed them he had had enough today of just everyone.
"Maybe I should just go off and die", he mumbled to himself seeing his friends walk in to the garage.
"Thanks for the jacket BJ", Steph said taking it off and handing it back to Billie Joe. He smiled and rested it on a chair to dry. Mike walked over picking up his bass looking at Tre.
"You okay little buddy?", Mike asked walking to the kit so they could talk. Tre leaned to his side and saw Steph and Billie Joe play fighting on the couch.
"No', he said bluntly shaking his head, taking his eyes off them, "Mikey can we talk?" Mike nodded putting his bass on the stand and walking out of the garage with Tre to the barbeque area of the backyard. Tre sat up on the table with his hands between his legs and his head hanging down.
"Mikey...... I need help", Tre said in a whisper.
"What kind of help?", Mike asked him curiously wanting to know what his friend was thinking. Tre waited a while not sure if he should say anything.
'Why not give it a shot there's nothing to lose', he told himself pausing.
"Um, Mike it's girl help", he said blushing slightly. Mike put his arm around the drummer and looked down at him.
"Okay what happened?", he asked knowing Tre would give him the full story. Tre explained about how Steph talked to him in the bathroom and then brushed him off afterwards.
"Maybe its cos she didn't want you to get hurt", Mike told him. Tre shook his head.
"No there was like something between us in the bathroom Mikey, I swear and then we walked out, Jason and the gang came and she rejected me", Tre said getting emotional. Mike rubbed his back.
"Come on we should go inside. Do you want me to get her to talk to you?", Mike asked his friend. Tre nodded and made his way into the garage again.
By the time the two had come back the garage was starting to fill up with friends from school. Billie Joe and Steph still sat together on the couch talking until they realized Tre and Mike had come back in. Steph looked up at Tre and smiled getting nothing in return.
"Is he alright?", he asked Billie Joe. He smiled.
"Tre's like that towards women", Billie explained. She nodded and continued sitting where she was while he slid to the edge of the seat.
"So do I get a good luck kiss?", he asked with a cheeky grin.
"Billie you know I can't, I've got a boyfriend", she told him, "And even though he's not here Joel is and he'll blurt out everything", she said. Billie Joe pouted.
"Not even a peck?", he asked blushing. She leant over and gave him the lightest kiss she could on the cheek leaving a red lipstick mark on there that stood out like nothing on earth. He smiled and walked up to the space Mike and Tre were at before he picked up Blue and tuned him.
"You're so bad BJ", Mike whispered noticing that Tre didn't see the kiss before.
"Not bad, just have a way with women", Billie told him smiling. Mike fixed their microphones before interrupting Tre and Billie's nice conversation.
"Ladies if you don't mind, I'd like to start", Mike told them starting off the set list with their My Generation cover. Throughout the whole concert Tre only thought about one thing.
'Is Mike really going to get her to talk to me? '.
After the set was over the garage was turned into a green room for obvious reasons by the teenagers. Tre walked outside seeing Steph trudge out there after Mike had spoken to her.
"Hey drummer boy", she said taking another puff of her joint. He smiled and walked up to her.
"You played good tonight", she told him ruffling his hair.
'This is a dream, it has to be', he told himself squinting cutely.
"How are you?", he asked her leaning on the bench she was sitting on. She rested with her back against the garage wall and offered him a joint. He took it willingly.
"Not too bad", she let out looking down at him. He watched her get down off the seat and stand in front of him. He pressed his back against the garage wall standing up straight as she shuffled forward being only a few inches away from him.
"Listen Tre, I'm really sorry about what happened at school okay, I didn't think you'd take it like that", she told him. He looked down at her lips before looking away at something in the distance.
"It's fine", he said softly trying not to blush.
"Good so we're all cool?", she asked. He nodded.
"Yeah we're all cool", he replied wondering if it was a good time to tell her how he felt.
"But listen if the guys give you a hard time ever just come and tell me okay", she told him rubbing his shoulder gently. He couldn't believe she was touching him.
"Okay", he nodded smiling at her.
"Come on inside", she told him. He shook his head.
"Nah I'll stay out here a little longer", he told her. She bit her lip.
"We're playing spin the bottle", she told him trying to persuade him to come inside. He shook his head again.
"I have to think a bit", he told her.
"Okay, see you drummer boy", she told him smiling as she made her way back into the garage.
Tre slid down the side of garage wall onto the ground. He couldn't believe it. She had stood only inches away from him talking to him like she cared. Maybe she did.
'No she wouldn't', Tre told himself, 'Only guy she cares for is her boyfriend'.
"I'll give 20 dollars to see Mike and Billie kiss", he heard a voice from inside announce before others started talking and whistling. He shook his head.
"Typical", he told himself walking into his house to be alone for a while.
-FEW HOURS LATER-
"So I'll uh see you at school tomorrow?", Billie Joe asked Steph flirting a little. He knew it was risky and she probably wouldn't notice but that was the fun in it.
"You see me there every day", she told him, putting her backpack on.
"Can I walk you then?", he asked picking up her hand.
"If you come extra early like 7. 30ish instead of 8. 15 and we get out of the area before Jason comes sure", she told him smiling. He smiled back letting his stoned green eyes look up and down her. Tre was right. She was one attractive girl.
"Ok", he told her giving her a hug before she left. Once she was out and gone he trudged into the house and up to Tre's bedroom.
"Buddy I kinda got you a date", he said noticing Tre laying on his bed. Tre looked over him and smiled friendly.
"Its alright buddy, you have her I don't think I'm ever going to fall in love or be loved", he said. Billie took a seat on his bed.
"Dude this girls really hot", he told him, "Listen, tomorrow morning at 7. 30 go to this address and walk the girl to school and if you don't like her then okay I'll have her", Billie said handing him a piece of paper.
"Okay, okay", Tre told him pocketing the paper. Billie smiled.
"You're so lucky to have a friend like me", Billie told him skipping out of the room before Tre rested his head in his hands and randomly fell asleep.
-THE NEXT DAY-
Tre reluctantly made his way down to the address that Billie Joe had given him at 7. 25 am a little earlier then Billie Joe had told him. He walked up to the property's front door and knocked gently.
"Who is it?", he heard a girls voice say from in side. He cleared his throat and placed his hands in his pockets.
"Its Tre", he said shyly as he watched the door being opened.
"Hey, drummer boy", he heard Steph way half leaning out of the door way. Tre could see the towel wrapped around her and her hair dripping wet onto the floor. He smiled.
"Billie backed out huh?", she asked, wondering why Tre was at the door. Tre shook his head.
"His mom wanted to drive him in. She had to see someone", Tre explained giving the answer Billie Joe had called and given him this morning. She smiled.
"Okay I'll be like 5 minutes alright", she told him walking away from the door, "Come inside and wait", she told him letting him walk in before she walked off to get dressed.
'Billie Joe is magic', Tre told himself walking around the house trying to find Steph's bedroom like Billie had told him too. He was under strict guidelines by Billie to go in and open her top draws. Whether he was going to succeed or not was another thing. He walked down the hall quickly stopping when he heard a voice come from one of the bedrooms.
"Steph come here", he heard someone say.
'OMG IT'S JASON', his brain told him sending him running into the first room he could get into and running into someone as well.........
"Maybe I should just go off and die", he mumbled to himself seeing his friends walk in to the garage.
"Thanks for the jacket BJ", Steph said taking it off and handing it back to Billie Joe. He smiled and rested it on a chair to dry. Mike walked over picking up his bass looking at Tre.
"You okay little buddy?", Mike asked walking to the kit so they could talk. Tre leaned to his side and saw Steph and Billie Joe play fighting on the couch.
"No', he said bluntly shaking his head, taking his eyes off them, "Mikey can we talk?" Mike nodded putting his bass on the stand and walking out of the garage with Tre to the barbeque area of the backyard. Tre sat up on the table with his hands between his legs and his head hanging down.
"Mikey...... I need help", Tre said in a whisper.
"What kind of help?", Mike asked him curiously wanting to know what his friend was thinking. Tre waited a while not sure if he should say anything.
'Why not give it a shot there's nothing to lose', he told himself pausing.
"Um, Mike it's girl help", he said blushing slightly. Mike put his arm around the drummer and looked down at him.
"Okay what happened?", he asked knowing Tre would give him the full story. Tre explained about how Steph talked to him in the bathroom and then brushed him off afterwards.
"Maybe its cos she didn't want you to get hurt", Mike told him. Tre shook his head.
"No there was like something between us in the bathroom Mikey, I swear and then we walked out, Jason and the gang came and she rejected me", Tre said getting emotional. Mike rubbed his back.
"Come on we should go inside. Do you want me to get her to talk to you?", Mike asked his friend. Tre nodded and made his way into the garage again.
By the time the two had come back the garage was starting to fill up with friends from school. Billie Joe and Steph still sat together on the couch talking until they realized Tre and Mike had come back in. Steph looked up at Tre and smiled getting nothing in return.
"Is he alright?", he asked Billie Joe. He smiled.
"Tre's like that towards women", Billie explained. She nodded and continued sitting where she was while he slid to the edge of the seat.
"So do I get a good luck kiss?", he asked with a cheeky grin.
"Billie you know I can't, I've got a boyfriend", she told him, "And even though he's not here Joel is and he'll blurt out everything", she said. Billie Joe pouted.
"Not even a peck?", he asked blushing. She leant over and gave him the lightest kiss she could on the cheek leaving a red lipstick mark on there that stood out like nothing on earth. He smiled and walked up to the space Mike and Tre were at before he picked up Blue and tuned him.
"You're so bad BJ", Mike whispered noticing that Tre didn't see the kiss before.
"Not bad, just have a way with women", Billie told him smiling. Mike fixed their microphones before interrupting Tre and Billie's nice conversation.
"Ladies if you don't mind, I'd like to start", Mike told them starting off the set list with their My Generation cover. Throughout the whole concert Tre only thought about one thing.
'Is Mike really going to get her to talk to me? '.
After the set was over the garage was turned into a green room for obvious reasons by the teenagers. Tre walked outside seeing Steph trudge out there after Mike had spoken to her.
"Hey drummer boy", she said taking another puff of her joint. He smiled and walked up to her.
"You played good tonight", she told him ruffling his hair.
'This is a dream, it has to be', he told himself squinting cutely.
"How are you?", he asked her leaning on the bench she was sitting on. She rested with her back against the garage wall and offered him a joint. He took it willingly.
"Not too bad", she let out looking down at him. He watched her get down off the seat and stand in front of him. He pressed his back against the garage wall standing up straight as she shuffled forward being only a few inches away from him.
"Listen Tre, I'm really sorry about what happened at school okay, I didn't think you'd take it like that", she told him. He looked down at her lips before looking away at something in the distance.
"It's fine", he said softly trying not to blush.
"Good so we're all cool?", she asked. He nodded.
"Yeah we're all cool", he replied wondering if it was a good time to tell her how he felt.
"But listen if the guys give you a hard time ever just come and tell me okay", she told him rubbing his shoulder gently. He couldn't believe she was touching him.
"Okay", he nodded smiling at her.
"Come on inside", she told him. He shook his head.
"Nah I'll stay out here a little longer", he told her. She bit her lip.
"We're playing spin the bottle", she told him trying to persuade him to come inside. He shook his head again.
"I have to think a bit", he told her.
"Okay, see you drummer boy", she told him smiling as she made her way back into the garage.
Tre slid down the side of garage wall onto the ground. He couldn't believe it. She had stood only inches away from him talking to him like she cared. Maybe she did.
'No she wouldn't', Tre told himself, 'Only guy she cares for is her boyfriend'.
"I'll give 20 dollars to see Mike and Billie kiss", he heard a voice from inside announce before others started talking and whistling. He shook his head.
"Typical", he told himself walking into his house to be alone for a while.
-FEW HOURS LATER-
"So I'll uh see you at school tomorrow?", Billie Joe asked Steph flirting a little. He knew it was risky and she probably wouldn't notice but that was the fun in it.
"You see me there every day", she told him, putting her backpack on.
"Can I walk you then?", he asked picking up her hand.
"If you come extra early like 7. 30ish instead of 8. 15 and we get out of the area before Jason comes sure", she told him smiling. He smiled back letting his stoned green eyes look up and down her. Tre was right. She was one attractive girl.
"Ok", he told her giving her a hug before she left. Once she was out and gone he trudged into the house and up to Tre's bedroom.
"Buddy I kinda got you a date", he said noticing Tre laying on his bed. Tre looked over him and smiled friendly.
"Its alright buddy, you have her I don't think I'm ever going to fall in love or be loved", he said. Billie took a seat on his bed.
"Dude this girls really hot", he told him, "Listen, tomorrow morning at 7. 30 go to this address and walk the girl to school and if you don't like her then okay I'll have her", Billie said handing him a piece of paper.
"Okay, okay", Tre told him pocketing the paper. Billie smiled.
"You're so lucky to have a friend like me", Billie told him skipping out of the room before Tre rested his head in his hands and randomly fell asleep.
-THE NEXT DAY-
Tre reluctantly made his way down to the address that Billie Joe had given him at 7. 25 am a little earlier then Billie Joe had told him. He walked up to the property's front door and knocked gently.
"Who is it?", he heard a girls voice say from in side. He cleared his throat and placed his hands in his pockets.
"Its Tre", he said shyly as he watched the door being opened.
"Hey, drummer boy", he heard Steph way half leaning out of the door way. Tre could see the towel wrapped around her and her hair dripping wet onto the floor. He smiled.
"Billie backed out huh?", she asked, wondering why Tre was at the door. Tre shook his head.
"His mom wanted to drive him in. She had to see someone", Tre explained giving the answer Billie Joe had called and given him this morning. She smiled.
"Okay I'll be like 5 minutes alright", she told him walking away from the door, "Come inside and wait", she told him letting him walk in before she walked off to get dressed.
'Billie Joe is magic', Tre told himself walking around the house trying to find Steph's bedroom like Billie had told him too. He was under strict guidelines by Billie to go in and open her top draws. Whether he was going to succeed or not was another thing. He walked down the hall quickly stopping when he heard a voice come from one of the bedrooms.
"Steph come here", he heard someone say.
'OMG IT'S JASON', his brain told him sending him running into the first room he could get into and running into someone as well.........
