A Different Perspective, chapter 7
The day of the party had finally arrived as Billie and I scrambled to set up his house, filling it with streamers, fake blood, silly string, etc.. Pretty much anything that could make a mess, Billie had picked out and he had little to no regard about how much of a mess it made. I kept holding back from splattering shit all over the walls, but he, on the other hand, had no problem with it.
"CAREFUL! It'll stain," I reminded him as I carefully hung a fake spider web on the staircase banister.
"So?" Billie asked, looking up at me. "I've been meaning to paint over this shitty color, anyway." I shook my head as he spurted the blood on the wall and rubbed it in, in spite of my protests.
"Are Joey and Jakob going to be here?" I kind of missed Jakob, which was odd since I loathed children. I mean, what all are they really good for? Smearing the contents of the inside of their nose on you? No thanks.
"Nah, Adrienne wanted to take them trick-or-treating," He muttered and I could hear the bitterness dripping in his voice; he missed them and I could tell. "I told her to bring them by later then and she fucking flat out told me no, that I was going to be drunk by then." I frowned.
"We could always surprise them and pick them up?" I suggested. "Prove to her that you can handle yourself and not drink any sort of alcohol tonight, then go pick them up." His expression brightened as he smiled and nodded.
"Good idea, thanks Hayleigh!" He said, and kissed me quickly on my cheek.
"No problem." I smiled and pulled my hair up into a messy bun to keep it out of my face. In the near distance, I could hear the front door open, and the voices of two people bickering echoing off the walls - I instantly knew who it was.
"No, you don't know how to keep your nose out of other people's business," Mike explained to Tre as he walked into the living room, where Billie and I were sorting through the decorations.
"I do too!" Tre whined, as he always seemed to do, and he looked away from Mike towards us. "Keeping it G-Rated, you two?" Mike nudged him and shot him a look.
"Yeah, you never intrude.." Mike muttered, putting the plastic bag he was carrying on the floor and sat down next to us, digging through the bag. "Okay, I have a Dr. Pepper for Billie.." He mumbled, more to himself than to either one of us as he handed Billie the soda. "An AMP for Hayleigh.."
"AN AMP FOR TRE!" Tre yelled, snatching the other AMP out of the bag and stroking it. I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but Mike and Billie just rolled their eyes and Mike handed me my energy drink.
"Much thanks. I needed one of these.." I said, popping it open and chugging down a few sips.
"No problem," Mike said, nodding and smiling. "And then I got a few things for tonight, like Vodka, Margarita salt, etc.." Billie shook his head.
"Nope. No alcohol," he said, sternly. Tre let out a gasp.
"NO ALCOHOL! What the hell? It's not a party without alcohol!" He complained, but Billie was standing his ground.
"No. No alcohol."
"But whyyyyyyyyy?" Tre continued to whine, pouting.
"Because I want to see my kids and the only way that's going to happen is if I don't drink."
"So the rest of us have to be punished?"
"... Yes." Tre sighed.
"Fine.. Fine, no alcohol."
"Tre.. I mean it."
"Okay, I won't bring any."
"Good." Billie looked satisfied with his answer and proceeded to hang a fake noose from the ceiling fan.
Somewhere around seven-thirty, we all had decided to get off our lazy asses and go get dressed for the party, which was supposed to start at eight. While Tre and Mike argued over who got the downstairs bathroom, Billie and I shook our heads and headed upstairs, me going into the room I was using and Billie going into his own to change. I opened the closet door and pulled out my costume, which was American McGee's Alice - sort of the fucked up, killing version of the childhood fairytale. I was almost completely dressed in my costume as I struggled to get the white tights on, when someone knocked on the door.
"One second!" I called, huffing as I finally managed to undo the knot that had been in my tights. They knocked again. "HOLD ON!" I pulled up the tights, slid on my shoes and answered the door to see.. Bush standing before me. I let out a scream, startled by the fact that there was a mask about two inches from my face. Billie laughed as he took off the mask.
"Don't worry, I scream whenever I see him, too," Billie said, which made me smile a little as I tried to get my heart to slow down. "Need help?" He pointed to the blue ribbon in my hand and I nodded as he tied it in my hair like a head band.
"Thanks," I said and he nodded, brushing off lint from his blue tailored suit. He extended his arm.
"Shall we?" He asked and I nodded, grabbing a hold of his arm as we began walking down stairs. "You look beautiful, by the way." I looked up at him and smiled.
"Thanks," I said and he nodded, pulling his mask down onto his face.
"OH MY GOD!" Tre yelled, laughing as we came down. I stared at Tre who was in a cat suit - Catwoman's cat suit, to be exact. I started laughing as soon as I saw him and shook my head as he put on the leather mask.
"Nice costume, Tre," I said, smiling.
"Yup! After all these years I finally am able to be Catwoman.." He said, and he growled, which made me laugh harder. Thankfully - I didn't have a "laughing attack." Mike soon came out, dressed as what looked like Jesus, but I didn't have the energy to question it. It wasn't until somewhere around 8:15 that people were actually starting to arrive, most likely in a sad excuse at being "fashionably late." It wasn't fashionable, if anything it was annoying, but once people starting coming, things starting to pick up.
"I'll get it!" I called from the living room, figuring it was a few kids trick-or-treating or something, so I grabbed the candy bowl and headed towards the door. I opened it, expecting to hear their hopeful, "TRICK-OR-TREAT," cries. However, standing opposite of me was the one person I had been wanting to see all month - Jessica.
"Jessica!" I squealed, happily.
"Hayleigh!" I put down the candy bowl on the table by the door and hugged her. "I haven't seen you in forever, man. Forever is too fucking long."
"I know, I know," I said, hugging her back and letting her into the house. Some people followed in after her, giving me a sort of glare, but by that time I was used to it since practically every single female at the party was after Billie. I shrugged it off. If they wanted to be like that, whatever, that was their choice. "So, let's go tell everyone you're here.." She looked at me, her eyes full of excitement as I led her past a group of guests and into the kitchen, where Billie was getting a cup of punch. He looked up to see us.
"Hayleigh," He said, smiling. "And Jessica. It's good to see you again." Jessica stood there, and I honestly don't think she was able to speak right then, so I filled the space. Or rather, I was going too, until this.. this five-foot-blond-bimbo walked over to us.
"Billie!" She shrieked, which sounded like someone taking long nails and slowly scratching them down a chalkboard. Billie looked up from me at her and smiled.
"Allie," Billie said, putting down his cup and hugging her. I twitched a bit, watching them and Billie looked up. "Hayleigh, this is Alison. Alison, this is Hayleigh," he introduced us and I put on a smile as fake as Pamela Anderson's boobs as we shook hands.
"It's nice to meet you," I said, very politely.
"Likewise.." Her voice was dripping with bitchiness and I didn't like it; not one bit.
"Alison and I've been friends since, oh god, '99?" He asked, trying to remember and she gave a catty smile, nodding.
"Really now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and nodding as though I were interested.
"Yeah," She said, and she scooted over towards Billie a little. This was irritating me, and it was obvious. Why was it irritating? I wasn't dating Billie Joe, so why was it bothering me so much? The doorbell echoed throughout the house, which was ultimately my save as I thought I was going to implode.
"Will you excuse me?" I said, and I headed back towards the door, grudgingly grabbing the candy bowl and opening the door.
"Trick-Or-Treeeeeeat!" The kids sang and I passed out a handful of candy to each, slamming the door behind them.
"Stupid little shits.." I muttered underneath my breath, practically throwing the bowl back onto the table.
"Are you okay?" I heard Billie's voice behind me and I spun around to see him standing there, chugging down his fourth cup of punch. "You seemed kind of pissed off in there."
"I.. have a headache," I lied, forcing another smile. "Really. I'll be okay."
"Bull, but if you don't want to admit what's wrong, that's on you.." He said and walked away, heading back towards the kitchen in which I presumed he was going to get another glass of punch. The party was going fine, everyone was mingling and some local band had started to play, when I noticed a group of kids acting, well, suspiciously. I watched them as they walked over to the mantle and picked something up, stuffing it into their jacket.
"Hey, whoa-" I began, starting to go after them when someone pulled me by my arm.
"Hayleigshhh.." Billie slurred, slinging his arm around my neck and pulling me closer to him. I tried to find the kids again, but they were gone. "Thish ish the fucking coolestsh chick aroundzz.." He was talking to a group of people, who sort of smiled at me and I shook my head. Billie was drunk - but how was that possible? We'd locked up all of the liquor and there wasn't any in the -
"Oh my.. TRE!" I yelled, moving Billie's arm as I stormed the kitchen to find Tre guzzling down the punch like no tomorrow.
"Heyzz.." He said, piss ass drunk. "Punshhh..?" I looked at him and then the punch and pieced it together - Tre had spiked it.
"Tre! You spiked the punch?!" I asked, angrily. He smiled and put a finger to his lips.
"Shhh.. Itsh ahh secretzz.." I rolled my eyes as I took the punch bowl and walked over to the sink, pouring it out. We didn't need a house full of drunk people; two was enough. I walked back out and was about to grab Billie when the doorbell went off again. I sighed as I rushed over there and answered the door only to see -
"Joey? Jakob? What are you guys doing here?" I asked, startled, when I saw a woman I immediately recognized as Adrienne.
"Mom said we could come over, so we did," Joey explained, and I stepped outside on the front porch, closing the door. I didn't want Billie to see and come bounding outside.
"You must be Adrienne," I said to the woman, extending my hand. "I'm Hayleigh." She shook it and smiled a genuine smile - not like that Alison bitch.
"Hello Hayleigh. Is Billie around by any chance?" Her voice was so sweet.
"Billie is.. indisposed, actually. I'm sorry," I said, and she frowned.
"It's no problem. Can you ju-"
"Hayleighz, are you out heresh?" I heard Billie say, and I watched as the door flung open. Billie's happy drunken stupor suddenly turned very violent as his eyes narrowed at Adrienne. "You.." He stumbled down the porch steps and towards Adrienne. Oh God, I thought and I grabbed Joey and Jakob, not wanting them to see the fight, but they were transfixed on their parents.
"Billie.." Adrienne began, but Billie Joe wouldn't have it.
"Noes, you're.. lishening to mez," Billie yelled. "Yoush taken awaysh my kidz.."
"I didn't -"
"YESH, YOU DID!" Billie was barely able to hold his balance and before Adrienne could get another word out, he passed out, on the ground. She sighed and looked at Joey and Jakob.
"Let's go," She told them, sternly.
"But what abo-" Joey had started, but Adrienne cut him off.
"Let's go, Joey!" Joey and Jakob nodded and waved bye to me, walking off with Adrienne. I can't say I blamed her for leaving Billie there - hell, I felt like leaving him there, but I knew that I couldn't do that, so I went inside to find Mike.
Mike and I had managed to put Billie Joe on the couch and clear out the house, and somewhere around midnight, everyone was gone and things were settling. I kicked off my shoes, exhausted.
"Well, that was the party from Hell.." I muttered, shaking my head as Billie lay passed out next to me.
"Tell me about it. I still can't believe Tre spiked the damn punch," Mike mumbled, kicking Tre lightly. Tre groaned and turned over on the floor.
"I can.. I'm just glad we didn't have any, otherwise we all would have been screwed."
"Seriously." I sat there and looked at Billie, angry at him. It wasn't his fault that the punch he was drinking down had alcohol in it, but I was still mad. I got up.
"I'm gonna head upstairs and just.. go to bed," I said and Mike nodded.
"Night," he said, finding a comfortable spot on the other couch.
"Night," I replied. "Thanks for helping with them."
"No problem," he said, smiling and I smiled, walking upstairs and into my room, in hopes of slipping into peaceful dreams.
"CAREFUL! It'll stain," I reminded him as I carefully hung a fake spider web on the staircase banister.
"So?" Billie asked, looking up at me. "I've been meaning to paint over this shitty color, anyway." I shook my head as he spurted the blood on the wall and rubbed it in, in spite of my protests.
"Are Joey and Jakob going to be here?" I kind of missed Jakob, which was odd since I loathed children. I mean, what all are they really good for? Smearing the contents of the inside of their nose on you? No thanks.
"Nah, Adrienne wanted to take them trick-or-treating," He muttered and I could hear the bitterness dripping in his voice; he missed them and I could tell. "I told her to bring them by later then and she fucking flat out told me no, that I was going to be drunk by then." I frowned.
"We could always surprise them and pick them up?" I suggested. "Prove to her that you can handle yourself and not drink any sort of alcohol tonight, then go pick them up." His expression brightened as he smiled and nodded.
"Good idea, thanks Hayleigh!" He said, and kissed me quickly on my cheek.
"No problem." I smiled and pulled my hair up into a messy bun to keep it out of my face. In the near distance, I could hear the front door open, and the voices of two people bickering echoing off the walls - I instantly knew who it was.
"No, you don't know how to keep your nose out of other people's business," Mike explained to Tre as he walked into the living room, where Billie and I were sorting through the decorations.
"I do too!" Tre whined, as he always seemed to do, and he looked away from Mike towards us. "Keeping it G-Rated, you two?" Mike nudged him and shot him a look.
"Yeah, you never intrude.." Mike muttered, putting the plastic bag he was carrying on the floor and sat down next to us, digging through the bag. "Okay, I have a Dr. Pepper for Billie.." He mumbled, more to himself than to either one of us as he handed Billie the soda. "An AMP for Hayleigh.."
"AN AMP FOR TRE!" Tre yelled, snatching the other AMP out of the bag and stroking it. I bit my lip to keep from laughing, but Mike and Billie just rolled their eyes and Mike handed me my energy drink.
"Much thanks. I needed one of these.." I said, popping it open and chugging down a few sips.
"No problem," Mike said, nodding and smiling. "And then I got a few things for tonight, like Vodka, Margarita salt, etc.." Billie shook his head.
"Nope. No alcohol," he said, sternly. Tre let out a gasp.
"NO ALCOHOL! What the hell? It's not a party without alcohol!" He complained, but Billie was standing his ground.
"No. No alcohol."
"But whyyyyyyyyy?" Tre continued to whine, pouting.
"Because I want to see my kids and the only way that's going to happen is if I don't drink."
"So the rest of us have to be punished?"
"... Yes." Tre sighed.
"Fine.. Fine, no alcohol."
"Tre.. I mean it."
"Okay, I won't bring any."
"Good." Billie looked satisfied with his answer and proceeded to hang a fake noose from the ceiling fan.
Somewhere around seven-thirty, we all had decided to get off our lazy asses and go get dressed for the party, which was supposed to start at eight. While Tre and Mike argued over who got the downstairs bathroom, Billie and I shook our heads and headed upstairs, me going into the room I was using and Billie going into his own to change. I opened the closet door and pulled out my costume, which was American McGee's Alice - sort of the fucked up, killing version of the childhood fairytale. I was almost completely dressed in my costume as I struggled to get the white tights on, when someone knocked on the door.
"One second!" I called, huffing as I finally managed to undo the knot that had been in my tights. They knocked again. "HOLD ON!" I pulled up the tights, slid on my shoes and answered the door to see.. Bush standing before me. I let out a scream, startled by the fact that there was a mask about two inches from my face. Billie laughed as he took off the mask.
"Don't worry, I scream whenever I see him, too," Billie said, which made me smile a little as I tried to get my heart to slow down. "Need help?" He pointed to the blue ribbon in my hand and I nodded as he tied it in my hair like a head band.
"Thanks," I said and he nodded, brushing off lint from his blue tailored suit. He extended his arm.
"Shall we?" He asked and I nodded, grabbing a hold of his arm as we began walking down stairs. "You look beautiful, by the way." I looked up at him and smiled.
"Thanks," I said and he nodded, pulling his mask down onto his face.
"OH MY GOD!" Tre yelled, laughing as we came down. I stared at Tre who was in a cat suit - Catwoman's cat suit, to be exact. I started laughing as soon as I saw him and shook my head as he put on the leather mask.
"Nice costume, Tre," I said, smiling.
"Yup! After all these years I finally am able to be Catwoman.." He said, and he growled, which made me laugh harder. Thankfully - I didn't have a "laughing attack." Mike soon came out, dressed as what looked like Jesus, but I didn't have the energy to question it. It wasn't until somewhere around 8:15 that people were actually starting to arrive, most likely in a sad excuse at being "fashionably late." It wasn't fashionable, if anything it was annoying, but once people starting coming, things starting to pick up.
"I'll get it!" I called from the living room, figuring it was a few kids trick-or-treating or something, so I grabbed the candy bowl and headed towards the door. I opened it, expecting to hear their hopeful, "TRICK-OR-TREAT," cries. However, standing opposite of me was the one person I had been wanting to see all month - Jessica.
"Jessica!" I squealed, happily.
"Hayleigh!" I put down the candy bowl on the table by the door and hugged her. "I haven't seen you in forever, man. Forever is too fucking long."
"I know, I know," I said, hugging her back and letting her into the house. Some people followed in after her, giving me a sort of glare, but by that time I was used to it since practically every single female at the party was after Billie. I shrugged it off. If they wanted to be like that, whatever, that was their choice. "So, let's go tell everyone you're here.." She looked at me, her eyes full of excitement as I led her past a group of guests and into the kitchen, where Billie was getting a cup of punch. He looked up to see us.
"Hayleigh," He said, smiling. "And Jessica. It's good to see you again." Jessica stood there, and I honestly don't think she was able to speak right then, so I filled the space. Or rather, I was going too, until this.. this five-foot-blond-bimbo walked over to us.
"Billie!" She shrieked, which sounded like someone taking long nails and slowly scratching them down a chalkboard. Billie looked up from me at her and smiled.
"Allie," Billie said, putting down his cup and hugging her. I twitched a bit, watching them and Billie looked up. "Hayleigh, this is Alison. Alison, this is Hayleigh," he introduced us and I put on a smile as fake as Pamela Anderson's boobs as we shook hands.
"It's nice to meet you," I said, very politely.
"Likewise.." Her voice was dripping with bitchiness and I didn't like it; not one bit.
"Alison and I've been friends since, oh god, '99?" He asked, trying to remember and she gave a catty smile, nodding.
"Really now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow and nodding as though I were interested.
"Yeah," She said, and she scooted over towards Billie a little. This was irritating me, and it was obvious. Why was it irritating? I wasn't dating Billie Joe, so why was it bothering me so much? The doorbell echoed throughout the house, which was ultimately my save as I thought I was going to implode.
"Will you excuse me?" I said, and I headed back towards the door, grudgingly grabbing the candy bowl and opening the door.
"Trick-Or-Treeeeeeat!" The kids sang and I passed out a handful of candy to each, slamming the door behind them.
"Stupid little shits.." I muttered underneath my breath, practically throwing the bowl back onto the table.
"Are you okay?" I heard Billie's voice behind me and I spun around to see him standing there, chugging down his fourth cup of punch. "You seemed kind of pissed off in there."
"I.. have a headache," I lied, forcing another smile. "Really. I'll be okay."
"Bull, but if you don't want to admit what's wrong, that's on you.." He said and walked away, heading back towards the kitchen in which I presumed he was going to get another glass of punch. The party was going fine, everyone was mingling and some local band had started to play, when I noticed a group of kids acting, well, suspiciously. I watched them as they walked over to the mantle and picked something up, stuffing it into their jacket.
"Hey, whoa-" I began, starting to go after them when someone pulled me by my arm.
"Hayleigshhh.." Billie slurred, slinging his arm around my neck and pulling me closer to him. I tried to find the kids again, but they were gone. "Thish ish the fucking coolestsh chick aroundzz.." He was talking to a group of people, who sort of smiled at me and I shook my head. Billie was drunk - but how was that possible? We'd locked up all of the liquor and there wasn't any in the -
"Oh my.. TRE!" I yelled, moving Billie's arm as I stormed the kitchen to find Tre guzzling down the punch like no tomorrow.
"Heyzz.." He said, piss ass drunk. "Punshhh..?" I looked at him and then the punch and pieced it together - Tre had spiked it.
"Tre! You spiked the punch?!" I asked, angrily. He smiled and put a finger to his lips.
"Shhh.. Itsh ahh secretzz.." I rolled my eyes as I took the punch bowl and walked over to the sink, pouring it out. We didn't need a house full of drunk people; two was enough. I walked back out and was about to grab Billie when the doorbell went off again. I sighed as I rushed over there and answered the door only to see -
"Joey? Jakob? What are you guys doing here?" I asked, startled, when I saw a woman I immediately recognized as Adrienne.
"Mom said we could come over, so we did," Joey explained, and I stepped outside on the front porch, closing the door. I didn't want Billie to see and come bounding outside.
"You must be Adrienne," I said to the woman, extending my hand. "I'm Hayleigh." She shook it and smiled a genuine smile - not like that Alison bitch.
"Hello Hayleigh. Is Billie around by any chance?" Her voice was so sweet.
"Billie is.. indisposed, actually. I'm sorry," I said, and she frowned.
"It's no problem. Can you ju-"
"Hayleighz, are you out heresh?" I heard Billie say, and I watched as the door flung open. Billie's happy drunken stupor suddenly turned very violent as his eyes narrowed at Adrienne. "You.." He stumbled down the porch steps and towards Adrienne. Oh God, I thought and I grabbed Joey and Jakob, not wanting them to see the fight, but they were transfixed on their parents.
"Billie.." Adrienne began, but Billie Joe wouldn't have it.
"Noes, you're.. lishening to mez," Billie yelled. "Yoush taken awaysh my kidz.."
"I didn't -"
"YESH, YOU DID!" Billie was barely able to hold his balance and before Adrienne could get another word out, he passed out, on the ground. She sighed and looked at Joey and Jakob.
"Let's go," She told them, sternly.
"But what abo-" Joey had started, but Adrienne cut him off.
"Let's go, Joey!" Joey and Jakob nodded and waved bye to me, walking off with Adrienne. I can't say I blamed her for leaving Billie there - hell, I felt like leaving him there, but I knew that I couldn't do that, so I went inside to find Mike.
Mike and I had managed to put Billie Joe on the couch and clear out the house, and somewhere around midnight, everyone was gone and things were settling. I kicked off my shoes, exhausted.
"Well, that was the party from Hell.." I muttered, shaking my head as Billie lay passed out next to me.
"Tell me about it. I still can't believe Tre spiked the damn punch," Mike mumbled, kicking Tre lightly. Tre groaned and turned over on the floor.
"I can.. I'm just glad we didn't have any, otherwise we all would have been screwed."
"Seriously." I sat there and looked at Billie, angry at him. It wasn't his fault that the punch he was drinking down had alcohol in it, but I was still mad. I got up.
"I'm gonna head upstairs and just.. go to bed," I said and Mike nodded.
"Night," he said, finding a comfortable spot on the other couch.
"Night," I replied. "Thanks for helping with them."
"No problem," he said, smiling and I smiled, walking upstairs and into my room, in hopes of slipping into peaceful dreams.
