My encounter with Green Day, chapter 7
*February, 28, 2011*
I got up and scratched my head, "What time is it?" The clock said 3:45pm.
I went into the kitchen to find Pam sitting at the table looking at the news paper, "Hey."
"TRISTA!"
"PAMMIE!" We were still as juvenile as we were five years before.
"So, today's the day."
"Yep." She nodded.
"Do you think they'll recognize us?"
"Nah."
"Good. We got the VIP, right?"
"Yep."
"Good, then I'll go wake Jessie." I walked back down to a different room, "Jess, wake up, the friggin concert is in an hour."
When she had gotten up and ready and I had done the same we caught the city bus to GM Place for a rare afternoon concert. We stepped out and didn't even have to wait in line because the gates had already opened. We shoved past a bunch of teenage girls and some skaters to get to the front. "Front again guys, woo hoo." I laughed. I hadn't been to a Green Day concert in five years or any concert for at least two. The last one I had gone to see was My Chemical Romance back in 2008 or so.
The concert went great and after we headed back to meet the band. We were more nervous than excited though as we walked through the doors. There wasn't many VIP, maybe two other people; a young Kid and his mom. We decided to go see My Chemical Romance first. We got to meet Gerard, Mikey, Frank and Ray but Bob was busy getting his drums fixed after accidentally putting his foot through the bass drum after their set. We got autographs and pictures. After saying goodbye we went back to the room to find the kid and his mom had gone. They saw us and walked over, smiling.
"Hey, I'm Billie Joe, this is Mike and..."
"I'm Tré."
"Yeah, that's Tré. What're your names?" He asked, holding out his hand. I took it and smiled a bit, he hadn't changed much.
"Well," I started, dropping his hand, "I guess you might have forgotten us."
He stared at me dumbly for a second, "Um, have we met before?"
"Well, it was the spring of I think 2006. Yes, and I was fourteen and... "
"Holy shit. Trista?" He gasped.
"Yeah. What's up?"
"Holy fuck I haven't seen you in five years! Where the fuck've you been?"
"Finishing high school, learning guitar, you know, stuff. Plus, you said we couldn't be friends so... I kind of took that seriously."
"Oh, right. That." He looked down.
"So how old are you now?" Tré asked us.
"Well, I'm nineteen, Pam is eighteen and Jessie is seventeen."
"Nice."
"And you two are thirty eight and Billie is thirty nine, right?"
"Yeah."
"Cool."
"Well, Tré," Jessie started, "I think we have catching up to do." She smiled and they walked off to talk.
"Pam, don't you want to go catch up with Mike."
Pam was confused for a second before getting it and walking off to talk with Mike.
"So," I said trying to start a conversation, "How are the kids?"
"Oh, they are ok I guess, pretty normal."
"Cool."
"Yeah."
"So, are there any new ladies in your life?"
"Nope, no body new since Adrienne."
"Oh, sorry."
"It's ok. So, how are you?"
"I'm good, could be better but what ever." I shrugged.
"Hmm, you're done high school then?"
"Yeah, done. It's a damn good thing, too."
He laughed and looked up, "Any body new in your life?"
"No, no body."
"I see."
"Yeah." I locked eyes with him but quickly looked away.
"I'm glad you came tonight. I kind of missed having you around."
"Good, but I don't see how you missed me; we spent two damn days together." I laughed.
"Well, two days is a long time."
"I guess so, in a way." I glanced over, moved closer to him and put my hand in his. I saw out of the corner of my eye as he looked down at our hands and back up at me before smiling and leading me to a couch in the corner. He looked up at me and smiled wider. "I am really glad you came tonight." He whispered again as he leaned in but I panicked and moved back a bit. He looked up confused, "What's wrong?" "Billie, I really like you but no matter how old I am, we are still twenty years apart."
He smirked and whispered, "You were always too observant for your age." Before leaning in again and letting our lips briefly touch.
'OMFG, OMFG, HE JUST KISSED ME!'
"Are you sure you want this? Because like, I won't care if you say no... really I won't."
"No, I've liked you from the moment you walked into the room when you were fourteen and now that you are nineteen, I can finally show it." He kissed me again and I kissed back.
"Ok, ok, but nothing can happen, I am warning you now, if you go out with me you will be confined to a life of a virgin. No sex."
"I'm fine with what ever." He smiled as Tré and Jessie walked in.
"Awe! They're in wuv!" Jessie teased.
"Shut up." I said standing up and punching her in the shoulder.
"Ouch! Tré she hurt me."
"Oh, poor baby." He laughed and kissed her shoulder.
"Tré, picking up minors now?" I laughed, sitting back down.
"NO! I was being, friendly."
"Too friendly if you ask me."
"Excuse me? You were just making out with him."
"Oh, you shut up too."
"Well, we'll, leave you two alone for a while." Tré winked.
They left, "Morons."
Billie laughed and looked at me, "So, where were we?" He smiled and kissed me softly on the nose.
"Hmm, Billie, I think we should go find Pam and Mike." I said, standing up.
"Why can't we just stay here?"
"Because I want to make sure they aren't dead or like, doing something."
"Ewe." He crinkled his nose.
"I know."
We left the room only to talk to a roadie, who said that they had gone for coffee. Figures; both of them love it.
"So, what now?"
"You're nineteen now, right?"
"Yeah."
"So, let's go for a beer."
"Sure."
We left a note and carefully made our way out of the building, Billie was wearing some blue contacts, regular clothes and his hair was un-gelled and curly again. "Nice disguise."
"Thanks, I tried." He smiled. He didn't really look all that different from five years before.
"No problem."
When we got to the bar we took a seat in a corner and we ordered a beer each, "I love Canadian beer."
I laughed, "I'm sure you do." I flicked out a smoke and my Zippo.
"You still smoke?"
"Yeah." I took a drag and held it in.
"So, you said you've been learning guitar... how is that going?"
I exhaled, "Great. I finally got the music written for my song I wrote and it sounds great."
"Cool. What's the song called?"
"Koinkidink."
"What?" He laughed
"Well, it's a word that a guy I used to like said to me once and when I got mad at him I wrote the song and it was the only name I could think of."
"What's it like?"
"Violent, VERY violent."
"Cool." We both fell silent as I put out my smoke to save the rest.
"Awkward silence... " I mumbled.
"What?"
"Awkward silence." I repeated a bit louder.
"Well, um, why is it awkward?"
"I don't know, it just... is."
"It doesn't have to be awkward, just tell me what makes it like that."
"Ok, well, I know I already said that I didn't care but, I still can't help feel that we shouldn't be more than friends. It's not that I don't like you, god knows I do, it's that we are twenty years apart, whether we like it or not." I spilled.
He nodded, "So, you want us to stop then?"
"Well, no. I don't want to, but I don't think it is the best idea in the world. What would your fans think if they found out?
"I don't really care what they think. I care what you think. If you think it should stop now, then it will and if not, well, then it won't. I just have to say, I love you and I will always so the choice is completely yours. Do you want this to stop?"
'Damn it. If I say yes then he'll be heart broken, so will I but if I say no his career will be over.'
"I don't know... maybe we can be just friends... for now, but later, when every one gets used to it, we can be more than that."
"Sure, that's fine." He nodded, looked away and took a quick drink of his beer.
I sighed and looked down at the table top, "Billie, I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine, really. I don't care that you care more about what other people think than what you and I think."
"Billie Joe... "
"No, really, I don't care. I have to take a piss." He stood up and started to walk towards the bathrooms.
As soon as he was out of sight I put my head down on the table, and cried.
After about three minutes I decided just to go home. I left five dollars for the beer and a note saying sorry to Billie Joe before I left.
I had to walk because my car was still at the stadium and Pam needed it.
The cold, crisp air filled my lungs in short sobs. 'Billie was right, I shouldn't care what other people think, but I just can't do that to him and let him wreck everything he's worked for.' I wiped my eyes and walked down the alleyway to get to my street. Shoving my hand in my pocket, I grasped my knife, just incase. Thankfully I made it to my apartment safe and managed to get to my bedroom before collapsing and crying. I was crying for everything. For me, for Billie, for five years ago and for tonight. I couldn't believe I had finally had the chance I have been waiting for my whole life and I blew it. Billie Joe wouldn't want me any more, that was for sure. I lay on my back, turned on some a CD with Evanescence and My Chemical Romance, closed my eyes and went to sleep.
I dreamt about the time, five years ago, that I was just drifting off to sleep and Billie wanted to play monopoly but this time I was nineteen and he was thirty nine, I was listening to Ghost of you and we were in my apartment.
***
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, I was just wondering what you were listening to." He laughed.
"It's ok." I said, biting my lip, nervously.
"So, why are you in here instead of hanging out with the others?"
"I'm kind of tired."
"Oh, cool."
"Yeah... So, what are you doing?"
"I was gonna see if you wanted to play monopoly, but if you're tired, I'll leave... "
"No, it's fine. I'll play." I smiled.
"Ok, I'll be right back." He got up and walked out of the room.
I stood up and walked out after him but he was gone, "Billie? Where'd you go?"
I walked into the kitchen to find him sitting at the table with a bottle of beer in his hand, drunk.
"Billie? Are you ok?"
"No I am not fucking ok! I loved you and now you fucking go and say you don't want to be with me because you're afraid of other people!"
"No, Billie, I do want to be with you it's just... "
"No you don't. You don't even love me back! You are just a gold-digging bitch! I fucking hate you. Get the fuck out of my life and don't come back!" He yelled, standing up.
"But, Billie... "
"GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" He slapped me across the face.
I fell over from shock and began to cry as he stood over me. The hate in his eyes was so intense I could almost feel it. "Wake up, Trista. I don't love you any more. Wake up." He said harshly and he kept repeating it until I thought I would die of hurt. Suddenly I felt something shake me.
***
"Trista, wake up... "
"Hmm? Where the fuck am I?" I opened my eyes to find I was in my own apartment.
"Hey." I focused on the speaker. It was Billie Joe.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked, confused, "How did you know where I lived?"
"Pam told me. Look, I'm sorry for being such an asshole back in the bar. I was just a bit upset. I guess you're right, I can wait. Could you forgive me?"
I didn't answer I just hugged him tightly.
I got up and scratched my head, "What time is it?" The clock said 3:45pm.
I went into the kitchen to find Pam sitting at the table looking at the news paper, "Hey."
"TRISTA!"
"PAMMIE!" We were still as juvenile as we were five years before.
"So, today's the day."
"Yep." She nodded.
"Do you think they'll recognize us?"
"Nah."
"Good. We got the VIP, right?"
"Yep."
"Good, then I'll go wake Jessie." I walked back down to a different room, "Jess, wake up, the friggin concert is in an hour."
When she had gotten up and ready and I had done the same we caught the city bus to GM Place for a rare afternoon concert. We stepped out and didn't even have to wait in line because the gates had already opened. We shoved past a bunch of teenage girls and some skaters to get to the front. "Front again guys, woo hoo." I laughed. I hadn't been to a Green Day concert in five years or any concert for at least two. The last one I had gone to see was My Chemical Romance back in 2008 or so.
The concert went great and after we headed back to meet the band. We were more nervous than excited though as we walked through the doors. There wasn't many VIP, maybe two other people; a young Kid and his mom. We decided to go see My Chemical Romance first. We got to meet Gerard, Mikey, Frank and Ray but Bob was busy getting his drums fixed after accidentally putting his foot through the bass drum after their set. We got autographs and pictures. After saying goodbye we went back to the room to find the kid and his mom had gone. They saw us and walked over, smiling.
"Hey, I'm Billie Joe, this is Mike and..."
"I'm Tré."
"Yeah, that's Tré. What're your names?" He asked, holding out his hand. I took it and smiled a bit, he hadn't changed much.
"Well," I started, dropping his hand, "I guess you might have forgotten us."
He stared at me dumbly for a second, "Um, have we met before?"
"Well, it was the spring of I think 2006. Yes, and I was fourteen and... "
"Holy shit. Trista?" He gasped.
"Yeah. What's up?"
"Holy fuck I haven't seen you in five years! Where the fuck've you been?"
"Finishing high school, learning guitar, you know, stuff. Plus, you said we couldn't be friends so... I kind of took that seriously."
"Oh, right. That." He looked down.
"So how old are you now?" Tré asked us.
"Well, I'm nineteen, Pam is eighteen and Jessie is seventeen."
"Nice."
"And you two are thirty eight and Billie is thirty nine, right?"
"Yeah."
"Cool."
"Well, Tré," Jessie started, "I think we have catching up to do." She smiled and they walked off to talk.
"Pam, don't you want to go catch up with Mike."
Pam was confused for a second before getting it and walking off to talk with Mike.
"So," I said trying to start a conversation, "How are the kids?"
"Oh, they are ok I guess, pretty normal."
"Cool."
"Yeah."
"So, are there any new ladies in your life?"
"Nope, no body new since Adrienne."
"Oh, sorry."
"It's ok. So, how are you?"
"I'm good, could be better but what ever." I shrugged.
"Hmm, you're done high school then?"
"Yeah, done. It's a damn good thing, too."
He laughed and looked up, "Any body new in your life?"
"No, no body."
"I see."
"Yeah." I locked eyes with him but quickly looked away.
"I'm glad you came tonight. I kind of missed having you around."
"Good, but I don't see how you missed me; we spent two damn days together." I laughed.
"Well, two days is a long time."
"I guess so, in a way." I glanced over, moved closer to him and put my hand in his. I saw out of the corner of my eye as he looked down at our hands and back up at me before smiling and leading me to a couch in the corner. He looked up at me and smiled wider. "I am really glad you came tonight." He whispered again as he leaned in but I panicked and moved back a bit. He looked up confused, "What's wrong?" "Billie, I really like you but no matter how old I am, we are still twenty years apart."
He smirked and whispered, "You were always too observant for your age." Before leaning in again and letting our lips briefly touch.
'OMFG, OMFG, HE JUST KISSED ME!'
"Are you sure you want this? Because like, I won't care if you say no... really I won't."
"No, I've liked you from the moment you walked into the room when you were fourteen and now that you are nineteen, I can finally show it." He kissed me again and I kissed back.
"Ok, ok, but nothing can happen, I am warning you now, if you go out with me you will be confined to a life of a virgin. No sex."
"I'm fine with what ever." He smiled as Tré and Jessie walked in.
"Awe! They're in wuv!" Jessie teased.
"Shut up." I said standing up and punching her in the shoulder.
"Ouch! Tré she hurt me."
"Oh, poor baby." He laughed and kissed her shoulder.
"Tré, picking up minors now?" I laughed, sitting back down.
"NO! I was being, friendly."
"Too friendly if you ask me."
"Excuse me? You were just making out with him."
"Oh, you shut up too."
"Well, we'll, leave you two alone for a while." Tré winked.
They left, "Morons."
Billie laughed and looked at me, "So, where were we?" He smiled and kissed me softly on the nose.
"Hmm, Billie, I think we should go find Pam and Mike." I said, standing up.
"Why can't we just stay here?"
"Because I want to make sure they aren't dead or like, doing something."
"Ewe." He crinkled his nose.
"I know."
We left the room only to talk to a roadie, who said that they had gone for coffee. Figures; both of them love it.
"So, what now?"
"You're nineteen now, right?"
"Yeah."
"So, let's go for a beer."
"Sure."
We left a note and carefully made our way out of the building, Billie was wearing some blue contacts, regular clothes and his hair was un-gelled and curly again. "Nice disguise."
"Thanks, I tried." He smiled. He didn't really look all that different from five years before.
"No problem."
When we got to the bar we took a seat in a corner and we ordered a beer each, "I love Canadian beer."
I laughed, "I'm sure you do." I flicked out a smoke and my Zippo.
"You still smoke?"
"Yeah." I took a drag and held it in.
"So, you said you've been learning guitar... how is that going?"
I exhaled, "Great. I finally got the music written for my song I wrote and it sounds great."
"Cool. What's the song called?"
"Koinkidink."
"What?" He laughed
"Well, it's a word that a guy I used to like said to me once and when I got mad at him I wrote the song and it was the only name I could think of."
"What's it like?"
"Violent, VERY violent."
"Cool." We both fell silent as I put out my smoke to save the rest.
"Awkward silence... " I mumbled.
"What?"
"Awkward silence." I repeated a bit louder.
"Well, um, why is it awkward?"
"I don't know, it just... is."
"It doesn't have to be awkward, just tell me what makes it like that."
"Ok, well, I know I already said that I didn't care but, I still can't help feel that we shouldn't be more than friends. It's not that I don't like you, god knows I do, it's that we are twenty years apart, whether we like it or not." I spilled.
He nodded, "So, you want us to stop then?"
"Well, no. I don't want to, but I don't think it is the best idea in the world. What would your fans think if they found out?
"I don't really care what they think. I care what you think. If you think it should stop now, then it will and if not, well, then it won't. I just have to say, I love you and I will always so the choice is completely yours. Do you want this to stop?"
'Damn it. If I say yes then he'll be heart broken, so will I but if I say no his career will be over.'
"I don't know... maybe we can be just friends... for now, but later, when every one gets used to it, we can be more than that."
"Sure, that's fine." He nodded, looked away and took a quick drink of his beer.
I sighed and looked down at the table top, "Billie, I'm sorry."
"No, it's fine, really. I don't care that you care more about what other people think than what you and I think."
"Billie Joe... "
"No, really, I don't care. I have to take a piss." He stood up and started to walk towards the bathrooms.
As soon as he was out of sight I put my head down on the table, and cried.
After about three minutes I decided just to go home. I left five dollars for the beer and a note saying sorry to Billie Joe before I left.
I had to walk because my car was still at the stadium and Pam needed it.
The cold, crisp air filled my lungs in short sobs. 'Billie was right, I shouldn't care what other people think, but I just can't do that to him and let him wreck everything he's worked for.' I wiped my eyes and walked down the alleyway to get to my street. Shoving my hand in my pocket, I grasped my knife, just incase. Thankfully I made it to my apartment safe and managed to get to my bedroom before collapsing and crying. I was crying for everything. For me, for Billie, for five years ago and for tonight. I couldn't believe I had finally had the chance I have been waiting for my whole life and I blew it. Billie Joe wouldn't want me any more, that was for sure. I lay on my back, turned on some a CD with Evanescence and My Chemical Romance, closed my eyes and went to sleep.
I dreamt about the time, five years ago, that I was just drifting off to sleep and Billie wanted to play monopoly but this time I was nineteen and he was thirty nine, I was listening to Ghost of you and we were in my apartment.
***
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up, I was just wondering what you were listening to." He laughed.
"It's ok." I said, biting my lip, nervously.
"So, why are you in here instead of hanging out with the others?"
"I'm kind of tired."
"Oh, cool."
"Yeah... So, what are you doing?"
"I was gonna see if you wanted to play monopoly, but if you're tired, I'll leave... "
"No, it's fine. I'll play." I smiled.
"Ok, I'll be right back." He got up and walked out of the room.
I stood up and walked out after him but he was gone, "Billie? Where'd you go?"
I walked into the kitchen to find him sitting at the table with a bottle of beer in his hand, drunk.
"Billie? Are you ok?"
"No I am not fucking ok! I loved you and now you fucking go and say you don't want to be with me because you're afraid of other people!"
"No, Billie, I do want to be with you it's just... "
"No you don't. You don't even love me back! You are just a gold-digging bitch! I fucking hate you. Get the fuck out of my life and don't come back!" He yelled, standing up.
"But, Billie... "
"GET OUT OF MY LIFE!" He slapped me across the face.
I fell over from shock and began to cry as he stood over me. The hate in his eyes was so intense I could almost feel it. "Wake up, Trista. I don't love you any more. Wake up." He said harshly and he kept repeating it until I thought I would die of hurt. Suddenly I felt something shake me.
***
"Trista, wake up... "
"Hmm? Where the fuck am I?" I opened my eyes to find I was in my own apartment.
"Hey." I focused on the speaker. It was Billie Joe.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" I asked, confused, "How did you know where I lived?"
"Pam told me. Look, I'm sorry for being such an asshole back in the bar. I was just a bit upset. I guess you're right, I can wait. Could you forgive me?"
I didn't answer I just hugged him tightly.
