Tears Fade Away, but Scars Stay the Same, chapter 3
I didn't know what his problem was, but, Billie ran up behind me. He put his hands in my hips as he stood behind me.
"Billie, what's wrong?" I asked, I was a little panicky and no one really noticed, they were being fuckasses, like I said.
"Um...you need...to um..how do I say this..." I felt his words in my ear. The teacher walked in
"Mr. Armstrong, seat. Now!" He pushed me down in my seat and I stared at him as he walked back to his seat, across the aisle form me. The teacher started her job, teaching, no shit.
It was a few minutes into class when a note from Billie landed on my desk. I looked at the teacher and then unfolded the note carefully. Mike's jacket was suddenly on the back of my chair. "Huh?" Was my only thought. While she walked out of the room again, another 10 minutes later, I read it.
"Es,
I don't know how to say this really but, you need to go to the nurse.
You just got your period.
-Billie"
I gasped and my face turned red and I felt tears coming in behind my eyes, I held them back. I looked at Billie who pointed to Mike's jacket. I pulled it off my chair and wrapped it around my waist. I shoved the note in my pocket. I slid down in my chair with my hand over my face waiting for the teacher to get back. As I heard her in the hallway, I put my hand up.
"Yes, Esther?"
"Can I--" She gave me a look. I tried this again "May I go to the nurse?"
"Why?"
"I don't feel very well...." She looked at me
"Can you wait till class is over?"
"No, I can't." She sighed
"Okay, go on down" I walked out of the room as quickly as I could. I opened the nurses door and she looked up at me.
"Have a seat..." I did, I felt bad for Mike's jacket "Now, what's wrong..."
I couldn't say it, so I handed her the note.
"Oh, okay...I get it now, follow me..." She quickly got up and led me to some cabinet with 'supplies' in it.
After I was settled and ready to leave, she gave me this weird talk about my first period. Wow...
"Ya know, he's a good friend. A lot of boys just laugh." She finished
"Billie Joe isn't alot of boys..." I said cooly, staring at her
"He's special, I'd watch him" She winked. Did she think I liked Billie Joe?
Wait, did I like Billie Joe? He was my best friend, well...besides Mike. But, Mike and I were related. I'm confusing myself....
Later that day we were walking home, and I couldn't stop thinking about my question
Did I like Billie Joe Armstrong? My cusin's best friend...my best friend...
He was nice, funny, smart, and helpful. His hair was so pretty. But..his eyes were so beautiful...
Uh oh.
I felt Mike put his arm around me, seeing as I was tired and miserable and embarrased. My face was still bright red, and even if they were my friends, that was embarrasing!
"I'm sorry that happened." He said. My face changed colors to a deep red.
"Um..yeah...can we like, not talk about that?" I asked. He nodded and put his arm down. Billie wasn't with us, he had gone to hs house. I tightened the jacket that was still around my waist as I started thinking about Billie again.
Mike and I walked inside and there was my aunt. Ready to give me another speech.
"The nurse called..." Was what she said
Shit...again I had to hear this.
Mike went to his room and I sat down beside her, all I really wanted to do was change my pants and go to bed.
I was the happiest person the moment the phone rang in the middle of my aunt's speech thing.
"Hello?" I answered
"Hey." It was Billie Joe
"Um..Hey Billie, what's up?" I asked, I felt my heart jump
"Nothing really, I was just calling to see if you were, um..okay.."
I smiled
"Yeah, I'm fine" I said quietly "It'd be better if my aunt would shut up with the damn speech already" I laughed a little bit
"Oh, okay. I'll let ya go then"
"Okay, are you coming over tomorrow?"
"Yeah"
"Okay, see ya then"
"Bye"
"Bye"
I hung up and walked out to the living room to hear the end of it.
After an hour of sitting there I walked up to my room and stared at the calender. Wednesday was our last day of school. I got to started off the summer with cramps and a bad attitude. Great. I looked at the clock, it was 5:07 pm. I sighed and layed down on the bed, I was bored. I had nothing to do. Mike was practicing his guitar, I could hear it in my room. I played the piano, guitar and flute, but never really practiced. Mike had recently been starting to play the bass, seeing as him and Billie Joe were starting a band as soon as they found a drummer. They had asked me, but I turned down the offer.
After a while I got to an extreme point of bordem and started cleaning my room. Mike walked past the door.
"Holy shit...you're cleaning your room..." He said
"Shut up" I said
"I'll forgive you for that snap because your horomones are out of whack" He smiled at sat down on my bed as I blushed a little bit.
"So, what's up" I said
"Nothin really, you looked stressed."
"I sorta am" I layed back as he sat there listening "See, I just found out the thing about my father killing people in my family, school's ending, I just 'grew up', and summer's starting..." My voice trailed off. July 19 would be exactly 3 years since I saw my dad kill himself and my mom.
"Yeah..and Billie and I can't really help with the whole first period thing you had today. You need to find a friend that's, well, a girl. I mean, Billie and I can't talk to you about cramps and PMS" He said smirking. I smiled back
"But, how do I do that? I'm too much of an outcast and no one likes me" I said sitting up next to him.
"Well, until you find a friend, there's always Myla." Myla had been going back and fourth between her mom's house and her dad's house lately. She had just turned 16. Just then, we heard the front door close and Myla walked into the room.
"Speak of the devil..." Mike said
"Oh, shut up. I came to tell you we have a new neighbor." She said after slapping Mike upside the head in a playful manner
"Who?" I asked
"Some girl named Adrienne, just moved here from Minnesota, she's about your age and should start schol here in the fall. It's too later for her to register now."
"And now, we have found and answer to you needing a girl friend" Mike said as he grabbed my hand "Let's go". He pulled me out of the room and out the door and we walked next door.
We saw a girl outside sitting on the steps, she had long brown hair and was dressed in jeans and a tanktop.
"Hey..." Mike said
"Hi" She stood up, she was about 5'0", which was sorta funny, I was 5'5" and Mike was 5'7", yeah we were bothtall for our age. Billie was about 5'4"
"I'm Mike and this is my cousin, Esther"
"I'm Adrienne, are you Myla's brother?" She asked as she pointed to Mike, he nodded. "Okay, cause she was talking to me a while ago" She smiled.
"So, um, which school are you going to?" I asked
"The public highschool, I don't know the name, but it's like 10 minutes away I think"
"Awesome, that's where we're going" Mike said
"Adrienne! It's time for dinner!"
"That's my dad, I have to go. I'll see ya tomorrow." She said turning around
"Why don't you come over around 1:00 tomorrow? You can meet Billie." Mike said
"Okay, see ya then" She said as she opened the door.
I just hoped she and Billie didn't turn out to like each other.
Wait, was I already getting jelous of some girl who just moved in?
The next day I woke up a little late, around 1:30, and Billie was already here. I got dressed and walked downstairs, Adrienne was sitting there with Mike and Billie too.
"Morning..." Billie said as I sat down next to him. Mike and Billie gave each other this look
"Well, we'll leave you two to get to know each other now..." Mike said, him and Billie wlaked upstairs
"What's they tell you?" I said smiling
"They said, you need a girl friend and I said I'd do that. I need friends, you need a friend that's a girl, there" I laughed a little bit
"Yeah. so why don't you tell me about yourself" I asked. She put some of her brown hair behind her ear and started telling me about her life. Finishing up with how she'd be 14 in October.
"Oh, awesome. I'm the youngest out if those two already" I said
"So, tell me about yourself" She said
"Okay, this might be a little hard to take in, but..just go with this.." She nodded
"I never had a good life, my mom, dad and I were poor. And they always fought over things. So, one night, about 3 years ago, I was sitting in my room and they were screaming and yelling. I heard someone going through the closet and thought 'the only ting in there is a gun' so I walked out, and saw my dad shoot my mom then himself. I was alone. I went to the cops and 2 days later I was sent out here because Mike is my cousin and they were my only family because I just found out my dad killed members of my family" I whispered at the end
"Oh, my God, Esther. I'm so sorry."
I then told her how stressed I was and about my embarasing moment that happened right in front of Billie and Mike. She had turned red herself.
"I know how that feels sorta, I was with my brother when it happened"
"You have a brother?"
"Yeah, but he lives on his own now"
"Oh, I see." I nodded. The only thing I hadn't told her was my crush I had on Billie Joe that I thought I had.
After a few more minutes Billie and Mike came downstairs
"So...you like, didn't verbaly kill each other, did you?" Billie asked. I looked at him through my black hair in front of my right eye.
"No, we didn'y" Adrienne shook her head. I nodded in agrement. Mike smiled
"Good, now you have a friend to talk to about the things Billie and I can't really understand.
"Yeah. Now we have to leave because Jason wants us to check out his band"
"Okay, I'll be right back." I walked upstairs and Adrienne followed. I was going to put in different earrings, I had 4 peircings on my left ear and 3 on the right one. None of them were in the cartalidge,. except the 4th one on the left ear, it was slightly touching it. My cartalidge was positined in my ears. I put in 2 pairs of hoops and the rest I just left the small stud in.
"Have you seen Jason's band before?" Adrienne asked as I pulled on my shoes
"Yeah, they didn't have a name at the time but they were really good."
"Oh, okay, what kind of music?"
"Punk rock" I responded as I stood up. A sharp pain ran down my back "Shit..."
"What?" Adrienne asked as she turned around
"Nothing really, it's just this really bad cramp I guess."
"Yeah, you have to get used to that" She said smiling. We walked back down stairs and Mike and Billie were waiting in the front yard for us.
****Adrienne's POV****
I couldn't stop looking at Billie Joe. I think I like him. he has a nice sense of humor. And those eyes...wow..they are so beautiful.
And I feel bad, I can't help but get the vibe that Esther likes him too. She needs him to lean on. he's always been there for her. He probably likes her too, sicne they've known each other for so long.
****Billie's POV****
Adrienne keeps looking at me. I wonder if she likes me, Esther is too. But, she can't like me, we're only friends right? Adrienne is so beautiful, and she has a really nice voice. I wonder if Mike likes Adrienne? I wouldn't want to think about taking someone he has his eyes on....but he just broke up with Bex, so he wouldn't look at another girl that quick....would he?
****Esther's POV****
Gosh, why does Billie keep looking at Adrienne? Does he like her!? No! I liked him first. Does she like him...what if they go out? I'll be alone again! This is so not fair
****Mike's POV****
I'm hungry, I should've eaten before we left....mmmm waffles. I'm hungry for waffles. Why does Adrienne keep looking at Billie who's looking back and Esther is trying not to look at Billie? Do they like Billie? Who does Billie like? Wait, Esther likes Billie?! But..they've been friend for years...that's odd....
I want a damn waffle!!!!!
"Billie, what's wrong?" I asked, I was a little panicky and no one really noticed, they were being fuckasses, like I said.
"Um...you need...to um..how do I say this..." I felt his words in my ear. The teacher walked in
"Mr. Armstrong, seat. Now!" He pushed me down in my seat and I stared at him as he walked back to his seat, across the aisle form me. The teacher started her job, teaching, no shit.
It was a few minutes into class when a note from Billie landed on my desk. I looked at the teacher and then unfolded the note carefully. Mike's jacket was suddenly on the back of my chair. "Huh?" Was my only thought. While she walked out of the room again, another 10 minutes later, I read it.
"Es,
I don't know how to say this really but, you need to go to the nurse.
You just got your period.
-Billie"
I gasped and my face turned red and I felt tears coming in behind my eyes, I held them back. I looked at Billie who pointed to Mike's jacket. I pulled it off my chair and wrapped it around my waist. I shoved the note in my pocket. I slid down in my chair with my hand over my face waiting for the teacher to get back. As I heard her in the hallway, I put my hand up.
"Yes, Esther?"
"Can I--" She gave me a look. I tried this again "May I go to the nurse?"
"Why?"
"I don't feel very well...." She looked at me
"Can you wait till class is over?"
"No, I can't." She sighed
"Okay, go on down" I walked out of the room as quickly as I could. I opened the nurses door and she looked up at me.
"Have a seat..." I did, I felt bad for Mike's jacket "Now, what's wrong..."
I couldn't say it, so I handed her the note.
"Oh, okay...I get it now, follow me..." She quickly got up and led me to some cabinet with 'supplies' in it.
After I was settled and ready to leave, she gave me this weird talk about my first period. Wow...
"Ya know, he's a good friend. A lot of boys just laugh." She finished
"Billie Joe isn't alot of boys..." I said cooly, staring at her
"He's special, I'd watch him" She winked. Did she think I liked Billie Joe?
Wait, did I like Billie Joe? He was my best friend, well...besides Mike. But, Mike and I were related. I'm confusing myself....
Later that day we were walking home, and I couldn't stop thinking about my question
Did I like Billie Joe Armstrong? My cusin's best friend...my best friend...
He was nice, funny, smart, and helpful. His hair was so pretty. But..his eyes were so beautiful...
Uh oh.
I felt Mike put his arm around me, seeing as I was tired and miserable and embarrased. My face was still bright red, and even if they were my friends, that was embarrasing!
"I'm sorry that happened." He said. My face changed colors to a deep red.
"Um..yeah...can we like, not talk about that?" I asked. He nodded and put his arm down. Billie wasn't with us, he had gone to hs house. I tightened the jacket that was still around my waist as I started thinking about Billie again.
Mike and I walked inside and there was my aunt. Ready to give me another speech.
"The nurse called..." Was what she said
Shit...again I had to hear this.
Mike went to his room and I sat down beside her, all I really wanted to do was change my pants and go to bed.
I was the happiest person the moment the phone rang in the middle of my aunt's speech thing.
"Hello?" I answered
"Hey." It was Billie Joe
"Um..Hey Billie, what's up?" I asked, I felt my heart jump
"Nothing really, I was just calling to see if you were, um..okay.."
I smiled
"Yeah, I'm fine" I said quietly "It'd be better if my aunt would shut up with the damn speech already" I laughed a little bit
"Oh, okay. I'll let ya go then"
"Okay, are you coming over tomorrow?"
"Yeah"
"Okay, see ya then"
"Bye"
"Bye"
I hung up and walked out to the living room to hear the end of it.
After an hour of sitting there I walked up to my room and stared at the calender. Wednesday was our last day of school. I got to started off the summer with cramps and a bad attitude. Great. I looked at the clock, it was 5:07 pm. I sighed and layed down on the bed, I was bored. I had nothing to do. Mike was practicing his guitar, I could hear it in my room. I played the piano, guitar and flute, but never really practiced. Mike had recently been starting to play the bass, seeing as him and Billie Joe were starting a band as soon as they found a drummer. They had asked me, but I turned down the offer.
After a while I got to an extreme point of bordem and started cleaning my room. Mike walked past the door.
"Holy shit...you're cleaning your room..." He said
"Shut up" I said
"I'll forgive you for that snap because your horomones are out of whack" He smiled at sat down on my bed as I blushed a little bit.
"So, what's up" I said
"Nothin really, you looked stressed."
"I sorta am" I layed back as he sat there listening "See, I just found out the thing about my father killing people in my family, school's ending, I just 'grew up', and summer's starting..." My voice trailed off. July 19 would be exactly 3 years since I saw my dad kill himself and my mom.
"Yeah..and Billie and I can't really help with the whole first period thing you had today. You need to find a friend that's, well, a girl. I mean, Billie and I can't talk to you about cramps and PMS" He said smirking. I smiled back
"But, how do I do that? I'm too much of an outcast and no one likes me" I said sitting up next to him.
"Well, until you find a friend, there's always Myla." Myla had been going back and fourth between her mom's house and her dad's house lately. She had just turned 16. Just then, we heard the front door close and Myla walked into the room.
"Speak of the devil..." Mike said
"Oh, shut up. I came to tell you we have a new neighbor." She said after slapping Mike upside the head in a playful manner
"Who?" I asked
"Some girl named Adrienne, just moved here from Minnesota, she's about your age and should start schol here in the fall. It's too later for her to register now."
"And now, we have found and answer to you needing a girl friend" Mike said as he grabbed my hand "Let's go". He pulled me out of the room and out the door and we walked next door.
We saw a girl outside sitting on the steps, she had long brown hair and was dressed in jeans and a tanktop.
"Hey..." Mike said
"Hi" She stood up, she was about 5'0", which was sorta funny, I was 5'5" and Mike was 5'7", yeah we were bothtall for our age. Billie was about 5'4"
"I'm Mike and this is my cousin, Esther"
"I'm Adrienne, are you Myla's brother?" She asked as she pointed to Mike, he nodded. "Okay, cause she was talking to me a while ago" She smiled.
"So, um, which school are you going to?" I asked
"The public highschool, I don't know the name, but it's like 10 minutes away I think"
"Awesome, that's where we're going" Mike said
"Adrienne! It's time for dinner!"
"That's my dad, I have to go. I'll see ya tomorrow." She said turning around
"Why don't you come over around 1:00 tomorrow? You can meet Billie." Mike said
"Okay, see ya then" She said as she opened the door.
I just hoped she and Billie didn't turn out to like each other.
Wait, was I already getting jelous of some girl who just moved in?
The next day I woke up a little late, around 1:30, and Billie was already here. I got dressed and walked downstairs, Adrienne was sitting there with Mike and Billie too.
"Morning..." Billie said as I sat down next to him. Mike and Billie gave each other this look
"Well, we'll leave you two to get to know each other now..." Mike said, him and Billie wlaked upstairs
"What's they tell you?" I said smiling
"They said, you need a girl friend and I said I'd do that. I need friends, you need a friend that's a girl, there" I laughed a little bit
"Yeah. so why don't you tell me about yourself" I asked. She put some of her brown hair behind her ear and started telling me about her life. Finishing up with how she'd be 14 in October.
"Oh, awesome. I'm the youngest out if those two already" I said
"So, tell me about yourself" She said
"Okay, this might be a little hard to take in, but..just go with this.." She nodded
"I never had a good life, my mom, dad and I were poor. And they always fought over things. So, one night, about 3 years ago, I was sitting in my room and they were screaming and yelling. I heard someone going through the closet and thought 'the only ting in there is a gun' so I walked out, and saw my dad shoot my mom then himself. I was alone. I went to the cops and 2 days later I was sent out here because Mike is my cousin and they were my only family because I just found out my dad killed members of my family" I whispered at the end
"Oh, my God, Esther. I'm so sorry."
I then told her how stressed I was and about my embarasing moment that happened right in front of Billie and Mike. She had turned red herself.
"I know how that feels sorta, I was with my brother when it happened"
"You have a brother?"
"Yeah, but he lives on his own now"
"Oh, I see." I nodded. The only thing I hadn't told her was my crush I had on Billie Joe that I thought I had.
After a few more minutes Billie and Mike came downstairs
"So...you like, didn't verbaly kill each other, did you?" Billie asked. I looked at him through my black hair in front of my right eye.
"No, we didn'y" Adrienne shook her head. I nodded in agrement. Mike smiled
"Good, now you have a friend to talk to about the things Billie and I can't really understand.
"Yeah. Now we have to leave because Jason wants us to check out his band"
"Okay, I'll be right back." I walked upstairs and Adrienne followed. I was going to put in different earrings, I had 4 peircings on my left ear and 3 on the right one. None of them were in the cartalidge,. except the 4th one on the left ear, it was slightly touching it. My cartalidge was positined in my ears. I put in 2 pairs of hoops and the rest I just left the small stud in.
"Have you seen Jason's band before?" Adrienne asked as I pulled on my shoes
"Yeah, they didn't have a name at the time but they were really good."
"Oh, okay, what kind of music?"
"Punk rock" I responded as I stood up. A sharp pain ran down my back "Shit..."
"What?" Adrienne asked as she turned around
"Nothing really, it's just this really bad cramp I guess."
"Yeah, you have to get used to that" She said smiling. We walked back down stairs and Mike and Billie were waiting in the front yard for us.
****Adrienne's POV****
I couldn't stop looking at Billie Joe. I think I like him. he has a nice sense of humor. And those eyes...wow..they are so beautiful.
And I feel bad, I can't help but get the vibe that Esther likes him too. She needs him to lean on. he's always been there for her. He probably likes her too, sicne they've known each other for so long.
****Billie's POV****
Adrienne keeps looking at me. I wonder if she likes me, Esther is too. But, she can't like me, we're only friends right? Adrienne is so beautiful, and she has a really nice voice. I wonder if Mike likes Adrienne? I wouldn't want to think about taking someone he has his eyes on....but he just broke up with Bex, so he wouldn't look at another girl that quick....would he?
****Esther's POV****
Gosh, why does Billie keep looking at Adrienne? Does he like her!? No! I liked him first. Does she like him...what if they go out? I'll be alone again! This is so not fair
****Mike's POV****
I'm hungry, I should've eaten before we left....mmmm waffles. I'm hungry for waffles. Why does Adrienne keep looking at Billie who's looking back and Esther is trying not to look at Billie? Do they like Billie? Who does Billie like? Wait, Esther likes Billie?! But..they've been friend for years...that's odd....
I want a damn waffle!!!!!
