They Changed My Life, chapter 10

I sat up quickly in bed, fighting for each breath. After awhile, my panic subsided, and my breath came easier. At first I wasn't quite sure where I was, but then I remembered I was at Billie Joe's. Warm sunshine shone through the window, caressing my face. I pulled back the cover and made my way through the cluttered room. Not quite sure where the bathroom was, I opened the door directly across the hallway. Mike was asleep in bed, the sheets bunched up around him.

"Damn," he mumbled, waking up. "This is a pretty good wakeup call."

Smiling, I apologized. "Sorry Mike-didn't mean to wake you."

"Trust me-better you than Tre. Usually it's Tre waking me up, and you're a hell of lot better looking than he is."

I laughed and shut the door to continue my search for a bathroom. I finally found it, and I splashed some cold water on my face. Only fragments of the dream still haunted me, and I was glad. Cleaning smudged makeup off my face and sweeping a brush through my hair, I heard Tre' walk by. He was muttering something about coffee and sex. When I went into the kitchen, I saw Tre at the table, head down, head propped up on one hand, and drooling everywhere. Billie Joe turned away from the coffee-maker and put a finger to his lips.

I walked over to him and he whispered, "He still needs his beauty sleep."

I giggled, and was handed a bowl of cereal. We sat down at the table, and a little bit later Billie Joe picked up a few of my Frosted Flakes and proceeded to chuck them at Tre. I giggled and said, "Stop that!" but that only made him flick them harder. After being hit really hard in the nose, Tre's eyes flew open and he yelled, "You sonofabitch!"

He chased Billie Joe into the backyard with a rolled up newspaper. The guys laughed and made so much noise that Mike woke up again. He flung his window open and crawled out.

"Can't a guy get ANY sleep around here?!" he said as he tackled Tre.

I was laughing hysterically now, and I went out to join the guys. All three were on the ground, wrestling, and I was quickly pulled into the pile. Somehow, I managed to not get killed. After that whole episode, we all laid on the ground, catching our breath. Tre was on my right side, and he lightly punched my shoulder.

"You just can't stop beating people up-can you?" he asked.

I groaned, remembering yesterday. "Let's just not talk about it," I suggested. "Speaking of family-related things, I'm gonna need to get home pretty soon."

Billie Joe stood up and stretched. "I could take you now. I need to get to work anyway. All I need is to shower and get dressed first."

Tre threw his arms out and fell to his knees. "Praise Jesus! He's getting his monthly shower!"

Instead of making a not-so-nice comment to Tre, Billie Joe went inside. The rest of us followed him, but Mike and Tre stayed in the kitchen. I still had to get my pants and shoes, so I headed to Billie Joe's room. Hearing the shower running, I assumed he was in it, and I opened the door to his room. I walked in on an almost naked Billie Joe. He didn't notice at first, and I spent the few seconds checking out his body. Noticing me finally, he turned around, startled.

"Oh!-I'm sorry! I thought you were in the shower already, do I just assumed-"

Billie Joe laughed and said, "It's okay-cole on in."

I closed the door and picked up my stuff. "No peeking!" I warned.

He grinned. We turned our backs to each other, and I slid off his boxers. I could hear him doing the same thing behind me, and I couldn't resist myself. I turned and stole a quick glance over my shoulder. It seemed that everything about him was gorgeous. I slid into my jeans, and I heard him walk out.

"I'll be right out," he promised.

I sat on his bed, pulling my shoes on, and had the shit scared out of me when Tre' burst into the room. Oblivious to me, he walked over to one of the dressers and pulled out a pair of boxers. He slipped them on, saving me from looking at his nude body any longer. Not that I minded...but still.

"I hope he wasn't whacking off with these," Tre' muttered, and I laughed. He jumped and screamed, "Holy Jesus!" which only made me laugh harder.

Mike ran in and asked, "What's the matter? Is everyone alright?"

"Everything's fine," I said, still giggling. "Tre here was just walking around in the nude."

Mike chuckled. "Yeah-he does that a little too often."

Tre' jumped up on the bed and started dancing. "She knows she liked it," he said smugly.

"Right Tre," I said sarcastically.

At this point Billie Joe had gotten out of the shower. He exclaimed, "Fuck! What's everyone doing in my room?!"

We all laughed and ran out so he could get dressed. Tre' ran into his room to get dressed, also. Mike and I sat on the couch together.

"So-where'd you move here from again?" Mike questioned.

Uh-oh, I thought. Here come the awkward questions about my past.

"Virginia," I answered tentatively. Maybe he sensed that I didn't want to talk about it anymore, or maybe it was Tre' coming into the room, but Mike didn't ask me anything else.Tre' plopped down on the other side off me and flipped through the magazine Mike had thrown there last night. After looking at it for a minute or two, he threw it back down on the table and announced, "That'll be us one day."

I looked from Mike to Tre' to Mike again and shook my head. "That was freaky," I commented.

"That's no way to talk about Mike!" Tre' said, faking astonishment. "And to think-he thought you two were friends!"

I laughed and threw a pillow at him which, of course, started a pillow fight. Billie Joe walked into the room and said, "Come on children. It's time for Estelle to go home."

We all walked to the front door and Tre' pulled me into an awkwardish hug. "Maybe next time you can sleep in my bed," he said suggestively.

I pushed him away, snickering. "Right Tre'," I said. Mike pulled me into a huge hug and kissed my cheek. "See ya!" he said. Billie Joe and I got into the car and we pulled out with no idea of the happenings that would unfold later in the day.