"I've Done Twins", chapter 35
"Aw, fuck," Tre murmured, grabbing a sponge from the sink. Jess stuck her head around the kitchen wall and looked in. Milk was all over the counter.
"Tre? What are you doing?"
"Trying to make a coffee. I can't pour with my left hand, it's all... retarded."
Jess smiled. "Why didn't you call me to help?"
"I'm not completely hopeless."
"Really now?" She joked. Jess poured milk into Tre's cup and handed it to him.
"What would I do without you, Jessie?" He grinned.
"You'd be cleaning up milk without me," She grinned back. "Any who, I'm going out later. Will you be alright by yourself?"
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"Leah's ultra-sound," She replied, putting the milk back. "She's taken everyone to see it, except me."
"She hasn't taken me," Tre snapped indignantly.
"Well, I don't think looking at a blue blob on a screen would interest you."
"I've looked at many blue blobs on a screen before," Tre protested.
"What? Two?" She laughed. "Don't worry Tre, next time I'm sure Lee will invite you."
"Hmph, whatever," Tre sulked.
Billie sat alone in his basement. Tre's drum sat behind him, his guitar was in his hands and Mike's spare bass was placed in it's stand. He contemplated everything Courtney had told him last night.
"It's sorta a long story," Courtney had said, "When Leah was thirteen, she was raped really brutally..."
Billie had looked down, guilty. "That was only a year before we met her..."
Courtney had nodded. "Yeah, I know."
She didn't talk for a moment, as if she was letting Billie gather his thoughts before she continued.
"She was distraught. Y'know... terrified. She felt dirty, slutty, worthless. I kept trying to tell her that she wasn't... trying to help her but she wouldn't listen. She got involved with drugs. Like... really heavy shit..." Courtney, at that point, started to tear-up, "She was stoned all the time. I hardly knew her. She tried to kill herself. She cut all over... but she always covers them up with creams or wrist bands and stuff... She made sure no one saw them... except me..."
Billie was stunned to the spot. Leah had always admitted to smoking pot... but nothing higher. And Leah said she would never cut herself. She had been covering it all up.
"She didn't always have enough money for the drugs that she needed..." Courtney stopped for a moment, and sobbed.
"Hun, You don't have to keep talking," Billie had said. She grabbed his hand and held it, on her lap.
"No," She whispered, "I have to tell you."
Billie nodded.
"She started sleeping with men for money..." Courtney stammered, "She was a total whore. She would do anything to these old, gross men as long as they gave her money for it. Or drugs..."
Billie's jaw dropped. Leah? A prostitute at thirteen? He couldn't believe it. A year later, he had met her and thought she was totally cool. Never like this.
"I wanted her to stop. I told her to stop or I'd tell someone. She jumped at me and held a knife to my throat... she said if I ever told anyone she'd kill me..."
Billie had jumped forward and hugged his beloved girlfriend, never wanting to let her go.
Courtney had kept sobbing. "But then she found out she was pregnant..."
Billie didn't think the story could get any worse. But obviously, it just did.
"Pregnant?"
Courtney nodded. "She had an abortion though. She went back to drugs really heavily after that. Really, really heavily. There wasn't a moment she was sober. Or normal. I didn't know what to do, Billie. Mum had gone away for a week so I locked her in her room. She gave up cold turkey... but I don't think she ever got over it. She's had nightmares about it for years..."
Billie nearly cried.
"There's something else, too," Courtney whispered to him. "You remember that diary? Of Leah's? She wrote that she liked Tre... It wasn't ages ago. She wrote it this year... on our birthday."
Billie's jaw dropped. "That's only a month ago!" He gasped. Courtney nodded.
"I had to tell Mike it was from ages ago. I can't break his heart like this."
He couldn't understand it all. How could Leah do that to herself? What had happened to her wasn't her fault. Billie strummed his guitar, he strummed a G for a while before moving down to A, then to C.
"I think I have a song to write," He muttered. "I've got inspiration."
"What'd you do this time?" Mike sighed, looking at Tre with a bandage around his wrist.
"Long story short, it was Frankito's fault."
"Couldn't possibly be your fault, could it?" Jason joked, flopping onto the couch next to his friend.
"No," Tre protested defensively, "I was playing Murder-In-The-Dark and he was under the rug and I tripped."
"So, it's sort of half and half. Frankito's fault for being under the rug and Tre's for being immature."
"Immature?" Tre scoffed incredulously, "If playing Murder-In-The-Dark is immature then I'M immature."
"Yeah..." Mike started, with a laugh in his voice. "We know."
"I don't recall asking you over," Tre said sulkily. "All you do is come over and tease me."
"Heard through the grape vine that you hurt yourself. Thought we'd come over and check it out."
"I'm fine," Tre snapped, "I'm a big boy and I don't need you two checking up on me."
"My, my! Is Mr Cool growing up?" Jason gasped.
"I've always dreaded this day," Mike grinned. Tre threw his cushion at Mike and elbowed Jason hard in the ribs.
"I'm not growing up," Tre said, "And how dare you say such things. I'm a child at heart."
"Dude, your four-year-old son is more mature then you," Mike laughed, sitting next to him.
"He is not," Tre murmured, "He still thinks babies come from stalks. I at least know they're pushed outta the v-"
"OK, Tre, we get the point," Jason interrupted.
"Well, that's my point then. And Frankito doesn't know about sex, beer and boobs..."
"Or any other sick habits you have," Mike added.
"Too bad your wrist is fucked, eh?" Jason joked, "No creamin' in the shower for Tre for a while."
"Unless you can use your left hand, that is," Mike said.
"Billie will do it for me," Tre smirked. "I trust him enough for that."
"Gross!" Jason and Mike chorused.
"Love isn't gross," Tre teased. "It's a beautiful thing."
"You and I vary on ideas of 'beautiful'," Mike said, "'Cause I don't think you and Billie wanking together is beautiful."
"It's hot, though," Joked Jason. Tre grinned at him and Mike shuffled down the couch, away from the two boys.
"That isn't right. No... it's wrong... ew... mental picture..."
"You like 'em, don't cha, Mike? You think it's hot. You're gonna get all turned on thinking about it," Tre said in his sexy voice, crawling over on top of Mike. "Just the thought of me in the shower gets you sooo fuckin' hot. Makes ya wanna talk dirty..."
"ARGH! GET OFF ME! GET OFF! YOU'RE SICK! SICK!"
Mike flapped his arms around and smacked Tre's sprained wrist. Naturally, Jason was having a 'Leah Moment' and pulled out his phone to record all of this. Tre, straddled on top of Mike, screaming and moaning in pain. But it didn't look like 'pain' from Jason's phone's point of view. He flipped his phone shut (after saving it and sending it to every one of his contacts) and grinned.
"Love is all around," He said simply. Tre got off Mike and rubbed his wrist.
"Asshole," Tre hissed to Mike. "Just wait until my good hand is better."
"Yeah, I'm awaiting the moment."
Billie came in, with his hands behind his back, and smiled. "Hey guys."
"HAVEN'T YOU PEOPLE EVER HEARD OF A FUCKING DOORBELL?!" Tre shouted.
"What the hell?" Billie frowned oddly. "Why?"
"What if I was naked?" Tre asked, "And you just walked in and saw me all vulnerable."
"What are the odds of that if Jason and Mike are over?" Billie asked. "Their car is out the front."
Tre's eyes flickered to the side and he folded his arms, with an expression like a bratty, angry teenager.
"Whatever," He said with same tone.
"Don't mind him," Jason said, "He's just cwanky 'cause he couldn't go out with Jessie and Lee Lee."
"And not to mention there's no ice-cream left," Tre said, "This isn't a home without ice cream."
"Well, lucky I came then, eh?" Billie grinned. He pulled his hands out from behind him with a plastic bag in his hands. It had a bucket of cookies-and-cream ice cream.
"BILLIE JOE!" Tre squealed, "I LOVE YOU!" He jumped up and hugged his friend. Billie laughed and hugged him back.
"I thought it might make your wrist a little better."
"What the fuck has ice-cream got anything to do with his wrist?!"
"Everything," Tre said, getting out the ice-cream and running to get a spoon.
While the guys sat, watching Freddy Vs. Jason (everyone gave in and let Tre watch his favourite movie), Billie wanted to tell Mike about Leah's secret. It wasn't right that he didn't know. They were having a kid together, they live together, they love each other and they trust each other - so why couldn't Mike know?
Of course, Billie wasn't going to tell him now, in front of Jason and Tre - because they're hardly the sympathetic type.
"Bill?" Mike said, noticing Billie's frown day-dream look. "You OK?"
"Um... yeah... I guess..."
"You look a little pale," Tre said. "Here, eat some ice-cream." He shoved a spoon in Billie's mouth.
"Mmmf! Thanks, Tre."
"Anything for a friend," Tre smiled in that overly-friendly creepy way.
"Mike? Can I give you a ride home?" Billie asked.
Jason nodded. "Take him. He's the worst person to go driving with. He doesn't know any car songs."
Mike gave Jase the finger and got into Billie's car.
"There's somethin' I've gotta tell you..." Billie murmured.
"OK..." Mike said suspiciously. "What?"
"Um... about a year before we met L-"
Billie was cut off by 'I Fought The Law'. Mike's phone was ringing.
"Hold on a minute, Billie," Mike smiled, he grabbed his phone and answered it. "Hello?"
Billie backed out of the driveway and started driving down the street.
"Courtney? Oh, yeah... he's right here... no... why? Um... OK... yeah... sure... Bye..." Mike hung up.
"Courtney?" Billie asked.
"Yeah, how come you haven't got your cell?"
"Um... out of battery," Billie lied. His phone sat in his pocket, switched off.
"She told me to tell you - and I quote - 'keep your mouth shut'."
Billie pretended to find that funny. "Insider joke," He lied, again
"What were you going to tell me?"
"Um... I can't remember."
"A year before we met...?" He tried to refresh Billie's memory.
"Nope, it's gone, don't remember."
"You're a pathetic liar," Mike smiled.
"What?" Billie pretend to laugh again. "What are you talking about?"
"Well for one, I know that you don't have a insider joke with Courtney. Two, your cell in in your pocket, I can see it. And three, I know you too well, Mr Billie Joe Armstrong, to know when you're keeping something from me. You're my best buddy and I know these things."
Billie half smiled. "I need to put more faith in you, don't I?"
Mike shrugged jokingly. "So? What is it?"
"It doesn't matter anyway."
"Liar," Mike said.
"I'M NOT!" Billie shouted.
"Lie."
"Miiikkeee," He moaned, "Please don't make me tell you."
"C'mon, Billie Joe. If I have to force it out of you I will."
"No you won't."
"I'll will extract it from your ass if I must," He joked.
Billie couldn't help but laugh. "I can't tell you."
"Bill, you can tell me anything."
Billie felt guilty, instantly. "OK. But you can't tell anyone. Especially not Courtney."
"OK. What is it?"
Billie pulled over to the side of the road. "It's about Leah..."
Jess came in and saw Tre sitting on the couch, with a pillow just under his nose. His eyes were scared and glued to the TV.
"What are you watching?" She asked.
"ARGH!" Tre screamed. "Oh, Jess. You scared me. I'm watchin' Nightmare On Elm Street."
"Oh, bit of a Freddy fan are ya?" She smiled. "I always thought you backed Jason. No pun intended."
He smiled. "Um, no, I sorta like both. They're pretty cool."
She nodded. "I always thought Jason was better then Freddy."
"Well, you know what thought did?" Tre teased.
Jess looked confused. "No?"
"Thought thought he farted but instead he shit his pants."
Blank stare.
"I don't get it."
"Never mind." Tre turned back to the TV and grinned. "Miss Fortnight."
"SHUT UP!"
The house phone started ringing. Tre looked wrapped up in his movie, so Jess sighed and went to answer it.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Hello? Is this Frank Wright's number?" Came a woman's voice on the other line.
"Yes. May I ask who's calling?"
"May I ask who's speaking?" Tre came in and stood behind the kitchen counter, looking at Jess curiously.
"I'm Tre's... uh... Frank's... girlfriend. Who might this be?"
"I'm Frank's ex-wife. Lisea."
Jess's eyes widened. Her cheeks went red.
God this is awkward, She said in her mind.
"Oh, OK, I'll just... um... get him."
"You do that."
Jess narrowed her eyes and her jaw dropped with that 'bitch!' expression.
Jess quickly handed Tre the phone and left without a word.
"This is the illustrious sex-god Tre Cool speaking?" Tre grinned.
"Really? Then I must have the wrong number."
"Lisea?!" Tre nearly dropped the phone, but managed to juggle it, catch it and hold it back up to his ear. "Um... what's up?"
"I didn't know you had a new girlfriend," She said, "What's her name?"
"Jess," Tre replied. "Um... why?"
"Just curious. Thanks for telling me."
"No offence, Lisea, but it isn't any of your business anymore."
"Oh, no, only the fact that my daughter is staying with this woman who I know nothing about. But you're right, Frank, it's NONE of my business."
Tre rolled his eyes. "OK, sorry. Her name's Jess, I met her in Australia, she's a great girl, you've got nothing to worry about."
"Where's Ramona?"
"With Estelle."
"And where's Estelle?"
"At her mother's, to my knowledge."
"That's just great, Tre," Lisea hissed icily. Tre rolled his eyes again and got ready for a lecture. "I send your daughter to come stay with her father, for quality time and she's with Mike!"
"She wanted to go," Tre snapped defensively. "She hardly gets to see Estelle anymore. Jesus, Lisea, it's not like she gonna get killed."
"You can never tell with you, Frank!" She shouted.
"What are you insinuating?" His hissed, his sore hand shaking with anger.
"I'm insinuating that you should pay more attention to your daughter."
Tre gritted his teeth. "She'll be back home with you next week. She's a smart girl, Lisea. She isn't stupid and knows better then to get involved in my stupid little world. She'll be home here with me tomorrow so until then I don't want to hear from you."
Tre slammed the phone onto the receiver.
"Bitch," He muttered.
Over in New York, Lisea had also slammed the phone down. "Dick head," She muttered.
"Jess?" Tre called out. "Hun? Where'd you go?"
"I'm upstairs," Jess called back. Tre climbed upstairs, missing a step at a time, as always. He found her lying on their bed.
"What's wrong, babe?"
"Your ex-wife. She hates me!" Jess said. "And you know what that means?"
Tre looked blank.
"It means that she's gonna tell Ramona I'm a bitch and then Mona will hate me. I don't want her to hate me. I like Ramona. I love her. She's gorgeous..."
"Whoa, whoa, Jess... chill. Lisea isn't gonna do that. She may a bitch, and she knows that, but she's not gonna brainwash Ramona. She can think for herself."
Jess took a deep breath. "She's prettier then me, you know."
Tre laughed. "What?"
"I've seen a picture of Lisea. She's prettier then me."
"No she's not," Tre said. "You'd walk all over her."
Jess shook her head and looked away from Tre's eyes. "No, Tre. She's definitely prettier then me."
Tre pulled her into a hug. "She's not," He whispered, kissing her head. "I mean, yeah, Lisea's hot, but you'd kick her ass from here to Mexico."
Mike sat, staring at the bonnet of the car. His mouth open slightly, his eyes glazed with tears, his heart broken into millions of pieces. Billie stared at Mike, waiting for a reaction. Mike had said nothing. Nothing.
"Mike? You OK?"
No reaction. Nothing. He just stared.
"Mike?" Billie gently touched his shoulder. "C'mon, buddy. Talk to me."
"I..." He managed. "Don't believe you."
Billie blinked back sadness. "It's true, Mike. I wouldn't lie to you."
"I don't wanna believe that..." He whispered.
"Which part?" Billie asked. "The part about the drugs, the abortion or the part about Tre?"
"All three," He said quietly. "Billie... I love her so much. I've never loved anyone like I've loved her... so... why is she doing this?"
"I don't think she can help it, man," Billie tried to be comforting, but everything he said just sounded wrong.
"I need some air."
Mike opened the door and went to the bonnet and leaned against it. Billie got out and stood with him.
"Feelin' any better?"
"I'm not going to feel better in the time slot of five minutes," Mike smiled weakly. There was no point in snapping at Billie. It wasn't his fault. Mike sighed and thought about everything Billie had told him. He knew he couldn't keep this a secret. He wanted to know why Leah loved Tre more then him. He needed to know.
Courtney didn't say much as Leah talked almost hysterically about how much her baby had formed.
"It's got little fingers, and little arms, it looks just like a real baby."
"Why does that sound like something from a Baby Born ad?" Hayley joked. Jess, Leah and Hayley laughed. Courtney was stuck, thinking about everything she told Billie. She was kicking herself for it. She betrayed her sister's trust. She knew Billie wouldn't keep it a secret. When he didn't pick up his cell, she knew.
"Courts?" Leah asked her twin, raising an eyebrow at her. "What's up?"
"Hm?" Courtney snapped out of her isolation-state. "Oh, yeah... the baby... that's great Lee..."
"We finished talking about that. We're talking about The Living End."
"Oh..." Courtney looked down, "Yeah, Chris is hot."
"That's the Courtney I know!" Hayley grinned. She forced a smile. Mike stormed through the door without a word. Courtney knew what had happened.
"Oh, no," She whispered.
"Hi M-" Leah started.
"Don't talk to me just yet," Mike snapped. "I've gotta be alone for a minute."
"FUCK YOU, BILLIE JOE!" Courtney screamed at the table. Everyone turned and stared at Courtney. She stood up, grabbed her bag and ran out the door.
"What... the bloody hell was all that?" Jess looked stunned.
"Um... Jess... we'd better go..." Hayley said, standing up.
"Um... yeah..." Leah murmured. "Think I might be in trouble."
"Tre? What are you doing?"
"Trying to make a coffee. I can't pour with my left hand, it's all... retarded."
Jess smiled. "Why didn't you call me to help?"
"I'm not completely hopeless."
"Really now?" She joked. Jess poured milk into Tre's cup and handed it to him.
"What would I do without you, Jessie?" He grinned.
"You'd be cleaning up milk without me," She grinned back. "Any who, I'm going out later. Will you be alright by yourself?"
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"Leah's ultra-sound," She replied, putting the milk back. "She's taken everyone to see it, except me."
"She hasn't taken me," Tre snapped indignantly.
"Well, I don't think looking at a blue blob on a screen would interest you."
"I've looked at many blue blobs on a screen before," Tre protested.
"What? Two?" She laughed. "Don't worry Tre, next time I'm sure Lee will invite you."
"Hmph, whatever," Tre sulked.
Billie sat alone in his basement. Tre's drum sat behind him, his guitar was in his hands and Mike's spare bass was placed in it's stand. He contemplated everything Courtney had told him last night.
"It's sorta a long story," Courtney had said, "When Leah was thirteen, she was raped really brutally..."
Billie had looked down, guilty. "That was only a year before we met her..."
Courtney had nodded. "Yeah, I know."
She didn't talk for a moment, as if she was letting Billie gather his thoughts before she continued.
"She was distraught. Y'know... terrified. She felt dirty, slutty, worthless. I kept trying to tell her that she wasn't... trying to help her but she wouldn't listen. She got involved with drugs. Like... really heavy shit..." Courtney, at that point, started to tear-up, "She was stoned all the time. I hardly knew her. She tried to kill herself. She cut all over... but she always covers them up with creams or wrist bands and stuff... She made sure no one saw them... except me..."
Billie was stunned to the spot. Leah had always admitted to smoking pot... but nothing higher. And Leah said she would never cut herself. She had been covering it all up.
"She didn't always have enough money for the drugs that she needed..." Courtney stopped for a moment, and sobbed.
"Hun, You don't have to keep talking," Billie had said. She grabbed his hand and held it, on her lap.
"No," She whispered, "I have to tell you."
Billie nodded.
"She started sleeping with men for money..." Courtney stammered, "She was a total whore. She would do anything to these old, gross men as long as they gave her money for it. Or drugs..."
Billie's jaw dropped. Leah? A prostitute at thirteen? He couldn't believe it. A year later, he had met her and thought she was totally cool. Never like this.
"I wanted her to stop. I told her to stop or I'd tell someone. She jumped at me and held a knife to my throat... she said if I ever told anyone she'd kill me..."
Billie had jumped forward and hugged his beloved girlfriend, never wanting to let her go.
Courtney had kept sobbing. "But then she found out she was pregnant..."
Billie didn't think the story could get any worse. But obviously, it just did.
"Pregnant?"
Courtney nodded. "She had an abortion though. She went back to drugs really heavily after that. Really, really heavily. There wasn't a moment she was sober. Or normal. I didn't know what to do, Billie. Mum had gone away for a week so I locked her in her room. She gave up cold turkey... but I don't think she ever got over it. She's had nightmares about it for years..."
Billie nearly cried.
"There's something else, too," Courtney whispered to him. "You remember that diary? Of Leah's? She wrote that she liked Tre... It wasn't ages ago. She wrote it this year... on our birthday."
Billie's jaw dropped. "That's only a month ago!" He gasped. Courtney nodded.
"I had to tell Mike it was from ages ago. I can't break his heart like this."
He couldn't understand it all. How could Leah do that to herself? What had happened to her wasn't her fault. Billie strummed his guitar, he strummed a G for a while before moving down to A, then to C.
"I think I have a song to write," He muttered. "I've got inspiration."
"What'd you do this time?" Mike sighed, looking at Tre with a bandage around his wrist.
"Long story short, it was Frankito's fault."
"Couldn't possibly be your fault, could it?" Jason joked, flopping onto the couch next to his friend.
"No," Tre protested defensively, "I was playing Murder-In-The-Dark and he was under the rug and I tripped."
"So, it's sort of half and half. Frankito's fault for being under the rug and Tre's for being immature."
"Immature?" Tre scoffed incredulously, "If playing Murder-In-The-Dark is immature then I'M immature."
"Yeah..." Mike started, with a laugh in his voice. "We know."
"I don't recall asking you over," Tre said sulkily. "All you do is come over and tease me."
"Heard through the grape vine that you hurt yourself. Thought we'd come over and check it out."
"I'm fine," Tre snapped, "I'm a big boy and I don't need you two checking up on me."
"My, my! Is Mr Cool growing up?" Jason gasped.
"I've always dreaded this day," Mike grinned. Tre threw his cushion at Mike and elbowed Jason hard in the ribs.
"I'm not growing up," Tre said, "And how dare you say such things. I'm a child at heart."
"Dude, your four-year-old son is more mature then you," Mike laughed, sitting next to him.
"He is not," Tre murmured, "He still thinks babies come from stalks. I at least know they're pushed outta the v-"
"OK, Tre, we get the point," Jason interrupted.
"Well, that's my point then. And Frankito doesn't know about sex, beer and boobs..."
"Or any other sick habits you have," Mike added.
"Too bad your wrist is fucked, eh?" Jason joked, "No creamin' in the shower for Tre for a while."
"Unless you can use your left hand, that is," Mike said.
"Billie will do it for me," Tre smirked. "I trust him enough for that."
"Gross!" Jason and Mike chorused.
"Love isn't gross," Tre teased. "It's a beautiful thing."
"You and I vary on ideas of 'beautiful'," Mike said, "'Cause I don't think you and Billie wanking together is beautiful."
"It's hot, though," Joked Jason. Tre grinned at him and Mike shuffled down the couch, away from the two boys.
"That isn't right. No... it's wrong... ew... mental picture..."
"You like 'em, don't cha, Mike? You think it's hot. You're gonna get all turned on thinking about it," Tre said in his sexy voice, crawling over on top of Mike. "Just the thought of me in the shower gets you sooo fuckin' hot. Makes ya wanna talk dirty..."
"ARGH! GET OFF ME! GET OFF! YOU'RE SICK! SICK!"
Mike flapped his arms around and smacked Tre's sprained wrist. Naturally, Jason was having a 'Leah Moment' and pulled out his phone to record all of this. Tre, straddled on top of Mike, screaming and moaning in pain. But it didn't look like 'pain' from Jason's phone's point of view. He flipped his phone shut (after saving it and sending it to every one of his contacts) and grinned.
"Love is all around," He said simply. Tre got off Mike and rubbed his wrist.
"Asshole," Tre hissed to Mike. "Just wait until my good hand is better."
"Yeah, I'm awaiting the moment."
Billie came in, with his hands behind his back, and smiled. "Hey guys."
"HAVEN'T YOU PEOPLE EVER HEARD OF A FUCKING DOORBELL?!" Tre shouted.
"What the hell?" Billie frowned oddly. "Why?"
"What if I was naked?" Tre asked, "And you just walked in and saw me all vulnerable."
"What are the odds of that if Jason and Mike are over?" Billie asked. "Their car is out the front."
Tre's eyes flickered to the side and he folded his arms, with an expression like a bratty, angry teenager.
"Whatever," He said with same tone.
"Don't mind him," Jason said, "He's just cwanky 'cause he couldn't go out with Jessie and Lee Lee."
"And not to mention there's no ice-cream left," Tre said, "This isn't a home without ice cream."
"Well, lucky I came then, eh?" Billie grinned. He pulled his hands out from behind him with a plastic bag in his hands. It had a bucket of cookies-and-cream ice cream.
"BILLIE JOE!" Tre squealed, "I LOVE YOU!" He jumped up and hugged his friend. Billie laughed and hugged him back.
"I thought it might make your wrist a little better."
"What the fuck has ice-cream got anything to do with his wrist?!"
"Everything," Tre said, getting out the ice-cream and running to get a spoon.
While the guys sat, watching Freddy Vs. Jason (everyone gave in and let Tre watch his favourite movie), Billie wanted to tell Mike about Leah's secret. It wasn't right that he didn't know. They were having a kid together, they live together, they love each other and they trust each other - so why couldn't Mike know?
Of course, Billie wasn't going to tell him now, in front of Jason and Tre - because they're hardly the sympathetic type.
"Bill?" Mike said, noticing Billie's frown day-dream look. "You OK?"
"Um... yeah... I guess..."
"You look a little pale," Tre said. "Here, eat some ice-cream." He shoved a spoon in Billie's mouth.
"Mmmf! Thanks, Tre."
"Anything for a friend," Tre smiled in that overly-friendly creepy way.
"Mike? Can I give you a ride home?" Billie asked.
Jason nodded. "Take him. He's the worst person to go driving with. He doesn't know any car songs."
Mike gave Jase the finger and got into Billie's car.
"There's somethin' I've gotta tell you..." Billie murmured.
"OK..." Mike said suspiciously. "What?"
"Um... about a year before we met L-"
Billie was cut off by 'I Fought The Law'. Mike's phone was ringing.
"Hold on a minute, Billie," Mike smiled, he grabbed his phone and answered it. "Hello?"
Billie backed out of the driveway and started driving down the street.
"Courtney? Oh, yeah... he's right here... no... why? Um... OK... yeah... sure... Bye..." Mike hung up.
"Courtney?" Billie asked.
"Yeah, how come you haven't got your cell?"
"Um... out of battery," Billie lied. His phone sat in his pocket, switched off.
"She told me to tell you - and I quote - 'keep your mouth shut'."
Billie pretended to find that funny. "Insider joke," He lied, again
"What were you going to tell me?"
"Um... I can't remember."
"A year before we met...?" He tried to refresh Billie's memory.
"Nope, it's gone, don't remember."
"You're a pathetic liar," Mike smiled.
"What?" Billie pretend to laugh again. "What are you talking about?"
"Well for one, I know that you don't have a insider joke with Courtney. Two, your cell in in your pocket, I can see it. And three, I know you too well, Mr Billie Joe Armstrong, to know when you're keeping something from me. You're my best buddy and I know these things."
Billie half smiled. "I need to put more faith in you, don't I?"
Mike shrugged jokingly. "So? What is it?"
"It doesn't matter anyway."
"Liar," Mike said.
"I'M NOT!" Billie shouted.
"Lie."
"Miiikkeee," He moaned, "Please don't make me tell you."
"C'mon, Billie Joe. If I have to force it out of you I will."
"No you won't."
"I'll will extract it from your ass if I must," He joked.
Billie couldn't help but laugh. "I can't tell you."
"Bill, you can tell me anything."
Billie felt guilty, instantly. "OK. But you can't tell anyone. Especially not Courtney."
"OK. What is it?"
Billie pulled over to the side of the road. "It's about Leah..."
Jess came in and saw Tre sitting on the couch, with a pillow just under his nose. His eyes were scared and glued to the TV.
"What are you watching?" She asked.
"ARGH!" Tre screamed. "Oh, Jess. You scared me. I'm watchin' Nightmare On Elm Street."
"Oh, bit of a Freddy fan are ya?" She smiled. "I always thought you backed Jason. No pun intended."
He smiled. "Um, no, I sorta like both. They're pretty cool."
She nodded. "I always thought Jason was better then Freddy."
"Well, you know what thought did?" Tre teased.
Jess looked confused. "No?"
"Thought thought he farted but instead he shit his pants."
Blank stare.
"I don't get it."
"Never mind." Tre turned back to the TV and grinned. "Miss Fortnight."
"SHUT UP!"
The house phone started ringing. Tre looked wrapped up in his movie, so Jess sighed and went to answer it.
"Hello?" She asked.
"Hello? Is this Frank Wright's number?" Came a woman's voice on the other line.
"Yes. May I ask who's calling?"
"May I ask who's speaking?" Tre came in and stood behind the kitchen counter, looking at Jess curiously.
"I'm Tre's... uh... Frank's... girlfriend. Who might this be?"
"I'm Frank's ex-wife. Lisea."
Jess's eyes widened. Her cheeks went red.
God this is awkward, She said in her mind.
"Oh, OK, I'll just... um... get him."
"You do that."
Jess narrowed her eyes and her jaw dropped with that 'bitch!' expression.
Jess quickly handed Tre the phone and left without a word.
"This is the illustrious sex-god Tre Cool speaking?" Tre grinned.
"Really? Then I must have the wrong number."
"Lisea?!" Tre nearly dropped the phone, but managed to juggle it, catch it and hold it back up to his ear. "Um... what's up?"
"I didn't know you had a new girlfriend," She said, "What's her name?"
"Jess," Tre replied. "Um... why?"
"Just curious. Thanks for telling me."
"No offence, Lisea, but it isn't any of your business anymore."
"Oh, no, only the fact that my daughter is staying with this woman who I know nothing about. But you're right, Frank, it's NONE of my business."
Tre rolled his eyes. "OK, sorry. Her name's Jess, I met her in Australia, she's a great girl, you've got nothing to worry about."
"Where's Ramona?"
"With Estelle."
"And where's Estelle?"
"At her mother's, to my knowledge."
"That's just great, Tre," Lisea hissed icily. Tre rolled his eyes again and got ready for a lecture. "I send your daughter to come stay with her father, for quality time and she's with Mike!"
"She wanted to go," Tre snapped defensively. "She hardly gets to see Estelle anymore. Jesus, Lisea, it's not like she gonna get killed."
"You can never tell with you, Frank!" She shouted.
"What are you insinuating?" His hissed, his sore hand shaking with anger.
"I'm insinuating that you should pay more attention to your daughter."
Tre gritted his teeth. "She'll be back home with you next week. She's a smart girl, Lisea. She isn't stupid and knows better then to get involved in my stupid little world. She'll be home here with me tomorrow so until then I don't want to hear from you."
Tre slammed the phone onto the receiver.
"Bitch," He muttered.
Over in New York, Lisea had also slammed the phone down. "Dick head," She muttered.
"Jess?" Tre called out. "Hun? Where'd you go?"
"I'm upstairs," Jess called back. Tre climbed upstairs, missing a step at a time, as always. He found her lying on their bed.
"What's wrong, babe?"
"Your ex-wife. She hates me!" Jess said. "And you know what that means?"
Tre looked blank.
"It means that she's gonna tell Ramona I'm a bitch and then Mona will hate me. I don't want her to hate me. I like Ramona. I love her. She's gorgeous..."
"Whoa, whoa, Jess... chill. Lisea isn't gonna do that. She may a bitch, and she knows that, but she's not gonna brainwash Ramona. She can think for herself."
Jess took a deep breath. "She's prettier then me, you know."
Tre laughed. "What?"
"I've seen a picture of Lisea. She's prettier then me."
"No she's not," Tre said. "You'd walk all over her."
Jess shook her head and looked away from Tre's eyes. "No, Tre. She's definitely prettier then me."
Tre pulled her into a hug. "She's not," He whispered, kissing her head. "I mean, yeah, Lisea's hot, but you'd kick her ass from here to Mexico."
Mike sat, staring at the bonnet of the car. His mouth open slightly, his eyes glazed with tears, his heart broken into millions of pieces. Billie stared at Mike, waiting for a reaction. Mike had said nothing. Nothing.
"Mike? You OK?"
No reaction. Nothing. He just stared.
"Mike?" Billie gently touched his shoulder. "C'mon, buddy. Talk to me."
"I..." He managed. "Don't believe you."
Billie blinked back sadness. "It's true, Mike. I wouldn't lie to you."
"I don't wanna believe that..." He whispered.
"Which part?" Billie asked. "The part about the drugs, the abortion or the part about Tre?"
"All three," He said quietly. "Billie... I love her so much. I've never loved anyone like I've loved her... so... why is she doing this?"
"I don't think she can help it, man," Billie tried to be comforting, but everything he said just sounded wrong.
"I need some air."
Mike opened the door and went to the bonnet and leaned against it. Billie got out and stood with him.
"Feelin' any better?"
"I'm not going to feel better in the time slot of five minutes," Mike smiled weakly. There was no point in snapping at Billie. It wasn't his fault. Mike sighed and thought about everything Billie had told him. He knew he couldn't keep this a secret. He wanted to know why Leah loved Tre more then him. He needed to know.
Courtney didn't say much as Leah talked almost hysterically about how much her baby had formed.
"It's got little fingers, and little arms, it looks just like a real baby."
"Why does that sound like something from a Baby Born ad?" Hayley joked. Jess, Leah and Hayley laughed. Courtney was stuck, thinking about everything she told Billie. She was kicking herself for it. She betrayed her sister's trust. She knew Billie wouldn't keep it a secret. When he didn't pick up his cell, she knew.
"Courts?" Leah asked her twin, raising an eyebrow at her. "What's up?"
"Hm?" Courtney snapped out of her isolation-state. "Oh, yeah... the baby... that's great Lee..."
"We finished talking about that. We're talking about The Living End."
"Oh..." Courtney looked down, "Yeah, Chris is hot."
"That's the Courtney I know!" Hayley grinned. She forced a smile. Mike stormed through the door without a word. Courtney knew what had happened.
"Oh, no," She whispered.
"Hi M-" Leah started.
"Don't talk to me just yet," Mike snapped. "I've gotta be alone for a minute."
"FUCK YOU, BILLIE JOE!" Courtney screamed at the table. Everyone turned and stared at Courtney. She stood up, grabbed her bag and ran out the door.
"What... the bloody hell was all that?" Jess looked stunned.
"Um... Jess... we'd better go..." Hayley said, standing up.
"Um... yeah..." Leah murmured. "Think I might be in trouble."
