Nothing Is Ever Easy, chapter 1

My vision suddenly disappeared before my eyes, as I felt hands clamp down on the sides of my face. A small chuckle sounded, and I smiled slightly as I heard the words "Guess who. And trust me, I'll be pissed if you get it wrong." I laughed lightly myself, before I gave a reply.
"Santa Claus? Hi Tre." I turned to see the grinning boy, who had an enthusiastic twinkle to his eye. He always did, and I suspected he always would. It was because he was Tre Cool. It was the way he was, and people like him just didn't change too easily.
"Close enough. 'Cept I'm not a big fat dude with a beard who wears a red suit and delivers presents..." He gave me a sort of 'anyway, who cares' look.
"So, Tre, what do you want?" I asked, a questioning look fluttering across my features. He gazed at me with his glittering blue eyes for a moment.
"Gilman, tonight. You coming, Tals?" he immediately launched into his questioning. Nothing else. No 'hmm... well...'s or anything. He was always a bubbly, confident boy. Had to give him that. He was one of the most confident people I had ever seen.
I raised an eyebrow as he raised a flyer in his hand. I snatched in mockingly from him, before inspecting it closely. "Billie Joe's band, Sweet Children, are playing" he added quickly.
I gave him a look. One. I gathered that from the flyer. Two. That wasn't going to persuade me to come. Why would that persuade me to come?
"Oh, come on. Don't act like that. I know you've been wanting to see his band ever since he told you about it. It's because of his hair isn't it?" Tre ranted, running a hand through his own, brown hair, "Aw. Don't you like my hair Tals?"
A grin spread across my face, and I laughed at him. "No, I love your hair. In fact, I want to marry it. Shave it off, the wedding's next week."
Tre looked slightly abashed at the comment. "No way, my hair rejects the proposal, I'm not cutting it off."
"Aw. Fine then. I bet Billie would cut off his hair so I could marry it." Actually, that wasn't so true. I highly doubted he would. But, whatever. Tre automatically decided to point out Billie wouldn't either, and I slapped him on the arm.
"Stop destroying my comebacks" I scolded, with a frown.
Tre nodded obediently, before returning to the previous subject. "So, you gonna come Tals? You know you want to..." He waved the flyer in front of my face, trying to persuade me. He added a pout, just to get his point that he wanted me to come across.
I rolled my eyes, sighing in defeat. "Fine, I'll come Tre. In fact, I was going to go anyway, I saw the flyer yesterday."
"Oh. Well, it's the thought that counts" Tre commented, shrugging slightly. There was a pause, and conversation dropped between us. I turned my head to look at some chubby sparrow flying through the air. The sky was light blue, with clouds floating across it blissfully. What some would call a 'perfect day'. Pfft.
"Weeeeeeell... TO LUNCH WE GO!" Tre suddenly announced, grabbing my wrist and proceeding to drag me in the direction of the cafeteria.
"Tre, I can walk you know!" I shouted, "Lemme go!" Reluctantly, he did so, and I followed him toward the cafeteria. Not being dragged, just following. Entering, Tre immediately spotted Mike, Billie Joe and Al sitting at a table.
"Oooooh. Taaaaaaaaals. Loooooooook" Tre said, mocking me with his long, drawn-out words. I glared angrily at him, but he showed no signs of stopping. "It's Biiiiiiiillie Joeeeeeeeeee." I slapped him on the arm again, frowning.
"Ow" He complained, rubbing the place where I slapped him, "What did I do Tals?"
I shot him a look. "Are you seriously asking that question?" Tre nodded his head violently in reply. I shook my head with a laugh.
"Aww. Did Tre make Tals feel bad?" Tre asked, randomly deciding to speak in third person. He slung an arm around my shoulder. "Tre's sorry."
"Tre's forgiven" I stated, walking toward the table with his friends seated at it. He blinked for a moment, before catching up with me.
"Wait, what about food?" Tre asked, pulling me toward the line, just as I was about to sit down.
"I'm not hungry" I said, rolling my eyes, "Go without me." Tre directed a pouting look at me. "Come on, can't you go anywhere by yourself, Tre?"
"No."
Billie Joe laughed from the table. "Aw. Tre needs Tali to hold his hand while he goes to get his lunch."
"Do you want to come then, Billie? Your my nextest best friend" Tre said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Billie instantly shut up.
"Go get your food, I can hear your stomach yelling at you" I said, shooing him off. Tre raised his eyebrows, before shooting me a look then, glancing at Billie. God, this guy may as well just shout it out.
"GO."
Tre frowned and snuck off toward the line. I sat down opposite Mike Dirnt, who raised an eyebrow at me.
"Well, you and Tre get along, don't you?" Why he was asking me this now, I didn't know. After all, Tre and I had been friends for... forever. Basically, I called Tre my best friend, and by the looks of it, Tre called me his.
"Um. Yeah. Mike. Are you blind, 'cause me and Tre have only been hanging out forever, you know?" I stated, rolling my eyes.
Mike sighed, and Billie decided to change the subject. "So, you going to Gilman tonight?" he asked.
"Yeah. Tre was just waving a flyer in my face trying to get me to go" I answered him, while Billie took a bite from his cafeteria lunch.
"Of course, typical Tre" Mike added. I grinned, and nodded. It was typical Tre.
The boy soon returned with lunch, grinning as he sat down. Nothing made him happier than food. I rolled my eyes.
"You and your food Tre" I commented, shaking my head, "I think you'd put your food above a lot of stuff."
"Food keeps you alive, of course I would" Tre replied, swallowing a mouthful.
Lunch passed with normal talks of... stuff. Just normal things, and soon we were all off to classes again, walking as slow as possible.
The day seemed to take forever to end, and I tried to stay awake through my last class of the day, failing horribly. I received a jab in the ribs from Billie Joe, who had an arched brow. I looked at him groggily, with a small "Mm?"
"Class ended two minutes ago" he answered, "Usually this is when people like to go home."
I blinked at him. "Oh. Sorry, I fell asleep..." I rubbed my eyes, stuffed my books into my bag and climbed to my feet. "Where's Tre?" I asked him, expectantly.
"Fighting off some girls" Billie grinned, beginning to walk out of the room. I quickly caught up with him.
"God. Stupid girls..." I mumbled, "Tre has to stop being so damn hot."
Billie Joe raised an eyebrow at me, and I instantly began talking. "N-no, that's not what I mean!" I babbled, "I don't like Tre or anything-- you know what I mean, Billie! Don't give me that look!"
The boy turned his eyes to the ground. "Tre's my friend, people just have to learn to understand that..." I said, "I thought you would've realised that by now. I thought everyone would've..."
Billie Joe shrugged as we walked out into the outside world, to find Tre running toward us. He glanced at us, before winking. "Hey guys" he said cheerfully.
"Escaped Tiffany, I see" Billie Joe commented, with a smirk on his lips. I laughed at Tre, grinning at him. Tiffany was a girl who had been trying to get Tre to date her... as long as I knew him. Which would mean... forever.
"Yep, but just" Tre replied, making it sound like some epic battle, "Well, come on Tals. Billie walks home a different way than you, sorry, you can't cling to him forever."
Tre grabbed onto my wrist for around the fifth time that day and proceeded to drag me away. I blushed slightly at his words, luckily, Billie didn't seem to notice.
"I wish you'd stop clinging to her" he commented, but Tre looked as if he hadn't heard him at all.
"C'mon Tals!" Tre said, "Stop looking back. Obsessed one."
I shook my wrist from his grip. "Maybe Billie's right, Tre" I said with a laugh, so he knew it was with good humour, "Maybe you should stop being so clingy too. You drag me away at the worst moments."
Tre rolled his eyes at me. "I'm sure you'd realise after a while you wouldn't like Billie" he said, seriously, "Look at all the other girls who have dumped him."
"Poor Billie" I replied. Tre's words didn't effect me the way they should have. He sighed, before shrugging.
"Still going to Gilman?" he said hopefully as he walked down the street. I nodded my head.
"Duh, Tre. I've been looking forward to it. Mum won't mind or anything. I go out a lot, she never minds."
Tre nodded all-knowingly. "Of course, I knew that."
"Of course Tre, of course."
I stopped in front of my house fifteen minutes later, waving good bye to my good friend. "Seeya at Gilman Street, Tre!" I called to him, walking to the front door, I opened it and peered inside to find my mother on the couch, watching the tv.
"Where are you going?" she questioned, looking up at me. Obviously, she had heard what I called to Tre.
"Gilman" I answered, "To see the bands play and junk. I can, right?"
"Of course you can, just don't go being a whore or something" she answered, giving me a look. I had to love my easy-going mum at times.
I darted toward my room, turning on my radio to play some music, before grabbing a muffin that my mother had put there earlier that day, knowing I kept forgetting to get food whenever I went into my room. The next few hours were pretty boring, just involving me eating and watching tv and stuff.
I changed into a black shirt and dark jeans, with a lovely, shiny belt, putting a black cap over my black hair, before marching to the front door. "I'm going now mum, see you... some time later!" I called through the house, getting a "bye" in reply. I walked out to the sidewalk, to see Tre rushing toward me.
"Hey, Tals" he greeted. I nodded at him.
"Hi Tre" I replied. I heard a meow from behind me, and my cat darted toward me, rubbing around my legs. I frowned, almost tripping over her.
"Er... Hi Gypsy" Tre added, nodding at the cat. The two looked at each other for a second, before Gypsy then darted away.
"That was creepy" Tre commented, "I can never, ever win staring wars with cats, it's like they never blink."
I laughed, and we began to head down the street. "So, you're finally going to see Sweet Children' Tre said, to start a conversation, since the walk was pretty quiet, "How does it feel, Tals?"
"Well..." I stopped. How did it feel? "Well, I'm excited... It sounds really cool." An obvious reply, but it basically described it.
"Good, good... looking forward to jumping around with other people on all sides, drenched with sweat that isn't always yours?"
I raised an eyebrow. "Uh. Sure, Tre."
"Looking forward to seeing Billie Joe singing on stage?"
"Okay, shut up now Tre, you rub this in way too much" I said, aiming a mock glare at him.
"You're not gonna slap me on the arm again, are you?" he asked warily. I shook my head, and he eased up slightly.
We entered the building, to find heaps of people already there, and some band playing up on stage. Billie Joe definitely wasn't singing for this group... So, it wasn't Sweet Children.
"Aw, looking for your boyfriend?"
"As I said, you rub this in WAY too much." He grinned, sitting down at the bar.
"He'll be getting ready back stage" Tre said, "You'll be able to see him after he performs. And you'll be able to see the rest of the band too. The singer isn't the most important.
"Of course."
"Want a drink?" Tre questioned, motioning to the bar tender, who looked ready to serve them.
"Uh, sure, just gimme a beer" I replied, shrugging my shoulders. A minute later, I had a beer in my hand, and was sipping slowly from it.
Tre paused, before speaking. "Planning on getting drunk?" he asked. I looked at the beer in my hand, and shrugged.
"If it happens, it happens. I'm not complaining. I'm pretty sure my mum doesn't actually expect me to be home any time tonight anyways."
Tre nodded, knowingly. "You can come to my place" he said, "It's actually closer, if you didn't notice that I was running from the direction we ended up heading in. I just didn't want to walk here alone."
"You never do" I added.
He shrugged, grinning sheepishly. Billie, Mike and Al walked onto the stage after a couple of bands. I straightened up, and turned my seat toward them, and Tre nudged my shoulder. I glared at him. As I had commented oh-so-many times before, he really rubbed it in.
Sweet Children was great, to say the least. Tre left me to go mosh, and I noticed the three beer bottles on the counter in front of where he used to be sitting, all empty. I rolled my eyes, halfway through my second. Much slower than Tre.
After an hour, Tre returned to my side, ordering another beer.
I shook my head, slapping him on the shoulder. "Ain't you gonna play gentleman and order me one too?" I asked expectantly, he rolled his eyes, but did so gladly.
"Like the show?" a new voice entered the conversation, and I turned from Tre to see the messy-haired Billie Joe, looking at me through his bright, green eyes. I stared at him for a moment, before nodding my head enthusiastically.
"Oh, yeah, you guys were great!"
"We were, weren't we?" Mike appeared behind Billie, grinning widely. I rolled my eyes at him.
"First time here?" he asked, ignoring the look. I nodded again.
"She was reeeeeally looking forward to hearing you guys" Tre barged into the conversation, passing me a bottle, "Weren't ya Tals?"
"Yeah, well... yeah."
"Nothing to hide, we're a band to look forward to" Mike went on, in his mock gloating sense.
"Kay, Mike, be quiet now" Billie said, giving him a warning look. Mike shrugged, and went off.
There was an awkward silence, which Tre disrupted. "I feel like tacos..."
"Great for you, Tre" Billie said, and I prodded the boy in the ribs. Tre pouted and prodded me back. It turned into a great prodding war, and I ended up spilling half my beer on the floor.
"Shit... Oops." I innocently ignored the mess.
"No problem, just sit in a different spot next time, or hope they clean it up" Tre shrugged, before glancing behind Billie. "Some girls are checking you out" he said, nodding toward his friend. He glanced behind him to find a few giggling girls instantly look the other way.
"You're right" he sighed, "Well, I'm gonna go get drunk. Aloha." And with that, he left.
"JEALOUS" Tre instantly stated.
"Tre" I said slowly, "How come you always say 'jealous' whenever someone looks or speaks to Billie Joe and I'm around?"
"Because your jeeeeeeeeeeealous."
"Becuase your druuuuuuuuunk" I replied.
"Yeah, well, what can you do?" He took another mouthful of beer.
I was silent, before saying "It's getting stuffy in here, I'm going outside." I climbed from my seat and headed toward the doors. Tre appeared by my side seconds later.
"I'm your beeeeeeeeeeeeeest frieeeeeeeeeeend. You're not leaving meeeeeeeeee behind!" he said with a slur.
"Of course, I'd neeeeeever leave you behind" I said, "You're my best bud." I sniffed dramatically as if it was an extremely emotional moment, and also pretended to wipe a tear away from my eye to add effect.
As soon as we stepped through the doors, I knew it was a good idea to come outside. The fresh air was doing me much better than inside the building, and it was a cool night.
"Hey! Look! Stars!" Tre said, pointing out the obvious.
"No, Tre. They're my eyes" I said, whacking him in the back of the head, "Yeah, the stars you idiot!"
We moved a few metres from the door, and leant on the wall, staring up at the dark sky as the stars twinkled. Rain came down in a light drizzle. Nothing that made me too cold, or want to go back inside. There was complete silence until the door swung open, and Billie stumbled out with some blonde chick, a beer bottle in his hand.
Well, the boy had successfully got drunk, lucky him.
"Jealous" Tre whispered in my ear. I could smell the alcohol on his breath easily.
"Yeah" I mumbled, hoping he didn't actually hear me.
The two stumbled our way, before seeing us. Infact, they were about a foot away before they saw us. Billie had his arm wrapped tightly around the girl, but he let go as soon as he spotted Tre and I.
"Oh, sorry" he said, slurring, "We'll go somewhere else." And with that, they stumbled away.
"I heard that" Tre said once they were out of earshot.
"Heard what exactly?"
"The yeah."
"Well, I say yeah often if you didn't notice."
"Why're you so jealous of people with Billie?" Tre asked like a little five year old. I frowned at him.
"Because I am..." I said, not wanting to get on the subject. But, Tre was drunk, he probably wouldn't even remember what the hell I said. Then again, I'd probably end up forgetting as well.
"Aw. Why won't you tell me? Aren't you my friend anymore?"
"Of course I'm your friend, duh" I said, rolling my eyes, "Your my best friend." I giggled slightly, before sliding down the building wall to sit down. Tre did the same.
"You should stop being so jealous" he stated, "You should stop liking Billie... it isn't gonna get you anywhere if you keep being so shy."
I nodded in wary agreement. "Well, I can't just tell myself to do that Tre, it doesn't work that way. You obviously haven't felt as I have, if that's your answer."
"I dunno, I think I have... I've just been trying to block it from my mind. But now that you remind me..." He lowered his eyes to the ground.
There was a silence, where no one spoke. Okay, so, this subject was obviously dying. And I liked it better that way, anyway.
"I'm bored... Let's head to your house-- Will your parents mind?"
"Out" Tre stated simply, "Let's go."
He stumbled forwards, and I quickly caught him. "Think you can stand walking for five minutes without falling?" I asked.
"Y-yeah, I think."
We walked down the sidewalk in silence, Tre bent forwards slightly, stumbling quite a lot. Finally, we appeared in front of his house. Walking inside, we collapsed on the couch.
"Why do you like Billie so much?" God. He wanted to raise the conversation again?
"Tre, shut up" I said, lowering my eyes.
"I don't wanna" he complained, leaning over and resting his head on my shoulder. "Why?"
"Just because I do... I dunno why. He has bright, green eyes that any person could drown in..."
"I don't wanna hear that sort of stuff, it sounds mushy" Tre complained, edging closer so he wasn't in such an uncomfortable postion, but his head remained on my shoulder.
"Yeah, well, love is mushy."
"You're not in love." Tre sat him, looking at me sternly with his blue eyes, slightly duller that they usually were.
"Fine. Uh... Think of another word for it."
"You know I'm too drunk to do that." He returned to his previous position.
I paused. "Sorry Tre, but I can't stop myself... You're always trying to drag me away from him. Are you just trying to stop me from getting hurt or something when he rejects me?" I turned my head to look at him.
He didn't meet my eyes. "No... I think he probably would date you" Tre answered, frowning.
"Then what are you trying to do, you maniac?"
Tre didn't answer. I waited for a minute or two, and his breathing grew deep and even, and it was then I noticed he had passed out.
Sighing, I tried to forget the hangover I would be getting tomorrow, and slowly fell into slumber.
***
"Ow, my fucking head" I heard Tre groan. My eyes fluttered open, and I felt like saying the same thing, though I was pretty sure it wasn't half as bad as him. I raised my head, to look at him. He was just pulling himself up off the couch.
"I'll go find some aspirin, I have some all over the house for wherever I fall asleep." He walked three feet over to a set of drawers, and passed me some.
A little while later, it kicked in, and I was feeling much better. And, I remember quite a lot of the night before too. Surprising, sort of. Usually I couldn't remember a single thing.
Tre sunk back onto the couch.
"What... what were you trying to do, then?" I asked, continuing the conversation from where I remembered it last night. Tre looked at me as if I was crazy.
"Tals, Tals, what're you talking about?"
"The conversation we had last night before you passed out..."
"I can't remember much from last night. I dunno what the hell you're talking about."
I sighed, and tried to explain from what I remembered. "You asked why I liked Billie... And I asked why you always dragged me away from him... if it was just because you didn't want me to get rejected by him or something..."
"I actually think he would date you."
"Yeah, that's what you said... What were you trying to do, dragging me away all those times if he would've gone out with me, then?"
"You're pretty thick" Tre stated. My mouth hung open. HE was saying that?
"Hypocrite" I shot back, "Now, what did you mean?"
"If you haven't realised by now, you're stupider than me" he said, "Everyone I know has commented on it, really..."
"Tre-- Shut up and just tell me."
He paused, not knowing what to do. He glanced around the room, trying to do anything to avoid my eyes, and the expectant look they were giving him. I sighed impatiently.
"Tre--"
"I'm sorry... When we see Billie next week, I promise to try not to drag you away" Tre said, putting his arm around my shoulders, "I promise."
I leaned into him. I knew he was only doing this so he wouldn't have to answer... But, it was good anyway.
"Thanks Tre, I love you."
"I love you too."
It was one of those friendly 'I love you's'. The ones you say just because there's no other words. He was my best friend, and sometimes I really loved him more than my only family.
I heard Tre sigh slightly, but it was completely silent after that.
***
School on Monday passed pretty fast, and I soon found myself walking down the corridor out of the school with Billie Joe, with no Tre around. He had kept to his word.
"So, the other day Tre had said you walked a different way... Where do you live?" Billie questioned.
I pointed in a vague direction. "Tre's an idiot, I can walk that way if I want to" Billie said, and my eyes lit up.
"You can?" I asked, trying to hide my grin. I received a nod. "Are you going to?" I frowned.
"Duh, of course I am" Billie Joe replied, rolling his eyes, "I'm not gonna just tell you I can walk then ditch you. C'mon."
"So, you liked Gilman?" he asked after a few moment's silence.
"Yeah, it was great. You and your band were great... Hey, still hanging out with that girl you stumbled out with?" I said, jokingly.
"Sorta, yeah."
I stumbled slightly, not expecting the answer. Billie quickly caught me before I fell onto the road.
"Didn't expect me to be? Expected it to be a one night stand?"
I glanced at the ground. "Sadly, I had to say I did... Sorry for judging you so lowly" I apologised.
"Well, I was just about to tell you I was joking and haven't seen her since, but since you just called me low..."
"Shit. Uh. Sorry again, Billie" I said, with an angelic grin, "Forgive me?"
"Fine, fine..."
I glanced back behind me, and spotted Tre walking a little way behind us. I guess that's why I glanced back... I felt bad as he walked by himself. I usually walked with him-- I always walked with him. As much as I liked to be alone with Billie, I had to do it...
"TRE! Hurry up! Get that ass over here!" I shouted. Billie Joe glanced back in surprise.
"Oh, Tre" he said, grinning, "Hi, man."
Tre instantly took my invite to catch up. "Hi Billie, hi Tals... I didn't know you came this way, Billie..."
"I don't, but I can" he answered with a shrug.
"Oh... Well. Something tells me you'll be walking this way a lot now" Tre said, glancing at me for half a second, so fast it was as if he hadn't even looked.
Billie sensed something in his voice, and replied cautiously, "Once in a while, maybe, the other way is a bit faster."
The tension between the two lightened up. I was infinitely glad, since I was standing in the middle.
When I reached my house, I passed it to keep on walking. "--Oh. Yeah. Tre, can I come to your house?" I asked, as sweetly as I could, "Mum's not home, and I can't be bothered doing anything by myself."
"'Course" Tre answered simply.
I felt bad leaving Billie on his own when we reached Tre's house, but he didn't seem to mind at all.
"Seeya Tre. Seeya Tali" he said, before heading off.
"Did you have fun?" Tre asked as we entered his house and headed toward his room. I nodded, and shrugged. "Yeah... Nothing happened though, we just talked and junk. So much for what you said."
"I said he'd date you, I didn't say he'd ask you out as soon as you walk together" Tre said, raising an eyebrow, "And thanks for letting me join, 'cause it was pretty damn boring walking home by myself. Tiffany also mobbed me as soon as she noticed I didn't have you by my side."
"What difference do I make?"
A smirk fluttered onto Tre's features. "She's jealous of you." He paused for a moment, as his gaze wandered around the floor. "Uh, I hope you don't mind, but I said I was with you because she wouldn't stop bothering me."
There was a pause, before I looked at him. "The school's going to be in on it... But, oh well. At least it got her off your back, she's the most annoying thing I've ever seen. She's got that annoying voice..."
"She's a hot cheerleader though."
I gave him a look. "Shut up Tre, I thought you hated her."
"I dooooo" he replied, grinning, "I hate her with all my heart. The world'd be better if she was dead."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Uh... Tals?"
I instantly glanced at him. "Yeah Tre?"
"I... I... Well... Um..."
"Spit it out" I rolled my eyes.
He leaned toward me, his eyes focussed on mine. I had never noticed how completely blue they were at the moment, glittering with his normal childishness... Or maybe it was just because of the moment...
I thought he had leaned forward to whisper something to me in a dramatic way, as he did a lot of times... But, I was completely wrong. The next thing I knew, our lips were locked-- He had kissed me.
He broke off after a short time, shifting away from me awkwardly.
"Uh..." I was speechless. What the hell was I going to say? "Oh. Well... That sorta explains a lot..."
Tre avoided my eyes, hunching over slightly. I inched toward him and put an arm around his shoulders.
"You know I love you Tre..." I said slowly, "But, there's Billie Joe..."
"Of course. Billie." Tre's bright eyes darkened, and I felt bad for mentioning him. I pulled the boy into a hug, and he instantly wrapped his arms around my slender form in return.
"Poor Mike" I commented, "He's got nothing to do with the love triangle...He's excluded."
"Don't tell me your gonna force yourself to like him too, and make it even harder for me" Tre pouted. I shook my head, hugging him tighter.
I didn't know what to feel. Tre had the friendly vibe, and I knew I had always slightly liked him all these years, but it was just because he was my best friend... He was the person I could relate to most. But Billie... I dunno. But that moment changed my whole outlook on Tre.
What can I say? He's an excellent kisser.