The Boys Next Door, chapter 10
As Billie walked away from Maddie's house, he traveled back into Mike's garage to get his stuff, so that he could go home. A few moments later, Mike peered through the door. Quietly standing there, he watched as Billie Joe gathered his things. He doesn't look so happy, Mike thought, I wonder what happened...
Billie Joe grabbed his guitar, and put it in its case. Before he left, Mike finally came out from behind the door.
"Wait a sec," he said. Billie turned around. "Tell me what's wrong."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Billie asked as he put down his stuff. No point of holding this. Knowing Mike, he's gonna keep me here until I tell him everything... Oh joy...
"I know something's wrong, Bill. Now, sit down and tell me what happened."
"You know, you should be a shrink," Billie Joe said, as he took a seat.
"Hold on, lemme get my clipboard and glasses," Mike said, jokingly. "Alright, seriously, what happened?"
"Well..." Billie Joe paused. Should I tell him? I mean, he's my best friend, he deserves to know. But then again, I kinda wanna keep it to myself. And I doubt Maddie's gonna want people to know what happened... God, this is so confusing.
Mike then broke Billie Joe's thoughts. "Well what?"
"Uh well... I gotta go. It's getting late," Billie Joe said, trying to get out of his friend's, or shrink's, psychiatry session.
"Fine, but you know I'll find out, sooner or later," Mike told him.
"I know you will. There's no doubt about that."
--
Fresh air. Maybe this'll do me some good, Billie thought, as he walked home. He was still so confused about Madison. She was so happy; Laughing, smiling, making jokes. And then, she broke down into tears. It made no sense. No sense at all.
"Hopefully I'm going the right way...," Billie Joe said to himself, as he looked around the street. "112th Avenue. Ya, that sounds right." He turned into a cul-de-sac and walked a little further. After a couple of minutes, Billie found himself sitting on his mother's car, staring at the night sky. No cars passed by, no people were to be heard. It was just a beautiful night, filled with peaceful silence.
"It's not very good to be outside alone at this time," said a voice from behind Billie. Startled, he turned around to see who was there. A girl, standing in the doorway of the house next door, stood there looking at him.
"I'm not going to get abducted. I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself." Joining him on top of the car, the girl replied,
"Fine, just wait until a rapist drives by."
"I'm pretty sure Tre and Mike are asleep by now..." Billie Joe said.
"Who?" the girl asked, confusingly.
"Oh, they're my physco friends. I'm warning you now, never stay in a room alone with the two. They can, and will, do scary things," Billie explained.
"Like what?" the girl asked.
"I don't even wanna go there. The memories are too painful," Billie Joe told her, as he cringed at the thought.
"Well, I'm Hilary. I'm guessing you're my new neighbour."
"Yeah, I guess I am. I'm Billie Joe." The two shook hands. Billie then looked up at the stars. Hilary looked at him then asked,
"Is something wrong?"
"No. Well, kinda... Maybe...Yeah..." Billie managed to say.
"What is it? Maybe I can help," Hilary offered.
Well I guess I could tell her. She doesn't know me, Tre, Mike, or Madison..., Billie thought. He began telling Hilary his story. When he finished, Billie asked for her advice.
"So? What should I do?"
"Wait, hold on... What was the girl's name?" Hilary asked.
"Uh, Madison..." Billie replied.
"Holy shit!"
"Uh.. Holy shit what?" Billie Joe asked with a "o.O" look on his face.
"Holy SHIT!" Hilary repeated.
"Ok, I'm lost..."
"Madison... Madison John?"
"Yeah..." Billie said, more confused than ever. Jumping up, Hilary exclaimed,
"HOLY SHIT!"
"HOLY SHIT WHAT?" Billie Joe said back.
"You're the one who Maddie was talking about on the phone?!"
"What? You know Madison?"
"Of course! She's one of my best friends!" Hilary replied.
Oh, this is wonderful... She knows her..., Billie Joe thought. "Wait, she talked to you about me?"
"Yeah..."
Flash Back (Phone Conversation)
"God, can this day get anymore boring?" I said to myself. I sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. Nothing good was on at this time, so I just flipped through the channels.
"Nope. Nope. Nope. Definitely not. Nope. What the hell?" I said, as I scanned every channel. Finally, I found a show to watch. As I got settled in, the phone rang. Annoyed, I got up and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hi Hilary. It's me, Maddie."
"Hey... You don't sound good. Were you crying?"
"Yeah I was... God, I made such a fool out of myself a few minutes ago," Maddie began.
"Aw, what happened?" I asked, wondering if I could help.
"Well, I was at my neighbors house-"
"OOOH! You met your neighbor?" I interrupted.
"Yeah, he's pretty cool. Not my type though."
"Hmm... Is he mine?"
"Hey, don't change the subject, I'm trying to tell you a story," Madison said, "Oh, and yeah, I guess he's your type, I dunno..."
"YAY!... Ok sorry, go on."
"Well, like I said, I was at my neighbors house-"
"Is he cute?" I asked.
"Hilary!" Maddie said.
"Sorry... I wont talk until you're done."
"Pft, like that's gonna happen," Maddie sighed. Rolling my eyes, I said,
"Ok fuck you, tell me what happened."
"Well, I was at my neighbor, Mike's, house, and I was watching him and his band practice. Every time I looked up, I noticed that the guitarist, Billie Joe, kept staring at me. Oddly as it sounds, I was happy that he was. Earlier that day, I saw him sitting on Mike's lawn, staring at me too."
"0o0o0o0o, someone likes you," I said in a sing-song voice.
"Well, that's what I thought, but I wasn't sure... Until he tried to kiss me..." Maddie trailed off.
"Oh no, don't tell me you-"
"I did."
"Aww Madison! Why?!"
"I couldn't. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't. I was fine before. You know, when he walked me home and stuff. But as soon as he leaned in to kiss me, all of my memories came flooding back..."
"Madison, I know you loved Matt, but that was a long time ago. You have to move on."
"I know I do, but it's hard. I really miss him." Madison replied.
"Do you like him?" I asked, suddenly.
"Billie? Yes, I like him. A lot," Maddie answered back.
"Then if you like him a lot, and I'm sure that he likes you a lot, I know you guys can work this out. You can't let the past haunt you, Maddie. If you do, your life will be miserable."
"You're right... But I doubt he wants to talk to me... Come on, what would you think if someone didn't want to kiss you?"
"Madison, don't even worry about that. You just have to tell him. Then see where things go," I told her.
"What if things don't go my way?" Maddie asked.
"Well, we're just going to have to wait and see," I replied.
"Thanks Hilary. I have to go. Bye," Madison said.
"See ya."
End Of Flash Back
"So what did she say about me?" Billie Joe asked.
"Well... Fine, I guess I'll tell you. But if you tell anyone, especially Madison, I'll kill you," Hilary told him.
"Don't worry about that. I'm not the type to go and tell everyone I see."
"Well that's good to know. Well, she said...," Hilary began, as she explained the whole conversation to Billie Joe.
"Who's Matt?" he asked.
"Ask her. It's not my place to tell you that stuff," Hilary said.
"I see..." There was a short pause, but Billie continued on by saying, "So she likes me?"
"Yes, she does."
"Wow... I can't believe it. Usually the girls I fall for already have a boyfriend, or hate me."
"Well, she likes you a lot," Hilary explained. "Even though she doesn't show it, Maddie really does. She just has those certain days when she's all happy one minute, then sad the next...
"Hm..."
"Well, I have to go, it's getting late," Hilary said.
"Okay, bye."
"Oh, scream as loud as you can if you get abducted by rapists... Or, in other words, your 'physco' friends," Hilary laughed.
"Ha, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Night," said Billie Joe. Hilary headed in her house, and with a thud, she closed the door. Alone once again, Billie Joe sat there, looking up at the stars.
"If only she could forget all the disappointments and stuff that she's faced. Even though it's a price I'll have to pay, I want to see her happy. Maybe then she'd open up her world, and let me in."
Billie Joe grabbed his guitar, and put it in its case. Before he left, Mike finally came out from behind the door.
"Wait a sec," he said. Billie turned around. "Tell me what's wrong."
"What the hell are you talking about?" Billie asked as he put down his stuff. No point of holding this. Knowing Mike, he's gonna keep me here until I tell him everything... Oh joy...
"I know something's wrong, Bill. Now, sit down and tell me what happened."
"You know, you should be a shrink," Billie Joe said, as he took a seat.
"Hold on, lemme get my clipboard and glasses," Mike said, jokingly. "Alright, seriously, what happened?"
"Well..." Billie Joe paused. Should I tell him? I mean, he's my best friend, he deserves to know. But then again, I kinda wanna keep it to myself. And I doubt Maddie's gonna want people to know what happened... God, this is so confusing.
Mike then broke Billie Joe's thoughts. "Well what?"
"Uh well... I gotta go. It's getting late," Billie Joe said, trying to get out of his friend's, or shrink's, psychiatry session.
"Fine, but you know I'll find out, sooner or later," Mike told him.
"I know you will. There's no doubt about that."
--
Fresh air. Maybe this'll do me some good, Billie thought, as he walked home. He was still so confused about Madison. She was so happy; Laughing, smiling, making jokes. And then, she broke down into tears. It made no sense. No sense at all.
"Hopefully I'm going the right way...," Billie Joe said to himself, as he looked around the street. "112th Avenue. Ya, that sounds right." He turned into a cul-de-sac and walked a little further. After a couple of minutes, Billie found himself sitting on his mother's car, staring at the night sky. No cars passed by, no people were to be heard. It was just a beautiful night, filled with peaceful silence.
"It's not very good to be outside alone at this time," said a voice from behind Billie. Startled, he turned around to see who was there. A girl, standing in the doorway of the house next door, stood there looking at him.
"I'm not going to get abducted. I'm a big boy, I can take care of myself." Joining him on top of the car, the girl replied,
"Fine, just wait until a rapist drives by."
"I'm pretty sure Tre and Mike are asleep by now..." Billie Joe said.
"Who?" the girl asked, confusingly.
"Oh, they're my physco friends. I'm warning you now, never stay in a room alone with the two. They can, and will, do scary things," Billie explained.
"Like what?" the girl asked.
"I don't even wanna go there. The memories are too painful," Billie Joe told her, as he cringed at the thought.
"Well, I'm Hilary. I'm guessing you're my new neighbour."
"Yeah, I guess I am. I'm Billie Joe." The two shook hands. Billie then looked up at the stars. Hilary looked at him then asked,
"Is something wrong?"
"No. Well, kinda... Maybe...Yeah..." Billie managed to say.
"What is it? Maybe I can help," Hilary offered.
Well I guess I could tell her. She doesn't know me, Tre, Mike, or Madison..., Billie thought. He began telling Hilary his story. When he finished, Billie asked for her advice.
"So? What should I do?"
"Wait, hold on... What was the girl's name?" Hilary asked.
"Uh, Madison..." Billie replied.
"Holy shit!"
"Uh.. Holy shit what?" Billie Joe asked with a "o.O" look on his face.
"Holy SHIT!" Hilary repeated.
"Ok, I'm lost..."
"Madison... Madison John?"
"Yeah..." Billie said, more confused than ever. Jumping up, Hilary exclaimed,
"HOLY SHIT!"
"HOLY SHIT WHAT?" Billie Joe said back.
"You're the one who Maddie was talking about on the phone?!"
"What? You know Madison?"
"Of course! She's one of my best friends!" Hilary replied.
Oh, this is wonderful... She knows her..., Billie Joe thought. "Wait, she talked to you about me?"
"Yeah..."
Flash Back (Phone Conversation)
"God, can this day get anymore boring?" I said to myself. I sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. Nothing good was on at this time, so I just flipped through the channels.
"Nope. Nope. Nope. Definitely not. Nope. What the hell?" I said, as I scanned every channel. Finally, I found a show to watch. As I got settled in, the phone rang. Annoyed, I got up and answered it.
"Hello?"
"Hi Hilary. It's me, Maddie."
"Hey... You don't sound good. Were you crying?"
"Yeah I was... God, I made such a fool out of myself a few minutes ago," Maddie began.
"Aw, what happened?" I asked, wondering if I could help.
"Well, I was at my neighbors house-"
"OOOH! You met your neighbor?" I interrupted.
"Yeah, he's pretty cool. Not my type though."
"Hmm... Is he mine?"
"Hey, don't change the subject, I'm trying to tell you a story," Madison said, "Oh, and yeah, I guess he's your type, I dunno..."
"YAY!... Ok sorry, go on."
"Well, like I said, I was at my neighbors house-"
"Is he cute?" I asked.
"Hilary!" Maddie said.
"Sorry... I wont talk until you're done."
"Pft, like that's gonna happen," Maddie sighed. Rolling my eyes, I said,
"Ok fuck you, tell me what happened."
"Well, I was at my neighbor, Mike's, house, and I was watching him and his band practice. Every time I looked up, I noticed that the guitarist, Billie Joe, kept staring at me. Oddly as it sounds, I was happy that he was. Earlier that day, I saw him sitting on Mike's lawn, staring at me too."
"0o0o0o0o, someone likes you," I said in a sing-song voice.
"Well, that's what I thought, but I wasn't sure... Until he tried to kiss me..." Maddie trailed off.
"Oh no, don't tell me you-"
"I did."
"Aww Madison! Why?!"
"I couldn't. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't. I was fine before. You know, when he walked me home and stuff. But as soon as he leaned in to kiss me, all of my memories came flooding back..."
"Madison, I know you loved Matt, but that was a long time ago. You have to move on."
"I know I do, but it's hard. I really miss him." Madison replied.
"Do you like him?" I asked, suddenly.
"Billie? Yes, I like him. A lot," Maddie answered back.
"Then if you like him a lot, and I'm sure that he likes you a lot, I know you guys can work this out. You can't let the past haunt you, Maddie. If you do, your life will be miserable."
"You're right... But I doubt he wants to talk to me... Come on, what would you think if someone didn't want to kiss you?"
"Madison, don't even worry about that. You just have to tell him. Then see where things go," I told her.
"What if things don't go my way?" Maddie asked.
"Well, we're just going to have to wait and see," I replied.
"Thanks Hilary. I have to go. Bye," Madison said.
"See ya."
End Of Flash Back
"So what did she say about me?" Billie Joe asked.
"Well... Fine, I guess I'll tell you. But if you tell anyone, especially Madison, I'll kill you," Hilary told him.
"Don't worry about that. I'm not the type to go and tell everyone I see."
"Well that's good to know. Well, she said...," Hilary began, as she explained the whole conversation to Billie Joe.
"Who's Matt?" he asked.
"Ask her. It's not my place to tell you that stuff," Hilary said.
"I see..." There was a short pause, but Billie continued on by saying, "So she likes me?"
"Yes, she does."
"Wow... I can't believe it. Usually the girls I fall for already have a boyfriend, or hate me."
"Well, she likes you a lot," Hilary explained. "Even though she doesn't show it, Maddie really does. She just has those certain days when she's all happy one minute, then sad the next...
"Hm..."
"Well, I have to go, it's getting late," Hilary said.
"Okay, bye."
"Oh, scream as loud as you can if you get abducted by rapists... Or, in other words, your 'physco' friends," Hilary laughed.
"Ha, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Night," said Billie Joe. Hilary headed in her house, and with a thud, she closed the door. Alone once again, Billie Joe sat there, looking up at the stars.
"If only she could forget all the disappointments and stuff that she's faced. Even though it's a price I'll have to pay, I want to see her happy. Maybe then she'd open up her world, and let me in."
