16, chapter 5
I ran past Joey, up the stairs and out of the basement. I then ran passed Tre, who opened his mouth to say something, but I didn't here what he said. Once I got upstairs I raced to my new bedroom and collapsed on the bed, burying my face in the pillows. I knew that Joey wouldn't tell any of the adults about the argument because if he told them what I had said he would then have to tell them what he accused me of to begin with. I sat up slightly and looked at my hands. So this was how it was going to be. People were going to think that all I wanted was Mike's money and fame. I don't even really want to be here.
I leant over to my bed side table and grabbed my cell phone, finding Alex's number in the phone book and pressing call. I listened to the dial tone, waiting for her to pick up.
"Hello?" I heard her say; just the sound of someone from home was comforting.
"Alex!" I said. "It is so good to hear your voice."
"Jesus, Dani, are you okay? You haven't even been there for a day yet."
"I had a big fight with Joey."
"Joey? As in Joey Armstrong? As in Billie Joe's son?"
"Yes."
"Wow. Ok tell me what happened, tell me everything."
I told her about everything that happened that day, about the car ride, what Mike's house is like, getting lost in the house, meeting Billie and Adi and meeting Tre and Claudia and then I told her about Mike's basement and what happened with Joey, word for word, as good as I could remember the conversation.
"Wow. What a dick head."
"Tell me about it."
"You handled it pretty well though, I must say."
"You think so?"
"Yeah, you didn't take no crap," she said in one of those 'Don't go there girlfriend' voices.
I laughed a little and a moment of silence followed.
"So what are you going to do about Joey?" Alex asked.
"I'm not sure," I said. "I don't think he'll be talking to me anytime soon and I'm glad. He's so arrogant."
"Have you met Estelle?"
"Nah, she's at a friend's house or something. So what have you been doing?"
"Not much. James and I have been sitting around doing nothing. Cody comes back tomorrow."
"Really? Cool."
I heard a voice in the back ground and then Alex said, "That was James, he says hi."
"Hi James," I said and Alex passed on the message.
"Well I better go; I don't want my phone bill to be too high. Thanks for listening to me bitch."
"Anytime, call me if you need to talk again, and don't take any crap from Joey."
We said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone.
I lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I wonder if anybody will notice that I am not out in the back yard.
I need air. I walked over to the window and opened it, breathing in the clean, fresh air. I looked down into the front yard to see three more cars there than there had been earlier. One, I assumed, was Tre's and the others... I had no idea who the other cars belonged to. So Mike had told all his friends to come over because I was coming. I stumbled back to the bed, collapsing onto it again. After a while I heard a knock on the bedroom door and the sound of it opening and someone entering the room.
I quickly wipe my eyes and look up to see Mike standing in the doorway.
"Hey," he said. "I'd wondered where you'd gone. Are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said. "I'm fine."
"Are you going to come downstairs? Because Estelle, Jason and Sam are here and they want to meet you so... "
"I'll be down soon, I said, hinting to Mike that he could leave.
He left the room and I sat up on the edge of my bed. I took a deep breath and left the room. I quickly walked to the bathroom, splashed my face with some water and then went down stairs. The house appeared to be empty so I made my way out the back using my new knowledge of how to get there and where everything was in the house.
I walked out the back door and was hit with the smell of food cooking on the barbeque, it smelt good. I noticed that there was a larger number of people in the back yard than before. Joey, Jakob and Frankito were in the pool with a small girl who looked to be around 4 years old, she was wearing those floaties that go on your arms and Joey was helping her to swim in the shallow end. I had no idea who she was but it amazed me that a guy who looked so caring there in the pool had said those things to me. Adrienne and Claudia were sitting near the pool with another two women that I didn't recognize and Mike, Billie and Tre were still standing by the barbeque, although now they were also accompanied by a guy that I recognized as Jason White, I felt the now familiar rush of excitement that came with seeing someone from Green Day. This rush of excitement was then replaced with nervousness, when I saw who was standing between Jason and Mike. I was sure the girl standing there was Estelle, my new sister, she had to be.
I prepared myself for more introductions as I saw Mike notice me standing there. He signaled for me to come over to where they were standing, so I did, breathing deeply, knowing that I was about to meet my sister. I reached the group and stood between Mike and Billie.
"Dani, this is Jason," Mike said, I could tell, as I shook Jason's hand, that he was getting the quick and easy introduction out of the way first. "Jason, this is Dani."
There was a short pause and both Estelle and I looked down at our feet. Then Mike introduced us to each other and it was a weird and confusing moment. Neither of us knew if we were supposed to shake hands, hug or just kind of wave at each other and smile politely. I went to shake hands and she went to hug. Then I went to hug her and she went to shake my hand. In the end we both laughed nervously and hugged each other. We didn't know when we were supposed to let go. I think both of us only just realized, while we were in the embrace, that we were sisters, that we shared the same blood. We pulled back from the hug and I noticed that Billie, Tre and Jason had walked away from us, probably to give us some time alone.
"Hi," I managed to say, after it occurred to me that we hadn't even said anything to each other yet.
"Hey," she said. And then there was another silence. I was beginning to get used to the silence that seemed to follow me around everywhere I went. I hate silence.
"I'm sure you guys want to talk, but first, Dani, there are more people for you to meet," Mike said and I knew he was referring to the two women that I didn't recognize.
I nodded and Mike led me over to the group of women near the pool, leaving Estelle to go and get changed into her bathing suit. Claudia, Adi and the others stopped talking when we got nearer.
"Jasmin, Sam, There is someone I want you to meet," Mike said. I thought he sounded pretty stupid; it was obvious that the point of everyone being here was to meet me so it was stupid to announce that there was someone for them to meet. "This is Dani." He continued. "Dani, this is Jason's wife Jasmin." I shook her hand, "And this is my wife Sam." I was pulled into a hug by my step mother. Wow I have a step mother. I hadn't thought of it like that.
Mike then went back to the barbeque to get the food and his beer, where he was again joined by the other members of Green Day. I saw that Estelle had changed into her bathing suit and was making her way over to the pool. I stood around with the wives of Green Day for a while and I was introduced to Chelsea, who was Jason and Jasmin's four year old daughter even though she didn't pay any attention to the conversation because she was still swimming around with Estelle and Joey.
"Foods on!" We heard Mike call. All the kids got out of the pool and everyone made their way over to the food. While we were eating I sat next to Tre and Adi, I hadn't sat there on purpose, it just happened like that.
"I heard you drumming earlier." Tre said. "You sounded pretty good." I can't believe my favourite drummer just complimented my drumming skills.
"Thanks," I said, trying to hold down my blush, and continuing to eat.
The afternoon seemed to drag on, I didn't talk to anyone much, I would have liked to talk to Estelle but she seemed to always be with Joey, Jakob and Chelsea.
At one point in the afternoon, I was sitting by the pool, I was with the Claudia, Adi, Sam and Jasmin but I wasn't paying any attention to the conversation they were having. I looked up to see Estelle and Joey walking out of the house, Estelle looked at me and I smiled at her but was only met with a cold stare. What was that for? I then looked at Joey who had a smug look on his face as if he had just got someone in trouble. He must have told Estelle something about me. He had probably told her that I was a fame hungry bitch after her father's money.
I couldn't handle sitting there any longer, listening to the adults ask me annoying questions about my life and feeling the glare of Estelle, I got up and walked towards the back door of the house. I had walked through the house and was almost at the staircase when I heard a voice behind me.
"Hey Dani!" The voice called and I turned around to see Estelle standing about five paces away from me.
"What?" I said, not feeling very patient with the girl I had been receiving the evil eye from.
"I just wanted to tell you that I know why you're here." She said, "Joey told me."
"Oh really? What did Joey tell you?" I could feel the anger rising in my cheeks.
"He told me enough for me to know that all you want is fame and money, I know your type. And I want you to know that my Dad won't put up with you for long."
"I'm not putting up with this shit again," I muttered and I ran up the stairs to my bedroom.
So this was how it was going to be, I thought with tears streaming down my face for the second time that day. I hadn't even been at Mike's for a day and I had already gotten into arguments with two people in his life, one of them being his daughter... his hero. I could really see how this was going to work. I didn't want to call Alex twice in one day, but the only other person I could think of to call was Mum, and I knew how important it was to her that I got on with Mike, I didn't want to disappoint or worry her. So, instead of calling anyone, I left the room and quietly walked down the stairs and through the house, hoping that I wouldn't bump into anyone and have to have a conversation with them. I walked down the stairs to the basement where I found solace just by sitting at the drum kit.
I had two choices; I could play the drums, risk having someone hear me, come down and start talking to me but still be happy because I would be playing drums or I could sit here in a hateful and depressing silence, thinking about the situation I was in.
I pulled my drumsticks out of my pocket and began to bash at the drums. I wasn't playing my best but it was good enough and I was getting rid of my anger for Joey and now Estelle as well. I didn't hear the sound of the basement door opening or of someone walking down the stairs. I only noticed, out of the corner of my eye, someone standing there.
I looked up; slowly bringing the rhythm I was playing to a stop. Tre was standing in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets, watching me curiously.
"Continue," Tre said gesturing to me and the drum kit as he sat down on the same couch that Joey had been sitting on earlier.
"Why are you down here?" I asked him.
"I heard you drumming." He said, "I wanted to come down and see you play." He paused for a few seconds before speaking again. "Why are you down here?"
"To bash the shit out of something." I turned back to the kit and started drumming again although I did feel a little conscious of my drumming, which was understandable seeing as Tre Cool was in the room.
For the next five minutes all I did was play Mike's drums and all Tre did was sit there, silently listening and watching me curiously. I stopped drumming abruptly and said to Tre. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I'm just watching you play, that's all."
"Then why were you staring at me as though you were trying to figure something out or trying to analyze me?"
"I was trying to work out why you're so angry," he said.
I sighed and stood up. "Why don't you just ask precious Joey and Estelle? I'm sure they'd tell you. I'm sure they'd tell you why I'm here too; to steal everyone's fame and fortune," I snapped.
I didn't even see Tre's reaction because I had already left the basement. I raced up to my bedroom and slammed the door, leaning back against it. So, in one day, I had argued with or snapped at my new sister, Billie Joe Armstrong's son and my idol, my favourite drummer in the world. Oh this was going really well.
***
The next morning I woke up, feeling like shit, all though I felt better than I did the night before, which was saying something about the night before.
After I had snapped at Tre and come up to my room, everyone had left me alone. I'm not sure if Tre had told anyone or if he had talked to Joey or Estelle, but I hadn't spoken to anyone since we had both been in the basement. I hadn't eaten dinner. I had stayed in my room all afternoon and all night, except for the couple of times that I had gotten up and used the bathroom.
I got out of bed and shuffled down the hall, picking the wedgie that I had, readjusting the boxers and t-shirt I was wearing. I stumbled into the bathroom and splashed my face with water. I dried my face on the hand towel and left the bathroom, making my way down the stairs. I walked into the kitchen and sat down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar.
"Good Morning," Mike said from where he was standing on the other side of the kitchen near the coffee maker. "What happened to you last night? Tre said you were pretty short with him and then went straight upstairs and you didn't come back down all night." he said before taking a sip of his coffee.
"I'm just... " I didn't know what to say. Did Tre tell him exactly what I had said? "I'm just having trouble getting on with everyone."
Mike opened his mouth to say something but turned whatever it was that he was going to say into a "Good Morning" as Estelle walked into the room.
"Morning Dad," Estelle said, before she saw me sitting there. "You're sitting in my seat."
"Excuse me?" I said.
"That's the stool I always sit in."
"Come on 'Stelle," Mike said. "Dani can sit there, can't she?"
"I suppose so, she can STEAL whatever she wants." She put a lot of emphasis on the word steal as she replied to Mike's question by directing the words to me.
"Oh no it's okay," I said, getting up from the seat. "The bitch can have her stool."
"Dani, I don't think that was necessary." Mike said. "You didn't have to talk to Estelle like that."
"I can't believe you're sticking up for her," I said. "I didn't do anything and she comes in here demanding that I give her her stool."
"I'm in the room, hello?" Estelle said waving her hands around to stop us from talking about her.
"Shut up!" I snapped.
"Don't speak to each other like that!" Mike said to me.
"You can't tell me what to do," I yelled.
"While you're here you've got to do what I tell you to do," he yelled back.
"Well then I don't want to be here any longer!" I ran out of the kitchen, up to the room I was staying in and slammed the door. I picked up my cell to call a cab, arranging for it to pick me up as soon as possible.
I quickly changed into a long flowing skirt and a black singlet and laced up my converse. I then threw anything that had been unpacked into either my duffel bag or canvas bag. I pulled my hair into a messy bun and picked up all my belongings. I made sure that I hadn't left anything behind before walking out of the room, down the stairs and out the front door.
I sat down on the grass as Mike came out the front door.
"What are you doing Dani?"
"I'm going home," I said. "Coming here was a waste of time."
I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the cab driving down the street towards me.
"Dani, don't leave," Mike said.
I ignored him and got into the cab, asking the driver to take me to the bus station, knowing that I couldn't afford to catch the cab all the way home. As the car pulled away, I found myself blinking back tears as I left Mike standing alone in the driveway.
I leant over to my bed side table and grabbed my cell phone, finding Alex's number in the phone book and pressing call. I listened to the dial tone, waiting for her to pick up.
"Hello?" I heard her say; just the sound of someone from home was comforting.
"Alex!" I said. "It is so good to hear your voice."
"Jesus, Dani, are you okay? You haven't even been there for a day yet."
"I had a big fight with Joey."
"Joey? As in Joey Armstrong? As in Billie Joe's son?"
"Yes."
"Wow. Ok tell me what happened, tell me everything."
I told her about everything that happened that day, about the car ride, what Mike's house is like, getting lost in the house, meeting Billie and Adi and meeting Tre and Claudia and then I told her about Mike's basement and what happened with Joey, word for word, as good as I could remember the conversation.
"Wow. What a dick head."
"Tell me about it."
"You handled it pretty well though, I must say."
"You think so?"
"Yeah, you didn't take no crap," she said in one of those 'Don't go there girlfriend' voices.
I laughed a little and a moment of silence followed.
"So what are you going to do about Joey?" Alex asked.
"I'm not sure," I said. "I don't think he'll be talking to me anytime soon and I'm glad. He's so arrogant."
"Have you met Estelle?"
"Nah, she's at a friend's house or something. So what have you been doing?"
"Not much. James and I have been sitting around doing nothing. Cody comes back tomorrow."
"Really? Cool."
I heard a voice in the back ground and then Alex said, "That was James, he says hi."
"Hi James," I said and Alex passed on the message.
"Well I better go; I don't want my phone bill to be too high. Thanks for listening to me bitch."
"Anytime, call me if you need to talk again, and don't take any crap from Joey."
We said our goodbyes and I hung up the phone.
I lay down on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I wonder if anybody will notice that I am not out in the back yard.
I need air. I walked over to the window and opened it, breathing in the clean, fresh air. I looked down into the front yard to see three more cars there than there had been earlier. One, I assumed, was Tre's and the others... I had no idea who the other cars belonged to. So Mike had told all his friends to come over because I was coming. I stumbled back to the bed, collapsing onto it again. After a while I heard a knock on the bedroom door and the sound of it opening and someone entering the room.
I quickly wipe my eyes and look up to see Mike standing in the doorway.
"Hey," he said. "I'd wondered where you'd gone. Are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing," I said. "I'm fine."
"Are you going to come downstairs? Because Estelle, Jason and Sam are here and they want to meet you so... "
"I'll be down soon, I said, hinting to Mike that he could leave.
He left the room and I sat up on the edge of my bed. I took a deep breath and left the room. I quickly walked to the bathroom, splashed my face with some water and then went down stairs. The house appeared to be empty so I made my way out the back using my new knowledge of how to get there and where everything was in the house.
I walked out the back door and was hit with the smell of food cooking on the barbeque, it smelt good. I noticed that there was a larger number of people in the back yard than before. Joey, Jakob and Frankito were in the pool with a small girl who looked to be around 4 years old, she was wearing those floaties that go on your arms and Joey was helping her to swim in the shallow end. I had no idea who she was but it amazed me that a guy who looked so caring there in the pool had said those things to me. Adrienne and Claudia were sitting near the pool with another two women that I didn't recognize and Mike, Billie and Tre were still standing by the barbeque, although now they were also accompanied by a guy that I recognized as Jason White, I felt the now familiar rush of excitement that came with seeing someone from Green Day. This rush of excitement was then replaced with nervousness, when I saw who was standing between Jason and Mike. I was sure the girl standing there was Estelle, my new sister, she had to be.
I prepared myself for more introductions as I saw Mike notice me standing there. He signaled for me to come over to where they were standing, so I did, breathing deeply, knowing that I was about to meet my sister. I reached the group and stood between Mike and Billie.
"Dani, this is Jason," Mike said, I could tell, as I shook Jason's hand, that he was getting the quick and easy introduction out of the way first. "Jason, this is Dani."
There was a short pause and both Estelle and I looked down at our feet. Then Mike introduced us to each other and it was a weird and confusing moment. Neither of us knew if we were supposed to shake hands, hug or just kind of wave at each other and smile politely. I went to shake hands and she went to hug. Then I went to hug her and she went to shake my hand. In the end we both laughed nervously and hugged each other. We didn't know when we were supposed to let go. I think both of us only just realized, while we were in the embrace, that we were sisters, that we shared the same blood. We pulled back from the hug and I noticed that Billie, Tre and Jason had walked away from us, probably to give us some time alone.
"Hi," I managed to say, after it occurred to me that we hadn't even said anything to each other yet.
"Hey," she said. And then there was another silence. I was beginning to get used to the silence that seemed to follow me around everywhere I went. I hate silence.
"I'm sure you guys want to talk, but first, Dani, there are more people for you to meet," Mike said and I knew he was referring to the two women that I didn't recognize.
I nodded and Mike led me over to the group of women near the pool, leaving Estelle to go and get changed into her bathing suit. Claudia, Adi and the others stopped talking when we got nearer.
"Jasmin, Sam, There is someone I want you to meet," Mike said. I thought he sounded pretty stupid; it was obvious that the point of everyone being here was to meet me so it was stupid to announce that there was someone for them to meet. "This is Dani." He continued. "Dani, this is Jason's wife Jasmin." I shook her hand, "And this is my wife Sam." I was pulled into a hug by my step mother. Wow I have a step mother. I hadn't thought of it like that.
Mike then went back to the barbeque to get the food and his beer, where he was again joined by the other members of Green Day. I saw that Estelle had changed into her bathing suit and was making her way over to the pool. I stood around with the wives of Green Day for a while and I was introduced to Chelsea, who was Jason and Jasmin's four year old daughter even though she didn't pay any attention to the conversation because she was still swimming around with Estelle and Joey.
"Foods on!" We heard Mike call. All the kids got out of the pool and everyone made their way over to the food. While we were eating I sat next to Tre and Adi, I hadn't sat there on purpose, it just happened like that.
"I heard you drumming earlier." Tre said. "You sounded pretty good." I can't believe my favourite drummer just complimented my drumming skills.
"Thanks," I said, trying to hold down my blush, and continuing to eat.
The afternoon seemed to drag on, I didn't talk to anyone much, I would have liked to talk to Estelle but she seemed to always be with Joey, Jakob and Chelsea.
At one point in the afternoon, I was sitting by the pool, I was with the Claudia, Adi, Sam and Jasmin but I wasn't paying any attention to the conversation they were having. I looked up to see Estelle and Joey walking out of the house, Estelle looked at me and I smiled at her but was only met with a cold stare. What was that for? I then looked at Joey who had a smug look on his face as if he had just got someone in trouble. He must have told Estelle something about me. He had probably told her that I was a fame hungry bitch after her father's money.
I couldn't handle sitting there any longer, listening to the adults ask me annoying questions about my life and feeling the glare of Estelle, I got up and walked towards the back door of the house. I had walked through the house and was almost at the staircase when I heard a voice behind me.
"Hey Dani!" The voice called and I turned around to see Estelle standing about five paces away from me.
"What?" I said, not feeling very patient with the girl I had been receiving the evil eye from.
"I just wanted to tell you that I know why you're here." She said, "Joey told me."
"Oh really? What did Joey tell you?" I could feel the anger rising in my cheeks.
"He told me enough for me to know that all you want is fame and money, I know your type. And I want you to know that my Dad won't put up with you for long."
"I'm not putting up with this shit again," I muttered and I ran up the stairs to my bedroom.
So this was how it was going to be, I thought with tears streaming down my face for the second time that day. I hadn't even been at Mike's for a day and I had already gotten into arguments with two people in his life, one of them being his daughter... his hero. I could really see how this was going to work. I didn't want to call Alex twice in one day, but the only other person I could think of to call was Mum, and I knew how important it was to her that I got on with Mike, I didn't want to disappoint or worry her. So, instead of calling anyone, I left the room and quietly walked down the stairs and through the house, hoping that I wouldn't bump into anyone and have to have a conversation with them. I walked down the stairs to the basement where I found solace just by sitting at the drum kit.
I had two choices; I could play the drums, risk having someone hear me, come down and start talking to me but still be happy because I would be playing drums or I could sit here in a hateful and depressing silence, thinking about the situation I was in.
I pulled my drumsticks out of my pocket and began to bash at the drums. I wasn't playing my best but it was good enough and I was getting rid of my anger for Joey and now Estelle as well. I didn't hear the sound of the basement door opening or of someone walking down the stairs. I only noticed, out of the corner of my eye, someone standing there.
I looked up; slowly bringing the rhythm I was playing to a stop. Tre was standing in the middle of the room, hands in his pockets, watching me curiously.
"Continue," Tre said gesturing to me and the drum kit as he sat down on the same couch that Joey had been sitting on earlier.
"Why are you down here?" I asked him.
"I heard you drumming." He said, "I wanted to come down and see you play." He paused for a few seconds before speaking again. "Why are you down here?"
"To bash the shit out of something." I turned back to the kit and started drumming again although I did feel a little conscious of my drumming, which was understandable seeing as Tre Cool was in the room.
For the next five minutes all I did was play Mike's drums and all Tre did was sit there, silently listening and watching me curiously. I stopped drumming abruptly and said to Tre. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I'm just watching you play, that's all."
"Then why were you staring at me as though you were trying to figure something out or trying to analyze me?"
"I was trying to work out why you're so angry," he said.
I sighed and stood up. "Why don't you just ask precious Joey and Estelle? I'm sure they'd tell you. I'm sure they'd tell you why I'm here too; to steal everyone's fame and fortune," I snapped.
I didn't even see Tre's reaction because I had already left the basement. I raced up to my bedroom and slammed the door, leaning back against it. So, in one day, I had argued with or snapped at my new sister, Billie Joe Armstrong's son and my idol, my favourite drummer in the world. Oh this was going really well.
***
The next morning I woke up, feeling like shit, all though I felt better than I did the night before, which was saying something about the night before.
After I had snapped at Tre and come up to my room, everyone had left me alone. I'm not sure if Tre had told anyone or if he had talked to Joey or Estelle, but I hadn't spoken to anyone since we had both been in the basement. I hadn't eaten dinner. I had stayed in my room all afternoon and all night, except for the couple of times that I had gotten up and used the bathroom.
I got out of bed and shuffled down the hall, picking the wedgie that I had, readjusting the boxers and t-shirt I was wearing. I stumbled into the bathroom and splashed my face with water. I dried my face on the hand towel and left the bathroom, making my way down the stairs. I walked into the kitchen and sat down on one of the stools at the breakfast bar.
"Good Morning," Mike said from where he was standing on the other side of the kitchen near the coffee maker. "What happened to you last night? Tre said you were pretty short with him and then went straight upstairs and you didn't come back down all night." he said before taking a sip of his coffee.
"I'm just... " I didn't know what to say. Did Tre tell him exactly what I had said? "I'm just having trouble getting on with everyone."
Mike opened his mouth to say something but turned whatever it was that he was going to say into a "Good Morning" as Estelle walked into the room.
"Morning Dad," Estelle said, before she saw me sitting there. "You're sitting in my seat."
"Excuse me?" I said.
"That's the stool I always sit in."
"Come on 'Stelle," Mike said. "Dani can sit there, can't she?"
"I suppose so, she can STEAL whatever she wants." She put a lot of emphasis on the word steal as she replied to Mike's question by directing the words to me.
"Oh no it's okay," I said, getting up from the seat. "The bitch can have her stool."
"Dani, I don't think that was necessary." Mike said. "You didn't have to talk to Estelle like that."
"I can't believe you're sticking up for her," I said. "I didn't do anything and she comes in here demanding that I give her her stool."
"I'm in the room, hello?" Estelle said waving her hands around to stop us from talking about her.
"Shut up!" I snapped.
"Don't speak to each other like that!" Mike said to me.
"You can't tell me what to do," I yelled.
"While you're here you've got to do what I tell you to do," he yelled back.
"Well then I don't want to be here any longer!" I ran out of the kitchen, up to the room I was staying in and slammed the door. I picked up my cell to call a cab, arranging for it to pick me up as soon as possible.
I quickly changed into a long flowing skirt and a black singlet and laced up my converse. I then threw anything that had been unpacked into either my duffel bag or canvas bag. I pulled my hair into a messy bun and picked up all my belongings. I made sure that I hadn't left anything behind before walking out of the room, down the stairs and out the front door.
I sat down on the grass as Mike came out the front door.
"What are you doing Dani?"
"I'm going home," I said. "Coming here was a waste of time."
I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the cab driving down the street towards me.
"Dani, don't leave," Mike said.
I ignored him and got into the cab, asking the driver to take me to the bus station, knowing that I couldn't afford to catch the cab all the way home. As the car pulled away, I found myself blinking back tears as I left Mike standing alone in the driveway.
