Worlds Apart, chapter 5
“When are you going to call him?� Ellen asked bossily.
She was pacing back and forth across the living room, holding Billie Joe’s card in both hands and staring at it like she was some kind of criminal investigator.
“Is it an American number?� Kirsty asked, pacing right behind her.
“I mean, the ball’s totally in your court now� Ellen continued, “You have his number. He doesn’t have yours. YOU have to ring HIM�
“Is it an AMERICAN NUMBER?!� Kirsty repeated frantically, grabbing for the card.
“I don’t fucking know!� Ellen cried, “It looks like a mobile number. But even if we had to phone America it would be worth it. Ok, we need to plan what you’re going to say-“
“For fuck’s sake!� I exclaimed, from the couch, “Stop fucking pacing Ellen, you are not helping my nerves! And you keep walking in front of the TV!�
“This is more important than The OC� Ellen scowled at me.
“I thought nothing was more important than The OC� commented Steve, joining the conversation as he entered the room and sat down next to me. “Hey, why are Ryan and Marissa snogging? They aren’t back together are they?�
“’Fraid so� I replied
“Soph, seriously� Kirsty pleaded, sitting down on the other side of me, “What are you going to do?�
“I’m going to call him� I said, “In my own time, and without you two listening and making me even more nervous. Now, can I get back to the TV please? Seth is looking especially cute today�
I couldn’t sleep that night. I lay in bed, staring at Billie Joe’s handwriting. It was cute, like a kid’s, cause all the capital letters were in the wrong places. And I loved that he signed it BJ. There was so much implied familiarity in that one line of writing that it seemed I had known him for much longer than one meaningless night. I knew I couldn’t let this opportunity go by. I shakily dialled the number.
“Hello?� came a voice, “...Helloooo?�
Shit. I reminded myself I was supposed to say something.
“Hi� I said, “Um…its Sophie�
“Sophie?�
“Yeah, I uh…got your package�
“Oh, Sophie!� he overcompensated.
Great. Now he didn’t even remember who I was.
“This is Tre. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I’ve been drinking since five. How’s it going?�
I let out a breath I didn’t realise I’d been holding.
“Ummm, good� I said nervously, “How about you?�
“Oh, you know, just been playing some shows and stuff, its been awesome. We’re in Manchester right now, its kick-ass. We played a show here tonight and it rocked. The drummer we had up wasn’t as good as you though�
“Thanks Tre� I said, smiling even though I knew he was just being charming.
“Ok, and I’ve made this awesome cocktail too. I’m gonna have to teach you how to make it, right? Its two shots tequila, a shot…are you still there?�
“Yeah� I said, “…I was waiting for the rest�
“Cool, ok, so it’s two shots tequila and….oh wait. You were calling for Billie Joe, weren’t you?�
“No, well, I mean, yeah but…its cool. I want to hear the rest of your cocktail�
“Ok, ok, hey, by the way…I went through a drum skin tonight�
“Cool� I laughed, wondering if he was capable of holding one train of thought.
“Oh wait, Billie’s here. I’ll talk to you soon, kid�
“Bye...� I said, but he had already gone, and the nervousness was back.
“Hello?�
Now that was definitely Billie’s voice. I could tell because it made my stomach feel like I’d just been dropped off the edge of a cliff.
“Hi Billie Joe� I said,
“Heyy� he greeted me. He sounded like he might have had a few of Tre’s cocktails himself. “Its my little dealer!�
I laughed.
“You probably shouldn’t be saying that so loud� I said, “I got your parcel though. I can’t believe you remembered my name and what course I did and stuff�
“Not just a pretty face, you know� he replied, “What have you been up to?�
“Umm…writing my thesis…nothing very rock and roll. I finished Uni. today though. I’m going home to York next week�
“Really? That’s cool. Well, we’ll be in London next weekend. I think you should come, seeing as you’re the official Green Day Drug Supplier�
“What?� I asked, completely taken aback, “Me, come to London?�
“Sure why not?�
“I don’t know it’s just…you really want me to?�
I heard him sigh.
“OK� he said, “Here’s the deal. We got on really well in Newcastle and I feel shit that we just left it like that. I mean, I feel like I totally screwed you over. I didn’t mean to. I was just so wasted. I’m such an asshole…�
“You aren’t an asshole,� I said softly.
“Well, I did a pretty good impression of one. I didn’t mean to treat you like that�
“I treated you the same way�, I pointed out.
“But you…you were vulnerable. You’d just gone through this big break up and…and you’re younger than I am. I’m old enough to know better ok? I just…feel like I took advantage of you and I want to make it up to you cause I think we could be friends�
“I think so too,� I said, smiling.
“And I’m sorry I took so long to get hold of you.�
“Its fine�
“I did think about you, you know. I couldn’t help feeling bad about it all. I don’t mean I regret it, I…you know what I mean, right?�
“I know� I smiled. I was pleased he’s said he didn’t regret it. “I know exactly what you mean.�
“Great. So you’ll come to London?�
“I…don’t know…�
“C’mon…� he coaxed, “You can bring a friend? And I’ll set you up in a fancy hotel for the weekend? I’ll even let you borrow my Op Ivy shirt…�
I laughed,
“Ok� I said, “Are you playing any shows that weekend?�
“Cool. No just promo stuff. No more shows after Tuesday. Adrienne and the boys are coming…they’re staying a few days�
Up until then I had forgotten he had kids.
�I bet you’ve missed them�
“Course. It’s the hardest part of what I do. “
I heard some commotion in the background
“Fucking hell,� said Billie Joe, “It’s a bit crazy here. Tre’s fucked�
“Yeah, Tre was telling me about his cocktail�
“Right. The Cheech. He’s had waaay to many of those fuckers. I’d better go now Soph.�
“That's ok� I said, thinking I could lie awake and talk to him all night.
“It’s been good to catch up though…thanks for calling. I was worried you might not�
Did he think I was crazy?
“Heh, that’s silly� I said, “I’d like to stay in touch�
“Cool. Well, is this your cell number?�
“Yeah�
“Ok, I’ll call you soon about this weekend. Have a good week�
“Yeah…have fun with the kids�
“Thanks Soph. Talk soon�
After I hung up, I hugged myself, then stood up and jumped up and down on my bed a few times. Then I crept down the hallway and into Ellen’s room to give her an update. She was asleep. I got into bed next to her and gave her a poke.
“What are you doing?� she groaned,
“I called him,� I said, excitedly.
She opened her eyes.
“Really? What happened, what did he say?�
“How does a trip to London next weekend suit you?�
She was pacing back and forth across the living room, holding Billie Joe’s card in both hands and staring at it like she was some kind of criminal investigator.
“Is it an American number?� Kirsty asked, pacing right behind her.
“I mean, the ball’s totally in your court now� Ellen continued, “You have his number. He doesn’t have yours. YOU have to ring HIM�
“Is it an AMERICAN NUMBER?!� Kirsty repeated frantically, grabbing for the card.
“I don’t fucking know!� Ellen cried, “It looks like a mobile number. But even if we had to phone America it would be worth it. Ok, we need to plan what you’re going to say-“
“For fuck’s sake!� I exclaimed, from the couch, “Stop fucking pacing Ellen, you are not helping my nerves! And you keep walking in front of the TV!�
“This is more important than The OC� Ellen scowled at me.
“I thought nothing was more important than The OC� commented Steve, joining the conversation as he entered the room and sat down next to me. “Hey, why are Ryan and Marissa snogging? They aren’t back together are they?�
“’Fraid so� I replied
“Soph, seriously� Kirsty pleaded, sitting down on the other side of me, “What are you going to do?�
“I’m going to call him� I said, “In my own time, and without you two listening and making me even more nervous. Now, can I get back to the TV please? Seth is looking especially cute today�
I couldn’t sleep that night. I lay in bed, staring at Billie Joe’s handwriting. It was cute, like a kid’s, cause all the capital letters were in the wrong places. And I loved that he signed it BJ. There was so much implied familiarity in that one line of writing that it seemed I had known him for much longer than one meaningless night. I knew I couldn’t let this opportunity go by. I shakily dialled the number.
“Hello?� came a voice, “...Helloooo?�
Shit. I reminded myself I was supposed to say something.
“Hi� I said, “Um…its Sophie�
“Sophie?�
“Yeah, I uh…got your package�
“Oh, Sophie!� he overcompensated.
Great. Now he didn’t even remember who I was.
“This is Tre. Sorry, I didn’t mean to be rude. I’ve been drinking since five. How’s it going?�
I let out a breath I didn’t realise I’d been holding.
“Ummm, good� I said nervously, “How about you?�
“Oh, you know, just been playing some shows and stuff, its been awesome. We’re in Manchester right now, its kick-ass. We played a show here tonight and it rocked. The drummer we had up wasn’t as good as you though�
“Thanks Tre� I said, smiling even though I knew he was just being charming.
“Ok, and I’ve made this awesome cocktail too. I’m gonna have to teach you how to make it, right? Its two shots tequila, a shot…are you still there?�
“Yeah� I said, “…I was waiting for the rest�
“Cool, ok, so it’s two shots tequila and….oh wait. You were calling for Billie Joe, weren’t you?�
“No, well, I mean, yeah but…its cool. I want to hear the rest of your cocktail�
“Ok, ok, hey, by the way…I went through a drum skin tonight�
“Cool� I laughed, wondering if he was capable of holding one train of thought.
“Oh wait, Billie’s here. I’ll talk to you soon, kid�
“Bye...� I said, but he had already gone, and the nervousness was back.
“Hello?�
Now that was definitely Billie’s voice. I could tell because it made my stomach feel like I’d just been dropped off the edge of a cliff.
“Hi Billie Joe� I said,
“Heyy� he greeted me. He sounded like he might have had a few of Tre’s cocktails himself. “Its my little dealer!�
I laughed.
“You probably shouldn’t be saying that so loud� I said, “I got your parcel though. I can’t believe you remembered my name and what course I did and stuff�
“Not just a pretty face, you know� he replied, “What have you been up to?�
“Umm…writing my thesis…nothing very rock and roll. I finished Uni. today though. I’m going home to York next week�
“Really? That’s cool. Well, we’ll be in London next weekend. I think you should come, seeing as you’re the official Green Day Drug Supplier�
“What?� I asked, completely taken aback, “Me, come to London?�
“Sure why not?�
“I don’t know it’s just…you really want me to?�
I heard him sigh.
“OK� he said, “Here’s the deal. We got on really well in Newcastle and I feel shit that we just left it like that. I mean, I feel like I totally screwed you over. I didn’t mean to. I was just so wasted. I’m such an asshole…�
“You aren’t an asshole,� I said softly.
“Well, I did a pretty good impression of one. I didn’t mean to treat you like that�
“I treated you the same way�, I pointed out.
“But you…you were vulnerable. You’d just gone through this big break up and…and you’re younger than I am. I’m old enough to know better ok? I just…feel like I took advantage of you and I want to make it up to you cause I think we could be friends�
“I think so too,� I said, smiling.
“And I’m sorry I took so long to get hold of you.�
“Its fine�
“I did think about you, you know. I couldn’t help feeling bad about it all. I don’t mean I regret it, I…you know what I mean, right?�
“I know� I smiled. I was pleased he’s said he didn’t regret it. “I know exactly what you mean.�
“Great. So you’ll come to London?�
“I…don’t know…�
“C’mon…� he coaxed, “You can bring a friend? And I’ll set you up in a fancy hotel for the weekend? I’ll even let you borrow my Op Ivy shirt…�
I laughed,
“Ok� I said, “Are you playing any shows that weekend?�
“Cool. No just promo stuff. No more shows after Tuesday. Adrienne and the boys are coming…they’re staying a few days�
Up until then I had forgotten he had kids.
�I bet you’ve missed them�
“Course. It’s the hardest part of what I do. “
I heard some commotion in the background
“Fucking hell,� said Billie Joe, “It’s a bit crazy here. Tre’s fucked�
“Yeah, Tre was telling me about his cocktail�
“Right. The Cheech. He’s had waaay to many of those fuckers. I’d better go now Soph.�
“That's ok� I said, thinking I could lie awake and talk to him all night.
“It’s been good to catch up though…thanks for calling. I was worried you might not�
Did he think I was crazy?
“Heh, that’s silly� I said, “I’d like to stay in touch�
“Cool. Well, is this your cell number?�
“Yeah�
“Ok, I’ll call you soon about this weekend. Have a good week�
“Yeah…have fun with the kids�
“Thanks Soph. Talk soon�
After I hung up, I hugged myself, then stood up and jumped up and down on my bed a few times. Then I crept down the hallway and into Ellen’s room to give her an update. She was asleep. I got into bed next to her and gave her a poke.
“What are you doing?� she groaned,
“I called him,� I said, excitedly.
She opened her eyes.
“Really? What happened, what did he say?�
“How does a trip to London next weekend suit you?�
