Westbound Sign, chapter 1
<p>
"Mike, you're blind! Tara has a way bigger rack than Monica!" yelled a short teenage boy with reddish-brown hair and green eyes. He threw a handful of greasy french fries across the table at his taller friend, who dodged them good naturedly, while their other best friend, Tre, looked on.</p>
<p>
"No, you're both wrong! Tara's boobs are all lopsided and stuff. Mine are waaay better," interjected Tre standing up and stuffing two sandwiches up his shirt. "Now that's some prime cleavage, right there. YOU know you want me," he finished as he shook his new-found "cleavage" in Billie's face.</p>
<p>"Tre...You are aware that you just stuffed two half-eaten sandwiches up your shirt, right? And how do you know that Billie's mouth hasn't been anywhere near Mr. Talbot lately?," said Mike, stifling a laugh, as he took a bite out of his hamburger, watching as Tre immediately let the sandwiches drop to the ground. </p>
<p>
"Damn it Tre, I was just starting to enjoy the free show!" said Billie in mock disappointment, before they all burst into raucous laughter.</p>
<p>
It was 1990 at Pinole Valley High, in a community that had all the disadvantages of suburban life, and none of the advantages. Like every high school, Pinole Valley had the jocks and cheerleaders, the freaks and the geeks. Then there were the 'Gilman Rats', like Billie, Tre, and Mike. </p>
<p>
These were the kids that didn't fit in anywhere else, even at home. Most of them lived in Berkeley, but they still came to Pinole Valley High for reasons unknown. They were the ones at school who always had a joint to sell, and always seemed to be "jamming" with their band. To most, Gilman was a hangout spot on Friday nights, but to these people, it was a second home.</p>
<p>
In the midst of their laughter, something caught Billie's eye. Maybe it was the glint of the sunlight on her black hair, or maybe it was the way she walked past their table constantly, sneaking a glance once in a while. "She" was a small looking girl, wearing an old, navy blue hoodie, which she almost appeared to be hiding under.</p>
<p>"
Hey guys, do you know that girl over there?" muttered Billie a little distractedly,
squinting in the light of the sunlight pouring through the nearby window. </p>
<p>
"Oh you mean, that one over there in the navy blue sweater? That's Ashley-wait, or was it Alison. No, I don't think so. What's her name again?" asked Tre quizzically.</p>
<p>
"Adrienne?" suggested Mike helpfully, "You douchebag, she's in our math class, remember?"</p>
<p>
"Yeah, whatever, by the time we have math I've already slapped my brains up so high that I can barely remember my own name. Do you expect me to remember whatever-her-name-is?" said Tre with a laugh, "Anyway... What about her? You like her? Huh? Huh?" teased Tre, laughing like a jackal. He nudged Billie repeatedly and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.</P>
<p>
"Yeah sure, I want to marry her and have two kids and get some corny ass matching tattoos. You caught me, Tre," said Billie sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.</p>
<p>
"BILLIE HAS A CRUSH! LITTLE BILLIE HAS A LITTLE WILLIE AND A LITTLE CRUSH!" shouted Tre before doing a little jig and prancing away, earning some strange looks from around the cafeteria.</p>
<p>
An awkward silence followed. "I have a 'little willie' do I?" asked Billie a bit defensively, and then retreating to brood underneath his mess of hair.</P>
<p>
Mike blinked and cleared his throat a little. "Umm...I'm going to go see if I can get some fresh air, okay Bill? So...yeah," Mike ended lamely, clearly trying to give Billie some time alone.</p>
<p>
"YOU DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION!" yelled Billie at Mike's retreating back. Without waiting for an answer, Billie groaned inwardly and put his head in his hands. He had no idea why he was getting so worked up about Tre shouting it out to the world. 'It's not like I even know this girl, right?,' Billie reassured himself. Realizing it was almost time for class, Billie picked up his head and began gathering his books. When he looked up, Adrienne was already gone. The bell rang for class, and sighing, Billie headed for class, already eager for the school day to end.</p>
"Mike, you're blind! Tara has a way bigger rack than Monica!" yelled a short teenage boy with reddish-brown hair and green eyes. He threw a handful of greasy french fries across the table at his taller friend, who dodged them good naturedly, while their other best friend, Tre, looked on.</p>
<p>
"No, you're both wrong! Tara's boobs are all lopsided and stuff. Mine are waaay better," interjected Tre standing up and stuffing two sandwiches up his shirt. "Now that's some prime cleavage, right there. YOU know you want me," he finished as he shook his new-found "cleavage" in Billie's face.</p>
<p>"Tre...You are aware that you just stuffed two half-eaten sandwiches up your shirt, right? And how do you know that Billie's mouth hasn't been anywhere near Mr. Talbot lately?," said Mike, stifling a laugh, as he took a bite out of his hamburger, watching as Tre immediately let the sandwiches drop to the ground. </p>
<p>
"Damn it Tre, I was just starting to enjoy the free show!" said Billie in mock disappointment, before they all burst into raucous laughter.</p>
<p>
It was 1990 at Pinole Valley High, in a community that had all the disadvantages of suburban life, and none of the advantages. Like every high school, Pinole Valley had the jocks and cheerleaders, the freaks and the geeks. Then there were the 'Gilman Rats', like Billie, Tre, and Mike. </p>
<p>
These were the kids that didn't fit in anywhere else, even at home. Most of them lived in Berkeley, but they still came to Pinole Valley High for reasons unknown. They were the ones at school who always had a joint to sell, and always seemed to be "jamming" with their band. To most, Gilman was a hangout spot on Friday nights, but to these people, it was a second home.</p>
<p>
In the midst of their laughter, something caught Billie's eye. Maybe it was the glint of the sunlight on her black hair, or maybe it was the way she walked past their table constantly, sneaking a glance once in a while. "She" was a small looking girl, wearing an old, navy blue hoodie, which she almost appeared to be hiding under.</p>
<p>"
Hey guys, do you know that girl over there?" muttered Billie a little distractedly,
squinting in the light of the sunlight pouring through the nearby window. </p>
<p>
"Oh you mean, that one over there in the navy blue sweater? That's Ashley-wait, or was it Alison. No, I don't think so. What's her name again?" asked Tre quizzically.</p>
<p>
"Adrienne?" suggested Mike helpfully, "You douchebag, she's in our math class, remember?"</p>
<p>
"Yeah, whatever, by the time we have math I've already slapped my brains up so high that I can barely remember my own name. Do you expect me to remember whatever-her-name-is?" said Tre with a laugh, "Anyway... What about her? You like her? Huh? Huh?" teased Tre, laughing like a jackal. He nudged Billie repeatedly and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.</P>
<p>
"Yeah sure, I want to marry her and have two kids and get some corny ass matching tattoos. You caught me, Tre," said Billie sarcastically with a roll of his eyes.</p>
<p>
"BILLIE HAS A CRUSH! LITTLE BILLIE HAS A LITTLE WILLIE AND A LITTLE CRUSH!" shouted Tre before doing a little jig and prancing away, earning some strange looks from around the cafeteria.</p>
<p>
An awkward silence followed. "I have a 'little willie' do I?" asked Billie a bit defensively, and then retreating to brood underneath his mess of hair.</P>
<p>
Mike blinked and cleared his throat a little. "Umm...I'm going to go see if I can get some fresh air, okay Bill? So...yeah," Mike ended lamely, clearly trying to give Billie some time alone.</p>
<p>
"YOU DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION!" yelled Billie at Mike's retreating back. Without waiting for an answer, Billie groaned inwardly and put his head in his hands. He had no idea why he was getting so worked up about Tre shouting it out to the world. 'It's not like I even know this girl, right?,' Billie reassured himself. Realizing it was almost time for class, Billie picked up his head and began gathering his books. When he looked up, Adrienne was already gone. The bell rang for class, and sighing, Billie headed for class, already eager for the school day to end.</p>
