Can Love Come From a Stranger's Heart?, chapter 1

Boys and girls all hanging around each other all peacefully, nothing could go wrong. Wind was hardly blowing sky clear and blue flowers all around the school yard. Teens walking home with nothing bothering them. Mailman delivering the mail dogs barking birds flying. Sounds of headphones blaring.

That wasn't how it was during one sunny afternoon at Berkeley High. Nope. Kids were arguing, throwing rocks. Mailman was swearing at the rock throwing kids while the dogs were growling. The sun was up and the sky was blue, but the flowers were being ruined, kicked. Most of the teens were behaving, only to get mad at someone and turn to throw another rock at them. The teachers were watching as students hit and slapped and police cars were parked and people were being shoved into them. Most of the girls were walking home peacefully while the boys were trying to talk to them.

"Sabrina, have you heard about that concert that's going on next week." Billie Joe tried to ask. "Sabrina, please just talk to me this once."

"What Armstrong?" She said turning around quickly.

"I was just wondering of you maybe wanted to come with me."

"Why would I want to go to anywhere with you? You're a gothic punk freak."

"So are you, so what's your point?"

"My point is wanting to know your point."

"My point is if you'd go with me."

"Why would I want to go?"

"Sabrina, it's not like I'm goanna try to do anything to hurt you, and I don't know why you would want to go, I was just asking."
"And why would you want me to go?"

"I just wanted someone to come with me, and you're the first person that came to mind."

"Well, go ahead and make me the last because you can just forget about it." He looked at her and she glared at him "Bye Armstrong." She walked away and went back to her friends who were staring at her and then at him. He looked back at her looking hurt and then he walked away.

"Sabrina. Why are you always so mean to him?"

"Because he is an insane idiot, now can we go to the mall?"

"No, not until you tell us." Okay, maybe he wasn't an insane idiot. Really, she liked him, he was the only person who talked to her at Berkeley High on her first day, until she got some more friends and she started being a total jerk to him. She had always wished that one day he would ask her out, but she always ruined it by being the jerk she was to him. This time she had succeeded with her jerkiness, and had hurt his feelings badly. Of course she felt bad, but she couldn't tell him that!

"Sabrina, do you really hate him as much as you make everyone think?" Melony asked her.

"If I didn't, do you really think I would have said any of that?"

"To make us think differently, yes."

"Saby, go back and apologize. Go ask him what concert it is to." Sabrina's nickname was "Saby" and she hated when people called her by it. "I already know what concert it is."

"Well?"

"The All American Rejects."

"Sabrina, you love them, so why don you go?"

"Because he's going."

"Dude, that's not right. He probably won't even bother you, why are you so much like an idiot sometimes? He is trying to be nice to you, not hurt you. Why don't you quit this and go ask him if he still wants you to go?"

"Because that wouldn't be me."

"So what? Stop being yourself for a while and try to be nice to him for once."

**Billie's P. O. V. **
What did I do that made her hate me so much? Before she was so nice and sweet, she didn't care if anyone thought she was weird. Now she's a punk rock jerk, and she won't even talk to me. If only I knew. I like her so much, but I know she doesn't feel the same the same way about me anymore. Life was so easy going at school before she turned totally against me. I just don't get it.

**Sabrina's P. O. V. **
I like him so much, but yet I'm such a jerk to him. He doesn't deserve this, he's such a sweet boy. I want to ask him, but then he'll think something's going on. But would there be? What will he think if I ask him? That I'm some kind of jerk that ditches people and tries to be nice immediately? Am I?

**End of P. O. V. **

"Sabrina? Sabrina?!"

"Sorry." She said coming back to reality.

"Are you going to ask him, or are we going to have to be mad at you for the rest of the day?"

"Fine, I'll ask him, but I may hurt you afterwards." She walked away from them and ran up the street to find Billie with his hands in his pockets and his head down. He looked up when he noticed her coming to him but quickly looked back down.

"Hey Billie?"

"Surprised, you didn't call me Armstrong."

"Billie, I'm sorry, sorry I've been such a jerk." He looked at her with a small smile.

"After you quit talking to me I got use to it."

"Billie, do you still want me to come with you?"

"I'd appreciate it, but not if it is only because of your friends."

"Well, that is kinda the reason, but I feel bad too."

"As I said before, only id you actually want to."

"I do, but can you forgive me?"

"I have always forgiven you even when you didn't apologize."

"Well, I guess I should have before."

"It's possible." He seemed so easy to talk to, but yet so hard.

"Well, I guess I'll see you tomorrow. And don't tell anyone about me being nice to you."

"Sabrina, why can't anyone know that a stranger can be nice?"

"Because Billie, now bye." She said and turned around running back to her friends. He kept walking until he reached Court Rd, two blocks away from his house.

**Melony's P. O. V**
I know that Sabrina likes him, I can see it in her eyes every time she looks at him, even if she is glaring.

"Sabrina, can I talk to you for a minute?" I asked her, "Yeah, why?"

"Just come here. You guys, we'll be there in a few minutes, just keep going." They shook their head's and walked away.

"Yes?" she asked me confused.

"You like him don't you?"

"Why would you say that?"

"I can tell, but answer me."

"Right now? I didn't even wanna go with him, remember?" she asked looking me straight in the eyes.

"The why do you get those gleaming eyes whenever you look at him?"

"I don't."

"Sabrina, you know you like him, so why don't you just admi-"

"Melony, I don't like him, now just drop it!" she told me sharply.

"Okay, okay." She had never yelled at me before. I knew I was write, but I said no more.

"I'm sorry." She said.

"Yeah, me too." We both smiled at each other and walked up to the other girls.
**End of Melony's P. O. V. **

Did he tell you he wanted you to go?"

"Yeah, I guess I'm going. Real fun." Melony looked at her. "What?"

"Nothing." They all walked to Stacy's house to get the car and drop off their school bags.

"We'll be back in about two hours mom, love you!"

"Love you too. Make sure to stay away from anyone or anything that can hurt you."

"We will, bye." They walked out and got into Stacy's blue and green Camaro.

"Let's go shopping girls!" the car pulled out of the driveway and to the street. Katie turned the radio to some talk show while Sabrina turned it to a punk rock one.

"Now playing 'When I come Around' from Green Day." They had not heard of the band yet, so they hadn't heard of the song yet either. They listened closely to the words, but mostly the singers voice.

"I heard you crying loud all the way across town. You've been searching for that someone and it's me out on the prowl... " they looked at each other and laughed. "... As you sit around feeling sorry for yourself, Don't get lonely now, dry your whining eyes, I'm roaming for the moment."

"Hey, that could be Billie!"

"Yeah right, he'll never be able to sing like that in a million years." Sabrina said
Not looking at either one of them, but out the window.

"Sabrina, get a grip, you're being so mean to him. Do you think he talks that way about you?" she went completely silent. She knew he didn't.

"No, he probably doesn't, but so what?"

"You know, I should turn the car around and go to his house, so that you have to be around him."

"Would you actually do that?"

"You know I would."

"Who said I'd talk more nicer or act respectful towards him if you did that?"

"You'd be too embarrassed to do anything because his mom would be there."

"That may be true, but so what?"

"Dude, snap out if it, you're being a grouch." She knew she was, it didn't bother her, except when she was being one towards Billie.

"Hey, I think I will go to his house first."

"Sabrina, what are you goanna do if he likes you?"

"In what way?"

"Likes you in a certain way, more than just a friend."

"What can I do?" she asked in a rude tone.

"I'm going to his house." Stacy said.

"So, I'm not getting out."

"Oh yes you are, me and Sarah will make you." Sabrina looked at them and crossed her arms. Stacy pulled into a driveway to turn around.

"Stacie, you're actually goanna do it?"

"Yes, when I say something, I mean it." She took only ten minutes to pull into Billie's driveway. Him and his dog were in the front yard. He was sitting under a tree writing something. His older brother Allen was feeding their cat strawberries.

"Hey Billie!" Sarah yelled out the window. He looked up and nodded. "Okay Sabrina, how can you not like him?"

"I just don't." she lied. She made sure not to look at him so Melony couldn't day anything about her gleaming eyes.

"Mind if we come over for a while?" once again he nodded. "He never talks enough."
He did before I left him Sabrina thought. They got out of the car and walked over to him. "Hey, have you heard that new band Green Day? Well we were listening to the radio and one of their songs, 'When I come Around' came on, it was awesome."

He jumped up and looked at Allen. "They actually put my song on air! This is great!" he said running up the porch and into the house to tell everyone. They looked at Sabrina who's jaw had dropped open

"You have got to be kidding."
They smiled. "Now do you like him?" Katie asked. She looked at Billie as he came out of the house, he was so hot! "Sorry, so how was it?"

"You have got to be kidding me."

"No, that was mine, Mike's and Tre's song."

"When did you start a band?"

"Quite a while ago actually, but only recently did we send a song or album in."

"That was one of the best songs I've heard in a while." They all shook their heads, but looked at the shocked Sabrina.

"Sabrina, are you alright?"

"Billie, are you serious?"

"Of course, I wouldn't have acted like a total idiot if I wasn't."

"Sabrina, what now?" Melony asked smiling at her.

"I don't know." She said

"Huh?" he asked looking at them.

"Congratulations." She said to him.

"Thanks."

"Sabrina, you said something nice."

"Ha ha."

"So, why'd you come over besides for the song?"

"Just to hang out for awhile."

"Okay."

Oh, Billie's got girls hanging around him, is he scared?"

"Shut up Allen." Anna said coming out of the house.

"You guys wanna come in?"

"Sure." They pulled Sabrina along with them.

"Sabrina, I didn't expect you to come." Marcy said from the kitchen. Billie must've told them about her.

"Neither did I." she muttered to herself.

"What?" Ollie said nicely.

"Oh, nothing, just talking to myself."

"Oh, okay." She looked at Billie and then back to her. "Sabrina, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Um, yeah." She and Ollie walked to the back door and out back. "Yeah?"

"Sabrina, Billie was saying the other day how you started out being good friends, but after you got more other friends you started to ignore him. It really hurts him, you know?" and I was just wondering why? Why'd you start doing that? Why did you turn on him? What'd he do to you?" Sabrina looked down at the ground but didn't say anything.

"Here, sit." Ollie said as they both sat down on the large covered deck. "Sabrina, he comes home and cries because you hurt him so much. He doesn't understand, he liked you so much, but then you did this. He tried to be your friend." She looked away from Ollie and held back tears. She hadn't realized how much she had hurt him. She looked back to her with a single tear running down her cheek.

"I didn't even think how much I was hurting him, I just said things, no real meaning. I didn't actually mean to hurt him, I always hate myself after I say those things to him."

"Why do you day them then?"

"I-I, how am I supposed to say this?"

"Are you embarrassed, about what to say?"

"Yes. I have never told anyone this before, no one."

"Is it that you don't want anyone to know?"

"Yes."

"Well I swear I will not tell anyone."

"I cant figure how to say it."

"Sabrina, just say it, say what is on your mind, you don't always want him hurt do you?"

"Absolutely not."

"Then tell me Sabrina, please."

"Alright, I'll have to tell someone someday."

"Well, go ahead, I won't interrupt."

"Okay." She took in a deep breath. "Ever since I first met Billie Joe I have liked him. I have always wished that one day he would ask me out, but every time he talked about a relationship I began to feel weird. I started hanging out with other people and thought that even though he was stronger, braver and more gothic than anyone I knew, that I was better than him. I started to dress like he did so people would think I was cool, and then I started to either ignore him or say something mean to him. I would always feel horrible after that, like I could just kill myself. Whenever I would look at him I would feel different, I wanted to talk to him, be his friend, but I couldn't, I don't know why. Geese this feels weird talking to you about this."

"It shouldn't, I can understand. Is that it?"

"Pretty much."

"Well, do you still feel bad, even after talking to me?"

"Yes, I do."

"Do you know what would help? Even if you don't think so?"

"What?"

"Talking to him about it."

"What?"

"That would help you the most. He would know, which would make him feel better, and then you would too. Would you please tell him."

"What will he think?"

"He may be startled at first, but he'd understand, now please go."

"I'll try."

"Thank you." Sabrina and her got up and walked inside where everyone was.

"Is everything alright?" Marcy asked.

"Billie, can I talk to you?"

"Yeah." His mom pointed towards the stairs so he shook his head. They both went up to his room.

"What's wrong?" he asked after shutting the door. He gave her a chair so she sat, him on the other one.

"Billie, I need to talk to you, but I really don't know how to explain it all."

"Well, you can take your time, just tell me."

"Don't interrupt or it will take longer."

"I won't, I promise."

"This is goanna be hard. It's about my ignorance toward you."

"Okay."

"You know how before we used to be such good friends, before I had others?"

"Am I interrupting if I answer that?"

"I asked, so no."

"Well, yeah."

"When I got other friends I began feeling that I was better than you, that I was at a higher ranking than you. Believe me, I wanted to talk to you, but I began wondering how to answer you so I quit talking, then I started to say stupid responses to you, but it hurt me to say them, and I don't know why I did it then. I felt that I was too much more important to realize that I was hurting you. You were always so kind to me, but I was such a jerk." She looked at him, he could tell she was sorry, her cheeks were wet as she explained this.

"Billie I don't know how to say this in another way, bit I have always liked you. Not just as a friend either, every time I saw you I wished that I could be with you, but I didn't know how to tell you." She explained while looking at the ground the whole time. When she looked up she realized he had tears rolling down his face, he was smiling.

"Sabrina, I wouldn't have cared about how you said any of that, I had always wished that you would just once say that you liked me. I always wished that I could be the guy with the pretty girlfriend, all the guys wishing that they were in my place, but I didn't think that possible."

"Are you mad?"

"No, not at all. I can understand."

"How can you understand?"

"Because, I know what you mean."

"How?"

"Because I was in your place before, when I first learned how to play the guitar."

"What'd you do?"

"I shunned out all of my close friends, they weren't good enough, non of them know how to play an instrument. They were all just sixth graders while I was the cool sixth grader with an electric guitar. But they got me back, real good."

"What did they do?"

"Rubbed my dad's death in my face, told me that I was just a kid without a dad, kept talking about what their dad and them were goanna do over the vacations and how it was going to be so much fun to have dad with them."

"Why didn't you do that to me?"

"For one, because I couldn't find anything that I was better at, and two, because I
Had it done to me already."

"You could have said anything like 'hey, I have a cool band and you don't, ' or 'I have a better opportunity for a future than you. ' You could have said anything to me, but you didn't."

"But I couldn't, even if I could, I wouldn't."

"I don't know why."

"Because I didn't want to hurt you. I cared to much."

"Yes you did."

"But I am glad I didn't say any of it, I would feel pretty stupid if I had."

"But you could have got me back."

"I didn't want to, under any circumstances."

"I wouldn't have blamed you if you did."

"Well, I would've." She looked around his room at the walls. There were two Ramones posters and one Sex Pistols. He had red and black pillows and bed spread and black curtains with gray carpet. His window had pictures of his family on it and permanent marker cussing. The closet doors had been taken out and had a computer desk in it. The computer had a red and black screen saver with Green Day in the center. His clothes were in the laundry basket and the others that had been taken out of the closet were hanging on the flat part of the ceiling by a metal bar. The ceiling was flat at the top for about four feet wide, went diagonal for about five feet and the straight don't for about four more. He had two more posters hanging from the ceiling. One was of a black cat holding a gun with blood all over him saying "Hand over the dope or you're dead." And the other was of a dog sitting on a bench with gothic clothes on and a bag of meth in one hand. The bookshelf at the end of his bed had many different books and CD's on it. He had a table beside his bed with an alarm clock and a table light on it. The flat pat of the ceiling held a shelf with a T. V. Hanging from it. On top of the small television had a PS2 on it. He liked his room, for a boy it was surprisingly clean. "I like your room."

"Thanks. It's not usually clean like this." She looked at the table with the computer on it and saw a pack of cigarettes. "You smoke?"

"Yeah."

"That surprises me."

"It shouldn't."

"Why, 'cause you're goth?"

"Well, possibly, but the name 'Green Day' sorta tells you."

"What does that mean anyways?"

"A day of smoking pot, what else?"

"You've done it before?"

"Once at Mike's"

"Who?"

"Michael Pritchard?"

"Oh, him."

"What, you don't like him?"

"I don't really don't know him that much to be honest."

"Oh, he's a nice guy."

"So are you." He smiled at her.

"When you want to show it, you are a very nice girl." She smiled in return.

"Why thank you Mr. Armstrong." She said with a British accent.

"You are welcome Ms. Henderson." He said in the same accent. They both laughed.

"Are you guys alright?" his mom asked.

"Yeah mom, we're fine."

"Okay." By now Sabrina didn't want to leave, she really enjoyed his company. She looked at him before standing up and pulling her chair up next to his.

"Billie, than you for understanding."

"I couldn't be mad at you, it would be to hard."


"I don't know why we cant just rewind time."

"Because rewinding time wouldn't do anything except give you another chance to
Do what you regret doing now."

"Where do you come up with those answers?"

"I don't know, I just say what I think. A lot of it comes from my dad."

"Do you have a personality of you dad?"

"My mom says at times I do, but a lot of the time I don't."

"Well, I can tell you this, am nothing like anyone in my family."

"That's good, a personality all of your own, no one can take it."

"You are always saying things that no on else would ever think up. Do you realize how often I wish I could be in your place?"

"No, I don't."

"Well I do, I have always wished I could trade places with you, not only because of just being so much more, but because of your family, I have never seen you guys argue before, you are so lucky."

"I guess I never really thought about that, at all."

"Well you should. You would be if you met my jerk of a family."

"That bad?"

"That bad." She wanted him so much, but what was she supposed to do" he was so nice to her, unlike anyone else she knew. She wanted to be able to lay beside him and kiss him, do all those things with him, but she didn't know what he'd think about it, if he'd be mad, confused, or willing.

"Billie, I-I love you." She said looking away. Had she really just said that? When she looked at him he was looking at her. His bright green eyes were so beautiful.

"You do?"

"Yes, I always have." He got up and stood in front of her. Before she knew what was happening he had pulled her up and was holding her close to him. "I love you too." He said before their lips touched. The kiss started out soft, but went into a deep passionate one. He pushed her down onto the bed and got on top of her, their tongue's slipping into each others mouths. She had her hand going along his back and through his already messy hair.