Fight for your Right, chapter 11
I woke up to see Ollie gently shoving me awake, and Billie laying on the floor wrapped in blankets. "Come on Melissa dear, wake up, I've got breakfast on the table for you."
I opened my eyes and leaned up, squinting a little at the sunlight that was shining in. She started to walk out of the room, but Billie was still curled up in a ball on the floor. "Ollie?"
"Yes?"
"Umm, aren't you gonna wake Billie up? I mean, not to be mean or anything but...I dont know-"
She just smiled, "Well Melissa, he's not a real morning person. I gave up on waking him up in the moring in fourth grade!"
"Ahh, ok, makes sense," I laughed and nudged him with my foot a little as I walked by. He barely moved.
"You must be starving hun. You fell asleep before you ate last night, but I didn't want to wake you up," she said pulling out a chair and setting a plate of pancakes in front of me. "You do like pancakes right?"
"Yeah. Yeah thanks Mrs. Armstrong." She was right. I was really hungry. "Umm, do you think theres anyway I could maybe...I don't know...shower?"
"Yes of course. As soon as Holly gets out. You could probably borrow some of her clothes if you like," she said checking the bathroom to see if she was still there. "Unless you want to run across the street for some of yours.."
"No no, thats quite alright. Holly's will do," I said with a smile. She was laughing to, I knew she had been kidding.
"Well, Holly, Allen and Billie take showers in the mornings. And Allen already left, and Hollys almost done. So you could probably get in there before Billie gets up," she said smiling, offering another pancake. I just said thanks and walked over to the now empty bathroom.
"Hey did you want to borrow a shirt and some jeans?" Holly asked from a few doors down.
"Yeah, if you dont mind," I replied. She was only a couple years older then me. And she was really small.
"Ok, just a second." I heard her shuffle through some drawers, then she tossed me a black shirt and some jeans. "There ya go, and heres a towel. You might wanna hurry though. Once Billie gets up, hes in this whole 'zombie trance' thing. When we talk to him, he kinda blocks us out. He doesn't really wake up until he showers, so he's mainly sleep walking until he gets there."
I started laughing again and went in the bathroom to look, "Is there a way to lock the door?"
"Hmm," she mumbled coming in and looking also. She pointed to the metal thing on the door that was suppose to go into a loop on the trim, "Nope, broke a few years back I think. Me and mom will look out for ya though."
"Thanks," I mumbled slightly worried. It didnt take me long to shower though. I was in and out in no time. I got dressed and started attempting to towel dry my hair, and Billie suddenly walked in. I looked at him, wondering what he would do. His eyes were all squinty, either from just waking up or from the light in the bathroom. His hair was all messed up, and he had on a shirt and a pair of boxers. It was kinda creepy, she was right, he was like a zombie.....
"Umm...hi?" I said, wondering if he could understand me.
He just looked at me for a moment, "Err you Hollay?"
"No, she let me borrow a shirt and a pair of jeans."
"Oh," he mumbled a little, "Abbie?"
"No, Billie-"
"How der you no me name?! Hoo are you?!!"
"Billie! It's Melissa!" I said laughing.
He put one hand on the counter of the sink, and the other he ran his fingers through his hair a little, trying to think. Then he looked up and smiled. "Riiight. I remember. Ok now shoo cause I'm a takin' a shower."
I grabbed my clothes and walked out with no hesitation. The clock said it was 7:09, and we were suppose to be at school around 7:30. I looked out the window, and my house seemed lifeless. There was just our car parked outside the driveway. I bet my alarms going off and moms real pissed.
I smiled a little at the thought, but then remembered that she didnt know that I was here. Or atleast I didnt think she knew. I'd have to sneak out of his house, like go through the back or something. I was kind of wondering why she hadn't come and asked Ollie if I was here or not...
"Hey Ollie?"
"Yeah?"
I turned around now from the window, to see Holly looking at me from the table and Ollie washing some dishes. "Did my mom happen to call and see if I was here?"
"Nope, I was kind of surprised myself. I really expected her to," she replied turning off the water and starting to dry the dishes. I walked over to help her, I figured since she was letting me stay here a while I might as well help.
"She's waiting until you go to school."
I turned around to see Holly putting her plate in the sink. "What?"
"Well, she knows your not going to come back unless she makes you. And if she goes anywhere looking for you, she won't find you whether shes got the right place or not," she said washing her plate and handing it to me to dry. I nodded, and she went on, "And, she knows your not stupid, and wont walk past your house to get to school. But, she does know, that you wouldn't skip school, without knowing for sure if she was coming. Even Billie wouldn't do that."
"So you think she's going to come get me from school today?" I asked putting her plate away.
"Whats your favourite class?"
"Social studies."
"Does she know that?"
"Well I hope, its the only one I actually have an A in.."
"Watch, five bucks says you get called to the office during social studies." With that, she got up and grabbed her bag to leave. "See ya, and please, be smarter than your mom! I'd like to see you again in this lifetime," she said walking out the door and going towards the high school that was in the opposite direction of the junior high, where Billie and I would go.
Billie was soon out of the shower and in the living room, looking for his notebook. He never carried a bag, just his notebook and a folded up paper in his pocket that was his homework. "Alright, we can't go out the front door cause your mom....so out my window," he muttered finally finding his notebook on the kitchen table.
We went back to his room and crawled out the window and through his neighbors yard. We went and got Tiff and I explained to them what Holly had said, and how most likely mom was going to come get me in social studies.
"Well, you know, Holly isnt always right..." Billie said sounding concerned.
"It wouldn't suprise me if it happened though. What she said made perfect sense," I replied watching my feet. "What do I do?"
Tiff ran in front of us and turned around so she was walking backwards ahead of us. "Well, we don't want to make any major plans until it actually happens. How about this, what period do you have social studies?"
"She has it fourth, right before lunch," Billie said quickly.
Tiff looked at him confused, still walking backwards. "What are you? A stalker???"
"No, stupid, he has social studies with me!"
"Oh ok," she said still looking at him suspiciously. "Well, how about this. If you get called to the office in fourth period, we'll meet you in the girls bathroom infront of Mrs. Townsend's room. Any objectives?"
"Objections," I corrected.
"Objections?"
"Umm, yeh. Ya see, the whole 'girls bathroom' thing, just might be a problem for me..." Billie said slightly annoyed.
"Psht, why? You can pull it off easy!" she said sounding serious. We just laughed and he shoved her and she almost fell backwards if I hadnt grabbed her arm. "Fine. Outside the girls bathroom."
"Ok, thats doable."
Fourth period came faster then I thought. And thats when Holly officially became a genius.
"So Magellan didnt actually sail around the world. One of his five ships did, but we just assume that-"
"Will miss Melissa Strawser report to junior high office please. Melissa Strawser." The intercom rang through the school like an empty bullet. I looked over at Billie who sat over a row and behind me. He waved me to go, so that when I left he could ask if he could use the restroom.
I got up slowly. My stomach was turning because I knew mom was there, and probably Dave, and just for laughs, Erin too.
I walked out of the room, and instead of turning right to go to the office, I turned left for the bathrooms, where Tiff was waiting for me.
"Where's Billie?"
"I think he was waiting until I left to ask," I answered looking behind me to make sure mom wasnt coming to retrieve me personally. But instead of seeing mom, Billie was jogging toward us a bit.
I was shot with questions then.
"Now what?"
"Are you gonna go?"
"What do we do?"
"Guys, quit, ok? The only logical thing to do is to skip school..." I said pointing to the doors behind us that led outside. We were on the far side of the building, which was kind of nice, so it would normally take me longer to get to the office.
"Yay!" Billie cheered jumping around like a little girl.
"I'm coming with," Tiff said with a smile.
"Fine fine, just dont get me caught or nothing, god," I said sarcastically. Tiff punched me in the arm and we walked out the double doors that led to the football field/track.
Me and Tiff turned to go to the road that we normally walked on every morning to get to school, but Billie grabbed our arms. "What the heck? You can't go that way!"
"Why not?" we said in unison.
"Because the elementary schools over there,and all day, there's atleast one group of annoying little kids at recess! We have to go this way." With that he pulled us the opposite direction which was towards the football field/track.
We got to the football field and turned so we were going through this weird old person neighbourhood.
"Hey did you guys see that new kid?" I asked as some old lady waved. She must not have many friends, or she has too many...I'm not sure...
"Yeah! He's really weird," Tiff said laughing a little.
"He seems kinda weird, he demanded everyone call him Flea or something," Billie said watching his feet as he walk, he was thinking something very important I guess.
"Oh my god, we leave school, so now you start thinking?" I said shoving him.
"Hey, shut up," he said with a smile. "I think loads while I'm in school, trust me."
"Alright, I'll consider that the next time you ask me what the capitol of Denmark is..."
"Wait, Denmark isnt a state!" Tiff said laughing.
"I meant Delaware!!!!" he yelled in defense. We were all laughing now, and stopped as we got to a busy intersection.
I sighed, "Well, we're not in school anymore, but what do we do now?"
"Well, I'm going to cut you some slack, seeing as you probably really stressed now from your mom," Tiff said rolling her eyes. "Your staying at Billies place for now right?"
"Yeah."
"And no ones at your house right now, right?"
"Yeah."
"So go get some clothes, maybe even your guitar, and move it all to Billie's house!"
"That's kinda a good idea aint it..." I said laughing.
"Yeah, just a little," she said jogging across the street and walking again. Billie was once again looking at his feet and thinking reeeaaaal hard.
Tiff must of noticed to, "What could you honestly be thinking about that could be worthy enough for the great brain of the Billie Joe Armstrong??"
He just looked up at her confused and we started laughing. "What are you thinkin??"
"Oh, I was just wondering how old you had to be to play at Gilman," he said with a shrug.
"I don't think they care about age, just how you sound. Why, are you thinking about starting a band?"
"Well, technically, I already have one."
I looked at him confused. Tiff did to, but I think hers was more of an 'oh my god, did he seriously just say technically?' sorta look.
"Me and Mike. He decided to take up bass a while back, and it sounds really awesome when we play together! Like, we'll just be playing random stuff, but it'll sound great!"
"I wanna hear!!!!!" Tiff whined.
"You've been thinking that for the last thrity minutes? How old you have to be to play at Gilman??" I said ignoring Tiff's comment.
"Well, if you haven't noticed, I'm short a drummer-"
"And a vocalist," I added, paying close attention. If he was going to start a band, he needed as much support from his friends he could get. Right?
"Well, actually...if all else fails, I could fill that part," he said quietly with a shrug.
Tiff busted out laughing. "You? Sing?"
"Hey, he kinda has a point. He's not that bad you know," I said with a smile. He was a good singer, but if you can think like Tiff, it would be kinda funny...
"Thanks," he said with a smile.
"Well, I hope you don't think very often, 'cause you get all shy and quiet and stuff," Tiff said poking his face. She must be bored. I can't think of any other reason why she would poke his face.
"It's called self consumed," he said wiping his face off as if she had put something on it when she poked him. Whats with him and big words all of a sudden? First technically, now self consumed?
She just looked at him like he was stupid, then carried on, "Well, I know this one guy, that knows this one guy, that knows this one guy..."
"Tiffany!!!"
"Dont call me that! In the end there ends up being this 7th grader named Al that can play drums really well."
"Seriously? Al who?" Billie said excitedly, apparently interested.
"Sobrante or something. Yeah, Al Sobrante," she said sounding like a detective or something. We were now in front of my yard and I walked up to the house and they followed. "And, like I said, he's a 7th grader. And we're 8th graders, 7th graders kinda do what ever you tell them to. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to join, just 'cause it means an 8th grader will be talking to him."
She was kinda right. All the younger people we're scared of people like us. Not because we were mean, but we were known for being weird. Like, telling them that we were Squirrel-hovah Witnessess or something. And that if you've witnessed a squirrel, you were considered one. And if you were a Squirrel-hovah Witness, you had to catch yourself on fire for exactly 22.8 seconds, no more or less, or you had to try again.
Apparently no 7th graders witnessed a squirrel before.
Anyways though, that wasn't the point at the moment. "When do you see him?" Billie asked, his mind racing apparently.
"Duh, he's in our lunch everyday," she said as if he was stupid.
"Perfect," he muttered grabbing my guitar and putting it in my case. "I'm stealing your guitar for revenge, shh dont tell," he half mumbled. I threw a sock at him, but he didnt notice, it just sat there on his back.
Tiff helped me pack up my clothes and Billie went and raided the refridgerator. After everything was packed up I went downstairs and decided to leave mom a note:
Lisa (Thats my mom, but I dont feel like calling her mom.)
I hope your having fun in the position your in, because I pretty much assumed it. Your probably living the greatest like with your sweet little Erin and your true love Dave. Life with my friends is great, tons better then here, but I guess that wouldn't be hard to do. I won't explain it to much though, for then you will think I'm having a wonderful life and come looking for me so you can ruin it. Even though it was kind of fun when you went to school and was looking for me. Don't expect any apoligizies from me, because I don't feel any shame.
Aunt Lyndi always said 'do what you can to live your life happy', and thats exactly what I'm doing.
Melissa
"Hey, some Lyndi Adamson person has called you a zillion times. Why does that seem familiar?" Billie said looking through the phone.
"Why are you going through her caller id???" Tiff asked taking the phone from him.
"Oh my god! I forgot about Lyndi!"
"You did?" Tiff asked laughing.
"Yes! She's probably scared shitless! Errg so many things are happening at once," I said throwing myself on the couch.
"That's the last time I look at your caller id. I do, and you go all phsyco on me," Billie said looking at me slightly frightened.
*Lyndi's POV*
"What the hell did you do Lisa???"
"I introduced her to Dave, and she flipped," my sister said defensively.
"Who is Dave?!" I don't know what she could have done to make May leave, but I probably would have done the same thing.
She just scowled, "He is my boyfriend at the moment!"
My eyes flew open, and I looked at her in shock. "What?!"
"Lyndi! I need to move on with life! And so does May, and she's just having a hard time doing it-"
"So she just walks into her house to see her mom with some guy and you expect her to be all cheery about it?? After what she went through with Jim? After he died with her right next to him??" I said standing up from the booth. We were at a coffee shop a few blocks away from the school.
"I would rather you not bring him up right now," she muttered quietly.
"See Lisa, all you do is think about yourself. When she walked into that house and found out he was your boyfriend, all the memories from that accident came flooding back to her most likely. From the car, to him trying to help her out of her seatbelt while they were upside down at the bottom of the hill, to him dying, right in front of her! But all you could think about was your brilliant boyfriend," I said throwing my hands up in the air.
*flashback, and mays pov*
"Where we goin' now daddy?"
"We're goin' home hun, you mom wants us home for supper," my dad said smiling through the rear view mirror at me. I always asked that as soon as we got in the car.
"Awww but I thought you said we could go to the park after we got back from gettin' mom's baby a present for when she's born?" I whined looking out the window.
"Well, I didnt expect the lines to be that long at the grocery store, and I didnt think your mother would be cooking right now," he said turning onto the bridge that went right to our town.
Right then though, a car hit us and pushed us off the road and over the metal railing. I cried in pain from the glass shattering all around me and I heard dad yell, probably from the steering wheel or even glass too, or both.
We finally stopped and we were upside down and I was laying on the floor (or the top of the car you might say) except I had the seatbelt all wrapped around my foot. I saw daddy come and help me though, and I smiled once I saw he was ok.
"You alright sport?" he said unwinding the seat belt. I sniffled and was crying from all the glass, but he smiled at me, trying to cheer me up. I couldn't help but smile to.
"I gots the glass all over me, but I'm still breathin'," I muttered. He always said something like that, I guess I just got it from him. I looked back up at him and he was still trying to get the seatbelt off my foot, but then another car came tumbling on us. It was a busy road up there, so someone must have been in the crash and fallen to. I heard him scream, and I felt him fall and land on me, but then I blacked, and dad was gone.
*back to present*
Now she was crying with her face in her hands. I rolled my eyes and got down right next to her. "You know what hurts the most right now? It's that your crying because you hate me for bringing him up, not because you hate yourself for motivating your own daughter to run away. She's told me that she considers me more of a mother then you."
With that she looked up and glared at me.
"That's why I'm going to go find her, and help her through this. Without you."
I opened my eyes and leaned up, squinting a little at the sunlight that was shining in. She started to walk out of the room, but Billie was still curled up in a ball on the floor. "Ollie?"
"Yes?"
"Umm, aren't you gonna wake Billie up? I mean, not to be mean or anything but...I dont know-"
She just smiled, "Well Melissa, he's not a real morning person. I gave up on waking him up in the moring in fourth grade!"
"Ahh, ok, makes sense," I laughed and nudged him with my foot a little as I walked by. He barely moved.
"You must be starving hun. You fell asleep before you ate last night, but I didn't want to wake you up," she said pulling out a chair and setting a plate of pancakes in front of me. "You do like pancakes right?"
"Yeah. Yeah thanks Mrs. Armstrong." She was right. I was really hungry. "Umm, do you think theres anyway I could maybe...I don't know...shower?"
"Yes of course. As soon as Holly gets out. You could probably borrow some of her clothes if you like," she said checking the bathroom to see if she was still there. "Unless you want to run across the street for some of yours.."
"No no, thats quite alright. Holly's will do," I said with a smile. She was laughing to, I knew she had been kidding.
"Well, Holly, Allen and Billie take showers in the mornings. And Allen already left, and Hollys almost done. So you could probably get in there before Billie gets up," she said smiling, offering another pancake. I just said thanks and walked over to the now empty bathroom.
"Hey did you want to borrow a shirt and some jeans?" Holly asked from a few doors down.
"Yeah, if you dont mind," I replied. She was only a couple years older then me. And she was really small.
"Ok, just a second." I heard her shuffle through some drawers, then she tossed me a black shirt and some jeans. "There ya go, and heres a towel. You might wanna hurry though. Once Billie gets up, hes in this whole 'zombie trance' thing. When we talk to him, he kinda blocks us out. He doesn't really wake up until he showers, so he's mainly sleep walking until he gets there."
I started laughing again and went in the bathroom to look, "Is there a way to lock the door?"
"Hmm," she mumbled coming in and looking also. She pointed to the metal thing on the door that was suppose to go into a loop on the trim, "Nope, broke a few years back I think. Me and mom will look out for ya though."
"Thanks," I mumbled slightly worried. It didnt take me long to shower though. I was in and out in no time. I got dressed and started attempting to towel dry my hair, and Billie suddenly walked in. I looked at him, wondering what he would do. His eyes were all squinty, either from just waking up or from the light in the bathroom. His hair was all messed up, and he had on a shirt and a pair of boxers. It was kinda creepy, she was right, he was like a zombie.....
"Umm...hi?" I said, wondering if he could understand me.
He just looked at me for a moment, "Err you Hollay?"
"No, she let me borrow a shirt and a pair of jeans."
"Oh," he mumbled a little, "Abbie?"
"No, Billie-"
"How der you no me name?! Hoo are you?!!"
"Billie! It's Melissa!" I said laughing.
He put one hand on the counter of the sink, and the other he ran his fingers through his hair a little, trying to think. Then he looked up and smiled. "Riiight. I remember. Ok now shoo cause I'm a takin' a shower."
I grabbed my clothes and walked out with no hesitation. The clock said it was 7:09, and we were suppose to be at school around 7:30. I looked out the window, and my house seemed lifeless. There was just our car parked outside the driveway. I bet my alarms going off and moms real pissed.
I smiled a little at the thought, but then remembered that she didnt know that I was here. Or atleast I didnt think she knew. I'd have to sneak out of his house, like go through the back or something. I was kind of wondering why she hadn't come and asked Ollie if I was here or not...
"Hey Ollie?"
"Yeah?"
I turned around now from the window, to see Holly looking at me from the table and Ollie washing some dishes. "Did my mom happen to call and see if I was here?"
"Nope, I was kind of surprised myself. I really expected her to," she replied turning off the water and starting to dry the dishes. I walked over to help her, I figured since she was letting me stay here a while I might as well help.
"She's waiting until you go to school."
I turned around to see Holly putting her plate in the sink. "What?"
"Well, she knows your not going to come back unless she makes you. And if she goes anywhere looking for you, she won't find you whether shes got the right place or not," she said washing her plate and handing it to me to dry. I nodded, and she went on, "And, she knows your not stupid, and wont walk past your house to get to school. But, she does know, that you wouldn't skip school, without knowing for sure if she was coming. Even Billie wouldn't do that."
"So you think she's going to come get me from school today?" I asked putting her plate away.
"Whats your favourite class?"
"Social studies."
"Does she know that?"
"Well I hope, its the only one I actually have an A in.."
"Watch, five bucks says you get called to the office during social studies." With that, she got up and grabbed her bag to leave. "See ya, and please, be smarter than your mom! I'd like to see you again in this lifetime," she said walking out the door and going towards the high school that was in the opposite direction of the junior high, where Billie and I would go.
Billie was soon out of the shower and in the living room, looking for his notebook. He never carried a bag, just his notebook and a folded up paper in his pocket that was his homework. "Alright, we can't go out the front door cause your mom....so out my window," he muttered finally finding his notebook on the kitchen table.
We went back to his room and crawled out the window and through his neighbors yard. We went and got Tiff and I explained to them what Holly had said, and how most likely mom was going to come get me in social studies.
"Well, you know, Holly isnt always right..." Billie said sounding concerned.
"It wouldn't suprise me if it happened though. What she said made perfect sense," I replied watching my feet. "What do I do?"
Tiff ran in front of us and turned around so she was walking backwards ahead of us. "Well, we don't want to make any major plans until it actually happens. How about this, what period do you have social studies?"
"She has it fourth, right before lunch," Billie said quickly.
Tiff looked at him confused, still walking backwards. "What are you? A stalker???"
"No, stupid, he has social studies with me!"
"Oh ok," she said still looking at him suspiciously. "Well, how about this. If you get called to the office in fourth period, we'll meet you in the girls bathroom infront of Mrs. Townsend's room. Any objectives?"
"Objections," I corrected.
"Objections?"
"Umm, yeh. Ya see, the whole 'girls bathroom' thing, just might be a problem for me..." Billie said slightly annoyed.
"Psht, why? You can pull it off easy!" she said sounding serious. We just laughed and he shoved her and she almost fell backwards if I hadnt grabbed her arm. "Fine. Outside the girls bathroom."
"Ok, thats doable."
Fourth period came faster then I thought. And thats when Holly officially became a genius.
"So Magellan didnt actually sail around the world. One of his five ships did, but we just assume that-"
"Will miss Melissa Strawser report to junior high office please. Melissa Strawser." The intercom rang through the school like an empty bullet. I looked over at Billie who sat over a row and behind me. He waved me to go, so that when I left he could ask if he could use the restroom.
I got up slowly. My stomach was turning because I knew mom was there, and probably Dave, and just for laughs, Erin too.
I walked out of the room, and instead of turning right to go to the office, I turned left for the bathrooms, where Tiff was waiting for me.
"Where's Billie?"
"I think he was waiting until I left to ask," I answered looking behind me to make sure mom wasnt coming to retrieve me personally. But instead of seeing mom, Billie was jogging toward us a bit.
I was shot with questions then.
"Now what?"
"Are you gonna go?"
"What do we do?"
"Guys, quit, ok? The only logical thing to do is to skip school..." I said pointing to the doors behind us that led outside. We were on the far side of the building, which was kind of nice, so it would normally take me longer to get to the office.
"Yay!" Billie cheered jumping around like a little girl.
"I'm coming with," Tiff said with a smile.
"Fine fine, just dont get me caught or nothing, god," I said sarcastically. Tiff punched me in the arm and we walked out the double doors that led to the football field/track.
Me and Tiff turned to go to the road that we normally walked on every morning to get to school, but Billie grabbed our arms. "What the heck? You can't go that way!"
"Why not?" we said in unison.
"Because the elementary schools over there,and all day, there's atleast one group of annoying little kids at recess! We have to go this way." With that he pulled us the opposite direction which was towards the football field/track.
We got to the football field and turned so we were going through this weird old person neighbourhood.
"Hey did you guys see that new kid?" I asked as some old lady waved. She must not have many friends, or she has too many...I'm not sure...
"Yeah! He's really weird," Tiff said laughing a little.
"He seems kinda weird, he demanded everyone call him Flea or something," Billie said watching his feet as he walk, he was thinking something very important I guess.
"Oh my god, we leave school, so now you start thinking?" I said shoving him.
"Hey, shut up," he said with a smile. "I think loads while I'm in school, trust me."
"Alright, I'll consider that the next time you ask me what the capitol of Denmark is..."
"Wait, Denmark isnt a state!" Tiff said laughing.
"I meant Delaware!!!!" he yelled in defense. We were all laughing now, and stopped as we got to a busy intersection.
I sighed, "Well, we're not in school anymore, but what do we do now?"
"Well, I'm going to cut you some slack, seeing as you probably really stressed now from your mom," Tiff said rolling her eyes. "Your staying at Billies place for now right?"
"Yeah."
"And no ones at your house right now, right?"
"Yeah."
"So go get some clothes, maybe even your guitar, and move it all to Billie's house!"
"That's kinda a good idea aint it..." I said laughing.
"Yeah, just a little," she said jogging across the street and walking again. Billie was once again looking at his feet and thinking reeeaaaal hard.
Tiff must of noticed to, "What could you honestly be thinking about that could be worthy enough for the great brain of the Billie Joe Armstrong??"
He just looked up at her confused and we started laughing. "What are you thinkin??"
"Oh, I was just wondering how old you had to be to play at Gilman," he said with a shrug.
"I don't think they care about age, just how you sound. Why, are you thinking about starting a band?"
"Well, technically, I already have one."
I looked at him confused. Tiff did to, but I think hers was more of an 'oh my god, did he seriously just say technically?' sorta look.
"Me and Mike. He decided to take up bass a while back, and it sounds really awesome when we play together! Like, we'll just be playing random stuff, but it'll sound great!"
"I wanna hear!!!!!" Tiff whined.
"You've been thinking that for the last thrity minutes? How old you have to be to play at Gilman??" I said ignoring Tiff's comment.
"Well, if you haven't noticed, I'm short a drummer-"
"And a vocalist," I added, paying close attention. If he was going to start a band, he needed as much support from his friends he could get. Right?
"Well, actually...if all else fails, I could fill that part," he said quietly with a shrug.
Tiff busted out laughing. "You? Sing?"
"Hey, he kinda has a point. He's not that bad you know," I said with a smile. He was a good singer, but if you can think like Tiff, it would be kinda funny...
"Thanks," he said with a smile.
"Well, I hope you don't think very often, 'cause you get all shy and quiet and stuff," Tiff said poking his face. She must be bored. I can't think of any other reason why she would poke his face.
"It's called self consumed," he said wiping his face off as if she had put something on it when she poked him. Whats with him and big words all of a sudden? First technically, now self consumed?
She just looked at him like he was stupid, then carried on, "Well, I know this one guy, that knows this one guy, that knows this one guy..."
"Tiffany!!!"
"Dont call me that! In the end there ends up being this 7th grader named Al that can play drums really well."
"Seriously? Al who?" Billie said excitedly, apparently interested.
"Sobrante or something. Yeah, Al Sobrante," she said sounding like a detective or something. We were now in front of my yard and I walked up to the house and they followed. "And, like I said, he's a 7th grader. And we're 8th graders, 7th graders kinda do what ever you tell them to. I'm sure he'd be more than happy to join, just 'cause it means an 8th grader will be talking to him."
She was kinda right. All the younger people we're scared of people like us. Not because we were mean, but we were known for being weird. Like, telling them that we were Squirrel-hovah Witnessess or something. And that if you've witnessed a squirrel, you were considered one. And if you were a Squirrel-hovah Witness, you had to catch yourself on fire for exactly 22.8 seconds, no more or less, or you had to try again.
Apparently no 7th graders witnessed a squirrel before.
Anyways though, that wasn't the point at the moment. "When do you see him?" Billie asked, his mind racing apparently.
"Duh, he's in our lunch everyday," she said as if he was stupid.
"Perfect," he muttered grabbing my guitar and putting it in my case. "I'm stealing your guitar for revenge, shh dont tell," he half mumbled. I threw a sock at him, but he didnt notice, it just sat there on his back.
Tiff helped me pack up my clothes and Billie went and raided the refridgerator. After everything was packed up I went downstairs and decided to leave mom a note:
Lisa (Thats my mom, but I dont feel like calling her mom.)
I hope your having fun in the position your in, because I pretty much assumed it. Your probably living the greatest like with your sweet little Erin and your true love Dave. Life with my friends is great, tons better then here, but I guess that wouldn't be hard to do. I won't explain it to much though, for then you will think I'm having a wonderful life and come looking for me so you can ruin it. Even though it was kind of fun when you went to school and was looking for me. Don't expect any apoligizies from me, because I don't feel any shame.
Aunt Lyndi always said 'do what you can to live your life happy', and thats exactly what I'm doing.
Melissa
"Hey, some Lyndi Adamson person has called you a zillion times. Why does that seem familiar?" Billie said looking through the phone.
"Why are you going through her caller id???" Tiff asked taking the phone from him.
"Oh my god! I forgot about Lyndi!"
"You did?" Tiff asked laughing.
"Yes! She's probably scared shitless! Errg so many things are happening at once," I said throwing myself on the couch.
"That's the last time I look at your caller id. I do, and you go all phsyco on me," Billie said looking at me slightly frightened.
*Lyndi's POV*
"What the hell did you do Lisa???"
"I introduced her to Dave, and she flipped," my sister said defensively.
"Who is Dave?!" I don't know what she could have done to make May leave, but I probably would have done the same thing.
She just scowled, "He is my boyfriend at the moment!"
My eyes flew open, and I looked at her in shock. "What?!"
"Lyndi! I need to move on with life! And so does May, and she's just having a hard time doing it-"
"So she just walks into her house to see her mom with some guy and you expect her to be all cheery about it?? After what she went through with Jim? After he died with her right next to him??" I said standing up from the booth. We were at a coffee shop a few blocks away from the school.
"I would rather you not bring him up right now," she muttered quietly.
"See Lisa, all you do is think about yourself. When she walked into that house and found out he was your boyfriend, all the memories from that accident came flooding back to her most likely. From the car, to him trying to help her out of her seatbelt while they were upside down at the bottom of the hill, to him dying, right in front of her! But all you could think about was your brilliant boyfriend," I said throwing my hands up in the air.
*flashback, and mays pov*
"Where we goin' now daddy?"
"We're goin' home hun, you mom wants us home for supper," my dad said smiling through the rear view mirror at me. I always asked that as soon as we got in the car.
"Awww but I thought you said we could go to the park after we got back from gettin' mom's baby a present for when she's born?" I whined looking out the window.
"Well, I didnt expect the lines to be that long at the grocery store, and I didnt think your mother would be cooking right now," he said turning onto the bridge that went right to our town.
Right then though, a car hit us and pushed us off the road and over the metal railing. I cried in pain from the glass shattering all around me and I heard dad yell, probably from the steering wheel or even glass too, or both.
We finally stopped and we were upside down and I was laying on the floor (or the top of the car you might say) except I had the seatbelt all wrapped around my foot. I saw daddy come and help me though, and I smiled once I saw he was ok.
"You alright sport?" he said unwinding the seat belt. I sniffled and was crying from all the glass, but he smiled at me, trying to cheer me up. I couldn't help but smile to.
"I gots the glass all over me, but I'm still breathin'," I muttered. He always said something like that, I guess I just got it from him. I looked back up at him and he was still trying to get the seatbelt off my foot, but then another car came tumbling on us. It was a busy road up there, so someone must have been in the crash and fallen to. I heard him scream, and I felt him fall and land on me, but then I blacked, and dad was gone.
*back to present*
Now she was crying with her face in her hands. I rolled my eyes and got down right next to her. "You know what hurts the most right now? It's that your crying because you hate me for bringing him up, not because you hate yourself for motivating your own daughter to run away. She's told me that she considers me more of a mother then you."
With that she looked up and glared at me.
"That's why I'm going to go find her, and help her through this. Without you."
