Sweet Children Come Out and Play, chapter 1
"Billie! What on earth are you doing!"
"Nothen... "
"I can see you are doing something... and it doesn't look good," Delphine said in lecturing manner.
"Well, I don't know but it has nothing to do with ear wax."
Delphine struggled not to burst out laughing as a smile crept into her face. "What the fuck does that have to do with anything? That tells me absolutely nothing and you need to shape up. Now get your hand out my underwear drawer!" she said in a drill sergeant manner.
"I was just looking for something!" he threw his hands up in the air. "And also, they're called panties."
"What! Why?"
"Because it sounds better."
"No, why where you looking for something in my panties, huuu?" Delphine folded her arms. Billie walked over to her and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her toward him. "That is not going to get you out of this!" she laughed.
"Oh, I think it just might!"
"Stop it you asshole!" she could not keep her herself from laughing and Delphine wrapped her arms around Billie's neck. He smiled and kissed her lips. "Well, maybe it'll work."
"So, what do you want to do today?"
"Oh, I don't know."
"Well, we could go to the mall or-"
"Oh yeah! Let's do that!"
Twenty minutes down the road, Billie stepped out of the car at Valley Faire Mall calling "Wait, wait, wait! Don't open your door! I'll get it!" And Billie ran to the other side of the car and turned the handle with one hand while taking hers with his other.
"My knight in shinny armor can open a door!" she cooed.
"Hey, well then that is all you are getting missy," he said as he threw his arms around her in a hug from behind.
"Billie, I can't walk like this!" she laughed.
"Oh really," and Billie let all of his body weight fall on top of her.
"AHH! Get off!"
"Fine, fine. Let's go!" and they both raced into the mall entrance at one corner of the parking garage. Billie Joe ran ahead.
"Wait!" Delphine cried out and stopped just in front of the Coca-Cola machine. "I want one," and she started to fumble around in her pockets from some change. Billie dug his hand into one of his back pockets and pulled a front one inside out.
"I got a quarter and a dime."
"Oh, I'll take that! Now I have enough!"
As Delphine was feeding her leftover nickels, dimes and Billie's one convenient quarter into the slot, a big group of skinny, skimpy dressed, identical looking girls marched up to where they were standing. Billie leaned against the machine, sort of out of view. One of the girls came up to her, "Move ova!"
"Hold on a second. I'm almost done."
All the other ditsy girls followed the lead; two of which did so while talking into cell phones. "Like, hurry up slut!" the one called from behind the first girl.
"Dude, I said I'm almost done," Delphine looked at the girl, annoyed.
The blond girl tilted her head and stuck her hands to her hips. "Look bitch, I'm in a hurry. I'm meeting my boyfriend in like one minute so like get lost!"
"What the hell is this bitches?" Billie leaned forward. "Why the fuck are you king of the castle?"
She rolled her eyes and flipped her head towards Billie, flashing her hair in an irritating manner that whipped Delphine in the face and a few of the girls around her. "Ohmygod, just stay out of-" and she stopped, recognizing Billie.
"OHMYGOD! BILLIE JOE!!!" all the girls seemed to scream at once.
Billie smiled and wrapped an arm around Delphine as she caught her Vanilla Coke as it popped out of the machine. "Get lost you fucking whores," he said with a hint of menus in his voice. Like he meant it. All of the snotty teeny boppers where left outside the mall doors with sour faces and an empty Coca-Cola machine. "Come on, Del. Let's you and me go where those whores won't find us."
Delphine smiled gratitude in her eyes. "I know where."
Billie and Delphine stopped first in Zumiez. Delphine ran inside, hand in hand with Billie. "I need a pair of shorts. Like board shorts I think." She picked out a black pair with a script Element logo going up the side and a white pair with green flowing down the leg in a flower and vine design.
Next door to Pac Sun was Hot Topic. "Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock!" Billie chanted skipping in through the archway door. "Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock!"
"Billie, cut that out."
A salesman at the front with orange hair waved. Delphine went over to the wall of shirts. She picked out a Nirvana girl's style shirt, a new one, not one that was faded in a cheap way to make it look old. This store was fairly good in not having too many of those. She found the same style in a Breaking Benjamin and a Seether shirt. Today was a good day so she decided to buy all three. She had been meaning to get them anyway. At least the Seether one since she found out they broke up. Very sad. Their last album was really a good one too.
Delphine looked over to Billie Joe who was staring at the jars of hair dye. He was so cute when he did not know you were looking at him. They had not been together for very long but she was sure about him. She felt like she could love him forever. It was a scary thing to think and she knew she shouldn't say that just yet. Delphine had known him since he was ten but something had come over her in the last three years that she could not explain. Suddenly, guys became more appealing and she realized this is what other women in the world would call "hot". Also, now she understood why one would want to be with another person on this level - be it a boy or a girl - and why on earth one would want to touch them, and strangest of all, to do what is needed to make a baby. Why would people have even the slightest urge to do that sort of disgusting thing?
Then that changed pretty damn quickly. Hugs no longer cut it. She had gotten hugs; with a boy named Adam from eighth grade. What happened in eighth grade followed her and she was stuck in love with him since then. But then one day, once upon a time, Billie - one of the guys she'd picked out as cute, someone she would look at as he passed in the hall and talked to when she could but never thought interested in her because no one else seemed to be - came up to her and asked her to the Homecoming dance senior year of high school. Something clicked since then.
Every so often she thought about getting married. Big step. It was something she had been looking forward to since she was little. She could not wait until her wedding day and be able to wear the puffy white princess dress she had always imagined. You see, it was something she had planed out in her head long ago but never had a person to fill the spot of the husband standing next to her. Maybe Billie Joe would be that someday. It was fun to think at least. Then they would have kids. She could do what she always wanted; just be a stay-at-home mom and have the children of the most beautiful man on earth. What could be better? But then perhaps she was getting carried away. She never wanted him to change.
While Delphine was reading all the sarcastic hilarious T-shirts on the other side of the wall, Billie ran back over to her side with a black leather bustiea with red ribbon trimming. He had a twinkle in his eye and raised his eyebrows at her as he pressed it forward. "You like?"
"NO!"
"Yes, you like!?"
"I love you Billie but I am not wearing that!"
"Please?"
"NO!"
"PLEASE!?" he put on a pouty face.
"Well... I mean no."
"You know you want to," he winked.
"Billie, I am not going up to the counter to buy that. If you want to then you can
go ahead."
"Maybe I will... "
"And you can wear it too!" she called after him as he sneaked away.
"I just might do that!"
Back in the food court, Billie went to get a stir fry at Great Khan's while Delphine found a table. Billie knew everything she liked so she trusted him with the food. Delphine sat down near two empty stools. A minute later, a very tall jock looking guy walked up to her. He sat down next to her saying, "Is this seat taken?"
"Actually, yes."
He did not seem to care, and, ignoring what she just said, tried to put an arm around her. She swatted him out of the way. "You busy later?"
"Yes, I am. With my fiancé!"
"That skinny pale guy?"
This made her angry, "Yes, that skinny pale guy now fuck off."
"Hey babe, come on, I was just kidd'n," he started as he leaned forward and tried to kiss her, grabbing her jaw and forcing her toward him.
"Shit! Stop it you fucking asshole!" she said slapping him across the face.
Just then Billie ran up and as the guy looked toward him, Billie slugged him clean across the face. The jock fell off his stool onto the floor cursing. He was bleeding out his nose. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE YOU SONOFABITCH!!!" Billie yelled as loud as he could. Delphine covered her mouth with her hand. Billie looked like a god bending over the guy a foot taller than he was. It was so hot she could have jumped him right there in the middle of the mall.
The jock got off the floor, confused and dazed and ran off toward his group of friends who were pointing and looking stupid. When he was out of sight, Billie turned back around to Delphine. "Uhh, sorry. Are you ok?"
"Billie that was one of the most romantic and hottest things I have ever seen in my life."
Billie smiled sheepishly. "Oh, well then... thank you." Delphine hopped over to him, put her arms around his waist and kissed him.
"Do you still want food?"
"Hmm... neh, we'll get something later."
"Oh look at that!" Delphine pointed to a large silver heart locket displayed of the store window. "It's beautiful."
"It'd look good on you. Well, anything looks beautiful on you," Billie said kissing her neck from behind.
Delphine smiled, "Well, that's very sweet but it's probably not going to happen. It's thirty bucks. I don't know. Not for one necklace."
"That's not going to stop us. Come on, let's go look," Billie took her hand and led her into the store. He marched up to the front counter, "Can we see that heart necklace in the window?" he asked the salesman. The man ran up to the window and came back, handing Billie the locket. Billie placed it around Delphine's neck as she moved her long brown and red striped hair out of the way.
"It's gorgeous," she said, looking longingly down at it. The long silver chain brought the heart down over across her breasts and it was as big as a small clam.
"We'll take it," Billie said suddenly.
"What?"
"I want you to have it," he said sweetly. The cashier happily went to ring up her purchase.
"Oh, Billie, I love it but that's way too much money."
"Nope. It's already yours," he said handing over thirty dollars, mostly in ones.
As the two reached the front of the store, Delphine jumped on Billie from behind in a massive hug. She kissed his cheek. "Thank you honey!" He laughed and turned her around to his front.
"Well, I guess I finally did something right."
"It's beautiful. I'll have to find two pictures to put in it now. You know what; let's go where you want to go now. Your turn."
"Well... anywhere?"
"Yep."
"Ok," Billie said rushing off in another direction of the mall. Their hands interlocked and swinging back and forth. He did not stop until they were inside the Sees Candies store.
"Chocolate Billie?"
"Yes! Lots of chocolate!" He bought a box of nuts and chews chocolates. As they walked out, Billie girlishly swung the bog over his shoulder.
"Ok, Billie, that doesn't count. Pick another place."
"It can count."
"But you know I'm gong to eat half of your chocolate!" she laughed.
"Well, hmm, that's more difficult now. What else do we need? Clothes, jewelry, chocolate... music! Let's go to Tower Records!"
"Ok!" And the two bounded off toward the closest Tower Records store. Once inside, Billie and Delphine ran straight for the same place; the punk/ rock/ metal section. Billie found the newest Nickleback and showed her. "These guys are funny but get them anyway."
"Oh, that should be good. I like that song Animals on it," she said with a giggle.
"Oh yeah. Me too," he winked at her.
"But I am not doing that to you on the way home!"
"Aww... "
"How about we just listen to the song." Delphine picked up another CD. Def Leppard, 'Yeah!'; it was their newest album. "This?"
"Ok!" and Billie started humming Photograph to himself. It was one of the first songs he learned and played with Mike when they were ten. Delphine knew Mike and Tre just as well.
After looking through the other records she spotted The Offspring pile. "Look Billie, I think I'll get Ignition. That's the only album of theirs I don't have."
"Sure."
Delphine went over to look at the posters. She pretty much knew what was there but enjoyed looking every time anyway. As she and Billie were laughing and giggling at the retro spoof poster with a bunch of sayings all on the Beer, Sex or Drugs?, a punky looking guy standing next to them turned around and almost dropped his coffee he was holding. Billie turned around, still laughing from the last saying about 'Internet Porn'. "Hey, dude, I know you. You played in that band - ah - Sweet Children. I saw you guys last week. You were damn good."
Billie shrugged, "Thanks man. I'm glad to hear it." Delphine knew he was more excited to here that than he let on.
"Dude, can I have a picture with you?"
"Really? Ok!"
"Is this your girlfriend?" he said looking to Delphine.
"Yep, this is Delphine." she said and stepped forward. "What's your name dude?"
"Jimmy!"
"Well, all right. Nice name!" Billie said.
"Hold on, just a second," Jimmy grabbed the nearest person. "Can you take a picture of us?"
It was a girl with teal stripped hair hung up in a pony tail. "Sure." She said, looking a little confused. Jimmy jumped behind Billie and Delphine, stretching his arms around both of their shoulders. The girl snapped one picture. Then, as she went to get another, Billie turned around and gave Jimmy a big kiss. The girl caught it with a second snap and she laughed too.
"Oh, I'm sorry Del," Billie said and then he pulled Delphine toward him and started Frenching her in the middle of the store. Jimmy cheered and the teal haired girl snapped another photo. When Billie let her tongue go he looked up, "Sorry, we're taking up your camera."
"It's good. What the hell." The girl gave back the camera and laughed. "Thanks man," Jimmy said walking away.
Billie Joe waved, "Bye." Then he turned to Delphine. "Man, that's awesome. Someone actually remembered me!" Delphine gave him a hug.
"I know. That was pretty awesome!"
"And I think he was actually serious too."
"Hey, one day, when you guys are all millionaires, he'll feel like the luckiest man alive."
"Ha! Yeah, like that'll happen anytime soon," he said sarcastically.
Finally, Billie and Delphine were able to pay for their things and get back to the mall. "Where to now?" Billie asked.
"Umm... let's go look in the Swarovski crystal place. I just like to look."
"Whatever."
Delphine looked at the sparkling things from outside the window. "Let's go in," Billie prodded. He led her over to a glass case with a studded tiara in it. "I think you need this for our date?"
"Damn Billie! You just have good taste. This is the one I picked out last year. It's just so fucking expensive and I'm only going to use it once. Plus, I think it would be more suitable for a wedding."
"Well, I don't know about that. There's a use for everything in the bedroom."
Delphine hit him in the arm. "Shush Billie!" she laughed in a hushed tone. "We are in a very sophisticated store apparently. Try to be a gentleman."
"I am always a gentleman. You just have to look for it."
"I know, some people just don't see it right away," she kissed him.
"Seriously though, I'm damn sexy. If anyone says otherwise then they're just
jealous."
"I know your sexy Billie. I love you," she shook her head at him.
"Aww... enough to strip for me?"
"No."
"Please? I mean, I love you too!"
"We are in the mall, Billie. Remember?" Delphine was still staring at the tiara in the glass case. She was sure the salespeople in the store were wondering what on earth they were doing in there and why the hell they were taking so long. For the first time being in there, she could care less. It was probably Billie's fault. When she was with him, she felt her shyness leak away; replaced by another kind of leaking. "Ok, let's go to... the movies!"
"Sure. What do you want to see?"
"The Omen... or how about X-Men."
"You've already seen that."
"I know... I'm not going to have much of a chance to watch it with you around."
"Hmm, sounds good to me - let's go."
After the movie, which was mostly spent with eyes closed and tongues in each other's mouths, Delphine looked at the clock inside her cell phone. "Damn, it's already eleven! Everything is closed so what should we do?"
"Let's go to my place."
"Ok."
Billie Joe and Delphine took their time wandering through the mall on the way to the car. Most of the stores where completely closed down and the gates drawn down the front so that the only way one could tell which store it was which was by the name above it hidden in the dark. Other stores were still lit from within as the owners had not left but a closed sign hung on every window. When they reached the parking lot, passing by the empty Coke machine again where the bitchy little girls had stormed them (quite a memorable part of the day Delphine thought), and were able to see their car straight ahead now that all the other's had left. His car was what Delphine's mother would call a shitbox car - from her experience driving many of them in her lifetime. Delphine on the other hand had no car so all that really mattered was Billie's worked.
When Billie pulled into the garage of his house, after listening and singing along to some old Def Leppard all the way home, Billie opened Delphine's door again and led her into the house. His home was pretty small and nothing out of the ordinary inside but it was homey. That's what Delphine loved about him. That and his beautiful face (though it sounds shallow). No one ever seemed to be at home and again they had the house to themselves.
Billie pulled Delphine in by the hand into the living room. "Want to watch a movie?"
"Yeah," she said plopping down on the couch. Billie grabbed the remote and fell down next to her side. He pretended to yawn and reached an arm around her as the TV clicked on. Delphine laughed silently at him but obliged. She encircled her arms around his middle.
Billie smiled and began flipping through channels. "What's on at 12 at night?"
"Oh, how about Inked or Miami Ink? Or something."
"Here, Inked is on."
"I love this show. Don't get to watch it much though." She didn't have cable.
A rapper was on first in the show. He had quite a few tattoos already and was getting the name of his band inked across his back. He lived in Oakland too.
"I still wish I had my tattoo."
"Which one?"
"The heart grenade I showed you. I'll have to wait another year if I want to get it. Mom would never agree."
"Oh yeah. I like that design."
"You know you should show the guys that song. She's a Rebel. I think they would like it."
"Maybe one day. You still want the tattoo?"
"Oh, I would love it. Can't wait until I can."
"Hmmm... " Billie made a sound with his lips. "I think I know how you could."
"Really?!"
"I can ask one guy who has done a couple things on me. I'm legal now but he did it before that. He could do it. Doesn't agree with the underage law. It would just be under the table."
"That would be great. I get hair cuts from Jeanie that way... and Jennifer who did the strips in my hair."
"Cool, and some places will do the tattoo on someone younger than eighteen anyway. They usually don't but if I asked I think he would. You're seventeen. Close enough."
"And you'll come with me?"
"Of course."
"Awesome! When can we ask?"
"I'll call tomorrow."
"Nothen... "
"I can see you are doing something... and it doesn't look good," Delphine said in lecturing manner.
"Well, I don't know but it has nothing to do with ear wax."
Delphine struggled not to burst out laughing as a smile crept into her face. "What the fuck does that have to do with anything? That tells me absolutely nothing and you need to shape up. Now get your hand out my underwear drawer!" she said in a drill sergeant manner.
"I was just looking for something!" he threw his hands up in the air. "And also, they're called panties."
"What! Why?"
"Because it sounds better."
"No, why where you looking for something in my panties, huuu?" Delphine folded her arms. Billie walked over to her and wrapped his hands around her waist, pulling her toward him. "That is not going to get you out of this!" she laughed.
"Oh, I think it just might!"
"Stop it you asshole!" she could not keep her herself from laughing and Delphine wrapped her arms around Billie's neck. He smiled and kissed her lips. "Well, maybe it'll work."
"So, what do you want to do today?"
"Oh, I don't know."
"Well, we could go to the mall or-"
"Oh yeah! Let's do that!"
Twenty minutes down the road, Billie stepped out of the car at Valley Faire Mall calling "Wait, wait, wait! Don't open your door! I'll get it!" And Billie ran to the other side of the car and turned the handle with one hand while taking hers with his other.
"My knight in shinny armor can open a door!" she cooed.
"Hey, well then that is all you are getting missy," he said as he threw his arms around her in a hug from behind.
"Billie, I can't walk like this!" she laughed.
"Oh really," and Billie let all of his body weight fall on top of her.
"AHH! Get off!"
"Fine, fine. Let's go!" and they both raced into the mall entrance at one corner of the parking garage. Billie Joe ran ahead.
"Wait!" Delphine cried out and stopped just in front of the Coca-Cola machine. "I want one," and she started to fumble around in her pockets from some change. Billie dug his hand into one of his back pockets and pulled a front one inside out.
"I got a quarter and a dime."
"Oh, I'll take that! Now I have enough!"
As Delphine was feeding her leftover nickels, dimes and Billie's one convenient quarter into the slot, a big group of skinny, skimpy dressed, identical looking girls marched up to where they were standing. Billie leaned against the machine, sort of out of view. One of the girls came up to her, "Move ova!"
"Hold on a second. I'm almost done."
All the other ditsy girls followed the lead; two of which did so while talking into cell phones. "Like, hurry up slut!" the one called from behind the first girl.
"Dude, I said I'm almost done," Delphine looked at the girl, annoyed.
The blond girl tilted her head and stuck her hands to her hips. "Look bitch, I'm in a hurry. I'm meeting my boyfriend in like one minute so like get lost!"
"What the hell is this bitches?" Billie leaned forward. "Why the fuck are you king of the castle?"
She rolled her eyes and flipped her head towards Billie, flashing her hair in an irritating manner that whipped Delphine in the face and a few of the girls around her. "Ohmygod, just stay out of-" and she stopped, recognizing Billie.
"OHMYGOD! BILLIE JOE!!!" all the girls seemed to scream at once.
Billie smiled and wrapped an arm around Delphine as she caught her Vanilla Coke as it popped out of the machine. "Get lost you fucking whores," he said with a hint of menus in his voice. Like he meant it. All of the snotty teeny boppers where left outside the mall doors with sour faces and an empty Coca-Cola machine. "Come on, Del. Let's you and me go where those whores won't find us."
Delphine smiled gratitude in her eyes. "I know where."
Billie and Delphine stopped first in Zumiez. Delphine ran inside, hand in hand with Billie. "I need a pair of shorts. Like board shorts I think." She picked out a black pair with a script Element logo going up the side and a white pair with green flowing down the leg in a flower and vine design.
Next door to Pac Sun was Hot Topic. "Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock!" Billie chanted skipping in through the archway door. "Hot Topic Is Not Punk Rock!"
"Billie, cut that out."
A salesman at the front with orange hair waved. Delphine went over to the wall of shirts. She picked out a Nirvana girl's style shirt, a new one, not one that was faded in a cheap way to make it look old. This store was fairly good in not having too many of those. She found the same style in a Breaking Benjamin and a Seether shirt. Today was a good day so she decided to buy all three. She had been meaning to get them anyway. At least the Seether one since she found out they broke up. Very sad. Their last album was really a good one too.
Delphine looked over to Billie Joe who was staring at the jars of hair dye. He was so cute when he did not know you were looking at him. They had not been together for very long but she was sure about him. She felt like she could love him forever. It was a scary thing to think and she knew she shouldn't say that just yet. Delphine had known him since he was ten but something had come over her in the last three years that she could not explain. Suddenly, guys became more appealing and she realized this is what other women in the world would call "hot". Also, now she understood why one would want to be with another person on this level - be it a boy or a girl - and why on earth one would want to touch them, and strangest of all, to do what is needed to make a baby. Why would people have even the slightest urge to do that sort of disgusting thing?
Then that changed pretty damn quickly. Hugs no longer cut it. She had gotten hugs; with a boy named Adam from eighth grade. What happened in eighth grade followed her and she was stuck in love with him since then. But then one day, once upon a time, Billie - one of the guys she'd picked out as cute, someone she would look at as he passed in the hall and talked to when she could but never thought interested in her because no one else seemed to be - came up to her and asked her to the Homecoming dance senior year of high school. Something clicked since then.
Every so often she thought about getting married. Big step. It was something she had been looking forward to since she was little. She could not wait until her wedding day and be able to wear the puffy white princess dress she had always imagined. You see, it was something she had planed out in her head long ago but never had a person to fill the spot of the husband standing next to her. Maybe Billie Joe would be that someday. It was fun to think at least. Then they would have kids. She could do what she always wanted; just be a stay-at-home mom and have the children of the most beautiful man on earth. What could be better? But then perhaps she was getting carried away. She never wanted him to change.
While Delphine was reading all the sarcastic hilarious T-shirts on the other side of the wall, Billie ran back over to her side with a black leather bustiea with red ribbon trimming. He had a twinkle in his eye and raised his eyebrows at her as he pressed it forward. "You like?"
"NO!"
"Yes, you like!?"
"I love you Billie but I am not wearing that!"
"Please?"
"NO!"
"PLEASE!?" he put on a pouty face.
"Well... I mean no."
"You know you want to," he winked.
"Billie, I am not going up to the counter to buy that. If you want to then you can
go ahead."
"Maybe I will... "
"And you can wear it too!" she called after him as he sneaked away.
"I just might do that!"
Back in the food court, Billie went to get a stir fry at Great Khan's while Delphine found a table. Billie knew everything she liked so she trusted him with the food. Delphine sat down near two empty stools. A minute later, a very tall jock looking guy walked up to her. He sat down next to her saying, "Is this seat taken?"
"Actually, yes."
He did not seem to care, and, ignoring what she just said, tried to put an arm around her. She swatted him out of the way. "You busy later?"
"Yes, I am. With my fiancé!"
"That skinny pale guy?"
This made her angry, "Yes, that skinny pale guy now fuck off."
"Hey babe, come on, I was just kidd'n," he started as he leaned forward and tried to kiss her, grabbing her jaw and forcing her toward him.
"Shit! Stop it you fucking asshole!" she said slapping him across the face.
Just then Billie ran up and as the guy looked toward him, Billie slugged him clean across the face. The jock fell off his stool onto the floor cursing. He was bleeding out his nose. "GET THE FUCK OUT OF HERE YOU SONOFABITCH!!!" Billie yelled as loud as he could. Delphine covered her mouth with her hand. Billie looked like a god bending over the guy a foot taller than he was. It was so hot she could have jumped him right there in the middle of the mall.
The jock got off the floor, confused and dazed and ran off toward his group of friends who were pointing and looking stupid. When he was out of sight, Billie turned back around to Delphine. "Uhh, sorry. Are you ok?"
"Billie that was one of the most romantic and hottest things I have ever seen in my life."
Billie smiled sheepishly. "Oh, well then... thank you." Delphine hopped over to him, put her arms around his waist and kissed him.
"Do you still want food?"
"Hmm... neh, we'll get something later."
"Oh look at that!" Delphine pointed to a large silver heart locket displayed of the store window. "It's beautiful."
"It'd look good on you. Well, anything looks beautiful on you," Billie said kissing her neck from behind.
Delphine smiled, "Well, that's very sweet but it's probably not going to happen. It's thirty bucks. I don't know. Not for one necklace."
"That's not going to stop us. Come on, let's go look," Billie took her hand and led her into the store. He marched up to the front counter, "Can we see that heart necklace in the window?" he asked the salesman. The man ran up to the window and came back, handing Billie the locket. Billie placed it around Delphine's neck as she moved her long brown and red striped hair out of the way.
"It's gorgeous," she said, looking longingly down at it. The long silver chain brought the heart down over across her breasts and it was as big as a small clam.
"We'll take it," Billie said suddenly.
"What?"
"I want you to have it," he said sweetly. The cashier happily went to ring up her purchase.
"Oh, Billie, I love it but that's way too much money."
"Nope. It's already yours," he said handing over thirty dollars, mostly in ones.
As the two reached the front of the store, Delphine jumped on Billie from behind in a massive hug. She kissed his cheek. "Thank you honey!" He laughed and turned her around to his front.
"Well, I guess I finally did something right."
"It's beautiful. I'll have to find two pictures to put in it now. You know what; let's go where you want to go now. Your turn."
"Well... anywhere?"
"Yep."
"Ok," Billie said rushing off in another direction of the mall. Their hands interlocked and swinging back and forth. He did not stop until they were inside the Sees Candies store.
"Chocolate Billie?"
"Yes! Lots of chocolate!" He bought a box of nuts and chews chocolates. As they walked out, Billie girlishly swung the bog over his shoulder.
"Ok, Billie, that doesn't count. Pick another place."
"It can count."
"But you know I'm gong to eat half of your chocolate!" she laughed.
"Well, hmm, that's more difficult now. What else do we need? Clothes, jewelry, chocolate... music! Let's go to Tower Records!"
"Ok!" And the two bounded off toward the closest Tower Records store. Once inside, Billie and Delphine ran straight for the same place; the punk/ rock/ metal section. Billie found the newest Nickleback and showed her. "These guys are funny but get them anyway."
"Oh, that should be good. I like that song Animals on it," she said with a giggle.
"Oh yeah. Me too," he winked at her.
"But I am not doing that to you on the way home!"
"Aww... "
"How about we just listen to the song." Delphine picked up another CD. Def Leppard, 'Yeah!'; it was their newest album. "This?"
"Ok!" and Billie started humming Photograph to himself. It was one of the first songs he learned and played with Mike when they were ten. Delphine knew Mike and Tre just as well.
After looking through the other records she spotted The Offspring pile. "Look Billie, I think I'll get Ignition. That's the only album of theirs I don't have."
"Sure."
Delphine went over to look at the posters. She pretty much knew what was there but enjoyed looking every time anyway. As she and Billie were laughing and giggling at the retro spoof poster with a bunch of sayings all on the Beer, Sex or Drugs?, a punky looking guy standing next to them turned around and almost dropped his coffee he was holding. Billie turned around, still laughing from the last saying about 'Internet Porn'. "Hey, dude, I know you. You played in that band - ah - Sweet Children. I saw you guys last week. You were damn good."
Billie shrugged, "Thanks man. I'm glad to hear it." Delphine knew he was more excited to here that than he let on.
"Dude, can I have a picture with you?"
"Really? Ok!"
"Is this your girlfriend?" he said looking to Delphine.
"Yep, this is Delphine." she said and stepped forward. "What's your name dude?"
"Jimmy!"
"Well, all right. Nice name!" Billie said.
"Hold on, just a second," Jimmy grabbed the nearest person. "Can you take a picture of us?"
It was a girl with teal stripped hair hung up in a pony tail. "Sure." She said, looking a little confused. Jimmy jumped behind Billie and Delphine, stretching his arms around both of their shoulders. The girl snapped one picture. Then, as she went to get another, Billie turned around and gave Jimmy a big kiss. The girl caught it with a second snap and she laughed too.
"Oh, I'm sorry Del," Billie said and then he pulled Delphine toward him and started Frenching her in the middle of the store. Jimmy cheered and the teal haired girl snapped another photo. When Billie let her tongue go he looked up, "Sorry, we're taking up your camera."
"It's good. What the hell." The girl gave back the camera and laughed. "Thanks man," Jimmy said walking away.
Billie Joe waved, "Bye." Then he turned to Delphine. "Man, that's awesome. Someone actually remembered me!" Delphine gave him a hug.
"I know. That was pretty awesome!"
"And I think he was actually serious too."
"Hey, one day, when you guys are all millionaires, he'll feel like the luckiest man alive."
"Ha! Yeah, like that'll happen anytime soon," he said sarcastically.
Finally, Billie and Delphine were able to pay for their things and get back to the mall. "Where to now?" Billie asked.
"Umm... let's go look in the Swarovski crystal place. I just like to look."
"Whatever."
Delphine looked at the sparkling things from outside the window. "Let's go in," Billie prodded. He led her over to a glass case with a studded tiara in it. "I think you need this for our date?"
"Damn Billie! You just have good taste. This is the one I picked out last year. It's just so fucking expensive and I'm only going to use it once. Plus, I think it would be more suitable for a wedding."
"Well, I don't know about that. There's a use for everything in the bedroom."
Delphine hit him in the arm. "Shush Billie!" she laughed in a hushed tone. "We are in a very sophisticated store apparently. Try to be a gentleman."
"I am always a gentleman. You just have to look for it."
"I know, some people just don't see it right away," she kissed him.
"Seriously though, I'm damn sexy. If anyone says otherwise then they're just
jealous."
"I know your sexy Billie. I love you," she shook her head at him.
"Aww... enough to strip for me?"
"No."
"Please? I mean, I love you too!"
"We are in the mall, Billie. Remember?" Delphine was still staring at the tiara in the glass case. She was sure the salespeople in the store were wondering what on earth they were doing in there and why the hell they were taking so long. For the first time being in there, she could care less. It was probably Billie's fault. When she was with him, she felt her shyness leak away; replaced by another kind of leaking. "Ok, let's go to... the movies!"
"Sure. What do you want to see?"
"The Omen... or how about X-Men."
"You've already seen that."
"I know... I'm not going to have much of a chance to watch it with you around."
"Hmm, sounds good to me - let's go."
After the movie, which was mostly spent with eyes closed and tongues in each other's mouths, Delphine looked at the clock inside her cell phone. "Damn, it's already eleven! Everything is closed so what should we do?"
"Let's go to my place."
"Ok."
Billie Joe and Delphine took their time wandering through the mall on the way to the car. Most of the stores where completely closed down and the gates drawn down the front so that the only way one could tell which store it was which was by the name above it hidden in the dark. Other stores were still lit from within as the owners had not left but a closed sign hung on every window. When they reached the parking lot, passing by the empty Coke machine again where the bitchy little girls had stormed them (quite a memorable part of the day Delphine thought), and were able to see their car straight ahead now that all the other's had left. His car was what Delphine's mother would call a shitbox car - from her experience driving many of them in her lifetime. Delphine on the other hand had no car so all that really mattered was Billie's worked.
When Billie pulled into the garage of his house, after listening and singing along to some old Def Leppard all the way home, Billie opened Delphine's door again and led her into the house. His home was pretty small and nothing out of the ordinary inside but it was homey. That's what Delphine loved about him. That and his beautiful face (though it sounds shallow). No one ever seemed to be at home and again they had the house to themselves.
Billie pulled Delphine in by the hand into the living room. "Want to watch a movie?"
"Yeah," she said plopping down on the couch. Billie grabbed the remote and fell down next to her side. He pretended to yawn and reached an arm around her as the TV clicked on. Delphine laughed silently at him but obliged. She encircled her arms around his middle.
Billie smiled and began flipping through channels. "What's on at 12 at night?"
"Oh, how about Inked or Miami Ink? Or something."
"Here, Inked is on."
"I love this show. Don't get to watch it much though." She didn't have cable.
A rapper was on first in the show. He had quite a few tattoos already and was getting the name of his band inked across his back. He lived in Oakland too.
"I still wish I had my tattoo."
"Which one?"
"The heart grenade I showed you. I'll have to wait another year if I want to get it. Mom would never agree."
"Oh yeah. I like that design."
"You know you should show the guys that song. She's a Rebel. I think they would like it."
"Maybe one day. You still want the tattoo?"
"Oh, I would love it. Can't wait until I can."
"Hmmm... " Billie made a sound with his lips. "I think I know how you could."
"Really?!"
"I can ask one guy who has done a couple things on me. I'm legal now but he did it before that. He could do it. Doesn't agree with the underage law. It would just be under the table."
"That would be great. I get hair cuts from Jeanie that way... and Jennifer who did the strips in my hair."
"Cool, and some places will do the tattoo on someone younger than eighteen anyway. They usually don't but if I asked I think he would. You're seventeen. Close enough."
"And you'll come with me?"
"Of course."
"Awesome! When can we ask?"
"I'll call tomorrow."
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