What Did I Ever Do To You?, chapter 3
So, I decided this would be a great time to call Billie and Mike back. Figuring Mike hadn't left Billie's house yet, I left this message when nobody picked up:
"Hey Billie and Mike, I'm gonna come over soon. I have to tell you guys something really important. Don't call back. Thanks, see ya soon!"
I hung up, and decided to wait 15 minutes before actually starting to walk over to Billie's house. Meanwhile, I decided to take a quick shower. By the time I got out, I heard muffled groans and moans coming from my dad's room. I knew exactly who it was and what they were doing, and if I was to open the door, I would be kicked out of the house for another week.
I blow-dried my hair, put some eyeliner on, a bit of lip gloss, put my old t-shirt and jeans back on that I had on earlier, and started the walk back to Billie's house.
When I got there, I saw Mike leaving, and so I pulled him back into the house, because I wanted to tell him too.
"But I don't wanna go back! I've been stuck in that dump for 3 whole days!" Mike whined.
"Well then you won't mind another 10 minutes, would you? Come on, didn't you get my message?" I asked.
"What message?"
"Nevermind..." I said as I walked through the door. It seemed as if nobody was home.
"BILLIE! GET DOWN HERE NOW!" I yelled, and in 3 seconds, Billie was racing down the steps, looking flushed.
"What?" he asked.
"Sit." I said, motioning for both of them to sit down at the kitchen table.
"Alright, so I ask again, what?" Billie said, a smile on his face.
"I got a letter in the mail today."
"Whoop-de-doo. Good for you, Holly! You know, not many people write to me, either." Mike joked.
"Shut up, Mike. Anyway, it's just not any letter, it's THE letter!" I said, jumping up and down a bit.
"I still don't get it, what's so important about a letter?" Billie said this time.
"Let me explain. You know how, after high school, how you can apply to go to another school to get more education?" I said as though I were talking to 3rd graders.
"Yes, Ms. Holly," Billie said like a little boy being punished.
"Anyway, well, one of the colleges wrote me back and said that I WAS ACCEPTED!" I practically screamed, and both Billie and Mike looked at me like I was crazy.
"So?" Mike said.
"You're not actually going to go, are you?" Billie said at the same time.
"What do you mean so?" I said to Mike. "And, yes I am actually going to go. It's the University of Michigan! You know, it's obviously in Michigan, and it's a really great school and--" but I was cut off.
"YOU CAN'T SERIOUSLY GO TO A NOTHING STATE LIKE MICHIGAN FOR FOUR YEARS AND DESERT US!" Billie burst out, getting up out of his chair to stand in front of me. The sad thing was, he was 5'7", or 5 feet and 7 inches, tall and I was only 5'3", which gave him a good advantage on me, which didn't help. Of course, I knew he wasn't going to hit me, and if he did, it wouldn't be something new anyway.
"Yes, I can, Billie Joe Armstrong, and there's nothing you could do." I said. Then I turned to Mike and said, "You know, I thought you'd be happy that I was out there, making something of myself, instead of you two who are just dreaming on a band that may not work. At least after college I have education and I can get a job in a lot more places you could if the band flops. Have fun with the rest of your lives if you never want to see me again." and then I turned on my heel and walked straight to the door. But, as my luck would have it, as soon as I put my hand around the doorknob, Billie's hand encircled mine.
"No, I didn't mean it that way. We are happy for you, it's just... We don't want you to leave us." Billie said, and I noticed he kept saying 'we', as in Mike and him, but Mike was nowhere near where we were in the house.
And it was then I gave him a very tight hug. I smiled as he hugged me back, just as tight. Then Mike came into the room, apparently listening behind a wall, and looking very concerned. I let go of Billie and gave him another hug, which was a bit harder, because he was even taller than Billie, so I had to stand on my toes and he had to lean down just a bit.
"Thanks, guys." I said, still smiling.
***
August, 1988
"Holly, you do know, that if ANYTHING happens in there, anything at all, you can call us at Billie's house and we'd be there as soon as we possibly can, alright?" Mike was saying to me as they waited with me at the airport because, as usual, my dad wasn't there, so Billie had to drive me in his mom's car, and Mike insisted on going along, not that I wouldn't want him there.
"Yes, Mike, you've told me about 10 times already." I said, sighing. "I'm just worried. I've never been on a plane before. What if I do something wrong? What if I get on the wrong plane, and end up somewhere in Europe? What if --" yet again, I was cut off.
"You'll be fine, Holly, don't worry. Remember, you're the smart one out of the three of us. It's more likely WE'D be the one's stuck in Europe with no way to contact you because we're all the way across a country AND the Pacific Ocean." Billie said. I laughed.
"Billie, the Atlantic Ocean is on the east coast between us and Europe. The Pacific is the one off the bay." I said, still laughing.
"See! That's why YOU'RE the smart one!" Billie said, laughing with me as well.
"Flight 26, please board through the east terminal gate." said a voice over the intercom.
"Well, that's me." I said, standing up and hauling my two bags full of luggage - the only possessions I had.
"Bye, Holly! You'll be top of your class in college, I know it!" Mike said, smiling and waving as I was walking away.
"Yeah, and have fun! Don't forget to call us, on the college's expense!" Billie said, smirking and waving too.
I waved back, "And don't forget about me, alright?!" I said back, as more distance was increasing between us.
"We won't!" Billie and Mike said at the same time.
I smiled and turned to the lady at the gate opening, handing her my ticket.
"Hey Billie and Mike, I'm gonna come over soon. I have to tell you guys something really important. Don't call back. Thanks, see ya soon!"
I hung up, and decided to wait 15 minutes before actually starting to walk over to Billie's house. Meanwhile, I decided to take a quick shower. By the time I got out, I heard muffled groans and moans coming from my dad's room. I knew exactly who it was and what they were doing, and if I was to open the door, I would be kicked out of the house for another week.
I blow-dried my hair, put some eyeliner on, a bit of lip gloss, put my old t-shirt and jeans back on that I had on earlier, and started the walk back to Billie's house.
When I got there, I saw Mike leaving, and so I pulled him back into the house, because I wanted to tell him too.
"But I don't wanna go back! I've been stuck in that dump for 3 whole days!" Mike whined.
"Well then you won't mind another 10 minutes, would you? Come on, didn't you get my message?" I asked.
"What message?"
"Nevermind..." I said as I walked through the door. It seemed as if nobody was home.
"BILLIE! GET DOWN HERE NOW!" I yelled, and in 3 seconds, Billie was racing down the steps, looking flushed.
"What?" he asked.
"Sit." I said, motioning for both of them to sit down at the kitchen table.
"Alright, so I ask again, what?" Billie said, a smile on his face.
"I got a letter in the mail today."
"Whoop-de-doo. Good for you, Holly! You know, not many people write to me, either." Mike joked.
"Shut up, Mike. Anyway, it's just not any letter, it's THE letter!" I said, jumping up and down a bit.
"I still don't get it, what's so important about a letter?" Billie said this time.
"Let me explain. You know how, after high school, how you can apply to go to another school to get more education?" I said as though I were talking to 3rd graders.
"Yes, Ms. Holly," Billie said like a little boy being punished.
"Anyway, well, one of the colleges wrote me back and said that I WAS ACCEPTED!" I practically screamed, and both Billie and Mike looked at me like I was crazy.
"So?" Mike said.
"You're not actually going to go, are you?" Billie said at the same time.
"What do you mean so?" I said to Mike. "And, yes I am actually going to go. It's the University of Michigan! You know, it's obviously in Michigan, and it's a really great school and--" but I was cut off.
"YOU CAN'T SERIOUSLY GO TO A NOTHING STATE LIKE MICHIGAN FOR FOUR YEARS AND DESERT US!" Billie burst out, getting up out of his chair to stand in front of me. The sad thing was, he was 5'7", or 5 feet and 7 inches, tall and I was only 5'3", which gave him a good advantage on me, which didn't help. Of course, I knew he wasn't going to hit me, and if he did, it wouldn't be something new anyway.
"Yes, I can, Billie Joe Armstrong, and there's nothing you could do." I said. Then I turned to Mike and said, "You know, I thought you'd be happy that I was out there, making something of myself, instead of you two who are just dreaming on a band that may not work. At least after college I have education and I can get a job in a lot more places you could if the band flops. Have fun with the rest of your lives if you never want to see me again." and then I turned on my heel and walked straight to the door. But, as my luck would have it, as soon as I put my hand around the doorknob, Billie's hand encircled mine.
"No, I didn't mean it that way. We are happy for you, it's just... We don't want you to leave us." Billie said, and I noticed he kept saying 'we', as in Mike and him, but Mike was nowhere near where we were in the house.
And it was then I gave him a very tight hug. I smiled as he hugged me back, just as tight. Then Mike came into the room, apparently listening behind a wall, and looking very concerned. I let go of Billie and gave him another hug, which was a bit harder, because he was even taller than Billie, so I had to stand on my toes and he had to lean down just a bit.
"Thanks, guys." I said, still smiling.
***
August, 1988
"Holly, you do know, that if ANYTHING happens in there, anything at all, you can call us at Billie's house and we'd be there as soon as we possibly can, alright?" Mike was saying to me as they waited with me at the airport because, as usual, my dad wasn't there, so Billie had to drive me in his mom's car, and Mike insisted on going along, not that I wouldn't want him there.
"Yes, Mike, you've told me about 10 times already." I said, sighing. "I'm just worried. I've never been on a plane before. What if I do something wrong? What if I get on the wrong plane, and end up somewhere in Europe? What if --" yet again, I was cut off.
"You'll be fine, Holly, don't worry. Remember, you're the smart one out of the three of us. It's more likely WE'D be the one's stuck in Europe with no way to contact you because we're all the way across a country AND the Pacific Ocean." Billie said. I laughed.
"Billie, the Atlantic Ocean is on the east coast between us and Europe. The Pacific is the one off the bay." I said, still laughing.
"See! That's why YOU'RE the smart one!" Billie said, laughing with me as well.
"Flight 26, please board through the east terminal gate." said a voice over the intercom.
"Well, that's me." I said, standing up and hauling my two bags full of luggage - the only possessions I had.
"Bye, Holly! You'll be top of your class in college, I know it!" Mike said, smiling and waving as I was walking away.
"Yeah, and have fun! Don't forget to call us, on the college's expense!" Billie said, smirking and waving too.
I waved back, "And don't forget about me, alright?!" I said back, as more distance was increasing between us.
"We won't!" Billie and Mike said at the same time.
I smiled and turned to the lady at the gate opening, handing her my ticket.
