Things Aren't What They Seem (Not A Green Day Story), chapter 2
"Where are you from?" to which Leila responded,
"Brooksville, 2006." Crossing her arms. Finn looked surprised.
"Is this some kind of joke?" he said sounding kind of worried.
"No. Dude," Leila said smacking Joshy's shoulder. "This is what I wanted..To experience a simpler time." Finn was taking this all in awestruck.
"Is this what people look like in 2006? Jewelry hanging out of their faces, and multicolored hair?" Finn said, raising a thick black eyebrow.
"What, is there a problem with my jewelry and hair color?" Leila said raising her arms defensively. Finn's eyes widened with shock. Finn believed these odd looking teens because of they way they looked.
"No, no. I find it weird but interesting." Finn said struggling to find the right word so's not to offend them. Leila smiled and turned to Joshy.
"Where are we gonna go? We don't have homes here." She said, losing her cool a little bit. Joshy gave her a hopeless shrug.
"We could sleep in the street...I've done it a few times when Grandpa was pissed." Leila said matter-of-factly. Finns eyes widened even more(if that was possible).
"No," Finn said firmly, "you two can stay at my house. My mom probably won't be home, and if she is ,I'll sneak you in." Leila and Joshy looked at him with new respect. Because, to be honest, Finn came off as kind of a goody-two-shoes. Finn lead the way down the street, with Joshy and Leila close behind.
"This might be pretty cool after all." Joshy said grinning. He then skipped off down the sidewalk singing the theme song to Barney as Leila maintained Finn's speed. She smiled at Joshy's insane behavior.
"Thanks, I really appreciate this Finn." She said smiling up and him.
"Why is he doing that?" Finn said ignoring Leila and pointing at Joshy.
"Ha, ha. You think thats weird? You should see him when he's high. Now thats a sight." She said laughing.
"High?" Finn asked looking surprised.
"Yeah, you know smoki-" Finn cut her off.
"I know what high is. You've smoked pot?" he asked making her seem like a crack whore.
"Well, I'm not an addict or anything, we just do it when we're feeling down, or Grandpa is in a particularly violent mood that day." She instantly regretted her words.
"What?" Finn asked, concern on his face.
"Nothing, so where's your dad? You didn't mention him." Leila said quickly changing the subject.
"He's in Vietnam." He said, a hint of sadness and regret in his voice.
"Ah..Finn..I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." She gently touched his shoulder for comfort. Finn gave her a smile that lit up his whole face.
He shrugged and said, "That's ok. He'll be back soon."
"God, Vietnam was the worst. I can't believe we pulled out of it, all those lives..For nothing." She said shaking her head in regret. Finn's heart beat faster and faster as he realized all the things she must know. It scared him to think that this girl knew the future of the country, the world! He looked at this strange girl with her long curly purple and brown hair, earrings sticking out of her face, black lining her beautiful grey eyes, her black T-shirt with an obscene skull on it with jeans that were worn and too big for her. He thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, with her weird appearance and all.
He smiled and blushed, and blushed deeper upon feeling his face heat up. She gave him this smirk that seemed to be her trade mark. The boy who looked like a dinosaur came running back put his arm on Leila's shoulder and leaned on her. Finn wondered if they were going steady.
"Oh, by the way, this is my best friend Joshy," Leila said motioning to the blue/pink haired boy on her shoulder.
"Hello. It's nice to meet you," Finn said sticking out his right hand. Joshy gave Finn the same weird look Leila did when he tried to shake her hand. 'Maybe they don't shake hands in 2006' Finn thought as Joshy took his hand and shook it up and down really high.
"What's up dude?" Joshy said as he shook Finn's hand.
"Uhm...so..Uh..Are you guys going steady?" Finn asked confused by the way Joshy spoke. Leila and Joshy cracked up laughing.
"Oh yeah..!" Joshy said grabbing Leila's butt. In turn Leila put her arms around Joshy's neck and said "Yeah, baby!" and they both laughed as Finn looked at them with horror and amusement.
Finn figured they were being sarcastic. He wasn't used to sarcasm, usually only the bad kids used sarcasm and Finn tried to steer clear from them. They turned into a driveway they figured was Finn's house.
"Doesn't look like my moms home," Finn said unlocking the front door to a dark room. They walked in and Finn flicked on the light. It was a cozy house. The carpet was a light blue and the couch was a bright teal color. The walls were covered in a floral pattern. There was a neat little retro table in the center of the room. Finn lead them up the stairs, which had four doors. Finn lead them to the first door.
"This is my sister Lucy's room, she's in college so you can stay in here Leila." It was a plain room, with a full size bed and a night stand. She followed them out to the room and down the hall to another door. "This is my room," he looked at Leila and blushed. "You can stay in here Joshy."
Joshy walked in and was surprised to find it exceptionally clean. And even more surprised that there where no pictures of women on the walls or no playboys anywhere. 'Is this guy gay?' Joshy wondered as he looked around.
"Where're you gonna sleep then, Finn?"
Finn shrugged and said, "I'll sleep on the couch." Leila and Joshy were touched at how willing this complete stranger was to give up his bed for people he didn't even know.
"No," Leila said firmly "Joshy and I can share your sister's bed and you sleep here. Finn was shocked at the thought of a boy and a girl sharing a bed, and not being married.
Joshy noted his expression and said, "Dude, it's fine. We're just friends, like brother and sister. It's not weird, I promise." And winked at him without Leila seeing. Finn's heart raced. He hoped Leila didn't see through him like Joshy did. Finn just nodded, too afraid Leila would notice his red face.
Just as they were about to leave Leila turned around and wrapped her arms around Finn's neck in a hug and said, "Thank you so much Finn, this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for us." Finn was so surprised he didn't know what to do, so he just stood there awkwardly. After Leila and Joshy left, Finn lay staring at his ceiling wondering why he was feeling this way. He had never met a girl like Leila before in his life. It was a weird attraction he had toward her. Finn fell asleep thinking about her...
Finn woke up the next morning to his mom stumbling up the stairs. He groaned and got out of bed to make sure she didn't fall back down the stairs.
"OOOOHHH!! Hi hunny, did I wake you?!?! I'm sooooooorry" his mom slurred, talking way too loud. He bent down to help her stand because she was crawling up the steps. She got angry and slapped his arm away.
"I DON'T NEEEEED HELP!! GET AWAY!" she yelled, continuing up the stairs. Finn sighed and went back to his room to get dressed. Then stopped mid-step remembering the people he brought home last night. He didn't think there would be a problem because his mom would probably sleep the rest of the day. When he left his room he found Leila and Joshy sitting on the floor outside Lucy's room. He smiled at them.
"Hi, sleep well?" he asked hopeful they didn't hear the commotion earlier. Leila rubbed her eyes and nodded. Joshy just stared into space.
"C'mon, I'll get us some breakfast." and they all started down the stairs.
"Brooksville, 2006." Crossing her arms. Finn looked surprised.
"Is this some kind of joke?" he said sounding kind of worried.
"No. Dude," Leila said smacking Joshy's shoulder. "This is what I wanted..To experience a simpler time." Finn was taking this all in awestruck.
"Is this what people look like in 2006? Jewelry hanging out of their faces, and multicolored hair?" Finn said, raising a thick black eyebrow.
"What, is there a problem with my jewelry and hair color?" Leila said raising her arms defensively. Finn's eyes widened with shock. Finn believed these odd looking teens because of they way they looked.
"No, no. I find it weird but interesting." Finn said struggling to find the right word so's not to offend them. Leila smiled and turned to Joshy.
"Where are we gonna go? We don't have homes here." She said, losing her cool a little bit. Joshy gave her a hopeless shrug.
"We could sleep in the street...I've done it a few times when Grandpa was pissed." Leila said matter-of-factly. Finns eyes widened even more(if that was possible).
"No," Finn said firmly, "you two can stay at my house. My mom probably won't be home, and if she is ,I'll sneak you in." Leila and Joshy looked at him with new respect. Because, to be honest, Finn came off as kind of a goody-two-shoes. Finn lead the way down the street, with Joshy and Leila close behind.
"This might be pretty cool after all." Joshy said grinning. He then skipped off down the sidewalk singing the theme song to Barney as Leila maintained Finn's speed. She smiled at Joshy's insane behavior.
"Thanks, I really appreciate this Finn." She said smiling up and him.
"Why is he doing that?" Finn said ignoring Leila and pointing at Joshy.
"Ha, ha. You think thats weird? You should see him when he's high. Now thats a sight." She said laughing.
"High?" Finn asked looking surprised.
"Yeah, you know smoki-" Finn cut her off.
"I know what high is. You've smoked pot?" he asked making her seem like a crack whore.
"Well, I'm not an addict or anything, we just do it when we're feeling down, or Grandpa is in a particularly violent mood that day." She instantly regretted her words.
"What?" Finn asked, concern on his face.
"Nothing, so where's your dad? You didn't mention him." Leila said quickly changing the subject.
"He's in Vietnam." He said, a hint of sadness and regret in his voice.
"Ah..Finn..I'm sorry. I didn't mean to upset you." She gently touched his shoulder for comfort. Finn gave her a smile that lit up his whole face.
He shrugged and said, "That's ok. He'll be back soon."
"God, Vietnam was the worst. I can't believe we pulled out of it, all those lives..For nothing." She said shaking her head in regret. Finn's heart beat faster and faster as he realized all the things she must know. It scared him to think that this girl knew the future of the country, the world! He looked at this strange girl with her long curly purple and brown hair, earrings sticking out of her face, black lining her beautiful grey eyes, her black T-shirt with an obscene skull on it with jeans that were worn and too big for her. He thought she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, with her weird appearance and all.
He smiled and blushed, and blushed deeper upon feeling his face heat up. She gave him this smirk that seemed to be her trade mark. The boy who looked like a dinosaur came running back put his arm on Leila's shoulder and leaned on her. Finn wondered if they were going steady.
"Oh, by the way, this is my best friend Joshy," Leila said motioning to the blue/pink haired boy on her shoulder.
"Hello. It's nice to meet you," Finn said sticking out his right hand. Joshy gave Finn the same weird look Leila did when he tried to shake her hand. 'Maybe they don't shake hands in 2006' Finn thought as Joshy took his hand and shook it up and down really high.
"What's up dude?" Joshy said as he shook Finn's hand.
"Uhm...so..Uh..Are you guys going steady?" Finn asked confused by the way Joshy spoke. Leila and Joshy cracked up laughing.
"Oh yeah..!" Joshy said grabbing Leila's butt. In turn Leila put her arms around Joshy's neck and said "Yeah, baby!" and they both laughed as Finn looked at them with horror and amusement.
Finn figured they were being sarcastic. He wasn't used to sarcasm, usually only the bad kids used sarcasm and Finn tried to steer clear from them. They turned into a driveway they figured was Finn's house.
"Doesn't look like my moms home," Finn said unlocking the front door to a dark room. They walked in and Finn flicked on the light. It was a cozy house. The carpet was a light blue and the couch was a bright teal color. The walls were covered in a floral pattern. There was a neat little retro table in the center of the room. Finn lead them up the stairs, which had four doors. Finn lead them to the first door.
"This is my sister Lucy's room, she's in college so you can stay in here Leila." It was a plain room, with a full size bed and a night stand. She followed them out to the room and down the hall to another door. "This is my room," he looked at Leila and blushed. "You can stay in here Joshy."
Joshy walked in and was surprised to find it exceptionally clean. And even more surprised that there where no pictures of women on the walls or no playboys anywhere. 'Is this guy gay?' Joshy wondered as he looked around.
"Where're you gonna sleep then, Finn?"
Finn shrugged and said, "I'll sleep on the couch." Leila and Joshy were touched at how willing this complete stranger was to give up his bed for people he didn't even know.
"No," Leila said firmly "Joshy and I can share your sister's bed and you sleep here. Finn was shocked at the thought of a boy and a girl sharing a bed, and not being married.
Joshy noted his expression and said, "Dude, it's fine. We're just friends, like brother and sister. It's not weird, I promise." And winked at him without Leila seeing. Finn's heart raced. He hoped Leila didn't see through him like Joshy did. Finn just nodded, too afraid Leila would notice his red face.
Just as they were about to leave Leila turned around and wrapped her arms around Finn's neck in a hug and said, "Thank you so much Finn, this is the sweetest thing anyone has ever done for us." Finn was so surprised he didn't know what to do, so he just stood there awkwardly. After Leila and Joshy left, Finn lay staring at his ceiling wondering why he was feeling this way. He had never met a girl like Leila before in his life. It was a weird attraction he had toward her. Finn fell asleep thinking about her...
Finn woke up the next morning to his mom stumbling up the stairs. He groaned and got out of bed to make sure she didn't fall back down the stairs.
"OOOOHHH!! Hi hunny, did I wake you?!?! I'm sooooooorry" his mom slurred, talking way too loud. He bent down to help her stand because she was crawling up the steps. She got angry and slapped his arm away.
"I DON'T NEEEEED HELP!! GET AWAY!" she yelled, continuing up the stairs. Finn sighed and went back to his room to get dressed. Then stopped mid-step remembering the people he brought home last night. He didn't think there would be a problem because his mom would probably sleep the rest of the day. When he left his room he found Leila and Joshy sitting on the floor outside Lucy's room. He smiled at them.
"Hi, sleep well?" he asked hopeful they didn't hear the commotion earlier. Leila rubbed her eyes and nodded. Joshy just stared into space.
"C'mon, I'll get us some breakfast." and they all started down the stairs.
