Nothing Is Perfect, chapter 2

My jaw dropped.
"Are you okay?" Billie Joe asked, slipping his black sunglasses in his trouser pocket.
"Yeah I'm, I'm fine," I mumbled, barely getting the words out, and turning red. The blood pumping through my veins wildly, my heart beating faster then ever; I looked back into his beautiful eyes.
"You don't look fine y'know," he said casually. Billie Joe suddenly spotted a large purple bruise on my neck. "And what's that?" he enquired concerned, indicating the mark. I pulled my blonde hair over it, so it was hidden from view.
"Nothing important," I answered quietly, now looking at my dirty trainers; I could feel the tears burning in my eyes.

Fuck. Shit. Fuck.

I was crying in front of Billie Joe. God, how fucking embrassing could I get?
"Are you sure it's nothing important? Because that bruise is deadly. And it sure doesn't look like nothing," he prodded.
"Really, it's, it's nothing," I sobbed, and soon, I was crying my eyes out on his shoulder.

Trust me to start crying in front of Billie Joe. I mean, Billie Joe; the rock god who I had fell in love with was standing here right in front of me and here I was, Michelle Cedar crying my heart out on his shoulder. Was I really that much of a heartthrob? Good work Michelle, I thought to myself angrily.

"Ssssh," Billie Joe reassured me, patting my shoulder. "It's going to be okay."
I looked up into those emerald green eyes; they seemed to sparkle with electricity and my stomach flipped over.
"You wanna go for a walk or something?" he suggested timidly. I nodded stupidly, and he cupped his hand round my shoulder and we set off down the road..

How was it, that one moment I was being beaten up like a pulp by Father and feeling like I could slit my throat at any second and then, I end up outside a pub door barging into Billie Joe Armstrong? How did my luck just suddenly change from absolute shit to fucking gold? I mean, I was walking down the street with Billie Joe. However many times I said it, it still didn't drum it in my head. I kept saying it over and over again, just trying to convince myself that this wasn't some kind of dream.

We walked to a park nearby, Billie Joe still cupping my shoulder while I snivelled like a stupid jerk. We sat on a bench, me slumping down miserably, leaving my bag on the floor.
"So, what's got you so upset?" he asked me. "I mean from the state you just got in, you don't look like the normal runaway kid. So talk to me."
I remained quiet for a while. I guess I was what you'd call star struck maybe. Or perhaps I was just so embarrassed about erupting into tears I couldn't say anything.
I paused for a minute.
"Well, where do you want me to start?" I said, half laughing. "Besides, it's kind of a long story."
"I got time," he protested. "Unless, that is, you don't want to tell me."
"No it's fine," I replied back. "Well... I ran away today.."

God it just felt so awkward. I had never talked to anyone about my home life before.

And I didn't know where to start.
"And, my Mom died when I was 5, and I was left with my dad," I explained quickly. At this, Billie Joe glanced up at me. I didn't know much about Billie, but I did know that he'd lost his father. I'd lost one of my parents, just like he had. Whether it was just my imagination, I swear I saw Billie's eyes bristle with glassy eyed tears. I looked in the opposite direction; now feeling like an idiot for making him upset. I decided to change the subject from my Mom.
"So it was just me and my Dad when she went," I continued, twiddling my fingers. "And I guess he sort of took the loss of my mom out on me, hurt me."

That last bit took it out of me. I didn't know how to explain my father's actions so I had just managed to come out with "hurt me." I felt like some petty person who was always shy, and I wasn't shy. This was an opportunity of a lifetime, and I was acting like a shy little girl.

Billie Joe was staring at the ground.
"I'm really really sorry," he said at last, looking up at me.
"Don't be, it's not your fault," I told him, trying to gain confidence.
"So, you ran away today?" he asked me.
"About an hour and a half ago," I replied; but it seemed much longer.
"Do you live nearby then?" Billie Joe added, sounding kind of worried.

God. I forgot how nearby I lived. Shit. What if my Dad was out looking for me? I hadn't thought about it; my head been too busy thinking about Billie Joe. Crap. What if he was nearby? What if he was in the park? What if he was right behind me?

I suddenly looked round as I felt something touch my shoulder. I gasped.
"What's the matter?" Billie Joe questioned me, looking worried. He had obviously heard me gasp.
"N-nothing," I stuttered. It was just the wind that had swept past my shoulder. For a second there, I thought it was my Dad, pulling me back to him. I didn't want to go back. I didn't want to go back forever; forever and ever. And I wasn't going to.

But where are you going to go? I thought. I felt cold and alone all of a sudden. Thinking about it, what was I going to do?

Billie Joe brought me out of these thoughts suddenly, talking to me again.
"You sure? You seemed spooked out all of a sudden," he said suspiciously. It was dark now, and the trees across the park lake were swaying back and forth, in the pitch darkness. I shivered.
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. It just felt like someone grabbing my shoulder is all."
"Well," he smiled, yawning slightly, "no one's around at the moment, and besides the park's quiet at the moment. There's no one out here except perhaps some bastard walking his dog."
I laughed slightly. Billie Joe seemed to make me warm up and my feeling of paranoia wore off for a split second.
"Um, Billie Joe-"I began.
"Call me Billie or Bill," Billie Joe told me, grinning.
"Well Billie then, it's really nice that you brought me here, it really is. I know it seems kind of rude leaving you here after you've just took care of me and got me calmed down but I really must go. I have to go and find somewhere to stay for the night, otherwise everywhere else will be shut," I explained, half hoping he would help me somehow. I didn't know how he was to help me, but I wanted him to. Maybe to see if he was the loving human being I had always hoped he was.
"But how much money you got kid?" Billie questioned me.
"Erm, I don't know, about 20 dollars or something?" I answered, unsure of the amount of money I had. Another thing that was scaring me at that moment.
"20 dollars?!" exclaimed Billie. "Well that isn't going to go far, unless you only eat once every month and sleep in a tree."
I didn't say anything.

Everything was just so screwed up. I didn't know why I had even run away. I should've just stayed in my house, even if it had meant being punched in my jaw. Everything was just so complicated, I had hardly any money, nothing to eat, no clothes, nothing except a passport to the homeless shelter. What the hell was I going to do? Why didn't I even think things through before going through with it? God, I hated myself for being so rash. Everything was just so screwed up when -

Billie Joe spoke.
"Well, how about, if you came and stayed with me for a week or two till you get everything sorted out eh?" Billie asked me, smiling.

It was like some unknown firework display going on in my stomach where no one could see. My whole head exploded; I mean, was this really happening?! Had Billie Joe Armstrong just asked me to come and stay at his house? Holy shit! And what else could I say but yes?

But what do I go and say?

"Aw, that's so lovely of you Billie, but..the thing is, I feel like I'm intruding. I know you got a family and I'm sure you don't want me hanging round, and I'd feel weird. And you don't know if it's okay with your..wife yet," I said quickly.

"You just had the choice to spend 2 or more weeks with Billie Joe and you just turned it down," I told myself in my head. The firework display in my stomach had quietened down now.

"And how could you possibly intrude?" he laughed." You won't at all. So no buts."
"But-"
"No. It's fine. And besides, I offered so it's not like you've invited yourself. Now c'mon, stop being a silly girl, and come back with me. My wife'll be fine with it anyway," Billie told me. "Once I've explained," he added, chuckling.

I looked at his grin. My whole body tingled and I felt the happiest I had in ten years. How could I say no now?

"Well, all right," I replied, smiling slightly. "Just so long as I'm not intruding or anything."
"Not at all," Billie grinned. "Do you want to go now? It's chilly and I'm starving!" he added, rubbing his hands together.
"Whatever's best with you," I smiled.

Now this, this was just too much. Meeting Billie Joe was good, but going to his fucking house for two weeks was what you'd call jackpot.

We headed out the park and down the dark street and into a parking lot. We both went up two levels and walked out onto the concrete. Billie pulled his keys out his black leather jacket and made his way to a small black sports car; which was very flashy.
"Let's get on the road," he sighed, and he opened the car door, clambering in.
I took the opposite side and sat in the front next to the driver's seat...

Billie's car was amazing. It had white leather interior, a cd and dvd player, air conditioning, you name it. I had always wondered what it was like to be a celebrity, and live a life of luxury. Billie switched the radio on, where there was some news. He turned it off after a while, obviously getting bored. I looked out the window, still trying to take everything in, and how much my life had turned around. The trees whooshing past me, made me think of my Dad. I was leaving him behind forever.

Forever.

"So," started Billie, striking up a conversation with me. "You got all embrassed when you bumped into me at the pub did you?" He was smiling.
"So what if I did?" I replied, half giggling. "I'm a girl, what do you expect?"
Billie sighed. "You're not wrong I guess."
"I'm a big fan of Green Day anyway, so when you sort of bang into the lead singer you are bound to feel a bit stupid y'know," I told him, laughing.
"Not really. I'm only the lead singer of a band," he said, twiddling the steering wheel.

But your not just the lead singer of any old band," I thought. "Your my life."

"So your just like any other guy?" I laughed. "If I'd had bumped into any old person, I'd probably just say "watch where your going jackass" but 'cause it was you I went all shy." I giggled.
He laughed. "Well I'm a special boy."

I knew he was joking, but in my head I was saying that he was right, 'cause he was special.

"And I am just a normal guy like everyone else,"he added to me, winking.
"I know," I agreed. "I just meant that when you meet your idol it makes you loose confidence."
"I know what you mean," he smiled to me.
I smiled back.
"Billie, I feel...like, I want to be a true Green Day Fan, but somehow I can't think that I'm not. 'Cause I've only heard the American Idiot album, I don't know any of your other stuff, I don't know much about you...I just don't know anything!" I explained.
"Not necessarily," Billie said. "Just cause you've only heard the American Idiot album doesn't mean your not a fan. And if you haven't had the greatest home life, which by the sounds of it I don't think you have, it's a bit hard to listen to music when your getting hit round the head."
He was right.
"And y'know," he sighed, "you get those girls that all teeny like, and come up to me and just ask me for an autograph before asking to have sex with me. I mean, I admit I like it," he laughed," but some of these girls are only 12 years old and they ask me, and especially when my family and my boys are there it's slightly embrassing. And they ask if they can have sex with me and all this, and you haven't even asked me for an autograph! But that's a good thing," he added to me, smiling. "It's why I like you so much."

Another explosion just taken place. He was so adorable, lovely and funny. And that last bit, the "that's why I like you so much" just left me feeling like I was the happiest person alive. On the inside I was reeling with happiness. It's amazing really, how much your life can turn around in the space of a minute.

But soon, that feeling of happiness was wearing off when Billie told me we was ten minutes from his house. A feeling of edge and nervousness set in. Questions started racing through my mind. What was his wife like? Was she going to like me? What if she didn't and I had to go back? What if his kids hate me?

That ten minutes had drawn much closer. I felt so nervous. Billie soon pulled down a small street with hardly any houses, and whenever you came across a house it was pretty big one too. We finally stopped and zoomed down a small driveway. A large house, filled with lights was up by a small pond.

Billie's house.

My hands started shaking. God. Now I was here I felt more nervous then ever before. The car pulled up in the garage. Billie turned the engine off and twiddled his keys out the lock. He looked at me. He obviously saw how nervous I was.
"You all right?" he asked me, concerned.
"Yeah, I'm fine," I lied, but my hands were trembling.
What if his wife didn't like me? What if? What if? I closed the car door and made my way after Billie towards the front door of the house, not knowing the damage that was about to happen once I stepped foot in that front door...