White Rabbit, chapter 2
*Olive's Point of View*
It was Sunday, and I was working the cash register today at White Rabbit. Meg was putting Green Day's new album Insomniac into the stereo system so the customers could hear it. Ruby was helping a customer find the record he was looking for.
I printed out a customer's receipt and tossed it into his bag. He had just traded a mint condition Miles Davis record for a Dizzy Gillespie record.
"Have a good day, sir. Come back soon," I said sleepily. I was up last night watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show with Meg.
As the man left the store, another one walked in. He had green hair and was wearing a Ramones shirt. He seemed familiar. He walked up to me and leaned over the counter.
"Are you Liv?" he asked me in a nasally voice.
"Liv? Uh, if by Liv you mean Olive, then yeah. That's me."
Yeesh. No one had called me that since the sixth grade.
"Cool. So you're Mike's new flame."
"What? Flame? I...wait who are you?"
"Tre Cool. I'm a friend of Mike's."
"Right...he mentioned you before. Okay so, what do you mean by 'Mike's new flame?' I just met him yesterday."
"Yeah, so?" he asked, getting out of the way so a customer could pay for a CD they had picked up.
I took the CD from the customer's hand and scanned it.
"That'll be 18.24."
I took the customer's money and gave them $1.78 back. They left without a word, and I turned back to Tre.
"Tre, what are you going on about?"
"I dunno. I felt like meeting you. So...bye."
"Uh, bye," I said, completely puzzled by this peculiar man. I couldn't help but notice the wedding ring on his finger. That confused me even more.
As this Tre guy left, I sat down on a stool in front of the till and rested my head on the counter. I needed a good nap.
***
"Olive! Olive wake up! Your cell was ringing, and I picked it up. Someone wants to talk to you."
I lifted my head up from the counter. Ruby was holding my phone and looking at me oddly.
"It's a guy," she said, giving me a weird look. "Is he your boyfriend? I didn't think you had a boyfriend..."
"Shut up, Rubes," I said, grabbing the phone from her hand. She snorted at me and walked away.
"Hello?" I yawned.
"Hey, it's Mike."
"Oh, hey Mike. Don't mind my yawning. I just woke up. I fell asleep behind the till at work."
"Really? Pretty smooth Olive. Did you stay up late last night or something?" he laughed.
"Yup. I was watching a movie with my friend Meg. You know, the one I work with."
"Oh yeah. I remember you mentioning her. So uh, are you free tonight? I was wondering if you wanted to hang out or something."
"Yeah, I'm free tonight. I'm off work at five. When and where should we meet up?"
"Uh, I know a little restaurant by the ocean that's pretty nice. I could pick you up at six, if you want."
"Sure, that sounds cool. Oh and uh, Mike?"
"Yeah?"
"I got a surprise visit from your frien-"
"Oh God, did Tre actually go and look for you at your store?"
"That he did. He's a peculiar guy. Kind of frightening, but he seems cool."
Mike laughed at my comment. "Yeah well, he can be pretty intimidating. I remember when I first met him. I thought he was completely insane. But now we're in a band together. He's a nice guy, I assure you."
"Well, I'll take your word for it," I laughed.
"Cool. So, I'll see you at six?"
"For surely."
"Awesome. See you then, Liv."
I hung up and looked up from the counter. Liv? Man, I'm gonna have to get used to that name. Meg and Ruby were staring at me wide-eyed.
"Oh my God...you have a date?" Ruby asked me excitedly.
Truthfully, I can't blame her for being excited. I had put off dating for a while because work was getting the best of me. Oh, and also because I've had a long string of asshole boyfriends.
A really long string.
"So Olive, what's his name?"
"Mike. Mike Dirnt."
"EEEEEEE!" Ruby squealed, hopping up and down. I stared at her like she was maniacal. Ruby and I were pretty different. She liked mainstream, I liked vintage. She was a blonde bombshell, and I was a carefree raven-haired hippie. She was a little on the ditzy side, and I...well I don't like to go on about myself. But despite our differences, I still love my sister.
"W-what?" I asked, quite puzzled by Ruby's outburst.
"You're dating the bassist from Green Day! Oh my God, you're so lucky! I love Green Day so, so much, you have no idea!"
Well, I do recall Ruby once telling me how hot she thought the lead singer was. I guess she was pretty into them.
"Green Day? Eh, I'm not too into them. A little too mainstream. Not really my scene y'know? But that's cool. I bet he's awesome if you're dating him," said Meg, who was picking at her chipped, black nail varnish. Meg was a purebred punk. She had shoulder length, dark brown hair, bright red lipstick, big, dark eyes that were always rimmed with kohl, and was about five foot, two. She was more into hardcore punk, and wasn't that fond of the pop-punk ballads that had recently surfaced and become what some people have dubbed 'mainstream'.
"I haven't really listened to much of their stuff until now. So far I like this album. It's interesting," I said, opening up a bottle of orange juice from the mini fridge under the counter.
"So, how long have you been going out, and why haven't you told me you were going out with someone?" Ruby asked, leaning over the counter.
"Um, I only just met him yesterday. Chill, Ruby. It's not like we're really serious or anything."
"Okay. Oh wow...I still can't believe you're dating Mike Dirnt. That's so cool! Oh my God, I have to meet him!"
*Mike's Point of View*
I sat on the sofa in Billie Joe's basement, plucking at the bass that rested in my hands. I was anticipating six o'clock, when I'd finally get to see Olive again. I was semi-embarrassed that Tre barged into the store and started interrogating her, but hey. That's Tre for ya. He's a good guy. He means well.
"Mike, have you finished that bassline for 'Last Ride In?"
The guys and I were working on our latest album that we hadn't named yet. We had finished the Insomniac tour two months ago, and we figured we'd start writing again. It was a very much-needed break, because Tre and Billie Joe missed their kids a load. I don't have kids, so I don't exactly know what that feels like, but I figure in the next couple of years I'll have a kid with someone.
"Uh, yeah, I finished it. It's pretty simple."
"Show me," Billie Joe said, grabbing a beer.
I cracked my knuckles, then started to play the music I had written.
Billie Joe nodded his head as he listened to it. "It's really catchy. It's got a different sound compared to our other songs. I think it'll turn out good when we record it."
"For sure."
***
"Mike, it doesn't matter."
"Well, I think it does!"
"Dude, seriously. It doesn't."
"How would you know?"
"How would I know? Dude, I'm married. I know."
"But it might make a lasting impression on her and-"
"Dude. It's a tie. She won't care."
"Whatever...so the red one or the black?"
Billie Joe sighed and then finally answered, "Wear the red one."
"Okay...are you sure?"
"Yes!" he insisted, as I pulled my collar up and tied my tie.
Billie Joe was hanging out with me until I left to pick up Olive in ten minutes. I wanted his opinion on what I was going to wear. I know that makes me sound like a huge fruitcake...but I really do like this girl. To be quite frank, I kinda want to impress her.
"So, you really like this girl, huh?"
"Well, yeah I guess. I mean, as much as I can like a girl I've only met once before. I hope I can get to know her better, though. She's really great."
"And she has a nice ass."
"Yeah, that too."
It was Sunday, and I was working the cash register today at White Rabbit. Meg was putting Green Day's new album Insomniac into the stereo system so the customers could hear it. Ruby was helping a customer find the record he was looking for.
I printed out a customer's receipt and tossed it into his bag. He had just traded a mint condition Miles Davis record for a Dizzy Gillespie record.
"Have a good day, sir. Come back soon," I said sleepily. I was up last night watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show with Meg.
As the man left the store, another one walked in. He had green hair and was wearing a Ramones shirt. He seemed familiar. He walked up to me and leaned over the counter.
"Are you Liv?" he asked me in a nasally voice.
"Liv? Uh, if by Liv you mean Olive, then yeah. That's me."
Yeesh. No one had called me that since the sixth grade.
"Cool. So you're Mike's new flame."
"What? Flame? I...wait who are you?"
"Tre Cool. I'm a friend of Mike's."
"Right...he mentioned you before. Okay so, what do you mean by 'Mike's new flame?' I just met him yesterday."
"Yeah, so?" he asked, getting out of the way so a customer could pay for a CD they had picked up.
I took the CD from the customer's hand and scanned it.
"That'll be 18.24."
I took the customer's money and gave them $1.78 back. They left without a word, and I turned back to Tre.
"Tre, what are you going on about?"
"I dunno. I felt like meeting you. So...bye."
"Uh, bye," I said, completely puzzled by this peculiar man. I couldn't help but notice the wedding ring on his finger. That confused me even more.
As this Tre guy left, I sat down on a stool in front of the till and rested my head on the counter. I needed a good nap.
***
"Olive! Olive wake up! Your cell was ringing, and I picked it up. Someone wants to talk to you."
I lifted my head up from the counter. Ruby was holding my phone and looking at me oddly.
"It's a guy," she said, giving me a weird look. "Is he your boyfriend? I didn't think you had a boyfriend..."
"Shut up, Rubes," I said, grabbing the phone from her hand. She snorted at me and walked away.
"Hello?" I yawned.
"Hey, it's Mike."
"Oh, hey Mike. Don't mind my yawning. I just woke up. I fell asleep behind the till at work."
"Really? Pretty smooth Olive. Did you stay up late last night or something?" he laughed.
"Yup. I was watching a movie with my friend Meg. You know, the one I work with."
"Oh yeah. I remember you mentioning her. So uh, are you free tonight? I was wondering if you wanted to hang out or something."
"Yeah, I'm free tonight. I'm off work at five. When and where should we meet up?"
"Uh, I know a little restaurant by the ocean that's pretty nice. I could pick you up at six, if you want."
"Sure, that sounds cool. Oh and uh, Mike?"
"Yeah?"
"I got a surprise visit from your frien-"
"Oh God, did Tre actually go and look for you at your store?"
"That he did. He's a peculiar guy. Kind of frightening, but he seems cool."
Mike laughed at my comment. "Yeah well, he can be pretty intimidating. I remember when I first met him. I thought he was completely insane. But now we're in a band together. He's a nice guy, I assure you."
"Well, I'll take your word for it," I laughed.
"Cool. So, I'll see you at six?"
"For surely."
"Awesome. See you then, Liv."
I hung up and looked up from the counter. Liv? Man, I'm gonna have to get used to that name. Meg and Ruby were staring at me wide-eyed.
"Oh my God...you have a date?" Ruby asked me excitedly.
Truthfully, I can't blame her for being excited. I had put off dating for a while because work was getting the best of me. Oh, and also because I've had a long string of asshole boyfriends.
A really long string.
"So Olive, what's his name?"
"Mike. Mike Dirnt."
"EEEEEEE!" Ruby squealed, hopping up and down. I stared at her like she was maniacal. Ruby and I were pretty different. She liked mainstream, I liked vintage. She was a blonde bombshell, and I was a carefree raven-haired hippie. She was a little on the ditzy side, and I...well I don't like to go on about myself. But despite our differences, I still love my sister.
"W-what?" I asked, quite puzzled by Ruby's outburst.
"You're dating the bassist from Green Day! Oh my God, you're so lucky! I love Green Day so, so much, you have no idea!"
Well, I do recall Ruby once telling me how hot she thought the lead singer was. I guess she was pretty into them.
"Green Day? Eh, I'm not too into them. A little too mainstream. Not really my scene y'know? But that's cool. I bet he's awesome if you're dating him," said Meg, who was picking at her chipped, black nail varnish. Meg was a purebred punk. She had shoulder length, dark brown hair, bright red lipstick, big, dark eyes that were always rimmed with kohl, and was about five foot, two. She was more into hardcore punk, and wasn't that fond of the pop-punk ballads that had recently surfaced and become what some people have dubbed 'mainstream'.
"I haven't really listened to much of their stuff until now. So far I like this album. It's interesting," I said, opening up a bottle of orange juice from the mini fridge under the counter.
"So, how long have you been going out, and why haven't you told me you were going out with someone?" Ruby asked, leaning over the counter.
"Um, I only just met him yesterday. Chill, Ruby. It's not like we're really serious or anything."
"Okay. Oh wow...I still can't believe you're dating Mike Dirnt. That's so cool! Oh my God, I have to meet him!"
*Mike's Point of View*
I sat on the sofa in Billie Joe's basement, plucking at the bass that rested in my hands. I was anticipating six o'clock, when I'd finally get to see Olive again. I was semi-embarrassed that Tre barged into the store and started interrogating her, but hey. That's Tre for ya. He's a good guy. He means well.
"Mike, have you finished that bassline for 'Last Ride In?"
The guys and I were working on our latest album that we hadn't named yet. We had finished the Insomniac tour two months ago, and we figured we'd start writing again. It was a very much-needed break, because Tre and Billie Joe missed their kids a load. I don't have kids, so I don't exactly know what that feels like, but I figure in the next couple of years I'll have a kid with someone.
"Uh, yeah, I finished it. It's pretty simple."
"Show me," Billie Joe said, grabbing a beer.
I cracked my knuckles, then started to play the music I had written.
Billie Joe nodded his head as he listened to it. "It's really catchy. It's got a different sound compared to our other songs. I think it'll turn out good when we record it."
"For sure."
***
"Mike, it doesn't matter."
"Well, I think it does!"
"Dude, seriously. It doesn't."
"How would you know?"
"How would I know? Dude, I'm married. I know."
"But it might make a lasting impression on her and-"
"Dude. It's a tie. She won't care."
"Whatever...so the red one or the black?"
Billie Joe sighed and then finally answered, "Wear the red one."
"Okay...are you sure?"
"Yes!" he insisted, as I pulled my collar up and tied my tie.
Billie Joe was hanging out with me until I left to pick up Olive in ten minutes. I wanted his opinion on what I was going to wear. I know that makes me sound like a huge fruitcake...but I really do like this girl. To be quite frank, I kinda want to impress her.
"So, you really like this girl, huh?"
"Well, yeah I guess. I mean, as much as I can like a girl I've only met once before. I hope I can get to know her better, though. She's really great."
"And she has a nice ass."
"Yeah, that too."
