Liberals smoke lettuce too (written by my best friend Ryan), chapter 3
Yeah it wasn't the first time he's slapped me, but he never does it too hard so I usually try and look past that part of him.
"I'm sorry," he was lying.
"It's okay," I was lying.
*AT THE HOSPITAL*
I got out of the truck. I wanted to slam the doors so bad but I was afraid it would just upset him more.
"Umm...I'm gonna walk you up to the door but I gotta get back to school. You know, for the meeting," Steven shrugged.
Steven put his hand around my waist and led me up to the door. I secretly rolled my eyes. I can't stand the way he is acting right now...I'll never tell him that though.
"Alright bye babe," he said as we approached the door.
"See you tomorrow." He kissed me, ran back to his truck, and left.
"Stupid Son of a...!" I shouted then restrained myself. I turned back around and walked into the hospital lobby doors. I walked up to the desk but no one was there. I waited for about three minutes and then saw the clerk had a familiar face. The clerk was Ashelie!
"What are you doing here?" Ashelie asked. "Break a nail?"
"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"Job shadowing. Problem?" she scoffed.
"No, just tell me the room number for my mom's room," I replied with a twirl of my hair.
"Her name please?" Ashelie asked all serious like.
"Come on you know her name," I said with annoyance.
"Yeah, 'cause I know every fact about you and your family," she said sarcastically.
"Ugh...Haley Rodriguez." This girl was really starting to annoy.
Ashelie grabbed the room log book labelled 'critical injury'...my heart raced. I was praying she had gotten my mom's name mixed up with someone else's and would give me the wrong room number.
"Haley Rodriguez room 617," Ashelie announced as if routine. "Please remember that the 'critical injury' wing's visiting hours end at 12:00 a.m. and open at 6:00 a.m."
I stood there staring at her, patiently waiting for her to say something else about the rules of the hospital.
"Well go!" Ashelie said, gesturing towards the elevators.
"Oh, ok," I replied as I walked towards the elevator.
I pushed the up button, the doors opened immediately and I pushed the button labeled '6' on the panel of buttons inside the elevator.
Please break down, please. I'd give anything not to be here and for my mom to be at work again.
*DING* Level 2, it didn't stop; *DING* level 3, nothing; *DING* level 4...the doors opened. A man with dark black hair (obviously dyed) got in the elevator. His eyes were the exact same color green as mine and he had tattoos all over his arms. Some of them were very colorful stars. The there was a sort of movie reel with pictures of a woman on them.
"What floor?" I tried to act like I wasn't creeped out.
"Same as you," he said as if he was nervous about something.
"You okay?" For some reason I just had to ask.
"Oh, I'll be fine. I'm, uh, I'm meeting my teenage daughter today." He forced a nervous smile.
"Congratulations," I told him.
"I've never, you know, taken care of a girl before, especially a teen, except for my wife but that's different if you know what I mean." He made a goofy face and I couldn't help but laugh. The doors opened and we started to walk down the hall.
"You mean you haven't given her anything or talked to her?" I asked curiously.
"Well, I haven't talked to her but I've given her things...secretly," he sounded like he didn't really know how to explain it.
"Well good luck," I said as I turned into my mom's room. Surprisingly for me, he came in too.
"I don't mean to be rude, but why are you following me?" He was starting to creep me out again.
"Billie! Glad you could make it! Marlena, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at school?" I turned to my mom, she had a neck brace and two tubes, one going into each of her legs. She sounded weak.
"I, uh, I couldn't stay there, I had to come see you," I was getting confused.
"Hold the phone...you know him?"
"Of course I do, how do you think we got our two story house?" My mom smiled weakly.
"So some dude has just been giving you money?"
Pause
Now I hope you don't think I'm stupid. I didn't know his name or his occupation, or his favorite color, etc. but I knew one thing, this strange man is my dad. I just didn't want to face it...I mean hello, I don't even know him!
Un-Pause
"No, sweetheart, he's your..." she started.
"Don't!" I didn't want her to say it...it would just make it more real.
*Billie's POV*
Oh My God! My daughter is...is...Barbie!
"Umm...so what's wrong? How long are you gonna be in here?" I heard, I guess...my daughter?, ask.
"Honey," Haley said. "Can you give Billie and I some time alone? Just for a second." The girl hesitated and then left the room.
"Billie," Haley started.
"Say no more, I know what you're gonna ask. It's perfectly fine if Marlena comes and stays with me," I smiled.
"You always did know exactly what I was thinking," Haley said sort of happily.
I think the pills they had given her were starting to kick in because she was beginning to look like Tre does after every round of lettuce.
"Actually it was because of that fact what used to make me think we would last," she added.
"I've been meaning to ask you, how come we didn't? I mean, I remember fighting, but I can't remember over what," I admitted.
"More over what, over who," Haley said quietly.
"Who?" I didn't really know what in the world she was talking about.
"Marlena, remember?" she said somewhat quietly.
"I'm sorry but not really," I shrugged.
"Well, we couldn't bring her everywhere with us so I decided I would stay home with her every time you had to go somewhere with your band. Anyways, you didn't want that 'cause you said you wanted me with you but you and I both knew it would be no place for Lena and a foster home wasn't the answer, we both knew that...so we let each other go...for the best. At least we kept in touch," Haley smiled brightly. "I've been meaning to ask you, how are Adie and the kids?" she asked.
"Good, good. Umm...you mean, that teenager outside was THAT baby?" I couldn't believe it. She had grown up so fast. "She grew up fast," I said shocked.
"You have no idea," she whispered. Her eyes went foggy as if she were thinking about something.
*Flashback*
(Haley's POV)
"Mommy can I open my presents now?" my little Lena asked me on her 5th birthday.
"Not now, wait until after the cake dear," I was running around trying to make sure everything was going smoothly.
"Yes ma'am," she said with a sigh.
"Good girl," I said as I patted her head.
"Mommy," she innocently asked, "Where's my daddy?"
Oh no, it was the dreaded question (dun dun dun).
"Umm...he's not here sweetie," I told her truthfully.
*End of flashback*
*Billie's POV*
"You okay?" I asked as she started crying quietly.
"Oh, yeah, can you give me and Marlena sometime alone now?" she said as she wiped away her tears furiously.
"Yeah of course." I respected her wishes and walked out of the room. I saw the girl, I mean Marlena, sitting in a chair in the hall. I went and sat next to her.
"Your mom is asking for you," I didn't look at her, I stared at my feet. Marlena was aggravated, I could tell. She got up and walked into her mom's room.
*Marlena's POV*
"Hey mom," I said as I entered her room. She was crying again. "Is he the reason you're crying?" I could tell I wouldn't like this guy.
"No, I've just been thinking," she wiped away a tear that had just fell from her eye. "Lena, I will be in here for a couple of months," she said with a shaky voice.
"Why? I mean, are you going to be okay?" I couldn't hold back anymore, tears started pouring down my face.
"Well, yes but I have temporary paralysis in my legs. When I can feel them again I have to do rehabilitation but then I will come home, I promise," she said quickly. I could tell it was hard for her to say this to me.
"Oh...ok then. I'll take really good care of the house..." I started.
"No, no, sweetie. I would let you but the child warfare lady says you have to be 17. Your 17th birthday isn't for another 2 months. So umm...that's why Billie's here," she stuttered.
"No Way! I am not going to live with him for God knows how long!" I shouted.
"It's either that or foster care," my mom said. I rolled my eyes. "How about this? You stay with Billie until you turn 17, then you can move back home if you want to."
"Okay, I guess," I replied. "Where does he live?"
"That's the catch, he lives in California," she mumbled.
"California!? No way, mom what about homecoming?!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"I'm so sorry baby," she whispered.
"Why can't he come stay with me?" I asked.
"Well, there are two reasons. 1) He's got a family of his own. 2) He is in the band Green Day and has to be with his band, who live in California too," she explained.
"Oh, ok, so you don't want to mess up the career that he already has, but you'll chance the destruction of my education by moving me from Nevada to California!?"
How could she?
"I'm sorry baby. I-I...y-you need to b-be w-with him..." She passed out from her medicine. I stormed out of the room and walked to the elevator. As I pushed the down button Billie got up and ran over to me.
"Hey Lena, what's wrong?" he asked as he leaned against the wall next to the elevator. I noticed what he was wearing: a black leather jacket, with a grey shirt underneath, he had dark blue jeans, and weird platform shoes.
"I'm fine," He looked at me with worried eyes. "And don't call me Lena."
"What do you want me to call you?" He laughed.
"Marlena, and don't laugh at me," I said as we entered the elevator and rode it down to the lobby. We walked out of the hospital and over to his black BMW. We got in and he started the car.
"Before we leave I think you should know some things about me," he said quickly.
"Alright, go on," I said. He cleared his throat and started explaining.
"My name is Billie Joe Armstrong and I'm the lead singer of Green Day," he paused as if he was waiting for me to go crazy or something.
"That's all you wanted to say?" I asked.
"No, but that usually causes a big reaction," he said.
"So you usually explain yourself like a retard and take home forgotten daughters?"
Who said that?
"What?" Billie asked. He must've heard it too because he looked a little freaked.
"I didn't say anything," I replied.
"I'm sorry," he was lying.
"It's okay," I was lying.
*AT THE HOSPITAL*
I got out of the truck. I wanted to slam the doors so bad but I was afraid it would just upset him more.
"Umm...I'm gonna walk you up to the door but I gotta get back to school. You know, for the meeting," Steven shrugged.
Steven put his hand around my waist and led me up to the door. I secretly rolled my eyes. I can't stand the way he is acting right now...I'll never tell him that though.
"Alright bye babe," he said as we approached the door.
"See you tomorrow." He kissed me, ran back to his truck, and left.
"Stupid Son of a...!" I shouted then restrained myself. I turned back around and walked into the hospital lobby doors. I walked up to the desk but no one was there. I waited for about three minutes and then saw the clerk had a familiar face. The clerk was Ashelie!
"What are you doing here?" Ashelie asked. "Break a nail?"
"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. "What are you doing here?"
"Job shadowing. Problem?" she scoffed.
"No, just tell me the room number for my mom's room," I replied with a twirl of my hair.
"Her name please?" Ashelie asked all serious like.
"Come on you know her name," I said with annoyance.
"Yeah, 'cause I know every fact about you and your family," she said sarcastically.
"Ugh...Haley Rodriguez." This girl was really starting to annoy.
Ashelie grabbed the room log book labelled 'critical injury'...my heart raced. I was praying she had gotten my mom's name mixed up with someone else's and would give me the wrong room number.
"Haley Rodriguez room 617," Ashelie announced as if routine. "Please remember that the 'critical injury' wing's visiting hours end at 12:00 a.m. and open at 6:00 a.m."
I stood there staring at her, patiently waiting for her to say something else about the rules of the hospital.
"Well go!" Ashelie said, gesturing towards the elevators.
"Oh, ok," I replied as I walked towards the elevator.
I pushed the up button, the doors opened immediately and I pushed the button labeled '6' on the panel of buttons inside the elevator.
Please break down, please. I'd give anything not to be here and for my mom to be at work again.
*DING* Level 2, it didn't stop; *DING* level 3, nothing; *DING* level 4...the doors opened. A man with dark black hair (obviously dyed) got in the elevator. His eyes were the exact same color green as mine and he had tattoos all over his arms. Some of them were very colorful stars. The there was a sort of movie reel with pictures of a woman on them.
"What floor?" I tried to act like I wasn't creeped out.
"Same as you," he said as if he was nervous about something.
"You okay?" For some reason I just had to ask.
"Oh, I'll be fine. I'm, uh, I'm meeting my teenage daughter today." He forced a nervous smile.
"Congratulations," I told him.
"I've never, you know, taken care of a girl before, especially a teen, except for my wife but that's different if you know what I mean." He made a goofy face and I couldn't help but laugh. The doors opened and we started to walk down the hall.
"You mean you haven't given her anything or talked to her?" I asked curiously.
"Well, I haven't talked to her but I've given her things...secretly," he sounded like he didn't really know how to explain it.
"Well good luck," I said as I turned into my mom's room. Surprisingly for me, he came in too.
"I don't mean to be rude, but why are you following me?" He was starting to creep me out again.
"Billie! Glad you could make it! Marlena, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at school?" I turned to my mom, she had a neck brace and two tubes, one going into each of her legs. She sounded weak.
"I, uh, I couldn't stay there, I had to come see you," I was getting confused.
"Hold the phone...you know him?"
"Of course I do, how do you think we got our two story house?" My mom smiled weakly.
"So some dude has just been giving you money?"
Pause
Now I hope you don't think I'm stupid. I didn't know his name or his occupation, or his favorite color, etc. but I knew one thing, this strange man is my dad. I just didn't want to face it...I mean hello, I don't even know him!
Un-Pause
"No, sweetheart, he's your..." she started.
"Don't!" I didn't want her to say it...it would just make it more real.
*Billie's POV*
Oh My God! My daughter is...is...Barbie!
"Umm...so what's wrong? How long are you gonna be in here?" I heard, I guess...my daughter?, ask.
"Honey," Haley said. "Can you give Billie and I some time alone? Just for a second." The girl hesitated and then left the room.
"Billie," Haley started.
"Say no more, I know what you're gonna ask. It's perfectly fine if Marlena comes and stays with me," I smiled.
"You always did know exactly what I was thinking," Haley said sort of happily.
I think the pills they had given her were starting to kick in because she was beginning to look like Tre does after every round of lettuce.
"Actually it was because of that fact what used to make me think we would last," she added.
"I've been meaning to ask you, how come we didn't? I mean, I remember fighting, but I can't remember over what," I admitted.
"More over what, over who," Haley said quietly.
"Who?" I didn't really know what in the world she was talking about.
"Marlena, remember?" she said somewhat quietly.
"I'm sorry but not really," I shrugged.
"Well, we couldn't bring her everywhere with us so I decided I would stay home with her every time you had to go somewhere with your band. Anyways, you didn't want that 'cause you said you wanted me with you but you and I both knew it would be no place for Lena and a foster home wasn't the answer, we both knew that...so we let each other go...for the best. At least we kept in touch," Haley smiled brightly. "I've been meaning to ask you, how are Adie and the kids?" she asked.
"Good, good. Umm...you mean, that teenager outside was THAT baby?" I couldn't believe it. She had grown up so fast. "She grew up fast," I said shocked.
"You have no idea," she whispered. Her eyes went foggy as if she were thinking about something.
*Flashback*
(Haley's POV)
"Mommy can I open my presents now?" my little Lena asked me on her 5th birthday.
"Not now, wait until after the cake dear," I was running around trying to make sure everything was going smoothly.
"Yes ma'am," she said with a sigh.
"Good girl," I said as I patted her head.
"Mommy," she innocently asked, "Where's my daddy?"
Oh no, it was the dreaded question (dun dun dun).
"Umm...he's not here sweetie," I told her truthfully.
*End of flashback*
*Billie's POV*
"You okay?" I asked as she started crying quietly.
"Oh, yeah, can you give me and Marlena sometime alone now?" she said as she wiped away her tears furiously.
"Yeah of course." I respected her wishes and walked out of the room. I saw the girl, I mean Marlena, sitting in a chair in the hall. I went and sat next to her.
"Your mom is asking for you," I didn't look at her, I stared at my feet. Marlena was aggravated, I could tell. She got up and walked into her mom's room.
*Marlena's POV*
"Hey mom," I said as I entered her room. She was crying again. "Is he the reason you're crying?" I could tell I wouldn't like this guy.
"No, I've just been thinking," she wiped away a tear that had just fell from her eye. "Lena, I will be in here for a couple of months," she said with a shaky voice.
"Why? I mean, are you going to be okay?" I couldn't hold back anymore, tears started pouring down my face.
"Well, yes but I have temporary paralysis in my legs. When I can feel them again I have to do rehabilitation but then I will come home, I promise," she said quickly. I could tell it was hard for her to say this to me.
"Oh...ok then. I'll take really good care of the house..." I started.
"No, no, sweetie. I would let you but the child warfare lady says you have to be 17. Your 17th birthday isn't for another 2 months. So umm...that's why Billie's here," she stuttered.
"No Way! I am not going to live with him for God knows how long!" I shouted.
"It's either that or foster care," my mom said. I rolled my eyes. "How about this? You stay with Billie until you turn 17, then you can move back home if you want to."
"Okay, I guess," I replied. "Where does he live?"
"That's the catch, he lives in California," she mumbled.
"California!? No way, mom what about homecoming?!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
"I'm so sorry baby," she whispered.
"Why can't he come stay with me?" I asked.
"Well, there are two reasons. 1) He's got a family of his own. 2) He is in the band Green Day and has to be with his band, who live in California too," she explained.
"Oh, ok, so you don't want to mess up the career that he already has, but you'll chance the destruction of my education by moving me from Nevada to California!?"
How could she?
"I'm sorry baby. I-I...y-you need to b-be w-with him..." She passed out from her medicine. I stormed out of the room and walked to the elevator. As I pushed the down button Billie got up and ran over to me.
"Hey Lena, what's wrong?" he asked as he leaned against the wall next to the elevator. I noticed what he was wearing: a black leather jacket, with a grey shirt underneath, he had dark blue jeans, and weird platform shoes.
"I'm fine," He looked at me with worried eyes. "And don't call me Lena."
"What do you want me to call you?" He laughed.
"Marlena, and don't laugh at me," I said as we entered the elevator and rode it down to the lobby. We walked out of the hospital and over to his black BMW. We got in and he started the car.
"Before we leave I think you should know some things about me," he said quickly.
"Alright, go on," I said. He cleared his throat and started explaining.
"My name is Billie Joe Armstrong and I'm the lead singer of Green Day," he paused as if he was waiting for me to go crazy or something.
"That's all you wanted to say?" I asked.
"No, but that usually causes a big reaction," he said.
"So you usually explain yourself like a retard and take home forgotten daughters?"
Who said that?
"What?" Billie asked. He must've heard it too because he looked a little freaked.
"I didn't say anything," I replied.
