My date with Zooey who?, chapter 1
Why is it that humans can never say yes when they mean yes? Why do they pretend to not want something, when they truly want it and only grow angry when no one tires harder to give them what they want? Why do they become unhappy when they have everything, when in reality, they have everything they ever dreamed of and even never dreamed of...and yet something is always missing. Money doesn't buy love. Maybe it buys sex, but sex is easy...love is hard, if you're unhappy that is. But what if, most unexpectedly, things turn around? And find yourself loving something out of your reach, and want it too much not to not say anything. You come close to fading away and breaking away, but do neither. What do you do?
Because I'm easy come, easy go, little high, little low...
January 2006, Oakland, California
I stifled a yawn as I stretched my stiff back. A long night at Tre's proved to be enough. I sat up and found myself on the couch, Tre on the floor, and Billie lying on the coffee table holding a teddy bear. My head was pounding as I stood up and stumbled towards the kitchen, trying not to trip on the crumbled beer cans and spilled chips. I made myself some coffee and took some Tydonal. I lay the back of my head against the couch and sighed. I closed my eyes. What now?
I heard Tre shift and mumble in his sleep, while Billie softly snored. I didn't want to wake them; I knew it would be hours before they did. There was nothing left for me here. I grabbed my jacket off the stove, luckily unburned, and dug out my keys out of bowl of chips and left.
January 2006, Los Angeles, California
I stifled a yawn as I opened my eyes. The sunlight flicked through the window curtains, begging to find a way in. I closed my eyes and rolled over; sinking in the knot of sheets I was already in. Despite trying to fall asleep, my mind was already awake. I got up and lazily staggered into the kitchen in my pajamas and put some frozen waffles in the toaster and started up the coffee maker. I flopped down on the sofa and flicked through TV channels, but nothing was on. I turned off the TV, grabbed my waffles and coffee. Ate breakfast. Went to bed again. I still couldn't sleep. Now what?
I stared at the ceiling and sighed. I was off for 5 weeks of shooting. Shit, I never realized how long 5 weeks was. When you got nothing to do. 35 days. 840 hours. 50400 minutes. God I was bored. But I knew I couldn't stare at the ceiling for forever. I got up, took a shower, got dressed and head over to the park.
A yawned again as I walked through the park. It was a beautiful day. Warm, but breezy. Suddenly a young guy appeared next to me. It was none other than Justin Bertha, my fellow co-actor.
"Hey Zo!" he greeted me.
"Hey." I yawned again.
"Couldn't sleep again?"
"Nope. I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Beats me."
"What are you doing here anyway? I though you were in Michigan."
"I decided to stick around. Enjoy LA, you know." I could only respond by yawning again, feeling groggily.
"Maybe you should try sleeping pills," He suggested, "You better be able to sleep well once we start shooting again, we just have a couple scenes left." I nodded. Both Justin and I where part of the cast of the Movie, Failure to launch, with Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Mc-whatever. I played Kit, Paula's roommate. Justin plays Ace, Tripp's friend, who happens to like Kit, but she's no too into him. But really the movie's about a 30 some year old guy who still lives with his parents and his parents hire a girl to get him out. The movie would be released in about 4 months and we had about 2 scenes left to shoot, but we were given 5 weeks off. Ever since, something had been nagging me. I couldn't sleep anymore. I keep randomly opening my eyes in the middle of the night, as if something were out there, waiting for me.
Mike's POV
I went to Starbucks, got myself a latte, and went walking down to the park. I yawned. Once I got there, some guy came up to me. He looked 16 with a smile on his face. He was pretty tall, almost as tall as me. He had black converse, and ragged jeans, wearing a black unzipped hoodie. His hair was brown, spiked up. He strolled right up next to me, hands in his hoodie's pockets. He seemed in a good mood. Lucky him.
"Hey, you're Mike!" he said happily. I nodded as I gave another long yawn.
"Can I have your autograph?" he asked.
"Sure, why not?" He pulled out a pen and I pulled out a napkin I got from star bucks.
"For Zoey," He told me. I paused for a second. Hmm...Zoey...
"Two O's," he corrected me as he saw me scribble my name down.
To Zooey with love, Mike Dirnt xoxo
"Here you go." I gave him the napkin. He smiled at me. I then realized he looked somewhat familiar.
"Thanks, you guys rock! My Aunt's kind of a fan. She likes your old songs. I always ask her why see never sees you, being famous and all."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"My Aunt's an actress. Runs in the family."
"Oh." I shrugged it off. I yawned again.
"You seem pretty tired," He commented.
"Yeah, I was at Tre's last night." He laughed.
"Yeah, well, I'm just here for the week, I live in L.A."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I wanted my aunt to come with me. She got 5 weeks off from shooting, but she's pretty tired."
"Oh."
"Well, I'll see you around. I got to go. Thanks for the autograph!" he ran off. I watched him disappear between the trees. Once he was out of sight, I continued walking. Zooey...two O's...why does that sound so familiar?
April 2006 New York City
Zooey's POV
Tonight was the premiere. I was somewhat excited yet; I still couldn't sleep at night. I saw my doctor and he said I was just under a lot of stress, that I should try sleeping pills as Justin suggested a few months ago. But I never did. I flopped down on my suite bed. What was wrong with me?
The hotel phone rang. I picked up the phone and stared at the ceiling.
"Hello?"
"Hey aunt Zo." It was my nephew.
"Hey Mac, what's up?"
"Nothing much, did you get that autograph I sent you?"
"Yeah, I did. I tell you I like one song and you get me an autograph, you're so sweet. How'd you meet him?"
"Oh, I was walking down to the park in Oakland one day and I saw him. He was friendly, though he seemed pretty tired, he said he was at Tre's the night before." I laughed.
"Well, thanks, how's Emily?"
"My mom's good. Oh, and good luck at the premiere tonight," He added.
"Thanks kiddo."
"Well, I gotta do homework. Call you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, how about tonight?"
"My tonight, or your tonight?
"Mine. I can't sleep."
"It's been four months you know, Zo?"
"I don't know what's wrong with me," I said, frustrated.
"You need a man, that's what!" he said determined. I gasped, offended.
"You shut up! You need a girl!" I snapped back at him.
"Yeah, well, at least I admit it!" he said proudly.
"Yeah whatever. Don't you have to do homework?"
"I need to get back to class."
"Skipper!"
"What? I got lunch break. I'll call you later. Bye."
"Bye Macky."
He hung up the phone. I put the phone down. Maybe he's right...maybe I do need someone to love. I sighed and got dressed, head out to find some place to eat and relax. After all, it was New York.
It shakes all over like a jelly fish, I kinda like it...crazy little thing called love
April 2006 Oakland, California
Mike's POV
"Please, Mikey? For me? You know I get lost in my own house, how am I supposed to get around New York?" Tre pleaded. I sighed and put my drink down on his kitchen counter.
"Fine, Fine, I'll go with you. Only because we can't afford to lose our drummer in Central Park," I told him.
"Yay! Thank you! I love you!" he squeezed me tight. Tre was going to visit Ramona in New York, and since Adie went away to see family in Michigan, Billie was in charge of the kids. I was the only one left.
"You can stop now," I told him.
"Oh, sorry." He stopped hugging me.
"So, when are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?!" I said, shocked.
"Yeah, at 3 am."
"Tre! It's all ready 11 pm!" I yelled at him.
"And?" he asked as if there was no problem.
"The flight leaves in four hours! We have to leave to the airport in 2 hours! I haven't even packed anything!"
"Really? Me neither!" Tre said cheerfully. I just stared at him. "We can pack together!"
I groaned and lay my head on the granite counter in front of me.
"Alright, let's get this over with," I grumbled.
Because I'm easy come, easy go, little high, little low...
January 2006, Oakland, California
I stifled a yawn as I stretched my stiff back. A long night at Tre's proved to be enough. I sat up and found myself on the couch, Tre on the floor, and Billie lying on the coffee table holding a teddy bear. My head was pounding as I stood up and stumbled towards the kitchen, trying not to trip on the crumbled beer cans and spilled chips. I made myself some coffee and took some Tydonal. I lay the back of my head against the couch and sighed. I closed my eyes. What now?
I heard Tre shift and mumble in his sleep, while Billie softly snored. I didn't want to wake them; I knew it would be hours before they did. There was nothing left for me here. I grabbed my jacket off the stove, luckily unburned, and dug out my keys out of bowl of chips and left.
January 2006, Los Angeles, California
I stifled a yawn as I opened my eyes. The sunlight flicked through the window curtains, begging to find a way in. I closed my eyes and rolled over; sinking in the knot of sheets I was already in. Despite trying to fall asleep, my mind was already awake. I got up and lazily staggered into the kitchen in my pajamas and put some frozen waffles in the toaster and started up the coffee maker. I flopped down on the sofa and flicked through TV channels, but nothing was on. I turned off the TV, grabbed my waffles and coffee. Ate breakfast. Went to bed again. I still couldn't sleep. Now what?
I stared at the ceiling and sighed. I was off for 5 weeks of shooting. Shit, I never realized how long 5 weeks was. When you got nothing to do. 35 days. 840 hours. 50400 minutes. God I was bored. But I knew I couldn't stare at the ceiling for forever. I got up, took a shower, got dressed and head over to the park.
A yawned again as I walked through the park. It was a beautiful day. Warm, but breezy. Suddenly a young guy appeared next to me. It was none other than Justin Bertha, my fellow co-actor.
"Hey Zo!" he greeted me.
"Hey." I yawned again.
"Couldn't sleep again?"
"Nope. I don't know what's wrong with me."
"Beats me."
"What are you doing here anyway? I though you were in Michigan."
"I decided to stick around. Enjoy LA, you know." I could only respond by yawning again, feeling groggily.
"Maybe you should try sleeping pills," He suggested, "You better be able to sleep well once we start shooting again, we just have a couple scenes left." I nodded. Both Justin and I where part of the cast of the Movie, Failure to launch, with Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Mc-whatever. I played Kit, Paula's roommate. Justin plays Ace, Tripp's friend, who happens to like Kit, but she's no too into him. But really the movie's about a 30 some year old guy who still lives with his parents and his parents hire a girl to get him out. The movie would be released in about 4 months and we had about 2 scenes left to shoot, but we were given 5 weeks off. Ever since, something had been nagging me. I couldn't sleep anymore. I keep randomly opening my eyes in the middle of the night, as if something were out there, waiting for me.
Mike's POV
I went to Starbucks, got myself a latte, and went walking down to the park. I yawned. Once I got there, some guy came up to me. He looked 16 with a smile on his face. He was pretty tall, almost as tall as me. He had black converse, and ragged jeans, wearing a black unzipped hoodie. His hair was brown, spiked up. He strolled right up next to me, hands in his hoodie's pockets. He seemed in a good mood. Lucky him.
"Hey, you're Mike!" he said happily. I nodded as I gave another long yawn.
"Can I have your autograph?" he asked.
"Sure, why not?" He pulled out a pen and I pulled out a napkin I got from star bucks.
"For Zoey," He told me. I paused for a second. Hmm...Zoey...
"Two O's," he corrected me as he saw me scribble my name down.
To Zooey with love, Mike Dirnt xoxo
"Here you go." I gave him the napkin. He smiled at me. I then realized he looked somewhat familiar.
"Thanks, you guys rock! My Aunt's kind of a fan. She likes your old songs. I always ask her why see never sees you, being famous and all."
"What do you mean?" I asked.
"My Aunt's an actress. Runs in the family."
"Oh." I shrugged it off. I yawned again.
"You seem pretty tired," He commented.
"Yeah, I was at Tre's last night." He laughed.
"Yeah, well, I'm just here for the week, I live in L.A."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I wanted my aunt to come with me. She got 5 weeks off from shooting, but she's pretty tired."
"Oh."
"Well, I'll see you around. I got to go. Thanks for the autograph!" he ran off. I watched him disappear between the trees. Once he was out of sight, I continued walking. Zooey...two O's...why does that sound so familiar?
April 2006 New York City
Zooey's POV
Tonight was the premiere. I was somewhat excited yet; I still couldn't sleep at night. I saw my doctor and he said I was just under a lot of stress, that I should try sleeping pills as Justin suggested a few months ago. But I never did. I flopped down on my suite bed. What was wrong with me?
The hotel phone rang. I picked up the phone and stared at the ceiling.
"Hello?"
"Hey aunt Zo." It was my nephew.
"Hey Mac, what's up?"
"Nothing much, did you get that autograph I sent you?"
"Yeah, I did. I tell you I like one song and you get me an autograph, you're so sweet. How'd you meet him?"
"Oh, I was walking down to the park in Oakland one day and I saw him. He was friendly, though he seemed pretty tired, he said he was at Tre's the night before." I laughed.
"Well, thanks, how's Emily?"
"My mom's good. Oh, and good luck at the premiere tonight," He added.
"Thanks kiddo."
"Well, I gotta do homework. Call you tomorrow?"
"Yeah, how about tonight?"
"My tonight, or your tonight?
"Mine. I can't sleep."
"It's been four months you know, Zo?"
"I don't know what's wrong with me," I said, frustrated.
"You need a man, that's what!" he said determined. I gasped, offended.
"You shut up! You need a girl!" I snapped back at him.
"Yeah, well, at least I admit it!" he said proudly.
"Yeah whatever. Don't you have to do homework?"
"I need to get back to class."
"Skipper!"
"What? I got lunch break. I'll call you later. Bye."
"Bye Macky."
He hung up the phone. I put the phone down. Maybe he's right...maybe I do need someone to love. I sighed and got dressed, head out to find some place to eat and relax. After all, it was New York.
It shakes all over like a jelly fish, I kinda like it...crazy little thing called love
April 2006 Oakland, California
Mike's POV
"Please, Mikey? For me? You know I get lost in my own house, how am I supposed to get around New York?" Tre pleaded. I sighed and put my drink down on his kitchen counter.
"Fine, Fine, I'll go with you. Only because we can't afford to lose our drummer in Central Park," I told him.
"Yay! Thank you! I love you!" he squeezed me tight. Tre was going to visit Ramona in New York, and since Adie went away to see family in Michigan, Billie was in charge of the kids. I was the only one left.
"You can stop now," I told him.
"Oh, sorry." He stopped hugging me.
"So, when are we leaving?"
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow?!" I said, shocked.
"Yeah, at 3 am."
"Tre! It's all ready 11 pm!" I yelled at him.
"And?" he asked as if there was no problem.
"The flight leaves in four hours! We have to leave to the airport in 2 hours! I haven't even packed anything!"
"Really? Me neither!" Tre said cheerfully. I just stared at him. "We can pack together!"
I groaned and lay my head on the granite counter in front of me.
"Alright, let's get this over with," I grumbled.
