Good Riddance Part 4

At Gilman, after Green Day had played, and kicked ass, the four of us found a booth in the back. They had obvious intentions not to watch the other bands.
Billie and I were having our own conversation. Once, Tre budded in and said "Oh come on, you know Brookelle is just the cutest girl!" Billie just laughed along with him. Not a good sign for me, the girl who is so hopelessly falling for him.
"Seriously, Billie, Operation Ivy isn't better than The Ramones. I thought you of all people would know this."
Billie rolled his eyes. "I never said they were. I said they were a better underground local band."
"Oh. Well, you made it sound like--" Before I could finish, Billie placed his hands on top of mine.
"B, you're just too cute."
I could feel myself blushing. He didn't have a chance to notice, though. His attention was stolen away from two girls who had approached our booth.
Billie made me slide over, making room for the little slut who only wanted him because he was attractive. But, I was now crammed against the wall. Mike was in the same position I was, he looked at me and rolled his eyes. I nodded.
The following Monday morning I ignored Billie in psychology. What he did Friday night was inexcusable. Mike and I had started talking, one thing led to another, he found out about my feelings for Billie. Mike told Billie and he just said Oh. and went off to find his slut, whose name was Sandy.
"Brookelle." Billie whispered my name. I refused to look over, fuck him.
"Brookelle!" It was growing louder.
"Brookelle!" Billie whispered a little louder than intended. I looked over from the corner of my eye to see him turning red as the teacher stopped in mid-sentence to look at him.
"Is there something you wanted to say, Mr. Armstrong?"
"Actually, there is."
"Come up in front of everyone and tell us, then, Mr. Armstrong."
"Can I?"
"If its worth interrupting my lecture, than sure."
"It is."
Mrs. Wilson rolled her eyes and Billie pushed himself out of his chair and walked to the front of the class. My gut told me what he was doing, and I wanted to disappear.
Billie reached the front of the class, looked at Mrs. Wilson for last minute approval. She smirked and nodded her head once. He turned and faced everyone, who was curious to know what in the world he was doing.
"Brookelle, I'm sorry. If I had the opportunity to take back how I acted, I would. I don't like you ignoring me, and I'm just sorry."
I felt everyones eyes turn from Billie over to me. I also felt my cheeks burning red. I wasn't awed by is apology, I was angered. I tried to shake the anger, what he did was courageous and brave, but I was angry he waited until right now to do it.
"It's okay, Billie. I forgive you." I lied.
He smiled and made his way down the isle to sit back down. Chatter was heard all around the room, nobody still any idea what the hell he was talking about. Some guy across the room raised his hand.
"Mrs. Wilson, was that staged?"
"No, Andrew, it was just another surprise from Mr. Armstrong."
"Oh. Okay."
I stifled a laugh. Billie smiled at me and I just ignored him. His face fell and he knew he didn't really have my forgiveness.
After school I sat on the front steps on the school waiting for Billie. I decided throughout the day that I was going to push the feelings I had for him aside and focus on school. Seeing him was obviously the only way for me to pass the class, so thats what I was going to do. Only two weeks left of the project, anyway.
"Brookelle?"
I turned around and saw Billie walking my way with Mike and Tre. I waved and smiled a little.
"We have to go band practice," Explained Mike. "Do you want to come with?"
"Yeah." I stood up and grabbed my bag. They led me to Tre's red pickup truck, which was in dire need of a paint job.
"You can fold the seat forward and get in that way." He said as he opened the passenger door open for Billie and I. He got in first, leaving more room for me. Very nice of him, I noted. Mike pushed the seat back and jumped in. Tre's car roared to life, but causing me to jump in the process. They all laughed and I told them to shut up.
Fifteen minutes later we arrived at Tre's house, which I had never been to before. He lived quite a ways from the school. Or town in general.
"Damn, Tre. Where they hell do you live?"
"Nowhere."
That was obvious.
Mike and Tre walked in front of Billie and I, didn't matter though. He wasn't even talking. He dragged his feet through the gravel driveway and his head was down.
"Uh, Billie?" His head jerked up and he looked at me. He looked startled.
"Sorry, I must have zoned out or something." I laughed and opened the front door for him. I didn't even notice Tre and Mike were already inside.
"Welcome to my casa!" Tre yelled as he headed straight for the kitchen. I rolled my eyes. He probably went straight there everyday of his life.
"I didn't know you lived this far out." I said as I took a seat at the wooden table in the corner of the room.
Mike and Billie joined me, but not without food in their hands. Mike had a cold pizza, Billie had a bowl of cereal and Tre later joined us with a plate of three cheese sandwiches and some ice cream. I wondered silently what his parents looked like.
"Hungry?" He asked as he took a bite of his sandwich.
I shook my head. "Not hungry enough to eat."
"Oh, come on! This is the only time were going to be here."
"Where the hell are we going?"
"An empty barn we found one day. We have some instruments there, that's where we are practicing today."
"How far is it?"
"Only about an hour." Tre said nonchalantly.
I was stunned. I might as well eat, I didn't know how long we were going to be there.
"Why aren't you practicing at Billies like normal?"
"My step dad is home." Billie grimaced.
"Oh. Well, what kind of food do you have?"
"Anything you can think of." Mike explained laughing.
I got up and walked over to the fridge. I opened it and my eyes grew a little wide. He was right. They had everything.
I made myself a little salad while the guys all came back for seconds on what they ate. I sat down and when they joined me, they all stared.
"What?"
"Thats what you're eating?"
"Yeah. So?"
"If you get hungry, no complaining."
"Okay."
******
An hour and a million sex jokes later, we were at the abandoned barn they had mentioned earlier.
We all piled out of the car and walked to the barn. Tre grabbed a key out of his pocket and unlocked the big red doors.
"Why do you keep the doors locked?"
"Hillbilly's live down the street. They would probably steal our equipment."
I started laughing. A hillbilly family? Were in California were we?
"We sometimes try and sell Billie Joe to them." Mike said as we entered the barn.
"That's horrible."
"No," Tre explained. "Its funny."
"No, I agree with Brookelle. It's horrible." Billie pretended to pout.
I took a seat on a haystack while they all grabbed their instruments and started to mess around. I loved watching them play, even if it was in a barn God knows how many miles away from home.
A few hours later I was starving. They were still practicing, their own songs now.
"Tre, I'm so hungry!"
"Thats why I told you to eat!"
"I did." I knew I was whining, but my stomach was killing me.
"A salad. That won't hold you over."
"Obviously not." I muttered.
Tre sighed and put his drumsticks down. He walked over and handed me the keys to his car.
"I have some Twinkies in the car." I laughed as I got up and headed towards the door.
Outside was pitch black. As I walked I noticed that there were cornfields on both sides of me. I was growing more and more paranoid as I thought about the situation I was in.
When I reached the truck, it took some forceful pulling to get the door open. I leaned down and started feeling around for the box of Twinkies. While I was searching, I heard movement coming from behind me. I stiffened and stopped moving for a second, I heard the sound of the cornstalks crunching. I whimpered as I pictured a person behind me with a knife. The crunching grew closer and louder and I grew more scared. I heard a voice, a quiet murmur from behind me. I turned and ran, pushing the door shut while doing so. I heard someone following behind me, but slower than I was, I hurried my pace until I was running.
Tears were escaping my eyes as I reached the barn. I tore the door open and slammed it shut behind me. I fell to my knees and let the tears escape.
"Brookelle!" I heard Billie yell as he ran towards me, throwing his arms around me and pulling me into his chest.
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