Categories > Celebrities > Green Day > Shenanigans
Billie Joe's POV
Alaina's name on the caller ID was honestly the last I expected, and I admit that maybe I was half-hoping Adrienne would call.
Oh, who am I kidding? Of course I wanted Adie to call!
So I picked up the phone.
"Hey, Lane. What's crackin'?" I asked promptly, plopping down onto my bed.
"Billie, we have a problem." Her voice was hushed, as though she were trying to prevent anyone from overhearing.
"What's wrong?" A hint of nervousness overwhelmed me, and I place a hand onto my forehead.
"It's Mike. He came home today and I thought Rory was with him because I saw a girl sitting next to him in his car. But it wasn't her!" she said quickly.
"Who was it, then?"
"It was Whatsername. Apparently, Jesus slash Jason and Whatsername broke up or whatever and Mike asked her out."
"Mike... and Whatsername? What about Rory?" I sat up and scrunched my brow in utter confusion. We all knew Mike and Rory were in love with each other, so this was the biggest shocker.
"He told me that he was only going out with her because he felt bad 'cause she cuts and stuff and when she feels better about everything, he'll go out with Rory. But..." she began.
"But... what?"
"I saw him making out with her on the couch, and his whole story didn't sound all too convincing. I dunno, maybe he really wants to get serious with Whatsername," she sighed.
"Oi. Rory will be devastated!" I shook my head. I couldn't believe it. Mike was a nice guy, he would never do something so stupid. Or so I thought.
"I was so upset... But you did the same thing to Adie."
"Don't remind me. Besides, if I know Michael Ryan Pritchard like I think I do, he wouldn't do something so stupid. Trying to make Rory get jealous by dating another girl doesn't seem like something he'd be capable of or anything. Unless..."
"Unless...?"
"Unless it's payback for Friday, when Farore kissed Mr. Jesus."
"Oh, crap. Maybe you're right."
"Maybe..." I hoped I was right; I hoped Mike didn't want to get serious with this girl. I wanted everything to go well with Rory and Mike. Those two were the perfect example of all those corny love stories.
Love story gone tragedy, however.
"Look, I'm gonna go save Whatsername from getting her face sucked off by Mike. Even though I hate her living guts right now, no one should go through that. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, see ya." I hung up the phone and tossed it at the wall, not caring in the least when the battery flew out.
I could never have guessed that Mike would be so stupid. I always imagined him as the one who would always follow his heart no matter what.
We were best friends, and have been since we were ten, yet I always saw the two of us as total opposites. I was always the flirty one with multiple girlfriends, etc. Mike was the one who was always trying to be nice and polite.
He only had Maria before, but now he has Whatsername. I was a non-commitment type of guy until Adrienne came into my life, and Mike always wanted to find "the one."
And if I knew the gang as well as I thought, there will be a riot tomorrow over Mike's decision, just like with the whole Jason White and Tre thing for Alaina. Everyone wanted to see Farore and Mike get together, you know, "Happily ever after."
If someone were to have come to me at the beginning of the summer that a new girl would come into Mike's life, that Adie would hate me, that Lane would get pregnant with Tre's children, and that Mike would break the new girl's heart, I wouldn't have believed it.
We all made plans for senior year. We decided it would be the best year, out last of the torture called school. We always talked about it.
But then Rory came. I can't blame her for these changes in our lives.
I thought to myself just then, shocked that such a thing would go through my head, 'I wonder, what would have happened if we never met Rory? What if Mike hadn't seen her sitting against the wall all alone on the first day?'
Sometimes I wish he never did, that things could go back to the way before she got here.
Is it possible to despise someone, yet love them as a best friend all at one?
Maybe I was using her as a scapegoat for all out problems, or maybe it's true.
Rory's POV
I couldn't take it anymore. I had to let Alaina know what happened. She was my best friend, the only one I spoke to about my feelings for Mike. We always told each other our problems and helped each other out however possible.
Yet I feared she would be angry that I went for Jason. Either way, she needed to know before tomorrow. I reached out to grab my cell, but I shook my head, deciding this was something that was better said in person.
I looked at the clock. It was 11 pm. I hoped she wouldn't mind me coming by so late, but as for me, I wasn't allowed out after ten on a weeknight. I always thought it was a stupid rule, but I never questioned it.
So I did what I do best: sneaking out. I opened my window and stuck half my body out the window, looking down. It was slightly chilly, and I shivered. Luckily, as I'm on the second floor, the roof from the first floor extended out below my window and extended around the entire back of the house, including the right side.
I stuck my body back into my room and looked around, deciding I needed to prepare so no one would be suspicious. I locked my door and turned out the lights, then shoved on my battered black converse and my She Wants Revenge hoodie. I put my cell phone into my pocket and put on music softly, since I listened to music anyways.
I slipped out the window and clambered to the edge of the house. I looked below me, checking that no one would see, and jumped down to the side of the house. I jumped the yard fence and ran until my house was out of sight. I looked up and down the sidewalk, and took in a deep breath, smiling. I'd always loved the darkness and night, especially when it was cold out.
I used to always sneak out of the house back home, usually to hang with friends and wreak what my mom liked to call havoc. It was all just innocent fun, anyway. Mainly I'd just sneak over to my friend's house, but whatever.
I ended up at Lane's doorstep and noticed Vinnie's car in the driveway. So knocking on the front door was obviously out of the question. I rounded the house and stood below the window to Lane's room, which was also on the second floor, like mine. She also had a bit of a ledge under her window; I just needed her help hoisting myself up there. I grabbed a handful of gravel and tossed the tiny rocks one by one at her window. I saw her figure in the window, and she opened it.
"Rory?! What the hell are you doing here?" she asked incredulously.
"I need to talk," I called up as quietly as I could up to her. She helped me get in and I sat at the edge of her bed and began to cry, relating to her the entire story of me listening in on Mike and Whatsername's conversation and the "tutoring session" at Jason's house. She sat besides me and hugged me.
"Oh, Rory. It's all right. We all know Mike's a retard." She tried to make me smile, but I shook my head.
"I should have asked him out myself, if I knew this would happen!" I tried to not cry.
"No, no, don't blame yourself. Well, do you like Jason?" Lane asked, handing me a box of Kleenex.
"Enough." I said simply, not sure of the answer myself.
"Enough?"
"Yes, enough. I'm not going to wait for Mike if he's going to go for Whatsername! There's no use."
"Don't say that, you know it's not true. He loves you, I can tell, just you wait."
"I just said, I'm not waiting. And I'll bloody well say whatever I want!" I pushed her away, but she just scooted closer to try and comfort me. "It disturbs me that I have to see him with... with that... that GIRL tomorrow at school."
"And he has to see you with Jesus."
"Well it's his bloody fault!" When I got upset, all my English self comes out.
"Don't worry about it. Why don't you stay the night here and we can get your stuff for school tomorrow morning?" she offered. I was surprised that she wasn't lecturing me, like my old friends used to do, but she tried as hard as she could to make me feel better.
"No, that's all right. I need some time to myself, 'kay?" I stood and headed for her window.
"Have fun." She forced a smile at me and I jumped down from the ledge, careful not to twist my ankle.
I spent a couple hours just wandering before I came across the park, and remembered that place Mike took me weeks before. It was the clearing behind the trees, with the stream. I sat down by the stream and stared up at the stars and sighed.
I remembered what Mike said when he brought me here, "I like to come here to think."
And it was the perfect place to think about things. I wonder how often he came here since then...
I found myself crying again, but I allowed the tears to fall freely as I looked at my reflection in the stream.
'I don't know you, but I think I hate you...' I whispered to it, tossing a stone in and breaking the image of myself.
*
Jason White's POV
A few weeks later...
I took my place at the table next to Billie. Everything had been going unusually normal lately. And by normal, I mean the new, fucked up order everything was in. Rory was with Jesus. Mike was with Whatsername. Adie and Billie wanted each other back so badly everyone could taste it. Alaina looked like she was about to pop even though she was only 5 months. And I liked someone else.
That's right, I liked Adrienne Nesser.
I gave up on Alaina not too long after winter break. I also didn't hate Tre anymore. Which I guess made band rehearsals and gigs a lot easier. Adie was currently the only single girl in the group that wasn't a complete psycho or hopelessly into someone else. Well, I guess Billie, but I don't think they were getting back together anytime soon. Mike and Alaina had been shooting the weird twin looks back and forth today and it was creepy.
"Hey, Rory, will you take my tray up?" Alaina asked as Rory was starting to stand up.
"Yeah, hey Billie, will you take mine up too?" Mike said with the same, fake tone as Lane. Billie and Rory looked at each other and back to the Pritchards.
"Sure..." they said in unison and left.
"Guys, we're having a surprise party at our house this weekend for BJ and Rory. Keep it on the downlow. I just thought we would get it out before they got back. Be at our house at 7 Saturday night. Don't worry about the details, we got it covered. Just keep your mouth shut about it," Alaina said, suddenly stopping when Rory and Billie came back. We all were staring at them.
"Uhh...hi..." Billie said, sounding frightened.
"HEY!" we all yelled in unison, causing everyone around us to stare.
"Did we do something?" Rory asked.
"Being as beautiful as you are is a crime!" Jason/Jesus said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close to him. Mike looked pissed.
"Well. Um...Valentine's day is coming up..." I said to break the awkwardness.
"Yeah. It's Saturday," Billie said, sounds a little hurt.
"You don't have plans, right Billie?" Mike asked.
"WHAT DO YOU FUCKING THINK?" he yelled, glaring at Adrienne.
"Oh. Right. After 5 months, it kind of grows on you. Well, maybe you could come over and help me...wash the dishes."
Billie looked completely lost. It was quite funny, actually.
"Umm...sure, but shouldn't Alaina do that?"
"She needs her rest, right sweetie?" Tre said, rubbing her arm.
"She rests all the fucking time! She's always sitting on her ass!"
"HEY! I have people inside of me! I need a rest!"
"To be fair, you were always on your ass before that." Mike joked, smiling at her.
"Oy, that was a low shot, Mikey!" she replied, smiling back.
"Wait, what about your girlfriend? Don't you want to spend the day with her?" Billie said, looking at Whatsername. She was staring off into space, as usual.
"We are, just a little bit later," Mike said, looking at her.
I wondered what the hell went on in that brain of hers. Whenever I was in class with her or we were here at lunch, she would whisper into Mike's ear or just sit there and stare. I wondered if she was the type that was secretly plotting to bring a machete in and just stab everyone to death.
"Whatever. Fine with me. I cannot wait til next week, i'll finally be 18!" BJ said, finally with some excitement.
"The week after for me!" Rory cheered.
"Then we have to wait forever and Mike and I will be 18!" Alaina said, laying her head on Tre.
"And then forever after that is mine!" Tre said.
"Another year closer to death!" Whatsername said, smiling at the table.
"That's cheerful!" Adie said, rolling her eyes.
With that, the bell rang...
Saturday night...
I rode with Adie to Mike and Alaina's. I don't think she realized how much I liked her yet. I was running through all the things I wanted to talk to her about in my head, but none of them would come out of my mouth. The awkward silence was killing me. I had to say something...even if it was completely idiotic...
"So, you have a car..." What the fuck? Was that the best I could think of? She laughed and smiled at me.
"No, Jason, this is virtual reality. We're really walking, but we just think we're driving."
"I'm sorry, that was a dumb question. It's just..."
"Don't you have one?"
"One what?"
"A car, sweetie. Don't you have a car?"
"Yeah. I just didn't know how to get here."
Lie #1.
"Jason, sweetie, you drove here DRUNK on homecoming night. You drove here the night you and Tre got into a fight. We've drove her many times."
"Well, I didn't want to go alone."
Lie #2, sort of. I did want to be alone, but I also wanted Adie to take me.
"Umm, OK. Whatever floats your boat. Why are you acting so weird tonight, Jase? You're acting like you're trying to avoid something."
"You could say that."
"What is it?"
"I'll tell you later..."
"Whatever," she said, pulling into the drive way. She popped the drunk and got out the cards and soft drinks she was supposed to bring.
We all agreed no alcohol this time. Not after what happened at Billie's. I grabbed my bag of bags of chips. I felt special, being one of the first people here. Well, besides Tre, who practically lived here.
"HEY SEXY!" Alaina yelled, running to hug Adie when she walked through the door. Tre was sitting on the couch playing video games. I sat next to him and decided to join.
"Where's Mike?" I asked.
"He went to get BJ and take him out for a while. They went to get pizza."
"Where's Vinnie?" Adie asked, sarcasticly.
"He went to Amsterdam for the weekend with my mom. Oh, how I miss them! Ya know, since they never leave!" Alaina said with fake dramatics.
"Why isn't Tre with Mike and Billie?"
"Cuz Whatsername went with them," Tre yelled.
"Tre and I had some alone time when he first got here," Alaina said. I could hear the smile in her voice, beside the smile on Tre's face.
"Ew. TMI, Lane, TMI."
"So when are Mike and Billie coming back and when is Rory supposed to be here?"
"Mike's gonna call. Jason's gonna call when he and Rory get back from their little party. Anytime now." Just then, the phone rang. Alaina swiped it from the reciever next to me. My car almost crashed because of her!
"Alright. Yeah, they're all here. I'll call Jason and tell him to get over here. Bye." She clicked the btton and put it back. "Put the game up, boys. You guys are gonna go hide." alaina said, smiling.
"BUT I'M ABOUT TO BEAT TRE'S ASS!" I said, almost finish my last lap. Adie went up to the eletric socket and unplugged the PS2 right before I hit the finish line...
"ADRIENNE NESSER! IF YOU WERE A DUDE, I WOULD BEAT YOUR ASS!" Tre said, standing up.
"Sorry, sweetie. Now get in the closet," she said, pushing Tre and I into the hallway and following us.
I was finally alone in a closet with Adrienne Elizabeth Nesser...well, almost. After a few minutes, I heard Mike and Billie and what I assumed was Whatsername coming in. I heard someone coming in not too long after that. Adie pushed us all out.
"SURPRISE!" All 3 of us yelled. Mike, Jesus and Alaina were smiling. Billie and Rory looked confused.
"What? Is this some kind of a joke?" Billie asked, looking at all of us.
"No, Billie, we had this party for you and Rory. Ya know, since you're birthdays are like a week apart!" Mike said.
"AWW THANK YOU GUYS!" Rory said, hugging everyone. She looked like she was gonna cry.
"Yeah, thanks," Billie said, half sincere.
"CAKE TIME!" Tre yelled, going to the fridge. He got some kind of ice cream cake out and grabbed the candles and matchbook. Mike swiped the matchbook from Tre.
"Nice try, Mr. Wright. No fire for you!" he said, striking a match and lighting 18 candles.
"Make a wish!" Jason said, grabbing Rory's waist and wrapping his arms around her. Billie and Rory blew at the same time. Mike started cutting and let everyone get what they wanted. The girls went to one table...and when I say girls, I mean Rory, Lane, and Adie. Whatsername sat off in a corner by herself. Mike, Billie, Tre, Jason and I went to another table in their backyard.
"So, Billie, how did you like it?" I asked, smiling. He looked really depressed.
"It was...great," he said, depressed.
"Dude, you have CAKE and PRESENTS. ICE CREAM CAKE! Why the manic depressiveness?" Tre asked.
"That's all I have. Cake. Presents. I don't have..."
"Adie?" Mike asked, finishing his sentence. Billie groaned.
"Exactly. Why did I let her go? Why was I such an idiot?"
Maybe cuz she was meant to be with me? I didn't say that out loud, though.
"It's OK, BJ. It'll work out. If you're meant to be, you're meant to be." Mike said, looking at him.
"Easy for you to say, you have Whatsername. Which, by the way, she's sitting on your couch all by herself and the girls are at the kitchen table talking."
"Oh, fuck, I need to go talk to her..." he got up and left his cake.
"Well, I guess he's done!" Tre said, putting it on his.
"Isn't it weird that Whatsername doesn't interact with the other girls, not even Lane?" Billie asked, glancing at Mike and Whatsername in the living room.
"She doesn't talk to anyone much, Billie. That's just who she is," Jesus said.
"Yeah, but you would think that since she's Mike's girlfriend that she would at least be friends with Lane or something."
"They don't like her." Tre said, finally.
"Why? What'd she do?" Jesus asked, looking at him.
"They think she's...well...you know. You went out with her."
"But did she ever do anything to them? They shouldn't judge her like that. They don't know what's gone on in her life. I bet Mike doesn't either..."
"Dude, calm down. Maybe if she opens up, they'll get to know her more and like her." I said, looking at Jesus' red face.
"I guess you're right. They haven't been dating that long, have they?"
I saw Adie walk into the kitchen and put her plate in the sink. I decided to go in and talk to her.
"H...hey, Adrienne," I said, watching her wash her plate.
"Hey, Jason. Did you want something?"
"Umm...maybe."
"Well...?"
Just go for it, Jason. What's the worst that could happen? She says no and breaks your heart? Alaina did that and it wasn't too bad.
"Adie, I like you as more than a friend," I said as if it were one sentence. She looked up at me and paused.
"Umm...say that again?"
"Would you...umm...want to go steady?"
"By golly, gee whiz, Jason White! I reckon that I sure would like to go steady! That would be swell!" we both laughed. "Yes, Jason, I will be your girlfriend." She said, hugging and then kissing me.
I grabbed her hand and we started for the living room. I didn't notice that Billie had been standing there the whole time, though.
Tre's POV
Jason, Jesus and Whatsername had all left by 8. It was the usual old group of us plus Rory, who I guess could be considered in there now. Alaina laid on my lap and put her feet on Mike. Rory sat on the floor in front of the couch with Adie next to her and Billie on the ledge of the couch next to me. It reminded me of the old days, well, except the obvious exceptions. I almost wished it would stay like this forever and that I had a picture.
"So, Jason?" Billie asked Adie.
"Yeah. Got a problem, Billie?"
Yeah, definitely wanted a picture before all this started.
"No, not at all. You can date anyone you want..."
"I'm glad to know that I need your permission to date, Billie."
"Guys, come on, not tonight," Mike said.
"Stay out of it, Mike," Billie said, looking down at Adie.
"Billie, just stop. Why don't you just leave me alone? You've been trying to get into my business and we're over, through, finito! You made it clear that night at your house."
He sighed and his head fell back on the wall.
"Do you want me to say it? Fine. I will. Adrienne Elizabeth Nesser, I still love you. I want you back. I miss you. I was drunk and I didn't know what I was talking about. Clearly I'm not drunk or high tonight, so I'm in my right mind. You're all I think about everyday, all day. There. Are you happy now?"
"I don't fucking believe you, Billie. Just shut up and leave me alone," she said, crossing her arms.
"Suit yourself," he said and stood up.
"Guys, seriously, Can we not fight? It seems like that's all we do when we all get together," I said, looking at BJ.
"He started it," Adie muttered.
"It doesn't matter. You guys used to be in love. Now you can't even be in the same room. Have you heard of forgive and forget, Adie? He still loves you. And you still love him. It's obvious. You two should get back together," Mike said.
"OK, Mike, don't start at me about who's meant to be with who." Billie snapped.
"Who wants to watch a movie?" Rory said, going to the DVD rack and pretended to look at the movies.
"Good idea," Alaina said, getting up and walking towards her.
Alaina's name on the caller ID was honestly the last I expected, and I admit that maybe I was half-hoping Adrienne would call.
Oh, who am I kidding? Of course I wanted Adie to call!
So I picked up the phone.
"Hey, Lane. What's crackin'?" I asked promptly, plopping down onto my bed.
"Billie, we have a problem." Her voice was hushed, as though she were trying to prevent anyone from overhearing.
"What's wrong?" A hint of nervousness overwhelmed me, and I place a hand onto my forehead.
"It's Mike. He came home today and I thought Rory was with him because I saw a girl sitting next to him in his car. But it wasn't her!" she said quickly.
"Who was it, then?"
"It was Whatsername. Apparently, Jesus slash Jason and Whatsername broke up or whatever and Mike asked her out."
"Mike... and Whatsername? What about Rory?" I sat up and scrunched my brow in utter confusion. We all knew Mike and Rory were in love with each other, so this was the biggest shocker.
"He told me that he was only going out with her because he felt bad 'cause she cuts and stuff and when she feels better about everything, he'll go out with Rory. But..." she began.
"But... what?"
"I saw him making out with her on the couch, and his whole story didn't sound all too convincing. I dunno, maybe he really wants to get serious with Whatsername," she sighed.
"Oi. Rory will be devastated!" I shook my head. I couldn't believe it. Mike was a nice guy, he would never do something so stupid. Or so I thought.
"I was so upset... But you did the same thing to Adie."
"Don't remind me. Besides, if I know Michael Ryan Pritchard like I think I do, he wouldn't do something so stupid. Trying to make Rory get jealous by dating another girl doesn't seem like something he'd be capable of or anything. Unless..."
"Unless...?"
"Unless it's payback for Friday, when Farore kissed Mr. Jesus."
"Oh, crap. Maybe you're right."
"Maybe..." I hoped I was right; I hoped Mike didn't want to get serious with this girl. I wanted everything to go well with Rory and Mike. Those two were the perfect example of all those corny love stories.
Love story gone tragedy, however.
"Look, I'm gonna go save Whatsername from getting her face sucked off by Mike. Even though I hate her living guts right now, no one should go through that. See you tomorrow."
"Yeah, see ya." I hung up the phone and tossed it at the wall, not caring in the least when the battery flew out.
I could never have guessed that Mike would be so stupid. I always imagined him as the one who would always follow his heart no matter what.
We were best friends, and have been since we were ten, yet I always saw the two of us as total opposites. I was always the flirty one with multiple girlfriends, etc. Mike was the one who was always trying to be nice and polite.
He only had Maria before, but now he has Whatsername. I was a non-commitment type of guy until Adrienne came into my life, and Mike always wanted to find "the one."
And if I knew the gang as well as I thought, there will be a riot tomorrow over Mike's decision, just like with the whole Jason White and Tre thing for Alaina. Everyone wanted to see Farore and Mike get together, you know, "Happily ever after."
If someone were to have come to me at the beginning of the summer that a new girl would come into Mike's life, that Adie would hate me, that Lane would get pregnant with Tre's children, and that Mike would break the new girl's heart, I wouldn't have believed it.
We all made plans for senior year. We decided it would be the best year, out last of the torture called school. We always talked about it.
But then Rory came. I can't blame her for these changes in our lives.
I thought to myself just then, shocked that such a thing would go through my head, 'I wonder, what would have happened if we never met Rory? What if Mike hadn't seen her sitting against the wall all alone on the first day?'
Sometimes I wish he never did, that things could go back to the way before she got here.
Is it possible to despise someone, yet love them as a best friend all at one?
Maybe I was using her as a scapegoat for all out problems, or maybe it's true.
Rory's POV
I couldn't take it anymore. I had to let Alaina know what happened. She was my best friend, the only one I spoke to about my feelings for Mike. We always told each other our problems and helped each other out however possible.
Yet I feared she would be angry that I went for Jason. Either way, she needed to know before tomorrow. I reached out to grab my cell, but I shook my head, deciding this was something that was better said in person.
I looked at the clock. It was 11 pm. I hoped she wouldn't mind me coming by so late, but as for me, I wasn't allowed out after ten on a weeknight. I always thought it was a stupid rule, but I never questioned it.
So I did what I do best: sneaking out. I opened my window and stuck half my body out the window, looking down. It was slightly chilly, and I shivered. Luckily, as I'm on the second floor, the roof from the first floor extended out below my window and extended around the entire back of the house, including the right side.
I stuck my body back into my room and looked around, deciding I needed to prepare so no one would be suspicious. I locked my door and turned out the lights, then shoved on my battered black converse and my She Wants Revenge hoodie. I put my cell phone into my pocket and put on music softly, since I listened to music anyways.
I slipped out the window and clambered to the edge of the house. I looked below me, checking that no one would see, and jumped down to the side of the house. I jumped the yard fence and ran until my house was out of sight. I looked up and down the sidewalk, and took in a deep breath, smiling. I'd always loved the darkness and night, especially when it was cold out.
I used to always sneak out of the house back home, usually to hang with friends and wreak what my mom liked to call havoc. It was all just innocent fun, anyway. Mainly I'd just sneak over to my friend's house, but whatever.
I ended up at Lane's doorstep and noticed Vinnie's car in the driveway. So knocking on the front door was obviously out of the question. I rounded the house and stood below the window to Lane's room, which was also on the second floor, like mine. She also had a bit of a ledge under her window; I just needed her help hoisting myself up there. I grabbed a handful of gravel and tossed the tiny rocks one by one at her window. I saw her figure in the window, and she opened it.
"Rory?! What the hell are you doing here?" she asked incredulously.
"I need to talk," I called up as quietly as I could up to her. She helped me get in and I sat at the edge of her bed and began to cry, relating to her the entire story of me listening in on Mike and Whatsername's conversation and the "tutoring session" at Jason's house. She sat besides me and hugged me.
"Oh, Rory. It's all right. We all know Mike's a retard." She tried to make me smile, but I shook my head.
"I should have asked him out myself, if I knew this would happen!" I tried to not cry.
"No, no, don't blame yourself. Well, do you like Jason?" Lane asked, handing me a box of Kleenex.
"Enough." I said simply, not sure of the answer myself.
"Enough?"
"Yes, enough. I'm not going to wait for Mike if he's going to go for Whatsername! There's no use."
"Don't say that, you know it's not true. He loves you, I can tell, just you wait."
"I just said, I'm not waiting. And I'll bloody well say whatever I want!" I pushed her away, but she just scooted closer to try and comfort me. "It disturbs me that I have to see him with... with that... that GIRL tomorrow at school."
"And he has to see you with Jesus."
"Well it's his bloody fault!" When I got upset, all my English self comes out.
"Don't worry about it. Why don't you stay the night here and we can get your stuff for school tomorrow morning?" she offered. I was surprised that she wasn't lecturing me, like my old friends used to do, but she tried as hard as she could to make me feel better.
"No, that's all right. I need some time to myself, 'kay?" I stood and headed for her window.
"Have fun." She forced a smile at me and I jumped down from the ledge, careful not to twist my ankle.
I spent a couple hours just wandering before I came across the park, and remembered that place Mike took me weeks before. It was the clearing behind the trees, with the stream. I sat down by the stream and stared up at the stars and sighed.
I remembered what Mike said when he brought me here, "I like to come here to think."
And it was the perfect place to think about things. I wonder how often he came here since then...
I found myself crying again, but I allowed the tears to fall freely as I looked at my reflection in the stream.
'I don't know you, but I think I hate you...' I whispered to it, tossing a stone in and breaking the image of myself.
*
Jason White's POV
A few weeks later...
I took my place at the table next to Billie. Everything had been going unusually normal lately. And by normal, I mean the new, fucked up order everything was in. Rory was with Jesus. Mike was with Whatsername. Adie and Billie wanted each other back so badly everyone could taste it. Alaina looked like she was about to pop even though she was only 5 months. And I liked someone else.
That's right, I liked Adrienne Nesser.
I gave up on Alaina not too long after winter break. I also didn't hate Tre anymore. Which I guess made band rehearsals and gigs a lot easier. Adie was currently the only single girl in the group that wasn't a complete psycho or hopelessly into someone else. Well, I guess Billie, but I don't think they were getting back together anytime soon. Mike and Alaina had been shooting the weird twin looks back and forth today and it was creepy.
"Hey, Rory, will you take my tray up?" Alaina asked as Rory was starting to stand up.
"Yeah, hey Billie, will you take mine up too?" Mike said with the same, fake tone as Lane. Billie and Rory looked at each other and back to the Pritchards.
"Sure..." they said in unison and left.
"Guys, we're having a surprise party at our house this weekend for BJ and Rory. Keep it on the downlow. I just thought we would get it out before they got back. Be at our house at 7 Saturday night. Don't worry about the details, we got it covered. Just keep your mouth shut about it," Alaina said, suddenly stopping when Rory and Billie came back. We all were staring at them.
"Uhh...hi..." Billie said, sounding frightened.
"HEY!" we all yelled in unison, causing everyone around us to stare.
"Did we do something?" Rory asked.
"Being as beautiful as you are is a crime!" Jason/Jesus said, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her close to him. Mike looked pissed.
"Well. Um...Valentine's day is coming up..." I said to break the awkwardness.
"Yeah. It's Saturday," Billie said, sounds a little hurt.
"You don't have plans, right Billie?" Mike asked.
"WHAT DO YOU FUCKING THINK?" he yelled, glaring at Adrienne.
"Oh. Right. After 5 months, it kind of grows on you. Well, maybe you could come over and help me...wash the dishes."
Billie looked completely lost. It was quite funny, actually.
"Umm...sure, but shouldn't Alaina do that?"
"She needs her rest, right sweetie?" Tre said, rubbing her arm.
"She rests all the fucking time! She's always sitting on her ass!"
"HEY! I have people inside of me! I need a rest!"
"To be fair, you were always on your ass before that." Mike joked, smiling at her.
"Oy, that was a low shot, Mikey!" she replied, smiling back.
"Wait, what about your girlfriend? Don't you want to spend the day with her?" Billie said, looking at Whatsername. She was staring off into space, as usual.
"We are, just a little bit later," Mike said, looking at her.
I wondered what the hell went on in that brain of hers. Whenever I was in class with her or we were here at lunch, she would whisper into Mike's ear or just sit there and stare. I wondered if she was the type that was secretly plotting to bring a machete in and just stab everyone to death.
"Whatever. Fine with me. I cannot wait til next week, i'll finally be 18!" BJ said, finally with some excitement.
"The week after for me!" Rory cheered.
"Then we have to wait forever and Mike and I will be 18!" Alaina said, laying her head on Tre.
"And then forever after that is mine!" Tre said.
"Another year closer to death!" Whatsername said, smiling at the table.
"That's cheerful!" Adie said, rolling her eyes.
With that, the bell rang...
Saturday night...
I rode with Adie to Mike and Alaina's. I don't think she realized how much I liked her yet. I was running through all the things I wanted to talk to her about in my head, but none of them would come out of my mouth. The awkward silence was killing me. I had to say something...even if it was completely idiotic...
"So, you have a car..." What the fuck? Was that the best I could think of? She laughed and smiled at me.
"No, Jason, this is virtual reality. We're really walking, but we just think we're driving."
"I'm sorry, that was a dumb question. It's just..."
"Don't you have one?"
"One what?"
"A car, sweetie. Don't you have a car?"
"Yeah. I just didn't know how to get here."
Lie #1.
"Jason, sweetie, you drove here DRUNK on homecoming night. You drove here the night you and Tre got into a fight. We've drove her many times."
"Well, I didn't want to go alone."
Lie #2, sort of. I did want to be alone, but I also wanted Adie to take me.
"Umm, OK. Whatever floats your boat. Why are you acting so weird tonight, Jase? You're acting like you're trying to avoid something."
"You could say that."
"What is it?"
"I'll tell you later..."
"Whatever," she said, pulling into the drive way. She popped the drunk and got out the cards and soft drinks she was supposed to bring.
We all agreed no alcohol this time. Not after what happened at Billie's. I grabbed my bag of bags of chips. I felt special, being one of the first people here. Well, besides Tre, who practically lived here.
"HEY SEXY!" Alaina yelled, running to hug Adie when she walked through the door. Tre was sitting on the couch playing video games. I sat next to him and decided to join.
"Where's Mike?" I asked.
"He went to get BJ and take him out for a while. They went to get pizza."
"Where's Vinnie?" Adie asked, sarcasticly.
"He went to Amsterdam for the weekend with my mom. Oh, how I miss them! Ya know, since they never leave!" Alaina said with fake dramatics.
"Why isn't Tre with Mike and Billie?"
"Cuz Whatsername went with them," Tre yelled.
"Tre and I had some alone time when he first got here," Alaina said. I could hear the smile in her voice, beside the smile on Tre's face.
"Ew. TMI, Lane, TMI."
"So when are Mike and Billie coming back and when is Rory supposed to be here?"
"Mike's gonna call. Jason's gonna call when he and Rory get back from their little party. Anytime now." Just then, the phone rang. Alaina swiped it from the reciever next to me. My car almost crashed because of her!
"Alright. Yeah, they're all here. I'll call Jason and tell him to get over here. Bye." She clicked the btton and put it back. "Put the game up, boys. You guys are gonna go hide." alaina said, smiling.
"BUT I'M ABOUT TO BEAT TRE'S ASS!" I said, almost finish my last lap. Adie went up to the eletric socket and unplugged the PS2 right before I hit the finish line...
"ADRIENNE NESSER! IF YOU WERE A DUDE, I WOULD BEAT YOUR ASS!" Tre said, standing up.
"Sorry, sweetie. Now get in the closet," she said, pushing Tre and I into the hallway and following us.
I was finally alone in a closet with Adrienne Elizabeth Nesser...well, almost. After a few minutes, I heard Mike and Billie and what I assumed was Whatsername coming in. I heard someone coming in not too long after that. Adie pushed us all out.
"SURPRISE!" All 3 of us yelled. Mike, Jesus and Alaina were smiling. Billie and Rory looked confused.
"What? Is this some kind of a joke?" Billie asked, looking at all of us.
"No, Billie, we had this party for you and Rory. Ya know, since you're birthdays are like a week apart!" Mike said.
"AWW THANK YOU GUYS!" Rory said, hugging everyone. She looked like she was gonna cry.
"Yeah, thanks," Billie said, half sincere.
"CAKE TIME!" Tre yelled, going to the fridge. He got some kind of ice cream cake out and grabbed the candles and matchbook. Mike swiped the matchbook from Tre.
"Nice try, Mr. Wright. No fire for you!" he said, striking a match and lighting 18 candles.
"Make a wish!" Jason said, grabbing Rory's waist and wrapping his arms around her. Billie and Rory blew at the same time. Mike started cutting and let everyone get what they wanted. The girls went to one table...and when I say girls, I mean Rory, Lane, and Adie. Whatsername sat off in a corner by herself. Mike, Billie, Tre, Jason and I went to another table in their backyard.
"So, Billie, how did you like it?" I asked, smiling. He looked really depressed.
"It was...great," he said, depressed.
"Dude, you have CAKE and PRESENTS. ICE CREAM CAKE! Why the manic depressiveness?" Tre asked.
"That's all I have. Cake. Presents. I don't have..."
"Adie?" Mike asked, finishing his sentence. Billie groaned.
"Exactly. Why did I let her go? Why was I such an idiot?"
Maybe cuz she was meant to be with me? I didn't say that out loud, though.
"It's OK, BJ. It'll work out. If you're meant to be, you're meant to be." Mike said, looking at him.
"Easy for you to say, you have Whatsername. Which, by the way, she's sitting on your couch all by herself and the girls are at the kitchen table talking."
"Oh, fuck, I need to go talk to her..." he got up and left his cake.
"Well, I guess he's done!" Tre said, putting it on his.
"Isn't it weird that Whatsername doesn't interact with the other girls, not even Lane?" Billie asked, glancing at Mike and Whatsername in the living room.
"She doesn't talk to anyone much, Billie. That's just who she is," Jesus said.
"Yeah, but you would think that since she's Mike's girlfriend that she would at least be friends with Lane or something."
"They don't like her." Tre said, finally.
"Why? What'd she do?" Jesus asked, looking at him.
"They think she's...well...you know. You went out with her."
"But did she ever do anything to them? They shouldn't judge her like that. They don't know what's gone on in her life. I bet Mike doesn't either..."
"Dude, calm down. Maybe if she opens up, they'll get to know her more and like her." I said, looking at Jesus' red face.
"I guess you're right. They haven't been dating that long, have they?"
I saw Adie walk into the kitchen and put her plate in the sink. I decided to go in and talk to her.
"H...hey, Adrienne," I said, watching her wash her plate.
"Hey, Jason. Did you want something?"
"Umm...maybe."
"Well...?"
Just go for it, Jason. What's the worst that could happen? She says no and breaks your heart? Alaina did that and it wasn't too bad.
"Adie, I like you as more than a friend," I said as if it were one sentence. She looked up at me and paused.
"Umm...say that again?"
"Would you...umm...want to go steady?"
"By golly, gee whiz, Jason White! I reckon that I sure would like to go steady! That would be swell!" we both laughed. "Yes, Jason, I will be your girlfriend." She said, hugging and then kissing me.
I grabbed her hand and we started for the living room. I didn't notice that Billie had been standing there the whole time, though.
Tre's POV
Jason, Jesus and Whatsername had all left by 8. It was the usual old group of us plus Rory, who I guess could be considered in there now. Alaina laid on my lap and put her feet on Mike. Rory sat on the floor in front of the couch with Adie next to her and Billie on the ledge of the couch next to me. It reminded me of the old days, well, except the obvious exceptions. I almost wished it would stay like this forever and that I had a picture.
"So, Jason?" Billie asked Adie.
"Yeah. Got a problem, Billie?"
Yeah, definitely wanted a picture before all this started.
"No, not at all. You can date anyone you want..."
"I'm glad to know that I need your permission to date, Billie."
"Guys, come on, not tonight," Mike said.
"Stay out of it, Mike," Billie said, looking down at Adie.
"Billie, just stop. Why don't you just leave me alone? You've been trying to get into my business and we're over, through, finito! You made it clear that night at your house."
He sighed and his head fell back on the wall.
"Do you want me to say it? Fine. I will. Adrienne Elizabeth Nesser, I still love you. I want you back. I miss you. I was drunk and I didn't know what I was talking about. Clearly I'm not drunk or high tonight, so I'm in my right mind. You're all I think about everyday, all day. There. Are you happy now?"
"I don't fucking believe you, Billie. Just shut up and leave me alone," she said, crossing her arms.
"Suit yourself," he said and stood up.
"Guys, seriously, Can we not fight? It seems like that's all we do when we all get together," I said, looking at BJ.
"He started it," Adie muttered.
"It doesn't matter. You guys used to be in love. Now you can't even be in the same room. Have you heard of forgive and forget, Adie? He still loves you. And you still love him. It's obvious. You two should get back together," Mike said.
"OK, Mike, don't start at me about who's meant to be with who." Billie snapped.
"Who wants to watch a movie?" Rory said, going to the DVD rack and pretended to look at the movies.
"Good idea," Alaina said, getting up and walking towards her.
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