FicWad

Rory's POV

[A couple days later]

Hearing a knock on the door caused my head to perk up. None of my friends knew where I lived, or they knew, but I never told them they could come over. Curiously, and with a furrowed brow, I stood from my seat on the couch in my living room, flicked off the TV I wasn't really paying attention to anyway, and walked over to the door. I took a deep breath, expecting it to be maybe Alaina or Jason, and turned the knob.

"SURPRISE!" I heard and was attacked from all side by hugs. I toppled back onto the carpeted hallway. I began to laugh, and attempting to tug the three people on me from my body, to no avail.

When the three finally got off me, I was breathing heavily, but looked up to three faces I thought I would never see again. Lorraine, with her long, perfectly straight, blue-black hair and piercing blue eyes and pale skin; Blake with deep green eyes and shaggy blonde hair; Haushinka, with her short, straight black hair and black, oriental eyes.

I grinned brightly up and them, and let out a short, disbelieving chuckle. It was too good to be true.

Blake held out a hand, which I gratefully took, and he helped me up. I looked into his eyes and continued smiling.

"'Ello, love." He smiled back at me, and I led the three into my living room. I sat on the arm of the couch, facing in towards the other arm, which Blake leaned against and sprawled out onto the couch. Haushinka and Lorraine took over the loveseat.

"So... What brings the three of you to California?" I bit down on my lip, fearing a not so happy answer. I was always quite the pessimist when it comes to these things.

"Oh, it's your 18th birthday soon, and we thought we should be here for ya when you finally reach it!" Lorraine scooted forward in her seat so her butt was almost off the edge.

"Remember our promise?" Haushinka asked, cocking her head to the side.

"Of course I do!" I said. And it was true; I remembered it as if it were yesterday.

Flashback

The four of us sat on the roof of the old warehouse, our old hang out spot from way back. We had found it over by the edge of town. We were curious as to the shattered windows and graffiti, and thought of it as a little adventure. On the top floor, over time we had made it into our own private area. We decorated the walls with graffiti of our own and rock posters and stickers, dragged in some battered furniture and a small TV and VHS system to watch movies on. We hid booze and smokes up there and would occasionally bring our guitars and basses and once even Lorraine's drum set and have random jam sessions.

It was our home away from home, it was our paradise.

One night, on my 16th birthday [I turn 16 after the other three, though we're all in the same grade level], we lit up a few candles and decided to spend the night in the warehouse.

It was there we made our promise.

Blake was the one who had brought the razors, and I had supplied the candles, since we usually used battery-powered lamps and such. We each cut the palms of both hands, and held hands in a circle, pushing down on the cuts. We made a vow then, that when we all turned 18; we'd renew our promise of friendship and party like never before.

End flashback

"Friends forever," I smiled, looking at my right hand and tracing the line of the scar from that night.

"Forever and a day." Blake stood up and stretched. "Now, I'm tired. Do we sleep on the couch or do ya got any proper accommodations for your bestest friends in the whole world?"

"We have a guest room, two beds. But," I began, wagging a finger in mock-lecture, "we have somewhere to be tonight."

"But we're jet-lagged!" Lorraine whined. I rolled my eyes.

"Get over it; I want you guys to meet my new friends!" I grinned, pulling Lorraine up by her arms and then pulling up Haushinka.

"Oi, fine!" Haushinka pouted, trudging to the front door. "But our stuff's in the car."

"Then hurry up!"

An hour later...

We were almost at Billie Joe's house. Tonight was his birthday, and we all had decided to go over to his place and just hang out. On the car ride there, I explained everything that had happened since I got here to my lovely new home. I told about my first day when I was alone and Mike talked to me and the instant attraction to him, about meeting Alaina and Tre and Billie Joe, Whatsername, Jason slash Jesus slash Jimmy, Jason White, and Adrienne. I told about Homecoming, and all the fucked up stuff that has happened recently pertaining to the whole Mike-Whatsername thing and Me-Jesus thing. They were utterly confused, and I had to go back over a few details, but they needed to be prepared for any war that may erupt soon, especially between Adie, Jason White, and Billie Joe. I almost dreaded the evening, yet I looked forward to it.

We pulled up into his drive way, and I noticed we weren't the first ones here. In fact, we were the last. I took in a deep breath and led my three friends up to the front door of Billie's house.

I paused before knocking, fearing the results of mixing my old life with the new.
Maybe they'd learn the truth about why I was here.

I shook my head and knocked on the door. A 'come in!' was shouted in reply, and I opened the door.

"Hey guys! I brought some friends, if ya don't mind." I pushed my way in and waited for Blake, Lorraine, and Haushinka to walk in. Mike and Whatsername were seated on the couch, and Mike had his arm around her. Seeing the two of them always sparked something in me, and I felt a little bit of me die each time, but then Jason came up to me and kissed me, clearing my head of these problems. Billie Joe wasn't in the room, and neither were Tre or Alaina. Adie sat on the couch as well, with Jason White seated beside her.

"Um... Everyone, this is Blake, Haushinka, and Lorraine. Blake, Haushinka, and Lorraine, this is Mike, Whatsername, Jason White, Jason slash Jesus, Adie, and... Well, the other three are... Where are Tre, BJ, and Lane?" I asked Jesus, who had his arm around my waist.

"Billie's in the kitchen, and Tre and Lane went to get some non-alcoholic beverages. Since, yaknow, last time we all drank...wasn't pretty." Jason looked up at the ceiling.

"But it brought us together." I kissed him on the cheek before dragging Haushinka, Blake, and Lorraine over to the living room, the four of us plopping onto the floor. Jason sat besides me.

Sometimes, he can be majorly clingy. But I kind of didn't mind.

"So, where'd you meet them?" Mike asked me, motioning with a nod of his head towards my friends. He never looked me straight in the eyes anymore.

We used to be best friends... But, I guess not anymore.

"Actually, these guys were my best friends from back home." I grinned brightly.

"Oh! So they're from England?" Jason White said.

"Yeah, and could you please not talk like we're not here!" Lorraine yelped, though grinning.

"Hey Billie, get your arse in here to meet my old friends!" I shouted in the direction on the kitchen.

"Oi! Hold your horses woman, I'm coming!" was the reply.

Billie Joe's POV

"Hey Billie, get your arse in here to meet my old friends!" I hear Rory shout to me.

"Oi! Hold your horses woman, I'm coming!" I shouted back. I half-skipped, half-walked into the living room feigning an annoyed expression. "You invited people I don't know to MY party?"

"It's not a 'party,' BJ," Whatsername muttered. I noticed she never talked higher than an almost-whisper. It was aggravating. I saw Adie sitting with Jason, and I cringed, looking away.

"Beej, this is Lorraine," Rory pointed to the first girl, "Blake," to a guy sitting beside Lorraine, "and Haushinka."

When my eyes fell upon Haushinka, something within me flipped, more specifically, my stomach did several back flips and a somersault or two. She was beautiful, with perfectly straight black hair and a frock almost covering one eye, small yet beautiful oriental eyes, and a round face.

"Hi..." I breathed out.

"Hello." Haushinka wiggled her fingers at me. Her accent was the last bit of her to make me entirely hooked.

I slowly sat down onto the couch besides Mike and ran a hand through my hair. I tried as hard as I could to take my eyes from her.

"Um... Pluto to Billie Joe Armstrong: do you read?" I barely noticed Rory waving her hands in front of my face.

"Y...yeah... Sure, whatever," I whispered.

"Weeeeeirdoo," she sang, and sat back down.

*

Adrienne's POV

"Beej, this is Lorraine," Rory pointed to a girl, "Blake," to the guy sitting beside the first girl, "and Haushinka."

I looked them over. The Blake dude was pretty cute and he had the accent going for him. Stop it, Adie, Jason is sitting next to you.

Then I looked over my group. I saw the look in Billie's eyes. She was pretty, I had to admit, but she had nothing on me.

"Hi..." he said, gleaming with joy. That smile was the most familiar to me, probably more than anyone else.

"Hello," she replied, wiggling her fingers. Could she be anymore pathetic?
He sat back down next to Mike, ironically on the other side of the couch as mine and Jason's. I couldn't take my eyes away from it. This must have been how Jason felt when Alaina and Tre made out. I looked at Rory, who was staring at Billie like he was a psycho.

"Um... Pluto to Billie Joe Armstrong: do you read?" she said, waving her hands in front of his face.

"Y...yeah... Sure, whatever."

"Weeeeeirdoo," she sang, and sat back down.

So, I was sitting with a psychotic bitch that I couldn't stand and now a new bimbo that Billie was in love with. I felt my temper boiling and stood up. Everyone stared at me.

"You ok, Adie?" Mike asked, looking me up and down.

"Yeah. Umm, I'm sorry, I need to be excused," I said, feeling the tears come to my eyes. I ran into the bathroom and slammed the door, sighing. I need to be alone for a second and process this. I still couldn't figure it out. Why was I so jealous? Was Billie telling the truth when he told me that he still loved me? Should I have listened to him? Should I have dumped Jason and maybe we would be together tonight and he wouldn't be oggling Haushinka? I shouldn't hate her, I just met her. But Billie is mine; we were going to be together forever. She'll end up hurting him, I know it. Do I even really love Jason or is he just rebound from Billie? Maybe that was all Haushinka was gonna be. I heard a knock at the door.

"It's me," Rory said. I flicked the lock and opened it for her. She hugged me and let me cry on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Rory," I muttered.

"Oh, Adie, what for? You didn't do anything! Unless you've taken some compromising pictures of me."

We both laughed.

"I can't take it. It should be me with Billie. I mean, no offence to you friend, but they're not right for each other."

"Now you know how it feels with Mike for me."

"I know I shouldn't be with Jason, but-"

"I shouldn't be with Jason, either, but it's what gets us through. And we love our Jason's, right?"

"Yes, yes we do. Maybe one day, we won't be with guys with the same name, if you know what I mean."

She smiled at me and sighed.

"Yeah. Maybe."

"So, we should get back to the party," I said, wiping my eyes and blowing my nose with some tissues, reaching to my side without even looking. I knew this bathroom like the back of my hand.

"No, see, it's not a party, Adie," Rory said, mocking Whatsername. We both laughed and walked out. I noticed the whole room, including Tre and Alaina who had just joined the group, didn't even notice either of us had come back. I guess that Rory's friends were telling an incredibly fascinating story on Rory from back home.

"Really, she didn't tell you that?" Lorraine asked.

"T..te..tell them wh...what?"

"You didn't tell them about your parents, Farore?" Haushinka asked, cocking her head at Rory.

I looked at Rory, who looked like she was going to be the next one crying in the bathroom. She started sobbing uncontrollably and ran off into Billie's bedroom. As soon as she ran off, Mike followed after her. I didn't know how that would end up, but I needed to know what happened.

"What happened?" I asked, sitting next to Alaina and Tre who had filled Mike and mine's seats while I was gone and he had gotten up.

"They...died...in an accident. That's why she came over here, to live with her grandparents. I can't believe you guys didn't know," Blake said.

"Well, she never really talked about it. She never said anything about having or not having parents. We don't really like talking about our parents, considering the only ones of us that really have good parents are Adrienne and I," Tre said.

"Wow, I have more in common with Rory than I thought," Billie said, shifting his feet.

"You're parents died, too?" Haushinka said, almost too fascinated in the matter.

"My dad...did. When I was 10. Not too long after I met Mike and Lane."

"Oh, that's terrible," she said, over sympathetic. I wanted to just slap her.

"So, we know your names, but who is who?" Blake asked, looking at the 5 of us piled on the couch.

"I'm Alaina. The guy that went running off with Rory is Mike, who ironically is my twin. This sexy young man to my left is Tre. Don't try anything, though, he's mine," Alaina said as Tre slipped his hand on her lap.

"I'm Jason White. The girl sitting on me that caused the scene is Adrienne Nesser. That dude down there is Jason Relva, but we call him Jesus. He was Mike's best friend, but now he's everyone's best friend and a little bit more than friends with Rory..."

"That's Whatsername. She's with Mike," Jason Relva said, pointing at her.
"OH. That's Whatsername..." Lorraine said, looking suddenly at the ground and raising her eyebrows.

Whatsername wouldn't fire back. It was a feat just to get her to talk to us.

Mike's POV

"So, is it really rainy and cold all the time in England?" Billie asked.

"Well, it's cold a lot, but not always rainy," Blake said, half laughing.

"I only saw one really bad rain storm in my whole 18 years," Haushinka said.

"Oh yeah, that was 'that night', wasn't it?" Lorraine said, looking at her friends. She over emphasized 'that night.'

"THAT NIGHT?" Tre asked.

When did Tre and Alaina get back? I asked myself. I didn't care, as long as we had something to drink.

"OK, before anyone gets into any stories, does anyone want a drink?" I asked.

"I would like a ginger ale, Michael," Whatsername whispered. I walked in and opened the 2 liter and poured us a drink, using ice from Billie's ice maker. I walked back in and sat down.

"Now can we hear this story or not?" Alaina said, sitting on Tre, who had taken Adie's seat.

"Well, there was a huge storm. I guess they couldn't see too well. There was a 15 car pile up and the Pierce's were in the middle of it..." Lorraine said, trailing off.

"They left her to her grandparents over here since they're not too old. Well, not like other grandparents," Haushinka said.

"Really, she didn't tell you that?" Lorraine said.

"Holy fucking shit. All this time, we sat here and bad mouthed our parents in front of her. I mean, at least we have them. I feel so horrible now," Alaina said, looking at the ground.

"Really, she didn't tell you that?" Lorraine asked.

"T...te..tell them wh...what?"

"You didn't tell them about your parents, Farore?" Haushinka asked. We all looked at Rory, confused and feeling sympathetic. At least, that's how I felt. She broke down and ran off into Billie's room. I got up and ran after her, while everyone else sat there, trying to process it all.

I took a deep breath and opened the door, walking in. I didn't exactly know what to say, but I would make it up as it came to me. She had her head buried in the pillow and I sat on the bed next to her.

"Rory?" I said, putting my arm on her back, shaking her a little.

"What do you want?"

"I just wanted to, ya know, talk?"

She flipped over and pushed herself up. The way she was looking at me was quite scary.

"You want to talk? Now?"

"Y...yeah. Unless you don't want to..."

She punched the sides of the bed next to her and rolled her eyes.

"You act nice to me. You pretend to like me. You lead me right on into liking you. Then, you bad mouth me in the library with that stupid whore. You ask her to be your girlfriend, after only getting to really know her about a week. But, you want to talk now? Go ahead, Mike, let's talk. Is it better making out with her than making out with me? 'Cause, like you said, it's like making out with Alaina."

I sighed. I didn't mean for her to hear that that day. I didn't even really mean most of it. I was just trying to help Whatsername. It was all blowing up in my face now.

"Rory, I didn't mean it. There's no way of making up for that. I really did like you. Probably more than I've ever liked anyone."

"Liked. That's past tense. When did you stop liking me, Mike? Is there something I did?"

Why was I being attacked like this? It wasn't fair. I fired right back at her.

"I guess I never really stopped liking you. But, you have a boyfriend, don't you? You did sleep with him when we got drunk at Billie's."

"Fuck you, Mike. Leave me alone."

"You can't handle the truth."

"Why don't you go yell at your sister some more? You seem to be good at that."
"Don't bring Alaina into this."

"Why not? You're great at that."

"I'm glad I decided to go with W," I said, getting up off the bed. "Oh yeah, I'm sorry to hear about your parents, believe it or not. You also might want to watch Haushinka around Billie," I said, walking out and shutting the door. I walked back into the living room.

"OH. That's Whatsername..." Lorraine said, tracing a circle in the carpet and raising her eyebrows.

"What'd she do now?" I joked, sitting back down next to her and pulling her close to me.

"N...nothing."

"Mike, what's wrong?" Lane asked, looking at my face.

"Why?"

"Your face is red. Is Rory OK?"

"She's...alright. Look, it's almost 8. We need to get home before, well, you know."

"Oh, right. Sorry guys, but it's a school night and we need to get home," Alaina said. She turned to Rory's friends. "It was nice meeting you guys."

"You, too. Hugs?" Blake said, standing up with his arms wide open. Alaina hugged them all, but I just shook hands.

"I'm gonna go say bye to Rory really fast."

"OK, me and W are gonna go wait in the car," I said. "Happy birthday, Billie. Another year closer to death," I joked, smiling at him.

"Uhh, sure. Be careful," he said, smiling back.

W and I walked out to the car and I started it up. The CD player turned on and it was...Fall Out Boy. Sometimes, I wish Alaina had a better taste in music. I flicked the CD out and looked for something in the glove box.

"Why did you take that out, Michael?"

"'Cause, honey, Fall Out Boy sucks."

"But they're my favorite band..."

I had to double take and make sure that it wasn't Lane pretending to be Whatsername. Maybe Rory was right. Maybe I jumped into this too fast. I knew nothing about W.

"Oh, sorry," I said, slipping it back in. I looked over and saw Lane and Tre and Adie walking out.

"I'm sure. You should talk to her, Adie, maybe it would make her feel better," I heard through the window that I had slightly cracked.

"I will. Take care. Love ya, hoe!" Adie replied, wrapping her arms around Lane and vice versa.

"Bye, hun. I love you," Tre said, kissing her.

Sometimes, they made me sick. They were like BJ and Adie with the PDA. Not that I didn't mind it myself, but I didn't like watching my sister make out with my best friend. She got in the passenger seat and looked at the radio.
"Wow, Fall Out Boy. Where has the real Mike gone?"
"W likes them."=
"So, you'll do that for her and not me? That hurts, Mikey, that hurts!" Lane said, faking dramatics. Then she got serious. "Mike, when we get home, I need to talk to you about what happened tonight."
Crap, was I in for it!