Not the One [Billie Joe Armstrong Fanfic]

18) A Moment with Tre

ALIYAH'S POV
A few weeks have passed and almost everybody knows my name.

I've sold a lot of records, done a lot of interviews, and attended more than a hundred photoshoots.

I'm glad achieving this all in just about a month. I couldn't thank Green Day enough.

I don't regret running away. Gawd, I've always wanted to escape that hellhole. Nobody would ever want to go back there.

So Billie and I are still fine...though we haven't been 'together' for a long time - if you get what I mean.
Adrienne and the boys are still sweet as ever and we occasionally stroll in the park or visit landscapes.

I still stay at their house, though. But I'm saving enough money to buy my own.

***

It's another ordinary day at the studio: recording, editing, and stuff like that.

Mike and Billie were playing guitar riffs when Tre asked, "guys, you want some coffee?"

"Sure," they said in unison.

Tre then asked me, "you wanna come with?"

"Of course!" I gladly said. "Billie, I'll just go with Tre."

"Okay, stay safe!" Billie then gave Tre a stern look. "You know what to do."

"Yes, sir." Tre said.

***

We headed to their favorite coffee shop and took our order.
"Tre," I started. "I'm just gonna go to the bathroom real quick."

"Okay, I'll wait for you in the car."

***

I was about to head straight to the car but Tre wasn't inside. "Tre?" I called out. When I checked the alley round the corner, I saw a man pressing the muzzle of the gun against Tre's head. The other one, who's holding a knife, threatened him and made a gash on Tre's cheek.
He winced in pain.

I gasped at the sight.

TRE'S POV
Oh, no. What do I do?

Their eyes were on Aliyah, now.
Ugh, I promised Billie that I'd keep her safe.
What do I do?

"Aliyah, run." I pleaded.

"Shut up!" The guy bellowed. He pressed the muzzle harder onto my head.

The guy with a knife grabbed Aliyah's arm. In what seemed like a split second, she disarmed the guy and twisted his elbow. She twisted it way to far, making us all hear the poor guy's bone crack.

Aliyah then pierced his thigh deeply with the blade and wrenched it. The guy wailed in pain.

Both the guy and I were stunned. I felt the gun shake frantically.

"Stay right there!" His voice quavered. "Don't come any closer or I'll...."

And with that, Aliyah bent his wrist and flicked the gun aside. The guy tried to run away but she aimed the gun at him. Without any second thought, she made a bullet fly through his kneecap.

I just stood there....stunned.

"C'mon! Let's get outta here!" Aliyah grabbed my hand and dashed to the car.
"Drive! Drive! Drive!"

I floored it and sped back to the studio.
Gawd, that was intense.

Aliyah picked up an ice from her coffee and wrapped it with her handkerchief. "Here," she handed it to me, "for your cut."

"Thanks."

"You okay?"

"Yeah....."

"Good."

She could've died out there!
We both could've!

"Why didn't you run?" I asked, more taken aback than furious.

"Duh, because your life was in danger."

"But you could've died!"

"I could've....but I'd rather risk it by saving you."

"Why?!" Aliyah's answer sounded crazy at the moment.

"Because you're one of the ten people I'm willing to die for...."

That doused my frustration.

"I-I-I," I stammered."I don't know what to say..."
"Thank you."

"Welcome." She smiled innocently like nothing happened.