{Billie Joe Armstrong} - Sex And Drugs And Rock'n'Roll

Chapter 21: Ouch

It was now the beginning of August, and Billie had been declining. It hurt my heart to see that.

It was a Friday afternoon and we were waiting backstage. Billie leaned against the wall, his hand on his forehead.

"Are you okay?" I asked him.

"I'm fine." he replied. I looked at Mike and Tre who were standing beside me, and they just shrugged.

"If you don't feel well we can cancel the concert." I said.

"No, we don't need to do that." Billie replied. Then he stepped away from the wall and held his stomach.

"He can't play tonight." I told Mike and Tre as Billie ran down the hallway to the washroom.

"I know." Mike replied. "But he really wants to.".

"Yeah, he does. Honestly, I think that he's pushing himself too hard.".

"Me too.".

"I agree." Tre said.

"Sometimes he's exhausted when we get back to the hotel. He overexerts himself, and it worries me. Someone who has cancer shouldn't do that." I said.

I went over to the mirror and looked at my reflection. My grey tank top, my tight black shorts, my fishnets, my studded bracelet, my long brown hair.

"Sometimes Billie tells me that he doesn't know how much longer he's going to last." I said, turning around to face Mike and Tre.

"Really?" Tre asked, a worried look on his face.

"Yeah.".

"Oh man, that's not good.". Tre covered his face with his hands. Mike looked down towards the floor.

"He hasn't said that to either of you guys?" I asked.

"No!" Mike replied, still looking at the floor.

"Oh.". I was a little surprised that Billie hadn't told his best friends about it.

Billie came back into the room, looking really pale.

"Oh, Billie." I said, guiding him to a chair. "Sit down.". He reluctantly sat down.

"Are you okay?" Mike asked him.

"Yeah." he replied.

"You're super pale. I don't think you're okay." I said.

"No, really. I am.".

"Billie, I think we should take tonight off.".

"No, Liz. I'm okay!".

"Oh, Billie, I wish you would just recognize that you need to rest. Seriously, you have cancer. If you miss one show, it doesn't matter.".

"I'm alright! Really!".

"No, you aren't. You need to rest.".

"Oh my god," Billie sighed, shifting in his chair. "I'm okay.". Then he put his hand over his mouth, got up, and went down the hall again.

"He's not okay." I said. I ran my hand through my hair and then smacked my forehead.

"Back to what you said before, when did Billie tell you that?" Tre asked me.

"Tell me what?" I replied.

"That he doesn't know how much longer he's going to last?".

"Oh, I don't know. Probably less than a month ago.".

"I see." Tre sighed.

"I'm really worried about him." I said.

"Honestly, so am I." Tre told me.