Nuclear Family {Green Day}

Chapter Thirteen

Nuclear Family

Sorry for any spelling/grammar issues!

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

   Joey led me to the cafeteria, and showed me where his friends were. He pulled up chairs for both of us and gestured for me to sit down before he said anything. His friends were looking between him and I questioningly- most of them whom likely recognized me from music, as I did with them.

"So guys, remember how I told you my parents were gonna be fostering a kid?" They all nodded.

"Well here she is. This is Cassandra, but if you call her anything other than Cassie she'll likely rip your eyes out."

Everyone laughed.

"I'm not like that! Cassandra just sounds too formal, that's all." I protested.

Joey rolled his eyes, but winked at me while his friends snickered.

"These fools here are Cole, Travis, Max, Sebastian,  Alana, and Carly." he told me.

"I'm sure you know who I am!" Travis informed me jokingly with a grin.

I had to laugh at his expression.

"Yup- Emily's Army. I'd recognize the Emily's Army boys anywhere." I said with a chuckle.

Travis looked a little shocked, but happy nonetheless.

"You know our band?!" Cole jumped in, looking excited.

"Yeah!" I told them honestly. "Any self respecting Green Day fan had to at least give EA a try before having an opinion. And I instantly loved it, and saw you guys at Warped and everything."

This was news to Joey as well.

"You saw us at Warped?!" he cried.

His face was hilarious. They all were-- mixtures of awe and excitement. Alana and Carly looked amused, while Sebastian appeared to be checking me out. Awkward.

I simply nodded, trying not to end up rolling on the floor.

"You guys seem so shocked." I stated.

"You gotta admit, it's not every day a pretty girl moves in with Joey, is a fan of Green Day but doesn't appear to be an insane fangirl, recognizes us at school, has been to see us play, and can not be bothered by all of this." Max replied.

"So much has changed in my life recently that I don't know if I'm even capable of being bothered by it now. Everything still feels so surreal. I'm living with the people I've looked up to for ages. I've always thought Adrienne is a flawless rolemodel, and I've been a Green Day fan since I was really young. They make it seem as normal as possible though." I admitted sheepishly. I figure it's better to be honest with Joey's friends now, and maybe one day I'll be able to call them my friends too.

"Have you been to see Green Day as well?" Carly asked me.

I nodded happily.

"See? She's no creepy fangirl that's always like 'Ohmigod Billie Joe is seeeewwww seexxxaaaayyyy guise', or else she wouldn't have been able to conceal it. She's a good fan-- we're all safe."

I had to laugh. I'm glad I have their approval though, as everyone is nodding along, agreeing with Carly.

"So you gotta tell us your story, girl." Sebastian said.

I glanced at Joey, who was looking at me.

"Only if you want to." he said quietly.

I smiled a little at him. I'm not entirely sure how much he knows, because I'm not really sure how much Mary told Billie and Adie.

I took a deep breath and began my story of death, cutting, suicide, self loathing, attempted murder and eventually growing into the person I am now. When my story reached it's end, Alana had tears in her eyes. Everyone looked fairly shocked. 

Joey stood up and pulled me up with him, wrapping his arms around me in a much needed hug. I wouldn't allow myself to cry. His embrace was warm, and I craved it. His hug was followed by a series of others, all comforting. I knew that I had friends now.

For the rest of lunch, everything was light hearted and funny. I had english next, thankfully with Joey.

When the bell rang, we walked to class together, our arms touching. Human contact that wasn't violent was so nice to finally have, I just wanted it all at once. Joey sat beside me, and we hunkered down for a long and very boring class. By the end we had already been assigned pages of homework, to which Joey and I both outwardly groaned at, then broke into laughter.

After english I had art. At least I got to end my day with something exciting. 

I left the class loving the teacher and excited about starting our first unit. I walked out to Joey's car, meeting Jake half way. He stopped me and hugged me. 

"Everything okay?"

"It's gonna be a loooong semester."

"What do you have?" I asked him.

"English, Math, Science, and Music."

"...At least you have music?" I offered. In reality, his semester is brutal.

"Chyea" he said sarcastically, getting into the back seat without complaint.

Joey was already in the diver's seat and was talking to Jake about his classes as I got in the car.

"Look at it this way, this semester will be brutal, but then next semester will be easy as hell."

"That's true." Jake said, looking a tiny bit happier.

"Oh! Cass! I met the prettiest girl I've ever seen today."

I had to smile at his enthusiasm.

"Oh yeah? Tell me about her."

"Her name is Caitlyn, and she has brown hair as long as yours and green eyes, and she's funny, and plays guitar too, and sings, and ahhh"

"Jaaake's got a cruuuuusssshhh." Joey sang.

I playfully hit him in the stomach.

"Leave him alone! I'm glad he wants to tell me about her!" I said, laughing.

Our conversation continued for a few minutes down the road when Jake asked about my day.

Joey took one hand off the wheel and squeezed it reasurringly, before putting it back on the wheel agin.

I told Jake everything about today, including my whole story that I had shared at lunch. And deep inside I knew that although I didn't really want to bring it up with anyone, it would make us all closer in the end.