Best Thing In Town - B. J. Armstrong

HANGING OUT

Sidney stood behind the counter of the paint store once again. Her mom had gotten a little fan the day prior so she could stay cool in the hot weather. She hummed lightly as she drew in her sketchbook with thick colorful markers.

Sid would be lying if she said she hadn't thought of Billie Joe since meeting him. She was left excited and longing to see him again. She'd had so much fun painting with the trio of boys the day before and was impatient to go do it again.

As if thinking of him had summed him, Billie Joe walked through the door of the paint shop. The bell on the door had fallen off that morning so Sid didn't realize he had walked in. Billie took advantage of Sids distractedness to observe her for a moment. Her short black hair was once aging in pigtails, wispy bits at the front of her face as well as on the base of her neck ran loose. She wore a loose button up shirt with thin stripes of different shades of blue running horizontally across it. Her legs where up on the chair, adorned in dark blue loose jeans; her dirty chucks on her feet.

"Hey" Billie finally made his presence known. Sid quickly looked up. Her startled face was quick to morph into a grin. She didn't greet him back, but she picked up her sketchbook and turned it so he could look at it. Her eyes peeking at him from above the leather book.

"What d'ya think?" Sid asked excitedly. "For the bus"

"Whoa these are sick" Billies eyes roamed the page, looking at all the simple little designs she'd come up with. He then spotted one if a sunflower with thick choppy outline in black and green. He pointed at it and looked up at Sid with an excited smile. "I like this one"

Sid quickly turned her book around so it could face towards her and looked at the drawing Billie had pointed at. "That one was also my favorite," Sid nodded before closing her book and putting it aside. "We painting today?"

Billie looked at Sid fascinated. She'd been a great help with painting - as it turns out she was actually really good at it - yet she hadn't even heard them play. Billie was completely confident and proud of the music he made with his friends, but a fear still hit him. What if Sid didn't like their music? What if she thought they were ass and deserted them, he'd just met her but he'd feel her absence.

"Hello? Earth to Beej!" Billies thoughts were cut short when Sid waved her hand in front of his face. Billie snapped out of it and looked at Sid, really looked at her. He'd just met her but he could tell she was genuine— everything would be alright.

"Uh yeah, yeah we're painting today" Billie nodded, scratching at the back of his neck.

"Well, it's too early to close up so..." Sid pressed her lips together in a line. There wasn't much to do around and Billies arrival made her even more inpatient for closing time. "when I get home I'll ask my ma if I can close earlier from now on"

Billie smiled at that, excited to know that she wanted to hang out with him- or all of them, the band. "I'll just hang around, if that's alright with ya"

"That sounds perfect" Sid smiled and sat back. She pulled a second chair closer to her behind the counter and tapped the counter, "Hop over".

Sid found herself walking with Billie Joe once again. The harsh setting sun hit her face as the denim hat on her head seemed to do nothing to help her. "This is just making my head sweat" Sid complained. She took her hat off and stuffed it back into her backpack.

Billie walked beside her, with the same rhythm as always. He seemed to always have rhythm in everything he did. Despite seeming sloppy and careless, he always kept a steady beat, almost as if calculated, putting care in all he did. That's just how he was. Sid, on the other hand, always moved fluidly and cartoon like as if she was a cartoon character made up of strictly organic lines. Her movements weren't calculated and always seemed spontaneous, off beat, but it worked for her.

Billie once again saw a shine in Sids nose and decided to point it out. "Ya hiding it from your mom?" Billie questioned while pointing at his own nose.

"Huh?" Sid was confused at first but then caught on to what Billie was referring to. "Oh this," She flipped her septum down, exposing the shiny metal, "Nah, she knows, just thought I would make a better impression; with all the old people going to the paint shop".

"Ya didn't strike me as someone who'd care about that," Billie admitted, genuinely surprised. "Old people's opinions I mean"

"I don't really" Sid shook her head, squinting as she looked ahead, the sun mercilessly shined right at her face. "But I- my family can't loose clientele over something like that, better to just go along than end up on the streets" Sid shrugged her shoulders. "it'll probably stay down soon, ma's been doing good in her job" She smiled; that was also the reason she'd been able to close early and hang out with Billie and the boys.

"That's why I want to do music as a job" Billie began, his house was getting close but he slowed down so he could talk with Sid longer. Just the two of them. "I don't want to worry about bullshit like that" Billie shook his head. His house was now visible and getting closer.

"Good call" Sid nodded with a soft smile. "I'm sure you'll make it far" She agreed with a strong nod. Billie smiled at that the same thought consistent in his head: she hasn't even heard us play yet. "Race ya!"

Sid sprinted off and left a confused Billie behind. It didn't take all that long for Billie to catch on to what was going on and chase after her. She was fast, but sloppy. Sid tripped over the concrete of Billies driveway and collapsed on the floor. It was clear that this wasn't near her first time falling because she quickly rolled into the fall to diminish the damage.

"Are you okay?" Billie asked Sid in a concerned tone; yet, he was also trying to hold back his laughter. He came to a stop right by her head, where she laid on the ground. Sid gave him a nod before laughing, which made Billie laugh as well.

"Im alright, just skid my arm a bit" Sid reassured him breathily between laughs. She stuck her arm out and began to push herself up. "Help me up"

Billie grabbed her hand and pulled her up while Sid pushed herself and sprang up to her feet. When they looked at each other's faces they both began laughing again.

They both walked up to the garage door and Billie punched in the code for the door to start lifting up.

"What took so long!" Mikes voice yelled from inside as soon as the door started going up.

"Had to wait for closing time to get closer before leaving" Sid provided an answer as she ducked and went into the garage. "Hi guys" She waved at Mike and Tree. She walked up to the couch pushed up to the wall and dropped her backpack on the floor.

Sid sat down with the can of paint from the day before sitting between her legs. She took the little wooden stick and used it to crack open the paint can. "Are we eating today too?" She asked, her head slightly tilted toward the boys.

"left over pizza from yesterday"

Sid dipped the wooden stick into the can and mixed the paint that was left. "That sounds good"

Billie, Sid, Mike, and Tre all laughed as they sat on the floor in front of the finished bus. The boys had mainly sat and joked around while Sid painted the big sunflower next to the name they had painted the day before. They were currently enjoying some pizza and just talking.

this chapter was not edited or proof read 😁👍. errr yeah, forgot about this for a while. I'll probably update here and there, chapters probably wont be the best. Im just trying to have fun with it. I actually really like this and I love Sid so i'll try to keep going <3

- Floyd