Pulling Teeth(a billie joe armstrong story)

Strangers in a Familiar Place

Maxine lingered at the entrance of her new home, the front door slightly ajar as she hesitated, her feet planted firmly on the threshold. Inside, the sounds of life buzzed: the distant hum of chatter, the quick footsteps of children running, the faint strum of a guitar somewhere deep within the house. But each sound felt foreign to Maxine, unfamiliar in a way that made her stomach churn. The house exuded warmth, yet it stood before her like a monument to a world she didn't know if she could ever belong to. She let her gaze wander over the interior, absorbing the details with growing unease. The walls were lined with framed photographs—snapshots of joy, laughter, and love frozen in time. In every picture, Billie was front and center, his arm slung over his kids or his wife Alex, their faces glowing with happiness.

It was too perfect.

Maxine's throat tightened as she felt the weight of her past hanging over her, an invisible barrier between her and the life unfolding in front of her.

Stepping inside, she felt the reality of this new world closing in on her, the warmth almost suffocating. She hadn't anticipated the depth of her awkwardness in the face of Billie's family life. Every step she took felt like she was invading someone else's world. The chasm between her former life and this new one stretched wider with each heartbeat, making her feel smaller, more out of place.

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Joey's enthusiastic voice. "Max!" he called out brightly, bounding toward her with his usual uncontainable energy. "We're about to play a game, wanna join?"

Maxine felt her pulse quicken as she tried to process Joey's words. A game? Play with them? The idea filled her with a sense of dread, her eyes darting toward the living room where the game console flickered to life. Joey's exuberance contrasted sharply with her hesitation. "Uh...maybe later?" she mumbled, hoping her refusal wouldn't disappoint him too much.

But Joey was nothing if not persistent. He flashed her a grin, tugging gently at her hand. "Come on, it'll be fun! You don't have to just sit there by yourself."

Maxine hesitated, her thoughts swirling. She didn't want to be alone, but she also didn't feel ready to jump into whatever this was—family fun, sibling banter, the simple joy of being together. It was too much, too soon. Still, Joey's earnest face and insistence wore her down, and she found herself reluctantly following him into the living room.The room was alive with motion. Jakob, younger and quieter than Joey, was absorbed in arranging action figures on the floor.

When he saw Maxine, his wide eyes lit up. "Max, can you help me?"

She knelt down beside him, her movements stiff and awkward as she picked up one of the plastic toys, the weight of her own discomfort pressing down on her chest. "Sure, Jakob," she answered, though her voice felt strained, like she was forcing herself to act natural.

Jakob's innocent enthusiasm softened the edges of her anxiety a little, but the tension still buzzed in the background of her mind. She was here, physically present, but her heart was racing, her thoughts tangling into knots. The air around her felt heavy, almost suffocating. Billie's footsteps from the hallway pulled her from her thoughts. He entered the room with his guitar in hand, a familiar sight, but it hit differently now that she was living under the same roof as him.

"Hey, what's going on here?" he asked with an easy smile, his voice carrying a warmth that made Maxine both relax and stiffen at the same time. His casualness was disarming, yet it only heightened her awareness of his presence. This was Billie Joe Armstrong—legendary musician, adored by millions, and her biological father. It was hard to reconcile the man standing before her with the larger-than-life figure she had idolized from afar.

"Max is gonna play video games with us!" Joey announced excitedly, his voice pulling Billie's attention to her.

Billie's eyes flicked toward Maxine, and for a moment, she felt exposed, like he could see right through her awkwardness, through her insecurities.