This next part is going to be difficult to explain. What you were probably expecting is that we'd go to his house or the gig at a nice little party or backyard or something and I'd see Mike and Tré and we'd have ample time to go over all of my horribly embarrassing escapades and I could explain everything (which I don't really know how I could, say I am a German spy and my actions of the previous night were a part of a top-secret mission that was imperative to world peace in which I had to adopt a Psychotic Mess That Creates Disasters Everywhere She Goes front to hide my identity, perhaps?) and then we'd all have a good laugh and then we could part paths harmoniously without any newly made regrets. Well, that was what I was expecting at least.
But it didn't really go like that. Because life's a bitch who obviously seeks pleasure in my pain.
So, there we were, walking in silence on the sidewalk from the burrito shop, when we stopped in front of a busted up looking car. I looked at Billie, who raised his eyebrows with a smirk and dug through his jean pockets, producing a key after a few seconds. Desperately trying to be someone who's cool and laid-back and up for spontaneous adventures, I swallowed and pushed that worried little voice to the back of my head before sliding in the front seat. He climbed in behind the driver's wheel and started up the engine (which was met with some groans and splutters of protest at first) before pulling away from the curb and starting off down the road. The radio blasting it's constant static noise filled the car for a while, before he reached over and turned it down, not looking over to me as he said:
"So, Annabel, let me know a little more about yourself. I mean if you're a serial killer, now's probably the time to tell me."
"You're prejudiced against serial killers? Oh dear, that's definitely going to be a problem."
"Hahaha seriously though."
"What do you want to know?"
"Umm..." he thought for a moment, turning onto a highway, "alright, where did you move from?"
"New York. But I was born in Paris."
"Paris? Now THAT'S cool. Is that where the name comes from?"
"Yeah, my Dad loved France and stuff so..."
He noticed my forcefully light tone and the tense I was using, I could tell by the way that his neck straightened slightly and his eyes swept to me quickly, eyebrows furrowed in the usual sympathetic emotion I was accustomed to.
"Mine too. Cancer."
I looked over at him, but his gaze was back on the long stretch of road in front of us.
"Car crash."
A silence followed briefly, in which neither of us knew what to say. Thankfully, he broke it with a slight clearing of his throat and by flicking on the radio. "Ziggy Stardust" bursted out in all it's glam-rock glory and we both let out a happy sigh.
"The Spider from Mars himself." (A/N *cries profusely*)
"Alright, you asked a question, now it's my turn."
He looked over at me in the corner of his eye and smirked.
"Ask away."
"What were you doing smoking on the roof?"
He paused for a second.
"I don't like parties a heap. You have to be in the right sort of mood y'know? I got dragged along to it to be completely honest."
"I feel your pain. Alright, your turn."
"Favourite book?"
"Lolita. Yours?"
His eyes widened, eyebrows shooting up. I laughed and shrugged.
"Catcher in the Rye probably. Favourite movie?"
"A Clockwork Orange." I answered, looking out the window.
He spun to look at me, causing me to crack up again.
"Ok now I know you're a serial killer, or at least seriously disturbed. Damn."
"Hey they're good! Alright... what do you play in this band of yours?"
"Guitar and lead vocals. Do you play any instruments?"
"Violin mostly but a bit of guitar and bass. I can't sing for shit though. What are you guys called?"
"Green Day."
"What, is that about pot or something?"
"Absolutely." He grinned.
"Don't tell me you're Two Dollar Bill everyone's talking about. The weed dealer?"
I saw his face and I did my best fan-girl scream.
"OH MY GOD!!! YOU ARE HIM!! CAN I HAVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH?"
He laughed, rolling his eyes as I fainted from the mere presence of his famousness.
"Hahaha you're hilarious. Truly hilarious." He suppressed a grin as he swung the steering wheel to turn off the highway.
"I thought it was pretty good." I announced proudly.
"Moving right along, have you got any siblings?"
My heart dropped like a stone. The casualty of his voice was a stark contrast to the emotions that surfaced in my mind at the mention of that simple question. I found it a little harder to breathe and pushed away the image of a face, his face, that was imprinted behind my eyes.
Oh God get it together before he...
"Hey are you ok?'
too late.
"Yeah, sorry. No. No I don't."
He had that look on his face that was the same as the one he had when I flipped out about him calling me "sweetheart" and it was unbearable so I turned away. He nodded a bit to himself, almost in that strange understanding again.
"I'm one of 6. It's chaotic. But most of them have moved out by now so it's only really my sister Anna and my mom and stepdad and me. My stepdad's a dick. His name's Brad. That's such a stepdad name. Did your mom remarry?"
"Yeah, his name's Jeremy."
"Another example!" He exclaimed, his eyes darting back and forth between me and the road, his hands occupied with driving and talking.
"Jeremy. Jer-e-my. That's such a stepdad name. I feel like Jeremy is either a stepdad or a girl you like's boyfriend that tries to beat you up. Like "JEREMY STOP!! " "
I couldn't help but crack a smile. I knew he was trying to cheer me up, and actually for once in my life it was working.
"Last question. Where are we going?"
"We're already here." He grinned as the car came to a sudden halt, shifting the gears into park. We both looked out the window as the sun began to set over an unfamiliar street and an unfamiliar building.
"Welcome to 924 Gilman Street."
A/N I'm sorry I haven't updated for a while, holidays were great and stuff but it's a terrible tragedy to begin the year with a loss as great as David Bowie's. I have to admit I went into complete mental lock-down for a few days and honestly am still mourning him. What a human being. Anyway, that's why I found it necessary to include him in this chapter.
The Starman is in the stars now. May he rest in peace x
