Landline (Trillie)

6.)

Beautiful clouds of snow swirl into the bitter flaming coffee. The stirring device is a fancily decorated silver spoon.

After inhaling this swoop of energy, I get ready to meet Mike. You see, we work together and sometimes he gets me rides home. He's one of those cool guys that can get you into clubs. A bit emo but that's alright.

I put on my lame old grey trench coat and grasp the keys to my apartment, excited to finally leave.

We negotiated on where to meet. Eventually it resulted in Main Street, basic. He's waving me down from underneath a light pole. He looks legit with his cigarette and trendy haircut.

I seem to be nervous for some reason, he only recently became my friend and he was intimidating. Quiet but intimidating.

The sky was a dark grey, similar to my coat, with hints of color from the sunset. I could feel specks of mist hitting my face, it never failed to rain.

He pats me on the shoulder and I get a bit tense. His grasp is firm and certain. It's weird to see him without his stupid studded collar leather jacket.

All I can think about is Billie. I made sure that I didn't bring this up around Mike. Somebody else emerges from the shadows and passes us with a glance.

"Hello Frank, you look gay today." He said with a laugh at his own joke. Was the scarf too much? I pretended to find this funny while getting a bit insecure. "What's that mean?" I play dumb and force a smile.

"I dunno, it's not everyday you see a man with nerd glasses and a trench coat." He forces down my throat with a thick smell of mint in his breath. "Yeah, yeah." I try and stop this topic while starting to walk. "Let's just get coffee or something."

It seems that he has left over fragments of black eye pencil on his waterline. Perhaps he was at a party or something the night before and got hammered. This might explain why he's acting weird.

We're walkin down the streets and I feel a bit uncomfortable. Maybe I shouldn't have planned this with Mike. He grabs my arm forcefully and pulls me into a random coffee shop. I let him do this and feel a weight on my chest.

After we sit down he barks at me to get coffee. I already had some today, but it doesn't matter. I'll get a smoothie.

I really want to go home.

After ordering for him, I make sure not to spill the drinks, and place them on the table. It's not long before he tries to make a new conversation.

"What have you been doing?" He doesn't even make eye contact with me. "Oh.. Just usual people stuff." I reply and curse myself for that awkward remark. I get a glance of my phone and see they are in the group chat without me, possibly talking about Billie and his on-stage boners again.

I sigh and stir the smoothie with my straw to make it taste good. "I have to use the bathroom." He tells me and simply leaves. I wait. And wait. He's not coming back.

I feel a pit of rage inside of me. Where did he go off to? Now I'm stuck paying this damn bill.
Finally, after 30 minutes, he comes back. I could have sworn he had walked away.

I don't want to say anything.

"I'm sorry I have to cut this short." He puts some sort of money on the table and darts away.

I feel awful.

I walk home with my head hung low. He had only left me one silver quarter and I actually did have to pay for his drink. But it wasn't that much..

Once I reach my apartment with yellow walls I crash on my bed and clutch the pillow tightly to my chest. I exhale and tears begin to form. I sob and sob like a baby.

I check my phone and see there's a new video from Billie posted on his account.

After seeing the caption I was in awe for a few minutes. The feed played over and over and I didn't even listen I was so shocked. "Dedicated to Tré Cool"  Those tiny pixelated words that got me paralyzed.

All the lyrics were about me. He has obviously been studying me for a few days and what I posted on here. He even knew I played drums.

"Saw ur video" I wrote to him in the dms. I couldn't just ignore this. I wouldn't. All my friends were freaking out and texting me dramatically. The new rumors spiraled and my head started to hurt. Why would he do this knowing that everyone would accuse him of being gay?

It didn't matter so long as he was my Billie.