Yes, Sir || B.J.A.

-forty-

Three Years Later

"Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you your graduating class!" 

And of course, as the cliche goes, we all took our hats and threw them up in the air in unison. Cheers filled the room as well. 

As I caught my hat, I couldn't help but laugh. It had been a rough and chaotic three years. But I did it, despite everything. 

So much shit had happened and I still couldn't believe it. I had stayed in touch with my boys. SWMRS, as you know and as the world knows. They're doing so well for themselves. Joey and I still talk pretty much everyday. I did miss him. But I could never put him through being in a relationship with me again. Ever since my last breakup that happened over three years ago, I turned into quite the whore. It was actually easier this way for me. No one got to hurt my emotions or mess me up again. No one will be able to do the things that he did to me.

I was a bit different now. I think if I would have run into anyone I went to high school with, they would not be able to recognize me. My hair was now pretty much jet black. I fulfilled some bucket list dreams of mine, so to speak. I ended up getting a nose ring out of impulse and I finally got my first tattoo. 

Over three years ago when I was packing, I found a note from Billie Joe. He used to leave me notes scattered all around my apartment. In the pockets of my sweaters or jeans. On the fridge, anywhere really. It was a constant thing from him and I think it was to help with my anxiety. It worked. He'd always sign them off with "We are the devil's kind" and a cute little heart. 

I know what you're thinking. 'You are so damn pathetic getting something of his on your body. That shit is permanent.' 

And you're absolutely right. I am pathetic. But I'm already well aware of that. I didn't want to get it tattooed on me because it hurt just thinking about Billie Joe. Thinking of our past. Acknowledging that he was my first love. 

I had to let him go. But I didn't have to let the memories go.  

I gave it to my tattoo artist anyway. And now, I have the words "devil's kind" and the little heart on the left side of my sternum, in his handwriting. His lovely, lovely, handwriting. It is painful to say but Billie Joe will always be one of my best memories. 

"Hey Melina, you coming out for drinks tonight?" Ashley, one of my roommates asked me with a smile. She was my favourite person I had met in school. She was basically the sister I never had.

"You know I'm always down for a bar night with you Ash, but I actually got shit to do" I smiled sadly, earning a playful eye roll from her.

"Already gonna be a Broadway babe? You're always one step ahead, Mel" she smirked, making me laugh. 

"We'll do something soon, I promise. Maybe next Saturday?" 

"I'll hold you to that, Mel. Try not to forget about the little people babe" she winked, bringing me in for a hug. 

I stayed for a few minutes to take pictures with all of my friends and then said my goodbyes and headed for the exit to hail down a taxi.

. . .

I was cutting it rather close on the count of ridiculous traffic, taking two subway trains, and changing in a McDonalds bathroom. But I made a promise to one of my professors who is apart of a theater crew that I would audition for a Broadway play she was helping produce. And well, I did need some sort of income. 

Once I found the place, I ran right in and tried to look as normal as possible, even though I felt like I was dying from running so much. 

I fixed my hair, checked my makeup, and straightened out my shirt, and pushed open the door, as ready for my audition as I would ever be. 

I grabbed my pamphlet from out of my bag and scanned over it, trying to remind my anxious self what I was auditioning for. 

American Idiot. How relate able. 

I walked in and was greeted almost instantly, despite the auditions that were happening. 

"Melina! So glad you could make it darling. Are you ready?" my professor, Ms Lee, asked me with a huge smile. 

"As ready as I will ever be, Ms Lee" I smiled back nervously. 

"Melina honey, we've been over this. Just call me Amy will ya?" she laughed, making me laugh as well.

"As you wish" I smiled. 

We walked over towards the stage and I walked up onto the stage. Someone from the crew, I assumed, handed me a guitar. One of the requirements was that you needed to know how to play guitar rather well. That's what made me incredibly nervous. I wasn't too confident in my guitar playing ability. 

"Alright Miss Garcia, you will be playing a song from the play with one of the directors of the play. You just need to follow along with him, okay?" Ms Lee- I mean, Amy, instructed, making me smile and nod in response. 

On cue, I heard another voice from behind me, making me turn around.

"Okay, let's do this. This song is rather simple and I think you'll be able to follow along rather easily. It's a shitty love song. It's called Whatsername, and it's-" 

Our eyes locked on each others and everything around us just stopped existing. 

He almost looked the exact same way he did three years ago. His stare was still as piercing as I remember. His hair looked the same, just a little fluffier, It suited him. He was wearing a black button up shirt and the sleeves were rolled up, exposing some of his tattoos. He was wearing black jeans and black converse as well. 

I felt as if I was dreaming. I wanted to pinch myself. This couldn't be real. Until we spoke.

"Billie Joe?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

He cleared his throat. "Yes, ma'am?"

THE END... for now.