Oblivion ➵ Billie Joe Armstrong

21

Frances
Present
•••

Billie had played a few records, not too loud but we were lounging around for a little. I was reading a magazine, he was scribbling something in the notebook.

"Listen to the wind blow, watch the sun rise"

My eyes widened, I placed the magazine down, listening to the song more intently.

"And if you don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying
You would never break the chain"

I held on to my head, rubbing my temples a bit more.

I got flashes of Billie and I, running around the house, singing this song. He chased me around the house, we were laughing. He tackled me on the couch. He said something causing me to shriek, but, he kissed me right after.

"Oh, god." I mumbled, leaning my head into my hands.

"80? what's wrong?" He asked, quickly rushing to my side, concerned washed all over his face.

"I remember this." I stammered, my hands rubbing my temples. "The chain, right? Fleetwood-''

He removed my hands from my temple, setting them on my lap. "The chain, yes, by Fleetwood Mac." He nodded.

"What do you remember, 80?" He asked sitting next to me and pulling me over his lap.

I stiffened, I felt uncomfortable.

I shifted a little bit, getting a bit off his lap, but not completely.

"Well, uh, we were running around the house, we were both uh- laughing." I paused, "You tackled me, on this couch." I stammered.

"Then, then, we kissed." I fiddled with my hands.

"That was a week before the accident." He told me, kissing my temple.

A shiver went down my spine. This was making me even more uncomfortable.

"Is that it? Is that all you remember?" He asked, pushing the loose strands of hair out of my face.

I nodded. "I'm sorry." I whimpered, leaning my head against the couch.

"No, no. 80, don't ever apologize to me." He cooed, rubbing my thigh.

80? He says that an awful lot to me but I don't get why.

"Billie?" I asked, opening my eyes to look at him. His stare was on me, waiting for me to finish the sentence.

"Why do you call me 80?" I quietly asked.

He paused for a second, looking down at the ground, before getting up and walking towards the cd player.

He put in another cd, skipping a few tracks.

"My mental stability reaches its bitter end
And all my senses are coming unglued
Is there any cure for this disease
Someone called love
Not as long as there are
Girls like you"