Billie Joe Armstrong is my step-father... and I hate it [EDITING]

15. Restless Heart Syndrome

Aiden: Hey babe. It's expensive stuff hun, don't worry, I've got you covered. I've told Don to get us two bags. See you later, give me a shout when you get back to your place and I'll pick you up xx

I fell asleep in the position I had laid back in, having been exhausted by my whole ordeal with Billie that night. I was wakened by my alarm for school and that was the text I had received as soon as I woke up. I read over it and two emotions flooded into me - one, fear. I had forgotten about the house party on Wednesday and the nervous snakes in my stomach began to coil up all over again. The second was an odd warm feeling - how could Aiden be seen as a bad person?

I hauled myself up and took my make-up off from last night, getting dressed for school. I felt exhausted, seeing as I had resorted to waking up an extra hour earlier to do fresh make-up that would be on par with the other three girls, who always looked ready for a party, no matter where they were.

As I was just finished my eye make up (which cut into a good twenty five to thirty minutes of me getting ready alone), my phone screen lit up again and I checked on who it was. I expected it to be Andy or one of the other girls, seeing as they would be the only other people I knew awake so early but I couldn't help the half smile that came to my face when I noticed it was Joey.

Joey: Locked out. Out last night, seen you're awake can you let me in?

At least he wasn't here to hear everything that happened with his dad and I. I got up from the vanity desk I had never thought to use until I met Andy and walked towards my window, noticing Joey looking up at it and looking a little worse for wear. I laughed a little and shook my head, walking out of my room and down the stairs to unlock the door and let him in.

"Thanks," he said, his voice a bit hoarse and giving me a tired smile.

"Late night, huh?" I asked, stepping away from the doorway to let him in. "You look as tired as I feel right now."

Joey gave me a half bemused and half curious look, looking me up and down. "What are you doing up so early anyway? Even for going to school, it's too early to be awake."

I gestured to my face, giving him a shrug. "I have to start keeping up appearances, don't I? Running around with Andy is a lot of hard work." I added in my head that it also partly due to having to look good as Aiden Richie's "girl", but I wasn't ready for Joey to know that yet and I just prayed that Billie had some decency to keep that to himself.

He laughed a bit and shook his head. "Oh yeah, I forgot you and Andy are friends now. It's weird, I wouldn't have put you two together."

I raised my eyebrows and I felt like questioning what he meant for half a moment but I decided to drop it. "Where were you anyway?"

"Me? Oh," he said, as though he just remembered he had been out and reminded him that he was exhausted. He yawned and rubbed at his eyes. "I was just out having some drinks with the guys. Which turned into more drinks. Which then kinda turned into a party, you know how it is. I wouldn't ever really be around this part of town and I hadn't seen these guys in a while so I thought I might as well go, as I was pretty close by but... I kinda regret that now."

I smiled a little, half amused just by looking at him and I crossed my arms, shaking my head slightly. "And to think I thought better of you, Joseph."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. I'm a bad influence and all that," he joked, gently nudging me with his elbow before he let out a heaving sigh. "Although I do have to get into a bed with my brother who takes up the whole fucking bed. I'm never going to get to sleep with him there."

I considered him for a bit, looking him up and down and chewing the inside of my cheek. I don't know why I said it or even thought of it, but I said, "You can sleep in my bed if you want."