Green Day Jr.

Chapter 4: Party

When my dad returned, I was sitting in the basement playing drums. It was going to be a few hours until the party. He suddenly burst into the room and ran over, taking my drumsticks.

"Up." I frowned.

"Huh?"

"Get up. We're going father-son bonding."

I sighed. "Dad, I'm busy."

"No arguments. You want a dad and you've got one. Get your shoes on."

I rolled my eyes and went upstairs, stuffing my feet into my shoes and leaning against the wall.

My dad appeared, putting his jacket and shoes on and grabbing his wallet. "Jake, c'mon we gotta go!" He yelled up the stairs.

My stomach dropped. Jake was coming? Well this was pointless then.

Despite my arguments, my dad practically dragged me to the car.

"So what do you want to do?" He asked me.

I thought hard. "Maybe we could go to the music store-"

"Ice cream!" Jakob yelled, and my dad laughed.

"Let's go do that then." He said, pulling out of the driveway.

I sighed and leant against the window. This sucked.

After Jakob eventually picked an ice cream flavour, Dad decided that we needed to go home and get ready for the party.

I was not in the mood for family members telling me how much I had grown.

I got dressed nonetheless and sat on my bed, feeling sorry for myself.

I heard the knocks at the door as people started arriving.

"Hey Mom!" I heard my dad holler, and I jumped up and ran downstairs, throwing my arms around her.

"Grandma!" She chucked and patted my back.

"Hi Joey. Nice to see you too. You look very smart."

I smiled at her as Mike came in and kissed Ollie's cheek, and they chatted for a while so I drifted into the kitchen, helping my Mom lay the food out.

Suddenly Tré walked in, holding Ramona's hand. "Hey!"

My dad smiled at him and then frowned. "Where's Lauren?"

I remembered Ramona telling me about Lauren leaving and I gave her a look, but Tré just shrugged and went to talk to Adrienne.

I watched Ramona as she chatted to my dad, wondering how she made it look so easy.

Tré suddenly brushed past me and grinned. "Eyes off my daughter, Armstrong."

I looked away quickly, feeling myself blush even though I knew he was kidding.

When I looked up again I realised Mike had seen all of this, as he raised both eyebrows then went back into the living room.

Fantastic.