Life Unimagined (Wattys)

A Quarter Cup Messiah-cal A Sprinkle Of Maniacal

The girls settled in to their bunks and moved their stuff to the appropriate places.

“So what’s life like at this place you’re running from?”

“Horrible!” Jessica said. The others nodded in agreement.

“Yea the mega bitch Vicky she thinks everyone’s her maid, well slaves, being a maid would be much nicer.” Hedda added.

“Icky Vicky.” Bella mumbled.

“She only use’s us for money! She doesn’t really care about the well being of any of us. If she did we’d be getting the real help we needed. What every other orphanage has.” Caitlin said.

“And that would be?” Billie questioned tilting his head scrunching his eyebrows. Caitlin looked at him and took a breath in as if nervous to say.

“… Counseling.” The other girls looked down nodding in agreement. She looked to Jessica.

“Jesse is the only one out of all of us who’s been to counseling. I’m glad she was able to get some help.” Jessica smiled to Caitlin.

“How come you got it Jess?” Billie looked at her. Jessica fidgeted when he said her name then she cleared her throat and smiled to him.

“Because my dad came back for me and I lived with him awhile and he got me the help and meds I needed.” She grinned.

“How did you end up back at the home?” She just smiled and shook her head.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” She just kept smiling and blinking at him. The other girls looked at her. They didn’t know what happened either. All they knew was she was abused by her mother and sent there, then her dad came for her only for her to come back a few months later. But her personality had changed dramatically; before she had been always quiet, shy, and sad. When she returned she was all talkative, and constantly wanting to play. They knew her medicine was some good stuff.

“Alright,” Billie through his hands up as if surrendering. “You can tell me on your own time.” he smiled. She smiled and hoped up off the couch and skipped to get the cd player and coloring book from her bag.

“Good luck. She came back when she was 14 and she still hasn’t told us what happened.” Caitlin said. Jessica returned headphones in with crayons and candy in one hand and a book in the other. She dropped the book on the floor and sat in front of the couch by Hedda’s leg and colored. Hedda twirled her pigtail.

“She’s fragile, and kind of childish; which we all can be in away considering we had to grow up pretty quickly, only Jesse is brave enough to re-live a better one.” Hedda said careful not to let Jessica hear. Billie watched as she colored a puppy purple.

“What about the rest of you? If you don’t mind me asking.” Billie asked looking at the three on the couch. They looked at each other. “ya know, I’m being rude. You girls don’t have to tell me now. Just know that I’m here to listen if you need someone to talk to. Oh and I promise not to tell anyone or write a song about it.” He pretended to zip his lips then he winked. The girls smiled.

“So what do you do when you’re riding… waiting?” Bella asked.

“Usually nap, or play a little guitar, or write, or watch a movie.” He chuckled.

“That was a lot of or’s.” Caitlin smiled.

“The possibilities are endless.” He smiled.

“I wanna watch a movie!” Jessica yelled over the music blasting in her ears. Hedda pulled her headphone off.

“A little too loud my dear.” She said to her. Jessica looked back and mouthed sorry.

“Alright how about a comedy?” he said standing clapping his hands together.

“Sounds great.” They said.

“I’ll get the puffcorn!” Jessica jumped up and ran to her bag pulling out a big bag of cheddar cheese puffcorn. They all scrunched and the couch and laughed watching.

It was dark and they were a couple hours away from their destination. “Well goodnight girls.” Billie said walking to his room.

“Goodnight!” They said in unison.  Each girl got on a bunk Caitlin above Hedda, and Jessica above Bella. Billie shut the light off a laid listening to the girls as they said their goodnights and said they loved one another. He smiled and rolled over dozing off.

-The Next Day-

“That should be over here.” Billie was standing at the bottom of the stage telling the stage roadies were to place equipment. Bella, Hedda, and Caitlin sat in the front row watching. Jessica and Tre were running through the aisles, jumping over the seats, laughing playing tag. Mike stood beside Billie and spoke to him about a few things, then walked to the girls.

“You guys excited?” He smiled. They returned the favor.

“Hell yeah we are! We’ve always wanted to go to a Green Day concert.” Caitlin said. Mike smiled.

“Well you guys can either stand here.” He backed up bumping into Billie’s back with his arms open. “Or.” He ran back to them. “You can be side stage.” They looked at each other.

“Maybe we should stick to the side the first show that way we get a feel of what a concert is like.” Hedda said. The girls nodded and looked to Mike.

“Awesome!” He smiled. “I’ll definitely have to be sure to get you passes because I’d hate for them to kick you out.” Bella quickly turned to Caitlin looking worried. “But of course I would NOT let that happen!” Mike reassured her. "I'd have to go all karate on the guards!" He did a little pose and they all smiled in excitement. Mike turned to see Billie directing the crew. He lowered his leg and arms and started imitating him making the girls laugh. Every time Billie would turn Mike would put his hands on his hips and look to the sky. He continued. Billie turned.

“Fuck you Mike I’d like to see you direct them.” He laughed. Mike patted him on the back. “You’re doing a hell of a job buddy!” Jessica and Tre ran up behind the girls scaring them.

“So where you guys gonna watch from?” Tre asked.

“From the side.” Bella pointed. Mike and Billie Climbed on stage to rehearse

“COOOOOWALLL!” Tre yelled running to the stage. Jessica ran and sat beside Bella. They each took their places on stage.

“Check, check, 1,2.. Syphilis syphilis.. check check.” Billie said in the mic. He held his thumb up. The girls looked back and saw another guy way back giving thumbs up. They did a quick run through playing maybe a minute of each song on their set list. Between a few songs Mike and Billie would squat by the paper between them and scribble. The girls were excited and ready for the show to start. After practice they made their way backstage we’re they met security and got passes. They walked with the boys down a big hall. A guy in a pink bunny suit made his way past, coming from stage giving everyone a fist bump.

“Good luck!” the girls said as the boys ran on stage. They peeked out to look at the crowd as they heard their roars.

“Wow!” Bella said. They stared in amazement; what was once an empty playground for Tre and Jessica was now packed full of thousands of people.

“Just wait; we’ll be the ones out there one day!” Caitlin said. They all nodded and watched in amazement as the boys did what they were born to do.