Chains of Habit~ BJA

4. Coming Clean

Seth thankfully didn't stay over last night. He had an exam tomorrow and wanted better sleep.

After I make myself breakfast, I take a look at the sheet that Billie Joe gave me yesterday. I just have to write the day of the week I want to play and then sign it. I decide Friday, because why not, it's not like I have actual stuff to do.

I dropped out of college a few months back. I wasn't happy with the stuff I was doing and I decided to just pursue a career otherwise. Plus it was really hard for me to keep up Seth's demands of hanging out so often and balance schoolwork. Attempting to withdraw from him did not go well.

I write Friday and sign the paper, planning to bring it back to the cafe this afternoon.

Walking to my bathroom and looking in the mirror, I see that my black eye has pretty much completely faded. Thank goodness!! I put on a little makeup just the cover the remnants and it's totally unnoticeable.

I decide to call Aria as we haven't talked in a while. She lives in Canada while I'm in the US, and though I haven't actually met her in real life she's my best friend. We video chat for a couple hours, I play her some new songs on guitar and she shows me her art. Eventually I remember I have to get to the cafe to drop my form off, so we say our goodbyes and I head out.

Once I push open the doors to Blue's, I am overwhelmed by its familiar and comforting scent. This has always been a sacred place to me. Seth hasn't ever come here with me, so it feels like an escape.

"Addison! You have the form?" Billie Joe appears.

"Yes I do! Are Fridays ok?" I ask, confirming my choice.

"Definitely. Glad to see your eye has healed," he tells me, somehow not portraying any clear emotion. I nod awkwardly at him. All of a sudden, there's a loud clang and two men rush out of the employees only door.

"Tré what the hell?!" The blonde one says.

"This was NOT my fault!" The man I assume to be Tré yells back.

"What happened you idiots?" Billie asks them.

"Mike knocked over the coffee machine!"

"I did NOT! Tré did!" The blonde says.

"Hold on a second Addison. I've got to go get this sorted out," Billie says glaring at the guys.

"Wait, Addison? You're Addison! I've heard a lot-"

Tré gets cut off by Billie punching him in the arm and dragging him into the back room, leaving me and Mike.

"Uh, hi, I'm Mike, Billie's friend and bandmate," he explains. "The other guy is Tré, as you heard. He's our drummer."

"Nice to meet you, I'm Addison, as you apparently already know," I say reaching out for a handshake. Mike looks confused before he has a moment of realization and shakes my hand.

"I would offer you a coffee, but..."

"It's not problem! I should get going anyway," I tell him. "I just had to drop off a form to Billie Joe."

"I heard you played our song the other day, Billie wouldn't shut up about how good it was. I'm excited to see you perform sometime!" He says truthfully.

"Oh, wow, thanks so much!" I respond. "I'm sure he was exaggerating though."

"I sure was not!" Billie yells at me as he comes back into the room with an upset looking Tré behind him. "Mike you're off the hook. Tré now owes me an industrial sized coffee maker. I don't know what we'll do in the meantime, but we'll manage," Billie says, seeming stressed.