Sequel: Hold On

Life As It Is

Wake Me Up When September Ends

The month of April had quickly come and quickly ended. It was finally May. The month of May hadn't had much change. Mike Dirnt turned 17 on May 4th.This resulted in another drinking celebration with Green Day and their other pals.

Since the month of April, Ella made a decision to get her driver's license. After many weeks of lessons; she finally took the test and passed. And the whole time, Billie Joe was by her side.

Finally, June had arrived now. Ella never really analyzed to herself that these were her final days as a senior in high school. The whole prom ordeal in May was resolved when her boyfriend shrugged and decided to escort her which resulted in them both leaving for an after-prom party of their own.

Now it was the day she was graduating. Finally leaving high school at last. She sat in her cap and gown at her graduation ceremony carefully listening to the sound of talk between other students as the ceremony began in the crowded auditorium. She gave and return smiles to people she sat next to that she hadn't really talked to throughout the years, but usually had classes with.

The diplomas were now being given out, and everyone stood in alphabetical order. As Ella heard her name being called, she quickly got up to the stage and received her diploma.

"I'm finally out of this shithole." She proudly thought to herself.

She shook her principal's hand and looked out into the audience. Her boyfriend, his crazy friends, and Ollie were all rapidly clapping. She grinned. This was her kind of family.

After the ceremony, Billie Joe and Mike threw a small graduation party. Another opportunity to wake up with an awful hangover.

"How ya feeling college girl?" Billie Joe asked his girlfriend as she swallowed down aspirin with a glass of water.

"Much better. "Ella grinned.

* * *
Summer had quickly come as well. It wouldn't be until early August when Ella would be starting her first college semester.

Most college students would be really nervous on their first day ever of college (even if it was just orientation), but surprisingly, Ella wasn't.

"I was expecting a whole... nervous breakdown." Billie Joe laughed while Ella and he walked towards the car. This time, she would be driving.

"Ha-ha Billie," She shrugged, "What's there to be scared of?"

"Hot college boys hitting on you." He muttered.

Ella giggled, "If anyone hits on me, I'll tell them to fuck off. I would never fall for them." She reached over and planted a long kiss on her boyfriend of seven months. He started grinning like an idiot.

She turned on the engine of the car and got going.

"Any idea how you're gonna get home without a car?" Billie Joe asked as Ella found a parking space.

She shrugged, "Guess I'll call a cab."

Ella unbuckled her seat and got out of the car. Billie Joe quickly jumped to the driver's seat, got out a tape, and started blasting music.

"What band is this?" He questioned her. Throughout the course of the summer, Billie Joe taught his girlfriend everything he knew about music since she thought it was about time she learned.

"The Who." She answered and smiled.

"Good girl." He said and she laughed as he started the engine again and took off.

Ella turned to face her new school. It was old but still had a way of looking as if it was brand new.

A month later, Ella had gotten accustomed to college. Her first semester had a crazy schedule but she knew there could be more hectic things going on than a crazy schedule.

Meanwhile, Billie Joe, Mike, and Al had started their senior year of high school. During the first couple of days of September, they were getting ready to record their first EP entitled '1,000 Hours'.

On a particular September morning, Ella woke up to an empty bed. She stumbled out of bed to brush her teeth and put some water on her face to wake herself up.

"Bill?" She said as she entered her boyfriend's room.

She entered the room to find a sleep deprived Billie Joe holding his guitar, Blue. Ella was concerned. She sat on his bed and nudged him a little.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He said and continued holding on to his guitar.

"Billie, I know something is wrong. You look like shit."

He sighed and looked at his girlfriend, "Today...today is the day he died." Ella needed no more explanation. She knew he was talking about his father.

She reached over and let him put his head on her shoulder.

"Are you gonna be ok?" She whispered as she soothed his back.

"Yeah... " He sniffled a little, "I just need a day off."

The couple broke apart and both laid on the bed, staring at the wall in silence.

"Hey don't you have class today?" Billie Joe said, breaking the long silence.

"Yeah but I wanna stay here with you. No big deal anyway, it's kind of an easy class anyway." Ella shrugged.

For what seemed like an hour later, the couple finally got up from the bed. Ella persuaded her boyfriend to make the day move faster by keeping busy.

It wasn't until the early afternoon that Billie Joe was talking again since during the day he was really quiet.

"I remember when I found out that he was dead... " He began as Ella was intently listening.

"Go on." She urged.

"Ok well I was just in school doing bad stuff with Mike," Billie Joe chuckled, "And then my teacher told me I was going home. She looked like she pitied me and shit. So I go down to the office and I see my brother Allen and his eyes are really puffy. I didn't know what was going on until everyone sat me down and just flat out told me. Oh my god, I was a mess." He shook his head.

Ella's eyes were starting to water up. She knew how close he and his dad were. She wished she had had that type of relationship with her father—or her parents in that case.

"So umm... what happened after that?" She was a little scared to ask since it was pretty personal.

"My mom acted like nothing had happened. So nobody ever really grieved like we should've."

"That really sucks... " Ella sympathized.

"Yeah it does. Might as well just wake me up when September ends." Billie Joe sighed.

Two hours later, the couple headed for the graveyard. On their way there, they picked up some flowers as well.

As they walked inside the graveyard, they saw all types of people. Varying from young people to the elderly. They saw emotions from small smiles to heavy sobs.

Ella followed Billie Joe to his father's graveyard. She was in complete silence as her boyfriend lay down the flowers and talked a little bit to his father. At one point, she slowly grabbed and held his hand.

A few minutes later, the two slowly walked out of the graveyard to find the same types of people they had witnessed when they had come in.

"Thanks." Billie Joe simply said as they got into the car.

"For what?" Ella asked as she put the car in reverse, ready to exit their parking space.

"Being there for me. Nobody ever comes to the graveyard with me except for Mike."

"Well I love you Billie and I care a lot about you. It's the least I could do."

When they got home, Billie Joe reached over and kissed Ella softly on the lips. She smiled.

There was no doubt whatsoever that the couple had reached a point where they had something beyond love. Which no words could express at this point.