Sequel: Hold On ›
Life As It Is
Life As A Normal Teenager Part One
Ella woke up on Saturday morning as happy as ever. Why hadn't she thought of sneaking out before? It was a great idea but she had to figure out how to sneak out. She knew that her mom checked in on her while she was sleeping or something so she had just planned to put pillows to make it seem like she was sleeping because she couldn't think of anything else.
"ASSHOLE! " She heard her mom scream from downstairs.
Uh-oh. Her parents were fighting again. The fight would probably result in slamming doors and her mom running up to complain to her.
That was the cue, she heard a door slam. Soon enough, her mother would be coming to her room.
Suddenly the door opened and there was Ella's mother.
"Eleanor, your father is a bastard. I wish I never married him," she said angrily.
Ella hated her real name, it made her feel so old. She also didn't understand why her parents couldn't resolve their problems.
"Mom, please just resolve it. "She had said to her at last and left her room to make breakfast.
As Ella sat down eating cereal, she began to be more excited about Gilman Street and getting away from the horrible house environment.
* * * * * * *
Billie Joe and Mike got out of the car once they had reached Gilman Street to set up for the night.
"Al better be early. "Billie Joe said.
"And risk himself being punched by you and some other punks? "Mike said, laughing.
"Ha-ha very funny Mike. "Billie Joe said as he took out his guitar case from the car.
Then Mike took out his bass case and the two walked into Gilman Street. It was very empty but soon enough it would be full of punk by the time it was almost 8:00.
"Hey! " Al said walking in with his drum equipment.
"Well look whose early! " Billie Joe said half joking and half being sarcastic.
"Yeah well I really should be caring about the band, ya know. "Al said.
* * * * * *
Ella had decided on leaving for Gilman street sometime during the 7:00 hour to maybe even catch this band Sweet Children. But how could she lie to mom?
"Mom, "Ella said to her mom as she entered the kitchen finding her mother busing herself, "I'm gonna watch T. V. In my room then head to bed so don't check on me for a while, ok? "
"Ok. "Her mother said, not really caring.
Ella headed upstairs and was relieved. But she felt a pang of guilt that she had lied to her own mother. But she also realized she couldn't lie to her dad because he could see right through her.
Ella then glanced over at her clock. It was 7:15.
She had noticed the white ladder near her window and then opened the window. She climbed down the ladder as quickly as possible and headed to the sidewalk.
* * * * * *
Billie Joe anxiously awaited to go up and perform. He sat at the bar when he then saw a familiar face. It was the girl that blew him off at school. What was she doing here in Gilman Street?
As Ella scanned the scene of Gilman Street, she wondered how she could ever fit in. What was this place? All of a sudden, her eyes met with Billie Joe's. What was he doing here?
Billie Joe then walked over to Ella.
"Hey, what are you doing here? "He said, holding onto his beer.
Ella looked at him for a moment and noticed he was wearing a backwards baseball cap and had the most greenest eyes she had ever seen.
"I... Uh saw a flyer for this band Sweet Children and decided to come. "Ella said.
"How weird, that's my band! "Billie Joe said.
Ella was surprised. Had fate brought her here? And from the looks of it, Billie Joe seemed like a nice guy but she couldn't even trust anyone anymore.
"Come on Billie, we're going on in a few! "Mike called to Billie Joe.
"Ok, I'm coming dude! "Billie Joe called back and put his attention back on Ella, "By the way, what's your name? "
"Ella. "She said back shyly.
"Ok catch ya later! "Billie Joe said, this time leaving Ella by herself.
* * * * * * * *
"And now one of the best fucking bands on Gilman Street... Sweet Children! "Said the guy who announced the band.
The band played their songs:Paper Lanterns, Sweet Children, Why Do You Want Him?, At the Library, and their newest song '409 In Your Coffemaker'.
As Billie Joe sang and played his guitar, he noticed how the crowd moshed and sang along. He was so happy. Then his mind wandered to Ella. He really wanted to get to know her.
Ella watched the band play as she sat alone by the bar. She got goose bumps when she heard Billie Joe singing and she knew they were good.
"Are you gonna just sit here and not order anything? "The young bartender snapped at Ella.
"No. Um, can I have a Pepsi? "She asked.
"Don't got any. Want a beer or something? "He asked impatiently.
Ella had obviously never had beer but ordered it anyway.
"That'll be $2. 50. "The bartender said.
Ella looked in her pockets but couldn't find anything!
"I got it! "A familiar voice said.
Ella turned around and saw Billie Joe take out money. When had he finished playing?
"Thanks Billie Joe. "The bartender said taking the money.
"Here ya go. "Billie Joe said, grinning.
"Uh, thanks. "Ella said shyly.
"So what do you think of us? "He said, looking straight at Ella.
"You guys were great! "She said surprising herself by being enthusiastic.
"Hey Two Dollar Bill! "A sweaty blond haired boy said, walking up to Billie Joe.
"Hey Tre! "Billie Joe said.
"You guys kicked ass! "Tre said.
"Thanks man. "
Ella took a little sip of her beer and looked at the two guys.
"So who's this? "Tre asked, looking at Ella.
Billie Joe looked at her again and said, "Oh this is Ella. Ella, this is my friend Tre Cool. "
"Hey! "Tre said grinning.
"Hi. "Ella said back.
"I've never seen ya here before. First time? "Tre asked her.
"Uh, yeah. "She answered. Ella couldn't believe people were talking to her.
"Well I'm gonna go hang with the guys in the back, wanna join me BJ? "Tre asked.
"Nah man I can't. I'm gonna be the designated driver and shit for Mike and Al. "Billie Joe said.
"Ok see ya later Billie Joe and Ella. "Tre said walking off then Ella saw him jump around like a lunatic and Billie Joe laughed.
"So, want anymore beers or something? I got plenty of money on me. "Billie Joe asked Ella.
"Uh I'm not really a drinker. "Ella said still clutching her first beer.
"I figured that you've never drank before, "Billie Joe said chuckling, "Nobody ever asks Dave for Pepsi. "
"Oh... Heh. " Ella said, all of a sudden felt herself blushing. What was up with her?
"Come on, I'll buy and if you get really drunk... I'll drive ya home. "Billie Joe said, winking at her.
"Ok. "Ella found herself saying.
A few hours later, Ella had gotten pretty drunk and started acting crazy.
"Ok enough beers for you! "Billie Joe said laughing.
"My parents are gonna kill me! "She slurred and then giggled.
"I'm taking you home! "Billie Joe said and then turned to Dave the bartender, "Make sure Mike and Al don't go anywhere. "
"Ok man. "Dave said.
Billie Joe had Ella get up and as Ella walked to the door, she fell over 3 times.
As the two went into the car, Billie Joe asked Ella where she lived.
"1329 Prescott Street WOO! "She screamed and jumped, hitting her head on the roof of the car.
"You're gonna have one hell of a hangover! "Billie Joe said laughing.
When Billie Joe finally reached Ella's house, she had calmed down a little.
"Ok you're home. "Billie Joe said.
"But I sneaked out from that ladder! "She slurred.
"I'll help ya climb up. "
The two walked quietly to the ladder and Billie Joe climb safely up as she opened her window and went inside.
"Thanks Billie Joe! "She whispered and slurred.
Ella then climbed into her bed and went to sleep.
"ASSHOLE! " She heard her mom scream from downstairs.
Uh-oh. Her parents were fighting again. The fight would probably result in slamming doors and her mom running up to complain to her.
That was the cue, she heard a door slam. Soon enough, her mother would be coming to her room.
Suddenly the door opened and there was Ella's mother.
"Eleanor, your father is a bastard. I wish I never married him," she said angrily.
Ella hated her real name, it made her feel so old. She also didn't understand why her parents couldn't resolve their problems.
"Mom, please just resolve it. "She had said to her at last and left her room to make breakfast.
As Ella sat down eating cereal, she began to be more excited about Gilman Street and getting away from the horrible house environment.
* * * * * * *
Billie Joe and Mike got out of the car once they had reached Gilman Street to set up for the night.
"Al better be early. "Billie Joe said.
"And risk himself being punched by you and some other punks? "Mike said, laughing.
"Ha-ha very funny Mike. "Billie Joe said as he took out his guitar case from the car.
Then Mike took out his bass case and the two walked into Gilman Street. It was very empty but soon enough it would be full of punk by the time it was almost 8:00.
"Hey! " Al said walking in with his drum equipment.
"Well look whose early! " Billie Joe said half joking and half being sarcastic.
"Yeah well I really should be caring about the band, ya know. "Al said.
* * * * * *
Ella had decided on leaving for Gilman street sometime during the 7:00 hour to maybe even catch this band Sweet Children. But how could she lie to mom?
"Mom, "Ella said to her mom as she entered the kitchen finding her mother busing herself, "I'm gonna watch T. V. In my room then head to bed so don't check on me for a while, ok? "
"Ok. "Her mother said, not really caring.
Ella headed upstairs and was relieved. But she felt a pang of guilt that she had lied to her own mother. But she also realized she couldn't lie to her dad because he could see right through her.
Ella then glanced over at her clock. It was 7:15.
She had noticed the white ladder near her window and then opened the window. She climbed down the ladder as quickly as possible and headed to the sidewalk.
* * * * * *
Billie Joe anxiously awaited to go up and perform. He sat at the bar when he then saw a familiar face. It was the girl that blew him off at school. What was she doing here in Gilman Street?
As Ella scanned the scene of Gilman Street, she wondered how she could ever fit in. What was this place? All of a sudden, her eyes met with Billie Joe's. What was he doing here?
Billie Joe then walked over to Ella.
"Hey, what are you doing here? "He said, holding onto his beer.
Ella looked at him for a moment and noticed he was wearing a backwards baseball cap and had the most greenest eyes she had ever seen.
"I... Uh saw a flyer for this band Sweet Children and decided to come. "Ella said.
"How weird, that's my band! "Billie Joe said.
Ella was surprised. Had fate brought her here? And from the looks of it, Billie Joe seemed like a nice guy but she couldn't even trust anyone anymore.
"Come on Billie, we're going on in a few! "Mike called to Billie Joe.
"Ok, I'm coming dude! "Billie Joe called back and put his attention back on Ella, "By the way, what's your name? "
"Ella. "She said back shyly.
"Ok catch ya later! "Billie Joe said, this time leaving Ella by herself.
* * * * * * * *
"And now one of the best fucking bands on Gilman Street... Sweet Children! "Said the guy who announced the band.
The band played their songs:Paper Lanterns, Sweet Children, Why Do You Want Him?, At the Library, and their newest song '409 In Your Coffemaker'.
As Billie Joe sang and played his guitar, he noticed how the crowd moshed and sang along. He was so happy. Then his mind wandered to Ella. He really wanted to get to know her.
Ella watched the band play as she sat alone by the bar. She got goose bumps when she heard Billie Joe singing and she knew they were good.
"Are you gonna just sit here and not order anything? "The young bartender snapped at Ella.
"No. Um, can I have a Pepsi? "She asked.
"Don't got any. Want a beer or something? "He asked impatiently.
Ella had obviously never had beer but ordered it anyway.
"That'll be $2. 50. "The bartender said.
Ella looked in her pockets but couldn't find anything!
"I got it! "A familiar voice said.
Ella turned around and saw Billie Joe take out money. When had he finished playing?
"Thanks Billie Joe. "The bartender said taking the money.
"Here ya go. "Billie Joe said, grinning.
"Uh, thanks. "Ella said shyly.
"So what do you think of us? "He said, looking straight at Ella.
"You guys were great! "She said surprising herself by being enthusiastic.
"Hey Two Dollar Bill! "A sweaty blond haired boy said, walking up to Billie Joe.
"Hey Tre! "Billie Joe said.
"You guys kicked ass! "Tre said.
"Thanks man. "
Ella took a little sip of her beer and looked at the two guys.
"So who's this? "Tre asked, looking at Ella.
Billie Joe looked at her again and said, "Oh this is Ella. Ella, this is my friend Tre Cool. "
"Hey! "Tre said grinning.
"Hi. "Ella said back.
"I've never seen ya here before. First time? "Tre asked her.
"Uh, yeah. "She answered. Ella couldn't believe people were talking to her.
"Well I'm gonna go hang with the guys in the back, wanna join me BJ? "Tre asked.
"Nah man I can't. I'm gonna be the designated driver and shit for Mike and Al. "Billie Joe said.
"Ok see ya later Billie Joe and Ella. "Tre said walking off then Ella saw him jump around like a lunatic and Billie Joe laughed.
"So, want anymore beers or something? I got plenty of money on me. "Billie Joe asked Ella.
"Uh I'm not really a drinker. "Ella said still clutching her first beer.
"I figured that you've never drank before, "Billie Joe said chuckling, "Nobody ever asks Dave for Pepsi. "
"Oh... Heh. " Ella said, all of a sudden felt herself blushing. What was up with her?
"Come on, I'll buy and if you get really drunk... I'll drive ya home. "Billie Joe said, winking at her.
"Ok. "Ella found herself saying.
A few hours later, Ella had gotten pretty drunk and started acting crazy.
"Ok enough beers for you! "Billie Joe said laughing.
"My parents are gonna kill me! "She slurred and then giggled.
"I'm taking you home! "Billie Joe said and then turned to Dave the bartender, "Make sure Mike and Al don't go anywhere. "
"Ok man. "Dave said.
Billie Joe had Ella get up and as Ella walked to the door, she fell over 3 times.
As the two went into the car, Billie Joe asked Ella where she lived.
"1329 Prescott Street WOO! "She screamed and jumped, hitting her head on the roof of the car.
"You're gonna have one hell of a hangover! "Billie Joe said laughing.
When Billie Joe finally reached Ella's house, she had calmed down a little.
"Ok you're home. "Billie Joe said.
"But I sneaked out from that ladder! "She slurred.
"I'll help ya climb up. "
The two walked quietly to the ladder and Billie Joe climb safely up as she opened her window and went inside.
"Thanks Billie Joe! "She whispered and slurred.
Ella then climbed into her bed and went to sleep.