Life As It Is

Ella awoke the next morning upset. Last night she cried herself to sleep, still thinking about how her parents were horrible to her. She brushed her teeth and headed downstairs, making herself some breakfast.

As she ate, her mother approached her.

"Sweetie, I'm sorry about yesterday. I had a few drinks and it was an accident." Her mother said.

"It's ok." Ella said softly.

"But I still don't want you going out." Ella's mom said.

"Why not mom? I'm almost 18 and you can trust me!" She was getting sick and tired of having this fight.

"You are to do what you're told." Ella groaned. And before her mother had a chance to say anything, she headed upstairs to change and head out.

* * * * * ** *
Billie Joe paced back and forth outside of the school. He had been worried about Ella since he had dropped her off the day before.

"Hey Two Dollar Bill." A red haired boy said walking up to him.

"Hey." Billie Joe said, trying to remember the guy's name.

"I heard you guys rocked Gilman Street on Saturday." The boy said.

"Yeah, the mosh pit was fucking insane!"

"I bet. Your band is kickass. Anyway, do have any new joints to deal?"

"Yeah." Billie Joe said as he took out two joints from his pockets and took the two dollars from the boy.

"Thanks man!" The guy said, walking off.

"Anytime." Billie Joe said.

His thoughts wandered back to Ella as she saw her walk up to him.

"Hey." Ella said, trying to give a smile.

"Hey! So what happened yesterday?" Billie Joe asked curiously.

"I'll tell you later," She said," I saw you giving two joints to that guy. You're a drug dealer too?"

"Well how do you think I can afford to get you drunk?" Billie Joe said, grinning.

Ella felt herself blush. Why was she blushing?

The bell rang and as Ella went inside she heard Billie Joe say," I'll meet up with you in English."
* * * * * ** *
"Dude, explain to me why you, Billie Joe Armstrong is going to English and not work on a song?" Mike asked Billie Joe in the school parking lot.

"Shut up man. I just wanna hang out with Ella." Billie Joe said.

"The same girl you wouldn't shut the fuck up about last night when you came back to my place. You like her!"

"I was worried!" Billie Joe pleaded.

But Mike was right, he did sort of like Ella. She seemed like a girl who deserved a lot more than her stupid parents.

"Whatever, dude. I can tell when you like someone." Mike said.
* * * * * * * *
As Ella walked to English class, she felt someone tap her shoulder.

"Hey!" Ella said happily as she spun around and saw Billie Joe.

"Hey." Billie Joe said back as the two walked to English together.

When the two entered the room, the teacher looked directly at Billie.

"Well this is a surprise. Mr. Armstrong attending class early?" She said.

"Bitch." Billie Joe muttered under his breath. Ella giggled.

"Something funny Ms. Montgomery?" The teacher asked. Ella shook her head.

When class began, Billie Joe tuned out everything that was being said and focused on Ella. She wasn't a bad-looking girl with her shiny dark brown hair, but he could tell something was wrong. When class ended, copies of The Catcher In The Rye were being given out and Billie Joe reluctantly grabbed one.

"Where now?" He asked.

"I have 2 more classes before lunch." Ella said.

"Willing to skip 'em?" Billie Joe said mischievously.

Ella smiled and said," Sure!"

* * * * * * * *

"So this is where you guys skip class?" Ella asked as she and Billie Joe went into the school parking lot.

"Yep!" Billie Joe said.

"Hey Mike!" Ella said, noticing Mike was there too.

"Hey Ella." Mike said and noticed Billie Joe was holding a book.

"Whoa! How the fuck did you get Billie Joe to get a book?"

"I didn't... He did." Ella said, laughing.

Billie Joe felt himself blush. Oh that was just great. Another way to show he liked Ella.

Mike lit up a joint and basically smoked it, then passed it to Billie Joe as he did the same. When he decided to pass it to Ella, she shook her head no.

"Shit!" Mike said all of a sudden.

"What?" Billie Joe and Ella asked in unison.

"I have to go to History but I'm fucking high here!"

"So try too look casual dude, you're acting like your fucking drunk." Billie Joe said and Mike was on his way to class.

As Billie Joe turned his attention back to Ella, he noticed she had the most chocolate brown eyes. Was this true or was it just that he was high?

"So are you ever gonna tell me what happened yesterday?" He asked.

Ella looked into Billie Joe's friendly green eyes and knew she had to tell him.

"Well when I walked in the door, they were both waiting for me. And... And they yelled. I had a feeling that my parents were drunk. So then my mom called me a little bitch and she... She slapped me." Ella said, looking as if she was going to cry.

Billie Joe stared at Ella for a second. How could someone like her own mother hit her?

"Holy shit." Billie Joe said after a while.

"She apologized to me this morning but I still can't go out anywhere." Ella said sounding hurt.

"Well you know what? You can always hang out with me and my friends all the time."

Ella began to like how Billie Joe cared about her. Without even realizing she liked him.