This Is The Dawning Of The Rest Of Our Lives

TRÉ’S POV

I opened the door.
“Heya,” I said, stepping aside to let my two friends enter.
“Hey man,” they said, getting in.
“How are they?” Mike asked softly.
“I think they’re taking it quite well, for the fact that…well, I mean come on, it’s no fun losing everything you’ve got!” I exclaimed.
“Easy, buddy,” Billie said, putting his hand on my shoulder, “The last thing we need is to have you breaking down right now.”
I sighed.
“You’re right. I know,” I mumbled, “it’s just so fucking frustrating to see Jessie burst into tears like that all the time…and Tessie…and even Mrs. Isar couldn’t take it anymore yesterday with all the insurance shit,” I added, staring at my feet.
“And yesterday, when Jessie realized she’d lost Jingle when I offered her to play on my guitar…” I muttered.

BILLIE’S POV

Jingle! She’d lost Jingle too… I didn’t even want to think of how I’d feel if I’d lose Blue.
“Where’s Jess? I want to talk to her…” I said, looking at Tré.
“She’s in my room, probably,” he mumbled, not looking up. I nodded and made my way upstairs.
“Hey you,” I greeted Tessie, who was sitting on the bed in the guest room, with the door open. I smiled a little as I noticed that she was playing with toys of which I was almost sure I’d spotted them under Tré’s bed not too long ago.
Tessie’s face lit and she waved at me happily. I waved back and pulled a weird face, making her giggle before I went to Tré’s room, knocking on the door.

MIKE’S POV

I looked at Tré, who was still staring at his feet. Poor guy.
“Hey dude, are you okay?” I asked worriedly when he still hadn’t looked up after what seemed like ages.
“I’m fine,” came a muffled sound.
“Tré…dude…you know you can always talk to me right?”
He nodded and took a deep breath before looking up. His eyes were watery, and I guessed he was fighting to keep the tears I spotted in them from falling.
“It’s gonna be fine,” I said, trying to convince the both of us.
“Nobody was hurt and everything’s gonna be fine.”
“You didn’t hear all that insurance shit they were talking about yesterday,” Tré said weakly.
“What was it then?” I asked softly.
“Well I dunno exactly but I heard that in some stupid case they might not even get half of the money the house was worth because they weren’t insured the right way or some stupid thing like that,” he said. He looked at me.
“Who the fuck do those people think they are?? They’re supposed to help people right? HELP, not fucking break them down!”
“Dude…easy,” I said, grabbing his shoulder gently.
“It’s just fucking unfair!” he said loudly, quickly brushing the back of his hand over his eyes.
“And I’m no help either…” he added, more to himself than to anyone else.
“What do you mean you’re no help? I’m sure Jessica’s more than happy to be around you right now…” I said.
“Yeah well I’m the one who made her think of Jingle!” he said, looking away. I sighed.
“Tré, listen to me. Stop blaming yourself. She’d have thought of Jingle one way or another, that’s just the way it is. It has nothing to do with you. Nothing,” I stated firmly.
“But,-” he muttered.
“Dude, do you seriously think she wouldn’t have thought of Jingle without you? Think about it for a second…you’d think of your drums too, wouldn’t you?”
“I would, but,-”
“Stop blaming yourself. Jessica is damn lucky to have someone like you around. I’m sure that’s the way she thinks about it too. I’m sure she was glad to be with you yesterday when she realized she’d lost Jingle…” I said, trying to find words to lift Tré’s spirits a little.
Tré smiled ever so slightly.
“Thanks, Mikey,” he said softly, looking at me. I smiled and hugged him in a brotherly way.
“Don’t worry about it.”

JESSICA’S POV

I looked up from the Ramones’ booklet I’d been looking through when I heard a knock on the door.
“Yeah?”
Billie appeared.
“Hey Jess,” he said, getting in and smiling a bit. I smiled back and got up to hug him.
“Hey Bill,” I chuckled. He released me and looked at me reproachfully, shaking his head.
“What?” I giggled.
“Tré has a bad influence on you,” he stated seriously, “it’s Billie.”
“Yeah, well, it’s Jessica, BJ,” I said.
“What about Jessie then?” he smirked evilly.
“Shut it, Armstrong!” I threatened, “Only two people can call me that.”
“Jessie! Jessie! Jessie!” he chanted. I rolled my eyes.
“Will you ever learn?” I asked.
“Will you?”
“Nah,” I chuckled.
“Well then, shut it, Isar!” he chuckled.
I stuck out my tongue and sat back down on the bed.
“Where’s Tré?” I asked.
“Down with Mike,” he answered, sitting down next to me.
“Mike’s here too?” I asked.
“Yeah, we came by to see if you’re surviving an overdose of Tré.”
I giggled.
“I’m managing quite well, and mom and Linda are getting along great.”
Billie smiled.
“Hey, I just wanted you to know…if anything’s bugging you, if you need to talk or whatever. We’re always there for you. I don’t care what the situation might be. Whatever situation you or we are in, you can always come to us. Always,” he said, looking at me.
I felt a lump forming in my throat. Why the hell did I have to cry so fucking much?
I bit my lip and swallowed before looking back at Billie.
“You don’t know how much that means to me,” I croaked, quickly wiping my eyes.
“Maybe not…but I think I can get pretty close,” Billie said softly.
“I know how much it means to have people who care about you, no matter what the circumstances are. That’s why I want you to know that we’re here for you. When I was younger…I wasn’t all that sure and I never talked that much. I think now that if I would have, I might have had a better time, but it’s happened now and I can’t change it. I just don’t want you to think that there’s no one to help you,” he said with soggy eyes. He blinked and swallowed before looking at me with a smile.
“But I might tell you that story another time,” he said. I hugged him.
“I’m sorry for being so fucking emotional,” I chuckled, holding him close for a moment.
“That’s okay Jess,” he smiled, “you need to let it out somehow.”
“Yeah, that’s true,” I said, releasing him. “But sometimes it’s just so fucking annoying…though I have to say that it’s not as much as it was. Yesterday for instance,” I started, but I quickly stopped talking as I suddenly remembered why I’d been crying so much the day before. Stupid tears were rolling down my cheeks again and Billie wrapped his arm around me.
“It’s okay Jess, it’s natural to miss your possessions…” Billie mumbled, “Especially those you were so attached to, and to which stick so many memories.”
I didn’t say anything but slightly leaned against him. A while later, I heard the vague sound of the door opening. I felt someone sit down next to me and Tré’s familiar arms wrapped themselves around me, embracing me in a warm hug.
“Hey Jess,” Mike said softly, kneeling in front of me and placing his hand on my knee.
As I sat there, surrounded by friends, I knew that Billie was right. They would always be there for me. And I would always be there for them. Always.