Working Class Hero
Chapter 3
"You miss 100% of the shots you never take."
--The Great One, Wayne Gretzky
***************************
In the car, things were awkwardly silent as Alix studied her wrist and Billie Joe tried to concentrate on the road.
"Does it hurt?" asked Billie Joe, breaking the five minutes of silence.
"A little bit....ok, I'm not gonna lie, it hurts like hell." confessed Alix.
"Here, let me see." Billie leaned in as the car came to a stop at a red light and gently took her left wrist. He slid his right hand along it until his fingers were laced with hers and brought her hand closer to his face. He squeezed his right hand a little. "Did that hurt?" he asked.
Alix bit down hard as she let out a little yelp. The truth was, she was feeling a little odd about his fingers being intertwined with hers. 'He probably just feels bad' Alix told herself.
"Sorry," Billie said sincerely as he unlaced his fingers and the light changed to green.
"You didn't have to do that," Alix said pleadingly.
"Do what?"
"Nevermind." She was talking about his hand. She wouldn't have minded at all if he kept it where it was.
"You know what sucks?" Alix asked, a little randomly as they were walking through the hospital entrance.
"My girlfriend is gonna get pissed."
"Awe, don't worry about that Billie. I'll explain it to her later. But, really, there's something about this that really sucks."
"Yeah, you're wrist is broken."
"It's my left wrist." Alix declared.
"Yeah, so." said Billie a little confused.
"Soooo....I'm left handed." (haha I'm a southpaw, too! Coincidence?)
"I guess that does suck. If you're worried about school and writing, I'll copy the notes for you since were in basically the same classes."
"Well BJ, you do know that in order for you to copy the notes for me, you'll have to actually show up to school and pay attention in class." said Alix as they sat in the waiting room while filling out some paperwork.
"I'll make a special exception for you," Billie said as he quickly added on "besides, this whole thing was kind of my fault."
"Yeah, I guess it kind of was." said Alix jokingly.
"Hey! That was the part where you were supposed to say 'No, no, it's not your fault. I had it coming' and shit like that!"
"You were the one who pressured me into going down the halfpipe in the first place! But don't sweat it BJ, afterall, 'I had it coming!' " joked Alix.
"I really do feel bad if it's any consolation. I promise you'll be fine in school, and I'll take the bill here too. I know you're situation at home." Alix opened her mouth to argue, but shut it when Billie Joe continued. "Don't give me that bullshit Alix, I got it."
Billie Joe was romantic in his own little way. His emerald green eyes showed every emotion down to the soul. The way he got so fiery when Alix attempted to argue- all the little things were the things that made him attractive.
But he was off limits.
***********************
2 hours later
"Can I sign it first?"
"Sure, Billie Joe, you can sign it."
"That way, one day when I'm all rich and famous, you can sell this cast on eBay."
Alix laughed softly at that. Billie Joe grabbed a black sharpie from the doctor's notebook and held her wrist steady. He began to make seemingly purposeless scribbles until Alix noticed he was drawing a picture.
"Oh God Billie, I said you could sign it not use it as a sketch book!"
Billie just chuckled to himself and continued with his art. About five seconds later, he put the cap back on the sharpie and examined her wrist proudly.
"What the hell is that?" laughed Alix.
"It's you! Don't you see the resemblence?"
"Holy shit, did I get hit by a car or something?" joked Alix.
"Shut up!" said Billie Joe, pretending to be offended by her criticism of his portrait. He grabbed her wrist and looked at his drawing once more before sliding his hand, once more, down to her hand.
"Seriously, Alix, does it still hurt?" said Billie Joe, looking her straight in the eye.
This was her chance. She could make a move on the guy she liked. He was giving her all the right signs. He laced their fingers, he looked her in that way. But there was one thing stopping her.
But Alix didn't have time to think. Billie Joe was still gazing into her eyes, waiting for something.
"Ummm...is Rachel mad at you?" 'STUPID STUPID STUPID!' thought Alix as Billie looked away, breaking eye contact.
"Uhh, no. She will be though if I don't get going. Come on, I'll take you home. It's late." Billie Joe said emotionlessly.
"ok," she answered solemnly, knewing she missed her shot.
***********************
In the car
"I could call Rachel for you, you know, explain things."
"Naw, that's ok, it's better if I do. We didn't have anything planned anyway. I was just supposed to call h- shit! On second thought, could you? I forgot my cell at home." pleaded Billie Joe.
"Sure, no problem."
Alix dialed the number she'd had memorized since the 2nd grade, and Rachel picked up immediatley.
"Have you seen Billie Joe anywhere?" Rachel asked, concerned.
"Yeah, actually, he's in the car with me right now," began Alix as she was interrupted.
"What? He was supposed to call me 3 hours ago!"
"Calm down Rache, we went to the skatepark after you left and I broke my wrist. BJ just drove me."
"Oh my God! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." declared Alix.
"Good. Now let me yell at Billie Joe." said Rachel.
"No, don't yell at him! It wasn't his fault at all!" Alix said as convincingly as she could.
"Sure it wasn't. Anyways, tell him I'll talk to him tomorrow. I'm tired and going to bed. Love you both! Bye!"
Alix shut her cell phone as Billie Joe threw a concerned glance in her direction.
"Is she mad?"asked Billie.
"Uhhh...I don't think so."
--The Great One, Wayne Gretzky
***************************
In the car, things were awkwardly silent as Alix studied her wrist and Billie Joe tried to concentrate on the road.
"Does it hurt?" asked Billie Joe, breaking the five minutes of silence.
"A little bit....ok, I'm not gonna lie, it hurts like hell." confessed Alix.
"Here, let me see." Billie leaned in as the car came to a stop at a red light and gently took her left wrist. He slid his right hand along it until his fingers were laced with hers and brought her hand closer to his face. He squeezed his right hand a little. "Did that hurt?" he asked.
Alix bit down hard as she let out a little yelp. The truth was, she was feeling a little odd about his fingers being intertwined with hers. 'He probably just feels bad' Alix told herself.
"Sorry," Billie said sincerely as he unlaced his fingers and the light changed to green.
"You didn't have to do that," Alix said pleadingly.
"Do what?"
"Nevermind." She was talking about his hand. She wouldn't have minded at all if he kept it where it was.
"You know what sucks?" Alix asked, a little randomly as they were walking through the hospital entrance.
"My girlfriend is gonna get pissed."
"Awe, don't worry about that Billie. I'll explain it to her later. But, really, there's something about this that really sucks."
"Yeah, you're wrist is broken."
"It's my left wrist." Alix declared.
"Yeah, so." said Billie a little confused.
"Soooo....I'm left handed." (haha I'm a southpaw, too! Coincidence?)
"I guess that does suck. If you're worried about school and writing, I'll copy the notes for you since were in basically the same classes."
"Well BJ, you do know that in order for you to copy the notes for me, you'll have to actually show up to school and pay attention in class." said Alix as they sat in the waiting room while filling out some paperwork.
"I'll make a special exception for you," Billie said as he quickly added on "besides, this whole thing was kind of my fault."
"Yeah, I guess it kind of was." said Alix jokingly.
"Hey! That was the part where you were supposed to say 'No, no, it's not your fault. I had it coming' and shit like that!"
"You were the one who pressured me into going down the halfpipe in the first place! But don't sweat it BJ, afterall, 'I had it coming!' " joked Alix.
"I really do feel bad if it's any consolation. I promise you'll be fine in school, and I'll take the bill here too. I know you're situation at home." Alix opened her mouth to argue, but shut it when Billie Joe continued. "Don't give me that bullshit Alix, I got it."
Billie Joe was romantic in his own little way. His emerald green eyes showed every emotion down to the soul. The way he got so fiery when Alix attempted to argue- all the little things were the things that made him attractive.
But he was off limits.
***********************
2 hours later
"Can I sign it first?"
"Sure, Billie Joe, you can sign it."
"That way, one day when I'm all rich and famous, you can sell this cast on eBay."
Alix laughed softly at that. Billie Joe grabbed a black sharpie from the doctor's notebook and held her wrist steady. He began to make seemingly purposeless scribbles until Alix noticed he was drawing a picture.
"Oh God Billie, I said you could sign it not use it as a sketch book!"
Billie just chuckled to himself and continued with his art. About five seconds later, he put the cap back on the sharpie and examined her wrist proudly.
"What the hell is that?" laughed Alix.
"It's you! Don't you see the resemblence?"
"Holy shit, did I get hit by a car or something?" joked Alix.
"Shut up!" said Billie Joe, pretending to be offended by her criticism of his portrait. He grabbed her wrist and looked at his drawing once more before sliding his hand, once more, down to her hand.
"Seriously, Alix, does it still hurt?" said Billie Joe, looking her straight in the eye.
This was her chance. She could make a move on the guy she liked. He was giving her all the right signs. He laced their fingers, he looked her in that way. But there was one thing stopping her.
But Alix didn't have time to think. Billie Joe was still gazing into her eyes, waiting for something.
"Ummm...is Rachel mad at you?" 'STUPID STUPID STUPID!' thought Alix as Billie looked away, breaking eye contact.
"Uhh, no. She will be though if I don't get going. Come on, I'll take you home. It's late." Billie Joe said emotionlessly.
"ok," she answered solemnly, knewing she missed her shot.
***********************
In the car
"I could call Rachel for you, you know, explain things."
"Naw, that's ok, it's better if I do. We didn't have anything planned anyway. I was just supposed to call h- shit! On second thought, could you? I forgot my cell at home." pleaded Billie Joe.
"Sure, no problem."
Alix dialed the number she'd had memorized since the 2nd grade, and Rachel picked up immediatley.
"Have you seen Billie Joe anywhere?" Rachel asked, concerned.
"Yeah, actually, he's in the car with me right now," began Alix as she was interrupted.
"What? He was supposed to call me 3 hours ago!"
"Calm down Rache, we went to the skatepark after you left and I broke my wrist. BJ just drove me."
"Oh my God! Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." declared Alix.
"Good. Now let me yell at Billie Joe." said Rachel.
"No, don't yell at him! It wasn't his fault at all!" Alix said as convincingly as she could.
"Sure it wasn't. Anyways, tell him I'll talk to him tomorrow. I'm tired and going to bed. Love you both! Bye!"
Alix shut her cell phone as Billie Joe threw a concerned glance in her direction.
"Is she mad?"asked Billie.
"Uhhh...I don't think so."