Hail and Farewell to Paris
Non
Suddenly the man turned on his heel and dashed down the same path of black that I had emerged from. I called out after him but he didn’t stop.
My head fell into my hands and I stayed thinking about his words, a cough erupted behind me and I span around to see Billie standing on the step, dressed in his costume, mask between angry fingers.
“What was that?”
I stared at him, “Pardon?”
“You heard me Ava, what the hell was that?”
“Billie it isn’t what you think” I felt tears erupt in my eyes.
“It isn’t what I think, what were you doing then? Giving Mike CPR? For fuck’s sake Ava, it all comes together now doesn’t it? Mike goes missing but just happens to show up in Venice? I can’t believe this…after everything I just can’t believe that…that you would fucking cheat on me! With my BEST FUCKING FRIEND!”
He shook his magnificent head, his face looking at me with an abhorrence that terrified me to my core. He turned and walked back into the hotel.
Hot tears ran down my face as I un froze stumbled after him.
“Billie wait! Billie please it isn’t like that”
He closed the elevator and I panicked, deciding to run up the stairs in my many skirts. I was sweating, my mind rushing in a panic as each foot cleared each never ending step. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I felt sick, I was going to vomit.
Exhaustion and terror forced me to finally collapse against the door and I thrust the wood open to reveal the dark hotel room. I quietly tip toed to the boys’ room. My panting breath sounded deafening in the silence.
They were both asleep and I as turned to face our bedroom I caught sight of Billie’s silhouette leaning over the balcony ledge.
I inhaled deeply, hands smoothing down the front of my dress as I walked through the French windows, closing them behind me slowly, not taking my eyes from Billie’s back.
“You look beautiful in that dress.”
I jumped at his sadly spoken words, my lips staying sealed, taking my place next to him in the cool Venetian night. A déjà vu of us standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower hit me like a ton of bricks and an outrage erupted in my throat.
"Obviously Mike thought so too"
“Once again Billie you fly off the handle and jump to a million and one conclusions.”
“What?” He spat back, turning to frown at my face.
“If you had bothered to listen to my answer you would realize that I would never, ever, as I have said numerous times before, cheat on you….especially with Mike.”
That frown softened and he looked away again, black hair blowing in the breeze.
“You kissed him.”
“It was a peck! A Grandmother kiss and don’t give me that, you have kissed both him, Tre and God knows how many other random fans, worse than Don bloody Juan.”
Billie shook his head, “What? Ava they are guys!”
“Oh okay so gender makes a difference, you are telling me if Mike was a woman you wouldn’t get so annoyed?”
Billie’s eyes glinted, a smirk rising in the corner of his mouth, “I’d join in”
I tried to control my grin back, frowning at him as he giggled slightly.
“Yeah right Billie.”
Silence took over for a while as we both stared across the midnight waters.
“Why is he here?”
I swallowed, “Maybe you should ask him.”
“His phones off remember?”
I bit my lip, “He…he…wanted to…tell me something.”
“See! I fuckin hate this little club you two have!”
“We don’t have a club.”
“So then just tell me”
I inhaled, “He…Mike came to congratulate us, he said things were getting on top of him and he just needed a few days alone. He thought he’d come to Venice so he could fly back with us in a few days. He wanted to see us, he was missing us.”
“Jesus” Billie pulled a hand through his hair.
“This vacation has been fucked up. Trust him though; he’s a dramatic gobshite he really is.”
A small pit of guilt ran through me, I could never tell Billie what Mike really came here for. He’d go berserk. The band would break up and so would the final threads that seemed to be holding myself and Billie together.
“I’m sorry Ava.”
“It’s okay Billie, I’m sorry too.”
He turned, wrapping those arms around me and devouring my mouth with hard kisses.
“I love you”
“I love you too”
Kissing me again he pulled at the back of my dress, warm palms dancing across my spine.
“Let’s get out of these costumes huh?” he whispered, voice lowering into a growl.
I smiled, “Okay, but, er…will you leave yours on?”
He cocked an eyebrow at me in confusion before finally realizing.
“Oh riiight…The Zorro look floats your boat huh? Well this costume hasn't been a complete waste of time. Hopefully it is easy getting off then it is on”
I giggled as he swung his cape over his shoulder and bowed to kiss my hand before dragging me into the bedroom.
I sighed, relishing the excitement of make up sex. At the back of my mind however, a lonely Mike Dirnt wandering through Venice made my heart break. I prayed he was okay, god only knows who he is with or what he is doing.
What am I to do now?
My head fell into my hands and I stayed thinking about his words, a cough erupted behind me and I span around to see Billie standing on the step, dressed in his costume, mask between angry fingers.
“What was that?”
I stared at him, “Pardon?”
“You heard me Ava, what the hell was that?”
“Billie it isn’t what you think” I felt tears erupt in my eyes.
“It isn’t what I think, what were you doing then? Giving Mike CPR? For fuck’s sake Ava, it all comes together now doesn’t it? Mike goes missing but just happens to show up in Venice? I can’t believe this…after everything I just can’t believe that…that you would fucking cheat on me! With my BEST FUCKING FRIEND!”
He shook his magnificent head, his face looking at me with an abhorrence that terrified me to my core. He turned and walked back into the hotel.
Hot tears ran down my face as I un froze stumbled after him.
“Billie wait! Billie please it isn’t like that”
He closed the elevator and I panicked, deciding to run up the stairs in my many skirts. I was sweating, my mind rushing in a panic as each foot cleared each never ending step. I couldn’t believe this was happening. I felt sick, I was going to vomit.
Exhaustion and terror forced me to finally collapse against the door and I thrust the wood open to reveal the dark hotel room. I quietly tip toed to the boys’ room. My panting breath sounded deafening in the silence.
They were both asleep and I as turned to face our bedroom I caught sight of Billie’s silhouette leaning over the balcony ledge.
I inhaled deeply, hands smoothing down the front of my dress as I walked through the French windows, closing them behind me slowly, not taking my eyes from Billie’s back.
“You look beautiful in that dress.”
I jumped at his sadly spoken words, my lips staying sealed, taking my place next to him in the cool Venetian night. A déjà vu of us standing at the top of the Eiffel Tower hit me like a ton of bricks and an outrage erupted in my throat.
"Obviously Mike thought so too"
“Once again Billie you fly off the handle and jump to a million and one conclusions.”
“What?” He spat back, turning to frown at my face.
“If you had bothered to listen to my answer you would realize that I would never, ever, as I have said numerous times before, cheat on you….especially with Mike.”
That frown softened and he looked away again, black hair blowing in the breeze.
“You kissed him.”
“It was a peck! A Grandmother kiss and don’t give me that, you have kissed both him, Tre and God knows how many other random fans, worse than Don bloody Juan.”
Billie shook his head, “What? Ava they are guys!”
“Oh okay so gender makes a difference, you are telling me if Mike was a woman you wouldn’t get so annoyed?”
Billie’s eyes glinted, a smirk rising in the corner of his mouth, “I’d join in”
I tried to control my grin back, frowning at him as he giggled slightly.
“Yeah right Billie.”
Silence took over for a while as we both stared across the midnight waters.
“Why is he here?”
I swallowed, “Maybe you should ask him.”
“His phones off remember?”
I bit my lip, “He…he…wanted to…tell me something.”
“See! I fuckin hate this little club you two have!”
“We don’t have a club.”
“So then just tell me”
I inhaled, “He…Mike came to congratulate us, he said things were getting on top of him and he just needed a few days alone. He thought he’d come to Venice so he could fly back with us in a few days. He wanted to see us, he was missing us.”
“Jesus” Billie pulled a hand through his hair.
“This vacation has been fucked up. Trust him though; he’s a dramatic gobshite he really is.”
A small pit of guilt ran through me, I could never tell Billie what Mike really came here for. He’d go berserk. The band would break up and so would the final threads that seemed to be holding myself and Billie together.
“I’m sorry Ava.”
“It’s okay Billie, I’m sorry too.”
He turned, wrapping those arms around me and devouring my mouth with hard kisses.
“I love you”
“I love you too”
Kissing me again he pulled at the back of my dress, warm palms dancing across my spine.
“Let’s get out of these costumes huh?” he whispered, voice lowering into a growl.
I smiled, “Okay, but, er…will you leave yours on?”
He cocked an eyebrow at me in confusion before finally realizing.
“Oh riiight…The Zorro look floats your boat huh? Well this costume hasn't been a complete waste of time. Hopefully it is easy getting off then it is on”
I giggled as he swung his cape over his shoulder and bowed to kiss my hand before dragging me into the bedroom.
I sighed, relishing the excitement of make up sex. At the back of my mind however, a lonely Mike Dirnt wandering through Venice made my heart break. I prayed he was okay, god only knows who he is with or what he is doing.
What am I to do now?