Hail and Farewell to Paris
Le Masque
“Mike you didn’t have to do this.”
I shook my head as the bassist handed me a huge bouquet of flowers.
“I wanted to Ava, thanks for helping me out the other night.”
I sighed as I placed the flowers carefully on the kitchen counter whilst I filled up an old abandoned vase from the back of Billie’s cupboard.
“Mike I didn’t do anything, I gave you a book to read.”
His rounded shoulders shrugged, “Yeah but it helped me out, so thanks.”
I smiled at him, walking over to him softly and bringing him into a hug.
“Thank you for the flowers, but I’m just glad you and Brittany are okay now.”
He nodded at me, shutting his mouth for a moment before speaking again, “We’re better, yeah.”
“AVA!”
“Yes Billie?”
“You do know that Davey is a vegan don’t you?”
I raised my eyebrow, “What? I thought you said he’s a vegetarian?”
Billie cringed, “Er, yeah, sorry, he’s a vegan…what are you making?”
“Well I was making Goat’s cheese lasagna but I suppose I’ll have to cook something else.”
Billie ran a hand through his hair awkwardly as Mike stifled a laugh.
“What else can you make?” Mike asked.
“With Billie’s extended fridge content, not that much, I suppose I could make stuffed peppers with chives? How does that sound?”
Billie’s eyes lit up and he nodded, “Marvelous” he kissed me quickly on the mouth before darting from the kitchen to finish getting ready.
Mike sighed as I turned the oven off and began scrambling around the fridge for the vegetables.
“Want a hand Ava?”
I shot up from the fridge, “Can you chop?”
He smiled, “I can chop, I am the best chopper in Berkeley”
I laughed. “Okay, get chopping these…” I sighed, dumping the veg onto a cutting board.
Mike turned on the faucet and washed his hands before he picked up a knife.
“Vegan” I muttered, “He wouldn’t survive in France I’ll tell you that.”
Mike snorted, “Don’t they eat horses over there?”
I nodded, “Have you ever tried it?”
He shook his blonde spikes, “Nope.”
“It’s nice, except I felt really guilty afterwards; Charles was teasing me saying I had just consumed some little girl’s pony.”
Mike laughed but I suddenly froze at myself mentioning Charles so off-handedly. In all truth I hadn’t thought of him for a while.
Mike probably picked up on my sudden change of mood.
“So…er who else is coming?”
“Tre, his new female friend, You, Davey and a man called Jade, err and …and Brittany” I whispered.
“Pfft, if she turns up”
I smiled, “I’m quite nervous Mike, I mean, when Brittany turns up, that’s the first I will have seen her after the whole Sarah thing.”
Mike grinned, “Ava, come on, the likihood is she won’t turn up.”
I nodded; I wasn’t entirely sure whether Mike wanted Brittany to come for dinner either.
Mike and I smiled as I shut the oven door for what I hoped was the final time tonight.
“Thanks for the help Mike, even though Joe and Jake probably won’t eat this.”
He chuckled, “I’m surprised that you haven’t fried up Bill as a side dish.”
I smiled, “He wouldn’t get eaten remember? Vegans and Vegetarians.”
Mike chuckled as Billie finally came back into the kitchen.
“Mmm smells good.”
I sighed, “How convenient of you to suddenly appear when everything is done”
Billie grinned cheekily at me and I shook my head.
“Next time we’re ordering in.” I sighed as I went upstairs to re-touch my make-up.
“AVA!” I giggled at Davey fluttered his long black eyelashes at me as he walked through the kitchen.
“Hey Davey” I giggled as he hugged me.
“This is Jade” he smiled as the blonde stranger shook my hand tightly
“Hello” I smiled politely at the attractive man in front of me, “I’m Ava”
“Hi” he grinned a white toothy smile back at me.
“Do you need a hand?” he asked as Davey leant across the kitchen table seductively.
“Err, yeah if you wouldn’t mind, unfortunately Billie has discovered Port.”
Davey giggled as he and Jade helped me carry the food into the dining room where everyone else was waiting.
“So Port huh? He doesn’t seem like the Port type”
I nodded, “Yes I brought him a bottle from France and he has decided to crack it open tonight and pretend he’s Dean Martin.”
Davey laughed as everyone else sat down at the table.
I passed Joey and Jake two plates, “You guys probably won’t like this, but I bought some ice-cream for you to scoff as you wish later.”
Joey smiled at me, his cheeks going slightly pink as I sat down next to Mike who raised his eyebrows at me knowingly.
I shook my head at him as everyone began to eat.
“Ava this is gorgeous”
“Yeah this is great” and similar comments began erupting around the table and I smiled, the odd swell of pride developing in my gut. Billie raised his Port glass and winked at me as he took a sip. I chuckled, Port was lethal, I wondered how many more glasses it would take to make him comatose.
“Ava, where’s meat at?”
I looked up at Tre and chuckled, “No meat Tre, Davey and Jade are vegans.”
Tre frowned, “Seriously? This is nice and all but Jesus I couldn’t cope without pork.”
Everyone chuckled.
“So Mike, where’s Brittany?” Davey asked, shoving a fork full of pepper in his painted mouth.
The bassist cringed, “She’s working, apparently she couldn’t get the night off.”
Billie hiccupped opposite me and I frowned at him anxiously,
“That Port packs a wallop” He sniggered.
“Can I try some?” Tre asked, draining his beer and holding out his empty glass.
“Sure” Billie smiled filling the glass with the brown liquid.
“Can I?” Joey asked quietly.
“Nice try” Billie scoffed, putting the bottle back down to his son’s frown.
Tre swallowed and I watched his face twist for a moment as he analyzed the taste.
“Reminds me of whisky. You’ll have to get me a bottle Ava, how much was that?”
I swallowed, “Err…”
Billie sat up and leant across the table in curiosity.
I stayed silent, aware that everyone was now watching me, “Err…”
“Ava, how much?” Billie chuckled.
“Well, I know how bad rubbish Port is so…”
“Ava” Billie grinned.
“It may have been about 90 euros.”
“About 90 euros?” Mike spluttered.
“How much was it really?” Tre chuckled.
I bit my lip in amusement, “120 euros.”
“Which is what?” Jade asked.
I smiled “about 160 dollars”
Billie swallowed, “For this?” He asked picking up the medium sized green bottle and waggling it.
“Its good Port” I smiled.
“But still…” Billie began.
I frowned at him. Not preparing to take this any further as we were surrounded by company.
I was thankful when Mike turned to Tre and the girl he had brought called Mel.
“So how did you guys meet?”
Mel chuckled as Tre coughed and told the intricate story of him stumbling into the 24 hour grocery store trying to find aspirin and accidentally on purpose hitting Mel with his shopping cart.
Billie kept staring at me and I was getting rather annoyed with his continuous glances.
Later when everyone had finished eating Billie followed me into the kitchen. I turned to him, his eyes looking solemn.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“That Port. Ava that was too expensive.”
I flapped my hand as I loaded the dishwasher.
“Billie, I don’t know about much but I know about Port. You won’t get a decent bottle for under 80 euros.”
He frowned at me, “Ava it was too much money to spend on me for a stupid bottle of Port.”
I shut the cabinet door and straightened my body to face him, getting quite annoyed at his apparent ungratefulness.
“Well, shall I not bother next time?”
“No, I didn’t mean that”
“Then what did you mean?”
He ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, hushing his voice low, “I meant…that it was silly, why spend that much money on alcohol…I mean… if you were going to get me anything you should have just got me a one dollar bottle of bud.”
I stared at him, quite taken aback; in all honesty I wasn’t used to this.
“But I wanted to buy it for you…”
“Yeah, I know, but I was happy just having you here, you didn’t need to throw money away on silly Port for me.”
I clamped my shocked mouth shut, feeling rather hurt.
“Billie it, it isn’t silly Port, it’s very expensive 25 year old French Port.”
Billie frowned, making to the door, “Look Ava I’m not arguing with you about it okay? Shit like that doesn’t bother me, I’m not Charles.”
I froze to the cabinet I was leaning on. Did he just say that? He did, he just turned and left me with that statement after I had cooked TWO dinners for HIS friends.
I shook my head, refilling my wine glass angrily and taking a huge gulp. I can’t believe he just said that.
Davey and Mike stumbled through the kitchen giggling.
“Ava, come on we’re going to play a drinking game” Davey giggled grabbing my arm softly.
I forced a smile at him, “I’m alright for a bit Davey”
The tipsy front man giggled and smacked Mike’s behind on the way out, “Okay, we’ll start without you then, feel free to come and rescue me at anytime Ava darling”
Mike chuckled before he turned to me.
“Something on your mind?”
I frowned, “you could say that.”
Mike held out his glass for more wine and I topped up his drink exuberantly.
“Thanks” he chuckled.
“I’ve just cooked for Billie’s friends, cracked open that very rare expensive Port for him and he criticizes me for it. I don’t understand why he just got in a huge mood with me then spat, “I’m not Charles” before storming of and getting drunk with his friends.”
Mike sighed, sipping at his wine for a moment, the glass looking unusually odd in his large hands.
“Billie is really down to earth, he likes simple things Ava, I think he’s scared of becoming some rich asshole.”
I opened my mouth to speak when he cut across me,
“But yes, he shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”
I nodded, gulping at my wine again.
“I didn’t mind cooking really, I just want all of you to like me after, you know, finding out about Charles and stuff.”
Mike nodded, “In all honesty Ava, you’re opinion of me didn’t change, neither did it for Tre, you’re still the same kind and sweet girl, I was shocked. But, well, trust me we’re in NO position to judge anyone else after some of the stuff we’ve done.”
I chuckled.
We sat in silence for a moment listening to the low hum of the noise in the next room.
“Mike…”
“Hmmm”
“Are you upset that Brittany didn’t show?”
The blonde spikes next to me drooped slightly.
“In all honesty? Not really…is that bad? I think we’re at the bitchy stage in our relationship, all the little things are pissing me off.”
I nodded, “You’ll get over that.”
He sighed before gulping at his wine, nearly finishing off the whole glass, “yeah, well we’ll see huh? Come on…we better join in with Mr. Asshole Billie, Make-up man 2000 and the Crazy Nut -job that is Tre.”
I chuckled, getting up from the stool I was sitting on and following Mike into the dining room.
Mel and I had been talking for a while, myself trying greatly to ignore Billie Joe as much as possible. By the way he tried to catch my eye I assumed he knew he had pissed me off.
“So, Ava, when do you plan on visiting me for our lazy day film session?”
Davey sank down into the sofa in-between me and Mel.
I smiled, “I’m not sure Davey, whenever you want, I’m not the one with touring duties”
The man chuckled, his long eyelashes flapping against his cheek.
“That’s true. Well, I was thinking we could start with High Society and then My Fair Lady…”
“Oo! Who’s that actress?” Mel asked
“Audrey Hepburn” Jade smiled, settling himself on the floor in front of the couch.
“She’s beautiful, I loved her in Breakfast at Tiffany’s” I sighed, “I always wanted to be like her and Bette Davis when I was younger.”
Davey giggled, “Old actresses were brilliant, they were so bitchy and all addicts really, yet they were just constantly glamorous.”
“Even collapsed in their own sick?” Jade teased sipping at his beer.
“Probably” I giggled.
“That dinner was brilliant by the way” Mel sighed running her finger around the lid of her wine glass.
I smiled, “It really wasn’t, I had to cook it in the last 10 minutes because Billie forgot to mention you were a vegan Davey”
The front man cringed, “Sorry Ava”
I laughed, “Oh don’t worry about it, and it was his fault for not telling me.”
“MEL! COME AND DANCE WITH ME!”
The woman on the other side of Davey chuckled at Tre and got up to dance stupidly with him, I, Davey and Jade sat watching the others for a while before…
“So Ava what do you do?” Jade asked me, shifting on the floor.
I smiled; I enjoyed it when people asked me about my occupation now,
“I work in a small vintage clothing shop in Paris.”
Jade smiled back at me, flicking his blonde streak from his eyes.
“Cool.”
“Yeah, I enjoy it.”
Time passed quickly talking with Davey and Jade, like Billie’s other friends, they were really nice guys. I had forgotten that I was in angry with Billie Joe until I found myself waving Mike, Tre and Mel down the path and being left alone with Billie standing in the hall.
I sighed and turned around, heading for the living room when Billie grabbed my arm.
“I’m sorry Ava”
I looked down at my shoes, unsure of what to say.
“I…I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful, Mike said you were pretty pissed.”
“Yes I was.”
Billie flinched.
I made to pick up the empty bottles and glasses scattered around Billie’s living room when he placed his hand on top of mine.
“Ava…don’t…I’ll clean up, you made a lovely meal and after what I did, I deserve to sleep in the doghouse.”
I inhaled deeply.
Billie let go of my hand sharply and I turned to him.
“Okay”
My use of verbal communication seemed to dry up, I didn’t know what to say to him.
He nodded slightly at me.
“I…I think I’m gonna go to bed.”
Billie nodded again as I left the room and ascended the stairs.
It was silent and dark in the upper region of the Armstrong house. My mind became fuzzed with how I and Billie argued over Port. I was annoyed with him about the meal and his snarky remark, but to fall out over a bottle of Port? It was so stupid.
I unzipped my dress and stepped out of it carefully, the underskirt bustling as I hung it up in the small section of wardrobe that Billie had insisted I use.
I slipped my night gown over my head and plodded softly to the bathroom to clean my teeth and wash my face.
Upon entering back into the bedroom I was met with him sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands that were limp across his thighs.
“Hey” I whispered, his defeated yet beautiful frame making me melt.
His neck shot up at my voice, running a hand through his hair he swallowed nervously.
“Ava I love the fact you bought me that Port, I loved the fact that you cooked dinner twice for all my friends because I’m a twat who didn’t tell you that Davey was a vegan…”
“Billie”
“I’m sorry for saying that awful thing to you, I’m sorry that I made you upset after everything you’ve done today…”
“Billie.”
I smiled as he continued to stutter, rising from the bed and looking up at me with desperate eyes.
“Billie, it’s fine okay?”
“But it isn’t I feel like a jerk.”
“That’s because you are one.”
Billie frowned, before smirking when he saw me grinning.
I walked forwards towards him slowly, reaching up to his face and placing a kiss on his lips. He smiled when I pulled away,
“It was a silly argument about Port, of all drinks to have an argument about, we had one about Port”
Billie chuckled, his hand wrapping around my hips.
“I was a jerk, just kiss me again to make me feel better and get rid of the jerk-ness”
I giggled, leaning towards him once more, kissing him again, however this time his tongue slipped between my lips and induced a grown from my mouth.
“I don’t think a simple kiss will get rid of your jerk-ness” I gasped.
“Who says it’s a simple kiss?” he hissed pulling me down on top of him and pressing his lips against mine once more.
Damn his skilled tongue and his amazing ability to kiss me senseless, I knew why that argument had happened, I was leaving here in a few days and neither us of could bare that thought.
I shook my head as the bassist handed me a huge bouquet of flowers.
“I wanted to Ava, thanks for helping me out the other night.”
I sighed as I placed the flowers carefully on the kitchen counter whilst I filled up an old abandoned vase from the back of Billie’s cupboard.
“Mike I didn’t do anything, I gave you a book to read.”
His rounded shoulders shrugged, “Yeah but it helped me out, so thanks.”
I smiled at him, walking over to him softly and bringing him into a hug.
“Thank you for the flowers, but I’m just glad you and Brittany are okay now.”
He nodded at me, shutting his mouth for a moment before speaking again, “We’re better, yeah.”
“AVA!”
“Yes Billie?”
“You do know that Davey is a vegan don’t you?”
I raised my eyebrow, “What? I thought you said he’s a vegetarian?”
Billie cringed, “Er, yeah, sorry, he’s a vegan…what are you making?”
“Well I was making Goat’s cheese lasagna but I suppose I’ll have to cook something else.”
Billie ran a hand through his hair awkwardly as Mike stifled a laugh.
“What else can you make?” Mike asked.
“With Billie’s extended fridge content, not that much, I suppose I could make stuffed peppers with chives? How does that sound?”
Billie’s eyes lit up and he nodded, “Marvelous” he kissed me quickly on the mouth before darting from the kitchen to finish getting ready.
Mike sighed as I turned the oven off and began scrambling around the fridge for the vegetables.
“Want a hand Ava?”
I shot up from the fridge, “Can you chop?”
He smiled, “I can chop, I am the best chopper in Berkeley”
I laughed. “Okay, get chopping these…” I sighed, dumping the veg onto a cutting board.
Mike turned on the faucet and washed his hands before he picked up a knife.
“Vegan” I muttered, “He wouldn’t survive in France I’ll tell you that.”
Mike snorted, “Don’t they eat horses over there?”
I nodded, “Have you ever tried it?”
He shook his blonde spikes, “Nope.”
“It’s nice, except I felt really guilty afterwards; Charles was teasing me saying I had just consumed some little girl’s pony.”
Mike laughed but I suddenly froze at myself mentioning Charles so off-handedly. In all truth I hadn’t thought of him for a while.
Mike probably picked up on my sudden change of mood.
“So…er who else is coming?”
“Tre, his new female friend, You, Davey and a man called Jade, err and …and Brittany” I whispered.
“Pfft, if she turns up”
I smiled, “I’m quite nervous Mike, I mean, when Brittany turns up, that’s the first I will have seen her after the whole Sarah thing.”
Mike grinned, “Ava, come on, the likihood is she won’t turn up.”
I nodded; I wasn’t entirely sure whether Mike wanted Brittany to come for dinner either.
Mike and I smiled as I shut the oven door for what I hoped was the final time tonight.
“Thanks for the help Mike, even though Joe and Jake probably won’t eat this.”
He chuckled, “I’m surprised that you haven’t fried up Bill as a side dish.”
I smiled, “He wouldn’t get eaten remember? Vegans and Vegetarians.”
Mike chuckled as Billie finally came back into the kitchen.
“Mmm smells good.”
I sighed, “How convenient of you to suddenly appear when everything is done”
Billie grinned cheekily at me and I shook my head.
“Next time we’re ordering in.” I sighed as I went upstairs to re-touch my make-up.
“AVA!” I giggled at Davey fluttered his long black eyelashes at me as he walked through the kitchen.
“Hey Davey” I giggled as he hugged me.
“This is Jade” he smiled as the blonde stranger shook my hand tightly
“Hello” I smiled politely at the attractive man in front of me, “I’m Ava”
“Hi” he grinned a white toothy smile back at me.
“Do you need a hand?” he asked as Davey leant across the kitchen table seductively.
“Err, yeah if you wouldn’t mind, unfortunately Billie has discovered Port.”
Davey giggled as he and Jade helped me carry the food into the dining room where everyone else was waiting.
“So Port huh? He doesn’t seem like the Port type”
I nodded, “Yes I brought him a bottle from France and he has decided to crack it open tonight and pretend he’s Dean Martin.”
Davey laughed as everyone else sat down at the table.
I passed Joey and Jake two plates, “You guys probably won’t like this, but I bought some ice-cream for you to scoff as you wish later.”
Joey smiled at me, his cheeks going slightly pink as I sat down next to Mike who raised his eyebrows at me knowingly.
I shook my head at him as everyone began to eat.
“Ava this is gorgeous”
“Yeah this is great” and similar comments began erupting around the table and I smiled, the odd swell of pride developing in my gut. Billie raised his Port glass and winked at me as he took a sip. I chuckled, Port was lethal, I wondered how many more glasses it would take to make him comatose.
“Ava, where’s meat at?”
I looked up at Tre and chuckled, “No meat Tre, Davey and Jade are vegans.”
Tre frowned, “Seriously? This is nice and all but Jesus I couldn’t cope without pork.”
Everyone chuckled.
“So Mike, where’s Brittany?” Davey asked, shoving a fork full of pepper in his painted mouth.
The bassist cringed, “She’s working, apparently she couldn’t get the night off.”
Billie hiccupped opposite me and I frowned at him anxiously,
“That Port packs a wallop” He sniggered.
“Can I try some?” Tre asked, draining his beer and holding out his empty glass.
“Sure” Billie smiled filling the glass with the brown liquid.
“Can I?” Joey asked quietly.
“Nice try” Billie scoffed, putting the bottle back down to his son’s frown.
Tre swallowed and I watched his face twist for a moment as he analyzed the taste.
“Reminds me of whisky. You’ll have to get me a bottle Ava, how much was that?”
I swallowed, “Err…”
Billie sat up and leant across the table in curiosity.
I stayed silent, aware that everyone was now watching me, “Err…”
“Ava, how much?” Billie chuckled.
“Well, I know how bad rubbish Port is so…”
“Ava” Billie grinned.
“It may have been about 90 euros.”
“About 90 euros?” Mike spluttered.
“How much was it really?” Tre chuckled.
I bit my lip in amusement, “120 euros.”
“Which is what?” Jade asked.
I smiled “about 160 dollars”
Billie swallowed, “For this?” He asked picking up the medium sized green bottle and waggling it.
“Its good Port” I smiled.
“But still…” Billie began.
I frowned at him. Not preparing to take this any further as we were surrounded by company.
I was thankful when Mike turned to Tre and the girl he had brought called Mel.
“So how did you guys meet?”
Mel chuckled as Tre coughed and told the intricate story of him stumbling into the 24 hour grocery store trying to find aspirin and accidentally on purpose hitting Mel with his shopping cart.
Billie kept staring at me and I was getting rather annoyed with his continuous glances.
Later when everyone had finished eating Billie followed me into the kitchen. I turned to him, his eyes looking solemn.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“That Port. Ava that was too expensive.”
I flapped my hand as I loaded the dishwasher.
“Billie, I don’t know about much but I know about Port. You won’t get a decent bottle for under 80 euros.”
He frowned at me, “Ava it was too much money to spend on me for a stupid bottle of Port.”
I shut the cabinet door and straightened my body to face him, getting quite annoyed at his apparent ungratefulness.
“Well, shall I not bother next time?”
“No, I didn’t mean that”
“Then what did you mean?”
He ran a hand through his hair awkwardly, hushing his voice low, “I meant…that it was silly, why spend that much money on alcohol…I mean… if you were going to get me anything you should have just got me a one dollar bottle of bud.”
I stared at him, quite taken aback; in all honesty I wasn’t used to this.
“But I wanted to buy it for you…”
“Yeah, I know, but I was happy just having you here, you didn’t need to throw money away on silly Port for me.”
I clamped my shocked mouth shut, feeling rather hurt.
“Billie it, it isn’t silly Port, it’s very expensive 25 year old French Port.”
Billie frowned, making to the door, “Look Ava I’m not arguing with you about it okay? Shit like that doesn’t bother me, I’m not Charles.”
I froze to the cabinet I was leaning on. Did he just say that? He did, he just turned and left me with that statement after I had cooked TWO dinners for HIS friends.
I shook my head, refilling my wine glass angrily and taking a huge gulp. I can’t believe he just said that.
Davey and Mike stumbled through the kitchen giggling.
“Ava, come on we’re going to play a drinking game” Davey giggled grabbing my arm softly.
I forced a smile at him, “I’m alright for a bit Davey”
The tipsy front man giggled and smacked Mike’s behind on the way out, “Okay, we’ll start without you then, feel free to come and rescue me at anytime Ava darling”
Mike chuckled before he turned to me.
“Something on your mind?”
I frowned, “you could say that.”
Mike held out his glass for more wine and I topped up his drink exuberantly.
“Thanks” he chuckled.
“I’ve just cooked for Billie’s friends, cracked open that very rare expensive Port for him and he criticizes me for it. I don’t understand why he just got in a huge mood with me then spat, “I’m not Charles” before storming of and getting drunk with his friends.”
Mike sighed, sipping at his wine for a moment, the glass looking unusually odd in his large hands.
“Billie is really down to earth, he likes simple things Ava, I think he’s scared of becoming some rich asshole.”
I opened my mouth to speak when he cut across me,
“But yes, he shouldn’t have spoken to you like that.”
I nodded, gulping at my wine again.
“I didn’t mind cooking really, I just want all of you to like me after, you know, finding out about Charles and stuff.”
Mike nodded, “In all honesty Ava, you’re opinion of me didn’t change, neither did it for Tre, you’re still the same kind and sweet girl, I was shocked. But, well, trust me we’re in NO position to judge anyone else after some of the stuff we’ve done.”
I chuckled.
We sat in silence for a moment listening to the low hum of the noise in the next room.
“Mike…”
“Hmmm”
“Are you upset that Brittany didn’t show?”
The blonde spikes next to me drooped slightly.
“In all honesty? Not really…is that bad? I think we’re at the bitchy stage in our relationship, all the little things are pissing me off.”
I nodded, “You’ll get over that.”
He sighed before gulping at his wine, nearly finishing off the whole glass, “yeah, well we’ll see huh? Come on…we better join in with Mr. Asshole Billie, Make-up man 2000 and the Crazy Nut -job that is Tre.”
I chuckled, getting up from the stool I was sitting on and following Mike into the dining room.
Mel and I had been talking for a while, myself trying greatly to ignore Billie Joe as much as possible. By the way he tried to catch my eye I assumed he knew he had pissed me off.
“So, Ava, when do you plan on visiting me for our lazy day film session?”
Davey sank down into the sofa in-between me and Mel.
I smiled, “I’m not sure Davey, whenever you want, I’m not the one with touring duties”
The man chuckled, his long eyelashes flapping against his cheek.
“That’s true. Well, I was thinking we could start with High Society and then My Fair Lady…”
“Oo! Who’s that actress?” Mel asked
“Audrey Hepburn” Jade smiled, settling himself on the floor in front of the couch.
“She’s beautiful, I loved her in Breakfast at Tiffany’s” I sighed, “I always wanted to be like her and Bette Davis when I was younger.”
Davey giggled, “Old actresses were brilliant, they were so bitchy and all addicts really, yet they were just constantly glamorous.”
“Even collapsed in their own sick?” Jade teased sipping at his beer.
“Probably” I giggled.
“That dinner was brilliant by the way” Mel sighed running her finger around the lid of her wine glass.
I smiled, “It really wasn’t, I had to cook it in the last 10 minutes because Billie forgot to mention you were a vegan Davey”
The front man cringed, “Sorry Ava”
I laughed, “Oh don’t worry about it, and it was his fault for not telling me.”
“MEL! COME AND DANCE WITH ME!”
The woman on the other side of Davey chuckled at Tre and got up to dance stupidly with him, I, Davey and Jade sat watching the others for a while before…
“So Ava what do you do?” Jade asked me, shifting on the floor.
I smiled; I enjoyed it when people asked me about my occupation now,
“I work in a small vintage clothing shop in Paris.”
Jade smiled back at me, flicking his blonde streak from his eyes.
“Cool.”
“Yeah, I enjoy it.”
Time passed quickly talking with Davey and Jade, like Billie’s other friends, they were really nice guys. I had forgotten that I was in angry with Billie Joe until I found myself waving Mike, Tre and Mel down the path and being left alone with Billie standing in the hall.
I sighed and turned around, heading for the living room when Billie grabbed my arm.
“I’m sorry Ava”
I looked down at my shoes, unsure of what to say.
“I…I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful, Mike said you were pretty pissed.”
“Yes I was.”
Billie flinched.
I made to pick up the empty bottles and glasses scattered around Billie’s living room when he placed his hand on top of mine.
“Ava…don’t…I’ll clean up, you made a lovely meal and after what I did, I deserve to sleep in the doghouse.”
I inhaled deeply.
Billie let go of my hand sharply and I turned to him.
“Okay”
My use of verbal communication seemed to dry up, I didn’t know what to say to him.
He nodded slightly at me.
“I…I think I’m gonna go to bed.”
Billie nodded again as I left the room and ascended the stairs.
It was silent and dark in the upper region of the Armstrong house. My mind became fuzzed with how I and Billie argued over Port. I was annoyed with him about the meal and his snarky remark, but to fall out over a bottle of Port? It was so stupid.
I unzipped my dress and stepped out of it carefully, the underskirt bustling as I hung it up in the small section of wardrobe that Billie had insisted I use.
I slipped my night gown over my head and plodded softly to the bathroom to clean my teeth and wash my face.
Upon entering back into the bedroom I was met with him sitting on the edge of the bed, staring at his hands that were limp across his thighs.
“Hey” I whispered, his defeated yet beautiful frame making me melt.
His neck shot up at my voice, running a hand through his hair he swallowed nervously.
“Ava I love the fact you bought me that Port, I loved the fact that you cooked dinner twice for all my friends because I’m a twat who didn’t tell you that Davey was a vegan…”
“Billie”
“I’m sorry for saying that awful thing to you, I’m sorry that I made you upset after everything you’ve done today…”
“Billie.”
I smiled as he continued to stutter, rising from the bed and looking up at me with desperate eyes.
“Billie, it’s fine okay?”
“But it isn’t I feel like a jerk.”
“That’s because you are one.”
Billie frowned, before smirking when he saw me grinning.
I walked forwards towards him slowly, reaching up to his face and placing a kiss on his lips. He smiled when I pulled away,
“It was a silly argument about Port, of all drinks to have an argument about, we had one about Port”
Billie chuckled, his hand wrapping around my hips.
“I was a jerk, just kiss me again to make me feel better and get rid of the jerk-ness”
I giggled, leaning towards him once more, kissing him again, however this time his tongue slipped between my lips and induced a grown from my mouth.
“I don’t think a simple kiss will get rid of your jerk-ness” I gasped.
“Who says it’s a simple kiss?” he hissed pulling me down on top of him and pressing his lips against mine once more.
Damn his skilled tongue and his amazing ability to kiss me senseless, I knew why that argument had happened, I was leaving here in a few days and neither us of could bare that thought.