Sequel: In the End ›
It Started Off With Just A Trip To Oakland, California
Hi Billie
After saying good bye to everyone, and climbing out of the car, I walked into the airport. Hopefully, tomorrow I would be back in Billie Joe's house, telling him everything, telling him how I had missed him...
"Call me! And if you don't call me, I'm going to kill you!" laughed Steph as she said good bye
I smiled, "I'll call you and Becky as soon as I can"
"Okay, good. And if Billie Joe remembers me, tell him I said hi"
I laughed, "I'll be sure to tell him you said hi. Once again, thank you, SO much!"
She smiled, "It's no problem Mandy. Now go on, you're gonna miss your flight"
I gave her one last hug before going over and handing the lady my ticket to San Fran Sisco, and went to board the plane... I would be back in a while. There was just one thing I was scared about. What if Billie Joe didn't know my dad had taken me? What if he think I just ran away?
Usually on planes, I sleep. But I couldn't this time. I was excited. I was happy. I was bored outta my mind for 5 hours... But I was on my way back to Billie.
For the last 10 minutes of the ride I fell asleep... Of course, right?
"Excuse me... Miss.. The plane has landed... Miss"
"What? Oh... Sorry" I said, standing up.
"Miss, where's your luggage?"
"I don't have any"
The lady looked at me, like I had lost my mind.
"Umm... Once again, thanks" I said, going to leave the plane, while the lady still looked at me like I was crazy.
I started laughing once I got into the airport. The look on her face was hilarious! I was able to laugh again, because I was back in California. I wasn't exactly where I wanted to be, but hell, I was close!
It was dark... And late... But I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to. In fact, I refused to. I walked over, and sat on some sidewalk, and just stared at the rode in thought when someone stood next to me.
"Mind if I sit here?"
I still stared at the rode, but shook my head. "I don't care"
The person sat next to me, and lit a cigarette. I looked up at them for the first time, and almost jumped out of my skin.
"Billie Joe?!"
The person smiled, "Unfotanitly, no. But I do get that a lot"
I didn't know weather to laugh, as if this was a joke, and be freaked out at how this guy looked exactly like Billie Joe...
"You're not Billie Joe? Is this some kind of joke?"
The guy laughed, and took a drag of his cigarette.
"Nope, I'm not Billie Joe. He shorter than me, and older"
I looked at him, even though he was sitting down he looked taller than Billie Joe, and he looked a little younger...
"Oh"
"So why are you here, kid?"
I smiled, "I'm not a kid, I'm 18, and I'm here for the night, to go to a friend's"
"Ah, I see. Well, I'm 20, so I can still call you a kid" He smiled, winking at me
"Yes, but that's only two years"
"Mhm, but I was probably walking before you were born"
I laughed, and looked down. "What's your name, then?"
"Names Brad, you?"
"Mandy"
"Cool name, I know like 4 Mandy's"
"Cool. And I know like, no Brad's" I said smiling
He laughed, and flicked his cigarette into the road. "So why you out here, this late, kid?"
"Well... My friend kinda lives in Berkley..."
"So lemme get this strait... You in Sanfran Sisco by yourself?"
"Mhm"
"Why?"
I smiled, "Because... My friend doesn't know I'm coming, and it's really too late to go there now, so I'm hanging around here for the night"
"Your friend doesn't know your coming?" He laughed
"Nope... I kinda got taken away a couple weeks ago..."
"Like what? Like you were arrested?"
I started laughing, and he just looked confused, but there was a smile on his face.
"No, I got taken, like kidnaped I guess..."
"You went missing!?"
I covered my mouth to keep me from laughing. "I thought you were the older one"
"I am, but your confusing me"
"My parents got me from him, because they don't want me near him..."
"Oh, so he's a boyfriend?"
"He was... But we kinda had a fight..."
"So you two aren't talking to each other, you got taken away, and now you're going back?"
"We made up, and then he went to take a shower and my parents took me... And I just got enough money to get back here"
"Ooh... I knew that all alone"
I laughed, and looked at the street, "So why are you out here?"
"Just got home from work"
"You just got home from work?"
"Yup"
"This late?"
"Yup"
"So do you like sleep in the day?"
"Haha, nope"
"Do you even sleep? Or are you one of those creepy people who stay up all night?"
He laughed, "I sleep, sometimes when I get home, or for like a couple hours in the afternoon"
"Oh, don't you get tired?"
"Nah, I never use to sleep a lot... Well, I did sleep a lot in school when I was there, but otherwise I wasn't much of a sleeper"
I laughed, and then sighed. "Do you ever get people going up to you, thinking your Billie Joe?"
"All the time. One girl kept asking me to sign something, even when I told her I wasn't him. I try my hardest not to look like him, but there's no use"
"Sounds like it sucks, but it must kinda be cool"
"Yeah, I suppose. Never really thought about it"
I smiled, and continued to look down.
"How old is your friend?"
I laughed, and blushed. This should be funny...
"What?" He asked, smiling
"Nothing... He's... 33"
Brad tried not to laugh, and looked at me. "And you're 18?"
"Yup"
"What has the world come to these days?!" He laughed
I laughed, and looked over at the other side of the street.
"Are you going to sleep?" I asked him, not wanting him to go, he was the only one to talk to
"Nah, I'm not tired"
"Ooh"
"You do know the sun is starting to come up... Right?"
I looked at him like he had just told met he world was gonna end.
"What?"
He laughed, "Yeah, that yellow thing in the sky... It's the sun"
"Haha, very funny"
He laughed, and laid back on the sidewalk.
"You're laying on the sidewalk?"
"Oh yeah, and I'm gonna fall asleep, too"
"You should be a comedian"
"Yup, I know"
I smiled, and looked over at him. God, he really did look like Billie Joe. He just made me want to get back to Billie Joe even more than I had before.
"I have to work in a little bit, but when I get out... That'll be like 7pm.. I'll take you to your friends house"
"Really?"
"Yeah, it's no problem"
"Won't you be tired? I mean... You just got home really, and you have to go back?"
"Nah, I won't be tired. And I just came home for now because it's my couple hours off. I don't care, I use to have to drive my little brother all over the state... That was annoying, but Berkley isn't real far"
"Well, sure! Thank so much!"
"Don't worry about it" He said, smiling, "But right now I'm gonna go get something to eat inside, want anything?"
"No, I'm fine, but thanks... I'm gonna walk around, I haven't seen this city before"
"All right. Meet me back here at 7, okay?"
I nodded, "Sure thing"
Brad went inside, and I got up, going to walk around. I had been there for a while, now.
"Excuse me, miss?"
I turned around to see some guy standing there... I thought I had seen him before...
"Yeah?"
The guy put his hood down, to reveal blonde hair... And I froze... He smiled, and took his sunglasses off.
"Mike!" I yelled, not loud enough for people around us to hear, though
He smiled, and I threw my arms around him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Tre, found the phone number he had gotten from your friend Stephanie, and called her... I don't know... Yesterday? But yeah, and she told him everything about how you were taken by your dad... And I came down here because she told him you were gonna be here... And Tre had to take Ramona this weekend, and we both decided to surprise Billie Joe by not telling him... He'll kill us for that later... But yeah, here I am"
I didn't know what to do. Do I cry? Do I jump? What do I do? I just hugged him again, ready to cry. Everything was going perfect... Amazingly perfect.
"You want to get some coffee?" He asked, smiling
"That sounds perfect right now... But one second... I need to tell my friend he doesn't need to give me a ride to Berkley... Can you come with me?"
"Sure"
I walked up to where I had met Brad, talking to Mike and telling him everything that had happened, including meeting Brad and how he looked like Billie Joe.
"Weird, but enough, cool"
"Yeah"
I was all full of energy, I was just happy. Amazingly happy. More happy than when Steph gave me the money. It meant a lot to me that Mike had come down to get me...
I knocked on Brad's door, and he opened it, looking like he had just been woken up. Mike's eyes widened at seeing Brad, and Brad looked at me to Mike, and then it caught up to him who I was with.
"Umm... Hi" I said, smiling
"Hey" He said, looking from me to Mike
"Aren't you... Mike Dirnt?" He asked, confused
"Ugh, Yeah" Said Mike, putting his hand out
"Cool," Said Brad, shaking his hand
"Um... Mike told me he'd like... Take me back..." I said, looking at Brad
He nodded, "okay, that's cool... One sec" He said, and he turned around and walked back into the house.
Mike turned to me, "You weren't fucking kidding"
"I know, I told you"
"Yeah, you did" He said, scratching the back of his head.
Brad came back, with a phone number, and handed it to me. "Call me sometime, we could hang out"
I nodded, "Sure thing, I will"
He looked at Mike, "It was cool to meet you, man"
"Same here" Said Mike
"I'll see you around" I said to Brad
"Yea, see ya around"
I turned around, and me and Mike walked down the steps, and down the street.
"He really did look like Billie" Said Mike
I laughed, "I know. I thought he was at first, and then he told me how his name was Brad and ya"
"Cool. Can we get coffee now?"
I laughed, "Yeah, I'm wanting some now"
We both sat down, after ordering a coffee, when Mike's cellphone rung.
"Hello?"
He smiled, and put it up to my ear, mouthing "Don't say anything" I didn't know who it was, but I put it to my ear to hear Billie Joe. I smiled, a huge smile. I had been wanting to hear that voice for almost 3 weeks.
"Hey. Listen, I've got this idea and I tried to call your house but you weren't there. Where are you? ... Mike? Are you ignoring me for a really hot chick sitting in front of you?"
I handed the phone back to Mike, giggling furiously.
"Hey, Bill... I'm in San Fran... Whaddya mean what am I doing here?... Ugh huh... Okay, talk to ya later... Bye"
Mike put his phone back in his pocket, and took a sip of his coffee.
"He told me I'm def, because I don't know when someone is calling my name" he laughed
I laughed, and couldn't get the smile off my face, after.
"So, how have you been doin? You only told me what has happened... How have you been?" He asked
"I've been okay... My parents... Are getting divorced... So now my dad refuses to help my mother anymore... And she kicked me out, so she thinks I'm long gone by now"
"Sorry to hear that..." He said, looking down at the table, "Your mother kicked you out after she got you home?"
"Yeah... She told me to get out of her house"
Mike looked at me, and opened his mouth to say something when his cell phone rung. He rolled his eyes, and took it out of his pocket.
"Hello? Hey Tre... Mhm... An hour ago... Yah" He said, handing me the phone.
"Hello?"
"Mandy!"
"Hi Tre" I said, with a cheeky smile
"How ya doin?"
"Good, now"
"Awesome! I called your friend, Steph"
I laughed, "and she didn't even tell me"
"I only found her number yesterday, and I told her not to" He said
"Oooh, thanks Tre" I said, laughing
"No problem!"
I laughed at him, and I even heard him chuckle a little bit. I felt like someone cared for me, well, 2 people now. And it was nice.
"I'll give the phone back to Mike"
"Okay, I'll see ya tonight or tomorrow Mandy"
"Yup! Talk to ya soon Tre, bubiez"
"Byyyeee"
I laughed, and handed the phone back to Mike, who told Tre he'd talk to him later, and all that. Mike and I got up, and started to walk around.
***
Mike pulled up outside of Billie Joe's house. We had been out for the day, in San Fran, and now it was night...
"Are you coming in?" I said to Mike, staring out the window at Billie Joe's house.
"Nah... This is between you and him"
"Thank-you... So much Mike"
"It's no problem, really. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"
I smiled, "Yeah, I bet you will" I bent over, and kissed him on the cheek before opening the car door.
I had butterflies, a bad case of it... A really bad case of it... I closed the door, waved to Mike, and he drove off. I looked back at the house, and walked up the driveway, and to the door.
I listened to hear Billie Joe talking on the phone with Tre, telling him they couldn't be at the studio at 10 o' clock at night, because it was just weird, and no one wants to go out to a studio at 10. I had to back away from the door to stop me from laughing.
Finally, I walked up to the door, and took a deep breath... Before knocking on it. Time felt like it was going by so slow.
The door finally opened, and I saw Billie Joe standing there. For a second he continued to talk, and then he stopped, his mouth opening a little.
"Tre... I gotta go... Bye" He said, still looking at me, his eyes wide
I just stood there, feeling like I was going to puke I was so nervous...
"Oh my god" He said, his eyes wide
"Hi Billie Joe..."
"Call me! And if you don't call me, I'm going to kill you!" laughed Steph as she said good bye
I smiled, "I'll call you and Becky as soon as I can"
"Okay, good. And if Billie Joe remembers me, tell him I said hi"
I laughed, "I'll be sure to tell him you said hi. Once again, thank you, SO much!"
She smiled, "It's no problem Mandy. Now go on, you're gonna miss your flight"
I gave her one last hug before going over and handing the lady my ticket to San Fran Sisco, and went to board the plane... I would be back in a while. There was just one thing I was scared about. What if Billie Joe didn't know my dad had taken me? What if he think I just ran away?
Usually on planes, I sleep. But I couldn't this time. I was excited. I was happy. I was bored outta my mind for 5 hours... But I was on my way back to Billie.
For the last 10 minutes of the ride I fell asleep... Of course, right?
"Excuse me... Miss.. The plane has landed... Miss"
"What? Oh... Sorry" I said, standing up.
"Miss, where's your luggage?"
"I don't have any"
The lady looked at me, like I had lost my mind.
"Umm... Once again, thanks" I said, going to leave the plane, while the lady still looked at me like I was crazy.
I started laughing once I got into the airport. The look on her face was hilarious! I was able to laugh again, because I was back in California. I wasn't exactly where I wanted to be, but hell, I was close!
It was dark... And late... But I couldn't sleep. I didn't want to. In fact, I refused to. I walked over, and sat on some sidewalk, and just stared at the rode in thought when someone stood next to me.
"Mind if I sit here?"
I still stared at the rode, but shook my head. "I don't care"
The person sat next to me, and lit a cigarette. I looked up at them for the first time, and almost jumped out of my skin.
"Billie Joe?!"
The person smiled, "Unfotanitly, no. But I do get that a lot"
I didn't know weather to laugh, as if this was a joke, and be freaked out at how this guy looked exactly like Billie Joe...
"You're not Billie Joe? Is this some kind of joke?"
The guy laughed, and took a drag of his cigarette.
"Nope, I'm not Billie Joe. He shorter than me, and older"
I looked at him, even though he was sitting down he looked taller than Billie Joe, and he looked a little younger...
"Oh"
"So why are you here, kid?"
I smiled, "I'm not a kid, I'm 18, and I'm here for the night, to go to a friend's"
"Ah, I see. Well, I'm 20, so I can still call you a kid" He smiled, winking at me
"Yes, but that's only two years"
"Mhm, but I was probably walking before you were born"
I laughed, and looked down. "What's your name, then?"
"Names Brad, you?"
"Mandy"
"Cool name, I know like 4 Mandy's"
"Cool. And I know like, no Brad's" I said smiling
He laughed, and flicked his cigarette into the road. "So why you out here, this late, kid?"
"Well... My friend kinda lives in Berkley..."
"So lemme get this strait... You in Sanfran Sisco by yourself?"
"Mhm"
"Why?"
I smiled, "Because... My friend doesn't know I'm coming, and it's really too late to go there now, so I'm hanging around here for the night"
"Your friend doesn't know your coming?" He laughed
"Nope... I kinda got taken away a couple weeks ago..."
"Like what? Like you were arrested?"
I started laughing, and he just looked confused, but there was a smile on his face.
"No, I got taken, like kidnaped I guess..."
"You went missing!?"
I covered my mouth to keep me from laughing. "I thought you were the older one"
"I am, but your confusing me"
"My parents got me from him, because they don't want me near him..."
"Oh, so he's a boyfriend?"
"He was... But we kinda had a fight..."
"So you two aren't talking to each other, you got taken away, and now you're going back?"
"We made up, and then he went to take a shower and my parents took me... And I just got enough money to get back here"
"Ooh... I knew that all alone"
I laughed, and looked at the street, "So why are you out here?"
"Just got home from work"
"You just got home from work?"
"Yup"
"This late?"
"Yup"
"So do you like sleep in the day?"
"Haha, nope"
"Do you even sleep? Or are you one of those creepy people who stay up all night?"
He laughed, "I sleep, sometimes when I get home, or for like a couple hours in the afternoon"
"Oh, don't you get tired?"
"Nah, I never use to sleep a lot... Well, I did sleep a lot in school when I was there, but otherwise I wasn't much of a sleeper"
I laughed, and then sighed. "Do you ever get people going up to you, thinking your Billie Joe?"
"All the time. One girl kept asking me to sign something, even when I told her I wasn't him. I try my hardest not to look like him, but there's no use"
"Sounds like it sucks, but it must kinda be cool"
"Yeah, I suppose. Never really thought about it"
I smiled, and continued to look down.
"How old is your friend?"
I laughed, and blushed. This should be funny...
"What?" He asked, smiling
"Nothing... He's... 33"
Brad tried not to laugh, and looked at me. "And you're 18?"
"Yup"
"What has the world come to these days?!" He laughed
I laughed, and looked over at the other side of the street.
"Are you going to sleep?" I asked him, not wanting him to go, he was the only one to talk to
"Nah, I'm not tired"
"Ooh"
"You do know the sun is starting to come up... Right?"
I looked at him like he had just told met he world was gonna end.
"What?"
He laughed, "Yeah, that yellow thing in the sky... It's the sun"
"Haha, very funny"
He laughed, and laid back on the sidewalk.
"You're laying on the sidewalk?"
"Oh yeah, and I'm gonna fall asleep, too"
"You should be a comedian"
"Yup, I know"
I smiled, and looked over at him. God, he really did look like Billie Joe. He just made me want to get back to Billie Joe even more than I had before.
"I have to work in a little bit, but when I get out... That'll be like 7pm.. I'll take you to your friends house"
"Really?"
"Yeah, it's no problem"
"Won't you be tired? I mean... You just got home really, and you have to go back?"
"Nah, I won't be tired. And I just came home for now because it's my couple hours off. I don't care, I use to have to drive my little brother all over the state... That was annoying, but Berkley isn't real far"
"Well, sure! Thank so much!"
"Don't worry about it" He said, smiling, "But right now I'm gonna go get something to eat inside, want anything?"
"No, I'm fine, but thanks... I'm gonna walk around, I haven't seen this city before"
"All right. Meet me back here at 7, okay?"
I nodded, "Sure thing"
Brad went inside, and I got up, going to walk around. I had been there for a while, now.
"Excuse me, miss?"
I turned around to see some guy standing there... I thought I had seen him before...
"Yeah?"
The guy put his hood down, to reveal blonde hair... And I froze... He smiled, and took his sunglasses off.
"Mike!" I yelled, not loud enough for people around us to hear, though
He smiled, and I threw my arms around him.
"What are you doing here?"
"Tre, found the phone number he had gotten from your friend Stephanie, and called her... I don't know... Yesterday? But yeah, and she told him everything about how you were taken by your dad... And I came down here because she told him you were gonna be here... And Tre had to take Ramona this weekend, and we both decided to surprise Billie Joe by not telling him... He'll kill us for that later... But yeah, here I am"
I didn't know what to do. Do I cry? Do I jump? What do I do? I just hugged him again, ready to cry. Everything was going perfect... Amazingly perfect.
"You want to get some coffee?" He asked, smiling
"That sounds perfect right now... But one second... I need to tell my friend he doesn't need to give me a ride to Berkley... Can you come with me?"
"Sure"
I walked up to where I had met Brad, talking to Mike and telling him everything that had happened, including meeting Brad and how he looked like Billie Joe.
"Weird, but enough, cool"
"Yeah"
I was all full of energy, I was just happy. Amazingly happy. More happy than when Steph gave me the money. It meant a lot to me that Mike had come down to get me...
I knocked on Brad's door, and he opened it, looking like he had just been woken up. Mike's eyes widened at seeing Brad, and Brad looked at me to Mike, and then it caught up to him who I was with.
"Umm... Hi" I said, smiling
"Hey" He said, looking from me to Mike
"Aren't you... Mike Dirnt?" He asked, confused
"Ugh, Yeah" Said Mike, putting his hand out
"Cool," Said Brad, shaking his hand
"Um... Mike told me he'd like... Take me back..." I said, looking at Brad
He nodded, "okay, that's cool... One sec" He said, and he turned around and walked back into the house.
Mike turned to me, "You weren't fucking kidding"
"I know, I told you"
"Yeah, you did" He said, scratching the back of his head.
Brad came back, with a phone number, and handed it to me. "Call me sometime, we could hang out"
I nodded, "Sure thing, I will"
He looked at Mike, "It was cool to meet you, man"
"Same here" Said Mike
"I'll see you around" I said to Brad
"Yea, see ya around"
I turned around, and me and Mike walked down the steps, and down the street.
"He really did look like Billie" Said Mike
I laughed, "I know. I thought he was at first, and then he told me how his name was Brad and ya"
"Cool. Can we get coffee now?"
I laughed, "Yeah, I'm wanting some now"
We both sat down, after ordering a coffee, when Mike's cellphone rung.
"Hello?"
He smiled, and put it up to my ear, mouthing "Don't say anything" I didn't know who it was, but I put it to my ear to hear Billie Joe. I smiled, a huge smile. I had been wanting to hear that voice for almost 3 weeks.
"Hey. Listen, I've got this idea and I tried to call your house but you weren't there. Where are you? ... Mike? Are you ignoring me for a really hot chick sitting in front of you?"
I handed the phone back to Mike, giggling furiously.
"Hey, Bill... I'm in San Fran... Whaddya mean what am I doing here?... Ugh huh... Okay, talk to ya later... Bye"
Mike put his phone back in his pocket, and took a sip of his coffee.
"He told me I'm def, because I don't know when someone is calling my name" he laughed
I laughed, and couldn't get the smile off my face, after.
"So, how have you been doin? You only told me what has happened... How have you been?" He asked
"I've been okay... My parents... Are getting divorced... So now my dad refuses to help my mother anymore... And she kicked me out, so she thinks I'm long gone by now"
"Sorry to hear that..." He said, looking down at the table, "Your mother kicked you out after she got you home?"
"Yeah... She told me to get out of her house"
Mike looked at me, and opened his mouth to say something when his cell phone rung. He rolled his eyes, and took it out of his pocket.
"Hello? Hey Tre... Mhm... An hour ago... Yah" He said, handing me the phone.
"Hello?"
"Mandy!"
"Hi Tre" I said, with a cheeky smile
"How ya doin?"
"Good, now"
"Awesome! I called your friend, Steph"
I laughed, "and she didn't even tell me"
"I only found her number yesterday, and I told her not to" He said
"Oooh, thanks Tre" I said, laughing
"No problem!"
I laughed at him, and I even heard him chuckle a little bit. I felt like someone cared for me, well, 2 people now. And it was nice.
"I'll give the phone back to Mike"
"Okay, I'll see ya tonight or tomorrow Mandy"
"Yup! Talk to ya soon Tre, bubiez"
"Byyyeee"
I laughed, and handed the phone back to Mike, who told Tre he'd talk to him later, and all that. Mike and I got up, and started to walk around.
***
Mike pulled up outside of Billie Joe's house. We had been out for the day, in San Fran, and now it was night...
"Are you coming in?" I said to Mike, staring out the window at Billie Joe's house.
"Nah... This is between you and him"
"Thank-you... So much Mike"
"It's no problem, really. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah?"
I smiled, "Yeah, I bet you will" I bent over, and kissed him on the cheek before opening the car door.
I had butterflies, a bad case of it... A really bad case of it... I closed the door, waved to Mike, and he drove off. I looked back at the house, and walked up the driveway, and to the door.
I listened to hear Billie Joe talking on the phone with Tre, telling him they couldn't be at the studio at 10 o' clock at night, because it was just weird, and no one wants to go out to a studio at 10. I had to back away from the door to stop me from laughing.
Finally, I walked up to the door, and took a deep breath... Before knocking on it. Time felt like it was going by so slow.
The door finally opened, and I saw Billie Joe standing there. For a second he continued to talk, and then he stopped, his mouth opening a little.
"Tre... I gotta go... Bye" He said, still looking at me, his eyes wide
I just stood there, feeling like I was going to puke I was so nervous...
"Oh my god" He said, his eyes wide
"Hi Billie Joe..."