Life on Banana Street

It was Saturday and I was going home. For the last time. College was fun, I guess, but it’s time for me to go home. I went to Jeff’s dorm and knocked even though he was pissed at me. “Oh, it’s Adeline. What do you want?”

“Well…I wanted to say I was sorry and good-bye.”

“I accept your apology just don’t hook up with Gabe again.” Yeah right like that wasn’t going to happen.

“And?” I said.

“Oh, where are you going?”

“Home. I’m going back home because I didn’t want to get you irritated any more than you already are. Just understand that what I did was never to hurt you. I love you like a brother and nothing more.” He put his head down and nodded. I kissed the top of his head and said, “Good bye Jeff. I’ll see you in the future.” I walked away and caught the next plane to California. Gabe opened the door and I jumped into his arms.

“I thought you were never coming.”

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Oh, someone called for you,” he said sticking a piece of paper in my face.

“Tre? What does he want?”

“Dunno but he said to call him back.”

“Excuse me while I take this call.” I came in the door and set down my bags. I picked up the phone and dialed the number on the paper.

“Hello?”

“You wanted to speak to me?”

“Oh, yeah. I just want you to know that I didn’t kill Billie. No matter what Gabe told you.”

“How did-”

“Shh. Don’t let him hear.”

“Dude are you like a stalker or something?”

“No, I just know he’s in the room with you.”

“Oh. Well…Is that it?”

“No, I want to talk to you.”

“Um what do you think you’re doing?”

“No, I mean in person. Meet me at Santa Café in one hour.”

“Ok, bye. I’ll let you get ready.” I went to my closet and dug deep to find something I haven’t worn in a while. Then, I found it. Tre’s AC/DC hoodie. I put it on and it fit exactly the same. “Later, Gabe.”

“Where are you going?”

“Tre wants to talk to me, so he wanted me to meet him at the café.”

“Which café?”

“Santa Café.” He looked at me.

“You better not do anything.”

“Why would I? You’re not worth cheating on twice.” I grabbed my keys and got in my car in the garage.

“Tre.”

“Addie.” We stared at each other from different sides of the table.

“What did you want to talk about?”

“Us. I miss you.”

“If I known you were going to talk about us, I would have never came.” I got up but he grabbed my arm.

“Please. Just talk. I need to know.”

“Need to know what?”

“See even you want to know.” I sat back down.

“Look, Addie. What I did was a long time ago. I was stupid.”

“Yeah you got that right.”

“Anyway, I don’t know why I did it so don’t even ask. Just please. Please. Give me another chance. I love you.”

“Those are just words. How do I know you won’t do it again?”

“I won’t. I promise I won’t.”

“I don’t-”

“Don’t say you don’t know. I have gone through this every time we talk. You leave me thinking we can actually work it out. But I never hear from you.”

“Because I’m with Gabe and if I break his heart again, I can’t live with myself.”

“There was a time when you said you loved me. I guess that’s history.” He got up forcefully and left. I went back home feeling miserable that Tre actually tried to win my heart. And I stepped all over him. I’m such a dick. I sat on the steps of my apartment and saw a newspaper fly by. I picked it up and read it. “Billie Joe Armstrong: Front Man of Green Day Found Dead” Which made me hurt even more. Shit. Billie’s funeral. I went in what I was wearing because it was already black. I pulled up to the cemetery where he would be buried and saw a few teenies trying to get in. I walked up to the gate and stated my name. It was like trying to get into a good party.

“Ok, come on in.” A chaperone showed me to my seat and I saw Billie’s casket from a distance. I missed him quite terribly.

“Hey,” I asked the lady next to me. “ Do you have a piece of paper and a pen?” She nodded and handed me the paper and pen. I wrote a note down and when I finished, it was my turn to pay my dues to the lifeless corpse. I was sobbing when I got up there and I placed the note in the casket. His face, almost in tact but a few scrapes, missing skin and bruises. I kissed my hand and put it to his cold lips for one last kiss. I talked to the guard next to Billie. “Please keep that note in there.” He nodded and I went back to my seat. I leaned forward and put my head in my hands so I could cry without being noticed.

“Addie?” I looked up and wiped my tears.

“Mrs. Armstrong?”

“Yes! How have you been?”

“Shitty lately.”

“Oh, I know. It wasn’t his time to go. First Andy now my baby boy. It’s not fair, but it’s a part of life.” I felt my face grow hot and she grabbed me and patted my back.

“It’s ok to cry. Let it out.” She put her head tilted on my back and cried softly as well.

“Mrs. Armstrong, if I stay here any longer I won’t be able to drive.”

“I know me either. That’s why I hired a driver. If you don’t mind, I’d like you to come to the new house you never got to see. I could really use some company other than the kids and family.”

“I’d love to Ollie.” She smiled at me and we got in the limo after the ceremony. If you wanna call it that. “Mrs. Armstrong, do you have a cell phone I can use?”

“Sure do.” She reached in her purse and grabbed her cell phone. “Here you go dear.” I called the house and Gabe answered.

“Hello?”

“Gabe I won’t be home for a while.”

“Why not?”

“I was at Billie’s funeral and Mrs. Armstrong invited me to her house. Is that ok?”

“That’s fine, but what am I going to eat?”

“What do you normally eat when I’m not there?”

“Take out.”

“Then eat that but I’ll probably be back before dinner.”

“Ok, see you later.”

“Bye.” I hung up the phone and gave it back to Ollie.

“Boyfriend?”

“Yeah, but I’m not sure if I love him anymore. Not romantically.”

“I have never forgiven myself for what I did right before Andy died.”

“What happened?”

“Well I had gotten mad at him for who knows what and he died that night. I felt horrible. He’ll never be able to know how I really felt.”

“Same thing with me. Billie would have never known that I love him more than anyone and I wanted to be with him, if only I was already.”

She shook her head and said, “It’s ok. I went through the same thing. So tell me about your boyfriend.”

“He’s really nice and has never had a real girlfriend like me before and he doesn’t want to let me go, although I clearly wanted to be with your son.”

“Well think about it. If you were in your boyfriend’s place, would you want him to break up with you for someone else?”

“No, I was silly to think of it.”

“Well, you got him and that’s better than nothing.”

“Actually, it’s not because I never know what to do anymore.”

“I’m sorry I don’t have that much information for you, but let’s just drop the situation and leave it at that. I feel pretty good about what I said.” I laughed nervously and we were at the new house.

“Wow your house is really nice! I’m sorry I never got to see it when I was supposed to. I’m sorry for everything.”

“No need to apologize dear, there’s no need on a day like this.”

“What you mean?”

“It’s such a gloomy day, don’t do anything to make us forget about why we’re here.” I couldn’t believe what Mrs. Armstrong was saying. It was like me. Would I turn out like her?