My 21st Century Breakdown
Then
When They Were Younger
"Hey, Darcy! Wait up." Said Billie. He'd seen Darcy up ahead in the shopping mall as he came out of the music store, she was carrying loads of bags and looking flustered. She turned and smiled a huge smile as she saw him.
"Oh, hi Billie, been spending all your money again?" She said nodding towards the bag he was carrying with the familiar music store logo on it.
"Yeah, just a few new song sheets, ya know, just got paid yesterday so..." he shrugged.
"...and now its all gone and you'll be round at mine in a few days borrowing money for roll-ups because Mike won't lend you anymore, that right?" She said then they laughed together.
"Anyhow, you can talk," said Billie as they started walking towards the exit of the mall, "what the hell is all this stuff you've been buying?" He said looking towards the bags that were weighing Darcy down.
"Its for Lily, you remember I told you she was coming to live with us for a while with her mother." Darcy said as Billie took some bags from her.
"Oh. Lily, yeah, isn't there something wrong, I mean, I'm sure you said something about her being.."
"She's blind. Yes, I told you she was blind and that her father died a few months ago in England, he married my Mom's sister and went to live in England as soon as they married so now she wants to come back and will be staying with us while looking for a place," said Darcy. She'd told Billie this before but he obviously hadn't been listening, away with his songwriting again she thought then smiled to herself.
"Oh, right." Billie said not knowing what to say he hadn't met a blind person before.
"She's pretty normal apart from that," said Darcy as they headed out to the bus stop outside the mall.
How can being blind be pretty normal thought Billie. He felt uneasy slightly, he'd known Darcy almost all his life, she'd lived next door and his Mom and her Mom were friends, he hadn't realised until recently that Darcy's cousin was blind, would it change their relationsihp? Would this...Lily be with her all of the time now? How would he be around a blind person? How would he have to act?
"Billie, its our bus, come on," said Darcy wondering what the hell planet Billie was on.
"Coming," said Billie and the two of them pushed and shoved each other to get to the back of the bus to their usual spot where they could do some people watching.
"So, when's Lily coming to stay?" Billie said.
"Oh she should be at ours now," Darcy said, "I can't wait too see her again, she's such fun, I'm sure you'll love her."
Billie shifted nervously in his seat, wondering again how the hell he had to act in front of a blind person? He felt weird, may be he would avoid Darcy for a while just until her cousin and Aunt had found a place of their own and then they could be their usual selves. A blind person. A girl that couldnt see, couldn't see him or anything? He'd never met anyone that couldn't see him.
Darcy noticed how quiet Billie had become as they grew closer to home and just thought it was because he was regretting spending all his money on more music sheets. He'd always be the same, music was the be all and end all of his life, there was no changing him but she wouldn't have him any other way. He was one of her best friends and hoped he always would be.
When they got off the bus Billie seemed a little more relaxed, "we've got another gig at the Gilman on Saturday," he said sounding so excited, "when your cousin Lily has gone you really must come along and see us Darcy, you'll love it there." He said glancing at the blond haired girl with green sparkling eyes, the eyes that Mike adored but Mike wouldn't do anything about his thoughts of Darcy, all he did was blush and stammer in her company and she didn't even know it.
"Of course I will but may be I'll bring Lily along this Saturday, she'll love your stuff."
Billie went quiet again and when they reached home just handed over Darcy's bags to her and said "see ya, got to get in and get the house cleaned up before Mom gets home from work, she doesn't know I've been spending again!" Then he leapt over the garden fence and headed towards his front door.
"See ya Billie," said Darcy shaking her head at him and smiling at his mood swings.
As Billie put his key in the front door lock he couldnt' help but glance across to Darcy's house. There was a girl standing there at the front door, she looked as though she was looking over at him so he smiled and waved but of course it was her cousin Lily so she didn't respond, just stood there her face like a porcelain doll her hair rich dark brown and blowing in the breeze.
Billie quickly let himself into the house, his heart beating fast.
Because she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.
"Hey, Darcy! Wait up." Said Billie. He'd seen Darcy up ahead in the shopping mall as he came out of the music store, she was carrying loads of bags and looking flustered. She turned and smiled a huge smile as she saw him.
"Oh, hi Billie, been spending all your money again?" She said nodding towards the bag he was carrying with the familiar music store logo on it.
"Yeah, just a few new song sheets, ya know, just got paid yesterday so..." he shrugged.
"...and now its all gone and you'll be round at mine in a few days borrowing money for roll-ups because Mike won't lend you anymore, that right?" She said then they laughed together.
"Anyhow, you can talk," said Billie as they started walking towards the exit of the mall, "what the hell is all this stuff you've been buying?" He said looking towards the bags that were weighing Darcy down.
"Its for Lily, you remember I told you she was coming to live with us for a while with her mother." Darcy said as Billie took some bags from her.
"Oh. Lily, yeah, isn't there something wrong, I mean, I'm sure you said something about her being.."
"She's blind. Yes, I told you she was blind and that her father died a few months ago in England, he married my Mom's sister and went to live in England as soon as they married so now she wants to come back and will be staying with us while looking for a place," said Darcy. She'd told Billie this before but he obviously hadn't been listening, away with his songwriting again she thought then smiled to herself.
"Oh, right." Billie said not knowing what to say he hadn't met a blind person before.
"She's pretty normal apart from that," said Darcy as they headed out to the bus stop outside the mall.
How can being blind be pretty normal thought Billie. He felt uneasy slightly, he'd known Darcy almost all his life, she'd lived next door and his Mom and her Mom were friends, he hadn't realised until recently that Darcy's cousin was blind, would it change their relationsihp? Would this...Lily be with her all of the time now? How would he be around a blind person? How would he have to act?
"Billie, its our bus, come on," said Darcy wondering what the hell planet Billie was on.
"Coming," said Billie and the two of them pushed and shoved each other to get to the back of the bus to their usual spot where they could do some people watching.
"So, when's Lily coming to stay?" Billie said.
"Oh she should be at ours now," Darcy said, "I can't wait too see her again, she's such fun, I'm sure you'll love her."
Billie shifted nervously in his seat, wondering again how the hell he had to act in front of a blind person? He felt weird, may be he would avoid Darcy for a while just until her cousin and Aunt had found a place of their own and then they could be their usual selves. A blind person. A girl that couldnt see, couldn't see him or anything? He'd never met anyone that couldn't see him.
Darcy noticed how quiet Billie had become as they grew closer to home and just thought it was because he was regretting spending all his money on more music sheets. He'd always be the same, music was the be all and end all of his life, there was no changing him but she wouldn't have him any other way. He was one of her best friends and hoped he always would be.
When they got off the bus Billie seemed a little more relaxed, "we've got another gig at the Gilman on Saturday," he said sounding so excited, "when your cousin Lily has gone you really must come along and see us Darcy, you'll love it there." He said glancing at the blond haired girl with green sparkling eyes, the eyes that Mike adored but Mike wouldn't do anything about his thoughts of Darcy, all he did was blush and stammer in her company and she didn't even know it.
"Of course I will but may be I'll bring Lily along this Saturday, she'll love your stuff."
Billie went quiet again and when they reached home just handed over Darcy's bags to her and said "see ya, got to get in and get the house cleaned up before Mom gets home from work, she doesn't know I've been spending again!" Then he leapt over the garden fence and headed towards his front door.
"See ya Billie," said Darcy shaking her head at him and smiling at his mood swings.
As Billie put his key in the front door lock he couldnt' help but glance across to Darcy's house. There was a girl standing there at the front door, she looked as though she was looking over at him so he smiled and waved but of course it was her cousin Lily so she didn't respond, just stood there her face like a porcelain doll her hair rich dark brown and blowing in the breeze.
Billie quickly let himself into the house, his heart beating fast.
Because she was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.