Charisma

"What the FUCK is going ON?" A voice yelled, causing Billie to sit up quickly and for me to roll off the bed. I landed with a light thud and Billie was up in an instant, rushing over to my side.

"Are you okay?" He asked, extending his hand to help me up.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I stood up and we both looked at Tre, who was looking at the ceiling innocently.

"Tre, are you crazy?" Billie wasn't afraid to express his anger in our current situation. Tre just smiled innocently and rubbed the back of his neck.

"A little late for that question, Billie. But, Charisma, I am sorry I made you roll out of the bed." He snickered at the last part and I couldn't help but smile.

"You're forgiven, Tre." He was like the little brother I never had.

"Well, now that we're up, are you hungry, Charisma?" Billie asked me, scolding Tre as he walked out of the room.

I followed Tre out the room, assuming we were done in there. As I walked down the stairs I saw Mike sitting in a chair with a bowl of cereal.

"Hey Melissa--holy shit! Hi, Charisma." He smiled apologetically once he saw who I actually was.

"Hey, Mike. How are you?" I asked, sitting down on the couch.

"Good. Uh, stay here all night?" Even though Mike was the one who gave me Billie's address he seemed surprised to see I spent the night.

"Yeah, but uh, we didn't have sex if that's what you're thinking." I tucked my legs underneath me and heard Tre laughed as he came back from the kitchen with a sandwich in his hand. He sat down next to me on the couch and I hit him playfully in the arm.

"We didn't."

"I know. Billie wants to see you in the kitchen, though." I rolled my eyes at Tre and stood up.

I walked into the kitchen and saw Billie standing at the stove with a spatula in his hand. He had a frustrated look on his face as he tried to flip an egg.

"I command you to flip!" I laughed at his outburst and when he looked at me he seemed downright embarrassed.

"Do you need help?" I asked, just wanting to hug him for being as adorable as he looked.

"Yeah, I never cook, but I was trying to be a nice guy and make you breakfast...but I can't flip this damn egg!" I laughed as I took the spatula politely out of his grasp. He stood on the other side of me and watched as I flipped the egg. He furrowed his eyebrows as he watched it sizzle.

"You don't have to make me breakfast to be a nice guy. You already are one." He smiled at my compliment as he snaked his arms around my waist. He kissed the top of my head and leaned into me.

"Guess who's single." He purred into my ear which sent shivers down my spine. I dropped the spatula on the counter and turned to face Billie.

"Are you serious?" I looked up at him and he nodded, kissing my forehead.

"Yeah, ever since I met you, Charisma, I knew deep inside my fucked up mind I wanted to be with you."

"Awe, you're so cheesy." I smiled as he pouted, which caused me to kiss him. I felt him smile into the kiss as I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"I smell burning eggs!" Tre yelled, walking into the kitchen. I pulled away from Billie--I wasn't good with embarrassment--and smiled at Tre.

"Yeah, do you want it?" I turned back toward the stove and turned the heat off. Tre went to the cupboard and grabbed a plate and smiled like a little kid at Christmas when I put the egg on his plate. Billie was sitting down at the kitchen table now, sipping a cup of coffee.

"Billie, do you want me to make you breakfast as well?" He smiled which I took to mean yes.

"Mike would like some breakfast as well." Mike said as he entered the kitchen, sitting down at the other end of the table.

"Which sounds good: pancakes, waffles, or more eggs?"

"Pancakes!" They all cheered in unison. I rolled my eyes and started opening the cupboards, only to find various plates, cups, bowls and pans.

"Need help?" Billie asked, standing up from his seat and coming to my aid.

"Just a little." He grabbed my hand and pulled me back across the kitchen, opening a cupboard that was to the right of the stove.

"You're cute." He cooed into my ear as he stood behind me, snaking his arms to my stomach. I grabbed the pancake mix and set it down on the counter. I turned in his grasp and smiled.

"And so is this tushy of yours." I smacked his butt lightly with my left hand and Tre howled at the table.

"Get the cameras, Mike, we've got a porno being made in here!" Billie stumbled away from me slowly, shock was evident in his face. He headed back to his seat and Mike winked at him.

"I did not see that coming." He admitted, causing everyone to laugh.

As I brought another plate of freshly made pancakes, Tre looked up at me with syrup on the side on his lips and smiled.

"Can I just tell you, you are the hottest mom ever." He grabbed two more pancakes from the plate and devoured them in syrup.

"Watch it, buddy, we have practice in one hour." Mike warned, finishing off the pancake that was still leftover from the first batch.

"Oh, you have practice? Would you mind if I watched?"

"I guess, but don't tell anybody. We don't want random people coming up to us and asking that exact question. We like our privacy." Tre said, biting another piece of pancake. Billie and Mike laughed at his comment while I just smiled at Tre in amazement. How did somebody get to become funny?

"You know, Tre, if I were as funny as you, back home in London, I would have been the coolest girl around." Tre winked and ran his hand down his stomach.

"It's not the only thing I'm good at."

"Down boy." I laughed, picking up Billie's and Mike's plates and taking them over to the sink.

"We have a show tomorrow night at Gilman's, you should come." Billie said, following me to the sink.

"All right, I'm in." I placed the plates in the sink and Billie grabbed my wrist before I could turn the faucet on.

"Why are you caring for us?"

"What? Does it bother you?" I looked up at him surprised, afraid he was going to become angry.

"No! It's just, in the history of our dating history combined...there has never been one who would make us food." He laughed and Tre raised his fist.

"Amen to that!"

"It's no big, mate. It's the least I can do, you three have kindly welcomed me into your circle and I couldn't be more grateful." He released his grip on my wrist and stepped back in amazement.

"You're so different from anybody, my God." I smiled as I rinsed off the plates.

"I know, you told me that already." I winked and he smiled, kissing the top of my head.

"I'm going to take a shower, feel free to take one before any of those two losers." He kissed the back of my head and disappeared out of the kitchen.

Tre walked up to the sink with his plate and smiled at me.

"Since you made us breakfast, you can have my shower slot. It's after Billie's, so hurry up good woman!" He ran out of the kitchen then, my guess was to watch cartoons.

Mike stood up from the table and walked over to the coffee pot.

"Thanks for breakfast." I heard him say as he walked over toward me.

"You're very welcome." He leaned up against the counter beside me at the sink and stirred his coffee.

"So about London," I looked at him confused and raised an eyebrow. "What are your plans? Has your dad found a house here?"

"I still haven't gotten the chance to talk to him. But, Mike, I know you're asking for Billie's sake, but I am old enough to live here by myself if I wanted."

"You're right, I am asking for Billie's sake, but also because we all really like you, and think having you around might do us some good." I was stunned.

"Wow. I-I don't even know what to say to that, Mike. That's so kind of you--I..." He smiled and placed his arm on my own.

"Just being honest." He walked away then, leaving me alone to still be completely stunned.

* * *

We had all migrated out into Billie's garage after everybody had their shower. I was wearing a pair of Billie's boxers rolled up like shorts and one of Mike's white wife beaters. I saw Tre's drum set in the back and ran to it instinctively.

"Little lady, I don't think you should touch those." Tre was about to walk over, but Billie put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

I started playing 'White Riot' and Mike smiled, picking up his bass and playing along. Billie picked up his guitar and joined in at the chorus.

"Tre, get some drumsticks! Come take over!" I yelled over the music and he grabbed a pair that were lying beside the cymbals.

I stood up and he took over the drums while I walked over to the microphone they had a few feet in front of Tre's drum set. I looked at Billie and he smiled, letting me know it was okay for me to sing.

Are you taking over
or are you taking orders?
Are you going backwards
Or are you going forwards?

White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own
White riot - I wanna riot
White riot - a riot of my own

I turned around and smiled at the three of them as Tre pounded the drums one last time.

"That was one of the best warm-ups we've had in a while." Mike said, swinging his bass behind him.

"My dad and I always jam to this song first. But, since this is your practice, show me what you do!" I sat down on the concrete floor and crossed my legs, eager to see them play their material.