False Pretense

"What the hell is going on?" Mike asked, running into the kitchen a few seconds later after I slammed the coffee mug onto the counter. I turned slowly to see Mike and Tre looking at me in shock while Kat stood behind Tre with a look of guilt on her face.

"It slipped." I shrugged nonchalant. I looked at the ground as I stepped over the glass shards that had fallen onto the ground.

"Are you sure?" Mike looked from Kat, who was looking at the ground, to me.

"Yeah, I'm sure." I pushed passed the three of them and walked to the closet underneath the stairs. Mike and Tre sat back down on the couch and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at them again.

As I knelt down to sweep up the glass shards, Kat appeared from the back deck and laughed at me.

"You're really doing a good job with the showing me the real you." She stood at the edge of the counter and I stood up to sweep the rest of the glass.

"Shut up." I walked over to the sink and opened the cupboard and threw the glass into the trash.

"Why'd you break the cup?" I shut the cupboard with my foot and threw the dustpan onto the counter.

"It slipped." I turned and leaned against the counter.

"Bullshit." I sighed and looked at her.

"You made me angry."

"Why? Because I said you wouldn't like what I said?"

"Yeah, and because...you know what? Screw it. Have Tre. I don't care! But I'll be damned if I let you take the only other thing that makes me happy." With that, I pushed off the counter and stalked out of the kitchen.

~ ~ ~

Billie stalked out of the kitchen leaving me in a daze. What had I taken away from him that made him happy? Me? Hardly. I groaned inward and headed off toward the living room.

"Tre, I'm going to go head back to the dorm." He turned slowly from the television and smiled when his eyes met mine.

"Oh, do you have class?"

"No, I need to talk to Traci." He stood up from the couch and met me at the door to hug me goodbye.

"I'll see you later, babe." He whispered in my ear. I smiled and pulled away so I could kiss him.

I wrapped my arms around his neck as we kissed and I felt at sudden ease until the front door flew open and it whacked me hard in the side. I staggered away from Tre and Billie slid in between the two of us and headed up the stairs.

"Goddammit, Billie Joe! You could at least say you're sorry!" I yelled, rubbing my side. I saw a hint of a smile on his lips as he turned around.

"Sorry, didn't know your hips were that big." I felt my mouth fall agape as anger surged through my veins. I groaned loudly and contemplated running up there to beat his ass.

"I..god! FUCK YOU, BILLIE JOE." I yelled, turning the opposite way he was and stalked out the open front door.

"They should get their own sitcom." I heard Mike say as I descended off the steps.

* * *

When I got back to the dorm, Traci was about to head over to Mike's so they could go to some place called Gilman Street. She asked me to come along after I told her about my new fight with Billie, which she didn't seemed to be fazed by.

The four of us were sitting around the kitchen waiting for Mike and Tre to finish their dinner before we headed off for Gilman.

"You can relax, Kat, Beej isn't here." Tre laughed, biting the food off his fork. I smiled sheepishly, surprised that it was visible that I was tense. I grabbed my cup and brought it to my lips, but felt a dripping fall onto my stomach. I looked down at saw a puddle of water on my Ramones shirt.

"Shit!" I yelped, standing up quickly and set the cup down onto the table. Mike chuckled and pointed toward the living room.

"Bill's got that same shirt, so if you want to go change...well, feel free."

"You suggesting that must mean you secretly don't like me." His eyes widened and I couldn't help but laugh.

"What? I like you! I'm just saying, we're going to be leaving soon so if you wanna go change... you can."

"I was just kidding. But, yeah, I guess I'll go change."

I made my way up the stairs and felt paranoid that Billie would just happen to appear when I was changing. His door was cracked open a bit and I slowly pushed it open; eyeing the room the further it came into view. Empty.

I walked over to his dresser, pulling the drawers open until I found folded shirts. I recognized the white eagle immediately and grabbed the shirt. I pushed the drawer shut with my back and held the shirt up in front of me. It seemed to be the right size.

Once I changed into Billie's shirt, I noticed a notebook underneath my original shirt that I had thrown to the ground. I knelt down and picked up the notebook, knowing very well I shouldn't be, but the title caught my attention. Sassafras Roots.

"What the hell." I whispered to myself, sitting down on the edge of his bed.

Roaming 'round your house
Wasting your time
No obligation, just
Wasting your time
So why are you alone?
Wasting your time
When you could be with me
Wasting your time
Well, I'm a waste like you
With nothing else to do
May I waste your time too?

Before I could read any more, there was a knock on Billie's door. I threw the notebook as I jumped up and saw a smirking Traci standing in the door way.

"Sorry to scare you, but I thought I'd let you know we're all ready to go." I smiled sheepishly and put my hand over my heart as I felt it beating uncontrollably.

"Oh, okay. Yeah, lets go."

Walking into Gilman's I was immediately greeted by two distinctive smells: sweat and cigarettes. Tre took my hand and led the way through the crowd that had formed in front of the stage. I took in my surroundings as we weaved through the people. Graffiti on the walls, marijuana smoke in the air and people with one thing in common: music. I liked it here already.

We ended up sitting in a booth along the side wall, I had a perfect view of the band that was setting up. Traci was cuddling with Mike, so I decided to be affectionate with Tre as well. I rested my head on his shoulder and took his hand in mine; he smiled and kissed the top of my head.

For about an hour we sat at the booth and I was introduced to different people who recognized Mike and Tre. I felt the need to walk around and get a different feel of the place instead of sitting and observing.

"I'm going to go get a drink, okay?" I asked Tre, smiling and kissing him before standing up.

"Okay, be careful." He teased.

As I pushed my way toward the bar, a crying girl shoved her way past me; knocking me the opposite direction I was headed. I hit the back wall and landed right next to a couple groping each others faces. I scrunched my face in disgust and started to walk back toward the bar but a voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Billie.."

I turned back and studied the couple I had just almost hit. Billie Joe and Ashley.

"Goddammit, Billie." I mumbled to myself. I walked over to them and grabbed Billie's arm and pulled him toward me.

"Whoaaaa!" He slurred, pushing me backward and hitting the wall himself. He swayed as he looked up at me through squinted eyes.

"What are you doing? Are you stupid?" Once he recognized my voice he opened his eyes fully and furrowed his eyebrows in anger.

"Shut up! I can do whatever I want!"

"No, you're drunk and you need to go home before you do something you regret in the morning." I looked to my right and noticed that Ashley was nowhere to be found. Awesome.

"Shut up, Sassy! You can't tell me what to do! I wanted to get laid, but no, you ruined that for me!" I pushed him against the wall and cupped his face so he was forced to look at me.

"What is it about her? That she's easy? I'm sure you could have sex with any other girl in this room. But no, you chose her. Why?" He smirked and I wanted to slap him.

"Jealous?" I rolled my eyes and scoffed.

"No. I just don't understand why it's always her you go back to when you're drunk." His smirked grew wider.

"If I can have sex with anybody else, why don't you sleep with me?"

"God, I forgot how much I hate drunk people," I muttered to myself. "You know why I won't sleep with you, Billie Joe."

"Oh, right. You're a virginnn!" He mocked in a faux high-pitched girlie voice.

"No."

"Oh, right! It's because you're with that boy you don't even like." I narrowed my eyes at Billie and he chuckled.

"Shut up."

"I know you want me." He wrapped his shaking arms around my waist and pulled my close to him.

"No, Billie. I don't." I pushed away from him and he chuckled once again.

"Is that my shirt?" He raised an eyebrow and studied my attire.

"Yeah. I spilled my water on mine and Mike gave me permission to change into yours."

"You were in my room?"

"Yeah..." He's gonna yell. He's gonna yell. He's gonna yell.

"Did you snoop? Because I'll know if you did." I looked up at him and shook my head.

"No, no snooping." He seemed to buy my answer and I sighed. I wanted to go back to Tre but I knew if I left Billie alone he would get himself in some trouble.

"Will you take me home, sassy?" I was surprised by the innocence of him voice, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Yeah, I'll take you home." He swayed toward me and threw his arm around my shoulder. I snaked mine around his waist and his free hand landed on mine. I felt his fingers fall between my own and he gave them a light squeeze.

"Goddammit, Billie Joe." I muttered once again; ignoring the butterflies in the pit of my stomach.