Paper Lanterns

Jeff came down from his room, glaring at Billie.

"I'm going out."

"Uh, Okay? Where ya goin?" I asked my younger brother.

Hey, just because he's like.. seven inches taller than me, doesn't mean he's older.

"Out with Greg and Kyle." Two sophomores from baseball.

"Okay, don't be too late."

"I'll try," he rolled his eyes.

"Bye Jeffy! I love you!" I grinned, only to be answered with a, "Whatever."

With that, he was out the door.

"What crawled up his ass and died?" Billie joked.

"I dunno. But he'd better get it out soon. He's not the same Jeffy he was before he switched baseball teams. I think the kids are influencing him to do pot and shit. Not that I don't enjoy a good joint, but he's 15."

"Talk to your dad or something."

I sighed, "He's already had a few talks with the kid, after he started coming home from practice hours late, and high."

"If he knows that I do that shit all the time, he'll probably stop cold turkey. Now, let's go find that sound." Billie pulled me up to my room.

"How do you even know I have a guitar?"

"I saw it when I came in your window. It's pretty cool looking."

He grabbed it off the stand, throwing the strap over his shoulder and tuning it quickly.

"Please be careful," I glanced at the old, sticker covered Fender, "I love that guitar more than anything."

"Then, I'll be extra careful," he assured me while tuning.

It didn't take Billie that long to find a rhythm, and come up with a bass line to go with the music he'd composed in that Einstein-like, musical genius head of his.

"Hey, does this thing have a name?" Billie motioned to my guitar.

"Yes. His name is Dave."

"Dave? What the fuck?"

My soft raspberry colored Fender Strat, which was covered by many random stickers, was named Dave.

"No idea. It just fit." Billie rolled his eyes, and I threw a pick at him, hitting his forehead.

"What was that for?" he rubbed the spot.

"Oh, you're such a sissy!" I laughed.

"Nobody calls Billie Joe Armstrong a sissy and gets away with it!" He set Dave on the stand, and lunged at me.

Shrieking, I dodged as he lunged again, this time successful. He picked me up, tossed me onto my bed, and straddled my waist, beginning to tickle my sides.

"Do you surrender?"

"N-never!" I gasped out between laughs. I knew it was hopeless, he had me pinned.

"Fine. I give. I give!"

Billie stopped, and stared down at me. After I calmed down, I noticed his gaze.

"Billie Joe?" I whispered, and saw him shiver slightly, then he noticed he was still atop me, and shot me a devious smirk.

'Wow.. He's pretty good looking..' I thought to myself for probably the first time in several years. Oh god, what's wrong with me?

"As you can tell, we're in a very.. provocative position here," he continued, a serious look on his face.

"Good thing you're a responsible guy, and knows not to take advantage of a defenseless girl. Even if you've known her for years," I taunted, shoving him off of me. He rolled to my left, our shoulders were now touching.

"I miss being a kid," he sighed.

"I know, I do too," I mumbled.

"Hey, how come I haven't seen you at school for a while?" I turned onto my side, facing him, as he did the same.

"I finally have enough money to move into an apartment with Mike, and I need to put everything into the band and getting out there. School was just holding me back, so I dropped out."

At first, I thought he was kidding around. But I knew Billie, and how much music means to him.

"I'm glad. You're too much of a smart ass for your own good," I smiled, supporting his decision.

"Thanks, it's good to know that you understand."

"Hey, it's what I do."

"You should come hang with us tonight, it's a drag being alone," he offered quickly.

"Sorry, I have Latin homework and shit. If I don't do it now, I won't until the morning of."

"Oh, okay then. I'll leave the new number and address, and you can call when you're done, and I'll come get you. OK?" I nodded, handing him a sheet of paper and a pen. He quickly wrote down the info, and I walked him to the door.

"You know, you could just stay and help me. It wont take that long," I offered, feeling bad that I was just making him leave.

"Uh, no. I wouldn't be much use. I have no clue what the hell is going on with your Latin class, let alone understand a word of it." I blushed, now feeling completely stupid, and opened the door.

"So I'll see you later tonight?"

"Sure," I smiled, and watched him walk to his car.

'Strange how things work out..' I thought, after I shut the door and hit the books.

I finished around nine, then went to find the phone. At the top of the stairs, stood Jeff.

"Excuse me Jeff," I asked him, trying to get by.

"Where do ya think you're going?" he slurred, grabbing my arm.

"I have to call Kristen, so let me go," I snapped.

"Like you could get me to."

"Please Jeff, just let go of me!"

"Shut up you stupid fucking bitch, you talk too much," he raised a hand, and swiftly struck me across the face.

"What the fuck's you're problem?!" I shouted up at him, "Ever since you were traded you've been like this! Coming home high and drunk off your ass! You're only fucking fifteen for Christ's sake!"

He slapped me again, and pushed me to the ground, grabbing onto my shirt. He pulled me down the stairs, giving my arms carpet burn.

"Jeffry Joseph Steffens! Let me go right now!" I cried angrily, trying to hide my fear.

He pulled me up, and shoved me into the wall. I felt woozy, and could feel blood running down my upper cheek, where he'd caught some skin with his ring.

I don't remember what happened after that, except that he'd said, "If you tell dad, it'll only get worse," then left.

When I regained consciousness, I was in the living room, on the floor, and my head hurt like hell. I was still in my clothes, so at least he hadn't committed some hanus incest crime, thank god.

I sat there for a good twenty minutes, trying to pull myself together, then worked up the energy to get the phone. My arms ached, and it hurt to breathe, so I only took raspy, shallow breaths.

I pulled Billie's new number out of my back pocket, and grabbed the phone from the kitchen counter, and sat back on the floor, then dialed.

"Hello?" Mike answered.

"Hey Mike.. Is Billie Joe there?"

"Yeah. Grace, what's wrong?" I heard Billie in the background, then, "Gray?"

"Yeah. It' me. Could you come get me? Please..?"

"Of course. I'll be right there."

"Thanks," I hung up, and slumped into a ball, sobbing into my knees.