Pieces of Truth

[Billie Joe]

"Were they little pink, oblong pills?" I asked as I watched Grace and she nodded.

"Stay right here. Sit against the wall and don't move," I warned once she was sitting, then I went inside.

"Mike, go outside with Grace, please."

"Why, what happened?" he asked, Tre right beside him.

"I'll explain later," I said in a rushed voice and he simply acted upon my request, Tre following me to find Greg.

He was towards the back of the club near the bathrooms when we finally found him.

"Woah, you're the guys from Green Day," the creep mused.

"That's right, and you fucked with the wrong band," I seethed.

"What do you mean?"

"You gave my girlfriend meth! What the fuck is your problem?"

"Wait, you're Grace's- oh, shit."

"Yeah, 'oh shit' is right," I agreed, punching him in the jaw, then in the stomach. I kept going at this guy until Tre managed to pull me off.

"He's not worth it, BJ. Let's get Gracie and Mike and go."

As soon as Tre and I walked outside, I heard Mike trying to ask Grace what was going on with her. They were sitting against the building like I told them and Mike looked freaked out.

"Is she on speed or something?" he asked while motioning to Grace, who couldn't sit still.

"Yeah, she is," I nodded, watching Mike's eyes go wide.

"Some guy in there gave her the pills," Tre answered for me.

"I wanna gooo," Grace blurted and I picked her up off the ground, holding her in my arms.

"Let's get her to the hotel," I muttered as I shook my head.

The three of us walked, while I carried Grace, back to our room.

"If you guys want to go out, I don't mind staying here," I told my best friends as I laid Grace down on the closest bed.

"Are you sure?" Tre asked and I nodded.

"Have fun! Go drink a few beers for me."

Once they left, I sighed and sat on the second bed.

"Billie?" Grace groaned, and my eyes darted over to her motionless body.

"I don't feel too good," she breathed, lying completely still.

"Grace?" I asked as I got up. Standing over her, I saw a pained look on her face.

"How many pills did that guy give you?" My mind had automatically thought of an overdose.

When she shrugged, holding up two, then four, then five and a half fingers, I figured I was right.

"I'm gonna call an ambulance, alright? Just stay still and.. Sing me your favourite song," I ordered so that she could keep herself alert.

"And now I rest my head from such an endless dreary time..." she mumbled out Paper Lanterns as I dialed '9-1-1'

"Louder, Grace," I said as I talked to the operator, who told me that the paramedics would be here as soon as possible. I stayed on the line with the woman, who told me to keep Grace conscious.

"Gray, they're coming to get you. Just keep singing."

[Grace]

I woke up in a dark room, a soft, constant beeping noise in the background. I tried to sit up, but felt way too tired. As soon as my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I could make out a figure across the room.

"Billie Joe?" I croaked, my voice raspy.

The figure stirred and a light came on, then I noticed we weren't in the hotel or on the bus. I was in a hospital bed, a gown, IV and everything. I guess I had shot Billie a confused look, because he began to explain how I ended up here.

"So wait. Greg gave me meth?" I asked, staring at him, dumbstruck.

"Yeah. He gave you a shit ton," he nodded and I felt my eyes well up.

"How could I be so stupid? I took pills from someone I barely know," I held my head in my hands, feeling like a total idiot. I felt the bed shift so I looked up to see Billie sitting to face me.

"You knew the guy though. I recognized him too. He was in one of your classes, right?"

"He sat next to me in English Lit," I nodded.

"He took advantage of you and that's not ok."

"How long have I been here?" I asked suddenly, having lost all sense of time on the tour.

"I brought you here around two am yesterday. It's four thirty in the morning now.. So basically a day?"

"Why aren't you on the road?!"

"It's ok, we have a few days before our next stop anyways."

I couldn't help but feel guilty and Billie knew it. He pecked my cheek, making me smile.

"I'm just glad you're ok."

"Sorry I scared you.."

"It's alright. Just don't ever do it again," he told me sternly.

"I promise. But when can I get out of here?"

"I guess in the 'morning' when the doctor says so.. And, I-uh. I called your dad and told him what happened," Billie admitted.

"You what?"

"I called your dad."

"Why? I haven't talked to him in so long..."

"I know. He said that, and he misses you."

"I'm not about to discuss this with you right now," I replied.

"You gave up a lot so I wouldn't figure out you were still in the Bay, huh?"

"Yeah, I did. That and I didn't want my dad to see me so messed up."

"I told him you'd call once you got all checked out."

"Billie Joe," I sighed, not wanting to deal with such a touchy subject right now, "We're done talking about
my dad."

"Fine, alright. I'll drop it. I'm gonna go see if I can find a nurse or something," he said then left quickly. I knew I had pushed his buttons and I felt terrible... He had only been trying to help.

I sat in that hospital bed, patiently waiting for Billie to come back.

After what seemed like forever, he walked back in with a nurse.

"How are you feeling, Miss Steffens?" The older woman asked as she came over to me, and Billie went to sit down across the small room.

"Okay, I suppose," I shrugged.

"Well that's better than when you were brought in. You gave this boy a big scare," she nodded to Billie. I lowered my head, ashamed.

The nurse checked out all of my vitals and said that all I needed was the doctor's all clear before I could leave.

"Thanks," I nodded, managing to flash her a smile.

As soon as she left, I looked over to Billie.

"I'm sorry I snapped at you," I admitted, "I didn't mean to."

Billie simply looked at me with those curious green eyes, not saying a word.

"Fine, don't say anything. But you want to know why we didn't make it as a couple the first time, or even as friends when we were younger?" I asked, not bothering to wait for a reply, "Because we got mad or whatever and shut each other out. If you want to let us fail again, by all means go ahead. Keep ignoring me."

I saw the TV remote and flicked the power on, finding a channel that looked somewhat interesting. But at four am, there wasn't much to choose from.

"Grace, turn the TV off, please," Billie requested and I nodded, pressing the off button, and silence took over the room.

"I realize that we aren't always vocal about our emotions. It's just who we are.. We've always been this way. Are you willing to try and change?"

"Only if you are," I nodded, watching him get up and come towards me.

"Good, because I wasn't gonna take no for an answer," he smirked, planing a firm kiss on my lips.

"So, I'm out of here when the doc says so?"

"Yep," Billie nodded, sitting on the edge of my bed again.

I was released shortly after 8 a.m., and we immediately hit the road. While the guys all watched TV and hung out, I laid up in my bunk, thinking about what had happened. I was beginning to think that being on tour wasn't a good idea.. But I didn't want to hurt Billie, so I had to stick it out and finish this tour, whether I wanted to or not.