A Lesson Learnt

"Oh my god! What have you done that for?"

"Billie won't tell anyone---he's pleased for us---"

"This is surreal---"

"What is?"

"I'm sleeping with one of my heroes and another one of them happens to know about it!"

"Don't worry about anything---Billie will keep his mouth shut, he's really looked after me these past few months. I trust him completely. He won't judge you."

"Good."

Tiffany sat up from the bed and swung her legs out of the covers, only to feel Mike's touch on her shoulder.

"And where do you think you're going?"

"Home---why?"

"Oh no you don't---you've still got another half an hour left!"

"But I'm exhausted! I've had more action these past few weeks with you than I have the whole two years John and I have been together!"

Mike laughed and continued to pull on her shoulder, causing her to fall back into him.

"We don't have to do anything---I just want to hold you that's all."

"Well in that case---"

She slipped back under the covers and allowed Mike to wrap his arms around her.

They had secretly been seeing each other a little less than a month and neither could remember feeling as content as they did when in each others' arms.

"Mike---can I tell you something if you promise not to laugh?"

"It's pretty damned hard not to laugh at you but I'll try---"

"Hey!"

"I'm joking. Go on---"

"I already know how to play bass---"

"I know that---you told me you learnt yourself."

"I lied."

"I don't get you."

"I've been playing the bass since I was ten years old---I was so jealous of James when he said he was having lessons with you coz I've liked you for years---ever since the start of Green Day---I asked for lessons so I could spend time with you---"

"Oh---umm----wow!"

"Please don't think I'm some sort of teeny or anything coz I'm not. I respect you fully as a person---I never cared that you got married or anything like that---I wasn't obsessed---"

"Woah, woah, woah---calm down its ok! I'd never consider you as a teeny anyway---you're too damn attractive!"

Mike saw the apples of her cheeks turn slightly red. He chuckled and kissed her. "That's cute."

"NOW you're making me out to be a teeny!"

"No I'm not---I just think you're cute when you blush! But anyway---let's get back onto this 'I can play bass' business. Basically, you lied to me so you could see me and I've wasted god knows how many hours teaching you things that you already know when really, those hours could have gone to a kid who really does need help?"

"Umm---yeah I guess---why? Are you mad?"

"Yeah I'm mad---"

Tiffany cringed into his chest. "Oh---"

Mike placed his index finger under her chin and brought her face up to his. "I'm mad about you---"

Tiffany blushed again. "You did that on purpose," she grumbled when he chuckled once more at her slightly red cheeks.

"Yeah, it was fun, let's do it again!"

"No---let's not!"

Mike pretended to sulk so Tiffany turned to face him and grabbed his face with both of her hands and kissed him hard. "Now I really have to get going, John will be home from work soon."

Mike nodded in understanding and released his arms from around her and so she could climb out of bed. As she pulled on her clothes he noticed that the shirt she wore bore the symbol of a man as if being struck by lightning---

He smiled sadly as the memories came flooding back to him.

Tiffany noticed his sudden change of demeanour and asked what was wrong.

"Your shirt---it just brings stuff back."

"Oh---is that a good thing or bad thing?"

"Bit of both actually. Reminds me of the fun I had on that tour and then what happened after it---the break up."

"Umm---sorry---"

"Nah---its ok---I just get a little sensitive that's all. We can talk about it another time."

"Well I'm always here if you need me Mike---"

"I'll bear that in mind---now go---I don't want you being late for John."

Tiffany leant back over the bed and kissed Mike goodbye. "Until next time---" she said smiling at him before heading downstairs and out of the house.

---

It was later on that evening and Mike was playing his bass when, from the corner of his eye, he saw the door to the music room open and Tiffany's head appeared around the corner.

"What are you doing here?" he asked surprised.

"Pleased to see me?"

"Well---yeah---but why have you come back?"

"Give me a hug and I'll tell you."

Mike grinned and put his bass down then rushed over to her, taking her in his arms.

"That's better," he heard her say.

"What is? Is everything all right?" Mike held her at arms length, examining her features.

"Yeah I'm fine---John and I got into a fight and I left the apartment before things got really bad. You were the only person I felt like seeing."

Mike pulled her back into him and hugged her tighter. "What were you fighting about?"

She nervously cleared her throat. "You---"

"Me?!" He pulled away from her again and gave her a confused stare.

"Yeah---he says we're spending too much time together."

"Does he know that we---you know---do the cheeky?"

Tiffany laughed at his awkwardness. "No. I'm not stupid enough to tell him. He just reckons that something is going on between us because I'm always talking about you."

"What do you tell him?"

"I tell him to stop being stupid, that he's the only one for me and all that crap. He says he doesn't believe me, says that I'm cheating on him; he goes to hit me then I walk out. It's the same every week."

"He goes to hit you?!" Fury burned in his chest.

"Yeah---it doesn't scare me. I know he won't do it. "

"But still---what a dick---"

"He is when he gets like that---but I didn't come here to burden you with my shit so let's change the subject."

"Well, uh, Billie and Adrienne are coming round for a while tonight, so do you want to stay and hang with us?"

"Would you mind?"

"Don't be stupid! I'm glad you're here." Mike took the cue to bend down and kiss her.

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to stay a little while---it'll actually give John a reason to be mad at me!"

"I thought we weren't talking about him?"

"We're not---"

Tiffany then took her turn to reach up and kiss Mike. The kiss was just about to get heated when they heard an impromptu opening of the music room door.

"Hey Mike---woah sorry!" a startled Adrienne said as she peered round the door and saw Mike and Tiffany's clinch.

"Hey Adie---come back, you didn't interrupt anything---well not yet anyway!" Mike laughed after her.

"Sorry---" a blushing Adrienne reappeared. "Hey," she said to Tiffany. "It's nice to meet you at last. Mike's had a lot to say about you---" she kindly held out a hand for Tiffany to shake.

"It's nice to meet you too Mrs. Armstrong," Tiffany shyly took Adrienne's outstretched hand but the warmness of her gaze soon put her at ease. "So you say Mike's been talking about me?"

"Call me Adie---Mrs. Armstrong makes me feel old! And yes he has. I've lost count of the amount of times he's been round asking Billie for help about what to do!"

"Ok Adrienne that's quite enough!" Mike interrupted. "Where's Billie?"

"He's taking a leak---"

"Well that's great---just use my toilet without asking!"

The three of them laughed then Mike signalled for the two women to follow him out of the music room and into the living room. It wasn't long before Billie made an appearance. Tiffany giggled as he flopped down next to Adrienne and proceeded to kiss her fiercely, running his tongue over her bottom lip.

"I hope you aimed right this time---" Mike interrupted.

"I always do!"

"Nuh uh! My feet got soaked the last time you used my toilet!"

"Hey, I was drunk! I really didn't care where I was pissing! All I was bothered about was emptying my bladder before it exploded!"

"So Tiffany, what brings you round here tonight?" Adrienne asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Well---umm---I'm going to sound like such a whore now but---my boyfriend and I had a fight---"

"Has he found out you're fucking Mikey?!" Billie piped up.

"Billie!" both Mike and Adrienne yelled.

"What? I was only asking!"

"No Billie he does not know," Tiffany replied quietly, blushing.

"Hey, sorry honey I didn't mean to embarrass you---"

"I'm not embarrassed---just a little intimidated."

"Intimidated?!"

"Yeah---here I am with Billie Joe fucking Armstrong and his very beautiful wife on one side of me and the guy who's been my hero since I was fifteen on the other!"

"Listen honey, don't be intimidated by us," Adrienne offered. "Any friend of Mike's is a friend of ours. So what if you've got a boyfriend? Hell, I was engaged to someone else when I decided to move out here to be with Billie! You gotta do what makes you happy!"

"Amen to that!" Tiffany giggled.

"Don't go getting any ideas from Tiffany," Billie warned Adrienne. "You do not have my permission to sleep around!"

"Baby, I do what I want with or without your permission! But even if I had the chance to go with another guy I wouldn't and you know that---"

Mike and Tiffany watched open mouthed as Billie and Adrienne engaged in a fevered tongue war.

"They haven't changed since they were eighteen," Mike whispered.

"A love like that is sweet---"

"That's not love---that's unwanted porn! Alright you two cool off! No humping on my couch!"
Billie groaned in dismay as he pulled away from Adrienne. "But it'd give you something to watch!"

"No Billie. Not tonight!"

Billie groaned again, sparking off laughter from Tiffany and Adrienne. The four them sat back and relaxed in each others company, before they talked long into the night.