You've Got to Hide Your Love Away

Billie nearly fell over from the shock. Ava pushed him up against the wall, her eyes closed and lips pressed against his. She kissed him hard, and before he knew it, he was returning the kiss, letting his eyes close. She kissed his top lip, the shifted quickly to the bottom one, biting down just enough to send a shock of pleasure and pain through him. She pushed him further into the wall, her hands going towards his face as he placed his arms on her waist, almost to steady her before he realized that they were the same height and she didn't have to raise up on her feet to kiss him like Adrienne did. He didn't know if he liked that or if it scared him. Her lips tasted waxy with a hint of cherry, just the way the lip gloss label claimed they should. His breath tasted a little like nicotine and boy, just like she'd expected.

She wound her right hand around his neck, moving to the back of his head while she let her left drop to his chest and flex against his soft cotton t-shirt. It wasn't until she pulled on the ends of his hair that Billie sobered and realized exactly what was going on that he managed to break the kiss and detangle himself from Ava.

"Ava, Ava, hold on."

"Hm?" She asked, trying to sound innocent. She bit her lip, folding the pink flesh between her teeth.

"I can't do this."

"Why not?"

"Because, Ava, I just-"

"Don't you like me?" She asked, her eyes going all glossy and batting her fucking eyelashes. It was a move she learned from all of the great women, Marilyn, Madonna. But it wasn't about to work on him.

“It's not that, Ava, it's-”

“Cause you just kissed me.”

“What? You kissed me!” He raised his voice.

“Well you weren't exactly protesting, were you?”

“Ava, if a pretty girl kisses you you don't exactly just sit there like a statue-”

“You think I'm pretty?”

“Do you get whiplash from how fast your mind changes lanes?”

She grinned. “Sometimes. You?"

"All the time. I don't understand you." his tone softened.

"S'okay. I get that a lot." He could imagine. "People don't know whether they want to kiss me or kick my ass."

He laughed.

"Like just now. A minute ago we were lip locked and ten seconds ago you looked like you wanted to hit me."

"I did."

"I'm not surprised."

He laughed, but it was forced. She smiled, and her eyes were understanding, even though she had no idea what the conditions of the war waging in his head were.

"Listen, I'm gonna head out, I think I've had enough 'quiet time' for a while."

"You're just gonna leave me here after all that?"

"I'm sure you need some time to think."

"You'd be right about that."

"When are you going to learn, Armstrong? I always am."

**********************************************************************************
“Ava!” She turned around at the familiar voice, breaking her train of thought. She was sitting on the roof of the bus, a cigarette burning in her left hand. She smiled in acknowledgment to Andy's presence as he waved, climbing through the sun roof to sit join her. “What's up, baby?”

She shrugged, then stubbed out the remainder of her cigarette and looked away from his face , back to the landscape.

“Hey, kid, what's going on?” His expression softened as he looked at her, really looked at her in a way that only he ever could.

“I dunno. A lotta stuff, I guess.” She was being distant, but he knew he could crack her in a few minutes. She didn't even know why she bothered with the facade against Andy half the time.

“Well, with you there always is.”

She grinned a shallow smile that faltered, finally turning towards him. “I just-” she sighed, “I'm wondering if this tour was the right thing for us, you know? I guess I'm just playing a little bit of the regret game.”

“What's to regret?”

“I dunno, it's a little mainstream, don't you think? Like, what are people gonna think of us now?”

“I can smell that bullshit like a day old tampon, Ava. I know you better than that. You don't give a fuck what anyone thinks about you, not even me. What's really eating you?”

She turned away.

“We're having fun, right? I know you are. When I see you singing, its like you've never been that happy at any other show. And you're kicking ass, out there.” He stopped. “Is this about Billie Joe?”

Ava had never lied in her life and wasn't about to start now, so she decided her best alternative was just to keep quiet.

“I thought so.” He smiled. “He likes you, you know. Probably thinks about you more than you ever think about him.”

“Still, Andy, that doesn't really change things -”

“What's there to change? Both of you are just too damn proud to admit that fact that you practically eye fuck each other when you think no one's looking. One of you just needs to get over the bad-ass punk rock diva thing you've got going on and make a real move.”

“But Andy, he's Billie Joe Armstrong.”

“So? You we're flirting with him from day one.”

“Yeah but that was different.”

“How the fuck so?”

“I just liked watching him sweat, I never thought-”

“That you'd actually start to like him?”

“Well yeah, and now, well, s'weird, you know?”

“What is?”

“The whole, celebrity crush thing.”

“You have crushes on plenty of celebrities. What about Paul McCartney? If it was him you'd have already found a way into his pants.”

“Yes, dear, because Paul McCartney is a fucking God. Billie Joe Armstrong is like, a twelve year old-Hot Topic Wearing- greasy haired girl's dream.” Damn Billie for making her feel like a fucking teenager again.

“So what? He's still fucking hot.”

She laughed, throwing her head back.

“What, you know I've never been one to discriminate.” She grinned.

“Okay, so we've established the fact that he's hot. That still doesn't change that fact that I'd been rock-n-roll's new Courtney fucking Love if I acted on it.”

“Baby, you just gotta do what you want. Fuck what everyone else thinks. Hasn't that been your philosophy from day one?”

She sighed. “I guess you're right, as always.” She stood up and brushed herself off, leaning down to kiss him on the cheek. “Thanks, baby.”

“You're welcome, kiddo.” She turned to walk away.

“Hey, Ava?”

“Yeah, Andy?”

“It's not like anyone would have to know.” He smirked. She tilted her head, considering. She smiled.

“You just have the best fucking ideas. I knew I there was some reason I kept you around.”

“Aside from the electrifying personality, stunning good looks, and my drumming skills?”

“Baby, you're not that exciting, I've seen better, and please, I could always just get a fucking drum machine and throw it in back.”

“Love you too, Aves.”

“Always, Andy.”