Forgive and Forget: A Billie Joe Story

"Dinner will be ready in fifteen minutes," Linda announces. Ty gently pulls me over to the couch and we both sit down. He turns the TV back on and flips through the channels. He settles on iCarly.

"Thank God you didn't turn on something stupid," I laugh. Tysen looks at me with a grin.

"What do I wtach that's stupid?! I watch very interesting shows," he says. Billie sits on the recliner across from the couch.

"Umm, Aaron Stone."

"Yeah, that lost its interestingness after the first moth." I rest my head on Tysen's shoulder and close my eyes. "Aw, don't go to sleep yet, hun. I have a lot planned for tonight." My eyes shoot open and I jump a little away from him.

"Such as?"

"Checkers, duh!" He chuckles and I just rest my head on his shoulder again. Billie stays silent until Linda calls us in for dinner. We all get up and sit down at the table. Linda had already made our plates. I sit in the same seat as before, same with Billie and Tysen. Linda and Robbie sit at the opposite ends of the table. After a couple minutes of silent eating, Tysen clears his throat.

"Well, isn't this awkward...," he says, chewing a forkful of macaroni.

"Have you thought about what tattoo you were gonna get, El," Robbie asks, trying to strike up conversation. I smile.

"I've been thinking about it, and I think maybe I'll get a Japanese symbol," I explain.

"What do you want it to stand for," Linda inquires. I glance at Billie.

"Strength." He tenses up slightly, but I'm the only one who notices. It's silent again until Billie clears his voice like Tysen had.

"So, Ellie...," he starts, thinking of what to say. He watches me put a small piece of steak in my mouth. "I've always wanted to ask about your... eating habits... when you were still living with me." I swallow the meat.

"What about them," I ask nonchalantly.

"You never ate when you were around me for six straight months." I catch on to what he's trying to ask.

"I ate late at night. To make sure you never saw me. I never ate that much, though. I never had the right appetite."

"Oh." We all finish eating after more silence. Tysen and I go up to my room for the night after saying goodnight to everyone. We walk into my room and I close my door. He sits on my bed.

"Okay, so I got three questions," he says as he pulls my onto his lap.

"Go on," I say, smiling.

"Number one: are we sharing the bed?"

"If you want.

"Number two: what are we gonna do till we actually go to sleep?"

"We can watch a movie."

"And number three... well, it's not a question. More like a comment."

"And that comment would be?"

"That had to be the most awkward dinner I have ever had here." I laugh.

"Well, yeah. We have to get used to having him around." He smiles and kisses my cheek. I stand up and walk over to my dresser. "You can go into the bathroom and change if you want."

"I'm just gonna be wearing boxers, if that's okay," he says cautiously.

"That's fine." I pull a tank top and boxer-like short shorts out of a drawer. "Then I will go to the bathroom and get dressed while you pick a movie." I kiss him as I walk past him and leave the room. I walk down the hall and into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind me. I sigh as I realize what I just did. I stare at the doorknob before unlocking it. I'll be fine. I undress, then put the tank top and shorts on. I open the door and walk out with my clothes in my hand, almost running into the Billie.

"Oh, sorry," he says, backing up slightly.

"Nah, it's my fault," I say, chuckling. "I need to stop staring at my feet as I walk." He smiles at my relaxation, but makes sure he doesn't look at anything besides my eyes.

"You still do that?"

"Yeah... well, goodnight."

"G'night, El," he murmurs. I pass him and open the door to my room, feeling his regretful stare the entire time. I close the door to my room and see Ty looking at my DVD collection in his sweatpants but no shirt.

"You are such a showoff," I say. He looks back at me, and I laugh as his eyes widen.

"You are so beautiful, Ellie," he whispers, looking me over. He doesn't rest his eyes on any area for too long, which makes me feel much more comfortable. I smile.

"Did you pick a movie?" He looks back at the DVDs and picks one. He holds it up and I see the cover of my favourite movie.

"Yay," I say. He chuckles and starts it. He pulls the covers back so we both slide under them. We're half sitting up, so he pulls me closer and I rest my head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. Sweeney Todd begins to play. We stay awake for the entire movie. When it ends, Tysen turns the TV and DVD player off, making it almost pitch black besides the little nightlight.

"Are you tired," he asks.

"Yeah," I say, closing my eyes. He kisses the top of my head.

"Goodnight, baby girl."

I fall asleep before I can say anything.