Falling Into Place
You Know I Could Never Ask for Help
"Mr. Armstrong. Would you care to join us today?" The teacher tapped on Billie Joe's desk as he blissfully slept.
"Take that as a no..." She mumbled and walked away. As soon as her back was turned Mike kicked his friend in the shin.
"Wake the fuck up!" He loudly whispered and Billie sat up instantly with a grunt.
He was just about to fully get a hold of his surroundings when the bell rang. Excitedly he stood up...time for lunch.
"Mr. Armstrong." He turned around and the teacher indicated for him to come see her.
"Yeah, Ms. Balissimo." She sighed heavily, adjusted some papers on her desk and fumbled with her grade book.
"You know your failing this English course with a 42%." He rolled his eyes... midterms were around the corner and it was his Junior year. He had gotten alot of these grade speeches lately.
"Yeah...I know."
"Billie I know you can write. I know you have potential, why don't you use it...stop being lazy."
He shifted his weight to his other side in response. Just then Katherine Anderson walked in. Billie knew her well, they had been in the same homeroom together since the 2nd grade along with some basic classes...she was very smart. No one knew anything else about her...no one really talked to her.
"Ah, Miss. Anderson. Could you come here please?" Billie cocked his eyebrow up. This couldn't be good.
"Yes?" He barely even heard her and he was directly beside her.
"I would appreciate it, and expect it of you, to tutor Mr. Armstrong here. He is failing most of his classes, and particularly in dire need of help in this one." She bowed her head to look at her shoes.
"Please, I know you participate in a study program where you help people...this is no different. Thank you. You two can set up your schedule from here... and I will expect you to try Billie." He sighed again and walked behind Katherine to her desk.
"Meet me after school behind the field house. We can talk there." He strolled out, slinging his bag over his shoulder, with one last, "As soon as the bell rings" being mumbled.
*
She knew what he was all about. In a band. Did drugs. Hung out with, by her standards, the cooler kids in school. Everyone knew him by name...or reputation. And now she was being dragged into the picture.
Kate, just don't show up. You don't have to go. Turn around now...while you can. You don't need this.
She thought to herself, without noticing that her feet had carried her to her destination.
"Hey. Finally. Lets get this set up with already." He scared her, he was leaned up against the wall, his thin frame sticking out. A cigarette carelessly hanging on to his bottom lip.
"So are you going to talk to me or what...it would kind of help, ya know." Kate bite the inside of her lip to suppress the laugh.
"Or not. Whatever. I'll just tell you what works for me then. Band practice is from 3-7...whatever time is left...I can break up for this. Come back here tomorrow anytime through the day...I'll be here." With that he walked by her, leaving the faint smell of cheap cologne and cigarette smoke floating behind him.
Easier than she bet it would be.
She too then turned for home, oddly happy it went thatwell. The door to her house squeaked open and she was immediately greeted by the sweet smell of Spaghetti sauce.
"Hi honey, how was your day?"
"Alright I guess."
"Anything happen at school?" Even though she just answered that question, for the most part, she responded.
"No. When are we going to eat?"
"As soon as your dad gets home." She sighed and made her way up to her room.
Her life wasn't terrible, beyond the fact her mother was always butting into her life. Kate was an only child with a contractor father, and stay at home mother. They weren't divorced...no broken home, in fact her parents were very much still in love. Not much room to breath here. Her mom was constantly encouraging her to make friends and to bring them around...yeah right. Kate would have to know what to say, to make friends. But she couldn't ever find something to talk about with the kids at school. She was much more confident when she was writing...or thinking to herself...cant go wrong when your thinking to yourself. You know what you want to hear.
Kate got up and looked in the mirror. She was very average. Skinny, but toned...just because she was a brain didn't mean she wasn't athletic. Her hair was a chocolate brown that would look amazing if she figured out how to style it. Kate didn't wear make up besides the little streak of eyeliner under her light blue eyes, even though her mother had bought tons of it. She wore blue jeans and a plain black t shirt. The closet to her right was filled with basic clothes like them. No detail, you cant be judged or categorized.
"Kate, come on down for dinner."
She poked her stomach and frowned. "I'm not really that hungry, I'll pass."
Fortunately for her, her mother didn't fight her on this tonight. She pulled out her Biology book and began to read the chapter they were going to start next week, pulling out some note cards as well.
Kate pulled her face up off her book and groggily looked at the clock next to her bed that blinked, 11. She groaned and wondered what had awoken her in the first place...oh yeah...the dream. It disturbed her, only because of one detail. Billie Joe had been the lead role.
But...why?
"Take that as a no..." She mumbled and walked away. As soon as her back was turned Mike kicked his friend in the shin.
"Wake the fuck up!" He loudly whispered and Billie sat up instantly with a grunt.
He was just about to fully get a hold of his surroundings when the bell rang. Excitedly he stood up...time for lunch.
"Mr. Armstrong." He turned around and the teacher indicated for him to come see her.
"Yeah, Ms. Balissimo." She sighed heavily, adjusted some papers on her desk and fumbled with her grade book.
"You know your failing this English course with a 42%." He rolled his eyes... midterms were around the corner and it was his Junior year. He had gotten alot of these grade speeches lately.
"Yeah...I know."
"Billie I know you can write. I know you have potential, why don't you use it...stop being lazy."
He shifted his weight to his other side in response. Just then Katherine Anderson walked in. Billie knew her well, they had been in the same homeroom together since the 2nd grade along with some basic classes...she was very smart. No one knew anything else about her...no one really talked to her.
"Ah, Miss. Anderson. Could you come here please?" Billie cocked his eyebrow up. This couldn't be good.
"Yes?" He barely even heard her and he was directly beside her.
"I would appreciate it, and expect it of you, to tutor Mr. Armstrong here. He is failing most of his classes, and particularly in dire need of help in this one." She bowed her head to look at her shoes.
"Please, I know you participate in a study program where you help people...this is no different. Thank you. You two can set up your schedule from here... and I will expect you to try Billie." He sighed again and walked behind Katherine to her desk.
"Meet me after school behind the field house. We can talk there." He strolled out, slinging his bag over his shoulder, with one last, "As soon as the bell rings" being mumbled.
*
She knew what he was all about. In a band. Did drugs. Hung out with, by her standards, the cooler kids in school. Everyone knew him by name...or reputation. And now she was being dragged into the picture.
Kate, just don't show up. You don't have to go. Turn around now...while you can. You don't need this.
She thought to herself, without noticing that her feet had carried her to her destination.
"Hey. Finally. Lets get this set up with already." He scared her, he was leaned up against the wall, his thin frame sticking out. A cigarette carelessly hanging on to his bottom lip.
"So are you going to talk to me or what...it would kind of help, ya know." Kate bite the inside of her lip to suppress the laugh.
"Or not. Whatever. I'll just tell you what works for me then. Band practice is from 3-7...whatever time is left...I can break up for this. Come back here tomorrow anytime through the day...I'll be here." With that he walked by her, leaving the faint smell of cheap cologne and cigarette smoke floating behind him.
Easier than she bet it would be.
She too then turned for home, oddly happy it went thatwell. The door to her house squeaked open and she was immediately greeted by the sweet smell of Spaghetti sauce.
"Hi honey, how was your day?"
"Alright I guess."
"Anything happen at school?" Even though she just answered that question, for the most part, she responded.
"No. When are we going to eat?"
"As soon as your dad gets home." She sighed and made her way up to her room.
Her life wasn't terrible, beyond the fact her mother was always butting into her life. Kate was an only child with a contractor father, and stay at home mother. They weren't divorced...no broken home, in fact her parents were very much still in love. Not much room to breath here. Her mom was constantly encouraging her to make friends and to bring them around...yeah right. Kate would have to know what to say, to make friends. But she couldn't ever find something to talk about with the kids at school. She was much more confident when she was writing...or thinking to herself...cant go wrong when your thinking to yourself. You know what you want to hear.
Kate got up and looked in the mirror. She was very average. Skinny, but toned...just because she was a brain didn't mean she wasn't athletic. Her hair was a chocolate brown that would look amazing if she figured out how to style it. Kate didn't wear make up besides the little streak of eyeliner under her light blue eyes, even though her mother had bought tons of it. She wore blue jeans and a plain black t shirt. The closet to her right was filled with basic clothes like them. No detail, you cant be judged or categorized.
"Kate, come on down for dinner."
She poked her stomach and frowned. "I'm not really that hungry, I'll pass."
Fortunately for her, her mother didn't fight her on this tonight. She pulled out her Biology book and began to read the chapter they were going to start next week, pulling out some note cards as well.
Kate pulled her face up off her book and groggily looked at the clock next to her bed that blinked, 11. She groaned and wondered what had awoken her in the first place...oh yeah...the dream. It disturbed her, only because of one detail. Billie Joe had been the lead role.
But...why?