Bastards of Young

“Did you seriously just ask me how the rigors of touring have affected my artistic outlook,” Mike was filling up the van while Billie slept, so Tre took it upon himself to call for the interview.

“Just answer it, Tre,” he had been giving me a hard time for the entire interview.

“That’s a retarded question.”

“You’re a retarded question,” I sighed as he laughed.

“That didn’t even make sense!”

“Okay, then just say what ever you want, Tre,” I was at my wits end as most people would be at 3AM. It had been my first night at work and my feet were killing me on top of I had beer poured all over me by an over zealous man intent on giving me a hug. All I wanted was to take a bath and crawl into bed, but Ashley had told me I needed to have something by the next meeting at lunch or I was out.

“Well, this isn’t like our first tour or anything like that, but we’ve really come together as musicians and it’s been amazing to watch and experience. Our work ethic has just like blossomed and way hotter girls are willing to give us head in the van. It’s a beautiful time, really.”

I shook my head, laughing as I jotted down what he had said. “Tre, you can be fucking amazing sometimes, you know that?”

“Psh, bitch, try all the time! But, hey! Gotta go. See you soon, Ellie May,” there was a click and the line went dead. I hung up as well and looked over the few quotes I managed to get from him, wondering if they would satisfy Ashley. Tossing the note pad onto the counter in front of me and heading out towards the stairs, I decided it’d have to do.

I could hear music playing softly in Tracy’s bedroom and the light was still on. “Come in,” came her surprisingly cheerful voice in response to my soft knocking. Opening the door I found her curled up in her bed, reading. “How was work?”

“Interesting,” I said climbing into the bed next to her. “I think I like it.”

“You reek of alcohol,” she said as she scrunched her nose in disgust.

“Yeah… some of the patrons got a little wild.”

“Go take a bath,” she said pushing me to get out of the bed. “Then girl talk.”

I got out of the bed grudgingly, “I just want to lay down, dammit.”

“You’ll feel better after a bath,” she waved me on and I dragged my feet to the bathroom across the hall. Removing my damp shirt I looked at my stomach from the front and side, wondering if I was gaining weight.

“God,” I said with a resigned tone as I looked at my perceived beer gut. Looking up I saw a little red bump forming on my forehead. “He won’t be able to keep his hands off me,” I mumbled as I rubbed the zit with my index finger. I flipped on the water to let it get warm before I got in and removed the rest of my clothing.

As the warm water flowed over my body I felt knots I didn’t even realize I had undoing themselves. I scrubbed shampoo into my hair and felt a wave of excitement at the thought that in less than forty-eight hours I could be bathing with Billie in the living room strumming at his guitar or already in bed asleep, but the main point being that he would be here.

Suddenly, I heard Tracy running from her room. “Everything okay,” I called out, startled.

“Yeah, Larry’s here,” she shouted back excitedly.

“Why doesn’t he just move in already,” I said mockingly to no reply as I rolled my eyes. I finished washing up and stepped out into the steamy bathroom. As I dried off with a towel I heard Tracy’s door shut. “Guess girl talk is out.”

The apartment was eerily quiet as I stepped out a few minutes later, pulling up my sweat pants as I went. The closer I got to my room the more my body felt weighted down with exhaustion, but as my foot slammed into something hard on the middle of the living room floor everything seemed to spring to life as I cursed loudly.

“I’m going to fucking kill Tracy,” I said limping into my dark room and allowing myself to fall limply into my bed with a grunt. Once again my body sprang back to life as I quickly realized I wasn’t alone. “What the fuck,” I screamed scrambling up and to the light switch, readying myself for a battle with whatever was in my bed.

“Turn off the light and stop yelling,” said a groggily squinting Billie from my bed. My eyes grew wide as I covered my mouth in surprise.

“What are you doing here,” I asked finally.

“Our last show got cancelled,” he sat up grinning and still squinting in the light as he attempted to rub sleep out of his eye. He looked skinnier than the last time I saw him. His hair was unskillfully cut short and dyed black again. A light shading of stubble was covering his jaw as he opened his mouth again. “So… surprise!” I watched him throw his hands up to add flare to the “surprise” still in shock. After a second everything had been processed and my face split into a wide smile.

“I’m sorry about your show.”

Billie shrugged as if he really didn’t care. “’Got me to you faster.” At that I turned off the light and started to climb into bed next to him. I felt his hand come up under my arm, pulling me closer so that he could kiss me before hugging me tightly.

“I’m glad you’re home,” I whispered as nuzzled into the hug.

“Meee too.”

“So,” I said pulling back to look at him. “When Tre called?”

“We were unloading,” he slid a cold hand up under my shirt and rested it on my side causing me to squirm.

“You must be exhausted,” I said in that weird pitying voice every girl adopts when fawning over their boyfriends or husbands or children or little dogs. I ran my hand through his greasy hair and added, “Filthy too,” as I pulled my hand back and wiped it on his shirt teasingly.

“You can add hungry to that list,” I could see his smile in the darkness.

“Go take a shower and I’ll make us sandwiches or something.”

“I don’t think I can make it to the bathroom,” he sighed laying back down onto the bed.

“C’mon, handsome,” I crawled over him to the other side. Grabbing his wrists I pulled him up. “You’ll feel a lot better.” Billie just let out a over exaggerated grunt of frustration as I pulled him out of bed and started to guide him from my room to the stairs.

“Watch out for my guitar case,” he said quickly.

“Already found it, thanks,” I giggled as Billie apologized with a laugh as well. “See you in a second.” My hands dropped his wrists in the assumption that he could make it the rest of the way, but I paused at the kitchen door when I realized he had stopped walking. “What,” I asked flipping on the kitchen light to find him standing slouched where I had left him with a smirk on his face.

“I’m going to need more help than that.” I rolled my eyes and stepped forward, grabbing the front of his jeans before continuing to the bathroom.

“You’re such a baby.”

“Yep. Have I told you how much I missed your hands in my pants yet?”

I giggled as we approached the door that I pushed open. “I’ve missed it too. Is this good enough,” I asked pulling him into the middle of the bathroom. In response he looked at me pointedly, raising his arms in the air.

“Oh my God, you’re joking?” His grin got wider as he shook his head no. With a sigh I pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it on the floor. “You’re lucky I love you,” I gave him a kiss as I undid his belt.

“I am,” he replied seriously. When I was done I turned on the water and walked over the linen closet to grab a wash cloth.

“You’re on your own now,” I threw the wash cloth at his smiling head. “God speed, Spalding.”

“Thanks, babe,” he said with a content sigh. I merely grinned as I closed the door, leaving him to do his thing. Back in the kitchen I turned the radio and turned the volume of “Who’ll Stop the Rain.” I sang softly along with John Fogerty as I laid out the bread and peanut butter.

“Where the fuck is the jelly,” I mumbled as I looked over the refrigerator for the third time in search of the pesky grape treat. Finally I found it behind the orange juice just as the song ended and “Wild Boys” by Duran Duran started up. Without concern for any slumbering roommates I turned up the radio and started to do a little dance as I spread peanut butter over what I planned to be Billie’s sandwich. From upstairs I heard a door open, but didn’t let it interrupt my Me Time with Simon Le Bron.

“Do you dance like that when you hear our songs on the radio,” I looked over at an amused Billie leaning against the door frame with a towel wrapped around his waste.

“No,” I said finishing the sandwich prep and reaching out to grab his hand, still dancing. “I mainly just scream and tell anyone who’ll listen that I’ve slept with the singer.” He laughed as I dragged him to the more open part of the kitchen and forced him to dance with me.

“You’re going to make my towel fall off,” he said moving awkwardly to try and keep it around his waist.

“It won’t be anything I didn’t just see ten minutes ago! Live a little,” with that I yanked the towel off of him and held it out of his reach.

“Jean,” he said between laughs and he leaned over me to get it.

“Nope,” I laughed as well, putting my hand on his chest to keep him away. “Mine now.”

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand off his chest and guided it to his neck as he stepped forward and leaned in for a kiss. Smiling, I dropped the towel and wrapped my other arm around his neck as well as our lips met. We stood like that making out for a few minutes until I felt things getting a little more intense. “Go to the bedroom,” I said grabbing his towel and handing it to him. “I’ll make us drinks and bring it to you.”

“Okay,” he said grinning dumbly. He gave me one more kiss before going to the bedroom like I said. After putting the plates and two glasses of milk on a tray I turned off the radio and joined him.

“Why don’t you change into pajamas,” I asked after noting that he was laid out in the bed naked still.

“They’re all nasty.”

“Hang on,” I said setting the tray in the middle of the bed. Opening the bottom drawer of my dresser I grabbed a pair of boxers and a t-shirt he had left awhile back. “Here,” I said tossing them to him.

“Oh, score,” he stood happily pulling the fading shirt over his head and then slipping into the boxers. Carefully climbing into the bed we both started to munch on the sandwiches. “God, I feel better,” he said after a moment of silence.

“Told you.”

“What do you want to do today?”

“I have a zine meeting at 12 and work at 10… between that my time is at your command, hoss.”

“Hm,” he took a sip of milk that left an unnoticed mustache. “Let sleep me until five and then we can go see what the city can offer us… and maybe come back for a nap before you go to work?”

I smirked as I wiped the ‘stache off with my thumb. “Sounds like a plan.”

“Gah,” Billie said lying back slowly after we had finished our sandwiches a few minutes later. “It’s like I want to have sex, but I don’t think I can.” I just shook my head in amusement as I placed the plates on the bedside table and got up to turn off the light. “Like, I feel kind of bad that we haven’t done it yet.”

“Why,” I asked scrunching my nose, looking down at him.

“Because it’s all I thought about on the way here. I considered jumping you in the shower, but Tracy said you needed your time.”

I just smiled and flipped the switch, sending us into darkness except for the light from the streetlights peeking in slightly from behind the blinds. “Want to wake up before I have to go to the meeting and have some fun then,” I asked climbing into bed and laying my head on his chest as I wrapped my arm his head so that I could play with his hair before dozing off.

“Okay,” he started to sound more asleep as he ran his nails up and down my back. We were quiet and I was nearly asleep when he whispered, “Oh, I love you,” as if it was something important he had forgotten to tell me.

“I know,” I replied with a grin before turning my head to the side and giving him a kiss on the cheek. “I love you, too.”

“And, you know, I’d be totally up for a hand job… if you were, I mean.”

“Go to town,” I said forming a wide C with my hand and plopping it down on his chest.

“Shit, you’re generous.” He said feeling my hand. We laughed ourselves to sleep as the sun started to rise outside.