I Liked it Better When They Were Young

Monday 19th September 8:29am

*Sophie’s P.O.V*

I went into school this morning expecting the expected. At the start of every day we’re always told to expect the unexpected, because you never know what might happen. But this has never seemed to work for me. I’d always go in, expecting the unexpected, only to be disappointed by the same old shit. So this morning, I went in expecting the expected. Boy, did I get the unexpected.

I stood at the bus stop, expecting it to be ten minutes late, but it screeched around the corner, dead on time. I tilted my head to one side. Maybe it was the wrong bus.

“Is this the 3A to Pinole High School?” I asked the bus driver.

“Yep.” He said cheerfully, “That’s a dollar please.” A dollar? He didn’t even charge me full! Normally, I get shit for looking older that I am and have to have a full blown argument with the bus driver about my age. I handed him the dollar, in a little daze and walked up to my seat. It was a blip, I told myself on the ride to school, the rest of the day would be exactly the same.

Wrong again.

I got off the bus and walked up the ten thousand stairs to my classroom. Most kids get to wait in the grounds for five minutes or so, but because my registration classroom is on the third floor, I can’t exactly wait. I opened the door to my class, yet again expecting the expected. I took a seat, expecting Tre, to give me a few awkward glances before turning around to listen to Mr Beck. He looked over, and I looked back. But instead of staying put, he got up and walked over, taking Billie’s empty seat for his own.

“Hey.” He said coolly, putting his bag on the floor next to mine. I gaped at him. “How’ve you been?” He asked me.

“Uh, fine, I guess.”

“Good.” Tre said, smiling. What was the matter with him? Why was he being so confident?
And friendly and outgoing?

“I hope you don’t mind me sitting here,” Tre continued, “I just didn‘t think Billie would be coming in somehow.” Ah. Now that was another reason I was expecting the expected. Billie wouldn’t come in to school. That was very much the expected. I was sick of willing him to come through the door and sit next to me. Some things don’t change.

“Right!” Mr Beck said, register in his hand. “Hannah?”

“Here.”

“Rebecca?”

“Here.”

“Billie Joe?” Silence. Tre gave me an “I told you so” kind of look. Mr Beck’s hands were poised over the register, ready to mark him absent. Then the door opened without so much as a creak and Billie strode in, school bag over his shoulder. There was a moments silence, then people started whispering away to each other. Billie strolled up to his seat and did a bit of a double take when he saw it was occupied.. He then folded his arms, looking down at Tre, who looked up at him innocently.

“Tre. Can I have my seat back?” Billie asked him, in a way that meant, “Give me my seat back and give it back now.” Tre gave him a smile and said, “Oh yeah, sure. Sorry.” And moved his bag without a backward glance. Normally he would crumble under Billie’s gaze, but not this time. He was holding his own today for some reason. Billie watched him go, then took a seat next to me.

“Here.” He said coolly to Mr Beck, who gaped at him like a startled goldfish. He then clicked his pen and marked Billie present. Billie gave him a sneering smile, then turned to me.

“Hey.” He said. I smiled at him.

“Hi. So you came back?” He nodded.

“It’s good to see you again Soph.” I grinned. He held up his school bag. “Thanks for bringing this back by the way.” The bell rang and we filed off to our first class. Maths. Tre caught up with us in the hallway.

“Hey guys.” Billie cocked an eyebrow, then gave him this look. It was the kind of look that said, “Who are you to talk to me?”

“Hey.” He said slowly. Tre beamed at us both. I folded my arms. I still wasn’t in the best mood with him.

“So, we off to maths?” Tre asked. What was he doing? Why was he talking to me as if nothing had happened?

“Uh, I guess.” I murmured. Billie shrugged.

“Yeah, sure. Whatever.” Tre smiled and walked alongside us. We passed Mike in the
corridor, and he raised his eyebrows once at us. Billie stopped to talk to him for a second, leaving me and Tre to walk on to class.

“Listen...” Tre began, as we walked down one flight of stairs to Maths. “I’m sorry about what I said. You know, about Billie. I was totally over the line, I mean, I don’t even really know the guy.”

“No you don’t.” Tre folded his arms, annoyed that I was killing his heartfelt apology. I sighed.

“Ok. Fine. I accept. So what are you saying, you want to get to know him better?”

“Well, yes. I mean, what don’t I know about him? Tell me about him.” I cocked an eyebrow, and was about to ask him what the hell he was on about when Billie caught up with us.

“Hey. I said we’d meet Mike for lunch if that’s ok, Soph?” I nodded,

“Yeah, that’s fine. Just in the cafe?”

“Uh, no, we thought we’d go to the burger bar and dine, y’know, “Alfresco”...” Billie said, grinning. I laughed at him.

“Alfresco.” Tre said, correcting Billie’s pronunciation which was anything but perfect. Billie looked at him lazily.

“Uh huh.” He said, before turning back to me. “So, we'll meet you by the bike sheds.” I laughed.

“This is sounding more and more familiar by the second.” He grinned,

“Yeah, well it’s my first day back in a long time, so why not make it like my first day ever?”

“Can I come?” Tre asked coyly. Billie raised one eyebrow very slowly, then looked at me. I gave him my worst look before saying to Tre, “Course you can.” Billie rolled his eyes. We arrived at the classroom and I indicated for Tre to go inside first. I then turned to Billie.

“What the hell is your problem?” I whispered. “I thought you liked him, I thought we were all friends?”

“We are...” Billie said absentmindedly, “But...”

“But what?” I sighed, “What don’t I know, Billie?” Billie sighed too.

“Nothing. According to someone there isn’t anything you don’t know. Or don’t share.” I frowned.

“What? What are you talking about, Billie?”

“Mr Armstrong! Miss Morgan! If you’d be so kind?” Our maths teacher, Miss Ecker stood by the board, arms folded, her foot tapping impatiently. Me and Billie trudged into class and slouched by our desks. I didn’t speak to him all through class. I spent the lesson with Tre.

11:03am

*Tre’s P.O.V*
Result! I am friends with Sophie again. It’s really starting to feel like old times again. And I mean old old times, before Billie and Mike showed up. We’ve been talking and having a good old banter all morning. It finally feels like I’m her best friend again. She hasn’t really spoken to He Who Must Not Be Named (Billie) at all today! But we’re all going to lunch together this afternoon at Tight Wad Hill. That should be interesting! But Mike will be there too, so it should be ok.

Me and Sophie are in English together at the moment, the only class Billie’s not in with us. We have to write a short description of Holden Caulfield out of “Catcher in the Rye.” Sophie had her head down and was working away. I glanced at her page.

“Wow! You’ve written a lot!” I said. She smiled.

“Yeah, it’s one of my favourite books. Holden reminds me of...” She paused. I raised my eyebrows. “Well, of someone.” She carried on writing. I put two and two together.

“Billie.” I said, not meaning to say it out loud. Sophie looked up again.

“Well yeah. Does he remind you of Holden too?” I shrugged.

“I don’t know, I guess. He doesn’t really remind me of anyone. He’s just Billie.” Sophie laughed.

“I dunno. He reminds me of a lot of people pieced together into one.” I smiled, although inside I was screaming. She still liked him. She would always like him. Every time she saw something, or read something, heard a song on the radio or met someone new, she’d find a way to make them relate to her Billie. I bit my lip. Love could really suck.

“So, uh, who do I remind you of?” I asked hopefully. Sophie put her pen down and looked at me closely.

“I don’t know.” She said softly, “You’re just Tre.” And then she went back to work. I sighed,

“Yeah.” I muttered, so only I could hear. “I’m just Tre.”

12:59pm

*Billie’s P.O.V*

At the Bike sheds with Mike, waiting for Soph and Tre. Mike was smoking. I couldn’t be bothered.

“I don’t like him.” I said, staring into space.

“Who?” Mike asked, taking another drag.

“Tre.” Mike handed me the joint and I inhaled. “He’s just another spoiled little rich kid who had everything handed to him.”

“I don’t know if he’s spoiled.” Mike pondered, “He doesn’t have everything he wants.”

“Oh who’s side are you on?!” I snapped angrily. Mike laughed.

“Someone’s in a good mood! What’s up with you? Didn’t smoke enough pot this morning? Get up on the wrong side of the bong?” I shoved him.

“I don’t see you complaining about the fact I sell joints.” Mike laughed and put out the joint he‘d been smoking.

“No. But I don’t complain about much.” I sneered.

“You complain about me. Like, constantly.” Mike ignored this comment, he had an annoying know it all smile on his face.

“I know exactly why you don’t like him.” I shot daggers at him.

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah. Coz you like someone else. Who he happens to like.” I scoffed.

“You’re just saying that coz your stoned.” Mike laughed.

“No. I just know these things.” Just then Soph and Tre came walking up to us, arm in arm like some 50s couple. I snorted in disgust. Mike walked up to them, and on the way, he whispered in my ear, “Be nice.”

“Hey guys.” Soph said, smiling at us, me included. And it looked like a genuine smile. Perhaps our little fall out was forgotten now. I smiled back.

“Hey, so, we off to lunch?” Tre and Soph nodded. I hated the way Tre nodded. Like a little nodding dog. Everything he did was so manic and jumpy. It gave me a headache.

“Let’s go then.” Mike said, walking off. I smirked, he was at least walking in a straight line. It was weird, pot didn’t seem to affect him as much as it affected me.

“Managing to walk straight, I see.” I muttered into his ear. I was awful sour today.

“That’s coz it’s some weak shit you sell Armstrong.” Mike hissed back, “Besides, you’re just jealous.” I rolled my eyes.

“Of what?”

“Of my excellent balance.” I scoffed, but it was slightly true. I hated stumbling everywhere like a retard when I was drunk or stoned. Mike was always so graceful. He annoyed me sometimes with how goddamn perfect he seemed to be.

Mike was walking along the side of the pavement now, showing off his “excellent balance”. Tre was walking alongside him, and every so often Mike would grab hold of him to stop himself from falling into the road. Soph was walking alongside me. She still wasn’t saying a word to me, but every so often she would look over and smile. It seemed like we’d made peace.

“You know, you’re the perfect height for this.” Mike said to Tre as he walked along the pavement. “Billie’s just that bit too big, Soph’s too short and Al’s far too tall. You’re just right.” That did it. Who was Tre, fucking goldilocks?! “Not too big, not too small, just right.” Good god, it was a stupid game that Mike thought was cool. I finally snapped. I waited until Mike was nearing the end of the pavement before casually knocking into him. He wobbled unsteadily, grabbing hold of Tre, who, of course, crumbled like a piece of paper. They both ended up on the luckily empty road in a heap.

Soph was laughing her head off. I smirked at Mike.
“Perfect balance, huh?” I walked on with Soph. “Come on, wusses, get on up and let’s eat.”

“You pushed me!” Mike wailed.

“Nonsense!” I yelled back, walking on with Soph. “Come on, we only have half an hour before
we go back!” Soph was still laughing.

“Stupid arses.” She said to me, looking back at Mike and Tre who were picking themselves off the ground.

“You pushed me Billie!” Mike yelled, running after us. “He always does that!” He said to Soph, when he and Tre had caught up with us, “He waits until I’m right near the end, then he just prods me, and I lose my balance.”

“What a load of rubbish Mike!” I sneered, although inside, I was hoping he dropped it before Soph or Tre caught on.

“Prodder!” Mike yelled, refusing to let it lie.

“Oh give it a rest.” I whispered to him urgently, while Soph and Tre walked on ahead to the burger van. “It’s only a game, Pritchard.”

“Don’t call me Pritchard! I hate that name, you know it’s Dirnt if you want to call me by my last name.”

“Aww, you know you love it really.” Mike shoved me away.

“Prodder.” He muttered under his breath. I gave him a devil- may-care smile and ran off to the burger van, where Soph and Tre were busy ordering.

1:23pm

*Sophie’s P.O.V.*

We’re all at Tight Wad Hill now. Twenty past one, and all is not well. There’s definitely a tension between us all. Something’s not right. Mike’s sulking in the goals, because Billie supposedly ruined his game. And me? I’m wedged between Billie and Tre. Not a very nice place to be.

“So why did you come back?” Tre asked Billie coolly. Billie’s head snapped towards Tre’s.

“Because I missed my friends.”

“Oh.” There was silence.
“So how come you were off so long? Pretty much all of September...” Tre was winding him up. And I couldn’t figure out why.

“Tre, what are you doing?” I asked him. But neither of them were listening to me.

“What’s wrong with being off in September?” Billie snapped. I rolled my eyes. There was no way Tre knew about September 1st. But Billie thought he did. What was going on between the pair of them?

“Nothing.” Tre said, a puzzled frown on his face. “Why? Should there be?” Billie relaxed a little, realising he still knew nothing.

“Doesn’t matter.” Mike got up out of the goals and walked over to us.

“So.” He said.

“So.”

“Does it feel good to be back?” Mike asked Billie.

“Yes and no.” Billie said, looking at me and Tre in turn as he spoke.

“Just like old times, huh?” Mike said. I shrugged.

“Yeah. I guess.” But this was nothing like old times. This was just plain awkward. Tre
checked his watch.

“We’d better get back. Art starts in ten minutes, and it’ll take us that just to walk back.

“Well, have fun.” Billie said sarcastically, lying back on the grass. I rolled my eyes.

“What’s the point in coming back to school if you don’t show up at your classes?” Billie shrugged. Mike got up.

“Well, I’m going back. I have music next.” Billie scoffed.

“Lucky for some.” I raised an eyebrow, interested.

“Oh, so music’s ok, then is it?” Billie nodded.

“Yeah, music’s fine.” He sighed, “And I guess art’s ok, so I’ll come back with you guys.” Tre smiled jokingly.

“Had a change of heart?”

“Something like that.” Billie said secretively, glaring at him. I quickly stood up, not wanting to be involved in a bitch fight.

“Ok, well, let’s go.” We all walked over to the bin and put away our rubbish, before walking back to school. Mike said goodbye to us at the gate before heading off to music and Tre, Billie and I trudged up the thirty thousand flights of stairs to Art.

As I sat in my seat, wedged yet again between Billie and Tre, I decided that from now on, I would expect the expected all the time. This technique worked much better for me. Today had been anything but expected. Billie had shown up for school, Tre seemed a bit more savvy and confident, we’d all gone to lunch, together, and now we were all back at school, together.

“Billie, can I borrow a rubber? My character’s face looks like a zombie....” Tre asked, thrusting the piece of paper under Billie’s nose just to prove his point. Billie threw a glance at Tre, looking up from his own drawing. If looks could kill, Tre would be lying dead on the floor.

“Uh huh.” He said testily, throwing his rubber in Tre’s direction.

“Thanks.” Tre said cheerily. Billie threw me an annoyed look. I laughed softly, patting him on the back. That seemed to cheer him up a bit, as he smiled a genuine smile. Small though it was, it was still a smile. The first I’d seen all day. I guess it was weird for him, being back again.

“This is nice, isn’t it?” Tre said, rubbing away, completely oblivious to the obvious tension between him and Billie Joe, “All of us back together. Just like normal.”

“Yeah...” Billie said sarcastically, going back to his drawing. “Just like normal.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed my art folder from the big pile, making a start on my own drawing. I didn’t know what any of today's events were, but they certainly weren’t normal.