I Liked it Better When They Were Young

Thurday 1st September 9:03am
In reggie. According to Mike, today's the day Billie's dad died. And he's not here. Mr Beck was calling out names from the register.

"Hannah?"

"Here."

"Rebecca?"

"Here."

"Billie Joe?" The room was silent. Mr Beck took a sharp breath through his nose, sighed disapprovingly and marked him absent. Tre leaned over.

"Where do you think he is?" He asked anxiously. I sighed.

"I don't know." He nodded slightly. I paused. "But I know someone who will." The bell rang and we were dismissed. Mike was waiting for us outside.

"Hey. So, we off to chemistry?" He asked.

"Billie's absent." I said. He said nothing. But he raised his eyebrows a little. I turned to Tre.

"You go on ahead, we'll catch up." He nodded and started off down the corridor. I turned to Mike. "Where is he?" He shrugged.

"I really don't know." I nodded and started walking towards the stairway. Mike looked confused.

"Hey, hey! Where are you going? Chemistry's that way." I stopped by the stairs and turned to face him.

"Oh, I'm not going to chemistry." I said coolly, "I'm going to find Billie." And I opened the door to the stairway and ran down the stairs. About ten seconds later I heard Mike crashing down the stairs after me. I went a little faster. I pushed open the fire exit door and ran outside to the parking lot. I had Mike's car keys on me. Well, they're actually Billie's older brother's. Mike left them at my house when he came 'round on Sunday. I can pass for about seventeen. Mike came lumbering out of the school in hot pursuit.

"SOPH!"

"GO BACK TO CLASS!" I yelled and I started up the engine. Just as I was about to drive off, Mike ran in front of the car. I slammed on the breaks.

"What do you think you're doing, you ass?!" I screamed, "I could have run you over!"

"Give me the keys." He said breathlessly. I got out of the car and walked up to him.

"No." I said firmly.

"No?"

"That's what I said." He tried a pathetic grab for them, but I was too quick for him. I put them behind my back. He raised his arm at me, then dropped it quickly, looking very ashamed of himself.

"Would you really hit a girl to get what you want, Mike?" I asked him dangerously. He shook his head.

"No." I smirked. Then he caught me off guard and snatched the keys out of my hand. I swore under my breath. He threw the keys up in the air and caught them tauntingly.

"You're fifteen, there's no way you're driving. Passengers seat." I squinted at him.

"NOW SOPHIE! You wanna find Billie or what?" I suddenly understood. I got in the car and sat in the passengers seat.

"Thanks." I said. Mike said nothing. He just got in and started up the car. He reversed with ease and we were speeding away from Pinole and into the centre of Rodeo.

"Where do you think he is?" I asked Mike. He shook his head.

"It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack. He could be anywhere. This isn't the first time he's done this. Last year I found him passed out in an alleyway on Gilmans St. Time's before that he's either been by the grave or wondering about town. I even found him in the bingo hall once!" I made an attempt to smile.

"So where should we start?"

"The grave." Mike said, turning a corner. "That's where he normally is. Mind you, if last year's anything to go by..." I nodded.

"Had he overdosed?"

"No! God no, he's not that bad! He was drunk." We arrived at the graveyard about ten minutes later. We got out of the car and ran up the gravel path, looking for Billie. I suddenly saw him, sitting on the ground a few metres away from us. He had a glass bottle in his hand. I nudged Mike.

"Look!" He followed my finger and smiled.

"Bingo!"We ran up to Billie. He looked up at us with wide eyes. He squinted, trying to see us clearly. When he realised who we were, he didn't look as worried.

"Oh. It's you." He said, emotionlessly. "How'd you find me?"

"How I always find you." Mike said gently. Billie took a swig out of the bottle. It was a half bottle of whisky. There wasn't much left. He was shivering slightly. I took off my leather jacket and offered it to him.

"Nah, that's ok." He said as he put it on. I looked at Mike, who raised his eyebrows once. Bille continued.

"You guys should go, I really don't want company." He mumbled weakly. Mike shook his head.
"No way. I'm not leaving you alone in this state."

"Just go, alright Mike?!" Billie shouted angrily. "I don't need you guys to baby sit me!" He stood up shakily and stumbled along the path. Mike followed him and started talking to him, or trying to talk to him. I came behind them. I kept my distance a bit. Billie sat down on a bench and put his head in his hands. He looked very tired. Me and Mike sat either side of him. Billie looked at me.

"I had hoped that you'd never see me like this." He said quietly, lifting his finger and pointing at me.

"Let's go home." Mike said calmly, "Come on Billie." His baby brow furrowed.

"But I don't wanna go home!" He pouted. "I'm shtaying here!" He got up and slowly made his way back to his dad's grave. Mike sighed and left him to it. But I followed him. He sat down again. I sat with him. I put my arm around him.

"Billie let's just go home, huh?" I said kindly. He pushed me off him.

"Jus fuck off 'nd leave me allone!" He slurred. I nearly cried. I stood up and went back over to Mike. He smiled at me.

"Don't take it personally. He's very depressed and VERY drunk."

"I don't think he's gonna come Mike." I said softly.

"He will." Mike said coolly. "It's a bit of a waiting game. Just be patient." I sat down with him on the bench. After at least fifteen minutes, Mike stood up. "Now we go over."I walked with him towards Billie. He had finished the whisky. He was crying. Mike came down to his level.

"Billie, do you want to go home now?" Mike asked him slowly, as if speaking to a really
young kid. Billie said nothing. Me and Mike looked at each other in despair. Then;

"Ok." Billie said weakly. "Ok." Me and Mike smiled triumphantly at each other.

Billie made no attempt to get up. Mike supported him and helped him stand up. Billie grabbed hold of my arm to stop himself from falling. I stood there 'til he was up. Me and Mike walked him back to the car. Mike got into the drivers seat and I sat in the back with Billie.

"So, are we taking him home?" I asked Mike.

"Can't go home." Billie mumbled drunkenly. Mike looked back at me.

"For once he's right. It'd be dangerous for him to go home like this. His stepdad would beat the hell out of him. Even though he normally comes home drunk himself."

"But.... but where's he gonna go?" I stammered. "Mike, can he go to your house?" Mike sneered.

"I don't have a house, remember?" Billie looked at me and then at Mike.

"Are we goin' or what?" He said impatiently .

"We don't know where we're going to yet!" I said angrily. Mike gave me a meaningful look. I frowned at him, then I got the message.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, NO! My place?!"

"Sorry Soph." Said Mike, starting up the car, "Hey you wanted to find him!" I scoffed. Billie smiled at me.

"You wanted to find me? That's sho sweet!" He gazed into my eyes. Then he sighed and nuzzled into me, breathing deeply. I looked at Mike in the rear veiw mirror, unsure of what to do. He mouthed, "Just leave him." and turned his attetion to the road.