If Opposites Attract, Then We Were Meant to Be
Driver's Licenses and Prom Dates
We went to sign up for lessons the next day even though Trè insisted he could teach me. Frankly I don’t trust him to teach me after all we don’t even let him drive. For one he has no license and two, Billie and Mike almost died the last time Trè drove, and that only lasted about seven minutes. Apparently he speeds by about twenty notches on the speedometer. He also took out five or six mailboxes on the block. So basically there was no way for all the tea in China would he be teaching me to drive. And besides I doubt my dad would let. Ever since the condom incident he never lets Trè be alone with me. Thank goodness, I don’t like feeling like if I do one thing around Trè it will lead him on and he’ll ask me out or something and I don’t like the thought of what happens most of the time in the aftermath of a break-up. You know you try to forget you ever knew your ex and ignore them for the rest of eternity. I don’t ever want that to happen because I value my friendship with that child-like, perverse young man; in an odd sort of way. And the only good that could possibly come from that, and only if I was ruthless would I do this, is to try and make Billie jealous. I laughed at that thought, yeah right, not even in his haziest stupors would the thought that we could be more than friends cross his mind! Maybe I don’t flirt enough; no… maybe he’s just stupid!
*** Billie’s P.O.V. ***
Trè flirts with Sam ALL THE TIME! I know that I shouldn’t be jealous since she’s not my girlfriend but, I just can’t help it!
*** Sam’s P.O.V. ***
Well I think that went pretty well. I passed and that’s what counts. Even though the guys came to cheer me on I think that the instructor will have a nervous breakdown after this, and it’s all Trè’s fault (big surprise there!).
*** Flashback ***
I buckled up and checked the mirrors before starting the engine. After all I wanted to be on the driver’s ed teacher’s good side. I drove carefully and did almost everything perfect. The only thing I did wrong was invite Trè to come be in the same car as me while I took a test.
He bombarded the man with questions and poked him. He even got carsick on the instructor’s shoes, while out of the car!
The man looked like he himself was going to hurl when that happened. He quickly handed me a slip to go get my license at the DMV and as he left Trè called, “Hey young man don’t forget to use protection!” I let my jaw hang open at him. “What?” he said before pointing at my open mouth and telling me, “Your gonna catch bugs in there with your mouth open like that” and walking back towards the DMV building. I looked back at Billie and Mike who just shook their heads at his antics.
-End Flashback
I actually liked the picture on my license. I wasn’t smiling on purpose, it was just, well me. Almost as if I had been caught off guard. The cold hard plastic lay on my palm as I started at it. Gazing at it I thought of my dead mother and brother. How their death had come from that single car. How if that person hadn’t been drunk and racing they might still be alive. I guess I had never noticed until now but, I’m still grieving eight years later.
A few weeks after my birthday brought an unexpected visitor.
***Flashback***
I went to answer the door and there on the stoop stood Trè Cool. He held a box with holes as if it was from a pet store. On top was a bow that kept the parcel closed. I smiled and greeted him warmly. “Remember how I said ‘I owed you’, well its time to break it because here is your present” he chirped handing me the package.
I undid the bow and was shocked when a small pink tongue began assaulting my face. Trè’s gift was a tiny puppy most likely recently weaned.
To show my thanks I pulled him into a hug. When we parted he reached out and kissed me gently. I didn’t break us apart but inside I knew I felt nothing. We broke apart and he stared at me before speaking.
“Sorry I just couldn’t help myself. Did, did you feel…anything?” he ended but I knew I had to tell him.
“Trè I’m sorry. You’re a really great friend but this will never happen. I didn’t feel anything.” I sighed almost wishing it weren’t true.
“You know what? I didn’t feel anything either,” he laughed. “I thought I would but I guess were just supposed to be friends huh?”
“Yeah” I answered. Thanking him again and walking him to the door my mind kept trailing to the single thought. Trè Cool, Frank Edwin Wright the third had given me my first kiss.
A year later school started back up and it brought many surprises. Sweet Children changed their name to Green Day and recorded a few EPs, then and album combining the EPs. It was called 10, 39/ Smoothed Out Slappy Hours. Watching my best friends record that album was amazing, like nothing I’d ever seen. They recorded it for Lookout! Records, Larry’s independent label that he named after the band that had included Trè, himself and some guy I didn’t know to well.
Another surprise happened when Trè dropped out of school. He stayed long enough to earn his GED, then left once he found out if he passed or not. School wasn’t a big deal to him we could all tell. Most teachers that were actually on his schedule didn’t even know who he was besides, “That kid who does stupid things”; which included breaking into the principal’s home, stealing a pair of his wife’s undergarments, and hanging them to the flagpole. This got him suspended for a month.
As he walked towards the door to the school for the last time he turned, yelled a few obscene things about the principal and promised to take quite a few girls to prom. Yeah, I was one of them.
He did eventually, on my advice, decide to take a few college courses, but on his own instinct went to a clown college.
Another surprise was when Mike moved out of his house. He moved into Billie’s house and rented out David’s old bedroom since he had moved out the same year I came to California. I can’t say I missed his tormenting though. Mike’s move actually benefited the band nicely which lately seemed to be the only thing Billie focused on.
Probably the biggest surprise came when news reached Billie that Al had quit being in Green Day. His reasons were that he didn’t believe that the band would get anywhere and he wanted to pursue journalism in college. After that Billie was furious at him. Some guy filled in for about a month but he was the worst drummer ever and quit on his own. And so began Trè began his term for Green Day. I had to admit he was one of the best things to happen to the band. Now things seemed like they would get somewhere.
Prom was fast approaching and so was graduation. To my surprise Billie brought up the subject to me.
“Hey uh Sam, so prom it’s uh, pretty soon right?” he said out of the blue one day while we sat on his bedroom floor listening to a new CD.
“Yeah I suppose it is,” I answered not sure as to where this conversation was going.
“Well I was thinking if you don’t already have a dat-someone to go with that we could maybe go together…as friends, of course!” he spluttered as if nervous. This moment was exactly what I had been hoping for, for what felt like forever.
“YES! I mean yeah, as friends because I think Trè has more dates than he can handle” I laughed nervously trying not to seem desperate or too eager.
“Great! Well I’ll pick you up at around um, seven. Is that alright!” he smiled cheerfully. I was practically bursting with a squeal of joy I needed to let out. I would need to pick out a dress tomorrow.
***Billie’s P.O.V. ***
I am such an idiot! I can’t believe I did that, asking her to prom. What was I thinking? Now I have to rent a tux and see about a limo and my family is going to tease me even more. I can hear the “I knew it! Billie Joe loves his little girlfriend. Better get the wedding bells out!” already.
I’m a nervous wreck. My palms are sweating like crazy and I can’t help picturing us kissing again. I’m really in deep this time!
***Mike’s P.O.V. ***
“YOU DID WHAT!?!” I spit out my coffee at this news.
“I asked her to prom man and now I’m freaking out!!” Billie yelled into the receiver of his cell-phone. I didn’t need to be told twice this was big; I mean they don’t even go out. He did say “as friends” but this means that either one: she’ll think that he is such a loser that he had to ask his only girl friend, or two: she’ll take it as he could possibly want to be more than friends, and I don’t know that Billie is ready for that, or that Roadie will like that idea! If I were him I would definitely be panicking right now!
“Okay calm down and take a deep breath” I sighed, looking sadly at my spilt coffee. He took a breath.
“Now what?”
“Um, well let’s get this straight; you’re not going to try anything, correct?” I asked hesitantly.
“DUDE, do I look like Trè!?!” he yelled.
“Right, sorry. Okay well I guess you’ll just have to do what you would if you were taking Anna, Holly, or Marcy.”
“Ewww no! I like Sam you know that and I’m not going to think of one of my sisters around her. Maybe, maybe I want to kiss her” he mumbled the last bit.
“But then you’ll go out right,” I started.
“Yeah most likely”
“And then you’ll probably break up, right?”
“I dunno. I don’t get where this is going Mike” I heard him scratch his forehead puzzled.
“Then it will totally be awkward between you two and you might not be friends again! DUH!” I stated the obvious and I pictured Billie’s eyes grow wide.
“Dang it Mike! Why’d you have to go and make me think, that made me even more stressed,” he began to take deep breaths trying to keep himself from having a panic attack.
“I’m just trying to save your friendship” I answered as a truce.
“I know man but I just, she… if we were older I’d probably ask her to, you know… marry me” he spoke softly, fully believing now that he had said those thoughts he had been thinking for a while a loud.
“…Dude that’s big. Would you really, I mean you’ve never even been on a date with her.” I paused trying to comprehend that my best friend was really in love, not puppy love like I had thought, but really “I’ll love you forever” love. “Are you going to tell her that at prom?” I asked gathering my scattered scenarios and playing them in my head. “I-I don’t know. I’ve thought about it loads but to actually go through with it…that’s a different story”
“I know what you mean.” I sighed. “Well you could always not tell her and spend the rest of, most likely your life lusting after her.” I smirked.
“Are you nuts? I’d go crazy!” he screeched.
“Jeez, calm down, I was kidding.” I wanted to hold up my hands but, I was holding the phone in one hand and coffee with the other, not that Billie would have been able to see it anyway. “Well we’ll just have to see how it goes won’t we. I’ll talk to you at home.” I said before hanging up. How in the world is Billie going to get this mess sorted out this time?
*** Sam’s P.O.V. ***
I picked out a dress and had a very strange encounter…
*** Flashback ***
I had gone into this little boutique that sold dresses when I saw the perfect section. They were very formal black dresses but they just jumped out at me for some reason. I went up to the rack and just as I was about to grab a dress someone poked their head out from inside the curtain of dresses. Shocked I let out a small yelp, but the girl paid no attention. I cleared my throat to try and get to notice me and apologize.
“What?” she barked. I noticed she was wearing a badge that said: Starr Hawkins, Clerk. So she worked here. Starr had short spiky pink hair, her ears were pierced twice on each ear, and she had blue eyes that stood out on her pale skin. I had to say she dressed pretty punk, like some of the girls at the Gilman. I held a laugh when I saw that she had decorated the hem of her red dress (that she had paired with jeans), with price tags she had obviously gotten from one of those guns that belonged to this store. Not only was it an interesting choice of accessory but it would be fun to see her try and leave the store without paying for herself!
We began to talk and in a way became friends, since I helped her remove all the tags. I invited her to come over sometime and she agreed, so we swapped info and went on our merry ways.
- End Flashback
Of course I did buy a dress but I won’t tell you what it looked like just yet.
*** Billie’s P.O.V. ***
Trè flirts with Sam ALL THE TIME! I know that I shouldn’t be jealous since she’s not my girlfriend but, I just can’t help it!
*** Sam’s P.O.V. ***
Well I think that went pretty well. I passed and that’s what counts. Even though the guys came to cheer me on I think that the instructor will have a nervous breakdown after this, and it’s all Trè’s fault (big surprise there!).
*** Flashback ***
I buckled up and checked the mirrors before starting the engine. After all I wanted to be on the driver’s ed teacher’s good side. I drove carefully and did almost everything perfect. The only thing I did wrong was invite Trè to come be in the same car as me while I took a test.
He bombarded the man with questions and poked him. He even got carsick on the instructor’s shoes, while out of the car!
The man looked like he himself was going to hurl when that happened. He quickly handed me a slip to go get my license at the DMV and as he left Trè called, “Hey young man don’t forget to use protection!” I let my jaw hang open at him. “What?” he said before pointing at my open mouth and telling me, “Your gonna catch bugs in there with your mouth open like that” and walking back towards the DMV building. I looked back at Billie and Mike who just shook their heads at his antics.
-End Flashback
I actually liked the picture on my license. I wasn’t smiling on purpose, it was just, well me. Almost as if I had been caught off guard. The cold hard plastic lay on my palm as I started at it. Gazing at it I thought of my dead mother and brother. How their death had come from that single car. How if that person hadn’t been drunk and racing they might still be alive. I guess I had never noticed until now but, I’m still grieving eight years later.
A few weeks after my birthday brought an unexpected visitor.
***Flashback***
I went to answer the door and there on the stoop stood Trè Cool. He held a box with holes as if it was from a pet store. On top was a bow that kept the parcel closed. I smiled and greeted him warmly. “Remember how I said ‘I owed you’, well its time to break it because here is your present” he chirped handing me the package.
I undid the bow and was shocked when a small pink tongue began assaulting my face. Trè’s gift was a tiny puppy most likely recently weaned.
To show my thanks I pulled him into a hug. When we parted he reached out and kissed me gently. I didn’t break us apart but inside I knew I felt nothing. We broke apart and he stared at me before speaking.
“Sorry I just couldn’t help myself. Did, did you feel…anything?” he ended but I knew I had to tell him.
“Trè I’m sorry. You’re a really great friend but this will never happen. I didn’t feel anything.” I sighed almost wishing it weren’t true.
“You know what? I didn’t feel anything either,” he laughed. “I thought I would but I guess were just supposed to be friends huh?”
“Yeah” I answered. Thanking him again and walking him to the door my mind kept trailing to the single thought. Trè Cool, Frank Edwin Wright the third had given me my first kiss.
A year later school started back up and it brought many surprises. Sweet Children changed their name to Green Day and recorded a few EPs, then and album combining the EPs. It was called 10, 39/ Smoothed Out Slappy Hours. Watching my best friends record that album was amazing, like nothing I’d ever seen. They recorded it for Lookout! Records, Larry’s independent label that he named after the band that had included Trè, himself and some guy I didn’t know to well.
Another surprise happened when Trè dropped out of school. He stayed long enough to earn his GED, then left once he found out if he passed or not. School wasn’t a big deal to him we could all tell. Most teachers that were actually on his schedule didn’t even know who he was besides, “That kid who does stupid things”; which included breaking into the principal’s home, stealing a pair of his wife’s undergarments, and hanging them to the flagpole. This got him suspended for a month.
As he walked towards the door to the school for the last time he turned, yelled a few obscene things about the principal and promised to take quite a few girls to prom. Yeah, I was one of them.
He did eventually, on my advice, decide to take a few college courses, but on his own instinct went to a clown college.
Another surprise was when Mike moved out of his house. He moved into Billie’s house and rented out David’s old bedroom since he had moved out the same year I came to California. I can’t say I missed his tormenting though. Mike’s move actually benefited the band nicely which lately seemed to be the only thing Billie focused on.
Probably the biggest surprise came when news reached Billie that Al had quit being in Green Day. His reasons were that he didn’t believe that the band would get anywhere and he wanted to pursue journalism in college. After that Billie was furious at him. Some guy filled in for about a month but he was the worst drummer ever and quit on his own. And so began Trè began his term for Green Day. I had to admit he was one of the best things to happen to the band. Now things seemed like they would get somewhere.
Prom was fast approaching and so was graduation. To my surprise Billie brought up the subject to me.
“Hey uh Sam, so prom it’s uh, pretty soon right?” he said out of the blue one day while we sat on his bedroom floor listening to a new CD.
“Yeah I suppose it is,” I answered not sure as to where this conversation was going.
“Well I was thinking if you don’t already have a dat-someone to go with that we could maybe go together…as friends, of course!” he spluttered as if nervous. This moment was exactly what I had been hoping for, for what felt like forever.
“YES! I mean yeah, as friends because I think Trè has more dates than he can handle” I laughed nervously trying not to seem desperate or too eager.
“Great! Well I’ll pick you up at around um, seven. Is that alright!” he smiled cheerfully. I was practically bursting with a squeal of joy I needed to let out. I would need to pick out a dress tomorrow.
***Billie’s P.O.V. ***
I am such an idiot! I can’t believe I did that, asking her to prom. What was I thinking? Now I have to rent a tux and see about a limo and my family is going to tease me even more. I can hear the “I knew it! Billie Joe loves his little girlfriend. Better get the wedding bells out!” already.
I’m a nervous wreck. My palms are sweating like crazy and I can’t help picturing us kissing again. I’m really in deep this time!
***Mike’s P.O.V. ***
“YOU DID WHAT!?!” I spit out my coffee at this news.
“I asked her to prom man and now I’m freaking out!!” Billie yelled into the receiver of his cell-phone. I didn’t need to be told twice this was big; I mean they don’t even go out. He did say “as friends” but this means that either one: she’ll think that he is such a loser that he had to ask his only girl friend, or two: she’ll take it as he could possibly want to be more than friends, and I don’t know that Billie is ready for that, or that Roadie will like that idea! If I were him I would definitely be panicking right now!
“Okay calm down and take a deep breath” I sighed, looking sadly at my spilt coffee. He took a breath.
“Now what?”
“Um, well let’s get this straight; you’re not going to try anything, correct?” I asked hesitantly.
“DUDE, do I look like Trè!?!” he yelled.
“Right, sorry. Okay well I guess you’ll just have to do what you would if you were taking Anna, Holly, or Marcy.”
“Ewww no! I like Sam you know that and I’m not going to think of one of my sisters around her. Maybe, maybe I want to kiss her” he mumbled the last bit.
“But then you’ll go out right,” I started.
“Yeah most likely”
“And then you’ll probably break up, right?”
“I dunno. I don’t get where this is going Mike” I heard him scratch his forehead puzzled.
“Then it will totally be awkward between you two and you might not be friends again! DUH!” I stated the obvious and I pictured Billie’s eyes grow wide.
“Dang it Mike! Why’d you have to go and make me think, that made me even more stressed,” he began to take deep breaths trying to keep himself from having a panic attack.
“I’m just trying to save your friendship” I answered as a truce.
“I know man but I just, she… if we were older I’d probably ask her to, you know… marry me” he spoke softly, fully believing now that he had said those thoughts he had been thinking for a while a loud.
“…Dude that’s big. Would you really, I mean you’ve never even been on a date with her.” I paused trying to comprehend that my best friend was really in love, not puppy love like I had thought, but really “I’ll love you forever” love. “Are you going to tell her that at prom?” I asked gathering my scattered scenarios and playing them in my head. “I-I don’t know. I’ve thought about it loads but to actually go through with it…that’s a different story”
“I know what you mean.” I sighed. “Well you could always not tell her and spend the rest of, most likely your life lusting after her.” I smirked.
“Are you nuts? I’d go crazy!” he screeched.
“Jeez, calm down, I was kidding.” I wanted to hold up my hands but, I was holding the phone in one hand and coffee with the other, not that Billie would have been able to see it anyway. “Well we’ll just have to see how it goes won’t we. I’ll talk to you at home.” I said before hanging up. How in the world is Billie going to get this mess sorted out this time?
*** Sam’s P.O.V. ***
I picked out a dress and had a very strange encounter…
*** Flashback ***
I had gone into this little boutique that sold dresses when I saw the perfect section. They were very formal black dresses but they just jumped out at me for some reason. I went up to the rack and just as I was about to grab a dress someone poked their head out from inside the curtain of dresses. Shocked I let out a small yelp, but the girl paid no attention. I cleared my throat to try and get to notice me and apologize.
“What?” she barked. I noticed she was wearing a badge that said: Starr Hawkins, Clerk. So she worked here. Starr had short spiky pink hair, her ears were pierced twice on each ear, and she had blue eyes that stood out on her pale skin. I had to say she dressed pretty punk, like some of the girls at the Gilman. I held a laugh when I saw that she had decorated the hem of her red dress (that she had paired with jeans), with price tags she had obviously gotten from one of those guns that belonged to this store. Not only was it an interesting choice of accessory but it would be fun to see her try and leave the store without paying for herself!
We began to talk and in a way became friends, since I helped her remove all the tags. I invited her to come over sometime and she agreed, so we swapped info and went on our merry ways.
- End Flashback
Of course I did buy a dress but I won’t tell you what it looked like just yet.