If Opposites Attract, Then We Were Meant to Be

I woke up in an unfamiliar bed and the room smelled really weird. Groggily I opened my eyes to eye-lets and was practically blinded. “Hey she’s waking up!” a man’s voice shouted.
“Sam!” I could tell it was five people I know well, my friends; my family. Starr, Trè, Billie, Mike, and my dad were here; where ever here was that is. A hand slipped into my cold fingers. As my eyes adjusted to the blinding light in the room I began to open them more and more, till they were wide open.
“W-where am I?” I mumbled my throat dry and sore.
“You’re at the hospital. You passed out remember?” Billie answered gently squeezing my hand to assure me I was safe.
“Oh, yeah. The last thing I remember is getting mad at you ‘cause…I’M GONNA KILL YOU!” I jogged my memory and was angry all over again.
“Sammy calm down or you’ll have another panic attack thing,” my dad calmly informed me.
“UGH! Fine.” I stopped trying to strangle Billie from the confines of my hospital bed. “What made me pass out? I mean when I’ve had panic attacks before I just ran out of breath and got dizzy, I never actually blacked-out; what gives?” I questioned once Billie was seated on the edge of the bed again.
“We’re not really sure it seems you had way too much stress and a little dehydration problem, but nothing that really would be enough to make you pass out. You do have a small protein deficiency that is probably due to your meal habits, are you a vegetarian or vegan?” a voice blurted. It was a young doctor. I looked around to see where he had appeared from.
“Hey Doc where’d you come from? You were just like poof, medical talk, medical talk,” I burst not thinking and parrying his evaluation questions, you know I think Trè is rubbing off on me.
“I er- was taking a …look at your chart! Yes, well I need to go check on another patient I’ll come back in about and hour to discharge you maybe, yeah well, bye!” he hastily scurried off into the hall.
“He was taking a leak.” Trè stated and my hospital room exploded with laughter.
“Hey guys can I talk to Billie alone for a sec?” I asked after a while of being filled in on the events I had missed; which really wasn’t that much.
“Sure Samm- wait your not gonna try and kill him again are you?” my dad began as Billie’s eyes grew wide and he winced. I think he was picturing me with my hands around his neck or cutting his Achilles’ tendon in a room where no one could hear him scream, yeah crazy that I have the time to think about that kind of death huh? “We’ll let you guys have some time alone if you promise you won’t try to cause him any pain or distress” he finished. I was quiet. “Samantha.”
“Fine. And don’t call me that!” I shouted as he and the rest turned and walked out the door.
“What did you want to talk about?” Billie frowned.
“I wanted to ask you ‘why’,” I answered.
“Why what?” he teetered around the subject and adverted his eyes from mine.
“Billie Joe Armstrong don’t try to parry the subject!” I retorted.
“I dropped out. About two weeks ago you know around the time I got sick. I-I didn’t actually pass all my exams I flunked calculus, so I dropped out. I know that school isn’t where I needed to be so I wasn’t going to do another year. I’m sorry Sam, are you happy now!?!? “He shouted.
“No yelling,” a nurse sternly whispered poking her head in.
“Sorry,” he apologized as she sniffed and went on her way.
“…how? I mean we worked so hard, and for what nothing?” I shook my head trying to understand where I went wrong.
“I, it- school was holding me back we both know I wasn’t going to college because even if I graduated next year and got in to a community college I would flunk out there too, I’m not serious about school, and you wouldn’t be there to help me study.” He stammered clearing the haze.
“Okay. But I just hope that one day you won’t regret it,” I stared at him biting my lip.
“You’re not mad?”
“No. I can’t be mad at you because it wasn’t my decision to make and besides if I was mad at you in the morning.” I smiled looking into his confused green eyes.
“Yeah, ha ha I guess that wouldn’t be good would it?” he laughed.
“Hey come ’ere,” I said he came towards me and I gave him a hug and kiss on the cheek,
“What was that for?” he asked when I released him, a hand on his cheek.
“For practically saving my life. I know you caught me, if you hadn’t I might have gotten brain damage or something.”
“Oh. Well your welcome then.” He laughed again. I love his laugh!
“Psst! Psst-Sam! I’m bustin’ you out of here ‘kay!” Trè whispered looking around wide-eyed and holding his hands in the shape of a gun as he leaned against the wall.
“Trè what are you-“
“Shhh you have to be quiet.” He cut me off and began to wheel a wheelchair in for me.
“Trè this is a hospital not prison.” Billie said scratching his head.
“What’s the difference? Hop in Sam I gotta show you somthin’,” he shot grabbing my arm and trying to get me into the wheelchair.
“Oww! Trè hello,” I gestured towards the I.V. that was being stretched across the bed.
“Oops! Sorry,” he flashed a smile as Billie walked towards the ‘chair’. Okay C’mon.”
The boys led me down to a storage closet on the second floor. “Trè what are we-“Billie started.
“Shut up please I need quiet for this,” Trè snapped taking a library card from his wallet.
“Trè you have a library card? I didn’t know you even knew where the library is,” I teased.
“Oh I don’t, this is my sister, Lori’s,” he chuckled.
“Right! Wait since when have you had a sister?”
“Since I was like born…yeah,”
“Hmm even I didn’t know that?” Billie thought out loud, still holding my I.V. tower thing.
“Yeah well she’s older that us and goes by Wright not Cool, but anyway back to my secret Surprise Sam plan,” he muttered.
“Trè…what did you do?” I whispered making sure no one saw us.
“You’ll see,” he smiled and began to jiggle the card in between the door and the frame. Suddenly there was a creak and the doorknob could be turned till it opened.
“Nice though I am a bit afraid to ask where you picked up this useful skill." I breathed.
“I know a guy,” was his curt reply as he hummed the song Live and Let Die by The Beatles.
“Hey James Bond where’s Mike?” Billie asked rolling his eyes.
“In here and didn’t I tell you to shut up?” he cried pointing at the closet. Trè opened the door a crack and Mike scrambled out grumbling.
“I can’t believe you made me stay in here with that! You know it makes me uncomfortable, I can’t talk to it and it’s always watching me,” he complained.
“You’ll get over it.” Trè pushed past Mike into the closet.
“Hey Sam! You better appreciate this I’ve been in here for like an hour!” Mike whined.
“Someone needs some coffee,” I laughed.
“Yeah I’m gonna go get some,” he waved as he began walking towards the elevators.
“See ya,” I called towards his retreating back.
“Duh da dun, duh da dun,” Trè hummed his back against the wall as he slid out of the closet, (hee hee Trè’s out of the closet).
“Okay you can come in now,” Trè strained to keep whatever was inside…inside. Billie and I crept closer to the doorway. “Hey wait Billie this isn’t for you. Get out!” Trè screamed.
“Jeez Trè make it known to the whole hospital why don’t ya,” Billie muttered making sure we hadn’t been spotted.
“Whatever, c’mon Sam I really need you to hurry up,” Trè grunted (this actually sounds vaguely dirty…). I stepped up to the door slowly (after much effort to get out of the ‘chair’) and it swung open and hit me in the face!
“Ahh!” I screamed as I was knocked to the floor.
“Sam!” Billie and Trè yelled in unison, both lunging towards me.
“HAHAHAHA s-stop! It tickles!” I gasped in between laughs. The thing that had knocked me over was my dog, Catcher. Yes it’s the same dog that Trè had given me for my birthday. Catcher sat on my stomach and continued to lick my face unrelentingly.
“Trè how’d you get him in here,” I asked bewildered once Catcher calmed down.
“Well first I paid the janitor twenty bucks to use this closet. Then I had Mike get a really big coat. I went to your house and used the key you have inside the fake brick on your porch and got Catcher. Mike put him in the jacket so he looked really fat and we brought him to the closet. Finally I brought you here and now it’s…now,” he quickly told his tale as mine and Billie’s jaws dropped.
“That was really…sweet of you Trè. Thanks,” I lovingly gave him a hug and scratched behind Catcher’s ears contemplating whether it was okay that Trè knew where our spare key was kept.
“Here. This is a list of stress relieving techniques some of my patients with anxiety problems have recommended.” Dr. Brooks handed me a sheet of typed paper. At the bottom I noticed he had written his number. When I saw this I looked up and he winked at me. I’m sure that’s very unprofessional, though he is still an intern. He still has a resident attending watching over him, which puts me a little on edge.
“So anything on there look like it would help?” Billie asked as I was checking out.
“Uh yeah there are some things I’ll probably try-out,” I replied nervously. I don’t know exactly why I was nervous. I think I was scared that he would think I was like some slut or something if I showed him Dr. Brooks’ number scrawled on the bottom of the sheet. How awkward is that, having your doctor hit on you who’s like ten years older than you and has a valid excuse for you to take your clothes off in front of him. Okay I need a different topic because I’m giving myself the heebie-jeebies.
Even with my hospitalization we were still on track for tour, which I was so excited about. As my father said when I asked him,” You need more fun in your life so don’t ask me just go!” I love that crazy man that gave me life!
When I got back from the hospital I started to do some last minute packing. Now if I hadn’t passed out and had all that drama stuff going on this packing would have been done and neat not sloppy and with barely any time. I hate last minute packing like this because it meant I would forget something. It was just a fact in my life, mo matter how many times I go over my check list I always forget something when I pack at the last minute. Especially when my mind is on other things…
*** Billie’s P.O.V. ***
We came home to finish packing well at least Mike did, I had to do all my packing because I never left Sam in the hospital. I’m like a puppy I follow her everywhere. It’s kind of sad, Mike and Trè think it’s hilarious when I try to insinuate that I like her because she is completely oblivious and I’m not very good at making it known. I get all nervous and my palms start to sweat, I get tongue tied and my voice cracks. She just seems to brush it off or not understand and cock her head, tuning her attention to something else, usually Trè. That irks me so much I’m blind with jealousy at him for always seeming to have her attention.
I’m off my original topic so I’ll go back. Okay so I tried to remember what all I would need for three or four months. Underwear, toothbrush, toothpaste, pants, shirts, soap, razor…you know to shave what little stubble I get. Hmm what else… of Blue and some picks duh, how could I forget that?!? Well I hope I get everything!
*** Trè’s P.O.V. ***
Shoes, shoes… you’ve got to have shoes. Hmm…what else? Oh sticks! Drum sticks, check. Shorts, couple shirts, boxers, funny hats and disguises, you know big noses, mustaches, big ears…yeah those are good to have. Sweet guitar! Yeah I think I’m done.
*** Mike’s P.O.V. ***
Bass, shoes, socks, underwear, pants, wife beater’s, picks, hair gel, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouth wash, towels, let’s see what else, what else…I would take my coffee things but there’s not enough room in my suitcase. They better have good coffee where ever we go!
*** Sam’s P.O.V. ***
I called Starr to make sure she was packed. Since we were both going and needed lots of room for our stuff we were going to follow the Bookmobile in my Impala. We were both anxious to go and sad that we weren’t riding with the guys, but being away from them gave us a chance to you know, talk about how much we liked them…well Trè and Billie that is. Mike was really getting serious with Anastasia, who we were picking up as well. Ah girl-talk, it had been something I longed for and now finally had. It was a great feeling to have someone to confide in no longer did I have to hold everything in. I was free to talk to anyone of my girl friends about anything, boys, even how my time-of-the-month was going! Life is good.
Us, girls started our road trip at around six. We said goodbye to our parents, mine being a bit hard since I had never stayed away from my dad, and my mischievous puppy, courtesy of Trè. My dad assured me over and over that he and Catcher would be fine and that I could call or come home whenever I wanted. I guess this was going to make it less hard to leave for college this fall. One or two tears slipped out as I gave him a hug and a peck on the cheek. Bidding him adieu I headed towards Starr’s house.
When I walked up to the door I was met with a silly sight that quickly lifted my spirits. Starr and her brother Jet were saying goodbye in their own way.
“Hey Brat, I hope you never come home!” he yelled at her. He was just jealous that she got to go somewhere and he didn’t.
“…Love you too,” she smirked hugging him. The siblings were twins but on most occasions you could never tell, they acted like they were years apart; and they looked nothing alike. She also said goodbye to her parents before loading her luggage into the trunk of the Impala. From there we headed to Anastasia’s.
She kissed her parents goodbye promising to call everyday (yeah right). They waved as I pulled out of the smooth drive-way. Giggling we talked about pranks we could pull, and how cute one on the guys’ was when he did something, well ordinary. For example:
Anastasia: “Did you see how cute Mike looked when he got ice cream on his nose! *Cue girly-squeal*, I simply answered, “Uh… yeah?” Sometimes I didn’t see what Mike saw in Ana, I mean she’s great as a friend but a bit of an airhead, you know?
We went to Trè’s house and devised a plan while we waited for the guys to come back after picking everyone up. The Bookmobile pulled up next to us and Trè went to get his kit, giving us time to arrange ourselves. Starr and I hid behind the side of the Impala moving every-which way to make sure we wouldn’t be seen by the boys. Anastasia sat in the front seat to be a distraction so it wouldn’t look like I abandoned my baby (yes I love it so much I call it my baby). Trè and his dad came out of the cabin style house and down towards the Bookmobile, the had asked him to drive since it was his bus and we still don’t trust Trè behind the wheel, who would I mean he failed his driver’s test like seven times! I mouthed “1-2-3,” at Starr as Anastasia did the cue, a wave towards the boys. “Now!” We pelted Billie, Mike, and Trè with eggs as they stood practically frozen in shock. Once they registered what was happening they began to run trying to avoid our near perfect aim. After we used about three dozen eggs we stopped, since we ran out. Out of thirty-six eggs thirty-one eggs were direct hits so don’t say we throw like girls…even though we do, duh we are girls!
Mr. Wright, Anastasia, Starr, and I were all laughing hysterically as tears of joy pored down our cheeks. The band pulled egg shells from their hair and wiped yolk off their faces. The membrane (I think) or baby chick stuff covered each boy completely as they began to walk toward us.
“Hey Starr,” Trè yelled in a sing-song manner, yolk dripping off his entire body. “C’mere and give me a big bear hug!”
“I don’t think so,” she sang back, artfully dodging his open, sticky arms.
“Anastasia!” Mike called planting a slimy kiss on her and embracing her tightly.
“Your horrible,” she laughed, spitting out raw egg and wiping her mouth. All the while Billie quietly tried to get the egg off himself.
“Billie you not going to try anything?” I asked jokingly.
“What,” he squeaked.
“You’re not going to try and get egg on me by hugging me or kissing me,” I blushed at the last bit.
“…No,” he answered quietly.
“Oh,” trying to lighten the mood I resolved to do something else. “Well then I might need to do something,” I grinned mischievously. At lighting speed I grabbed the running hose from the grass and began to squirt him with the cold water.
“Ack!” he yelped trying to get away from the spray and remain somewhat dry and warm.
“Oh you won’t get away that easy,” I giggled chasing him with the long, snaking tube. I placed my thumb over the end of the spigot’s spray so that I could have a longer range even though it created more of a spurting mist than an actual shower type spray. Through his sopping white t-shirt I could see his lean, pale torso. While checking him out I became unaware that he had stopped running; and I was about to collide with him.
“Sam, watch out!” Starr warned me, only a little too late. I smacked into him knocking us both to the flooded grass.
“I’m so sorry Billie,” I nervously spluttered. I had landed on top of him, he lay on his back and I was lying on his chest facing him, our noses brushing, my hair encircling his head.
“It’s…fine, but you know…now you’re all wet,” he said, his hands fidgeted as if he didn’t know what to do with them. I assumed he was debating whether to put them on my waist like in romantic/comedy movies, or let them lay on the grass useless against his side. In a matter of minutes he chose the latter, blushing furiously I got off him and helped him to his feet. Avoiding each other’s eyes, I noticed his cheeks were also tinged. I mumbled a last, “…sorry,” before walking over to Starr and Anastasia. Everyone packed into the cars and I was given time to discuss the recent event with the girls.
“I thought you two were gonna start going at it right then and there,” Starr groaned. “Seriously, I mean did you even see the look he was giving you or the one you were giving him…well you couldn’t see yourself obviously because you had no mirror but it was totally priceless. It was like: let’s go right here right now ‘cause I’ve been in love with you from the moment I saw you, which of course most people call, love-at-first-sight-,” This is what happens when you mix her with coffee.
“Starr,” I tried to keep my cool as her embarrassing rambling, well embarrassed me.
“Yes?”
“Shut up.” I stared incredulously at her. She stopped talking looking at Anastasia who was reading a magazine I had left on the floor. Actually it was more of a medical journal, which I’m sure she doesn’t understand at all. The lights on but no one’s there to work if you catch my drift (I love that saying).
After a while of silence I spoke up.
“Was I really like drooling over Billie…was it obvious?” I sighed looking into the rearview mirror for a minute before looking back at the road.
“Well uh, I don’t think he noticed,” Anastasia answered hesitantly.
“So I’m basically a hopeless loser in the matter of boyfriends huh?”
“How can you say that I mean you’ve only had like one right? So what if he was a total jerk you moved on and that’s what counts,” Ana retorted.
“Okay new topic,” I tend to do that anytime someone mentions Derek.
“Sorry,” Ana shrugged looking back at a doctor’s theory on the cure for cancer.
“So what do you guys thing the band is talking about?” I thought out loud. Starr mimed something but I’m not very good at charades. “Starr you can talk again,” I caved.
“Okay, I’ll bet they are laughing at Billie, ‘cause he’s crushing on Saamm!!” she finished clapping excitedly at the end of her statement.
“Yeah right…you know Starr you and Trè are like perfect for each other,” she blushed, her face almost blending with her hair.
“Aww look at ‘er wittle face,” Ana laughed pinching Starr’s cheek. “She has a cwrush on Trè,” she spoke as if she were talking to a baby.
“Shut up,” Starr slapped Ana’s playfully.
“Oh, she’s so into him,” Ana grinned as Starr lunged into the backseat to tickle Anastasia, she knew it was her weakness. We laughed and laughed as Anastasia just about wet her pants.
“OMG-HA-HA-HA-STOP!!!” she gasped, giggling like a madwoman. “I GIVE, I GIVE, OH HO IT HURTS,” she clutched her abdomen trying to stop the pain from using those muscles to laugh. After the tickle-war was finished, with a peace treaty signed and sealed, we called the band and told them to stop for food which Trè totally loved that idea. At the first exit we turned off the highway and pulled into a restaurant’s parking lot.
“ALRIGHT MICKEY D’s!!” Trè shouted as he jumped out of the Bookmobile. He practically skipped into McDonald’s. Boy those workers would be getting a rude awakening; I mean have you ever seen Trè Cool eat? No? Well let me describe his normal meal. I went with him to Wendy’s and he ordered everything off the menu…upsized! I’m not joking either, who knows what today’s expenses would be and who would have to pay the share as seems to be a tradition for him.
Trè’s mind works like this: if you take a sip of his milkshake or a single fry (God forbid that you use ketchup) you pay for half of his total bill. If he already paid you pay him half of what he paid, down to the last penny! I’ve watched him do that to poor Mike countless times. Billie, Starr, and I learned from his mistakes, we eat Trè’s food when he goes to the bathroom, though Mike seems to always be his scapegoat. Did you know Trè counts every last bit of his food? For someone who was failing math he sure can keep a record of his consumable material. But enough about Trè’s eating habits lets get back to the tour.
*** Billie’s P.O.V. ***
We ordered our food and began to inhale it at rapid speed, we most of us.
“Sam, aren’t you going to eat anything?” she was just watching us pig-out, sipping a root beer slowly and quietly.
“Uh, I’m a vegetarian,” she swallowed another sip of the cold beverage.
“So is Starr, but you don’t see her going all anorexic on us. She got a salad and fries.” I protested.
“I don’t like their salads or fries.”
“You need to eat something,” I was concerned I had heard the doctor say she could use some more nutrients but ever since she seemed to eat less and less; which was saying a lot since she barely ate anything to begin with! My worst fear was that she was getting caught up in that whole, ‘your not a size zero, than you’re FAT!’ thing. I mean Sam’s tiny. She may be toned but when I hug her sometimes I feel like she might snap if I squeeze too hard, she just seems so frail under her loose fitting clothes, and it scares me.
I watched her glace around and bite her bottom lip. “I’ll get something out of my bag when I get in the car,” she still was acting a bit timid but she seemed sincere so I just shrugged off the ominous feeling. Speaking with my eyes I met Starr’s and she nodded as I willed her to watch out for our friend. I will, she mouthed and a wave of relief crept into my mind for a moment.
After we all finished we came up with some last minute rest stops to meet at before we reached the hotel. A good night’s rest would do us all some good. There was one problem with our idea, Trè was going to drive!
We buckled up and I could tell Mike was hoping to God that we didn’t die at the hands of Trè. The guy that actually passed Trè was a total moron! The girls are lucky they get to ride in the Impala and Sam’s driving, who is like the best and safest driver in the world, plus she won’t let anyone else drive her baby. I’m a guy and I don’t even care about my car as much as she does…though mine is a piece of tin…