Angela

Billie Joe's P.O.V.

I sat in the traffic in the car I’d hired fuming in my seat. I was stuck in a car that smelt of old socks, in traffic that stretched as far as the eye could see, all to get the luggage I should have had last damn week. My fist found the horn again as I got frustrated, already hating having to drive in such a busy city. Not only that, but I was on the wrong side of the goddamn road. I didn’t understand how they drove on the left like that all the time. Ohh, I was about to explode.

Hours later and my butt had found the comfortable couch in Steve’s sitting room. I had the paper in one hand and a coffee in the other, and only then could I feel a sense of tranquillity overcoming me. I’d been living with Steve and his family for just over a week and things had finally started to settle down. Larissa had stopped staring me down at the dinner table, Steve and I had connected once more, James was a great kid, and Angela seemed quite fond of me.

I heard someone walking down the hallway, the clink of heels indicating that it was most likely Larissa that was home. I’d thought I’d been there alone. My feet dropped from the coffee table and I sat up a little to better my posture in her presence, all just in time for her entrance to the room.

“Ohh, Billie, I didn’t hear you arrive. Did you get your luggage back okay?”

“Sure did.” I pointed to my bags still sitting in the hallway, those few extra steps to my room being unbearable at the time. It’d taken all my effort not to hurl them into the wall, with all the trouble they’d caused me. I’d had to borrow Steve’s clothes for the past few days and although they were a perfect fit in the context of measurement, they weren’t my taste at all. It seemed all his shirts had stripes on them, something I couldn’t quite get my head around. I saw Larissa roll her eyes as she noticed I’d already raided one suitcase and the clothes inside were now over the floor, and on my lovely self.

“You’ll clean that up before too long, yes?”

“I’ll do it after my coffee.” Silence enveloped the room as I sipped from the hot mug in my hand and Larissa sat with her legs together, hands on her lap, and her head held high as always. I wondered how she ever came to have kids, because it was clear she didn’t have sex. Then again, I shouldn’t judge with my eyes. She was doing it again; I could feel her eyes on me as I drank and read, picking apart the fabric covering my skin.

“James will need this room soon for his piano,” she suddenly spoke, finally having finished judging me for today. “He’ll be home in 10.”

“You know, Steve hasn’t told me much about his family.”

“Ohh? Well, that’s just rude of him isn’t it?” I had a feeling that’d get her talking. She seemed to love to boast. “James is my eldest son, 18, in his final year of school now. He’s been learning piano for a few years now once we could afford one of our own and he plays soccer on the weekends.”

“I could teach him a bit of piano if you’d like?” She looked me over once more.

“You play? I thought you looked more of the trashy guitar player.”

“I do play guitar. It’s not trashy…”

“Yes, well each to their own, Billie. I think he’d very much appreciate an actual musician teaching him some piano. So thank you.”

“And what of Angela?” If I had to admit it, I was dying to know a little more about this girl.

“Angela is my little girl still. She’s 17, so only a little younger than her brother. She’s quite a good painter but I can’t seem to get her to pursue it further. She keeps telling me she likes to paint for herself, and refuses to get lessons. She’s got perfect grades in school, probably because she doesn’t bother herself with boys.”

“How come?”

“She’s not interested.” I chuckled.

“All girls at her age are interested in boys, Larissa, she just doesn’t tell you that.”

“I highly doubt it, Billie. She’s very dedicated to her work.” During my entire time in their household, I’d never seen her doing homework, reading, or anything of the like. I found it hard to believe she took her studies as seriously as her mother thought she did.

“It’s natural for her to be out exploring who she is and who she wants to be with, you know? Doesn’t she go to parties?” Larissa looked appalled.

“She’s too young for parties! I don’t want her innocent little mind corrupted by the things that go on at those!”

“You don’t let her party?”

“Certainly not!”

“What if it were a friend’s birthday party?”

“She’s to be back before dark.”

“Harsh.”

“Fair.” My coffee had gone cold.

“Well I’m gonna put my things away.” I excused myself and left the room, dragging my suitcases behind me. I could almost hear Larissa’s teeth grinding as the tiny wheels of my luggage scraped across her tiled floor.