Paper Lanterns

Things between you and Billie Joe were good. Slutzilla moved away to New York, which was a relief for everyone.

It was a week before Billie Joe's birthday and you were still trying to come up with something to give him. While he kept bragging that his birthday was coming up, he told you that he didn't want anything. Still, you wanted to get him something. But what?

"If I hear 'guess whose birthday's coming up' one more time I swear I'll kill him." John said whilst waiting at Billie Joe's car with you. He decided to bum a ride off of Billie Joe instead of driving himself today. Whatever.

"You go and do that. Then you won't have a guitarist slash lead singer." You answer. You check your watch, 3:35. "How long does it take to serve a detention?"

"Until 4." John replies unwrapping a package of funny bones. "What one?"

"Eh...I'll pass." You say before sitting down next to the car and pulling out your homework. What else is there to do anyway?

25 agonizing minutes later of attempting to do your homework and having to listen to John ramble on and on about random and unimportant things, they let Billie Joe out.

"Hey." He came over and kissed you. John just looked at the two of you. "What? Does John want a kiss too?"

"Eh, no. Just a ride home." John answered a bit freaked out.

You guys got into the car and dropped John at his house. "So, what do you want for your birthday and don't say nothing because I know you want something."

Billie Joe smirked. "Well..."

"Um, no." You answer before he could say anything else.

Billie pouted. "B-b-but..." You glared at him. "Fiiiine. Um, just get me something."

"That really narrows it down." You say.

There was some silence after that. "Hey, you know tomorrow's Valentine's Day."

"And...?" You don't really like Valentine's Day that much.

"Well, what do you wanna do?" Billie Joe asks pulling into the driveway.

"Nothing." You say as you both get out. "The whole thing is cliche`d."

"Oh." Billie says.

"Unless, of course you already had something planned..." You say quickly, smiling.

Billie Joe thought for a minute. "You'll see." You got out of the car and went inside the house.

The next day was, of course, Valentine's Day. wahoo...not. I wonder what Billie Joe has planned? You had figured out what you were gonna give Billie Joe, finally. (Me: it's not what you think, either) Everyone was all 'Oh my gosh! It's Valentine's Day!' and it was really getting to you. Classes went by normally. Billie disappeared sometime after 3rd period and returned at lunch with a single red rose for you. Finally, it was the end of the day.

"So, whatcha got planned for Valentine's Day?" You asked over and over, but Billie Joe wouldn't give in.

"Now, if I were to tell you..." Billie Joe paused for a minute, making you think he was thinking. "It wouldn't be much of a surprise, would it?"

"You're so mean." You glared at him playfully.

"Ah, but you love me all the same." Billie Joe smiled. "I will see you at 7. I must go and prepare."

You looked at him weirdly. "Alrighty then." You walked upstairs and into your room contemplating what the surprise is.

"MARIAAAA!" Billie Joe yelled from downstairs. "It's 7 o'clock!"

"Coming!" You yelled back down. You put on your shoes and raced down the stairs. "I didn't have to get all dressed up did I?"

"Well, I'm not. So no." Billie smiled and grabbed your hand, leading you to the door.

"Have fun, you two." Ollie called from the kitchen.

"We'll be back around 10, Ma." Billie Joe said before walking out the door with you following close behind. He opened your side of the car door. "After you, madam."

You laughed and got in. Billie Joe jogged over to his side of the car, got in, and pulled out of the driveway. "Now, will you tell me where we're going??"

"Nope." Billie Joe emphasized on the letter 'p'.

After driving for nearly a half hour, Billie turned to you. "We're almost there, now close your eyes." You listened and put your hands over your eyes. A few minutes later, you felt the car come to a stop. Billie Joe got out and walked over to your door and helped you out, telling you to keep your eyes closed. In fact, he walked right behind you and placed his hands over yours to make sure you wouldn't try to see where you were going. Good thing I wore my sneakers.

"Okay, open your eyes." You did as Billie said and removed your hands from your eyes after he moved his. You were ontop of a really high hill overlooking everything.

"Oh my God." Tears formed in your eyes. You turned to Billie Joe who was smiling. "Billie, it's beautiful." You kissed him.

"I knew you'd like it." He pulled you close and kissed the top of your head. "Happy Valentine's Day, Maria."

"Happy Valentine's Day." You two sat down on the hill and just took in everything.

"You know, you could've just read my mind and figured out this was where I was gonna take you." Billie said after a few minutes of silence.

"I guess I forgot for a minute that I could do that." You shrugged. Around 9:30 you went back to the car and went home.

The next two days were spent with preparing Billie Joe's present for his birthday. He's gonna love it. You've even enlisted John, Mike, Dani, and Lisea to help you. Finally, it was Saturday. Billie Joe's birthday.

You got up and walked into Billie's room. You poked him on his head for about five minutes. "Hello?? Anyone home?" Billie Joe grunted. "Fine, be that way. I've never seen someone be so grumpy on their birthday."

Billie Joe woke up and looked at his alarm clock. "Well, It's five o'clock in the fucking morning."

"And...your point?" You asked smiling.

"Wake me up in three hours." Billie said before falling back to sleep. You got up about an hour later and walked downstairs to take your medicine. Around ten o'clock, two hours after you were supposed to wake Billie Joe up, he came downstairs. You were sitting on the couch flipping through channels.

"He's up!" You yelled into the kitchen where Ollie was. Brad was away on business, again.

"Well, I suppose you'll get presents from your friends later..." Ollie trailed off.

You picked up where she left off. "But we want you to our our present first."

Billie Joe looked at you. Mentally he thought, What? I don't get sex for my birthday? This bites.. haha. I made a joke. "Ours?"

"Yes. Maria thought it would be best if her and myself were to give you one present, together." Ollie said smiling. She handed him a card envelope.

"Alright..." Billie Joe said solemnly. He opened the card and inside was a key. Not just any ordinary key, either. "Is this for what I think it's for?"

"What are you thinking of?" Ollie asked.

Billie Joe thought for a minute. "A safe that has a million dollars in it?"

"No." You shook your head.

"An apartment?" He asked. You looked at Ollie who was smiling. "Oh my God. You guys got me an apartment?!?"

"And Uncle Mike too." You said smiling. "He considers you family, therefore he wanted to help out to."

"Awesome." Billie Joe said jumping up and down holding the key in his hand. He had long dropped the birthday card.

"If you read the card, there's more to that key." Ollie said picking up the card and handing it to her son. "Read it aloud."

"Since you are getting older, you and Maria will want your privacy and space. I trust you both and that is why I am giving you a key to your very own apartment." Billie Joe paused for a minute. "Maria's coming with me??!"

"Yup, unless you don't want me to..." You looked at him.

"Of course, I'd want you to come." He hugged his mom, and then hugged you. "This is the best present ever. Thank you two so much."

"Now, go upstairs, you have a lot of packing to do." Ollie said ushering you and Billie Joe up the stairs.