Broken Roads and Lonely Hearts

I watched the clock tick its last minute around before the school day would end. Then I could see Billie Joe. I had made no other friends besides him, if I could even call him that.

As I looked for the bench he mentioned earlier, I stopped in front of the school window and made sure my hair was in place. I was glad most people had left so they wouldn't see how ridiculous I was. I brushed my fingers through my short dyed hair, took a couple breaths, and walked out the front doors.

I saw the back of his head and walked slowly up to him. He was looking at the ground and then when he saw my shadow he looked up at me. He smiled softly and I smiled back. I probably looked like I had a stick up my pants.

"You're shaking," he mentioned, nodding toward my hands gripping the bottom of my shirt. "I'm not going to hurt you if that's what you think."

"I know that," I squeaked.

Billie laughed and grabbed one of my shaking hands. His touch was warm and comforting. "Let me walk you to my house. I figure you might get lost."

I giggled and tried to stop the shaking. I caught most of what Billie was saying, but when I didn't, it was because I was looking at Billie. He was beautiful. I know I shouldn't describe a guy like that, but it was true.

And he was such a gentleman, who didn't find that beautiful? He held my hand to keep me safe, not as a romantic gesture. He smiled whenever he noticed I looked uneasy. His smile made everything better.

I cursed myself for falling a boy right away. He probably has a girlfriend or a boyfriend. And even if he didn't he wouldn't want me. I was a complete wreck, I'm pretty sure he could see that.

I just loved the color of his eyes.

"Katie."

I shook my head and looked at Billie. He laughed. He sure laughed a lot. "What?"

"You were staring at my eyes for over two minutes. I was starting to wonder if aliens took over."

I felt myself start blushing and I instinctively dropped Billie's hand. He turned my body slowly and held my shoulders.

"So this is home," he said. "How about you come inside?"

I nodded and walked behind him. He unlocked and opened his front door and gestured for me to go in first. I stepped in and looked around. It was a pretty average house, a dining room, a living room, and a second floor. Billie walked to the left and opened a green door, which matched the walls.

I walked in after Billie, and we soon came to another door. He grabbed his keys again and unlocked it. He pushed the door and waited for me to come in as well before he shut it.

I tensed up and made sure my pocketknife was in my pocket. I know you can get suspended for having weapons on campus but I didn't trust new towns.

I sucked in a breath as I felt Billie sit on a bed next to me. I looked around his room. He had multiple posters of various bands and a heart with a cross painted on his wall in red.

"What's that?" I pointed to the red heart-cross.

"That's just a little obsession I have," Billie spoke after a minute of silence. "It's Saint Jimmy. It's also a long story. Maybe you'll have time to listen sometime."

I nodded and smiled. I saw a very bright blue and white guitar sitting in the corner of his room. I had no idea what kind it was but it was strangely beautiful. "You play?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I love guitar. Do you play anything?"

"I sing. But I'm not very good."

"I'm sure you're amazing."

I smiled and bit my lip, then turned to face him. "Thank you. But if you heard me sing you would change your mind."

"I'm sure I wouldn't Katie. Do you wrote song lyrics?"

"Sometimes yeah. Not very often."

Billie smiled. "So you're an artist and a musical genius. You must get all the guys."

I laughed at that. "No Billie I don't. I've never had a boyfriend." I wish I didn't add the last part, it didn't seem right to say.

Billie watched me for a minute before answering. "And how is that Katie? You're beautiful. In fact I've never seen a girl with beauty like yours."

"Billie."

"Yeah?"

"You're being a guy."

Billie stared at his shoes, confused. "But I am a guy."

I nodded and crossed my arms. "You're flirting."

"I don't flirt."

"Well you do." I hoped I wasn't pissing him off.

"Have you ever been kissed?"

I was a little shaken up by his sudden question but I answered honestly. "No."

Billie looked a little sad. "Kissing is amazing. And it burns calories."

I laughed and sat next to Billie.

"Why are you laughing?" Billie grinned.

"Because. The calorie thing."

"Well I'm not exactly the smallest guy."

"What are you talking about? You're well built for a guy. Not fat or anything. You're actually really thin."

He laughed and turned so his knees touched mine. I'm pretty sure it was an accident, but he didn't move away. "You're really pretty Katie. I know I say it a lot but I feel like you never hear those words said about you."

"You're right, I don't. It feels weird being told it actually. A good kind of weird but still weird."

"Hopefully I'm a good kind of weird."

I giggled and set my hand next to Billie's hand, wondering what the hell I was doing. Why was I flirting with him. I could tell he liked me, but we just met today, it would be wrong to try anything with him.

I glanced at his lips and looked away. I could feel my heart racing in my shirt, I almost thought Billie could hear it. I've never been like this with anyone. I mean, I've only really talked to a few people that weren't family or adults in my life but I never wanted to kiss them.

I wanted to kiss Billie Joe. And really badly at that.