Viva La Gloria II: 21st Century Breakdown

The night was great, and I still have the long drive home to look forward to. Tré had finally climbed in the car grudgingly- after he learned that Adele was catching a ride home with the girls. Which is easier for me, not having to drive up there, but now I have a pouting Tré to worry about...
Mike and Jason chatted animatedly about the eventful evening all the way home, but even in my fugal eavesdropping, I caught wind that most of the conversation was about the girls. Brook and Cynthia.
Happy as I was that the life long plan I had had with those girls had panned out- mine was still a little out there.
I kept stealing glances as we drove down the dark, empty highway. Billie was clearly not used to cool evenings on summer days rather than humid hot ones all of the time. He hugged his jacket tightly around his chest. But he was enjoying it, his hair swept away from his forehead, pale eyes glowing with the light from the dashboard. The tattoos down his wrists as he casually set one hand on top of the windshield. He was probably glad he had brought his jacket...
The trip home was longer because it was quiet, empty. The radio wasn't pounding and the only sound was the wind tousling my hair. 
I scolded myself to quit looking at Billie, cause sooner or later he is going to notice and call me out on it. He looked different than any other man I'd ever seen, maybe it was just the damaged soul glowing through... Whatever it was that made him the funniest, nicest and most down to earth person I've ever met, I hoped he never stopped using it.
The trip home I forced my mind to stay focused on anything and everything away from the subject of Billie or Green Day. I failed a few times, then sternly forced my eyes to lock on the dark road, loosing myself in another thought entirely.  happy that we were almost back.
The familiar town began to spawn around us as we drove through. The streets were busier, but with the clock ticking toward ten, the town, well most of it, will be asleep. But in the summer, no town is ever really asleep, always someone out there pulling an allnighter. 
We stopped at the same intersection we had earlier. I watched the lights then looked up at the sky. Masked in darkness, I could see every star. But I suppose I'm mentally handicapped because the only shapes I could ever find were the big dipper and the little dipper. The other stuff that's supposed to be up there is bullshit... I don't see no Pegasus.
We turned left and headed for Pioneer Park. It's the easiest way to give instructions when someone is coming over, 'Go to Pioneer Park, turn left and look for the jungle of hedges...'
I chuckled silently as I pulled into my normal parking space in the alley. We all climbed out, stretching and flustered from the long night. We walked up to the front door and walked right in 
“Don't you lock your door?” Billie asked, giving me a weird look.
I shook my head “No, not really. Mostly when I go somewhere.”
“But we just were 'somewhere'” he complained.
I shrugged “All the same.”
He made a disbelief expression “What does that mean?”
I left him in the hallway while I went to my room to change into something more comfy.
I put on pajamas, caught a fly in my window and put it in Bob's tank. And changed into a soft, light cotton t-shirt.
As I made my way back to the vacant living room, idly wondering if they had all gone to bed or if they were hiding somewhere... So for that suspicion, I took each step with care.
I stepped back to Billie's room, rapped a light knock on his door.
It was silent before Billie called out “Come in.”
I cracked open the door. He was sitting with ease on the bed with an guitar across his lap. The others, Tré, Mike and Jason were here too. Jason and Mike were playing on the guitars I'd lent them the other night. While Billie played his own classic Les Paul. I'd always wanted to have one to play, but never had the money, clearly he did though...
Tré sat on the floor with two pencils in his hands. Rapping a drum beat on the bottom of my pots. I had to laugh, they were incredibly creative.
Billie looked up at me while the other fussed over tuning their guitars.
“Just wondering where you all ran off too.” I said innocently. Billie smirked. “Face it Gloria, you missed this pretty face.” he made a pouty face. All I could do is shake my head sadly.
“No actually. Your face is incredibly missable. But no, that's not why I was looking for you.”
He cocked an eyebrow as if he couldn't imagine why I didn't miss him the way he had assumed.
“Then why?” he looked up at me again. Disguising his confusion.
I shrugged and sat down crossed legged next to Tré.
“Cause I wanted to inform you that this arrived in the mail today.” I held up a flyer, it had slipped my mind this morning to show it to them. 
He snagged it and took in the black lettering on the bright green flyer.
“Wake Me Up! Talent Festival Final Round. September 1st 2008. At the Entertainment center in Pioneer Park. Limited space, battle for the chance of a lifetime.” he read it slowly. Taking it all in before he spoke again “Well boys, looks like Green Day will be crashing the party. We've got one more gig.” he grinned. Handing the flyer back to me. I read it over again. Enjoying the fact they would be staying with me until the first, as far as I know. Today was the 28th, and I have a feeling that Shirley only named it that based on Green Day's recent attendance. 
“So... What are you going to preform?” I asked, once again poking at him for album details.
He rolled his eyes “No.”
“No, what?” I whined.
“No, you are on a 'uneed to know basis'”
Which that basically meant that I don't get to know shit about it, like I've said many times before. He wanted me to be as surprised as your average Joe.
I looked up at him, and he scowled pleasantly at me. Secretly glad he had kept me at bay in the shadows a little longer. Well he could have his little happy parade. Cause I know where I'm going next...
I leapt to my feet “Goodnight.” I called over my shoulder.
Billie's head snapped up in curiosity. “Your going to bed already?”
“Well.” I paused “Actually going to study in bed. But all the same.” I looked over my shoulder.
“Night.” he smiled softly. Hadn't moved an inch since I got up.
I matched his smile on my own lips “Night.”
I closed the door softly, on my way back to my room, I noticed my calendar pinned to the wall near to doorway to the kitchen.
A big red circle coiled itself around a certain date, August 30th. It was my brother's eleventh birthday. And through the madness, I had forgotten. Perhaps another trip to Scottsbluff tomorrow for gift hunting. I felt guilty... I hadn't even thought about it until now.
I climbed into my bed. Id opened the sliding door to let in some fresh air while I laid in my belly turning on my laptop. It slowly buzzed to life like it always had. The light breeze carried my hair in shallow touches. When I finally got it all started up, I opened the internet and searched something that Billie would be pissed about if he found out, which he won't.
‘21st Century Breakdown, Green Day.’
I had learned enough about the album in the last few days they had been here to provide me with enough details to make a decent search, instead of searching 'New Green Day album'
It loaded plenty of pages, of which varied from the official page, which wouldn't offer me much if Billie is keeping it secret.
Fan sites, lyrical sites which claimed they had no results for my searches, and then finally when I was about to give up I saw the site that seemed promising enough.
'Music 101/Green Day/21st Century Breakdown, Bio and more'
I clicked on it with what I was sure was a wary expression on my face.
When it loaded, the page exploded with the most of beautiful Green Day layouts. And a big sticker slapped up in the corner said 'Green Day is not responsible for these details. I cannot guarantee how accurate this information is, but we promise we've put our best efforts into it to ensure every detail is authentic.'
I had to nod about that, they were being honest for starters. I scrolled down. Looking for something that caught my eye. But in the end the whole article made me gasp.
‘21st Century Breakdown is the product of Green Day's tenth studio album. Even with the little details that have been slipping, we are all anticipating it's release. It tells the soppy love story between a boy and a girl.’
The picture beneath the paragraph was stunning. 
It was the cover art for the album, a bright red and orange spray painted background with a couple kissing on it. As I observed every detail in the picture. Particularly the girl. As I observed her, I realized that she... Was me.