I Was Only Dreaming

I look at myself in the mirror. God, I'm a walking nightmare. I have huge bags under my eyes, my red hair is sticking up in all places, and I am short and skinny. Makeup and gel will cure the first two. Oh, sorry, you wanna know who I am.
My name's Jessie, I'm seventeen (in 3 weeks, hehe), I have really dark red hair (no, it's not natural), I'm 5'4'', grey eyes, and a left hook that can kill (I went to a rough middle school; you have to learn to fight). I live in Rodeo, California, and I go to Pinole Valley High School. There, the punks and rebels rule. I'm not a punk, but I'm no angel. I drink once in a while, I smoke straight cigarettes (I'm working on kicking that habit), and I have a tattoo. Three, to be exact. I have my astrological sign, Virgo, on my left foot, a small heart on my back right shoulder, and 'Rebel' in black goth text on my left bicep.
I live with my dad; my mom died when I was 9 in a car accident. My dad went and married some dumb slut named Patricia last year, and she hates my guts. Seriously, when dad's not around, she can beat the living shit outta me. She's 5 inches taller than me and a good 20 pounds heavier. She mostly hurts me emotionally, saying I'll never amount to nothing, blames me for everything, shit like that. She cuts me sometimes, and every once in awhile she will actually hit me. The physical abuse stopped when I started giving her what she deserved.
I broke her nose, gave her a really bloody lip and two black eyes a couple months ago. Dad grounded me and said if I ever hurt 'the love of his life' again, he would put me out in the streets. Thinking back on it, I wish I said something like 'I'd be a lot better off' or something.
Anyways, I get dressed for my first day back in school (BTW, I am still grounded). I wear grey skinny jeans, a black shirt that says 'Can't touch this', and red converse. I grab my backpack and head for the window. Yeah, I always leave through the window, that way I don't have to face Patricia (Dad works 6-6, so she's around all day).
I open the window and slip down the tree with boards nailed to the trunk for steps. I walk to school, since I don't have a car and the bus leaves to early. It takes maybe 10 minutes of power walking, and I'm there. Back for another year in the teenage wasteland.
I enter my homeroom just as the bell rings and look around for a place to sit. The nerds sit by the window, and are doing something with a Rubix cube, the jocks are in the back, talking trash about another school's football team, the preps sit by the door, gossiping, and a small gang (yup, I said gang) of cheerleaders are by the jocks, trying to flirt.
I decide to sit smack-dab in the middle of it all, third row, desk three (three's my lucky number). Mrs. Wallburger (I call her Mrs. Ham, short for hamburger) comes in, her high heels clicking across the tile.
"Welcome back everyone," she says. "I hope you are all ready for an exciting year of learning."
Me and about everyone else rolls their eyes.
Before she continues, the door opens, and a group of the punks come in, fashionably late. I immediately search for my best friend Mike. I see him and I give him a silly grin. He crosses his eyes and sticks his tongue out at me, making me snicker.
He comes and sits in the chair next to mine (each desk has 2 chairs, for partner projects and stuff). Mike throws an arm around my shoulder and hugs me.
"How ya doin', Tater Tots?" Mike whispers (that's his little nickname for me, since my last name is Tatum).
"Better than you, Pitcher," I whisper back (Mike's last name is Pritchard. I shortened it haha).
Now, I know what you're thinking. And you are wrong. Mike and I are NOT dating. But, yeah I could see us together in the future.
Mike helped me deal with Dad remarrying, and he's my best friend. Mike's BFF, on the other hand is a kid named Billie who I have never met.
Someone taps Mike on the shoulder and he turns around. I see a dude with green (yep, green) hair pass Mike a note. I watch him read it and he muffles a laugh. He steals my pencil and scribbles something on the paper and hands it back. I look back at the green-haired kid and notice a smaller guy with blonde hair reading Greenie's note. Blondie looks up at me and smirks. I always hate it when I am left out of a joke.
I let it go and try to focus on Mrs. Ham for the next fourty-five minutes.

When the bell rings and everyone starts shuffling out of the room, I try to ask Mike about the note, but he gets up and leaves before I get the chance. I catch up with him halfway down the hallway.
"Hey!" I grab Mike's shoulder. "What was that all about?"
"Oh, that was my buddy Tre. He, uh, wanted to know who you are."
"Who was that other guy?" I ask, now very curious.
"Oh, him? That was... Billie?" He made it sound like a question.
"It's like being pregnant. Either he is or he isn't."
"Yeah, Billie. That was Billie," Mike says, then starts walking to Biology.
"Bro! Wait up!" I stop Mike again. "Can I meet him? You're always talkin' 'bout him."
"Uh, I gotta go. See ya around, Tater Tots," Mike then jogs into Biology.
Now, what was all that about?

-Mike's POV-
That was really close. Really close. I walk into Biology, leaving Jessie in the hall. I hated to do that, but I really can't let her meet Billie. If I do... well, I just can't let her meet him.
I sit next to Billie Joe in Biology.
"Hey, man, who was that babe you were sittin' with in Homeroom?" Billie asked. "You have gotta introduce us, she was fucking smoking, man!"
"Lay off her, Bill, she's mine," I silently jab at him.
The bell rang and the teacher came in.
"What'd I do to you?" I heard Billie say silently.
I really can't let Billie meet Jessie. I just can't.

-Jessie's POV-

I sit in study hall, two periods later, doing some dumb math problem. Deciding to screw the rest of the day, I skip English and go outside. I sit on a picnic table and light a cigarette. I open my notebook and start drawing. I draw the scene around me, the trees, the road, the falling leaves. I've always been into art, but I decided to take music again this year. Last year, I was the best guitarist in the class, and i plan on repeating that role.
After an hour of sitting and thinking, I look at my schedule and see I have Music in 15 minutes, so I decide to go. When I walk in, I am the first person there. of course, since the bell hasn't even rang. I realize that I'm cold and I run to Mike's locker. He gave me the combo last year and I haven't forgotten it. I open it and take out a hoodie and slip it on. Ah, the warmth. It smells like pot, strawberries, and coffee. Not really the best combination of smells, but it works for me. Before closing the locker, I pause and look at all that's in it. Books, a coffee mug, a pair of shoes, a McDonald's bag, and several pictures. I see many of him, Billie, and the guy with the green hair, Tre, right? I also see a couple of him and me. There was one from last year's yearbook. It's of him, holding a guitar, and I have my arms wrapped around him. It makes me smile. That day was fun. He had pretended to serenade me, and when I laughed at him, the yearbook girl took a picture of us.
The bell rings, so I close Mike's locker and head to music.
"Hey!" i hear a voice behind me. I turn and see Billie calling to me.
He walks over to me through the crowd of students.
"Hi?" I say.
"It's Jessie, right?" Billie asks, and I nod my head. "I'm Billie Joe. Call me Billie, though."
I smile at him as he shakes my hand rather awkwardly.
" It's nice to meet you finally. Mike's told a lot about you," I say.
"Are you headed to music?" Billie asks. I notice his incredible green eyes. Deep, and dark, and oh so green.
"Uh, yeah, I am," I say.
"Awesome, me too! I'll walk ya."
First day off to a pretty good start, right?