I Was Only Dreaming

"Yeah, and then the guy said, 'Well this sure beats watching the game!'" Billie finishes telling me a story and we both laugh.
We are sitting together in music, waiting for class to start, and people file in. Mike and Tre come in and sit behind us; Billie doesn't even notice them.
I am laughing so hard that everyone in the room is staring at me. "Oh, jeez man, that was hilarious!"
"I thought so," Billie said, grinning like the Cheshire cat.
The bell rings and Mr. Herschel walks in. He was my teacher last year and by far the best in the school.
"Welcome back, everyone! Glad to see you've all decided to join us," Mr Herschel glances across the room. "Only two empty seats this time around. That's three less than last year! Well, anyway, let's get started. I always like to start with a little ice-breaker. Now, I'd like everyone, starting with you, my dear," He pointed at a petite brunette in the front row, "going all the way around, to say your name and favorite instrument."
Kinda corny, but that's why I like Herschel. He's out-of-the-ordinary.
"I'm Susan Reynolds, and play the piano," The brunette said.
"Jeremy Shaw, bongos."
"Gladys Price. I like the violin."
Two rows went by before I could go. "Jessie Tatum, guitar and voice." As I sat down and Billie was about to stand up, he looked at me and smirked. "Billie Joe Armstrong... guitar and voice."
Well then. I got me some competition! Eh, whatever. I can kick his ass on guitar any day.
Mike went, saying he plays bass, then Tre, who plays the drums.
Eventually, everyone finished. "Now then! Last year, my favorite student, Ms. Tatum, was voted 'Best Guitar Player' in the yearbook. Before her, there never was a category for Best Guitar Player. So, I'd like Ms. Tatum to play a song for us," Mr. Herschel beamed.
I gulped. I was never that good at playing for a lot of people. I mean, I could. But I had some pressure on me. My new friend Billie obviously has a huge ego and thinks he's the best guitarist God ever created (I've never heard him play, but I could tell by the way he looked at me that he wanted to take me down. But in a friendly kinda way, y'know?). I stood up, borrowed Mr. Herschel's guitar and sat in front of the class.
The first person I looked at was Mike, but he ignored my gaze. Then Billie, who was leaning back in his seat, smirking. Tre was passing notes with the brunette girl, Susan.
I played some chords to warm up, then I began with one of my favorite songs.

Took this love and I took it down
Climbed a mountain and I turned around
And I saw my reflection in the snow covered hills
Till the landslide brought me down

Oh, mirror in the sky, what is love?
Can the child within my heart rise above?
And can I sail through the changing ocean tides
Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Oh oh I don't know, oh I don't know

Well, I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older I'm getting older too
Yes I'm getting older too, so

I've been afraid of changing
'Cause I, I've built my life around you
But time makes you bolder
Children get older
I'm getting older too oh yes
I'm getting older too

So, take this love, take it down
Oh if you climb a mountain and you turn around
If you see my reflection in the snow covered hills
Well the landslide will bring you down, down
And if you see my reflection in the snow covered hills

Well maybe the landslide will bring you down
Well well, the landslide will bring you down

When I finished, the class clapped, I grinned, Mike still ignored me (what the hell's his problem?!) and Billie shook his head, bewildered at how he didn't get in my head with his smirk and those... eyes, those green, very green... eyes.
I jumped back into reality, putting the guitar down and returned to my seat.
"That was very lovely, Ms. Tatum. Now, let's go over this semester's syllabus," Mr. Herschel put on his reading glasses. Whenever he puts on his glasses, you know that you're gonna be sitting there for awhile.
As he read, I scribbled a note
'Dude, what the hell's your problem?'
I passed it behind me to Mike. A minute later he shoved the paper at me.
'Nothing.'
I let out a breath.
'Well, whatever. I didn't wanna know anyway.'
I passed it back. It took a little longer to get my reply.
'I got two detentions. And something else. I can't tell you about it though.'
Jeez. Two detentions? Mike was the king of detentions, but two in one day?
'What the fuck did you do??'
I almost laughed when I got my reply.
'Well, in History, I pretended to be asleep and snored really loud. In Bio, I broke three test tubes. I know you're laughing. Don't ask.'
I didn't reply because the bell rang. Everyone stood up to go to lunch. Billie turned to me and said, "Uh, you wanna grab some pizza with me?"
I smiled at him and shook my head, "Sorry, but me and Mike always get pizza on Mondays."
"Oh, so that's why he never ate with us on Monday all last year."
"Maybe tomorrow?" I ask, really hoping he'll agree. Oh, crap I think I stared at his eyes too long.
Billie laughed, "Sure. I'll see ya later."
He grabbed Tre by the hem of his shirt and led him into the hallway. I saw Mike following them, and managed to stop him at his locker (he's so damn tall that he can easily slip away from me because he takes such huge strides).
"Hey, are you gonna buy me pizza, or what?" I ask.
"Uh, not today. I'm kinda broke." Mike said, scrambling through his locker. He looks really stressed
"Then I'll buy. It's not that much. I stole some money from Patricia last night," I answer.
"I, um, gotta do something. I'll see ya later." Mike jogs off to the lunchroom.
Something is up. Mike acted all weird about Billie meeting me, and when we do meet, he ignores me, then blows me off. Maybe his underwear are too tight...
So, there I stand, like an idiot, in front of Mike's locker. I open it and shuffle through it until I find a bay of chips and head outside for the picnic tables.

It's the last class of the day, English, and I am really tired. I decide to cause some trouble because I am so bored I might die. Mrs. Collins is reading some dumb book about a dog, so, in the middle of a sentence, I go, "Woof woof!" and the class snickers.
"Ms. Tatum, if you could please raise your hand next time." Collins glares at me and gives me The Eye.
Ten minutes later, I decide to crack a very, very harmless Yo Momma joke.
"Hey, Mrs. Collins, yo momma's butt's so fat its got two zip codes!"
Very harmless and very classic. But I get detention. And by the way she looked at me, I think her momma's butt might really be that fat.