The Seventh One

“God I'm an idiot.” I laughed while scrubbing the fresh coffee stain out of the kitchen tiles. I rubbed the dirty dish rag across it until it disappeared and seemed considerably clean. I licked my lips to hold back the laughter of my obvious stupidity. On the other hand, my best friend since 1994, Billie Joe, was laughing his ass off. He'd walked into my house without knocking, snuck about my kitchen when I wasn't looking and moved things around to make me believe I had an ghost or something like that. Then he snuck up behind me as I was pouring coffee, tapped on my shoulder and screamed “BOO!” like an banshee. I yelped and jumped an mile, dropping and breaking the coffee pot id had in my hand. Creating an huge mess for me to clean. Wow, thanks Billie. Asshole... I still had to admit, it's one of his more brilliant pranks.
“I should have known it'd be you.” I muttered standing back up, rinsing the rag under the stream of warm water in the sink.
He laughed some more then composed his face “It was never my intention to scare the living crap out of you.” he defended innocently.
“Bullshit.” I muttered. Turning around to face him. He just grinned like an smart ass. I swear sometimes I cannot stand him. His contagious rays of sunshine that are constantly raying from him. He is 41 years old to my 38. We first met at an Dookie concert in '94. I was the ultimate fangirl back then. Oh well, at that age, everyone is. I've known him going on 22 years. And we have laughed at each other a lot a good portion of that time. He's been there forever and youd actually believe we were joined at the hip. We're always hanging out, laugjing togethet even though we are both responsible adults. More so me than him.., it kills him to be a little serious about something.
He is happily married to Adrienne. They go farther back than me and him. He has two sons, Joey and Jakob. Jacob is eighteen and Joey is in his twenties. So neither of them are in destitute need for their father to be constantly around for them. We hang out a bit. It usually ends in me doing something stupid and he laughs at me. I've already explained this. Billie is an pain in the ass sometimes. I've just had to deal with it. Slightly glad we aren't neighbors. He lives about six miles from here in an completely different neighborhood. So he can't annoy me every second of every day when Adrienne is at Adeline. That'd just be unbearable... Dealing with him all of the time. Dont get me wrong, i love him to pieces but seriously, i dont ser how in the hell Adrienne can stand him all the time...
There has never been anything romantic between us. I'll clear that up right now. We've befriended each other for our unstable love of humor. But lately I've been doing fine without humor in my life, cause all his jokes end with me as the punchline. Grr.
He was still quietly chuckling when an ring sounded at the door. I watched him warily as I moved away from the counter towards the living room and opened the door. I'm pretty sure I wear the same expression every time Adrienne drops by to pick up Billie. She typically drops him off on mornings that she'll be at Adeline all day so that we could 'hang out.' but seriously, Billie doesn't even call before bopping in. He stays for hours in end whining to me because I don't pack enough beer in my fridge, personally I don't drink it. But he finds no end to his cherishing love for it. I came back to reality.
Relief. Sheer relief. Billie is an royal pain in the ass. Big time.
She grinned “How was he?” she cooed like I'd been babysitting him. I threw my head back in laughter “He got into a bit of trouble.”
Billie scowled as I ruffled his hair playfully. He didn't want the jokes to be directed at him. Adrienne laughed and reached up to pull Billie off the porch. “What did you do?” she scolded. Trying to keep an straight face. He rolled his eyes the. Smirked at me again.
“I scared the living piss out of Amy.” he grinned. Loving the words even more now then before when it'd actually happened.
“Oh yeah! Just leave out the part where you made me drop my coffee pot on my toe.” I said sarcastically.
He grinned again. Adrienne smacked the back of his head. “Your such an dick! I'm not gonna let you come over here anymore if your gonna take advantage of Amy's humorable weaknesses.” she scolded.
Oh wow, thanks Adrienne for making me an punch line again. I thought sarcastically. She grinned up at him while I smirked hopefully at him to go, before he has the opertunity to make fun of me again. I've been asked too many timed why we were even friends. To be honest, I don't even know...
Adrienne shooed Billie toward the car parked in the driveway.
“See ya later ms. Scott!” he yelled. Waving as he dropped into the drivers seat. Too busy still waving as he backed out. Running into my neighbors trashcan. I sighed heavily and sat on the stoop. Dropping my head into my hands.
“Just put that on my tab!” he called before accelerating quickly down the street.
I shook my head and stood back up. Stretching. Glad he was gone now. Maybe I can actually get some work done now. No chores get done when he's around. He acted more like an kid about everything rather than an full grown man. I went to the kitchen to start on dinner. Stepping on an piece of glass I'd missed.
“Lovely.” I said through clenched teeth without looking down. Another fine reminder of Billie's recent presence. I sighed and sat in the kitchen chair he had left scooted away from the table. I pulled up my foot and went to work. Chuckling as I looked down.