The Seventh One

I could hear Billie and Adrienne's soft, muffled conversations in the living room. An occasional laugh out of Billie. He was completely at ease.
Sure, Adrienne had given us an weird look when we came in. Covered in dust. She said hi, the phone cradled in between her ear and shoulder while she stirred dinner on the stove. Billie freaked out when she wasn't looking, looking pointedly down at the mat in front of the door. I looked Down at our feet, noticeing the the tread of our shoes were stained crimson from walking through the crime scene house. He directed me to take them off. He packed them to the bathroom and scrubbed the soles with an sponge. Instructing me in a low voice so 80 wouldn't hear as he did so where the guest room was. I nodded at his instructions and went searching for it. One door along the hallway was slightly open and the pounding of drums poured out. I cracked the door farther to see Joey. He looked up at me leaning in the doorway.

“Hey, whatsup Amy?” he sat aside the sticks and rose from his spot under the big window of his room. The dark curtains pulled tightly together. I thought about his question and honestly didn't know. I felt quite braindead right now to be honest.

“Ah nothing much. What about you?”

He looked down at his drumset. It's color an shiny crimson. I winced, quite tired of that color today. He brushed his finger lightly across the top. Shrugging as he did so.

“Ah, not much either I suppose. Just practicing.”

I nodded in agreement “Practice makes perfect.”

He looked over at me again. An slight smile on his lips and an evil glint in his eyes. Of course his dad told him all about taking advantage of my weaknesses...

“Only someone as oldschool as you would use that term Amy.” he laughed. I heard Adrienne call for dinner. Instantly relived.

But now. The room was dark. The small amount of light that still got in through the drawn blinds. I brushed the hair off my forehead with my hand. Sleep wouldn't come, I felt to anxious to finish everything. Knowing already Id shake like a tree when the time actually came. I shook my head pathetically and sat up in bed. Glancing over at the orangish light filtering through the blinds. I really just wanted to talk to Billie about all of this. But after dinner, he split to the living room for some 'family time'
Also with that being said, he was secretly telling me 'case closed for the day.' he was off duty for being my go-to guy. Adrienne seemed to be oblivious to everything that was happening in my house. But shed know about it the second the weekly paper dropped on her doorstep.
I covered my face in my hands. Trying to come up with ways to keep it from her and let the storm just pass. But I know already I can't save everyone from information they don't need. She doesn't particulary need to know about it all now... It's just really going to hurt her that Billie lied about it. Me too.
There was no escaping any of this. It's branded to my skin and is my born destiny apparently.
I laid back down to stare at the celing a little while longer before I passed out finally.

I woke, of course I was tired now.. An humorless laugh escaped my lips. Sunlight bleached the room the best it could with the drawn blinds. I fell out of the nice, warm bed. Well aware that I had nothing to do here. No clothes to change into or a shower to take. Just anticipate what would happen today. I honestly didn't want to know. What I wanted was an ending. But everyone knows all to well that any story that begins with 'once apon a time' ends with an 'they lived happily ever after' chances are that I'm not grouped into that category at all.
I got up anyways and walked down the hall to the living room in the same clothing I'd had on my back yesterday. Just as I entered the room, Adrienne kissed Billie goodbye and dashed out the door for Adeline and whatever other things she had to do today. Joey had band practice this morning. And Jakob was hanging out with some friends according to what I'd overheard Adrienne say this morning. I looked at the distant Billie who stood by the front door in another state of mind. He was lost in thought over something. Until he recalled my existence and his head snapped back towards me.
He grinned slightly.

“You can borrow one of Adrienne's old shirts and jeans if you'd like.” he offered. But I didn't really need Adrienne catching me sporting her wardrobe around town and suspect the exact opposite between me and Billie than what was actually there.
I declined, thinking that maybe if I could break into my house today, I could just gather my own clothes. As much as I wanted to burry this mystery in the past. I felt compelled to finish Jessie's mission. Whatever it may be. Billie seemed to read my mind though.

“Oh no no, we aren't going to play detective today. We, being you and I, are going to do something 'fun' together.” he explained cheekily. Making quotations in the air. I honestly had no idea how to be fun anymore...
I just nodded slowly and pulled on my jacket. Loving the feeling of the leather of my old biker boots, the way it molded to my feet from so much use. I settled into them and looked to see Billie ready to go by the front door. Smirking slightly. I just shrugged deeper into my jacket and followed him outside. He closed the door behind us. I was surprised when he walked straight past his expensive, fancy car.
Instead, he knelt in front of the garage door and lifted up. Realising an puff of dust into the air. Inside was his old '67 Ford Fairline. I raised my eyebrows, knowing that he has had that car God knows how long. The old navy blue paint looked as new as it has for years. He got the keys of a twisted nail in the wall, unlocked the drivers door and hopped in. Waving at me through the windshield to get in. I looked behind me at the nice, orderly neighborhood. Sighed, realizing nothing was normal in my life anymore. And the most normal thing I could do was ride in my best friend's ancient car. I smiled to myself and climbed in. He pulled out and drove through the sleeping neighborhood. He put an Ramones CD into the disk player. I'd never personally had interest in the band, but supported him on his love for it. He sang some of the songs loudly while I got lost in my thoughts.