Summer Has Come and Passed

My bed was completely taken over by applications. I tilted my head up at Billie Joe as he fumbled throughout the plastic bag he'd set the rest of these applications in. I looked about my room, it was hardly lit. Hardly any sunlight coming through, meaning it was too damn early for this.

I groaned laying myself back on my bed, my legs having to rest on the papers since they were to be everywhere on my bed. The plastic bag being rustled basically scratched against my eardrums. I had envisioned myself snatching the plastic bag from Billie and ordering him from my room until I had enough sleep.

Instead, I dramatically dropped myself from my bed onto my floor with a slight thud from the impact of my body.

If my mom was here, Billie wouldn’t have even made it past the front door. She would have shooed him away, telling him I was still asleep, telling him to be on his way until I woke. I pulling my tired body from lying, and I positioned myself to be sitting.

I was pulled from my = slumber due to Billie banging away at my front door. Strutting himself up to my bedroom and dumping these college applications on my bed, and floor. And every other place they landed. An application was shoved into my hand from Billie. I glared at him from my spot on the floor.

I doubt I looked remotely threatening seeing that I was placed on the floor with my hair tossed all about my head. Not to mention the girly socks reaching up to my knee.

Trying to look threatening in the day's early morning was not a success.

I rolled my eyes at Billie when his head was turned. I also thought I'd take the liberty to ball my fist up to crumple up the paper he had just given me ‘till I read the bold letters on top.

'University of California, Berkeley '

I smirked to myself at the irony of how the one paper that was placed in my hand was a college that so happened to be Berkeley. Not saying anything I smiled from my spot, covering my wide grin with the application. I snatched a pen from my nightstand.

“Press the pen to the paper and write sweetheart.” Billie instructed teasingly, from my bed.

I snatched the top from my pen, chucking at his head, feeling triumphant that I got a direct hit.

"Throwing stuff at me isn’t nice," He said after he had thrown a crumpled paper ball in my direction. “And it isn’t gonna get these applications done with any faster."

"I don't want to do this though." I complained.

“I’m not forcing you," He retorted. “Only trying to assist you."

“You woke me up for this, BeeJ,” I said, twirling the pen in my hand. “I think you are trying to force me just a bit.”

“You’re right,” He said, leaning on his elbow looking down at me. “I am totally forcing you to fill these applications out. Next I’ll wipe your nose and your butt.”

“Billie,” I whined with a laugh. “I’m being serious.”

“Me too,” He said. “So, which one first—nose or butt?”

“You’re such an asshole.” I huffed crossing my arms over my chest.

“And obnoxious,” He beamed. “Don’t forget obnoxious.”

“Don’t those two go hand ‘n hand?”

“Nope,” He grinned. “There’s a difference.”

I rolled my eyes while climbing myself onto my bed after he patted the spot beside him I sprawled myself beside him and I then felt a slight weight be put on my body as Billie draped his arm across my abdomen. I kind of thought it was an odd time for cuddling, but I smiled anyway at the close contact while I set myself into his shape.

I wasn’t even able to relax for a millisecond because I soon found a paper nearly shoved into my face, letting out a cry I shoved Billie from my bed letting him fall to the floor this time.

"Nice try." I announced pushing the papers from my bed onto Billie, decorating his fallen body with papers. I heard a grunt in return causing me to laugh.

"Was pushing me really necessary?" He asked while his head was now in full view, resting on the edge of my--somewhat cleared--bed. I nodded in response curling my lips into my mouth trying to hide my oncoming smirk.

He smacked me on my leg; I gave a wail as I rubbed it. “Out.” I growled playfully, glaring at a smirking Billie on the floor.

"Fine then.” He said while placing one of the applications on his head. I raised an eyebrow as I saw him pull himself from my bedroom floor striding towards my door, slowly, for dramatic effect. I giggled and outstretched my arms as if he was in reach. I let out a cry causing his head to turn in my direction.

"Don't leave," I said. "Come sit back down." I pleaded, settling myself underneath my blanket.

"No, you just want to throw things at me." He said turning his nose in the air.

"Awe, that's not true," I argued. "I want you for your bod too, baby." I giggled when Billie pretty much flung himself from his spot back into my bed.

"I can live with that." He said lifting the blanket from my own body to place himself underneath also.
He leaned his head beside mine. "Hello." he whispered close to my ear.

"Hi." I murmured.

I felt a hand take mines in theirs, and I held on tightly.

"Love you." He said leaning and placing a kiss on my nose rather than my cheek, which I thought he was aiming for.

"I know," I said with a smile. "I hate the idea of college." I mumbled when I saw an application out the corner of my eye.

“I know.”

"I'm not going." I said turning on my side, my back facing Billie, but our hands still intertwined. I felt his weight shift, closer to me. I could feel the mold of his chest against my back. I leaned forward a bit more, knowing he had something up his sleeve to say concerning my comment.

"It's not like its high school, or grade school or anything like that,” He said placing his cheek on mine. "You got time to pick colleges, it's still summer, and even when the school season hits."

"I don't wanna go anymore." I grumbled into my pillow.

"Why?” He asked.

“I just don’t want to.” I murmured pulling my face from my suffocating pillow.

“Ok,” He nodded. “But what’s the reason?”

“There is none—I just don’t want to,” I said. “I just don’t feel as strongly about it anymore.”

“Well there’s a reason right there.” He pointed out.

I rolled my eyes. “More or less.”

School was the last thing I wanted to talk about. My mom was already on my ass what felt like 24/7 about college. My mom, I believed, had always wanted me to follow in the footsteps of my older sister, Gloria. Maybe that wasn't her real agenda, but it sure as hell felt like it to me. Gloria and I were 4 years apart and our own people.

However my mom seemed to forget that at times. She wanted the best for us, which makes her such an admirable parent. But she wants the same exact goals for us, which makes her a pain in the ass. Gloria was away at Michigan University studying medicine. Even when school let out for breaks she'd still stay up there in Michigan.

We were close, I loved Gloria with every fiber of my being. We're sisters.

But she and I we're our own people, and it felt like my mom didn't seem to quite grasp that concept.

Thus why she continuously would bring up the subject of college in the Fall. Today I thought I'd get a break from that.

I was wrong.

“Awe baby,” He said sitting upright, pulling me up with him. “You gotta go—you’re too smart.”
I snorted in response.

“Stop it,” He ordered sternly. “Ya gotta give yourself more credit than you do.”

I huffed and lied back down, but was pulled right back up by none other than Billie.

“I’m serious,” He said eyeing me carefully. “If you don’t go to college what’re you gonna do then, hm?”

I pursed my lips as I pondered. “Get a job.” I shrugged.

“Where?” He questioned. “The Music Shack with Lisa?”

“Yeah,” I answered. “She could definitely get me a job there.”

Why wouldn't she? Lisa had on many occasions asked me to pitch in a hand with her when things got a little crazy at her job. Other times she'd just want someone to goof off with. And I was always incredibly happy to help my fellow man.

Sometimes I'd be the one running the store myself. In my mind it was the perfect setup. I had one of my best gal pals, Lisa, and an endless supply of the hippest and most classic tunes.
Billie however to my dislike shook his head, obviously disagreeing with me.

“No V,” He countered. “You can’t let your brain rot in there. I’m not gonna let ‘cha. You’re good at school, it’s your thing.”

I raised my eyebrow, a smirk tugging on the edge of my mouth. “My thing?” Billie was always one to come up with some wild phrases.

“Yeah,” He responded. “School ‘n learning and all that shit—you’re good at. Just like music’s my thing and I’m great at it.” He grinned cheekily at the end of his statement.

I only rolled my eyes and he playfully bumped my shoulder. “I’m serious. You can’t let all that good brain juice go to waste.”

I sat for a moment or so and then abruptly leaned over the side of my bed to grab an application off of the floor, gripping it tight in my hand.

“Good brain juice, huh?” I queried raising my eyebrow at Billie. Whose world famous smirk was making itself evident at that very moment.