Beautiful

Blane had just finished taking all her stuff back to the band building. She had seen a basketball, left behind in the gym and she was in a hurry to get back before it was gone. She loved basketball and she hadn’t played in a while, even though she went to the court at the park all the time.

When she got back and saw her director, Mr. P as they called him, and the intern/ Mr. P’s assistant, Josh, talking to three other men that, though they tried not to be, Blane noticed were sitting up in the back during practice. She assumed they were other directors that had come to judge their performance and give Mr. P advice.
She waited till they were gone, to go out onto the court.
She shot from almost every point of the court. She slammed the ball at the hoop so hard she was surprised she hadn’t broken the glass backboard. She played hard, dripping sweat, and maybe some tears until she thought she heard someone come into the building. She turned around; when no one was there, she shrugged her shoulders and went to get a drink from the fountain.
When she came back, Blake, snare drummer, and quite possibly the hottest junior at Everview High, was standing there.

---o---
Billie had forgotten his keys, mentally kicking himself for being so stupid, he made his way back to the gym. He stopped dead at the door because the girl was there; shooting hoops like the goal had really pissed her off. When the door closed behind him, she turned around. He quickly hid himself behind the bleachers.
She shrugged her shoulders, seemingly satisfied with the fact that she didn’t see anyone there, and went to get a drink. Just as she turned to do so, a boy walked in. Billie recognized him from the drumline. He was tall with neon blue hair. He was wearing a Disturbed t-shirt and jeans that were so ragged from the knees down, they looked like they would turn themselves into shorts at any second.
“Hey Blane?” he said.
Blane. That was her name. Billie thought about it and decided that it suited her.
“Yeah Blake?” Blane answered.
Judging by the comfort between them, Billie assumed they were friends.
“I'm takin off; did you need a ride home?”
Blane shook her head. “No, I’ll walk, it’s cool. Thanks, though.”
Blake looked disappointed, like he had something important to say to her. “You sure?” he questioned.
“Yeah,” she said, oblivious to his body language, “I’m gonna shoot some more hoops.”
“Kay,” he said as he turned to leave, “See you tomorrow.”
“Yeah, see ya.” She replied as she threw the ball into the hoop.
Blake left.
Billie figured this was as good a time as any to get his keys. Her back was to him. She had turned her focus to free throws. She didn’t notice him until she heard the jingling of his keys.

---o---
Blane jumped four feet off the ground. When she turned, she yelled at him, “You scared the bejesus out of me!”
“Sorry,” Billie replied, as he shrugged his shoulders. She looked at him curiously, “You look familiar.” She said.
Billie pulled the hat down further over his face and adjusted his sunglasses, “Nope, you’ve never seen me before,” he said, slightly turning his head.
“No,” she said, switching her weight to her other foot, “I’ve heard that voice before.” She smiled recognition in her eyes.
Billie sighed.
“You caught me.” He said as he pulled off his hat and sunglasses.
She clapped a hand over her mouth.
Billie thought he heard a muffled,”Oh my.”
She took her hand away. “You’re Billie Joe Armstrong!”
“that I am.”
“That wasn’t very smart.” She said, referring to his de-masking.
“And whys that?” he asked with a smile.
“Green Day’s my favorite band, I could go all crazed fan on you.”
Billie laughed.
“you play?” she gestured to the ball In her hands.
“It’s been a while… but… ah, what the hell.”
She smiled, “Your ball.” She said and bounced it his way.

They played like old rivals, as if they were playing for something important. They soaked their clothes in sweat, not caring what their names were or who had to be back in LA the next morning.
Blane stopped and put her hands on her knees, breathing heavy. She seemed to be in pain.
“You ok?” Billie asked her,
“I’m six up on you aren’t I?” she teased, breathlessly.
Billie wasn’t sure if she was really ok or if she was doing a really good job of hiding it.
“Hey,” he replied, “don’t pick on the old guy.”
In one quick moment, she took the ball from him, and ran it down court.
“Old? Pshhh! My grandpa could take you and he’s sixty-three!” she jumped up and tossed it in with a hook shot. “Of course,” she passed the ball to him, “he was an all star.”
Billie smiled. “I forfeit.”
“Wimp,” She teased, and then she laughed, “I can’t believe I just played basketball with BILLIE JOE.”
Billie laughed, “I can’t believe I just got my ass kicked by a little girl.”
“Hey,” she gave him a threatening look, “I’m not that little.”
They laughed hard; Blane grabbed her side, definitely in pain.
Billie knew she was hiding something. The look on his face must have given him away, because she gave him a reassuring smile and said, “I’m fine.”
“That doesn’t look fine to me.”
“Chill, my side just hurts from laughing too much and playing too hard.”
He still wasn’t convinced, but he decided to let it go for the moment.
“So what’s up with you and Mr. Blue Hair?”
She laughed, not near as much as she had been, Billie guessed from fear of the pain in her side. “Blake?” she asked between laughs, “we’ve been friends since the eighth grade when we had to sit next to each other in science. We actually became friends because our names sounded so much alike. It’s really funny now that I think about it.”
She smiled.
Billie smiled too.
“no.” she sighed, “there’s nothing going on.”
She pulled her phone out of her pocket and flipped it open. “Oh shit! It’s nine o' clock!”
“You’re kidding!” Billie flipped out his own phone in disbelief, “you’re right,” he said.
“I gotta get home.” She said heading for the door.
“Do you need a ride?” he asked when he noticed it was raining.
“No,” she replied casually, “I can walk.”
“Walk!” he yelled, “it’s pouring out there!”
She shrugged, “I like the rain.”
“Well it’s too dark for a little girl to be walking home alone.”
She shot him an annoyed glare.
“Fine,” she sighed as she took out her phone, “I’ll call Kacie.”
Billie sat and waited as she dialed the number. He could tell when whoever was on the other end picked up the phone because she held the phone at arms length and he heard a voice yell, “Where the hell have you been?!”
She grinned.
“Playing basketball with the stars.”
Billie stifled a laugh.
She grinned again as she put the phone back to her ear.
“No, I wasn’t being a smart ass…” she winked at Billie, “…Kacie-… I-… will you let me finish... thank you. I was playing basketball and I lost track of time, that’s why I didn’t call… yes I know… I think I would understand that more than you… no I was calling to-…ok…bye.” She hung up the phone.
“Well?” Billie asked.
She sighed, “She’s on her way.”
She went outside and stood in the rain. He followed her. “So you’re gonna make me stand out in the rain?” he asked her.
“No,” she tilted her head back and faced the sky, “you can go back inside.”
He laughed, and then he paused for a moment, “why?”
She smiled,
“I love the rain.”