I Can't Believe This

*Three Weeks After The Breakup*

I had just bought a new pair of converse, and I was feeling pretty good. I was walking down 12th Street, heading for my next destination: the record store.

As I approached the building’s entrance, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the store’s window. My straight red hair now had dark, electric purple streaks in it. Not only that, but I had also gotten bangs and dyed them the same color purple. Last week, Rhianna and I had decided to go out and get our hair done. I had chosen this, while Rhianna had chosen to put some dark blue underneath her dark brown hair. We looked great. Better than we had in awhile. And I guess you could say that I had gotten a confidence booster from my new look. As shallow as that sounds.

Pulling myself out of my trance, I headed into the store. I immediately went to the Customer Service desk and asked the clerk if they had received the Three Days Grace cd I had ordered last week. The clerk nodded and handed me the jewel case. I thanked him and walked back toward the exit. I had just stepped off the first step in front of the record store when I collided with someone. “Oh, sorry.” I apologized, bending down to grab my newly purchased cd that had fallen to the ground.

I wasn’t fast enough. A pair of slightly tan hands had already reached down and snatched the cd from the ground. I recognized those hands. I peered at the man's left hand. Looking at the small black heart on his middle finger. I'd never be able to forget those hands. How could I? Those hands had been wrapped around my waist many times. I lifted my gaze slightly, seeing the mess of black, spiky hair. His face was still looking towards the ground, and his slender body was bent over picking up a dime that I assume had fallen from his tight black jeans. I stepped back a little, straightening up.

“No, I’m sorry.” said his unmistakable voice. “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

He straightened up also, lifting his face, wearing his trademark crooked grin. It seemed to take him a minute to figure out who was standing in front of him. But as soon as he did, his smile became a little less prominent, still friendly though. “Hey.” I greeted, smiling a little.

“Hey.” Billie answered back.

We stood there for a minute in an awkward silence before he spoke up again. “Nice hair.” He smiled, nodding towards my red and purple locks.

I laughed a little, smiling. “Thanks.”

“Oh, here’s your cd.” He extended his hand at the same moment I reached for it. Our fingers grazed each other’s, only for a second, but long enough for both of us to feel the electricity that flowed between us in that instant. I jerked my fingers back and looked up at Billie. He had the same expression on his face that I did.

“Uh, thanks. And I’m sorry I bumped into you.”

He grinned, his unreadable expression disappearing. “That’s ok, although I bumped into you too.”

“True.” I agreed. “Well, I better go.”

“Yea, right. Um…see you later?” He said, although I knew it was a question.

“Yea, see you later.” I smiled once more, turning around and walking towards the crosswalk a few feet in front of me.

“Hey, wait!” Billie called.

I stopped, wheeling around to face him. “Yea?”

“Do wanna, maybe…uh, go get some coffee or something?” He stuttered, looking down.

I hesitated, debating with myself in my head. “Yea, sure.” I answered finally, noting the relieved expression that flickered across Billie’s gaze. He quickly covered it up.

“Ok, cool.”

I walked back over to him, falling in step with him as we made our way down the street. We walked in silence for awhile. It wasn’t an awkward silence like the one before, just a comfortable silence. We reached a little diner and grabbed a booth table. “So, what’s been up with you lately?” I asked, peering over the menu in my hand at Billie.

“Oh, you know, the usual. We’ve been recording some new stuff.” He shrugged.

“Awesome.”

“Well what about you? I see you got your hair done--which looks good by the way--, but what else have you been up to?”

His gaze broke my concentration for a second. The look in his eyes wasn’t only questioning. There was something else there, but I couldn’t quite figure out what it was. I blushed a little at his compliment then answered, “Nothing really. I got my hair done last week. And I just got back from visiting my parents in Oregon.”

“Oh really? Cool, I bet they were glad to see you.”

“Yea.” I laughed a little at the memory.

*Flashback*

I hadn’t been here in a long time. Despite the fact that I had gone to college in my home state of Oregon, I hadn’t visited my parents much. Not in a year or so. I'd decided last week that I needed to make that up, so here I was, walking down my chilhood home's driveway. I walked up the walkway to the familiar front door. “I hope they’re home.” I thought to myself. I rang the bell and waited. My eyes wandered over the front yard, then back to the house. The house was now a light blue. The last time I had been here it had still been the plain, bare, wood. It looked nice.

The door finally swung open, revealing my dad. “Lisa!” He opened the screen, enveloping me into a hug.

“Hey.” I said, muffled a little. I pulled back and looked up at him. “Where’s Mom?”

“Inside.” He turned on his heal and walked into the kitchen.

I stayed behind in the living room, I wanted to take everything in. I looked around the small living room. It looked the same as it had when I'd left. The same grayish couch, with some lines of color here and there. The entertainment center was in the same place, and the stereo was next to that. It felt good to be home.

“Lisa!” my mom exclaimed, rushing over to me and giving me a hug. She pulled back some, looking at me. “Still dying your hair bright colors I see.” she laughed, brushing the bangs out of my face.

I smiled. My parents had always been cool with me dying my hair and wearing what I wanted and all of that. They were cool for parents. “Of course.” I answered, grinning.

*End Flashback*

“It sounds like you had a nice time.” Billie said, after I had told him about my trip.

“Yea, I did. I need to visit them more often.” I said, sadly.

“I’m sure they understand.”

“Yea, they do. They always understand. No matter what, they've always understood why I do things.” I looked up again, grabbing a the cup of coffee that had just been set down in front of me.

“Lisa…” Billie began, then stopped abruptly.

“Yea?” I asked, looking at his face.

He looked like he was debating with himself. “I…well would it be alright if we…I mean, if we were to be, ya know…friends still?” He lifted his gaze to my face, his eyes were penetrating, seemingly trying to look into the very depths of my soul for what my answer was going to be.

I smiled. “I’d like that.”

His face relaxed, and melted into that breathtaking crooked smile. “Good.”

“Listen…” we both started. We laughed at our timing.

“You first.” Billie said.

“Ok.” I laughed once more, before continuing. “I have to go.”

“That’s what I was going to say.”

I shook my head, smiling. “Of course.”

“Well, you know, we always did seem to be able to read each other’s minds.” Billie said quietly, his gaze smoldering.

I forgot how to breathe for a moment. I swear to you, I did. I gathered my jumbled thoughts, and finally answered, “Yea, we did.”

“Alright, well I’ll walk you out.” Billie stood up, gesturing for me to go first.

“Always the gentlemen.” I complimented, walking in front of him.

“That’s me.”

We stepped out into the warm , midday sun, and paused, each waiting for the other to speak. Finally it was Billie who broke the silence. “Ok, well I guess I’ll talk to you later.”

“Yea, definitely.”

Neither of us moved. There was obviously still something to say. But I didn’t know what it was.

“We should do this again soon.” Billie stated.

“I agree.”

He smiled, then answered. “Ok, well I’ll give you a call sometime later this week?”

Another question.

“Great.” Wow Lisa, great answer. I thought to myself.

“Ok well, see you later Lisa.”

“See you later Billie.” I smiled, then turned and headed down the street. I had almost made it to the crosswalk when I glanced over my shoulder to look behind me. I laughed to myself quietly. Billie was looking over his shoulder too. He grinned when our eyes met, then looked away quickly. I looked down at my feet, waiting for the walk signal to light up. When it did, I cross the street, grinning to myself the whole time.

***

I’m back!” I called, opening the door me and Rhianna’s apartment.

“Hey! Have fun shopping?” Rhianna asked, coming into view, as I sat down on the couch.

“Yup.” I held up my new black on black converse, then grabbed the lime green shoelaces I had also bought for them, and showed her those.

“Very nice.”

“I thought so.”

“So did you get anything else?”

“You mean, did I get anything for you?”

Rhianna grinned, failing to look innocent, as she nodded.

“Yes, I did, it’s in the bag.”

Rhianna grabbed the bag and started pawing through it, then gasped. “There’s nothing else in here!”

“Really?” I turned on the T.V., pretending I wasn’t paying attention.

“No, there isn’t.”

I smiled, still looking at the T.V.

“That was evil.” Rhianna said.

“I know.” I laughed, then grabbed the little bag on the floor next to me and threw it at her. “In there.” I pointed.

She hesitated, then finally opened the bag and pulled out the bright blue shoelaces I had gotten her. “Thanks!” She laughed, then immediately started undoing the laces that occupied the shoes she was wearing.

“Welcome.” I opened up my converse box, pulling out one of the shoes. “I ran into Billie.” I said, nonchalantly.

“You waited ‘til now to tell me this?!”

I shrugged, lacing my shoe.

“Well…?” she prompted.

“Well…we got some coffee and talked.”

“About what?”

“My hair, the new songs he, Tre, and Mike have been recording, my trip to Oregon. Nothing earth shattering.

“Nothing else?” Her gaze was curios.

“Not really. He asked if we could still be friends.”

“He did?!” She practically yelled.

“Yea, so?”

“You’re getting back together with Billie!” She accused. “When did this happen?”

“Nothing has happened, and we’re not getting back together. We’re just trying to be friends.”

“Uh huh…for now. Just wait, it’s only a matter of time before you two realize that you love each other.” She nodded her head, then walked into the kitchen.

“I wouldn’t bet on it.” I said, following her.

“You wouldn’t?”

“No. We’re just friends. And after the way we broke up, that’s a big step.” I pointed out.

Rhianna nodded, understanding. “Ok. I get it. But this is really good. I’ve missed the old Lisa.”

“So have I.” I admitted. “But I’m staging a comeback.”

“Good! So when are you seeing him again?”

I smiled at her prodding tone. “He’s going to call sometime later this week.”

Rhianna nodded knowingly. "It's so obvious." she muttered, walking out of the kitchen.

***

*Billie’s P.O.V.*

“Hey, sorry it took me so long.”

“Hey, finally.” Mike said, his foot up on a chair while he tuned his bass.

“Yea, on my way back I bumped into Lisa.” I set down the new guitar string I had bought, then looked back up at Mike. He and Tre were just staring me. “What?” I asked, confused.

“You ran into Lisa?” Tre asked, smiling.

“Yea.”

“And?” Mike pressed.

“We got coffee, talked, and we’re going to try and be friends.” I smiled, pleases that she had agreed to it after the way I'd treated her.

“Very smooth.” Tre said, matter-of-factly.

“What?”

“Getting her to be your friend, very nice idea. Then you can convince her to get back together with you.”

I snorted. “That’s not why I asked her if we could be friends.”

“Right.” Mike laughed.

“It isn’t. But I’ve missed talking to her and I thought this would help. And it has.”

“That it has.” Tre walked over to me, and poked my face.

“What the fuck are you doing?’

“You see Mike?” Tre poked me again. “He has some color in his face again. His eyes are bright.” Tre poked my cheek again. “And he’s smiling.”

“Tre, I swear to God, if you poke me one more fucking time, I’m gonna break your damn finger.”

“And he’s irritable again.” Mike pointed out, laughing.

“Shut the fuck up.”

“It’s ok dude, we know you missed her. It’s fine to want her back.” Mike said, understandingly.

I groaned. ”We are not getting back together. What the hell do I have to do to get that through your thick fucking skull?” I spat.

“You love her. Admit it.” Tre stated, looking triumphant.

“Will you quit? Lets just rehearse ok?”

"Yup, he loves her." Tre grinned, starting to chant, "Billie and Lisa sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N- ow!" Tre yelped when I hit upside the head.

"Shut the fuck up. Now get your ass behind those fucking drums before I shove my guitar up your fucking ass. Mike stop fucking laughing. And lets just fucking rehearse!" I yelled.

Mike and Tre shared a look, smirking to each other, then nodded. Mike picked up his bass, and Tre jumped behind his drums. I pick up my signature guitar and began the riff to Jesus of Suburbia. As I leaned toward the mike in front of me, I could’ve sworn that Mike winked at me. Fucking winked at me.

Asshole.