The Road to Acceptance

Billie flicked on the switch, wanting to catch the culprits. His heart stopped dead in his chest when he realised who it was he had walked in on.

"Holy fucking cow---" he breathed. "No way."

"Billie! I---uhh---didn't hear you come upstairs---"

"Holy shit Tre---you disgust me---beating yourself off in Adrienne's room! Why?!"

"Coz I'm horny and none of the girls will sleep with me!"

"That is no excuse! You're sick man!"

Tre hung his head. "Yeah I guess---"

Billie moved his gaze to stare over Tre's shoulder. Adrienne's bed covers were missing and her pillows were strewn all over the floor. "Did you do that?" Billie asked, pointing to the bed.

Tre shrugged. "No. It was already like that when I got here. What're you doing up here anyway Bill? Why'd you come in Adie's room?"

Billie felt himself become hot under the collar. "I---uhh---just wanted to see if Adrienne was alright. I saw her come upstairs by herself and just wanted to check on her. But anyway---stop changing the subject---fasten your pants up and get the hell back downstairs where you belong."

Tre did as he was told and then followed Billie out of the room. "I've just got to go to the bathroom. Get me a beer and wait for me in the kitchen."

"If you're not downstairs in five minutes I swear I'll kick your ass because I know what you're doing---"

"No---I'm going to save it till I get home. I really do need to pee."

Billie nodded, believing him. Tre headed over to the bathroom but then changed his direction when Billie had gone downstairs. He then made his way back over to Adrienne's bedroom.

"Alright you two, you can come out now."

The closet door opened and out came Mike in just his boxers and Adrienne was wrapped in her bed quilt. Mike's cheeks flushed pink at Tre's deathly stare and Adrienne's eyes glistened with tears.

"You better tell me what the fuck is going on, because right now I can't quite believe what I walked in on."

"Adrienne and I have been in a relationship for the past six months. I love her."

"Yeah---she's your sister---its what's expected---"

"No Tre---I'm in love with her."

Tre, who seemed to be having a hard time believing what he was hearing, wearily rubbed his forehead. "This is just wrong---"

"Since when has love been wrong?!" Mike's tone was sharp. He wrapped his arm around a now sobbing Adrienne and cradled her against his chest.

"Since the state condemned incest! What you're doing is illegal!"

"Just shout it a bit louder Tre. I think there's a man in Australia in a coma that didn't quite hear you---"

"Shut up with the smart replies Mike. I'm serious. You guys could get into some major shit for this."

"But only if someone finds out. And no one is going to find out---are they?" Mike jabbed Tre in the chest with his index finger. But while his tone was threatening, his eyes held a pleading look.

"Please don't tell Billie," Adrienne whispered suddenly. "Or anyone else for that matter. Please Tre---I don't want to go to jail." Her voice cracked again and tears flowed down her cheeks.

"Please Tre," Mike joined.

Tre's hand moved from his forehead, up into his hair and tugged at it frantically.

"Please," they both whispered at him this time.

Tre sighed emphatically. "Alright then---but I am not covering for you two whenever you want to go off and have sex. And if anyone else finds out, it's something you're going to have to deal with on your own---"

Adrienne rushed to him and threw her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much," she sobbed.

"Thank you," Mike repeated.

"Now the pair of you get dressed and get back downstairs before Billie comes up here again. I've saved your asses once tonight, I'm not doing it again."

As Tre left the room, Mike and Adrienne stared at each other helplessly.

"Well---we knew this day would come. There's nothing we can do about it now except hope and pray Tre can keep his word," Mike hugged his sister and waited for her sobs to quieten.

"I love you Mike---I don't want to get into trouble."

"We won't baby, I promise."

Mike let go of her and went to retrieve both of their clothes from the closet. "Let's go party."

-----

"I've been looking for you."

Adrienne jumped when Billie snaked his arm around her waist from behind her. When she turned to face him, the stench of cheap beer and cigarettes made her recoil in disgust.

"You're drunk Billie Joe," she sighed, releasing herself from his grip.

"So what if I am. It's a party, I'm allowed to get drunk."

She sighed and frantically wracked her brain to think of an excuse to escape from Billie. She was still panicked at being found out by Tre. It made her feel ill when she thought that Billie would have caught her and Mike if Tre hadn't walked in not one minute earlier.

"Adrienne---" Billie clicked his fingers in her face, bringing her back down to earth.

"Sorry---I'm just making sure that people are behaving."

"Mike can do that. But I really do need to talk to you."

Before she could protest, he grabbed her hand and lead her outside. Billie concealed them round the side of the house in the shadows, making it clear that he didn't want them to be interrupted.

He pushed her as gently as he could up against the wall, and rested the weight of his body on hers. As his breath tickled the side of her neck, her breathing became hitched. She didn't know whether it was from fear, guilt towards Mike or because Billie Joe had an unruly way of making her forget herself.

"Adrienne---" he breathed, tracing one of his index fingers along her jaw line and lips.

"Billie---" she whispered back before she could stop herself.

"I want you so bad."
She felt him drag his lips across her neck, making her shiver. She lightly tugged at his hair and made it so their faces were almost touching. Even in the dark, Billie's eyes were illuminated green.

"I know I've hurt you," he whispered again. "But this time, if you take me back, I swear I'll do everything in my power to keep you happy."

He rubbed his nose with hers and went to kiss her lips, but only for Adrienne to turn away so he kissed her cheek instead.

"We can't do this again Billie," she hushed, shrugging her shoulders so Billie would stop pressing kisses on her cheek.

"Why?"

"Because---"

"That's not an answer. I need a reason."

They were both staring into each others eyes at this point. For reasons unknown to her, she wanted nothing more than to just take two handfuls of Billie's hair and bring their lips together. But thoughts of Mike were making her dizzy.

"Billie---I want to go inside."

"Not until you tell me why we can't be together. I know you want me Adie---or else you'd have told me to back off already."

She gasped in surprise as she felt Billie grind his hips against hers, pushing her harder up against the wall. She thought her knees would give way. She gripped his shoulders tight and breathed heavily into his ear.

"See---" he husked back. "You can't tell me you don't want this."

"I---I---don't---"

"Yes---you do."

She relented and nodded in agreement whilst running her hands down his back. "I do---but we can't do this---"

"Why---"

She moved her hands from his back and up round to his chest, and pushed his firmly away. "Because I'm in love with someone else---"

She saw his expression drop as he sighed in dismay. "Who?"

"I can't tell you that. I'm sorry."

At that, she escaped round him and went to go back inside. All the while wondering why she wanted to break down and cry at what she had just said.