Angel

Billie Joe, Mike, and Tré found themselves back in Mike’s house again, in the kitchen. Tré immediately opened up Mike’s fridge and grabbed a can of Coke out of it, opening it before gulping it all down. He let out a satisfied sigh, wiping his sleeve across his mouth. “Fighting grizzly bears sure makes you thirsty,” he commented, getting another one out.

“Just feel free to drink all of my soda, Tré,” Mike said sarcastically, watching his friend guzzle down another.

“God, now he’s going to have to go to the bathroom,” Billie added in an exasperated tone.

Tré paused, hand right about to grasp a third soda. His back arched slightly and he withdrew his hand. Without bothering to shut the refrigerator door, he ran off in the direction of the bathroom. Billie just silently shook his head.

“You do know you’re his ride home?” Mike asked him.

Billie’s eyes widened. “Oh no. No, no, no, he is not riding home with me. He’s probably going to be bouncing off the walls now with all the caffeine he just had.”

Tré walked back into the kitchen, grinning as he asked, “Were you guys talking about me?”

“Yeah,” Billie said sourly, thinking of how at any second Tré would be running around and how he’d have to take him home after somehow stopping him.

Right on cue, Tré’s eyes grew big and he blinked a few times with a blank look on his face. After his second blink, he suddenly had a burst of energy and ran into Mike’s living room and jumped onto his couch. He kept jumping on it, giggling like a little kid.

“Great,” Billie said sarcastically, “the caffeine’s made him gone completely insane.”

“Tré! Stop jumping on my couch!” Mike shouted. “You’re gonna break it!”

Tré jumped one last time for good measure before landing none to gracefully and with a loud thud on the floor. For a second he pouted before a grin spread across his face. He opened his mouth and Billie groaned. He had thought this was all in the past, that Tré would have gotten over singing stupid songs after defeating Veldenbarr.

“I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves.
I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
And this is how it goes.
Verse two!
I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves.
I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
And this is how it goes-“

“Tré...stop singing that song, now,” Billie said through gritted teeth.

“Verse three!
I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves.”

Billie clenched his fists, stepping forward to shut up Tré. Mike grabbed him by the collar, though, making him stop short.

“I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
And this is how it goes.
Verse four!”

“Mike,” Billie whined, trying to get free to punch Tré, “I just wanna make him shut up.”

“I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves.”

“Billie, I’m not going to let you kill him,” Mike said calmly.

"I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
And this is how it goes.
Verse five!”

Billie looked at Mike with his best puppy dog eyes, pleading, “Please let me shut him up.”

"I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves.”

“Fine,” Mike said. “Tré, shut up.”

“I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
And this is how it goes.
Verse six!”

“Tré, SHUT UP!” Billie shouted.

"I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves.
I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
And this is how it goes.
Verse seven!”

“Tré, will you stop singing if I gave you a muffin?” Mike offered.

Tré kept singing, just shaking his head no in reply, "I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves.”

“What about a cookie?” Mike tried again.

“I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
And this is how it goes.
Verse eight!”

“A...mookie?” Mike asked feebly.

Tré stopped singing and asked, “What’s a ‘mookie?’”

“Umm...a cross between a muffin and a cookie?” Mike said hesitantly.

“Nah...” Tré said before returning to his singing:

"I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves,
Everybody’s nerves.
I know a song that gets on everybody’s nerves,
And this is how it goes.
Verse nine!”

“Tré, it’s not even funny and it’s way old,” Mike said in another attempt to get him to stop.

“Like he ever was...” Billie mumbled.

Tré suddenly stopped singing, a weird look in his eyes as he stared at Billie. “Mike, can I have that cookie now?”

“Sure...” Mike said. He got out a chocolate chip cookie and gave it to Tré, wondering what his friend was thinking.

“I am funny!” Tré shouted, throwing the cookie at Billie.

“Ow! You hit me in the eye!” Billie yelled, rubbing his sore spot.

Tré stuck his tongue out. “That’s what you get for saying I wasn’t funny. This time a cookie, next time a mookie...”

“Whatever,” Billie replied. Secretly he was grinning inside now that the singing had stopped.

Smiling, Tré said, “I’ve been waiting so long to do that. I’m so glad to be back.”

‘If only we all were,’ Billie thought to himself.