Sequel: Making the Album ›
Changes
Arrangements.
"Oh, no freaking way am I sleeping on the fucking couch, Tre Cool!"
Billie turned to Mike, who shrugged.
"I take it she's seen the beds?"
"Yep. Shall we?" Tom said, wiggling his eyeborws towards the front of the trailer. Mike, Blondie and Tom beat a hasty retreat, while Billie made his way towards Tony and Tre.
"Look, when I bought the trailer-"
"Just shut up."
Tony whirled and nearly shoved Billie into the closet. She snatched her jacket from the bed, her guitar from the floor. And then she turned to face them, her eyes flashing.
"You know, screw this. I worked so hard to learn guitar. I would play for hours till my fingers were practically bleeding. I watched every rock video I could find, I memorized song after song. I play just as well as any man in this business. And then there's stupid shit like this, stupid little discretions that make you want to curl up and die."
There was anger and hurt in her voice and her chin trembled. But when Tre tried to explain, she only got angrier.
"I never meant-"
"Whatever, Tre. I've heard it all before. And I know that all of you guys were probably going to share beds. But god forbid someone share with Tony. She's got cooties!"
Tony took a step towards Tre, jaw jutted out in stubborn anger.
"What's the matter, Tre? Afraid you won't be able to keep it in your pants?" She spat.
Billie realized that she was walking out. Leaving the record contract, leaving the gig, leaving HIM. He couldn't let her. She was all he had left of Adrienne. And he knew what he had to do to keep her from leaving.
He moved forward and hugged Tony. For a brief moment, she let him. And then she shoved him away.
"GET OFF ME, BILLIE!" She shrieked, and took a step backwards. Billie grit his teeth and grabbed her shoulders.
"Just calm down, Tony! You can share with me, alright? You can share the fucking bed with me."
Tony just looked at him.
"Why would you let me? You just lost your wife..." She stared at him. Her eyes were so blue...
"I understand what you're saying...just, stay, alright?"
There was dead silence for a few minutes. Then Tony nodded slowly.
"Just...keep it too yourself, alright?"
Billie sank down on the bottom bunk and watched as Tony snatched a freshly-lit cigarette out of Tom's hands and walked outside with it. She ignored Tom's curses, slamming the door behind her.
Robert looked at Billie. The young singer looked a little dazed.
"Thanks man. I really thought she was going to leave." Billie shrugged.
"No problem."
Mike snorted.
"Now we just have to worry about what's going to happen tonight."
Billie turned to Mike, who shrugged.
"I take it she's seen the beds?"
"Yep. Shall we?" Tom said, wiggling his eyeborws towards the front of the trailer. Mike, Blondie and Tom beat a hasty retreat, while Billie made his way towards Tony and Tre.
"Look, when I bought the trailer-"
"Just shut up."
Tony whirled and nearly shoved Billie into the closet. She snatched her jacket from the bed, her guitar from the floor. And then she turned to face them, her eyes flashing.
"You know, screw this. I worked so hard to learn guitar. I would play for hours till my fingers were practically bleeding. I watched every rock video I could find, I memorized song after song. I play just as well as any man in this business. And then there's stupid shit like this, stupid little discretions that make you want to curl up and die."
There was anger and hurt in her voice and her chin trembled. But when Tre tried to explain, she only got angrier.
"I never meant-"
"Whatever, Tre. I've heard it all before. And I know that all of you guys were probably going to share beds. But god forbid someone share with Tony. She's got cooties!"
Tony took a step towards Tre, jaw jutted out in stubborn anger.
"What's the matter, Tre? Afraid you won't be able to keep it in your pants?" She spat.
Billie realized that she was walking out. Leaving the record contract, leaving the gig, leaving HIM. He couldn't let her. She was all he had left of Adrienne. And he knew what he had to do to keep her from leaving.
He moved forward and hugged Tony. For a brief moment, she let him. And then she shoved him away.
"GET OFF ME, BILLIE!" She shrieked, and took a step backwards. Billie grit his teeth and grabbed her shoulders.
"Just calm down, Tony! You can share with me, alright? You can share the fucking bed with me."
Tony just looked at him.
"Why would you let me? You just lost your wife..." She stared at him. Her eyes were so blue...
"I understand what you're saying...just, stay, alright?"
There was dead silence for a few minutes. Then Tony nodded slowly.
"Just...keep it too yourself, alright?"
Billie sank down on the bottom bunk and watched as Tony snatched a freshly-lit cigarette out of Tom's hands and walked outside with it. She ignored Tom's curses, slamming the door behind her.
Robert looked at Billie. The young singer looked a little dazed.
"Thanks man. I really thought she was going to leave." Billie shrugged.
"No problem."
Mike snorted.
"Now we just have to worry about what's going to happen tonight."