The Memory of Your Face

Sunday night. I stood watching them play side stage with Brian the weirdo, Ben, Big Frank the roadies and a few others called Mark and Sam. Billie was quiet before the show, I watched him jog up and down and make gurgling noises in his throat in the corner as I sat with my jack and coke. Brian didn't take the hint like everyone else and kept trying to make conversation with the very anxious and focused band. I laughed as I remembered the guys meeting Brian the night before.

"Billie, Tre, Mike, meet Brian Travis, he's working on the Paint it Black tent."
"Hey, I'm a huge fan... really... like... wow... .I'm sorry but you don't understand..." Brian was gabbling at them as they sat patiently in front of him holding back bursts of laughter. When Brian was finally calmed down and relaxed because of the 20 or so beers he had ingested he was leaning on Billie Joe, arm draped around his neck slurring.
"I fucking love you man... you know... like... I'm glad I've lost out to Erin... to you..."
Billie's eyebrows lifted at me and I giggled as Brian passed out on him. I laughed as Billie rolled him onto the couch at front of the bus.
"So Brian fancied you but... you never?" Billie hesitantly chuckled moving away from the comatose man to sit next to me, on edge as he waited for my words.
I shrugged my shoulders at the question, "Nah... his glasses and woolly jumper were far too much of a turn on for me," I teased.
"So you never...?"
"No Billie"
"But he...?"
I chuckled, slightly embarrassed, Billie slid his arm around me and grinned.
"I don't blame him one bit. I may get some woolly jumpers in the future."

Standing here now watching Billie hold this entire crowd in the palm of his hand I've never felt so proud. Even during 'Hitchin' A Ride,' were he shoved his hands down the front of his pants the reaction of the crowd made me laugh so much I thought I might pee.
The whole band was amazing and they all came off stage with huge smiles on their faces, I smiled as the sweaty, yet grinning Billie Joe who was making his way towards me, towel draped around his shoulders, tiny beads of sweat trickling across his forehead and down to his neck.
"That was great." I stated like a proud mother. "Really great, my first Green Day gig and it was amazing... just... whoa." he grinned at my excited jabbering as he took a corner of the towel and swiped it across his hairline.
"Thanks," he smiled back. "Do I get a hug?"
"When you shower..." I raised my eyebrow at his darkened black shirt.
"Pussy," he grinned advancing at me.
"Don't you dare..." I shook my head, eyes raised at him moving the sweat drenched towel from his shoulders.
"Billie that's a bit mean." Big Frank sniggered walking past us with Mike and Brian chattering away,
"Billie," I frowned slightly, my voice becoming stern. "Listen to Big Frank, don't do it... "
I took another few steps back and Billie advanced further and evil grin on his face and swishing the towel between his fingers. I turned on my heel and ran, I ran down the ramp from the stage and back into the VIP section, we must have looked like loonies as Billie followed me, roaring at me and swishing the towel around his head like some mad Roman Warrior.
I turned to see him cackling and laughing harshly, suddenly I felt myself trip and I landed with a thud face down on the grass. I cringed and turned over just in time to see Billie dive on me and rub his now even sweater face across my face and neck.
I screeched, "Argh! Get off you sweaty bastard! No, No!"
I laughed as he began tickling me, the heat from his body soaring through mine, the moisture of his sweat seeping through my clothes. The huge scent of his odour floated through my senses and we gasped and fought for our breath. We looked at each other intensely, grinning broadly, despite the choking smell of man sweat I smiled, because it was his man sweat, his smell, his eyes, those deep lines framing these beautiful green orbs looking straight into my own.
I sighed calmly at him, feeling his own heart race against my chest; I brought my hands up and ran my fingers through a few loose strands of hair, wrapping them around his perfect little ear. I thanked God that he had brought us back together, a perfect moment like this couldn't last however in post-show chaos.

"PILEY ON!" was all I heard the drummer screech before Mike, Brian, Jason and Tre all decided to jump on top of Billie thus squashing us both, me exceedingly more so, good god, how much energy do these guys have?

It was 4 o'clock and me Billie and Tre were the only ones awake. We sat outside the bus on rugs placed on the grass around a shitty little camp fire we had made, Tre was prodding it slowly with an umbrella skeleton that had been abandoned near the footpath. The sounds of the traditional riots rang through the air, deodorant cans exploded in the distance making me recall past Leeds experiences of running through the tents with a scorched pair of jeans and a can of Carling beer.
Huddled in layers upon layers of clothing Billie yawned loudly.
"Excited about going home Tre?"
The drummer looked up and smiled. "I should be but I'm not. I do miss Frankito and Ramona loads but I don't wanna go home, it'll be weird."
Billie nodded. "I know what you mean dude." Tre tilted his head towards me,
"You guys gutted that you have to split up now? Like as soon as you meet you gotta go your separate ways again?"
I smiled shyly at Tre as Billie swallowed. "Er... well, I'm not going back, I'm staying with Erin for a week."
Tre's head snapped up at Billie's words. "Really? Hey, can I stay too?"
I caught sight of Billie frowning slightly at his friend. "Ask Erin not me." He clearly wasn't happy at the prospect of Tre hanging around for a week he had with me.
Tre turned to me. "Do you mind?"
I sighed, secretly quite amused at the way in which there was no way I could say no to him.
"No Tre, I'm sure you and Dave will get on swimmingly."
"Dave who?" Tre asked tilting his head to the side.
"Dave my brother, he's living with me and Adele."
Tre grinned evilly at me as Billie swallowed. "You do realise we have the hyper child on our hands for a week?"
"I think we can handle it." I smiled as Tre pouted.
Saying goodbye to all the guys at Leeds was quite sad. Brian in particular looked a bit miffed that it was over, but then again there was always next year to look forward too, as Billie pointed out rather sharply as he dragged me away from Brian's hug. I giggled and waved goodbye to the Green Day tour bus and its occupants minus Billie and Tre who were waving frantically next to me.
I decided to ring Adele on the way to the Train station,
"Hey Del."
"Yo Erin, excited about coming home?"
"Oh yeah, yeah, how's you're weekend been?"
"Great, Matt's fucked off touring again though the nobber. Never mind me though, how's yours been?" she asked clicking her teeth.
"Good, yeah, er... well, Billie and Tre are staying with us for a week if that's okay."
She giggled down the phone. "I was expecting that well, hoping and expecting that."
I chuckled at her. "Yeah, yeah, well, meet you at King's Cross."
"Yep. Bye Erin."
"Bye Adele," I grinned snapping my phone shut glancing at Tre and Billie who were both snoring and resting against each other like worn out little kids. I chuckled and decided that buying a camera phone wasn't a complete waste of money after all.