The Memory of Your Face

"Dave! Dave! We're home! Oi!" I yelled through the house as myself, Adele, Tre and Billie piled through the front door way.
"Nice house," Billie smiled, nodding his head around the hall, as he took in the tall walls and wooden floors of a typical house in Hampstead. Adele sighed and plodded into the kitchen followed by the three of us. She wasn't happy, Matt had failed to tell her that he was jetting off to Japan today and she had been moping around like a wet dog ever since. Even getting a hug from Billie and Tre failed to raise a smile at the station,

She pulled out the teabags and milk and began boiling the kettle.
"Hey, Adele, it's hard, you know, I mean Matt's band is just starting out, he's gonna be working all the time." Billie patted her on the back, trying to console her. "I mean its shit being in a relationship while you're touring I mean, it's... when... " he cringed, trying to find the words; he looked at Tre who raised his eyebrows and smiled.
"Hey Adele, wanna go hit the sheets?" Tre winked approaching her. There was a crash and Adele turned on her heel, mouth dropped, mug on the floor.

We started laughing but then stopped and realized she wasn't gaping at Tre's words but at the hall behind us. Turning around we saw Dave, dressed only in boxers turning around from the front door that had just slammed shut.
"Dave? What the hell are you doing? Was that what I think it was?" Adele yelled at him as he turned red and plodded his way down the hall to the kitchen.
"Er... no..I was just taking a shower and letting the cat out."
He grinned at us as I shook my head, "One we don't have a cat and two it better not have been in my bed." I snarled at Billie and Tre who were sitting down back at the table with cups of tea giggling like girls but not visible to Dave around the corner.
"Anyway..." Dave began ignoring the fact that we had just witnessed him getting rid of a girl after sex, "nice to see you too guys, pass me a cup of... SHIT."
I and Adele smiled as Dave took sight of Billie and Tre sitting at the kitchen table grinning at him.
"We don't have any cups of shit Dave," Adele giggled at him, his face turned to complete shock.
"Hey dude," Tre grinned, "You must be Dave."
"Er... hey," Dave frowned in confusion turning around to me and Adele.
"Billie and Tre are staying for a week Dave." I smiled at him as he blinked focusing on the rock stars in front of him.
"Oh right, err Hi," Dave stuttered glancing down at his boxer-clad form and turning slightly red.
"I, err apologise for this I should go change."
Dave slid backwards out onto the hall and skidded up the stairs to laughs from the party in the kitchen.
"Dave's a ledged; he was getting laid when we met him," Tre giggled supping at his tea.
I glanced at Adele who was looking at Tre warmly, it was obvious she still liked him but I was worried, worried about her and Matt, something had defiantly gone on between them.

"Erin!" I heard Dave yelling my name upstairs and I excused myself and went to see what was wrong.
"Yo Dave you okay? The house is pretty clean well done," I grinned looking around as I climbed the stairs.
"Yeah I know," I heard him laugh, pulling on a t-shirt and exiting his room grinning.
"I got a cleaner in."
I rolled my eyes at him as he nodded at me. "So... what's with Green Day in the kitchen?" he half hissed through his teeth.
I shrugged, "It's only two members of Green Day... "
"Yeah, don't get fuckin' sarcastic, what's going on?" He folded his arms and leaned against the door frame like a parent disciplining a rebelling child.
"What do you mean?" I cocked my eyebrow feeling a defense wall begin to build in my chest.
"Well I mean that, you know, that guy Billie Joel or whatever... "
"Billie Joe," I stated keeping my calm.
"Yeah, well, whatever, he... he kinda messed you up didn't he I mean what's going on?"
I sighed, I had expected this, big brother protection mode, "Dave, I... he's divorced now and well, we met at Leeds and... we talked, I'm just going to see what happens... "
"Erin lad, it's, I'm only making sure you know what you're doing, I don't want you getting hurt again."
I nodded at him, "I know, thanks Dave, but he's a good guy, you'll see and... well.."
"You like him a lot and he is a fucking rock star of course."
I giggled as he brought me in for a hug.
"I'd kick his ass though," he chuckled pulling away from me. I rolled my eyes
"Oh you don't say that to his eyeliner wearing face do you?" I teased as he stuck up his middle finger at me following me downstairs into the kitchen.

I decided that formal introductions were probably the best way forward, "Dave, Tre Cool, Tre, Dave my brother... " They exchanged hellos and Tre patted Dave on the back and congratulated him on taking full advantage of the house while I was away. Dave chuckled at him then turned to Billie Joe who had stood up.
"Dave, Billie Joe, Billie, Dave... "
"Hey man, good to meet ya," Billie grinned shaking Dave's hand strongly.
"You too," Dave raised his eyebrow at him and shook his wrist forcefully. They both sat down and silence erupted in the room as me Adele and Tre watched them react.
"I err... have a good festival?" Dave asked Billie who supped from his mug.
"Yeah, yeah, great," Billie grinned looking at me, placing the blue piece of pottery down with a clank.
I swallowed nervously; I hoped they would get on. They both had a mutual love for the Halo video game, fast cars and tattoos...

After we had eaten we decided to make our way to Paint it Black to check up on the staff and show Tre and Billie around. We had listened to Dave telling us about Claire, a girl he had met whilst in the club and the one who had scarped when we arrived at the house this morning. We arrived at the back door of the building and Tre and Adele walked through the door first followed by Billie and Dave, I held back watching them interact. Dave took hold of Billie's hand and said something to him; Billie chuckled warmly, the wrinkles framing his eyes beautifully as he laughed at my brother. I sighed at how well they were getting on so far.
"Squee! Oh my God hiya Erin!" I turned to see Marci, a ridiculously hyper blonde girl who worked behind the bar.
"Hey Marci."
"Is this Billie? Oh wow! You are so fuckin' cool man I really I really love you."
Billie glanced at me worriedly and smiled at her, "Oh hi, nice to meet you," he said moving closer to my side as Dave cackled at the barmaid and left to sort out a room for us.
"Oh my god Erin, he's soooo sweet. Look at his hair and stuff, you guys look so fuckin cute oh my god... you are going out right? Right? Oh good I would look like a right tosser otherwise ha, ha. Anyway I best get back to the bar." We waited until she left and Billie looked at me.
"She is insane," he giggled.
"I know I know, it was like you were my little pet," I laughed.
"Well I can be if you want," he giggled raising his eyebrows wickedly. I chuckled and led him through to a small side corner that Dave had cornered off for us so Billie and Tre didn't get hassled by anyone.

I grinned at him, "What do you think?"
"I LOVE IT... " he yelled over the music as we sat back in a booth watching Tre, Dave and Adele dance over the mountain of drinks in front of us. He sighed and leaned against my shoulder.
"You okay?" I asked
"Yeah... "
"What is it you loser?" I giggled at his pouting
"I was just thinking... "
"About what?" I questioned, as he shifted from my shoulder and looked at me.
"That I've missed this so much, just us, sitting here, it reminds me of when we went for a drink in a bar in The Bay and you were in there. Seeing you in there, that coincidence, it was great, the feeling I got when I saw you. And like now... Now I'm with you it feels... so much better."
He grinned at me then glanced at our friends dancing like weirdo's on the floor.
"Something's bound to go wrong," he sighed.
"You are such a loser sometimes... look at them three... " I laughed as Tre shook his ass in our direction.
"Adele doesn't seem herself," Billie stated sipping from his beer.
"I know, maybe her and Matt haven't been getting on so well."
"That's a shame. He seemed like a nice guy." Billie drowned his glass and reached for another waiting for him across the table.

"They were fine at Reading at then her and Tre started messing around, I don't think that was a good move. Tre doesn't understand that he is so forward, maybe Matt got a little jealous."
He shifted next to me placing his hand on my knee, the warm sensation shooting up through my spine. My mind frazzled at the sensation of his hand against my leg, my heart began thudding in my chest and I shifted against him as he brought his arm around me.
"Hey, did I tell you my sister had another baby?" I shook my head as his eyes practically shone with pride.
"Yeah, Holly had a little boy called Louis, he's so adorable, just like me, loves his music."
"Did I ever meet Holly?" I asked fully knowing that I had never been introduced to any of Billie's sisters.
"Err, no, no I don't think you did," Billie frowned tracing his thoughts, "Oh maybe you... no, no you didn't... "
"Look at you two." SLAM, Dave plonked his sweaty and drunken body down next to me and Billie in the booth.
"Look at YOU" I snarled as Dave swayed slightly on his seat. Billie giggled,
"You okay Dave ma man?"
"I'm fuckin awesome! Free drinks all night... "
I coughed as Dave looked at me puzzled, "What? Oh come on! I fuckin work here and you own the bastard place... " Billie chuckled as Phil the DJ came over the microphone and I cringed...
"Hey you Guys, this is the last song and we are finishing on an 80's classic... Simple Minds... "
I groaned as Billie chuckled loudly as Dave screeched "Fuck yous! Simple fucking Minds!" and darted off to the dance floor.
"How appropriate," I smiled turning to Billie who chuckled.
"Dave's like P but with swearing."
I laughed at him as "Don't you forget about me" started to play. Billie took hold of my hand and raised his eyebrow at me.
"Come dance," he yelled over the music.

"Slow change may pull us apart
When the light gets into your heart, baby"

We both rose to our feet and he pulled me to the dance floor, he tugged me closer to him, cupping his hands around my hips as mine escalated up to his neck, twisting the long black hairs from his head through my fingers. I giggled, we looked like we where in a teenagers disco...

"Don't You Forget About Me
Don't Don't Don't Don't
Don't You Forget About Me"

I could hear him singing the words down my ear, his voice gravelling through to my brain. I pulled him closer, not caring how many people where looking at us, I felt his lips brush against the core of my ear, his hot sealing kiss setting my whole left side on fire. He moved his hands from my body and grabbed my hands in his gentle palms. A grin now fixated on his face, he twirled me around, still singing the song...

"Will you recognise me?
Call my name or walk on by
Rain keeps falling, rain keeps falling
Down, down, down, down"

He pulled me in again as we both laughed, his words floating through my ear again,

"Don't you try to pretend
It's my feeling we'll win in the end
I won't harm you or touch your defenses
Vanity and security"

I froze at the words, and I felt him tense too, I never realized what the words to that Breakfast Club theme was. I looked up at him for the first time since we had come onto the dance floor. The flashing colored lights dancing across his face, a shade of deep blue bringing out his sparkling green eyes as a slow grin swept under his nose.

"Don't you forget about me
I'll be alone, dancing you know it baby
Going to take you apart
I'll put us back together at heart, baby"

He mouthed the words at me slowly, in time with Jim Kerr's deep soothing voice. I froze; my whole body felt like a fire hose had drenched me with thousands of tons of water. I felt my legs wobble as Billie smiled at me, letting my hands drop and softly taking a piece of loose hair and wrapping it around my ear tenderly. I couldn't move, my brain couldn't function, I watched him turn around to the DJ box and wink at Phil. I mentally grinned and felt the need to lean in and rip him to shreds about how cheesy and disturbing it was for a punk rocker to request Simple Minds. But I couldn't I didn't want to, I wanted the cheese, the romance of it, I surprised myself at my thoughts. Billie turned around to me and kissed my cheek. I smiled at him and shook my head disapprovingly, but he grinned, he knew that I had fallen for it.