21st Century Breakdown (✔ Completed)

Chapter Twenty-Two

Billie looked at me, confused. "What do you mean? I'm the famous one here."

"No, those girls are the ones who beat me up today."

Billie gasped and looked at them with hatred.

The girls giggled annoyingly and Jenny flirtatiously waved to Billie before she winked at him.

Sluts.

I pulled Billie by the wrist out to the nearest exit of the mall. I just want to leave. i just want to leave.

When we got to the car Billie looked at me. "So, what was that about?"

"They were the one's who beat me up."

His eyes widened in realization. "Oh, God, Gloria. Why didn't you say anything?"

I stayed quiet.

"I'm gonna kick their slutty asses." Billie states, rolling up his sleeves so his miscellaneous tattoos were shown.

I look at him and panic. "No!" I tuck a stray piece of black hair behind my ear. "No." I tell him again, although not as loud.

"Why not?" He protests.

"Because they'd beat me up again." I tell him quietly, feeling my eyes brim with tears.

Billie nods and drives home in silence, neither of us saying another word until we pull into the driveway.

He hands me my guitar from the back and I mutter a small thank-you before walking into the house, then upstairs where I wouldn't be disturbed.

It was only five o'clock in the evening but since it was January, the sky was becoming more gradient with shades of orange and yellow and an occasional pink scattered here and there. It was becoming dark and I didn't mind, I loved the dark. It made me feel calmer and it gives me a place to think.

I took the midnight black guitar out of the case and looked at it.

I didn't know how to play. How was I going to learn? Would I have Billie teach me?

"Billie!" I yelled, hoping he could hear me. Seconds later, he came from his room and into mine.

"Yeah?"

"Teach me how to play something."

He looked at me like I just told the worst joke ever. "It's not that simple."

"Then teach me the notes."

He left and came back in with a portable amplifier, sighed, and sat next to me. We spent until nine o'clock with him teaching me fingerings and such.

"Okay," He said, looking at my analog clock which read 9:02. "Give me something."

I looked at the guitar hesitantly before plucking four strings.

He nodded. "F, D, A in the next octave, and E." He said.

"I like those notes like that." I tell him.

He smiles. "With a bit more practice you could be playing Holiday." He says and he picks up my guitar and starts playing it. It was beautiful, but not as beautiful as the four notes I strung together.

Later that night, I was having trouble trying to sleep. It wasn't as common anymore since Billie came into my life but tonight, it was something different.

I closed my eyes and tried to think up a scenario.

Maybe I could trick myself into sleeping.