downwiththemoralmajority - Tumblr blog

[downwiththemoralmajority]

Hello!

I’m Laura. 27 years old.

I’m not a native English speaker. I’m from Germany.

I’m not a professional writer!

Please enjoy! 🙃

[downwiththemoralmajority]

Hitching a ride - part 3

Word count: 3741

Billie Joe Armstrong x OC

Warnings: live without warnings!

While watching the rain outside I thought about the last two days. It was summer and it didn’t stop raining and thundering. I’ve been waiting for the business conference to end so I can finally be with Billie. A bad atmosphere was around here and I heard them arguing but I couldn’t understand anything. Suddenly Billie jumped out of the room and slammed the door. I winced. I took a look behind and saw Billie running to the exit. My father, John and the other band members just sat there looking sad and angry at the same time. As I entered the conference room I had all eyes on me. I asked if I could help but they replied that there is no help needed. I left the room and searched for Billie. He was filled with rage and I only remembered him being chilled and full of love. Last night he told me he struggled with anxiety and panic attacks, that he drinks a lot and takes pills. I understood. It was a brutal business he was dealing with and trying to create a masterpiece was beyond my imagination. I didn’t know anything about mental illness and I didn’t want to hand out any advice. My father told me that Billie didn’t act like a problem child while producing the album. He was a funny guy, he told me. Desperately, I searched through the whole studio for Billie but he was nowhere found. I even searched in the men toilet where I’m not allowed to be. No Billie in sight. I grabbed my jacket and left the building.

Though it was raining the street was crowded and I had to cleave through the mass of people. Where should I go? Oakland was a strange town for me and where would a guy like Billie hide? Now I felt anxious and shivers went down my spine. Not only because it was cold outside. Terrified and unintentionally I screamed his name, but no answer. Just a bunch of people looking at me confused. A tall guy even said I should shut up, he’s making a phone call. Welcome back to America, Lauren. Here you are appreciated. I ran down the street, passing some cafés and stores. The sidewalk was slippery and the faster I ran the riskier it got. Did I run in the wrong direction, I asked myself. Fuck, I didn’t know where to go. It was so hopeless. Suddenly I saw a guy who looked like Billie. I walked across the busy street and managed not to get hit by a car. I had to pause for a moment. I was out of breath.

All of a sudden someone touched my back. He didn’t just touch my back, he also grabbed my butt. Full of fear I stood there and scared stiff. I hope it was Billie who wanted to surprise me. Slowly I turned around and at the same moment someone knocked the stranger over and both of them fell on the ground. Firstly I didn’t realize who it was and I just saw two people fighting. Then I recognized him. Billie. Out of nowhere, in front of me punching the stranger and obviously winning. Actually I’m not into brutality, I didn’t even like wrestling. But I enjoyed Billie beating the groper. Stop, please stop, I heard the stranger yelling. „It’s not my fault. She wanted it.“, the stranger perverted the facts. Billie didn’t want to hear and screamed: „Who the fuck do you think you are, you piece of shit. Stop telling me that motherfucking crap. Does she look like she wants it, huh? Leave my girl alone, you disgusting fucker!“ After one last punch, Billie stopped beating him. He stood up, cleaned himself up and showed the stranger his middle finger. „Now fuck off! I don’t want to see your face again!“ The stranger straightened up and hobbled away. „Look at that poor dog - it’s limping.“, he slagged him cynically. I breathed a sigh of relief. I thought I’m going to get raped. As I took a look at the crowd behind me I noticed that nobody cared. Fights on the street are common in the US. There was no police near us. I hoped nobody would call the cops. It would’ve been a disaster for Green Day. Breaking News: Billie being arrested. Punched a stranger. Green Day has to stop recording their new album. I already could read the headlines of all magazines. The very thought of it made me anxious. I pushed that thought away and turned to Billie. His knuckles were bloody and bruised. He still clenched his fists. As I caressed him he unclenched it. Actually it should be Billie who had to soothe me but I needed him to calm down. It’s impossible to start a conversation with someone who’s fussy. He breathed out and scratched his head. Suddenly he was all smiles. A face marked by sorrow turned into the Billie I knew. Though I was still shocked, I began to laugh. „Oh Billie, my knight in shining armour. Now I’m going to knight you!“, I tried to suppress my anxiety by making jokes. Billie took me at my word and kneeled down in front of me and I acted like I would knight him. My father was right. He was actually really humorous. Billie glorified himself and yelled: „Call me Lord Armstrong. I knocked that guy out so obviously my arms are strong.“ He definitely made me feel better. I hugged him passionately. We stood there for a long time just savouring the moment. I loved the fact that he cared for me and would save me in any situation.

„Let’s go shopping.“, he suddenly said. I took him by his words, grabbed his hand and he led me to the nearest record store. We entered the store and pointed at the alternative music shelf. „So, I’m gonna buy you some Green Day records. I heard it through the grapevine. You don’t listen to our band. Something‘s got to give.“, Billie smirked. Uh-oh, obviously my father couldn’t stop talking. Billie grabbed the albums which were available and went to the cashier. „100 dollars, please.“, said the cashier unimpressed. She didn’t even recognize him. While chewing her gum she packed the CDs in a plastic bag and gave it to Billie. We left the store and Billie grumbled: „What a bitch. She didn’t even look at me while cashing up. Just chewing her fucking gum.“ He imitated the cashier and smacked. I giggled.

Through the pouring rain we made our way through the streets of Oakland. Billie didn’t see the point in going back to the studio. I still didn’t know what happened in the conference room and I was kind of afraid to ask what’s on his mind. We both were extremely soppy but we couldn’t care less. At least I had a jacket on. Billie only wore his hoodie which was gushed with wetness. Raindrops dropped off his face and he often wiped it away with his wet sleeve. He still held my hand during our walk. Gently he caressed the back of my hand with his thumb. I felt so treasured when I was with him. It started to thunder again and he promptly stopped walking. „Let’s hide here.“, suggested Billie and pointed at the alleyway next to us. I followed him and took off my hood as we reached the shelter. „Why don’t we just go back to the studio? We could have a drink and rest.“, I asked him cautiously. He sighed and closed his eyes. It wasn't impossible to notice that he evaded my question. He obviously didn’t want to be there. What did happen, I asked myself. Few minutes ago he was happy. But his face turned dark again. I needed to cheer him up. But was I brave enough? I haven’t seen him that melancholy and angry yet. What should I do? This day felt like a rollercoaster and to be with Billie turned my whole life upside down. Without saying any word I moved closer to him and kissed him. I saw what he needed as he kissed me back. He pressed me against the stony wall and kissed me passionately. Our soaked wet lips pressed on each other and our tongues met again. I could feel the soft tickle of his breath beneath my nose, his breath got warmer. Though I enjoyed the passion of his kiss I stopped him by saying: „Billie, stop. Please stop. I want to go back. I’m freezing and I’m totally wet. This is not the place to hide. Can’t we just go back into the studio? I know something happened and you’re fuming and agitated. If you want to talk about it, I’m here.“ He moved away from me and sighed. Was I too pushy? We’ve known each other for just three days and I acted like I was his long-term girlfriend. But he needed to talk about his problems. He finally opened his mouth: „I can’t go back because I believe it’s my fault. I was the last person who left the building last night. Now it’s all gone.“ His eyes filled with tears and I never saw him that sad. He looked down and shook his head in disbelief. I caressed his arm to show that I cared for him. „Our tapes got stolen. We put so much effort into our album.“, he continued. Full of rage again he kicked a tin can with his foot which lay next to him. The chinking noise of the can made me wince. He felt so hopeless, I thought. I tried to soothe him: „Oh Billie, I know, there is probably no chance left to find those tapes. But I think it’s still in your head.“ I wasn’t actually that good at soothing someone but I noticed that he calmed down a bit. He wanted to tell me something until we got interrupted.

Lauren? Billie? Where are you? I heard my father screaming. We’ve been gone for two hours and I really haven’t thought about being missed. Billie and I turned around to see where the yelling came from. My father crossed the street. It stopped raining. „Ugh, finally I found you. Where have you been?“, my father was worried. Why did my father search for us, not even the producer or their manager? Billie and I looked at each other and Billie smirked. He stopped being a picture of misery. It was too late to stay here and we both decided to follow my father back to the studio.

We entered the studio again and saw a lot of worried faces. Billie decided to leave his wet clothes on and went back to the conference room. I stayed outside the room to be as polite as possible and waited for the conference to be over.

Two hours and four cups of coffee later the door opened. They all looked surprisingly calm and relieved. Yesterday my father introduced me to their main producer Rob Cavallo who also produced Dookie, Insomniac and Nimrod.

I heard them talking about writing and recording new songs. The former recordings weren’t Maximum Green Day, they claimed. Billie, Mike and Tré left the conference room and headed to me. „What’s up, Candy?“, Tré yelled. He still didn’t know my real name. I completely forgot about telling him the truth but I didn’t want to surprise him at that moment. Like friends I high-fived him and he immediately gave me a hug. After that I hugged Mike and finally Billie. „Me and my boys would like to drink something after this shitty day and we want you to come with us. Though the day was filled with obstacles we need to celebrate the new beginning. And for sure with you, sweetheart!“, Billie asked delightedly. His clothes were dry again and he looked so much better. No more anger, just relief. With his beautiful green eyes he looked into my eyes and smirked. He put his arm around me and held me closer. Mike noticed the sexual tension between us and winked at Tré. Secretly he whispered something in Trés ear and they both laughed. Tré peeked at us and suggested: „Oh yeah baby, I think you both need a hotel room don’t you?“ He giggled like a child and Mike bursted into laughter. Seductively Billie caressed my side and gave me a kiss on my cheek. Tré was on the edge and claimed: „So, let’s go, guys and girls. By girls I mean Mike.“ Mike threw a glance at Tré and pinched his bottom. I giggled. My father left the room and made his way to me. „Hey dad!“, I said „the boys and I want to grab some food and later we’re gonna drink something. Is it okay?“ Suspiciously he narrowed his eyes but then smiled: „You are allowed, my princess. You’re old enough. I can’t forbid you to have a nice evening. I’ll be at the hotel when you come back. Take care of Lauren!“ My father hugged me. Tré asked, confused: „Wait, your name isn’t Candy?“ „Sorry, Tré, it was meant to be a little joke.“, I apologized and gave him a little tap on his arm. „Um, Lauren? We can stay here longer if you want to! I see you’re having a good time.“, my father added. My little heart jumped up and down. Completely happy I hugged my dad and took my jacket and purse to go on a drinking journey with Green Day.

The streets were still crowded but the rain stopped falling. It smelled like summer rain. We passed by the alleyway Billie and I used to hide hours ago. I thought about his sad eyes looking at me while he told me the tapes were stolen. Now I looked at a happy Billie who made the best decision to record new songs. We were holding hands while walking through the streets of Oakland. Mike and Tré walked in front of us so they couldn’t see us constantly flirting with each other. As we walked past another alley we decided to just go there to have a short smooching session. The other band members didn’t even notice that we’ve been gone for five minutes. I looked at Billie and he seemed to be happy. So happy to be with me, I hoped.

After a ten minutes walk we finally found an appropriate bar. We entered the pub and nobody seemed to recognize us except the bartender and waiters. A pretty waitress came over to us and tried to flirt with Billie. Unimpressed by the blonde waitress he asked for a table for four people. As the waitress looked at me and Billie he held me even closer and burrowed his face in my hair. Deeply disappointed, she showed us the table and we sat down. A blue light filled the room with a comfortable atmosphere and the interior looked quite expensive. The small wooden table in the middle of the booth provided us with some snacks. We took place on the black leather couch and it sounded like a familiar noise. „Mike, please stop farting, okay? We have a lady on board.“, Tré acted seriously. This made me laugh. I felt so comfortable with these guys. Mike stood up and sat down again to repeat the sound. „This sounds better, Mike.“, I giggled.

The boys ordered each a beer and I went with a Sex on the beach which was extremely strong. I could already feel the dizziness. Though Billie used to drink a lot he tried to resist to stay kind of sober because I was with him. Mike and Tré wanted to get drunk.

„Hey Lauren, I’m bored,'' Billie whispered, „do we want to go elsewhere?“ I grabbed my clothes and said goodbye to Mike and Tré. „See ya tomorrow!“, I yelled because the music was way too loud.

„Let’s steal a bike! We’re a lot faster!“, Billie suggested. I don’t know if it’s a good idea, I thought to myself. We were both a bit drunk but what should happen? He asked me: „Do you have a bobby pin? So I can open the lock.“ I handed him a bobby pin and my hair fell down. I often wore a bun. Billie‘s eyes widened as the hair streamed out behind me. Seductively I combed my hair with my hands and enjoyed Billie drooling. He tried not to get distracted from my seduction and opened the lock. Full of verve he jumped on the bike and offered me the seat behind him: „Do sit down, my lady. We will ride the wild wind.“ The carrier seemed unstable but I grabbed Billie by his hips. „Where do we go?“, I asked while feeling the wind on my face. „It’s up to you, Schnuckiputz.“, Billie answered. He sounded so cute saying Schnuckiputz. It made me think of the time we first met. When we were younger and sat in his van sharing our first kiss. Now we were used to kissing each other. I suggested: „What if we just grab a pizza and nestle in my hotel room?“ „Yeah, let’s go.“, he yelled. We stopped at the next pizzeria and ordered a vegetarian pizza. „It’s better to leave the bike. I can’t hold the pizza while sitting on the carrier. See, there’s the hotel.“, I pointed at the huge building across the street. Billie nodded and we crossed the still busy avenue.

As we entered the hotel lobby the staff gazed at us. We took the stairs because my room was on the first floor. Hastily I opened the door and closed it silently. „Pssst, we have to be quiet. I don’t dare to wake my father. He’s sleeping next to us.“, I whispered.

We ate the pizza in one go and lay down on the bed. As soon as we lay next to each other Billie began to caress me. He kissed my face, my neck and went down on my tummy. Affectionately I caressed his hair and unzipped his hoodie jacket. As I touched his body I felt some muscles underneath his shirt. Billie unlocked my belt and pulled my trousers down. While passionately kissing he lay down on my body and took off my shirt. He smooched my neck and suddenly I was naked. I’ve never felt so much love in my life and I savored every move he made. He took off his jeans and entered me. We kissed like tomorrow’s the end of the world. His moves got faster and finally we came. Out of breath I kissed Billie again and went to the bathroom to clean myself. I jumped on the bed and I nestled up against him. Dizzily I turned out the light and we both fell asleep.

I woke up from a knock on my door. Still tired, I looked on my clock. Billie was still sleeping next to me. Why did I wake up from a knock? I grabbed a shirt and my pants and hurried to the door. It must have been the room service to ask for breakfast. I opened the door and saw my dad standing in front of me looking pale and aghast. “Lauren, I want you to pack your bags. We’re leaving today.”, my father summoned me. Yesterday he told me we would stay longer and I was looking forward to the next few days. Carefully I asked: “Dad, I don’t get it…”. He interrupted me: “My journey’s over here. We’re going home. Twenty minutes left until we must check out.” I could not believe what he just said. Full of anger I shot the door in front of him and screamed “fuck”. Billie woke up from the loud scream and rubbed his eyes. “Good morning, my dear”, he said tiredly, “what are you doing?” “I’m packing my bags.”, I was fuming.

“What? No, you can’t leave me. We’ve just met.”

“Billie, I have to go. My father told me so.”

“But why?” He stood up, put on his clothes and came closer. “My dad is done working here. I don’t know what happened.”, I said with tears in my eyes.

Billie said: “Lauren, you’re old enough to stay here.” He grabbed my hand to stop me from packing. But he could not stop me. “Sure, I’m old enough. But I don’t have that much money to pay for this hotel room. And you have not seen in which current state my dad is in.”

“I could pay for your room.” “No, please don’t do this.”, I said in a harsh voice, surprised by myself. I didn’t want to hurt Billie but I had to take care of my father. As I saw Billie standing there being upset I moved closer to him and apologized: “I’m deeply sorry, Billie. But you have to go now.” Though I was kind of mean to him he instantly hugged me. With all of my heart I kissed him. We kissed passionately as we would never see each other again. Would we see each other again? He headed to the door but suddenly turned around and said: “I love you, Lauren.” My heart jittered and his words healed my soul. I immediately bursted into tears and wrapped my arms around him. “I love you too, Billie.” We kissed again and then he left. The room was filled with darkness and it seemed to start raining again. Not only did it rain outside but also in my head. I repeated his words over and over again in my head and broke down and cried. All my bags were packed and I moved over to the windows if I could catch a glimpse of Billie again but he was all gone. My eyes burned from crying and I didn’t want my father to notice my sadness.

I entered the hotel lobby and my father was already sitting in his car. As I entered the car my dad looked at me vindicated. „I’m so sorry, Lauren. They fired me.“ I couldn’t believe what he just said. Why the hell did they fire him? I caressed his shoulder and soothed him: „You don’t have to be sorry. It’s not your fault.“ He didn’t say anything. The engine revved loudly and we edged off.

I will miss you, Billie, I thought.

[downwiththemoralmajority]

Hitching a ride - part 2

Word count: 3548

Billie Joe Armstrong x OC

Warnings: live without warnings!

„Take care of yourself, darling! But mostly, come back soon!“, said aunt Heidi as she took my hand and squashed it.

9 years went by so fast and I still couldn’t believe I left Germany to go back to the US. I used to live here, speak in my mother tongue, eat German breakfast and go to work here and write articles in German. The more I thought about it the more it felt surreal to me. I still didn’t know why I had to leave Germany again but it felt like it was time to see my parents.

The airport was kind of busy at 8 am. A lot of people were in a hurry and I couldn’t imagine it. I was relaxed. Physically. Mentally I was on another level which I couldn’t describe.

I looked into my aunt's eyes and soothed her: „I’m gonna come back soon! Maybe California isn’t that amazing anymore. I will take the next plane back to you.“ Heidi smiled and wiped away her tears.

„This is the final boarding call for flight 250 to London Heathrow.“ The speakers were so loud that I winced. I hugged my aunt. She didn’t want to let me go but released me after a while.

I headed to the gate where the staff checked the tickets. They were so well-dressed and smiling constantly. I showed them my ticket and passed the gate. Through a long hallway I walked to the plane entrance. I’m glad I had window seats so I could watch the landscape and the ocean. I took my seat and buckled my seatbelt. After 20 minutes and following the instructions we finally lifted off. I searched for my disc-man in my backpack. There was only one CD in my bag so I had to listen to Deep Purple for 2 hours. Hopefully the shop at the airport has a record store so I could buy another CD. The next flight would be much longer.

The time went by so fast and I finally touched down in London where I could speak English again. After cheering and clapping I left the plane and entered the airport. It was 11 o'clock am and busier than before. I searched for a store which had records and I found one. Thank god. But they only had modern music in stock so I asked the staff where I could find some rock music. They showed me a tiny shelf. I could decide between Nirvana and Radiohead. That’s all they’ve got. Fine, I went with Nirvana.

After buying the copy of Nirvana‘s Smells like teen spirit I heard the boarding call for the flight to Los Angeles. I ran through the airport to get to the security check. They opened my bag, took a look at it and waved me through. They all looked so serious. After that I entered the gate, showed my ticket again and left the airport hall. I finally found myself in the plane and this plane was much bigger than the last one. I heard children crying and old people arguing and thought, yes, I was on my way to the US. There was a school class behind me fighting over the window seats. I ignored them. After following the same old instructions and put on my headphones and listened to my music. I closed my eyes and immediately fell asleep.

A tap on my shoulder woke me up and I stared at the stewardess who offered me some beverages. I ordered a whisky on the rocks and asked when it’s lunch time. She answered and said that I still had to wait an hour. While waiting for lunch I looked through the windows and watched the ocean which I barely saw because it was cloudy on this day.

The meal arrived and it smelled good. I’ve had some steak with mashed potatoes and green beans. I was so hungry. The stewardess cleared away and brought me some water. I asked for another whisky. After sipping my beverage I fell asleep again. Suddenly I woke up. The stewardess tapped on my shoulder again. It was kind of embarrassing because I was always sleeping. Carefully she said that it was 7 o clock pm and dinner time. Holy shit, I’ve slept for 6 hours. I ordered a salad and baguette. I still got 5 hours to go but I couldn’t sleep anymore. I thought about the time in Germany and my grandparents, my aunt Heidi and my job. I left it all behind. 9 hours ago I was still in Berlin and said goodbye to my aunt.

Finally I heard the pilot saying „prepare for landing“ and I gazed through the window. Los Angeles was beneath us and I had tears in my eyes. I’m home, I’m finally home. I couldn’t believe it.

We touched down on the holy ground of Los Angeles and it was already 11 o‘ clock pm. The sky was dark but it was still hot. I left the plane and entered the airport. The baggage claim area was already crowded but I found my luggage immediately.

Shortly after I managed to reach the waiting area. I saw my father standing there with a huge poster which said „Welcome back, Lauren“ in the colours of the star spangled banner. I ran faster than ever. Finally I hugged my dad and cried. „I’m so glad you’re back, my princess!“, he sobbed. Stuttering I tried to find words: „Dad, I missed you so much. I can’t believe I’m finally here.“. We both cried. „I’ve got a surprise for you. But I won’t tell you. Just wait.“, he said and seemed so happy. I was on tenterhooks.

We left the airport and went to the parking lot. He still had his old car and it was intact. We didn’t say anything. We were just happy to see each other. Immediately I fell asleep. After the one hour drive we reached home. It was already 12:30 but my mom was still awake to welcome us. I jumped into her arms and she kissed me. I cried again. The last time I cried that much was when I left the US.

I entered my home and my dad carried my luggage into my room.

„I think I need a shower.“, I said exhaustedly. Surprisingly the bathroom looked different. It was all new. They changed the colour of the tiles and it didn’t look old-fashioned anymore. This smelled like my father‘s got a new job. And I was sure what kind of job it is.

After showering I put on my pyjamas and headed downstairs. My parents were still awake. I sat down next to them and we’ve talked for hours. How much we missed each other, about my friends in Germany, my time at the university. But mostly I wanted to know what kind of surprise my father had for me.

„Dad, the bathroom on the upper floor looks amazing. I like the new colour. It was expensive wasn’t it?“, I dug deeper. I caught him red handed and he tried to distract me: „My dear, I think you should go to sleep. I planned a lot for tomorrow. We have to wake up early.“ I wouldn’t ask further questions. I went to bed just because I was totally exhausted. I slept immediately.

The next morning I woke up from a loud noise and a scream. I took a look at the clock and it was already 8 o‘ clock. I had a jetlag, I felt like shit. Curiously I went downstairs to find out where the noise came from. Broken tableware and glass on the kitchen floor. No person around here, just Tammy, our cat sitting on the counter watching me. My mom came back with a broom and looked aghast. „This place is haunted. I thought I saw a mouse over there. I looked away and suddenly she disappeared.“, my mom yelled. I tried to comfort her and caressed her shoulder. „Mom, the mouse is even more shocked than you. That’s why she isn’t here anymore. She hides herself. Don’t worry, she won’t come back to haunt you.“ My mom smiled again and added: „Eat some breakfast. Your dad prepares the car for your surprise.“ Even my mother remained silent about dad‘s plans. She also said: „And pack your bags! I know that you just arrived but dad would be so happy if you go with him.“ Fine, it’s gonna be a trip. A dad and daughter trip. But where?

I ate my meal as fast as I could, packed my bag and rushed to my father. His smile widened as he saw me. „Good morning, princess. You ready? It’s gonna be a long ride. I think it’s gonna be for two or three days.“ What the hell are we gonna do? Why didn’t he just tell me? I must’ve been prepared. I was on tenterhooks. Thankfully I found my old walkman because the last time I was at home was nine years ago and I didn’t own any CDs. So I picked some old classic cassettes. I stored my luggage in the cargo bay and went back to my mom. „Mom, I think dad wants to leave. Should I help you clean the kitchen? It looks kind of messy here.“, I asked my mother. She didn’t want any help and gave me a kiss. „Goodbye, Lauren. You won’t be disappointed. Love you!“, she hugged me. I kissed her and said goodbye.

My father was already in the car and honked. Stop dad, I said to myself, that’s awkward. He started the car and we left the slip road.

After a while I broke the silence and looked at my father: „Where are we going? I’m kinda nervous and I finally want to know. You’re grinning constantly and it’s driving me insane.“ He gazed at the street and tried to not look at me but he grinned. „You will see, Lauren“, he said, „but I will provide you a tip: I’ve got a job and earn money. It’s a cool job. And I want to show you where I work.“ It suddenly dawned on me. He works as a producer again, I thought, and he’s going to show who he works with. I was really excited. I grinned: „I’m sure it’s gonna be cool, dad. Do you mind if I listen to some music? I fancy talking with you but we’ve been driving for two hours and you barely spoke to me. You’re just grinning.“ My dad tried to look disappointed and then replied: „Sure, Lauren. Listen to some music, so I can listen to some country.“ I put on my headphones and dozed off.

Three hours later we arrived in a city I’ve never been to before. Not as big as Los Angeles but still full of skyscrapers. Where are we?, I asked myself until I saw a sign. Oakland. What are we going to do in Oakland? I was hungry and it was already 7 pm.

After we ate something at McDonald’s we entered 27 Ave and parked in an underground car park. My father was too fast so I couldn’t read the sign of the building.

„Et voilà! Welcome to my new workplace!“, he said happily. He couldn’t stop grinning.

Being sarcastic as always I asked him: „Well dad, you’re probably working as a car park guard aren’t you?“ He laughed wholeheartedly and bumped my shoulder: „Oh Lauren, get off the car and follow me.“ We walked through the car park and entered the elevator. As I left the elevator I couldn’t believe where I was. „Wow dad, what is your job? Will you work as a producer again?“, I asked curiously. His smile faded. Before 1990 my father used to work as a producer for a few, mostly unknown bands who got very popular after he stopped working with them. He put his heart and soul in it. Right after losing his job in 1991 he worked in record stores and still had enough money from his time as a producer to pay the bills and to have a luxurious life. He still tried to be happy and answered: „I’m not a producer anymore. Now I work as a sound technician for an already famous band. I think you’ve heard of them before. But let me show you.“ I didn’t mind his new job. I loved my dad no matter what kind of job he had. I smiled and hugged him. He also smiled.

„Hello Wolfgang! Welcome back! Did you enjoy your day off?“, an unknown person shook my dad’s hand and now looked at me, „pardon! You must be Lauren. Nice to meet you. Let me introduce myself. My name is John Lucasey and I’m the producer of Studio 880 and your dad’s new boss.“ He seemed friendly but looked serious with his suit and tie. My dad’s new boss, I thought, or either my dad’s old position. He chatted a bit with dad and after that he showed us the sound studio. I was speechless.

„Have you heard of Green Day?“, asked Mr. Lucasey.

Wait a minute. Did he just say Green Day?

I began to stutter: „S-s-s-ure…“ My father tried to help me: „Yes, my daughter went to one of their concerts in 1994 at The Palace in Los Angeles. After she came home, she looked so happy.“ He didn’t even know what happened, why I smiled so much. I didn’t tell anyone about the night. It was my little secret. I tried to act normal and keep up appearances. My little heart started to beat faster. NOW I was nervous. Probably the band wasn’t even around or they were too busy to talk to me. They had work to do. I began to sweat.

Mr Lucasey didn’t even notice the inconvenience. He continued: „Green Day is currently working on their new album and it sounds amazing. We’re all happy to work with them. They could write history with that record. Do you like to meet them? I think it would be a pleasure for you to meet a celebrity.“

What? My little heart probably couldn’t take it. I didn’t know what to say. I always tried to distract myself from the feelings I felt after that night. Heartbroken, I went to bed and thought I would never feel that way again. But now I’m going to see his little face again. What could happen? It wasn’t like I’ve never seen them again. They were famous and I saw lots of magazines and heard them on the radio but I’ve never seen them in person again.

„Yes, I’d really like to meet them.“, I yelled surprisingly. Mr Lucasey clapped his hands and waved us through the hallway. He knocked on the door and I heard a „come in“ in a familiar voice. Carefully, Mr Lucasey opened the door and I almost fainted as Billie looked into my eyes. His eyes widened as he saw me standing on the doorstep. Mr Lucasey and even my dad didn’t even notice our interaction. Did they live under a rock? Or did Billie tell my dad something about us or did he forget? According to his reaction I wouldn’t think he forgot about us.

He stood up and shook our hands. My dad’s first, then Mr Lucasey‘s and finally mine. I enjoyed that moment. As he shook mine, he deeply looked into my eyes and smiled. „That’s my daughter Lauren“, my dad said to Billie. „She came back from Germany yesterday and I forced her to go with me to show her my job and who I’m working with currently.“, he laughed. Well, I thought, you didn’t force me, dad. Billie smiled and said: „Nice to meet you, Lauren.“ What a smile, I drooled. He had black hair. It suited him perfectly. He wore a black hoodie and jeans. A nice outfit to relax in.

My father and Mr Lucasey talked to each other while Billie and I looked at each other. My dad said: „Lauren, John, I mean, Mr Lucasey…“ Mr Lucasey interrupted my dad and talked to me: „You can call me John, Lauren. Or do you prefer if I call you Ms Schneider?“ I went with Lauren. John continued: „Your dad and I want to talk a bit privately. Just talk to each other. Billie could show you some cool riffs.“ He acted like he played guitar and it looked awkward while doing it. What an odd dude. My father and John left the room and Billie and I were both alone now.

„You haven’t changed.“, Billie made the first move. Goosebumps everywhere.

„Well, I’m still Lauren. I don’t think I’m gonna transform into another creature.“, I responded ironically.

Billie laughed: „Nope, you haven’t changed in any way. Still that glibly girl I met 9 years ago.“ That made me blush.

„Could I play?“, I pointed at his electric guitar. Well, I’m brash too. „Sure! Go for it.“ He handed me the guitar. I played the probably most played and most annoying intro ever. He facepalmed but in a cute way. „It doesn’t sound that good on an electric guitar, y‘know. Stand up.“ Your wish is my command, I thought to myself. I strapped on the guitar and Billie turned on the amp. He gave me the instructions: „So, take that pic, put your index finger on the e-string on the 5th fret and the ring finger and pinky on the a and d string on the 7th fret.“ While following his instructions he moved closer to me and I felt his breath on my neck. He moved my fingers to the right strings and helped me gently. I felt his warmth behind me and I tried not to faint. „Now shred like this.“, he explained and showed me how to do it. „You have to shred two times, then slide two frets down, one fret down and so on…“ I started to play and it sounded good. Much better than my version of Stairway To Heaven. He freed himself from me and stood in front of me watching me playing. „That’s how you do it, baby.“, he exclaimed. Surprisingly I played very well and I savoured the moment having all of Billie‘s eyes on me. He added: „After every chord you have to mute the strings with your palm. Just like this.“ He moved closer to me again and took my right hand gently. He pressed his body against my back and my heart started to beat faster. I didn’t want to interrupt him but I offered: „Now I’d like to hear you playing.“ I loved guitarists and to watch them play. When I was younger I used to watch a lot of Jimi Hendrix or Led Zeppelin concerts to see how they played the guitar. I kept tabs on him while he shredded like a king. He looked so differently and he didn’t smell like beer and weed anymore. Was he sober? I didn’t want to ask him. It would be impolite to ask a celebrity if they’re still doing drugs. Some things I was curious about. Did he have a girlfriend or was he even married? Apparently he wasn’t married. He hasn’t got a ring on his finger. He could’ve taken it off. The more I thought about it the more I got upset. I’ve never had a boyfriend in the last 9 years, just some affairs and I wasn’t happy.

He finished playing and sat down next to me. Affectionately he looked into my eyes and smiled. His teeth got straightened and he had much better skin. „I’m a writer. That’s my new job or either my old job. I have to look for a job now but I guess Los Angeles offers me some good one.“, I broke the silence. He grinned and clapped his hands. „She made it!“, he exclaimed. He stood up and hugged me. At a moment’s notice he kissed me like we’ve known and haven’t seen each other for ages. He kissed me so passionately, I couldn’t help but surrender to this fire of emotions. Lovingly he cupped my head with his hands and I felt the hard skin of his fingertips. His tongue parted my lips and carefully touched mine. Our tongues moved synchronously and I savoured the moment. He tasted like chewing gum. Though I don’t mind alcohol I prefer this fresh smell. His hands moved to my hips and he held me even closer to his body. I wrapped my arms around his neck and couldn’t stop kissing him. His hands dug deeper into my hips. I made out with the punk rocker again and I obviously distracted him from work. Carefully he freed himself from me, looked into my eyes and whispered: „I missed you, Schnuckiputz.“ My eyes filled with tears and I replied: „So did I.“ He kissed my forehead and added: „This was the best surprise I’ve ever had. I’ve never met a girl like you and I haven’t had a girl since we met in 1994.“ I wanted to tell him the same but I would lie. Instead I said: „I’d love to be your girl, Billie.“ He kissed me in agreement.

[downwiththemoralmajority]

Hitching a ride

Word count: 2742

Billie Joe Armstrong x OC

Warnings: live without warning!

Somewhere in California, back in 1994. It was my first concert and I’ve never been so excited. I was 18 years at that point and still lived at my parents home. It always was difficult to drive somewhere because I haven’t had a car yet nor a driver’s license. Thankfully I’ve had a lot of friends who were able to drive and my friend picked me up to get to the concert.

We’ve had a good evening and been sweating the whole time. It felt nice to get some fresh air after the concert. I had to say goodbye to my friend and that was the biggest mistake (or either the best decision) I’ve ever made in my life. She actually wanted to take me home but I maintained that I would take the bus. So far, so good. After saying goodbye I headed to the next call box to call my mother. Full of excitement I told her that I’ve never experienced such an amazing concert and that I’m fine, so she didn’t have to worry.

Right after I hung up someone pushed me to the side and immediately ran away. I didn't know what happened until I saw that a random guy stole my purse with all my money which was left to pay the bus ticket. One hour away from my house I stood there alone without any money. My eyes were suddenly filled with tears and started to burn. I swore to myself that I won’t cry in public. So I denied myself crying and breathed in. I sat down and stared down to the floor until someone touched my shoulder. Embarrassed, I looked up and recognized someone familiar. A blonde guy with a nose ring, crooked teeth and dirty clothes. This must’ve been Billie, the singer of the band I saw earlier. I didn’t even realize that their van was in front of the call box. Hasn’t he seen the guy who stole my purse? Apparently not.

„Are you okay?“, he asked. I was in trance so I didn’t notice that he talked to me. I looked into his green (and obviously red) eyes and caught a glimpse of empathy. He smiled and asked me again if I’m fine.

I tried to not sound whiny but promptly bursted into tears. I couldn’t say any word because I started to sob. Carefully he embraced me and I continued to sob but now harder than ever. It was so embarrassing.

„Don’t say anything“, he comforted me, „it’s okay. Whatever has happened to you, you’ll be better soon... Would you have a joint to come down?“

He was good at comforting because it was the funniest way ever to console someone. I stopped crying and smiled a bit. Gently he caressed my arm and helped me up. He leered and I honestly was smitten by his charm. „I knew it. Nobody can resist a joint.“, he joked. „Come into our van and tell me what’s going on.“ This would’ve been the part where I had to say no. It‘s actually pretty dangerous to go into a strangers van just to talk, I thought to myself. But he was the singer of a punk rock band so what should happen? I was so taken with him, more than I could ever imagine. And he obviously felt the same way because he suddenly grabbed my hand and led me to the van.

At one fell swoop he opened the rusty door and all I could see was the dirtiest interior a van could have. It smelled like beer, weed and other substances. The small table in the middle of the van was littered with papes, cigarette butts and transparent bags which was obviously used for something. And I couldn’t care less. Funnily it felt like home to me. I always loved the smell of weed. Since I was 15 I’ve been smoking joints. So it’s nothing new to me and what would I expect from a punk band in the mid nineties? Grouches who just sit on their couches and had fucked up kids? No, this guy with whom I hung up is the fucked up kid. And he deserved to have fun and kick ass. And I totally understood him.

„Sorry for the mess but our room service hasn’t been here yet. They’re always so fucking busy, you know?“

He was probably the funniest person I’ve ever met.

„How dare they!“, I responded, trying to sound as funny as Billie. He pretended that he’s actually a bit mad about it, stood with his hands on his hips and shook his head in disbelief. Immediately bursted into laughter and I had to laugh as well. He punched my arm like I’m one of his friends and looked at me with his sweetest and apparently most stoned smile. He grabbed a bag with smoking utensils and started to roll a joint for us two, lighted it up and passed it to me. I haven’t been smoking joints in a while because I was so focused on getting my homework done before I graduate this summer. It was almost there.

„Sit down and tell me about the issue. Did we play so bad that it made you cry? Yeah, we’ve had a lot of sound problems and Mike has been higher than me and Tré set his drums on fire and I almost burnt my fucking ass. I wanted to..“, I interrupted him with a laugh. „It’s all right. It wasn’t your fault. It was just a random guy who stole my purse after I called my mom on the phone and said that everything’s fine. Now I don’t have any money and can’t buy a bus ticket.“ My smile faded again. Billie narrowed his eyes. „What a fucking motherfucker! If I catch this guy I would punch the shit out of him.“, he said angrily. „He’s gone. You wouldn’t catch him anymore. Don’t worry, I’m fine. I’m gonna find a way to drive home.“, I lied. It was hopeless.

Billie smirked: „What if we could drive you home? I mean, I don’t know how far away your home is from here but fuck, someone hurt you and now I need to help you.“

I started to laugh. He was high as fuck and the other band members were probably stoned as well. How could they still drive? But in my heart of hearts I wanted them to bring me back home. I didn’t want to sleep at the bus station or dodge the fare. My parents would kill me. So I agreed. He noticed that I couldn’t believe it and clarified it:„You look worried. No, we won’t drive anymore. That’s up to our roadie. He can still drive. He doesn’t drink anymore, he was an AA.“ I was assailed by a feeling of relief and I nodded.

„Move closer.“, he summoned me. Deeply, he inhaled his joint, pulled my neck and blew the smoke in my mouth. That was the point. Without exhaling I dared to kiss him and he kissed me back. The smoke leaked out of our mouths and filled the room with special vibes. I moved closer and gave myself up to him. He tasted so good. No, he actually tasted like beer, weed and sweat. But after a concert everyone smells gross and probably I smelled disgusting too.

He moved and lay above me. I noticed something between my legs and knew that he was enjoying it. After a lot of kisses he looked down on me and asked quietly: „Tell me your name.“ He smiled and it made my heart melt. Do I really have a crush on him? I didn’t even know him. I just saw him playing at their concert and I haven’t even known this band before. I normally had a thing for Led Zeppelin or Deep Purple. I couldn’t believe I was making out with a punk rocker.

Smiling, I replied: „My name’s Lauren. I'm 18 years old and I’m originally from Germany.“ He actually just wanted to know my name and it was probably the weed which made talkative. His eyes opened as if he'd never seen a German before. But not in a strange way. He looked surprised. „Fuck, I didn’t notice that you’re German. Why don’t you wear a dirndl?“, he laughed. I didn’t even feel offended by his question. It’s all-American to think that every German wears a dirndl or leather pants, drinks beer and eats bretzels. Sarcastically, I replied: „Well, I changed the clothes before the concert. I thought it was inappropriate to wear such a dress at a punk rock concert. But I’ve got a lot of dirndl at home. You wanna see? I like the pink one with glitter the most.“ I tried to look serious but couldn’t refrain from laughter. „You’re quick at repartee. This turns me on.“ He continued to smooch. His hands were all over my body when we’re suddenly interrupted by a bang. „I think we have some guests.“, he said disappointedly. „Fuuuck, I can’t open the door. Someone locked the door. Let me in and leave me some pot.“, a guy, obviously one of the band members, screamed in front of the door. Bustling, he pulled the door and was still not able to open it. Apparently, he was drunk. „TRÉ you cockhead! PUSH the door! Don’t pull.“, Billie screamed. Tré pushed the door and fell into the van. He babbled: „I’m totally drunk!“ He stood up and took a look at us. „Oh hell, who’s that groupie?“, he asked, confused. I sarcastically answered: „Hey sweetheart, my name is Candy. Do you want some candy? I have a lot of it in my pants.“ Tré, as drunk as he was, didn’t get what I meant. He straightened up, moved closer to me and shook my hand: „Hi Candy. I actually don’t want candy. I just want some HERBS!“ He screamed as he said the last word and I winced. He continued: „Sorry Candy, I almost forgot my name. My name is Tré, Tré Cool because I’m tré cool.“ He spoke in a French accent. I kind of like him. His green hair is smutty and sweaty just like his face and clothes. But his smile was catching. The other drunk band member entered the van. He greeted me: „Hello, I’m Mike.“ He pretended to fuck Tré from behind and lay down on the other couch. To me he seemed a bit calmer than Billie and Tré but he was just totally drunk and tired. He immediately began to sleep as he lay down. „Hella nice, I don’t even have to roll a joint.“, Tré said as he found the joint we’ve been smoking before starting to make out. He took some puffs and lay down on the couch where Mike slept. „Good Night, my fellows! Tré is drunk and sleepy and stoned and wants to take a nap.“, he babbled. „Tré, wait! Where is Eddie? When will he come back?“, Billie needed an answer because he still wants his roadie to drive me home. He smoked a lot of weed but was still able to keep things in mind. Sleepy, Tré opened his eyes and replied: „10 or 20 minutes. He’s still talking to the hosts. Good night, Billie. Good night, Candy.“ I was so mean. He still didn’t know my real name. It didn’t matter because I wouldn't see those guys again, I thought. 10 to 20 minutes. I should’ve been home actually. It would be a one hour drive if I took the bus. The roadie should hurry because my parents would still kill me.

Billie noticed my anxiety. He stood up and said: „Stay here, Lauren. I will have a look. I’ll be back soon. Don’t be afraid. These guys are nice and they’re sleeping at the moment. They won’t hurt you.“ I believed him and let him go. After he left the van I took a look at the furniture. There were two couches on each side covered with some blankets and pillows, a small wooden table in the middle of the room, Venetian blinds to cover the tiny windows. The van was full of stickers of different bands and organisations. It was actually really dirty and smelly in here but the more you sat here the more you got used to it. I felt comfortable and it was probably because of Billie. The guy I had a crush on. After 5 minutes of waiting I heard noises from outside. It was Billie and another guy. I hoped it was the roadie. Billie entered the van again and wanted to know: „Lauren, I need to know where you live. I asked Eddie if he could bring you back home and he’s gonna do it.“ I almost cried. I jumped up and hugged and kissed Billie because I was so relieved. He kissed me back. With tears in my eyes, I told him where I live and gave him a lot of kisses. „Thank you, Billie. Thank you so much. That means so much to me. Thanks.“ I couldn’t stop saying thank you. Passionately, he kissed me and headed to Eddie.

The roadie sat down on the front seat and started the van. Billie entered the van again and closed the door.

We drove down the slip road and reached the street.

„It will take us 30 min to drive you home. So your parents won’t even notice that you’ve been away longer.“, Billie mentioned and I lay in his arms again.

We laid on the couch for a long time without saying anything. It was just Billie and me. I felt comfy and safe in his arms and I didn’t want to miss a single thing.

He caressed my head and started talking again: „What are you doing when you’re not at our concerts? How long have you been living here? Teach me some German.“ „Well, I go to school but I will graduate in one month. I’ve been living here in the US for 12 years. We usually speak German at home because my dad doesn’t like the English language. It wasn’t that easy for me to get used to it because I’ve barely spoken English at home but school helped me a lot. Hm, I’m good at drawing, writing and playing guitar. I want to be a journalist. I’ve taken some writing classes in school and I wrote a lot of articles for the school‘s magazine. After graduating I’m gonna leave the States and go back to Germany, to the roots. I want to learn more about the culture and the people. And there I want to study journalism. I haven’t decided yet if I’m gonna take German or bilingual classes. Someday I want to work for a music magazine, maybe The Rolling Stone. I don’t know when I will come back to the US again. I will finish my studies in Germany at least. It could be 5 years or 10 years. I don’t know. Anyway, I really like the word Schnuckiputz. Can you pronounce it? It literally means cutiepie. Keep it in mind. I would like to teach you some German but I’m kinda tired at the moment. I just want to be here with you and cuddle.“

He held me closer and kissed my forehead. He replied: „You’re gonna be successful. You will rock your studies and be the most brilliant writer.“ He sounded sad.

I almost fell asleep but suddenly the van stopped. I was at home. The roadie parked at the end of the street so we wouldn’t wake up my parents. It was near the bus station. I just had to walk for a few minutes. Sadly, I stood up and looked at Billie. He seemed very tired and so was I.

„Thank you Billie. That was so nice of you and your Roadie to bring me home. You literally saved my life.“, I said quietly so it wouldn’t wake the other guys.

„Don’t mention it. I would do it again any time, Schnuckiputz.“, he whispered. These were the last words I’ve heard from him. He gave me a last kiss. Passionately. With all of his heart. I felt like he didn’t want me to leave him. It was the hardest goodbye. I left the van and went home.

I will miss you, he thought.