And the Stars up Above - Chapter 4

April 7th, 1986
Billie Joe

They sat down by the table and Billie Joe immediately picked up the fork. He held it for a while, looking at it, as if he was considering doing something with it, he then looked at Brad and his eyes hardened and he raised the fork a little bit higher. He turned his eyes to his mum and they turned soft again, he then caught Mike slowly shaking his head in the corner of his eye. Billie was certain that nobody but him could see Mike’s headshaking. He put down the fork again. He’d disappoint his mother if he would scratch his back with it.

April 7th, 1986
Mike

“So how are things going with your band, boys?” Ollie asked when they all had got some of her delicious lasagne. Mike saw Billie chewing faster, so that he could answer. Mike saw the chance and took it.
“Things are going great actually!” he said. “Billie has finally come to his senses and is going to sing!” All the sudden Billie started coughing, Mike rubbed his back.
“How are you pal? Anyways…” he said, while Billie’s eyes got teary. Billie grabbed his glass of water and emptied it in a couple of seconds. “I’m going to play the bass as well, so all we need now is a drummer.” Billie finally looked like he was able to speak again but only opened his mouth to hear his mothers hands clasp together.
“But that’s just wonderful! I’m sure that will be fantastic! With Billie Joe’s beautiful voice… and I’m sure that you will master the bass very well, Mike. Oh Billie, I’m so happy! I knew that you would realise how good you are one day!” Ollie said with one of the biggest smiles Mike had ever seen. One almost as big appeared on Mike’s face. Try to get out of this now… he thought pleased, and turned to Billie to see his reaction. Billie did not look happy. He shot Mike a look that Mike knew meant ‘you’re dead’ and then turned to his mum and managed to master something that with a little imagination could be a smile.
“Yeah well, it’s all thanks to Mike.” He said and shot Mike another ugly look. Mike just smiled and winked at him.
Mike knew that Billie never could disappoint his mother. It had been a cheap trick, but it had been worth it. Billie would forgive him… eventually.

Billie did not speak as they walked down the stairs to get back to band practise after dinner.
“Hey Bill?” Mike said, cautious. No answer.
“Billie…?” Still no answer. Billie walked trough the door and slammed it shut behind him before Mike could get in. Mike opened the door quickly and shut it tight behind him; now he was mad.
“Okay, so that was mean, what I did up there, but refusing to talk and slamming a fucking door in my face is not going to solve anything.” He said while trying to get eye contact with Billie Joe. Billie was staring at his guitar that he had just picked up. He started strumming it, without answering Mike.
“Fine, don’t talk!” Mike said sitting down on the floor and crossing his arms and legs.
“You need to leave.” Billie Joe said quietly.
“What?” Mike said, pretending like he hadn’t heard what Billie just said.
“Can you please leave?” Billie said, still not looking at Mike. “Go home. Or play with Jason; you seem to have such a fucking great time together. I don’t care what the fuck you do. Just get out of here, okay?”
“But…”
“GO AWAY! Are you fucking deaf or something!? Just leave me the fuck alone, for once in your life!” Mike felt numb. Sure they had had fights before, but Billie had never told him to leave him alone. Not like this at least. He felt tears form in his eyes and without uttering one single word he rose.

April 7th, 1986
Billie Joe

Billie Joe heard the door close. He waited a couple of seconds before looking up, concentrating on his breath to calm down. He raised his head and looked around. Mike was gone. And despite the fact that Billie had wanted him to go he now felt sad that he had. He felt his cheeks turn wet but he didn’t realise that he was crying until several seconds later. He picked up a paper of the floor, just a plain white sheet. He stared at it while wondering how it got there. He then remembered; a few days ago Mike had made an attempt to write a song. He had been lying right there on the floor, with the paper in front of him, chewing on the pen. He hadn’t got a single word down.
Billie grabbed the pen that Mike had used, or rather hadn’t used, and placed the tip on the paper. His hand formed letters with the pen. Letters that became words. Words that became a song.
Rest the title said.

Why was it that the only person who always could read his mind and thoughts couldn’t when Billie needed him to?