And the Stars up Above - Chapter 23

May 20th, 1987
Mike

“Hey Bill, wanna go to the swings tonight?” Mike asked Billie Joe while they were walking down the hall towards their classroom. Mike didn’t feel like having band practise tonight and he missed the playground; they hadn’t been there for a while.
“Nah, sorry man, I can’t. I have to help mum clean the house. Grandma and grandpa are coming over, you know.” Billie Joe said and sighed. It didn’t seem like he was looking forward to it. Mike shrugged.
“I guess I’ll just ask Jason then.”
“What, if he wants to go to the swings with you?” Billie Joe snapped, bursting out in sudden anger. Mike frowned and held up his hand as to protect himself.
“No, I was going to ask if he wanted to hang out in my van.” Billie Joe calmed down and muttered an answer. “Come on man, lighten up! Is it really that bad that your grandparents are coming?” Mike said.
“No. It’s just that, you know, you’re working all the time nowadays and today when you do have time I have to be at home. And when I thought that you and Jason were going to the playground… that’s just our thing, you know?” Billie said just as they arrived to class. Mike nodded. He was just going to say ‘yeah, I know’ when they stepped inside the classroom but he was cut of by the teacher before he could start.
“Pritchard, Armstrong, you’re late again. What’s your excuse this time?” Mike began smiling and waited for Billie Joe to start; it was his turn to think of something this time.
“Well you see sir,” Billie Joe started in his most sarcastic voice “we were on our way here, we were running actually, to really make sure that we would get here on time, but, you know, then we ran straight into – did I say we? I meant Mike, I’m not that clumsy – so Mike ran straight into a big monster. A huge, green monster! And the monster said… um Mike, what did he say again?” Billie Joe said and turned to Mike who was more than willing to take over.
“He had me captured in his gigantic, green arms and he said ‘Billie Joe, if you want your friend back you have to be late for Mr. Lawes class!’ And Billie Joe threw himself to the floor” Mike made a wild gesture as Billie Joe threw himself to the floor to illustrate just what he did. “and begged the monster on his bare knees; ‘No, not Mr. Lawes class, please! I’ll do anything, just not Mr. Lawes class!’ And the monster said that he had to think about it-“
“Yes, okay Mr. Pritchard, I think we get the picture. Just please take your seats, will you?” Mr. Lawes said and sighed; he was starting to get used to Mike’s and Billie Joe’s stories by now. Billie Joe grinned and got up from the floor and put the litter bin that he’d used as the monster back where it belonged. Then the two boys made their way to their usual seats at the back. When they were all settled and Mr. Lawes started speaking about art during the 1600th century Mike leaned in and whispered in Billie Joe’s ear;
“Do you think he fell for it?”
“Hell yeah, this story was so much better than the one with the headless paladin or the one with the aliens. I mean aliens, Mike? What were you thinking? That’s like the most common excuse in the world!”
“Um, excuse me, but it was you who came up with the alien excuse, I just played along.”
“Na-uh! I came up with the one about the zombie toy, and the aliens were the time after that one, so you must have come up with the aliens.”
“I did not! I came up with the train that appeared out of nowhere in between the zombie toy and the aliens, so you must have come up with the aliens!” Mike hissed, their voices were growing louder now.
“No, I came up-“
“Armstrong and Pritchard!” Mr. Lawes interrupted. “Is there something you would like to share with the class?” Billie Joe opened his mouth to tell another amazing story but was cut of before he could start. “Oh never mind, just be quiet, will you?” Mr. Lawes said and sighed. Billie Joe was about to say something again but Mike quickly put his hand over his mouth.
“Of course, Mr. Lawes! We won’t say another word!” Mike said and smiled widely.
“Why’d you do that for?” Billie Joe hissed as soon as Mike took his hand from Billie’s mouth.
“Shh, do you want to get detention?” Mike hissed back and shot another lovely smile towards Mr. Lawes. Mr. Lawes looked at them with piercing eyes.
“Oh, and by the way Mr. Pritchard and Mr. Armstrong, you’ve got detention. Both of you.”