Disclaimer: I do not own American Idiot.
A/N: This is kind of a filler chapter leading to a bit of a different road I'm planning on taking so bear with me!
It's hard to believe that I've been in the city for four months. I take trips back and forth to visit Elton, and sometimes I even convince Krystina to come with me to Jingletown. For the first time in a really long time, I'm starting to feel like an adult. I almost forgot about asking Krystina to move to Jingletown with me. It seems so far-fetched that I'm scared to even say the words out loud. I want her with me there, but she loves it here. I don't, and that's weird. I don't like all the people and all the noise and I don't like being away from Elton or Tunny or Jillian. Even after everything that happened, I'm also kind of starting to miss Johnny and Heather.
And all of the sudden, I find my salvation in one little phone call from Jillian, on my cracked cell phone that I threw across the room when I was mad that Heather was off with Alex again.
"Hello?" I answer quickly, holding the phone against my ear. "What's up?"
"Tunny and I are getting married this weekend." She says, and my eyes widen.
"I'm sorry, I think we have a bad connection. Did you say you're getting married this weekend? Where did this come from?"
"We both know we can't afford a big wedding or big rings or anything like that. We want to do it now. Tunny asked if you could be a witness. And I really want Krystina to be there." She sighs into the phone. "I promise you don't even have to talk to Johnny. And Heather's back from that last trip with Alex. You have to come. And we're having a party tonight. If you get on the bus in an hour you'll make it in plenty of time."
I close my eyes and rub my temple with my free hand for a few seconds.
"Okay. I'll see what I can do."
So there we are, in almost the same routine we had when Krystina first came to Jingletown. We talk on the bus while she reads a thick book, talking to me every time she looks up. Tunny and Jillian pick us up from the bus station, this time wider smiles occupying their faces, and they take us back to their apartment, where we set our things down on the pull out couch in the living room. We have to start getting ready right away, since we left so late, and I get a text from Heather telling me she'll be dropping Elton off with her mom for the night. Heather's mom watches our son a lot, actually, and she's really cool. It almost makes me wish I still talked to my parents; but then I remember what they're like, and how much they fought, and how badly I felt when I was around them. Like it was my fault they were unhappy. And the apple doesn't fall far from fucking the tree, I guess, since I'm in the exact same situation they were.
But, mine is better. Heather chose happiness over tradition. We're not married, and we're never going to be. And I love my son more than I've ever loved anything. If I had to choose between being happy with Heather and having Elton in my life, I'd pick the little guy every time.
So, once the four of us have gotten ready for the party, we get back into Tunny's car and head for his parents' house. Apparently they worked all week getting their backyard ready for not only tonight, but the wedding on Sunday.
The radio plays softly the whole way there, as I run Krystina's streak through my hair. She hasn't dyed it in a while, so it's faded to a light peach color, and her roots are dark brown. I kiss her scalp, closing my eyes, because she's so beautiful. I feel it, pulsing through my whole body, running through my mind. This girl is beautiful and here and she's mine. I smile, because if she heard me say that, she'd deny it. I don't belong to you, Will, she'd say, looking me straight in the eyes.
Yeah, okay, Krystina, I'd reply. But I belong to you.
I feel like I'm at a glorified high school reunion. I see everyone I ever knew in high school, almost all of them with a beer in hand. My old roommate, Carson, is standing on a table, chugging a beer, and screaming. I laugh softly, looking around as Krystina inches closer to me. I haven't seen Johnny yet, but I know he's here. I just hope he stays away from Krys. I trust her, but I don't want him hurting her any more than he already has.
But, despite all the shit, I have fun. I always have a drink in my hand and Krystina by my side, with an arm around me or a hand in mine. She doesn't say much, and I notice she doesn't have a beer or anything all night, but she seems happy. And that makes me happy. I feel better than I have in weeks. It's so good to be at home and with Krystina. I spent so many years wanting the fuck out of Jingletown, I never realized how much I like it here. It's home. It's safe and familiar and fulfilling. I could have a life here. I could settle down and get a job and stop dyeing my hair. I could convince Krystina to come too. We could be so happy.
"Hey, Will?" She says beside me, pulling me out of my fantasy. "My head hurts, and I'm tired."
"I could go inside and get you some Tylenol." I offer quickly, and her face falls. "No, really, it's okay. This place was like a second home to me growing up." I assure her, and quickly head for the door. Once inside, I go to the nearest bathroom, across from Tunny's old bedroom, but I see someone inside, and I hear them sniffle. I walk to the door and flick on the light. Heather is sitting on the bed, eyes wet with tears, taking slow, deep breaths.
"Are you okay?" I ask after a moment, and I move to sit beside her. I lay a hand on her shoulder, meaning to comfort her, but she quickly moves on top of me, attaching her lips to mine.
For a moment, I'm in shock. But, she keeps kissing me, and I sink into the familiarity of her lips. My hands go to her waist immediately and my eyes close and all of the sudden I'm back in high school without a care in the world and it's just me and Heather, and Tunny and Johnny, and nothing could ever change in our simple little lives. It's a nice fantasy. My hands travel up her back, lifting her shirt, but I stop myself. What am I doing with my hands?
When I first kissed Krystina, I didn't know what to do with my hands. I couldn't even remember what it was like to make out with Heather. Her lips are dry and she's too forceful. It's a nice fantasy, but Krys isn't in it. Krystina isn't here. Fuck. God damn shit.
I pull away quickly, shaking my head.
"Heather, God damn it, Heather. What's wrong?"
"I think Alex is cheating on me." She sobs, wiping her eyes.
"I'm sorry." I respond, thinking of what I'll say to Krystina. Fuck, shit, God damn it. She'll never fucking forgive me.
"I think it's with Francesca. Remember how she used to always try to break us up when we first started dating? It took years before she finally gave up. I keep finding all these clothes and jewelry in the apartment that aren't mine and she's been at all of his local shows these past few weeks."
"Then break up with him! Everyone hates him, Heather. You deserve to be happy. You were strong enough to do it with me. You don't need to always be with someone. Especially not me. You know I'm an asshole." I sigh heavily, laying my face in my hands. "Krystina is going to kill me."
"She kissed Johnny." She whispers, and I lift my head to glare at her.
"Johnny kissed her. She didn't give into it. She just left." I snap at her, standing up and taking a deep breath.
"That's not what he said." Heather retorts, and I scoff.
"Johnny is a fucking liar! Jesus." I stand up quickly and walk back outside, looking for Krystina.
She's talking to Johnny, awkwardly, looking like she'd rather be anywhere else but doesn't know where she can go. Still no beer, but Johnny is chugging the one in his hand, and he looks almost happy. I watch him say something to her, and she nods slowly as her eyes meet mine. She smiles instantly, and I feel my heart drop in my chest. What the fuck have I done? I don't deserve that smile. But I want it so badly.
I make my way over to her, wrapping an arm around her waist when I reach them.
"I thought you were getting some Tylenol." She says, biting her lip.
"Oh." I hesitate, glancing at Johnny. "I couldn't find it."
I know I have to tell Krystina. Even if the guilt wasn't going to eat away at me, I knew that Johnny and Heather had always been good friends, and she would tell him, and he would tell everyone. And that wouldn't be fair to Krys. But I can't tell her in front of all these people either. And my head is starting to hurt too.
"Too bad we came with Tunny and Jillian." I say to Krystina. "We'll have to stick around all night."
"I just talked to Alex a minute ago and he said he and Heather were planning on taking off in a few minutes. I bet you could catch a ride with them." Johnny offers, taking a swig of his beer.
Before I can protest, Krystina grabs my hand and pulls me towards the door, probably in search of Alex and Heather.
We find them inside, talking as if nothing happened. Heather looks at me and smiles sadly. I take a deep breath, and politely ask if we can catch a ride with them, and think, hey, maybe telling Krys about an accidental five-second kiss with Heather can wait this weekend. I wouldn't want to ruin the wedding for us, or anything else. And it's not like it was a big deal. Krystina will understand.
Somehow, I end up sitting in the back of Heather's tiny, beat-up car she's had since high school, pressed against Krystina on one side (not that I'm complaining there) and Johnny on the other. Though Johnny would have been perfectly fine staying out and drinking all night, Tunny, Jillian, and Heather thought it was well past time to cut him off and send him home. I don't know what set him off, but I haven't seen him drink so much since high school.
He keeps groaning and laying his head back, squeezing his eyes shut and cursing. Every now and then, I notice Krystina watching him with wide eyes, like he's some kind of wild animal that could attack any minute. We don't talk, but I keep an arm wrapped tightly around her. It kind of helps with the space issue, anyway.
I kiss her head, smelling her hair involuntarily. She smells like Krystina, which I suppose is good. I don't get any alcohol or anything, which is weird. We were all drinking quite a bit. She must have been more responsible about it, which wouldn't surprise me. Krys has things together in ways I could only dream of.
Eventually, we reach Tunny and Jillian's apartment building, and Heather parks the car.
"Fuck!" I exclaim, laying my head in my hands. "We don't have a key."
"Don't they like, hide it under a mat or something?" Heather asks, glancing at me in the rearview mirror.
"They used to. Then Will and I snuck in one night and filled their apartment with sexy David Hasselhoff pictures." Johnny replies, the first coherent sentence he's spoken through the whole car ride.
"Well, I need to get rid of you guys so there's room for Elton and his diaper bag in the back." Heather snaps, and I sigh heavily.
"They can stay with me." Johnny offers, glancing at the two of us.
"That's really not-" I start, but Alex cuts me off.
"Sounds great. Let's go, babe."
Fuck, I think as I lay my head against the headrest behind me, I have a whole weekend of this shit to look forward to.