We made our way to the Tour bus, but instead of hopping onto it, we decided to take the Holiday Mobile for a change of pace. It seemed like a perfect opportunity to get some fresh air before the longer bus ride later, and the vehicle had a vibe of its own-like a rolling getaway waiting to happen.
As we cruised down the streets, the familiar chords of "Still Breathing" filled the air. My favorite Green Day song. It felt so surreal hearing it play on the speakers while Billie sat beside me. The song's message of resilience and holding on was even more potent now, as if the universe had perfectly timed everything tonight. The streetlights passed by in a blur as we chatted, both of us enjoying the simplicity of the moment.
But then, as we neared McDonald's, the realization hit: we were driving in the Holiday Mobile, not the tour bus. And there was no way we wouldn't draw attention in this thing. I couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.
"Do you think we'll get recognized?" I asked, glancing at Billie, my voice a little shaky.
Billie raised an eyebrow, giving me that mischievous grin. "Probably. But hey, what's the worst that could happen? We're just grabbing some food, right?" He leaned back in his seat, relaxed as ever, while I squirmed a little at the thought of attention.
I let out a small laugh, trying to ease the tension. "Yeah, just grabbing some food... from the most famous fast food drive-thru in the world." As we pulled into the line, I could already see the staff's reaction. The worker behind the window was doing their best to stay composed, but there was no way they didn't recognize us. The question was-how would they handle it? Would they even believe their eyes?
"Let's get shades. I'll do the talking on the speaker." I grinned, ready to take charge. "Alright, good idea, Nova." Billie said, pulling on his shades with a confident smirk. Mike and Tré Cool followed suit, sliding on their own sunglasses.
Tré Cool, ever the tease, spoke in a deep, exaggerated voice, mimicking a bad secret agent. "So you'll do the talking, huh?" he said with a chuckle, making the rest of us burst out laughing.
I couldn't help but play along. "Yeah, I'll handle it," I said with a grin, adjusting my own shades and leaning toward the speaker. "Watch and learn, guys."
Billie shot me an amused look. "This is gonna be good."
"I think I know what you guys want-unless you don't mind sharing a meal," I teased, glancing at them with a smirk. "I haven't been to McDonald's in a long time, let alone with the three of you. So, what's the order before the speaker box starts talking?"
Tré Cool, always the first to jump in, raised a hand like we were in a classroom. "Ooh! I'll get a Quarter Pounder, a chocolate milkshake, and six chicken nuggets."
Mike leaned back against his seat, arms crossed. "Yeah, I'll get the same as Tré. And a Coke."
Billie tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, thinking for a second before grinning. "I'll get the same as you guys, but with a strawberry milkshake instead of chocolate-oh, and a fry."
I nodded, impressed. "Oh, nice choices. I'll have the chicken tenders with fries. Not sure if they have them here, but that's what I ordered last time. I hope they still do. Otherwise, I'll just be happy with nuggets."
Tré Cool spun around dramatically in his seat. "Damn, we're about to drop a whole paycheck on this order. Hope McDonald's appreciates our business."
Billie chuckled, adjusting his shades. "They should give us a VIP card at this point."
As we pulled up to the speaker, I suddenly felt the weight of the responsibility I had taken on. Doing the talking seemed fun a minute ago, but now, with three rock legends sitting beside me, I didn't want to mess up the order. The intercom crackled, and a slightly bored-sounding voice came through.
"Welcome to McDonald's, how may I help you today?"
I cleared my throat, straightened my posture, and leaned toward the speaker. "Alright, guys, watch and learn," I whispered before pressing the button.
It was go time. I took a deep breath and pressed the button.
"Hey there! Uh, we'll have three Quarter Pounder meals-one with a Coke, one with a chocolate milkshake, and one with a strawberry milkshake. Plus, six-piece nuggets for two of those meals, and an extra large fry."
There was a brief silence on the other end before the speaker crackled to life again. "Alright... anything else?"
"Yeah, can I get chicken tenders with fries? Oh, and a sweet and sour sauce on the side?"
The voice responded quickly, "Yep, we've got those. Anything else?"
I grinned. "Nope, that's it."
Tré Cool clapped his hands together. "Oh hell yeah, tenders secured. Solid choice, kid."
The speaker crackled again. "Alright, your total is $38.89
As Tré Cool eased the car forward, Tré rubbed his hands together, grinning.
"Prepare ourselves, dudes," he said dramatically.
Billie chuckled. "For what? The life-changing experience of receiving fast food?"
Tré nodded, dead serious. "Exactly."
As we reached the first window, a young lady stood there, taking payments. She had dark curly hair pulled back into a ponytail and was casually chewing gum. Her eyes flicked up briefly as she greeted us with a polite but distracted smile.
"Hey, that'll be $38.89. I smirked, leaning back slightly. "I think the $100 should make her night. Let's keep it at that. Billie, do you have the cash, or are you guys famous enough not to carry money in your pockets?" Billie chuckled slightly. "Mike and Tré are the ones who always have the cash, dude. I forget to bring it with me half the time."
Mike rolled his eyes as he pulled a wad of cash from his pocket. "It's called being prepared."
"Phew, thanks, Mike. True. I'm a cashless person-one can never be too cautious," I said, shaking my head playfully.Billie stifled a laugh as Mike handed the cash over to the lady at the register. Tré, barely holding back his own amusement, muttered, "She has no idea." The woman smiled as she took the money from Mike, counted it, and placed it in the register. As she looked back up, her eyes flickered between us, pausing for just a second longer on Billie.
And then... it happened.
Her brows furrowed slightly. Then her eyes widened. The cheerful, casual look on her face slowly melted into shock, then amazement. Her hand hesitated over the register, and she leaned forward slightly, mouth parting as she stared at Billie. "Wait... are you... are you?" Mike and Tré exchanged knowing glances. Billie just smiled. I Bit my lip, barely holding in my chuckle. Oh boy. Here we go.
I leaned in slightly, giving her a playful grin. "Well, we do tip generously. Nothing short of that. Though, I gotta admit... these three kind of look like the Three Stooges."
Tré Cool let out an exaggerated gasp, clutching his chest as if I'd just wounded him. "Oh, the betrayal!" he cried dramatically.
Mike smirked. "Which one of us is which, though? That's the real question."
Billie chuckled, shaking his head as he adjusted his shades. "I call dibs on being the cool one."
The woman, still standing there with the money in her hand, looked like she was buffering-her brain struggling to process the conversation happening in front of her. A mix of shock, confusion, and pure joy flickered across her face, her mouth slightly open as if she wanted to say something but just couldn't make the words come out. She blinked a few times, looking at each of them like she needed to triple-check that they were actually standing there in front of her.
Finally, after what felt like the longest pause, she managed to find her voice.
"Oh my god... you're... you're Green Day, right?!"
Tré Cool gave her an exaggerated thumbs-up. "Ding ding ding! We have a winner!"
Her hands flew to her mouth as she let out a small, muffled squeal. She looked like she was about to burst with excitement.
Billie gave her an easygoing smile. "Yep, that's us."
Tré Cool reached into his pocket, remembering something. "Hey, actually I have some spare drumsticks left over from the show. I usually toss 'em into the crowd. You can have one. Oh you are cute by the way." And Tré Cool winked at her
The woman's eyes widened even more, if that was even possible. "No way... NO WAY."
Mike chuckled. "Way."
Tré rummaged through his jacket pocket, fishing out a drumstick that had survived the chaos of the concert. He twirled it between his fingers before handing it over with a grin. "Here you go. One authentic, slightly battered, but very much legendary Tré Cool drumstick. Don't let anyone take it from you."
The girl let out a breathless laugh, holding it like it was made of gold. "This is the best shift ever."
Billie laughed, nodding toward the window. "Well, we'd love to keep the party going, but we do have some late-night McDonald's to inhale."
She snapped back into reality, still beaming. "Oh-oh right! Your food! I'll get that right now!"
As she rushed to grab the order, I exchanged looks with the guys.
"Think she'll freak out when we pull up to the next window?" I asked, amused.
Mike smirked. "Oh, definitely."
Mike chuckled, shaking his head as he glanced at the rear view mirror. "Yeah, let's just hope she doesn't tell everyone that Green Day is in the drive-thru. Last thing we need is a mob of fans chasing us down for some late-night fries."
Tré Cool smirked, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. "I mean, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world. Free fries, maybe?"
Billie shot him a look. "Yeah, 'cause that's exactly how it works, Tré."
Tré Cool just grinned as he pulled the car up to the next window. A young man stood there, holding the bags of food in his hands.
"Here's your order. Enjoy," the guy said with a polite nod, barely looking at us as he handed over the food.
I quickly reached out, taking the bags just fast enough to avoid any extra attention. It was almost too easy-he had no idea that he had just served Green Day.
"Thanks," I said casually, my voice steady despite the fact that I was still buzzing inside.
Keeping my cool, I grinned and slid into the back seat next to Billie after the whole ordeal, the reality of sitting this close to him hitting me all at once again.
As I settled in, my mind raced. This was insane-just hours ago, I had been in the crowd, and now, I was sitting next to Billie Joe Armstrong, my idol, in the back of a car, about to eat McDonald's together. Billie shifted slightly to get comfortable, offering me a warm smile, completely unaware of the fact that my heart was threatening to beat right out of my chest.
Tré Cool, always one to notice things, chuckled from the driver's seat, throwing a knowing glance at Mike. Mike smirked, glancing back at me through the rearview mirror. "You good back there?" I nodded quickly, gripping the food bag like it was my lifeline. "Yeah. Totally fine."
Mike let out a quiet chuckle before focusing back on the road. Tré Cool, ever the instigator, grinned. "Well, buckle up, kid. You're officially on a rockstar's midnight snack run."
As the conversation continued, I couldn't help but feel my nerves rise with every tiny moment that passed. The way Billie's arm had brushed against mine-so brief, but it lingered in my mind. He hadn't noticed, but I had, and it made my heart beat a little faster. My fingers tingled with the memory, even though it was just a simple accident.
Billie, oblivious to the effect he had on me, leaned back in his seat with a relaxed sigh, stretching his legs as the bus rolled smoothly along the road. "Man, I love post-show meals. Feels like the calm after the storm."
Mike chuckled and glanced over at him, shaking his head. "You just love the beer that comes with it."
Billie shot him a grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "Can't lie."
Tré, who had been quiet for a while, caught my eye through the rear view mirror, his face lighting up with a playful grin. "You drink, kid?"
I smirked, trying to play it cool despite the butterflies in my stomach. "Guess we'll find out when we get to the bus."
You nodded shyly, a smile escaping your lips despite the nervous flutter in your chest. You'd always imagined moments like this with him in your wildest dreams, but now that it was actually happening, it felt like the world had slowed down just for the two of you.
Billie caught your eye once again, and this time, there was a warmth there, an understanding, as if he was quietly aware of the connection growing between you. He didn't say anything else, but the way he looked at you made it clear that you both felt it-the magnetic pull that was slowly drawing you closer.
As the bus parked, you followed the others inside, but you couldn't shake the feeling that, in this small moment, you and Billie were somehow on the same wavelength. It was only the beginning, but for once, you allowed yourself to believe in the possibility of something more.
As the car rolled smoothly toward the bus, I felt a little more at ease, knowing we didn't have to worry about parking or anyone recognizing us in this moment. I couldn't help but look out the window at the darkened streets, still a bit in awe of everything that had happened. The night felt surreal, especially now that I was in the car with them, surrounded by the people I had admired for so long.
Mike, glancing over at me, spoke up casually. "We actually have a guy who drives the car for us-to the next destination, I mean. He'll handle parking the car here. The bus is nearby, so we won't be walking far."
"Okay, phew," I sighed in relief, running a hand through my hair. "Because this car... this car is from the 'Holiday' music video if I'm not mistaken?"
Mike chuckled, clearly amused that I'd caught it. "Yup, you're right. Holiday music video-nice catch. You've got a good eye, dude."
I smiled a little sheepishly, proud of myself for noticing. "It's hard not to recognize it. I've seen that video... well, way too many times."
Billie, who had been quietly watching the exchange, gave a small laugh, his voice soft as he spoke up, "No kidding. We're all pretty familiar with that one, huh?"
Mike and Tré Cool Got out the Holiday Mobile. And at that moment I felt alone. In the Car. With the Front man.
Now my only attention shifted to Billie, who seemed to be messing with his hair, looking a little frustrated. The tousled, post-performance look suited him, but I couldn't help but notice the wild strands sticking out in all directions.
"You need help with that messy hair of yours, Billie?" I asked, half-joking but also wanting to be helpful.
As my fingers brushed through Billie's hair, I couldn't help but notice how soft it was despite the chaos of the post-show mess. He chuckled softly, catching me in the act.
"Yeah, that hair is always a mess," he said, his voice warm and teasing. "You sure you won't get lost in it trying to fix it girl?" While my fingers grazed through his hair, and suddenly, I get a jolt when my fingers met his. He glanced up at me then, his eyes meeting mine in the dark. The faint glow from the car's interior lights made his eyes shine, and for a moment, everything around us seemed to fade into the background. The air between us felt thick with something unspoken, like a spark waiting to ignite.
I laughed nervously, trying to play it off, but my heart was racing again. "I'm not worried about getting lost. It's just a little unruly... like the rest of you," I teased back, trying to hide how my pulse quickened at the closeness of the moment.
Billie's smile widened, and there was a softness to it, like he appreciated the teasing. He shifted a little, just enough that our hands brushed again, and I caught that same spark, that brief but undeniable connection. It wasn't a huge gesture, just small moments, but they felt heavy with something deeper.
"Guess I'll take that as a compliment," he said, his voice low, his gaze lingering a little longer than usual before he turned his attention back to the road. But it was like the space between us had changed, charged with something I couldn't quite name.
"I'm glad you're here, Nova. It's... been a while since I had someone in the car just, y'know, chillin' with me after a show."
He turned to me, his eyes soft yet piercing under the dim glow of the dashboard lights. A quiet chuckle left his lips, completely unaware of the way his presence sent my heart into overdrive.
"You good there, dude?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
I hesitated, my mind clouded with thoughts I wasn't sure I was ready to face. "...No," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. I feel very shy in his presence.
Billie raised a curious brow, but before he could ask, I forced a chuckle and shook my head and calm myself saying. "Let's just get out of the car before something happens."
A slow smirk crept onto his face, and I caught the flicker of mischief in his eyes before he leaned slightly closer. "Yeah, gotta be careful," he said, voice teasing, smooth. "Can't be having anything happen now, can we, babe?"
The word hit me like a bolt of electricity. Babe. My heart stumbled over itself, and I had to fight the urge to overanalyze it. It was probably nothing-Billie being Billie. And yet, my chest tightened, heat creeping up my neck.
I forced a laugh, trying to shake the feeling. "I hope Tré Cool has those shots ready. My anxiety needs to calm the fuck down."
Billie chuckled but then studied me more seriously, his gaze lingering. "You okay, dude? You seem a little... off."
Before I could answer, Tré Cool voice rang out from near the bus. "You two planning on sitting in there all night, or what?"
I took the opportunity to deflect, calling back, "Yes, I'm coming! Keep those shots chilled!"
With a sigh, I glanced down at my phone out of habit, only to see the screen dark. Dead battery. Of course. "Ah, shit. I need to charge my phone," I muttered. A small part of me felt a pang of hesitation-was I really that eager to reconnect with whatever waited on the other side of that screen? My family, the life I might not be welcome back to?
Billie stretched, his messy hair falling into his face as he shrugged. "There's gotta be a spare charger in the bus somewhere."
Mike chimed in from the doorway. "Yeah, we got you covered."
"Thank God," I sighed in relief.
With that, we climbed out of the car and into the bus. The second I stepped inside, the warmth of the space wrapped around me-lived-in, chaotic, but comfortable. I grabbed a shot from Tré Cool, downing it in one go. The burn was sharp, but I welcomed it.
"That hit the spot," I said with a grin.
Tré Cool tossed me a charger, and I plugged my phone in before finally sitting down with my food. I barely realized how starving I was until I took that first bite of chicken tenders.
Settling into the couch, I let my gaze wander around the bus, taking in every detail. It was surreal. I was here. With them. And for the first time in a long time... maybe I didn't feel so lost.
[okey, still early. I had to set the tone and mood somehow.]