This is a huge time skip. Years and years and years later. Where Billies famous and shit.

"What about this one? This ones nice!" Willow smiled, holding a dress she fished out of my closet.

I looked at her, laying on my bed, and pulled a cringe face. "That dress makes me look-"

"-Bullshit,"

"But...? I didn't even finish-?"

she sighed turning back around and going back into the closet. "There has to be something in here you can wear,"

"Face it, I'm not going to the concert,"

"But I have two tickets!"

"Take your boyfriend,"

"He doesn't like my sort of music," she pouted turning back around to me sadly.

"Neither do I,"

"Fine! You don't have to get all dressed up! You can wear comfy clothes!" She looked back in the closet, pushing through the items on clothing hangers. "What about this hoodie?"

I looked at it as she held it on a clothing hanger. "That's too thin, material wise,"

"Okay..." she trailed off. On the search again. "Ooh! What about this sweater!"

She turned around, a navy blue sweater held in her hands.

Or more specifically Billies navy blue sweater.

I jumped up before snatching it off her. "I don't wear that!" I quickly said in a panic.

She pulled an odd face at me. One of confusion and surprise. "Why?"

"It's Billies, I don't wear it,"

"But-"

"-It's not mine,"

"He gave it you,"

"I know- but I don't wear it. You wouldn't understand- just- I'm not coming,"

She gave me a huff. "Fine." Before walking out of my room un impressed.

I let out a breath, walking over to the open closet and putting the sweater back on a hanger.

I had seen Billie since I left him. But not the way I liked.

I saw him on posters now, on big Bill boards, on the tv, I heard him on the radio, on the music channels, it was weird.

Looking back on his and my past, it feels like a lie to think that I really did know that guy.

He really did get somewhere with his band like I had hoped. But maybe he out grew me. He's this punk singer- a very famous one. I always though he was, but now I knew he was too good for me.

Had I tried reaching out? Absolutely not.

He might not of wanted to hear from me. He's probably moved on. He's got so many girls after him- it would be too egotistical to think he would still want me.

And it's not like whatever I did to try and reach out to him would be heard or noticed.

When I left. My main worry was the state I left him in. He was pale, he was frail, he had bags under his eyes so bad that they began to bruise, he had this messy hair all the time which he use to always keep styled, his waist had shrunk, his clothes became baggier on him, he always looked somewhat scared of something. With these eyes always looking dull. The shade in them was always dull from a point onwards.

Willow popped her head around the corner of the door way in my room. "And your sure you're not-"

"-No!"

"Okay! Okay!"

When you watch someone loose them selves. It's scary. But when you watch someone loose to themselves. It's scarier.

The only way I could describe what it was like to watch Billie suddenly become such a delicate and quiet person, was that he had lost to himself.

The main worry of a situation like that is, you don't know if they're gonna be able to regain their morals. I had no clue, cause I had to leave. But from the way he was now, I think it was safe to say he had found more than just himself.

But had I found myself again?

Willow walked in again, leaning on the doorway.

"What- no- Willow I said I'm not-"

"-No, it's not that,"

"What then?"

"He's on the TV again," she rolled her eyes. The remote in her hand. "Want me to turn it off?"

I shook my head, walking over to her and taking the remote. "No, that's alright."

I followed her down the stairs and into the living room, there was an interview on the music Chanel we always played.

Billie, Mike and Tre sat in chairs, their own microphones. I had picked up on, the fact that Billies accent had changed strongly from what I last remembered.

That could've been the fuzziness of my memories playing with me, or maybe he had really just picked up on a new accent. I couldn't tell, and a part of me was still trying to convince the other half I didn't even care either way.

"It's actually based off of all of the politics going on right now," Billie spoke casually to the interviewers. "That's why it's called American idiot,"

"And can you just refresh our viewers on when the album was released?"

Mike took the question, leaning forward as he brought his mic back to his mouth. "Yesterday afternoon!" He hollered proudly.

"I can't believe you use to date that guy," Willow spoke over the televisions audio. Obviously referring to Billie Joe.

I cancelled out the interview in the back of my mind focusing on Willow. "What d'you mean?"

"Isn't it weird you dated a famous person- before they were famous? I mean- you knew everything about him,"

"Guess it's a little odd," Yes. It's very fucking weird Willow I know.

We looked back at the TV.

"Is there any songs on the album that have any important meaning hidden behind, putting the politics aside?" He directed his question to Billie, who put on his thinking face for a second.

"Uh..." he looked down at the floor thinking. "A lot of the songs have their own separate meaning- y'know? Like, there's some songs on there I think can be aimed and related to a lot of people. But there's a few personal ones on there, y'know- so yeah. Theres quite few,"

"Personal to you?"

He nodded, clicking the tongue to the roof of his mouth. "Yeah, personal to me. Well- I mean- not just me. I think we all relate to a few lines in a few songs and even some songs,"

"He sure does ramble a lot," Willow laughed to herself, before making her way out the room.

I nodded, still listening to the tv. "Can you give us a song on the track you all relate to?"

Mike, Billie and Tre shared a look. Mumbled some words to each other before Tre spoke up. "One,"

"I think the one that could easily be labelled as personal to all of us would be whatsername. But there's also a song on there called when September ends which is just Billies... personal song and for- well I guess other people who feel the same way,"

"I feel like-" Tre quickly added before anyone else could get a word in after Mike ended his sentence. "-there's a lot of lyrics too that all relate to the same thing,"

Billie nodded agreeing, the microphone in his hand. "Yeah, all scattered out into different songs,"

The interviewer edged on. "Could you give us a few songs?"

Billie tapped his lips with his finger before talking. "There's quite a few in homecoming, I think there's a fair few in... extra-"

"-There's some in them all really," Tre completely cutting Tre off. Before Billie looked at him and Mike and Tre had bursted out laughing whilst Billie did that thing he always did when he was secretly angry.

Which was slump back into his chair, and never realise but, just ever so slightly push out his bottom lip like a child.

The interviewer let out a chuckle, before turning to the camera. "Alright folks and that was green day talking about their new album American idiot that was released just yesterday! If you haven't already go check it out-"

"-You should definitely check it out!" Tre interrupted again.

"-For more information about green day and their new album, make sure to visit our website at-"

"-Shut up," I mumbled, picking the remote up and switching channels.

What was that song they said that they all related to again? The one which Mike said... he had slightly mumbled it. It left my head the moment he said it.

Wonder what it's about.

I walked back up the stairs passing Willows room.

Willow and I had moved since the start of us living together, along way from where we started. We was at first, sharing her mini house. But we had moved to a whole other state to a small city located in the heart of the New Jersey. I'm not sure if we planned on staying here or not, but I liked it here.

We shared a family house. With a spare room. But when I was actually able to find the person, I had plans of living my own life. I'm sure Willow had hers with her boyfriend.

I laid back on my bed. Staring up at the white painted ceiling.

What else was new?

I guess you could say I made my dream of becoming a tattooist. I had my own little shop comfortably located in the main town around here. It wasn't big or well known. But I had faithful customers, good ratings and great employees. Since, it was actually my shop.

And yes, I did still have a mini little fantasy and a shred of hope that one day the bell above the door will ring and Billie will have walked in and asked for some sort of design. But along the way of life, I realised that wasn't going to happen.

Things could've been different, but that doesn't always mean better.

Like I had agreed to Billie. If we was really meant to be, fate (or whatever) would bring us back together. If it doesn't, it obviously wasn't going to work somewhere down the line.

"I can't believe you're making me go to a concert on my own. Do you even understand how high the risk is of me getting killed?" Willow asked, walking straight into the room as I pulled my head back up and gave her an exhausted look.

"Then take Austin,"

"He doesn't like the band!"

"Force him! Give him this guilt trip shit,"

"Fine. Echo, listen to me." She said sternly, sinking into the mattress as she sat beside me.

"Okay?"

"I didn't... ask Austin-"

"-What? Why? So- why are you asking me? Go ask him it's-"

"-No. Echo, listen to me,"

"O....Kay?"

"I wanted to take you out with me tonight. You never come out the house apart from when you're working. I don't remember the last time me and you did anything fun. How are you suppose to find yourself someone when all you do is give tattoos and lay around in the house?"

I blinked quietly. Processing the fact she had basically just told me she was worried because of my lack of social life. "And that's why you're trying to take me to a shitty band?"

"They're not shitty! Echo! I'm just worried, that's all. When was the last time you actually went out and did something fun?"

"I'll have you know I went to the venue-"

"-When?"

I ran my mind over previous events. Maybe it was two weeks ago? Or maybe it was a month ago? My mind didn't remember too much from a lot of things. "Maybe a month ago?" I guess, sounding confused and unsure myself.

She just gave me that 'exactly my point' look.

I took great offence to it. I got up off the bed and walked over to the closet pulling out my coat, shoving my arms through angrily.

"What- where are you going?"

"To the tattoo shop-"

"-but you're off today?"

"It's my shop- who cares?"

"You can't just spend all your time at work- that's not socialising Echo that's avoiding-"

"-Lalala! I can't hear you! I'm leaving!" I shouted, walking out of the room.

I heard her foot steps follow me down stairs, as she kept repeating my name. I rushed to the door, pulling the keys out before walking through it into the night leaving.

The door opened as I heard Willow shout in an exhausted tone. "Echo!"

But I carried on walking.

I don't exactly remember who I put on working today, but either way I'm sure there's paper work I need doing. Or some extra little doodles I can sit and do. At the end of the day it's my shop, who cares?

Walking to the main town around my area took a while, I'd say maybe thirty minutes. But once I reached it, the night became more light from all of the lights and the music.

It was like a night town, with all the bars around this place, the family owned restaurants, other local businesses. I could hear music faintly playing in the air which I had no doubt was from Lennies bar across the road.

As I continued to walk I reached the shop where the lights were on. Walking in the bell grabbed the attention of Georgia who was at front desk.

"Hello there?" she greeted, slightly confused.

"Just here to get some paper work out the way, don't worry," I laughed slightly, walking past the desk and going straight into the second back room.

This was like my mini working space. Sometimes I sketched here, sometimes I did all the paper work and other boring things here, sometimes I just slaked off here, sometimes I would just sit in here.

My desk was pretty messy, there was a trash can in the corner of the room over flowing with scrunched up pieces of paper. There were a few sheets of paper scattered around the desk. Some framed photos of drawings in the back. I tried to customise it but I gave up years ago. So the rest of the walls were just plain white and empty.

I think maybe Willow was right. She only cared- and I couldn't remember the last time I took a few hours to myself and went out.

I've never really been the type of person who enjoys going out all the time. I value my time to myself. I value alone time as much as anyone does. But sometimes it gets pretty boring. I'll be the first to admit.

So maybe I owe it to myself to go out somewhere sooner or later. Even if it's just to a small little bar.

Great, now my own loneliness has drove me to agree with Willow.

I sighed, pulling out the draw from the desk and taking out the radio. I pulled it's antenna out leaving it up high and turned the switches around.

It made a lot of static noise before connecting to a near by radio station and a song played. But ended just as fast as it started.

I picked up a piece of paper. "Im not doing that paper work even if it drives me into the ground," I mumbled to myself, starting up a new sketch as the man on the radio began to talk.

"Next we have a new one, a song released just yesterday featured in popular punk bands new album American idiot. This ones whatsername,"

"That was it," I paused dropping the pencil. As I straighten up in my chair.

The music started playing, I was torn between changing the stations or listening. They said this song was personal, and with a name like that I couldn't help but wonder why.

A huge part of me wanted to listen. And I think I knew I didn't have it in me to turn it off. Because although Billies singing made me a little sad it was nostalgic in a way too. In a way I can't exactly use my words to describe.

Before I even knew it, the song started.

"Thought I ran into you down on the street
Then it turned out to only be a dream
I made a point to burn all of the photographs
She went away, and then I took a different path

I remember the face, but I can't recall the name
Now I wonder how what's her name has been

Seems that she disappeared without a trace
Did she ever marry old what's his face?
I made a point to burn all of the photographs
She went away, and then I took a different path

I remember the face, but I can't recall the name
Now I wonder how what's her name has been

Remember
Whatever
It seems like forever ago

Remember
Whatever
It seems like forever ago

The regrets
Are useless in my mind
She's in my head
I must confess

The regrets
Are useless in my mind
She's in my head
From so long ago
Go, go, go, go
Go, go, go, go, go

And in the darkest night
If my memory serves me right
I'll never turn back time
Forgetting you but not the time,"

The music faded out. At some point I had completely stopped with my drawing and had paid the song my full interest.

I had questions circling in my head I knew I wouldn't get the answers to.

How do you forget someone's name? Was their name really that out of the ordinary? Sounded like the song was personal, so how could all three of them forget a name?

I knew Billie would've moved on. There's some other girl playing in his head he can't think about. And I wasn't mad. I couldn't blame him. Life goes on, I guess you take it as it comes.

But there was that little selfish sliver of me that was secretly and internally jealous of this girl who got her own song. All because Billie Joe couldn't stop thinking about 'the time.'

Pretending not to care, I shrugged, going back to my drawing mumbling. "Huh, wonder who she is,"