Nothing seemed to have changed since Billie has asked me to 'be his problem'. I felt the same, he still wasn't around much and with the extra weight of the finals coming up, nothing was really going great.

Granted, I hadn't seen Tyler in the cafe ever since. Managed to keep my job.

"What hall are you in?" Esme asked from beside me, as we stood in front of the large laminated piece of paper stuck on the wall.

"I can't find my name," I mumbled, looking for Valentine.

"You're there- are you blind?" She laughed, placing her finger under my name.

I rolled my eyes crossing my arms over my chest. "Clearly," I mumbled.

"You're not in any hall?"

"I'm not?" I asked, uncrossing my arms.

"It says you're in the TD?"

"Well, what the fuck does TD mean?"

She looked at me and shrugged.

~

"What an earth is TD!?"

"TD?" Mr Watson squinted, looking up at me from his desk.

"It says near my name- I'm doing my exam in TD- I mean- that's not even a hall!? What is that!?"

"TDs not a hall no. TD means you'll be doing your tests in the teacher's department-"

"-Teachers department!?"

"Well- last time you did a test you ended up with a grade that wasn't yours," he shrugged.

"That was because my test was swapped! How am I suppose to do my test in a teachers department? There are teachers. In there,"

"Well- of course, they won't be in there Mallory. It's just to ensure that we can all be confirmed your test is safe. It's not because of you,"

"So now because Tyler swapped my test I have to do my next tests in the teacher's lounge? Why can't we put him in there? It doesn't seem fair at all?"

"Mallory," he Warned. "It's already been decided. You'll be doing your work in the teacher's department. They'll be a teacher watching over you, and a timer. It's just like in any halls, just- not in one,"

"This can't even be allowed? I'm seriously supposed to do my finals in the teacher's department?"

He leaned back on his hair. "I'm afraid so,"

I bit my tongue looking over at him. He didn't care at all. No one did. They're only shoving me in that room so I can't accuse anything else of happening when they see my bad grades come back.

Well jokes on them, I know my grades won't be bad. Or- at least- not as bad.

"Fine." I mumbled. Before leaving his office.

After school had finished, I went to do my afternoon shift in the café. It was just a normal routine.

School. Work. Homework. Sleep.

How boring is that?

~

"I'm supposed to do them in the teacher's department," I sighed washing the counter with the cloth.

He looked up at me from eating his muffin. "Hmm?"

"I know,"

Billie chewed a little faster, before swallowing. "Why would they make you do your tests in there?"

"So it makes sure nothing happens apparently," I shrugged.

He gave me a quick sympathetic look.

There were few times where I enjoyed being looked at sympathetically. Mostly times where I was feeling beaten down or fed up. It was one of the looks I could hardly bear.

"I don't care," I told him, trying to change the look.

"You seem like you do," he shrugged, picking up his coffee cup.

"Well, I don't,"

"It's not a bad thing if you do Mal-"

"-I know that. I don't care. I just think it's stupid. Treating me like I'm an odd student. It's just unnecessary and a waste of mine and their time,"

"Stop stressing,"

"How can I?" I asked him, as I watched an elderly couple from around one of the back of the tables make their way out. "I've got these huge tests coming up for harder things than music," I continued, making my way over to that table with the cloth. "I mean. English? Maths? Science? History? I'm gonna fail school again,"

"You're not going to fail again. You've actually done the work for it this year. You've gotta have belief in yourself y'know,"

I wiped the coffee cup stain from the table rolling my eyes as I spoke to him throughout the café. Since his stool was in front of the actual counter where I let him perch. "What's belief gonna do? I'm just- I'm tired and I'm all worn out." I breathed, standing up straight as I looked over at him. The wet cloth in my hand. "Sorry I'm snapping at you Billie,"

"Don't be sorry," He chuckled. "It's not like I don't understand- I do,"

"All we ever talk about recently is my school work and Tyler and tests and all that junk," I mumbled walking back over to him, leaving the cloth on the table. "I hardly get to see you a lot and yet I use all your time to rant about useless garbage,"

"I don't mind,"

"You must get sick of hearing the same old things again, surely,"

He thought about it for a second. Before shaking his head again. "Nope,"

"Well- let's talk about you instead. How's your album going?"

He shrugged as I walked closer over to him. "It's going smoothly I guess,"

"Just smoothly?"

Billie played with the tied bow on my cafe apron, since the bows were 'suppose to' look more 'nice' in the front. Meaning it was an absolute pain to put on. "Well, it's going really good. Y'know? Smoothly? We've got songs planned. I've got a lot of ideas bouncing around my head. It's all buzzing, y'know?"

I smiled. "I know,"

Billies eyes grinned along with his lips, before I realised they drifted off me and to somewhere else. I looked over my shoulder confused, seeing the clock on the wall.

"Is your break over?" I asked slightly nervous.

"Just nearly. I should probably get going in a second,"

"But you only got here not long ago?" I pouted stepping back, his hands slipped from the tied bow. "You haven't even finished your coffee or the muffin,"

"I'll have to take them with me," he shrugged standing up.

"Billie-"

"-I have to go- y'know I don't have much choice. This is my job,"

I looked away as the doorbell over the door ringed. Seeing an elderly women wobble in. "And this is really mine,"

"You'll find a better job- it's only temporary,"

"Everything's only temporary," I mumbled, watching him pick up his paper coffee cup and the half eaten muffin.

He sighed, pouting at me for a second. "I'm sorry Mallory,"

I breathed out through my nose. "Don't be,"

"I'll see you tomorrow hopefully," He said, quickly kissing my forehead. "I love you,"

"I love you too," I mumbled.

He gave me another guilty smile, before leaving the cafe. Of course, waving like he always did.

I watched him get in his black car that was parked outside. He gave me another wave, before it started and he drove back to his work.

"Erm- excuse me dear?"

I looked away from the window, the elderly women beside me.

"Do you happen to have a bathroom in this cafe?"

~

My tests were spaced out with in the next week, I had a second music test coming up along with the rest of my chosen subjects. And if it wasn't obvious enough, I didn't have hope.

My space time was taken up by work and revising. Ever since the whole Teacher scenario ever happened I didn't speak much to Esme as much as I maybe use to.

Billie was still often at the studio, his breaks became more thin and short as his album began to require more and more of his time. Sucking it all up meaning, I didn't see or speak to him much anymore. Apart from the few phone calls.

"Phone please Mallory," My original music teacher sighed, her face looking deflated and terrifying as she stared at me with her hand out.

"Yeah- yeah, one second," I mumbled turning it on. Realising I had a text.

Billie Joe:
Good luck on your second music test today, I'll try and ring you later

I smiled to myself, forgetting she was there. It was nice Billie remembered.

"Ehem!"

I swiped away the notification quick before turning my phone off. "Okay! Jeez, I was just clearing it!" I rolled my eyes, giving her the phone.

She only grunted before I was able to walk into the teacher's lounge, my test paper was already sat on one of the tables.

Like I'd said before, this school ran on a short budget. All classrooms were reused for other lessons, no space for anything here. But if it didn't tell you enough how shitty the teachers here were, their teacher's lounges were almost like their very own living rooms.

So on the plus side, I'd get to sit in a comfy seat.

"How long do I have on this test?" I asked the teacher, whose name I still didn't recall yet, as she followed me into the classroom with my phone clutched into her hand.

She was simply here to occupy me. To make sure I wasn't doing anything I shouldn't of course. "An hour and fifteen minutes,"

I threw myself back into one of the blue cushioned chairs, in front of my named test paper. "When can I start?"

She sat down on a different table looking at me, almost scowling. "Not yet,"

"Are you gonna tell me when?"

"Yes, Mallory- be quiet,"

I mumbled the words okay under my breath looking around the staff room.

There were draws at the back, stacks of student books that were either new or still owned by a student. There were folders, other equipment, coffee machines in the back which were really no surprise considering how many teachers ran on coffee.

"Has everyone else started their test yet?" I asked bored, pulling my pen out of my pocket.

"Mallory Valentine just because you're not in the hall does not mean you get to talk,"

"Can I start my test yet?"

"Not yet!"

"Okay okay! Sorry for asking Jeez,"

I clicked my pen looking up at the clock. There were maybe three minutes that passed off me clicking my pen repeatedly until Mr Watson stopped by to let me know my time had started.

The test unnecessary wasn't as hard as the first. Since it was the second part, I didn't find it that bad. Or maybe I think I got things right and I messed up anyway.

When the hour and fifteen minutes had finished, although I didn't need the full time at all and by the end of finishing my test I resulted to doodling on the desk, the bell rang and I was able to retrieve my phone back and leave.

I quickly pulled Billie's message back up, being careful to not have the phone taken off me again.

Me:
just finished it,

~

"It was easier than the last one," I shrugged holding the phone between my shoulder and ear as I wiped down the plate in the sink.

"So you've most likely passed?"

"I don't know that yet,"

"You got the highest score on the first one Mal," Billie reminded.

I placed the plate on the drying board before picking up another coffee cup. "I wouldn't jinx it for myself, but maybe,"

"I told you not to worry about it,"

"Well, how's the album going anyway?"

"Smooth sailing. We've got a lot of songs ready to be recorded. How's work going?"

"Stuck washing the dishes,"

"I get a few days off soon, I'll be able to see you soon y'know?"

I paused rinsing the cup. "You do?"

"Uhuh, I-"

"-About time!"

"I know I know- but I'll come see you, sound good?"

"Sounds more than good," I smiled.

"Alright. Awesome," He replied back. By the tone of his voice, I could hear I wasn't the only one smiling.

The phone call went silent for a second, right before I was able to ask him another question I could hear someone on his end of the call shout his name.

"What!?" I heard Billie shout. Making me flinch slightly as I picked up another plate.

Then there was more mumbling of another person on his call, before Billie.

"Alright- Mallory, I'm gonna need to go. Tre wants to record his part of the drums again. Apparently, he messed it up,"

"Oh, well- have fun with that I guess," I laughed slightly.

"Yeah, definitely will," he sarcastically chuckled. "Try not to break any pots while you're washing them eh?"

I rolled my eyes playfully, though he couldn't see it. "Yeah yeah- I won't don't you worry,"

"That a girl,"

I laughed again.

"I'll speak to you soon, okay?"

"Okay Billie Joe," I whispered slightly. Slowly placing the plate back down in the sink.

It was so frequent recently saying goodbye to him, it sucked. I wouldn't admit it, because I knew it wasn't his fault. And maybe he could tell anyway. But I always felt a little upset when he'd randomly have to leave.

Getting caught in my thoughts, I realised the phone went silent. I kept it balanced between my shoulder grabbed a towel to dry my hand before I checked the call.

It hadn't ended, he was still on the line. "Hello?" I asked confused.

"Billie Joe?" He questioned.

"Huh?"

"You never call me Billie Joe,"

"I just-"

"-Are you- Yes Tre I'm on the phone give me a second!- sorry, are you okay?"

"Me? Pha- what! I'm fine, yeah me? I'm great," I played off walking away from the still full sink as I took the phone in my hand instead of giving my shoulder a break.

"You're still as transparent even when I can't see you,"

"That doesn't even make sense,"

"You're a bad liar Mal,"

You'd think with the number of lies I'd told in my lifetime I'd be a master at it. Apparently some things really don't just get past Mr Armstrong as he told me they wouldn't.

"Meh, just weird without you. Y'know? That's all- no biggie,"

"No biggie?"

"Alright, big biggie,"

He chuckled again. "I'll see you soon Mal, don't worry,"

"What-? I'm not worrying I-"

"-mmmmkay,"

I giggled. "Shut up!"

He laughed for a long second. Before again. "I really gotta go now Mal, before Tre loses his head,"

"Okay Billie. Talk to me soon,"

"I will. Stay out of trouble,"

"Will do," I sighed with a smile. "I love you,"

"I love you more. See ya Mal,"

"Bye Billie,"