"He's gonna kill you when he gets here- hurry up!" Esme ushed standing at the empty classroom door keeping an eye out down the corridors every few seconds for anyone coming our way.

"If!" I corrected shoving past the things in the desk draw." If he finds me-"

"-Just hurry up!"

"I'm trying! I cant find anything here though." I muttered confused sitting down in his desk chair continuing to look through the draw. God his chair is why more comfortable then the student chairs, lucky bastar-

-"What even are you looking for again?" Esme asked as I placed another empty coffee paper cup on his desk with the rest of the clutter.

"I've explained this Esme,"

"Just tell me again!"

"He use to be in this band, Green day, I'm trying to find something to do with it. He must have something in here to do with his band, he's a music teacher for fuck sake,"

"He's gonna literally murder you for this." She mumbled sticking her head back out the classroom doors to check no one was coming. "Coast still clear,"

I ignored her comment as I kept shoving past the obvious useless things that I wasn't looking for.

"Oooh, whats this," I asked myself out loud picking up a CD case. I looked closely at it, the front of it was a picture three men walking down a street in black and white. Two in leather and one in a cotton fabric jacket. On the back was a round abouts same photo, just another angel and closer. I knew straight away which one Billie was, I hated to admit it but god did he look-

-"He's coming!" Esme said quickly.

"Shit!" I cussed before shoving the CD under my chin and tilting my head down to keep it there. I shoved all the other junk back into his desk messily and slammed it shut as Esme ran over. I looked around the room and saw the door I attempted to run out once when Billie and I were fighting over the text book. "We need to go through here." I told Esme as I grabbed the CD with one hand and her arm with the other. Pulling her over to the door before pushing it open with my shoulder and putting the door handle down with my elbow. The door swung open as I almost tripped, luckily did not, and we ran through it leading into the parking lot as it shut.

I leaned against the wall taking a breath from the fear of nearly being caught as Esme looked carefully inside with her head peering over the building walls through the glass door.

"He's in, and oblivious," She told me looking back over at me.

"Thank god, now lets go climb that stupid wall and get back into the school premises,"

~

I looked closely and carefully at the CD I held with great caution in my hands. I hadn't even cracked open yet.

The album must've been called warning, my best guess since it said it on the cover in green front.

I had been excited all day to listen to this baby, from what I heard he was pretty darn good. And right now I was holding one of their official albums in my hand.

Looking back up at the black clock on my wall, I realised Billie would come here in twenty minutes for home tutoring sessions, or so he should. Hopefully I don't get stuck with Mr Callon again.

I carefully placed my fingers around the CD about to open it, what an idiot- who just leaves this in their draw for anyone to find out? It was obvious he didn't want people to know he was in a band because he got angry when I found out. So why would he just leave one of his albums on CD in a draw under all this clutter at his desk in his classroom? Big mistake Mr Armstrong. Big mistake.

So... looking at the scoreboards I would say that's... Armstrong three... Valentine... four? Yes Sir, I think it is.

I finally opened it with great gentleness scared to damage the CD or the case at all, once I opened it fully I noticed a slip of paper fall on to the floor. I placed the CD case back on my bed as I picked it up examining it.

On the note, in scribbly writing- all capitals- was written. 'SMART, BUT PREDICTABLE. ARMSTRONG- 4, VALENTINE - 3'

"What? I thought I was at..." I paused looking over at the open CD case to see... well, no CD. "Bastard!"

I grabbed my laptop and opened it up, searching in 'Green day Warning album,' But the results were few. They must've broken up after the album was released. There were few people who had the CD, must of only been a limited amount. I couldn't find anything else anywhere. All their music on other platforms sounded pretty old, bad camera quality and a young Billie Joe.

He really knew I was gonna go through his desk? He set that up? Am I that predictable? I guess he's smarter than I gave him credit for, and as for I? Apparently I was dumber than I thought I was. I already knew that, since already being held back in school twice and this year being my last chance to graduate- but predictable? Really?

~

"Can you play me something on it?" I asked Billie passing him back the guitar he just attempted to pass to me.

"Haven't I already done that?"

"Yes," I admitted. "But you're really good. Just let me hear, please?"

"Mallory I'm-"

"-Can you do... Well I don't know... maybe an original song?" I slowly asked him as I battered my eyelids.

He sighed putting the guitar down. "No,"

"Billie!" I began to whine. "Please!"

"I'm not playing anything else on the guitar, I'm here to teach you. You've got an important music test coming up next week and I'm-,"

"-Billie I've done so much work today. I leant half of the sheet I was suppose to memorise give me a break, I'm not asking much. Please?"

"Nope,"

"What about your band?"

"What about it?"

"Can we talk about it?"

"Are you aware we're on Armstrong four, Valentine three?"

I scowled at the reminder as he smirked before I nodded. "Yes. I am,"

"Good,"

"But please Billie. I wanna know about your band. You were so good, why did you stop? You could've gone so far and become a big star- I don't understand why you threw it all away for this lame job as a teacher?"

"I didn't throw it away," he repeated sitting down beside me on my bed. "I lost it,"

"How did you loose it?"

"Because we had a few issues down the line, so the band sorta... disappeared,"

"We?"

"Me, Mike and Tre,"

"Those were your band members... right?"

He nodded before looking over at me confused. "I don't even know why I'm telling you all this,"

"Because you trust me?"

Then cracked a smile. "I guess I do,"

"So carry on," I laughed nudging him with my shoulder to his shoulder as he let out a chuckle before he did in fact carry on.

"We made a few albums, we got far... I guess you could say? We played a lot of places and it seemed like it really could go somewhere. I was living my dream- y'know? I dedicated my whole life to music. Then some problems came up, the band 'split up' I guess, but I already dedicated so many years to music I wasn't gonna waste it. So I became a teacher,"

"That's why you randomly showed up and took replacement of my older music teacher?"

"Basically,"

"But- I don't get it. You were good, your whole band was amazing. You could've had a whole rock star life and now you're- well no offence- a teacher. Doesn't that depress you?"

He laughed slightly at my question. "Well, of course it does... but that's life... y'know?"

"Why won't you let me listen to your music? I've listened to all I can find,"

"You're not listening to it-"

"-Billie!"

"No!" He laughed as I got up offended.

"But I like your music! I think it's amazing and I want to listen to more than what I've heard! Like- like please! Give the dog a bone y'know!? Like just one CD album is all I'm asking for- what about the warning one I found? Can I listen to that?"

"Mallory, no. Will you please just focus on the work? You have your music test next week,"

I looked over at the work sheets on my desk. Then at the guitar and made a 'psst' sound wafting my hand carelessly. "Who cares,"

"Me? And you should too Mal,"

"I already know this stuff, I've been breaking my back taking in all this new work lately I'll be fine,"

"That's not assured though." He rolled his eyes standing up as he stood in front of me, I gave out a breathy laugh as he placed his hands on my waist and I put mine over his shoulders.

"You care about my music grade more than I do," I whispered.

"You care about my music more than I do,"

That's genius.

I opened my mouth slightly realising what he said and looked away.

That's fucking genius.

"What?" He asked me, slowly taking his hands off me as I walked away surprised.

"You're genius," I mumbled looking at the work on my desk.

"I am?"

My eyes flickered away from the sheets and at the empty CD I could just spot hidden under my bed. Not hidden very well since it was placed underneath. But being stood way I could spot it.

"What is it?" He repeated walking over to me and looking over at my bed trying to figure out what an Earth I was rambling on about.

I looked away from the CD and back up at him, his eyebrows and nosed scrunched up confused. "Billie?"

"Huh?"

"Can we make a deal?"

"A deal?"

"Yeah... a deal,"

"What kind of deal?"

"Well... if I get a good grade on this test. Can you give me an actual CD of the album?" I asked slowly.

His reply was fast as he denied my offer. "Nope,"

"Billie please!" I begged him quickly spinning to face him as I pulled on his shirt childishly. Before realising. "Sorry..." I slowly apologised letting go.

"It's fine," he laughed.

"Please Billie. I need a reason to try on this test,"

"Am I not a reason enough?"

"Of course you are, but you're not a reward,"

"Who said that?"

"Please Billie!"

"Fine!"

"Really!?" I was surprised he gave in. I never thought he was the type to give in, but I didn't even have to fight that hard for it.

"Yeah... but only if you get over ninety percent,"

"Are you kidding me!? Ninety!?" I looked over at him, but his expression was serious and still as I sighed. "Alright... deal,"