"Billie I'm trying to do this," I sighed to him turning back around in my chair.

"You're boring," He sighed.

School was back, but drawing to an end. I don't know why I even try with the work they put in front of me anymore, I only fail.

I concentrated on the question in front of me, slightly sticking out my tongue. Before I felt something flick at the back at my head.

I dropped my pen and turned back around. "Billie joe," I sighed.

"Yes," He grinned back with his teeth, acting innocent.

"Did you just flick something at me?"

"Maybe..."

"What an earth did you-"

"-A rubber band,"

I paused trying not to laugh. "Why do you enjoy pissing me off so much?"

"I'm just having fun, c'mon don't be a baby,"

I sighed again turning back around once more to the paper. I tried so hard to do the stupid maths questions but no matter how hard I tried to figure it out it just wasn't coming to me. I didn't understand what I was doing but I was acting like I did.

I breathed out turning around to Billie, he was now actually doing his work.

"Can I stay with you guys today?" I asked him.

He looked up from his work and slightly laughed. "You haven't gotta ask me if you can stay with us y'know, I'm your boyfriend?"

"I know I just- I'm still so angry at Layla. Y'know once you left my mom was back at it again banging on my door?"

"Really?"

"Uhuh, my dad even joined her,"

"What did you do?"

"Ignore it, I left for school this morning having to open it though. They were both screaming at me,"

"And you ignored them?"

"Tried anyway. My mom grabbed me at one point and-"

He cut me off with wide eyes. "-She grabbed you?"

"Yeah, nothing serious though it was only just my arm,"

"Well yeah but-"

"-Off topic. So I'm staying with you guys, if the girls ask why I'm not sitting with them I'll just scream,"

"You'll just scream?"

"Yeah, my only option,"

~

"And you guys just do this every lunch time?" I asked confused as Billie gave me a leg up to the roof.

"Beats sitting in the school hall." Tre shrugged as he held his hand out for me to grab.

I took Tres hand as he pulled me up, Billie boosting me up as well before making it on to the school roof. I let go off Tres hand and brushed myself off as Billie climbed up.

"This just seems a bit..." I trailed off looking around the roof of the school.

"Dangerous?" Mike suggested.

"No... no that's not the word,"

Billie walked over and stood beside me as I looked over the edge of the school, it wasn't high... but if you fell it wouldn't just be a bruise you'd be getting that's for sure.

He grabbed me pretending to shove me off by pushing me forward before pulling me back as I squealed.

"Stupid?" Mike asked, trying to finish my sentence off as I smacked Billie on his arm.

"No, not that word either,"

"Cool...?" Billie raised an eyebrow.

"No Billie, not cool,"

"Then what?"

"It just... it seems a bit weird up here." I sighed turning around to look at Mike and Tre. "Why does it seem so sketchy up here?"

"Because school doesn't want anyone up here," Tre answered.

"Why?"

"We don't know,"

"Maybe because it's the roof and not the school?" Mike asked laughing slightly. I sighed walking past him, bumping shoulders with him slightly.

I walked to the end of the roof as I sat down, my legs hanging off the edge. Tre joined me on one side as Billie did the other, Mike sitting on the other side of Tre.

Billie pulled out a packet off cigarettes, taking one out as he passed me the pack. I took one out passing it to Tre as he did the same. Leaving Mike with the pack as he shoved it in his pocket.

"Who has a light?" I asked, the unlit cigarette hanging from my lips.

"I do!" Tre shouted excitedly pulling out a lighter. He lit his, then lit Mike's for him before passing it me over. I lit my own and lit Billies before passing it back to Tre.

"How's things with your mom?" Billie asked me after taking a drag.

Tre laughed. "Oh yeah! Your mom hates you," 

"Yeah, I mean... they're the same. But it's all good,"

Mike looked at me oddly. "Why don't you just move?" 

"And where would I go?"

"Don't you have a friend you could move in with?"

"Well I do, but she lives hours away,"

"Then move with her," Mike shrugged, like it was an obvious choice to make.

"Mike!" Billie scolded quickly.

"How far away?" Tre asked slowly.

"Like... if I wanted to go to hers I would have to take at least two three coaches or something,"

"Who is it?"

"Shes an old friend... her names Willow,"

"Never heard of her," Tre shrugged.

"Of course you wouldn't of you idiot she doesn't live around here," Billie laughed.

"I don't really talk to her anymore. But she's always told me I'm welcome to come live with her... she knows the situation with my parents since she use to live around here but... I mean... I haven't spoken to her in a while,"

"Give her a ring," Mike shrugged.

"Dude shut up," Billie sighed stumping his cigarette out.

"Y'know what, I might..."

I heard Billie sigh heavily beside me. I flicked the cigarette down onto the ground below.

I probably should ring her, see if the offers still there. Cause I need it.

Someone's phone began to go off as we all looked at each other trying to figure out whose it was. I pulled mine out as everyone else did the same.

"Not mine," I muttered.

Billie shoved his back into his pocket. "Mine either,"

"No-"

"-It's mine," Mike breathed out cutting Tre off as he showed us all the phone.

It was Mae calling him.

"What does she want?" Tre asked.

"I don't fucking know I've not answered it have I," Mike told him before actually answering the call. "Yellow?"

"Dude put it on speaker," I whispered to him.

Mike pulled the phone away before pressing a button, and Mae began speaking.

"-Because we don't know where she is,"

"What?" I whispered.

"I think she's on about you," Billie answered.

"Yeah... she's with us." Mike replied to her putting the cig out on the concrete beside him and flicking it behind us.

"Can you ask her why she's not with us?" I heard Kennedy ask in the background.

"Put her on," Mae ordered.

Mike passed the phone to Tre who passed it over to me.

"What?"

"Why aren't you with us?" Layla asked.

"Where even are you? You're not suppose to have your phones in the hall,"

"We aren't in the hall we're on the school field,"

"Tell her to stop dodging the question," Layla mumbled in the background.

"I'm not dodging the question, I was just asking." I sighed. "I can hear you,"

"Good. Why the hell are you not with us?" Layla asked, her voice getting louder. I can only guess she took the phone off of who ever originally had it.

"Layla don't be rude," Kennedy told her.

"Because I'm angry at you guys,"

"What why? Is it really because I said about Billie in front of your mom? That was an accident,"

"Then apologise,"

"What?"

"Apologise Layla,"

"No, why would I do that? I didn't mean to,"

"Layla just say sorry to her," Mae whispered.

"No I'm not saying sorry,"

"You had no right in doing that, do y'know how much my mom hates me more now?"

"Echo your mom never hated you anyway," Kennedy breathed out, in sort of a calm tone. Different to Layla's.

"Right okay, whatever. I'm going,"

"Echo I'm not done talking to you!" Layla scoffed down the phone.

"Yes you are,"

"No I'm n-"

I cut her off by pressing end on the call. Silently passing the phone back over to Tre, who passed it back to Mike.

We sat in silence for a moment before one of us decided to speak up.

"Are you alright?" Tre asked me.

"I mean... I'm not not okay,"

They weren't bad friends. I'll never say they were. Not even Layla. Because at the start of all this they were there for me.

But ever since that situation with Layla... I can't understand what it was I did.

Was I really spending too much time with Billie? Did they miss me? Or was it just out of spite?

Kennedy was and always had been the most supportive, she was the only one that rang me up after the situation.

Mae tried to never get involved, but I guess it's kinda hard now.

"I mean... at least Kennedy and Mae aren't being like Layla is," I added on, looking down at the floor down below.

We was sat facing behind school. So I'm pretty sure no one could see us up here, down below were the school bins and a bit further up was the parking lot.

"Kennedy did say you spend too much time with me though," Billie reminded me.

"She did?" Mike and Tre asked surprised.

"Yeah... I mean it's whatever though. They're so used to me being with them all the time and now cause I'm with Billie Joe and you guys they aren't use to being just a trio now,"

~

"Everything happens for a reason,"

"Then why has this happened to me?"

"I don't know Echo," Willow sighed down the line. "Maybe it's teaching you something,"

"Teaching me what?"

"I don't know... maybe it's a build of your character,"

"Character? This isn't a story,"

"Well no of course not, but y'know what I mean. Like building your personality. Giving you a past, that stuff,"

"You should see her now. She's way worse than she use to be,"

"No thanks, she use to scare me anyway,"

I laughed slightly sitting back up on my bed. "She scares me too don't worry,"

"Then leave,"

"It's not that simple,"

"How many times? I've told you come live with me. It'll be a blast, we can play music all night, talk about boys, stay up all nights and-"

"-Your neighbours would hate us," I giggled cutting her off.

"They hate me anyway,"

"But... I haven't spoken to you in ages,"

"And? It doesn't matter how long we go unspoken for that doesn't mean that I'm not here for you when you need somebody,"

I breathed in, smiling slightly. "You're right... it doesn't,"

"So what do you say? I'll pay and book the tickets, mail them to you. You can catch the coaches. I'll meet you at the station,"

"Are you sure...?"

"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't sure,"

"I don't know Willow... it's a super big step to take just moving away from everything. Like the girls and-"

"-You know I never liked those guys,"

"I know that. But I do, they're my best friends. And there's other people too,"

"Like?"

Like Billie. I don't think I could ever leave Billie behind. But what if it was best? Everything happens for a reason... like she said.

"Just people I guess," I lied.

"Look, you don't have to give me an answer now. You don't have to leave at all. I just want you to know if there's ever anything that pushes you... ring me up and tell me your on the coach. Bring your bags and move in,"

"I love you willow,"

"I love you too, it was nice to speak to you again. Don't ever go that long with out ringing me again,"

I laughed slightly laying back down on my bed. Smiling a little as I breathed in through my nose. Staring up at the ceiling. "I won't,"