"Hey, Billy." My voice always felt so empty when I was leaving a voicemail. "Give me a call when you can. I have an update on graduation."

It felt like Billy had been looking forward to my graduation since we met, and now I had to tell him I couldn't get him a ticket. Even with moving the graduation to the Civic Center, each graduate only got two tickets. I had to get one for Sam from a girl in my Russian Lit class that was skipping graduation to go to Cabo. I envied her. I'd rather be in Cabo than tell Billy he couldn't come to my graduation. The idea of telling him via text or voicemail was tempting, but I knew it was wrong. Still, we had been playing phone tag for three days, so soon that might be my only option. As I fantasized about the out, my phone rang with Billy's familiar ringtone.

"Hey," I answered on the second ring.

"Hey there, hotshot. I was beginning to think we'd never catch each other," Billy teased.

"I know, me too." My tone revealed the news I had to share.

"Okay, spill it. What's wrong?" Billy prodded.

"I can't get you a ticket to graduation," I poured. "They moved it to the Civic Center, but they still only allow graduates two tickets each. I had to beg one from a girl in my Russian Lit class so that Sam could come."

"Woah, woah, woah. Easy there. Okay, this isn't a big deal. It's at the Civic Center. I can have my tour manager give the venue a call."

"No, you absolutely cannot do that!" I angrily cut him off.

"Lil, it's no big deal," Billy absently spoke.

"It is a huge deal. You can't do that. If you do that, then the ticket will come from somewhere. It's a fire code thing. You can't steal a seat from someone else."

"So, you don't want me to come? After all the conversations and pep talks, you don't want me to come to your graduation, but you'll nab a ticket for Sam?"

"Seriously. You know Sam has to come. He's my boyfriend," I whined.

"Right, and I'm just your best friend. The one that has talked you through the past two and a half years of your education, but sure make room for the boyfriend," Billy growled.

"Are you seriously mad at me about this?" Shock and anger rolled through me.

"Yes, of course I am. How many nights did I talk you through things? How many times did I tell you that you'd nail the test or crush the paper?"

"How often did I run off across the country at the expense of my focus on school to see you?" I argued back.

"Really? You're bringing that up again? I'm sorry I wanted to see you. I'm sorry I wanted to watch you graduate. I'm such a fucking dick for wanting to support you."

"Whatever, Billy. It's my graduation. Did you ever think that I wanted to keep the day about me and not have a rock star in the audience?"

"Oh fuck you, Lil. You know I wouldn't steal anything away from you. I just wanted to be there for you, but clearly that's not what you want."

"I tried to get you a ticket. I don't have any other options, and no, I don't want you to pull strings. It's just not cool. I don't want to you who you are to any advantage."

"You say that like I'm a fucking monster, Lil. I'm your friend. What the fuck do you mean 'use who I am to your advantage'?" Rage filled Billy's words.

"You know what I mean," I barked.

"You will never get over my choices. No matter what I do, what our relationship is, how low key I try to be, you'll always be pissed that I chose music over you."

"Well, at least you finally admit it." I didn't even mean it. I had never felt like Billy had chosen music over me, but I wanted to hurt him at that moment.

"Fuck you, Lil. Happy graduation. I wish I could say I was fucking proud of you, but I don't even know who the fuck you are anymore." And with that, the line went dead.

I sat on the end of my bed in shock as my mind went blank, unable to process what had just happened.

"Babe," Sam tentatively said from the doorway, but the words didn't register. "Babe," he called again as he sat down beside me. "I heard yelling. Are you okay?"

"No," I vacantly said.

"What can I do?" Sam offered as he ran a hand up and down my back soothingly.

"Nothing. You did nothing wrong," I offered as I thawed from the argument.

"I know, but you're upset. How can I help?" Sam asked again.

"He's just such an ass sometimes," I murmured, as I still didn't break my gaze from the broken drawer pull on my dresser.

"Friends fight. They're asses to each other. You guys will work through it," Sam offered.

"Will we?" I shifted my gaze to meet Sam's warm brown eyes. "He's just different. Maybe we're just growing apart."

"Maybe." Sam shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. I've eased up on the jealousy, but I still don't really understand the two of you. And I don't understand him at all."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"I don't know. He's just so... different from people around here. I mean, Tim, I get that guy. He's just a normal dude. But Billy, he's just so acidic."

"No, he's not. You don't even know him." I pulled away from Sam as my anger began to turn on him.

"Very true," Sam quickly agreed. "Maybe that's the problem. Maybe I should try to get to know him," Sam offered.

"Yeah, maybe you should." The idea hit me like lightning. "We could go out there; to Duluth. Billy cleared the entire week after my graduation. We could go to Duluth. You can meet Mary and get to know Billy and Tim better."

"That is something we could do," Sam skeptically said.

"Billy would love that. It's way better than sitting in a stuffy room packed with people... and my mother." Excitement filled me at the idea. "I'm going to call him back right now," I declared.

"Don't you think you should give him a little time to cool off? You two were really going at it," Sam cautioned.

"What? No. It's Billy. He'll be fine. We don't stay mad at each other." I brushed it off as I dialed my phone.

The phone only rang once before Billy picked up. "Hey, Lil," he murmured.

"I'm sorry," we said simultaneously, causing us both to chuckle.

"I have an idea," I continued.

"I love your ideas." I could tell a relaxed smile was crossing his face.

"After my graduation, Sam and I can come to Duluth for the week to spend with you and Mary!"

"Really? You would want to come here? I can come there," he offered back. "It's your graduation."

"No, I want to come there. I know Mary hates to fly, and you spend so much time away from home as it is. Plus, I think this will be a really good way for you and Sam to get to know each other better!"

"I'd love to have you come here. I have a couple of weeks off for your graduation, so Tim and I will be around. The help with the wedding plans would be great for Tess." Billy's mind was rolling through all the possibilities.

"And I can see the new place you've been working on!" I added.

"Yeah. But only if this is what you want. I can come there," Billy offered again.

"No. I really want Sam to get to know you, and the best way to do this is while you are at home, just being Billy."

"Lil, I'm always just being Billy," he corrected.

"I know, but in Duluth, you're super Billy," I noted.

"Whatever you say, Lil. I'd love to have you come out here."

"Great! It's a plan. I'll see you in May! I'm so excited," I squealed.

"Me too, Lil. This will be great. Thanks for calling back."

"Of course, Billy. I love you. This is going to be the best graduation week ever," I added.

"Love you too, Lil. And, for the record, I'm really proud of you," Billy noted.

"I'm proud of you too, Billy."