Photograph

Twenty Nine

"No, Kate, it clicks into place, don't fucking force it because it's starting to break, dammit."

Billie stuck to me like glue that rainy afternoon. Any chance she got, her eyes would flash anger towards the blue haired girl.

Hours had passed, and silence had dragged on throughout, leaving awkward gaps between the atmosphere.

Billie was currently teaching Katie how to successfully withdraw an SD card from a camera, giving me a charming smile every few seconds to prove that she was able to do it, as well as to reassure herself that she wasn't useless.

"But, Bils, the one we had in school just slotted out."

"We aren't in fucking kindergarten, are we?"

"I meant-"

A humourless laugh escaped Billie's lips. "You sure are acting like you're fucking 6 years old!" She snapped.

"Okay, you were literally homeschooled-"

"Can you two just quit it? I'll do it. I'm supposed to be the one who's crazy for cameras, not you guys! You click it in and then pull it out!"

Billie had bit her lip back to contain a laugh at the phrase 'pull it out', making Katie roll her eyes in complete and utter disgust as she let me handle the camera.

I grabbed the machinery and quickly slotted out the tiny card, watching both girls' faces drop in humiliation as I swiftly placed the camera down and popped the SD card into my MacBook.

"Simple as that." I muttered in satisfaction. "You drag it before you tug on it."

Katie huffed.

"Too bad Billie set me up wrong. She nearly broke the damn thing. Paralysis can really fuck with someone's head, yanno."

Billie's nostrils flared up in anger. "You moron! If it wasn't for your clumsy ass being all stupid and shit, you wouldn't have fucked it up. The fuck you mean I set you up wrong? And, I'm not even paralysed anymore!" She stopped in her tracks. "Well, kind of." She trailed.

Katie rolled her eyes. "Yeah right, Eilish. You totally knew what you were doing, huh? You're totally fine now and you can walk perfectly, right? Just like how you're totally fine with being a dick to Alex and then feeding her lies about how you didn't mean it, I'm presuming."

"I'm gonna fucking kill her!" She said to me.

Billie dug her hands in the couch behind her to push herself upwards and lunge forward to where Katie was sat on the ground, but before Billie could even touch her, I pulled her back and leaned her into me, supporting her waist with my arm, watching her stance soften slightly.

"I think we're done here, ladies. Katie, isn't it time you headed home?" I quickly interrupted.

The blue haired girl's eyes gleamed with a hint of sadness at my current invitation. But, it slowly and softly died down after a while of staring at me like I was a mad man.

She stood herself up and brushed herself, before slowly and cautiously heading to the door with a frown. Like Billie was somehow going to hobble behind her and mangle her when she wasn't looking.

"Whatever. Yeah. I'll call you later, Alex. Hopefully we can do something without any interruptions." She spat, her eyes never leaving the door.

Once the door clicked shut, Billie grumbled.

"I goddamn hate that bitch. Always blaming me for shit that I didn't do."

I shut the lid to my laptop and set it down on the coffee table next to the camera. "On tour you two seemed fine."

She leaned back and slid her hand up the back of my hoodie, drawing patterns faintly on my vest. She sighed again.

"Ever since I lashed out at you, she's been... I don't know, man. She's been acting like I'm satan. A lot of ass-hats do that, but not my friends. Crazy how eleven years of friendship can go to waste by me just talking out my asshole." She said sadly.

Her voice cracked slightly while she was explaining.

Their now strained friendship was my fault.

I felt terrible.

My phone buzzed slightly on the arm of the couch suddenly, which tore me back into reality.

"I'm so sorry, Billie. I should have never have-"

"Baby, it's cool." She reassured, sitting up in her seat and placing her soft hand on my cheek, turning my head around so we were making eye contact.

There was something, just, something, about Billie's eyes that made me almost drown in them. It was like I was looking into the sky. Beyond, even. The endless possibilities of absolutely anything within this huge stretch of ambition that lays within her eyes is absolutely crazy every time I look into them.

"When a window closes, another door opens. Or something. Is that it? I don't fuckin' know, man. Dad always says it to me. It might be when a door closes another door opens?" Billie trailed, chuckling as she went.

I looked beside me to see what notification I got while Billie was laughing at herself.

"Maybe it's window. The fuck ever. You know what I mean though."

Kates 🔮: date tonight? lunch was ruined
haha. ditch whatever
u had going on & i'll pick u up