ARTIFICIAL // B.E

3

aspen

"dude, come on!" billie urged as she interlaced our fingers to pull me through the airport.

the past month flew by faster than expected to. we're currently boarding our flight to new orleans, louisiana for the first show of the tour.

billie is, understandably, excited.

i am too, but i'm too tired to be running through the airport like she's insisting that we do.

"i am, sheesh." i mumbled as i rubbed at my eyes. i almost tripped as she tugged me along with her. "calm down!"

she stopped so that she could turn to face me. wordlessly, she stepped closer to me before turning forwards again, though she bent down in front of me, indicating for me to get on her back. i did so without hesitation.

why would i turn down a free piggyback ride?

she held my legs, while i loosely draped my arms over her shoulders. i laid my head on her shoulder, letting out a yawn.

"we've gotta hurry up and board the plane, because the faster we do that, means the faster we get to new orleans, which means the faster we get to perform!" she explained as she continued to walk quickly through the airport.

"a few minutes won't make that much of a difference; we've still gotta do soundcheck and everything else once we get there." i pointed out.

she was silent for a moment before kissing her teeth. "shush."

she accidentally bumped into finneas, who was talking to xavier about some producer things or some shit; i don't really know. she apologized briefly, though he just laughed it off.

we eventually made it outside, where we were boarding a private jet.

perks of touring with an a-list celebrity, i guess.

"okay, you're gonna have to board yourself, because i do not trust myself to carry you up those steps." she told me with a small chuckle.

i let out a small sigh as i got off of her back. she immediately rushed up the stairs, while i took my time in walking up them.

finneas and xavier soon followed, along with our managers.

i sat down in one of the seats, then pulled my hood over my head and tightened the strings so that it would cover my face.

i had planned to take a nap for the three and a half hour flight, but billie had other plans.

"i'm so fucking excited, dude," she said, practically bouncing in her seat. "aspennn!"

"whaaaat?" i dragged out in a mumble as i turned to face her. i un-tightened my hoodie a bit so that i could see her.

"are you not excited?" she raised a brow.

"i'm tired. it's nine in the morning; it's too early for this." i huffed.

"lame." she decided before turning to finneas to talk.

i didn't respond, instead re-tightening my hoodie so that i could take a nap.

§§§

"aspen, come on." billie barged into the green room.

i looked up from my phone and met her eyes. "hm?"

she walked over and grabbed my hand to start pulling me out of the green room. "we gotta do soundcheck."

over the past month, i've learned that billie is just a naturally affectionate person with the people she's close to. she has almost no sense of personal space. it's kinda cute though how she always tries to hold people's hands or give them hugs.