ARTIFICIAL // B.E

16

aspen

i let out a small sigh as i knocked on billie's door. i waited patiently. i glanced around, looking at the exterior of her house and at her yard. this is actually my first time seeing her house in person.

it's pretty.

the door soon opened, and i was met by billie. quickly after she opened it, i was greeted by shark, who up until now, i had only met over facetime. i scratched behind his ear as he stood on his back legs, placing his front paws on my stomach.

"hi, baby." billie greeted softly.

"hi, love," i gave a small smile. "listen, i know those pap photos look really bad, but i swear they're not what they look like."

"i know how the media likes to twist shit, trust me," she sighed. "i'ma still need you to explain them though. especially considering that last time i checked, you didn't like reagan at all."

"now you know her name is raelyn." i shook my head with a giggle as she led me inside.

she turned to look at me, and she made a face. "i definitely didn't."

i playfully rolled my eyes. we walked to the couch, taking a seat at opposite sides.

"okay, so..." i started as i looked at her. shark had jumped up onto the couch as i started to explain it, and i watched as he laid his head in billie's lap. he rubbed his head against her leg and tried to get her to pet him. she did so with a soft smile.

he's so obsessed with her; it's adorable.

"earlier, raelyn had come over. she begged me to let her talk to me, so i let her in to talk. she then asked if we were dating and went on and on about how it hurts seeing me with someone else, how she wants me back, blah, blah, blah." i rolled my eyes.

"i told her about how you treat me way better than she ever did, and that she needed to leave. she eventually did. i took a nap after, and i woke up to the pap pictures." i made a face.

"why was her hair all messy and shit? and why wasn't she wearing her hoodie anymore?" she asked.

she didn't ask it angrily or raise her voice though. she asked it calmly. she didn't even speak in an accusing tone.

she's handling this situation so maturely.

if something like this had happened whenever i was dating raelyn... she definitely would've snapped and blown the thing out of proportion without even letting me explain.

our relationship was obviously just lovely.

"she had messed her hair up herself whenever she was going on about how she wants me back or whatever," i sighed. "and she took her hoodie off because it had gotten hot inside."

her eyes searched mine for a moment. "i trust you."

i let out a relieved breath.

"c'mere." she murmured as she held her arms out for me after making shark move to the other side of her.

i moved closer to billie, and she pulled me into her lap so that i was straddling it. she cupped my cheeks, and she rubbed her thumbs against my cheekbones.

"you wouldn't cheat... right?" she tilted her head.

"i wouldn't even dream of it." i shook my head.

she smiled. "okay, now, aspirin," she looked at me seriously. "i'ma need a kiss, like, right now."

"you're never gonna stop calling me that, are you?" i chuckled.