Sneaky Link

Sneaky Link (13)

"Hey bil wake up." I kept my eyes closed, my name isn't being called so I turned the opposite way of Claudia's voice. "Come on bil. It's recording time." Billie groaned and clung tighter to my arm. "Nah uh you can't skip studio again." She sighed heavily. Without opening my eyes I could feel Finneas behind Claudia. They had give her a whole day and she spent it with me.

I feel like it's sort of my fault she's slacking. So I did what I think is best. "I think I'm going for a walk." None of them complained and Billie said nothing not trying to give away her act of "sleeping" shes such a lazy girl. Is it bad i found it cute. Like sort of but a lot.

With a little water and my teeth brushed. I walked out of the bathroom. Ready to go to the park. "Arlo come on, you too shark. Yeah go get your leash Arlo." Sharks whole body shook as I scratched behind his ear. His coat was always shiny. But I mean he got fed the good stuff, so what did I expect.

I tried putting arlo on a good diet once but he likes the store food better. Good for my wallet.

My pup came walking to me with his pink collar on and matching leash in his drooling mouth. The months of training were worth it with him.

I always had new clients and their dogs were cute. But my arlo was a beauty. Maybe I will get his coat shiny.

With 2 leashed dogs and a backpack filled with bowls and treats I walked out of the garage. "Byee." I waved at Billie's dad who mindlessly waved back. I see who Billie's doesn't get her attention span from.

I decided to take both of these guys for a long walk. Enough to tire them for the upcoming week. "Sit shark." That was my kid. Arlo wasn't the jealous type but he sure as hell is annoying. "Wanna go off leash too shark." He stared longingly at Arlo who had been trained to come back on command and to be friendly. Shark on the other hand jumped around like crazy. "I'll train you bud. Don't you worry your pretty little mind."

"Y/n?" I looked up and saw Ellie. I stood up from the grass, wiping my hands of the grass. "Hey Ellisa." She rolled her eyes and walked to me. She immediately went to pet Arlo. Shark came butting in  to also be petted by her.

"How was the sleep over." Thats what it was. It wasn't a party it was a full out sleep over with grown ups. "I loved it. I had to wake them all up and cook for them and clean. Super fun." Her sarcasm was clear. "Well then I'm glad I didn't go or else you'd have me cleaning too." I sat myself on the grass. She followed. Fixing her floral skirt as she did. "Are you busy right now." She laid he body all the way down. Exposing her whole self to the universe. "Right now no. Later no. Tomorrow maybe." I laid down next to her and looked at the sky filled with flat clouds.

"Wanna go get some smoothies?" I shook my head. "I want a milkshake."

"I've told you this time and time again. They are the same thing. One just has water and the other has milk." She sat up to make her point. I laughed thinking on our forever continuing argument. "And those are the key ingredients on why they're so different." She just sighed. "I know a place where we can get both." The dogs followed ellie and I to billies house where my car was.

"Come in." She was shy enough but with a little push and getting familiar with the environment, she always found a way to fit right in. "Hey Maggie this is my friend ellie. We just stopped by to see if you guys wanted any smoothies or shakes. I don't know if they have coffee." Maggie was sat down a book in hand and reading glasses half way on the bridge if her nose. Ellie stood behind me.

"Oh sorry. Hi I'm Maggie." She reached her hand out to Ellie to softly shake it. "Oh id go for a mango banana smoothie. I know he likes those healthy ones. So maybe kale?" I nodded pulling out my phone because I'm sure as hell not going to remember this. "I'm not sure what the kiddos want. They might still be recording. I can go check." I stopped her from getting off of her couch. "I'll go." Ellie followed behind me. I followed the music. I stood next to the door for a second with my eyes closed. I smiled at the simple back and forth calming beat.

Before I went in I waited for the audio to finish. "Should I wait in the car?" Ellie asked. I shook my head. "She'll love you." When it went silent behind the door. I knocked and went in. Billie was sat on the bed with cameras surrounding her. "Hey." I waved to her as the cameras went down. "Ew you're sweating."

"Yeah yeah I missed you too." I hugged her tightly and she reciprocated it. "This is ellie. We're going to go get smoothies and milkshakes. Want anything?" Billie's eyes went from mine to Ellie. And I had forgotten how Billie said if she were to ever encounter ellie she would knock her on her ass. I'm hoping now that it was just an overexaggeration.

"Hi I'm Billie." Billie got up with her big shirt hanging loose on her body. They shook hands and hugged. Good, right?

I couldn't see anymore of their interaction because Finneas was asking me if I could play electric guitar. And I said obviously then I took his order like a waiter.

"I'll have whatever your having." I furrowed my eyebrows. "Im getting a milkshake maybe strawberry." I said making sure she knew what I was getting. "Ew never-mind get me something with coffee." I raised my eyebrows. "Are you sure about that?" She nodded with a little smile that I couldn't deny. "Okayy. Don't be complaining to me later." I wrote down their orders on my phone. I walked up to Billie  and kissed her lips quickly.

"Love you." She goodbye with a smile that was filled with teeth. I just had to go back and kiss her again before leaving.

-

"Dude no way they fucked up my order three times?" I complained with the correct orders in hand now. "Hey well thanks for hanging out with me." I nodded not being able to respond with the drink in my mouth. "I'll see you around."  I waved goodbye. "Hey. Text me if you want to hang out. Life isn't work." I repeated. I used to always remind her when we were in high school. And to this day she's still a workaholic.

Sometimes not a lot changes.

Just like how now not even an hour later Billie was whining that her stomach hurt due to the coffee she asked for. "I told you." She slammed the door shut. I laughed still sipping out of my now watered down shake.

"Aww come here." I opened my arms but she just groaned still holding onto her stomach. "Come here." I asked again as she paced around her floor. "What are you going to do?" She sounded upset. I didn't think this was that big of a deal. "I'm sorry." I'm confused on why shes so upset. "I'll go get you some medicine." I was sort of freaking out and I didn't want her to see me like this.

"Do you still like Ellie." I stopped in my tracks. Turned around and looked her right in the eyes so she could see the whole truth. "I'm no longer interested in Ellie that way. I haven't been in years. Especially now that I have you." I reassured her taking closer and closer steps to her. "I'm in love with you Billie." She still looked unsure. And she wouldn't even look me in the eyes. "Am I not proving it to you." I asked grabbing her chin and gently making her look at me. "Am I not?" She closed her eyes slowly.

"I just didn't know you two were hanging out. I just, I don't know." I let Billie finish talking before leading us to the bed. "I went to the park. She just happened to be there and she seemed sad. So I asked if she wanted to go get smoothies or milkshake. I just went cause she was sad. If I ever feel like she's trying to do something I'll stop her. I'll actually set a boundary right now." With my phone in hand laid back down on the small bed.

I sent her a quick text. It was short and simple just drawing a line. When she typed back she replied with an apology.

I'm sorry if I put out that vibe. I don't have those intentions

I showed Billie was looked a little embarrassed.

"I'm sorry."

It was a quiet apology but a genuine one. "It's okay just don't go yelling around at me without letting me know what's wrong. It's kind of scary and confusing." I explained letting her still lay on top of me her stomach facing up.

I placed my hands under her shirt and with my fingers slightly grazing her skin I traced shapes on her stomach. I closed my eyes. I'm glad that was over with.