ARTIFICIAL // B.E

23

aspen

i pursed my lips as i stared at the lyrics on my notebook that i had so far. i leaned back against billie as i thought.

currently, me and billie are sitting in the middle of the floor of the venue we're playing in tonight. i'm sitting between billie's legs, which were sprawled out on the floor. i'm leaning back against her, and her arms are wrapped around me as she buried her face into my neck.

all of the workers were getting the venue ready for tonight, while me and billie were just in our own little world.

i read over the lyrics i had so far.

"cameras on, and i see the faces changing. i wanna run. i wanna run. cameras on, now i'm friends with every stranger. i wanna run. i wanna run."

"yeah, i've seen it in my past. yeah, that fake love, it don't last, and i know what it will do to me. when i think they want me, well they try to make me someone else, and i know what that will do to me."

billie moved her face from my neck. she rested her chin on my shoulder, so that she could look at the side of my face. "i love you," she murmured.

i turned to look at her. she had a very lazy smile played on her lips, but that didn't make it any less genuine. i smiled as well. "i love you too," i gave her a quick kiss.

her smile widened after i kissed her. she blushed, and she hid her face behind my back.

she's so cute.

i reached down, and i grabbed her hand from where it had been resting on my stomach. i interlaced our fingers, and i gave her hand a gentle squeeze after i brought it up to kiss her knuckles.

i looked back at my notebook. i smiled as i thought of lyrics for the chorus. i gave billie's knuckles another kiss before i let go of her hand so that i could write the lyrics down.

"but never with you. you love me for me when i'm with you. i wanna, i wanna leave; never with you. you love me for me when i'm with you."

after that, i sighed. i couldn't come up with anymore lyrics.

"are you almost done?" billie asked softly.

"yeah, i think so," i let out a small puff of air as i sat my notebook and pencil down.

billie suddenly pulled me back with her as she let out a noise. i laughed as she did. we were now both laying across the venue floor.

"i wanna go out," billie stated. "i don't wanna sit in here for the rest of the day."

"and do what? there's not a lot that we can do," i sent her a look.

"we can go out," she nodded. "we'll be fine," she assured. she kissed my forehead, and she stood up. she held her hand out to me.

"are you sure this is a good idea?" i raised a brow as i hesitated to place my hand in her's.

"yeah," she reassured. "we can always get sully to follow us and be there."

i narrowed my eyes at her a bit, but she just grinned. i slumped my shoulders for a moment. i gave in, and i placed my hand in her's. her grin somehow widened as she helped me sit up.

"we are bringing sully," i told her.

"yeah, sure. of course," she agreed.

we walked to the green room to get jackets and everything. i suggested that we wear our masks and some sunglasses as well so that we'd be less likely to be spotted.