Let The Games Begin // Billie Eilish

Chapter 10

I stand there looking at the note for a few moments, a little embarrassed that she just witnessed all of that. I want to reply, but how?

I decide the safest option is to leave the note in our room, where no one will spot it. I immediately turn around and dart out of the garden as quickly as I can. However, as soon as I reach the door, I'm stopped by a security guard dressed in a black body suit.

"Sorry, I just need to use the toilet." I plea. Without a word, he walks away and down the corridor. I assume I need to follow him, so I linger behind as he guides me to the girls dorm room.

Once we reach our destination, he stops in his tracks suddenly almost causing me to fall backwards. "5 minutes." He announces in a serious, monotone voice. I smile sweetly at him, unable to see his eyes behind his helmet. He closes the door behind me, leaving me alone in the massive sleeping chamber.

I look around for a pen and eventually find one under the girl from Block 10's bed, along with a notebook. I decide not to read it, as I don't want to invade her privacy.

I walk over to Billie's bed and gently sit down, trying not to crease her covers. I re-read Billie's message - "Are you ok? ~B".

I messily write "I will be, thanks :)" underneath and carefully place it just below her pillow.

I make sure it's out of sight from everyone else, and get up and walk back towards the door. However, just as I grab the handle, it's being pushed open by Billie and Nikki who come waltzing in.

"O-oh, u-um sorry I was just-" I stutter.

"You're good, we were just gonna come back here and wait until we have to be back at training. But then that dude in the fucking unitard wouldn't let us so we lied and said we're using the bathroom." Nikki says enthusiastically. That is the first time she has ever talked to me without a grimace on her face.

I force a laugh to be friendly, and notice Billie walking over to her bed from the corner of my eye.

"Yeah, I guess they don't trust us." I respond, chuckling lightly.

"Hey Bil, whatcha doin'?" Nikki calls as she looks over my shoulder. I turn around and see Billie hovering over her bed, most likely looking down at the note I'd left her as she slightly pulls back the covers. I can see the corners of her mouth are turned up in a little smile.

Her head snaps up quickly. "Oh, just making sure I, uh, I didn't leave my water bottle here. I, uh, I couldn't find it earlier." She responds as she fumbles to put the covers back and their place and makes her way back over to us.

As she approaches myself and Nikki, I smile at her gently to which she barely acknowledges.

"Right, I think I'll go back to the others." I say shyly and begin to head out.

"Are you sure you want to go back out there to Peter? He's gonna keep picking on you, you know that right?" Nikki calls after me.

I turn my head slightly to see her stood beside Billie, who is watching me with her hands in her pockets.

I gulp a little as I try to come up with an excuse. "Yeah, my 5 minutes in here are up, so, I better go." I smile and briskly exit the dorm room before she can respond.

In all honesty, I would like nothing more than to hide away from Peter and the rest of the players. To become as invisible as possible. But once again, I can't associate myself with Billie. I really can't wait for this sneaking around to be over.

"Right, sir. I'm done!" I say lightheartedly to the guard who who clearly didn't care for my enthusiasm.

And so, I'm escorted back to the garden.

~

"Tap out! I tap out!!" I huff out, desperately trying to catch my breath.

"Come on Cove, it's like you're not even trying." Billie sounds disappointed as she is practically sitting on me with all of her body weight crushing me into the ground.

"Billie I literally can't breathe." I try to shout but it comes out as more of a whisper."

"Alright, fine. Fine." She finally gets off and I instantly sit up in relief.

I watch as she trots over to the bench placed against the wall, and sits down while taking a large sip from her bottle. She's scrunched the sleeves of her shirt up to her shoulder, revealing the toned muscles in her arms.

This girl is so much stronger than me, of course I'm going to tap out!

I scramble to stand up, every muscle and joint aching as I do, and wobble over to sit down beside her. We both sit there peacefully for a few moments, neither of us saying a word.

I turn to face her and decide to break the ice a little.

"What's life like in Block 5?" I question.

She doesn't look at me, instead she keeps her eye contact at the wall ahead of us as she leans forward a little to place her forearms on her thighs.

"The only word that comes to mind is...bleak."

"Bleak? Why?" I ask curiously.

She pauses for a moment. "Everything is so grey there. The sky is grey, the buildings are grey, there is barely any grass. No flowers. There's just no colour."

"Do you miss it?"

"I miss my family. I don't miss home, if that makes sense."

I nod and smile gently. "Yeah. It does."

There's silence for a few more seconds before I ask the question if been wanting to ask for over a week now.

"Were the people in your dream your family?"

She puts her head down at that and clenches her jaw.

"Sorry I don't mean to be nosy, I was just-"

"Yeah, that's them." She replies quietly. She sounds so broken.

I don't want to pry any more than I already have by asking more questions, even though I would love to. I'm so intrigued by the girl sat before me. I happily sit here for hours and listen to everything about her.

"They're beautiful." I smile.

She looks at me again and sends me a sad yet grateful smile.

"I know."

As she looks at me with pain in her eyes, I'm reminded of how even those who appear cold and scary are people with basic human needs at the end of the day. Ultimately, all anyone really wants is to be surrounded by love and people who make them feel loved.

Even Billie, one of the most intimidating people I've ever met, just wants to be with her family.

She wipes her eyes and stands up abruptly

"Ok, we should probably head back now. It's almost 4:30am." She says as she redirects the conversation. I take the hint, and stand up beside her.

"Sure, let's go."

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A/N: Short and sweet :)