Let The Games Begin // Billie Eilish

Chapter 20

I wipe the tears pricking at my eyes as I try to process what just happened.

I don't know why Billie is so upset. I mean, it's clearly because of her dream, but what about her dream has her feeling like this?

Was it her parents? Was it me? Is she embarrassed? I just want to know. I care about her. I want her to be okay.

I stand up, dust myself off and head over to training.

~

"Dude, it was insane. It felt so real!" Audrey exclaims before filling her mouth with a forkful of mushy peas.

"It looked scary, dude. I'm so proud of you for getting through that." James sympathises as he looks at her adoringly.

"Nah, It was fine. Honestly I'm just happy I passed." She smiles.

Myself, James and Audrey are sat at our usual table in the dining hall.

Needless to say, Billie did not so much as even glance at me for the whole day. Then when dinner time finally arrived, I left with James and Audrey before she had the chance to catch up with us.

She is currently queuing up to get her own food, and I'm excited to see where she'll sit.

Part of me hopes she'll reside in her seat beside mine, she'll apologise, I'll apologise and we'll be back to normal. But then another part of me hopes she'll sit somewhere else.

I can't help but feel like there was some truth to what she said. Maybe I do smother her. Maybe I am annoying. Maybe I am clingy. I mean, before we partnered up, she was the cool, popular, mysterious girl while I was...well...none of those things. No one wanted to talk to me beside James, Audrey and Matthew.

What if she's sick of me? What if she doesn't like me?

The thought of that makes my eyes well up. So when I see Billie's silhouette approaching our table, I quickly wipe my eyes and turn my head in the other direction.

Without a word, she sits down beside me, pulls her hood up, and starts quietly eating her food.

I can sense James and Audrey eyeing the two of us. They must be able to feel the thick tension that's currently practically suffocating me.

"Um..is everything good with you guys?" James asks hesitantly.

"Mhm." Billie responds quietly before shovelling a spoonful of soup into her mouth.

I keep my head turned, not wanting her to see the shade of red painting my eyes.

The 4 of us sit in silence for the rest of dinner, no one quite knowing what to say. When the alarm rings signalling the end of dinner time, Billie pushes out her chair stands up. Surprisingly, she holds her hand out, silently offering to take my plate.

"I got it. Thanks." I croak out, looking anywhere but her.

"Alright." She says before walking over to the conveyor belt and walking out of the dining hall.

"Ok, seriously, what the hell happened between you two?" James asks eagerly.

"She's mad at me, I think? I don't really know why. I mean I do, but I know that her reason is not the real reason. Does that make sense?" I respond, biting my nails.

"Um, no. Not at all." James replies sounding confused while Audrey just blinks at me from her seat beside him.

"I think she's upset about her dream, but she's taking it out on me by getting angry when I try to ask her what's wrong and telling me I need to back off. But then again, maybe she's right. I'm starting to think I'm way too clingy with her." I trail off.