Ember || B.E

30|| 10/10

A/N: Lyrics in the chapter are from the song 'someone to stay' by Vancouver Sleep Clinic. Also, the pov is always Ember's unless otherwise stated. <3

Unedited because I'm feeling lazy. Please forgive any errors.

~~~
(2 days before the first show, continued)

I am gleaming. Fucking cheesing. I can't manage to wipe this stupid clown smile off my face and I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing.

As much as I thought I was in love with Billie as a fan; I wasn't. I mean, I was but this love is so very different. I'm not in love with the idea of her, I'm not in love with the fantasies and pictures, I'm in love with her and her presence.

After our confessions to each other earlier today, I feel like I might burst. However, I'm managing to keep calm on the outside as I walk behind Billie through the brick hallways of the venue where Billie will be performing in just 2 days.

A man opens up a large metal door and as we walk inside, my breath is taken away. "Holy shit," I whisper under my breath.

"Woahh," Billie lets out, "Oh my god, look at the screens. Dude, this is gonna be so nice with the fans," she exclaims as we walk around the catwalk in the main stadium. I walk slightly behind with wide eyes. The lights are already in full swing as everything is being tested out.

Billie stands in front of the catwalk against the barricade and gestures for me to come closer, which I do. "What do you think?" She questions.

"I mean- this is unbelievable!"

"Billie, let's test out the crane," Nicole, Billie's manager, calls her over. I continue to follow Billie like a lost puppy as we walk across the stadium toward a large crane with a platform.

"You're gonna be going a lot higher than you did at the festivals," Nicole informs her as she steps out onto the platform.

"Should I not bounce at all?" Billie asks and I shake my head with a smile. That girl goes crazy on stage, that much I know but sheesh, she's gonna have to take it easy on the crane.

"Don't bounce as much," Nicole responds before she closes the crane and Billie begins to ascend.

I watch as she gracefully moves around the stadium goofing off and singing part of 'ocean eyes'. while waving her hands in the air. I can tell she's so genuinely pumped to start performing. Claudia and I laugh at Billie as she continued to be her goofy self up in the air.

The crane begins to ascend and Billie sits down, dangling her feet off the side. "How does it feel?" I ask her.

"It's so nice to get this close to people," she tells me, "That's the worst part about playing big venues, is you can't- you're not that close to everyone." I nod my head in understanding as she gets off the crane and we walk around the stadium for a while longer. I zone out a bit as she speaks with Nicole and a few of her other crew members about the shows.

I can't help but be in awe of everything around me. I could never do what this girl is doing, my social anxiety would be through the fucking roof if I had to stand on this stage in front of thousands of people but she does it and she does it well. Better than well, she does-

My thoughts are cut off when I feel Billie link her arms around mine. "Hi baby," she whispers.

"Hi," I smile up at her.

"So, we're gonna start getting ready for sound check. You wanna come to the green room?"

"Of course," I nod and she leads me back out of the stadium and down some more hallways. I swear I would get lost in here if I was alone. Claudia and Finneas follow behind us until we get into a large room where a bunch of Billie's clothes are hung up, there's a table filled with snacks and a few couches around the room. Billie's physical therapist walks into the room and informs her that it's time to do some stretches before the sound check.