slowburn | billie eilish

chapter nine

a/n: hey you guys! it's been over a year... i am indeed alive. LOL. i just reread everything and have been thinking ab new ideas and new things to write 👀  idk if i'm going to start updating on a more frequent basis but! it depends on motivation and stuff. we'll see and i'll lyk 🫶

billie's pov:

"billie— how 've you been? i feel like i haven't seen you in a minute."

i glance up from my phone to see claudia walking into finneas's living room. i flash a smile and stand up to greet her with a hug, "hey! what's up, dude?"

she responds, "not too much! i've been taking lessons on how to cook food from different cultures that i haven't tried before, and it's pretty cool. i'd definitely bring you to one if you're interested. apart from that, everything's pretty much just the same. what's new with you, love?"

my eyebrows rise in interest, "wow! that's really dope actually. nothing, really. finn and i got into a little argument the other day but we're over it and apart from that not really anything." i sit back down and lift my chin as a signal to go look for my brother so i can sit back on my phone in peace, "it's nice seeing you!"

"wait wait wait, no i need to know more. we have to do a little catch up, i missed you! one, i hope the argument wasn't too serious. i'm here for you to listen if you want to share with me what happened, but if not, that's okay too. who were you texting before i came in? you seemed pretty into your phone, anything interesting?"

i fold my lip between my teeth before replying, "nah, nothing interesting. just someone that— oh, yeah! i also had a thing with my car the other day. i'm texting a girl that helped me out with that."

she asks, "what, was it someone from triple-a? you exchanged numbers with them? and is your car okay?"

i shake my head, "no, no. this girl saw me swerve off the road and—"

she interrupts, "wait, what? what happened? are you okay?"

"oh, yeah, i'm good. dragon is fine too. there was an animal and i was—," i take a breath knowing what's about to come, "i was going too fast to stop for it."

her eyebrows furrow in worry, "billie! please, drive safer. we've all been saying it but we really care about your safety and well-being. it's reckless and you're putting those things at risk."

yes, i get it, but i'm probably still gonna keep doing it. i know it's not good but it's for like an emotional distraction from what i'm actually dealing with at the moment. but i do nod my head to agree, "yeah, i know. anyway though, a girl pulled over when she saw that happen and helped me get back on the road."

she plops down on the seat across from me and leans forward to listen and show she means what she's about to say. "i mean it though. you really worry us, and we care about you. but yeah, so this girl? did she recognize you? wait, how did you end up giving her your number?"

"i'm getting there, i'm getting there. yes, she did recognize me, but she didn't show it at first."

she furrows her eyebrows, holding reserves before trusting the stranger, but nods to show she's listening.

"it was actually kinda sweet. she said no to taking a picture with me. yes, she knew who i was, but she didn't freak out or really make a thing of it. she treated me like a just—a normal person. not like a whole ass celebrity."

she bites her lip, still in apprehension, but seems like she let some of the reserves go. though she still asks, "so, she helped you and knew who you are and showed you she wasn't obsessed with you. yes, that's sweet, but that also should just be normal. she got your number...?"

i take a deep breath trying to restrict expressing the frustration i'm feeling. "yes, still getting there. yeah, it's normal, i guess, but at this point anyone who recognizes me usually wants something from me. she didn't and just offered her help to someone that happened to be me, and she didn't change her act just 'cause i'm 'famous.' she actually sat with me for a sec after."

she presses her lips together, trying to be patient with me and to understand.

"anyway, the next morning i posted shit on my story asking for whoever she was to dm me so we could talk. obviously, that was impossible for her to do and i have no idea how i thought that would work." i roll my eyes, "but i somehow ended up seeing her the day after and that's when we exchanged numbers."

claudia gives a "hm," and then says, "babe. she might be sweet but please be a little more careful. how did she see you the next day? that's a little weird. if she just 'bumped into you,' what if she planned that? what if she followed you or something. billie, please look out for yourself. she can do so many things with your number. did you tell mike?"

i shake my head and bite my lip, "no, i didn't. i mean, i guess, yeah. she like talked to me about shit and i felt like we connected or whatever and we've still been texting. she never asked me to hang out first."

"hang out first? billie, that doesn't mean she didn't plan it all out. what if she set something up? did security come with you each time you saw her?"

i can tell she's actually really concerned, but for some reason i'm not. it makes sense, yeah, but i did and do trust her. i also hate having security follow and see my every move. but fuck. i don't know now. if i tell mike, he'll literally kill me. he'll have to set shit up in case my number gets leaked and that'll be a huge thing and i'm not tryna have that. i don't think anything would happen?

i keep talking to claudia for a few minutes and she still seems worried but goes and finds finneas outside in the back.

i toss my phone down beside me and get up. i don't know. the insecurity's creeping in again.

a/n:
y'all i reread this barely one singular time LMAO. i hope it's fine. i'll edit it later if needed. i get more ideas the more i'm writing... 👀 see you in the next one!