a work of art

chapter 28: tequila!

A/N: I went on a date today and she didn't know Clairo and that was really funny and anti-queer IMO. (Don't worry she was forced to listen to all of Immunity before she could get out of my car.) Anyways, have an extra chapter today just for fun!!!

Love you all and hope you're so good! Please comment, it makes my whole damn day. 🖤

——————————————————————

If nothing else happened during those two weeks before tour, at least I got a killer tan.

Billie was gone a lot. Sometimes she invited me to tag along, but I always ended up just sitting in another room while she did an interview or something somewhere else. So, most of the time, I stayed home with Shark instead, waiting for her to come home and kiss me.

Claudia was also pretty busy, so I didn't see her as often as I hoped I would. So when I was at the house (I hadn't gotten used to calling it our house, or home just yet), I laid by the pool. I read the few books I'd brought with me. I texted Billie, Lee, and some other friends. Sometimes I swam. But mostly I just laid and tried to be less... white.

One afternoon, while I dozed on my stomach, Shark laying in the shadow beneath my lounger, Billie called me. I picked up the phone, eager to hear her voice.

"Hey, Bill."

"Don't be mad."

I froze mid stretch. "Excuse me?"

"I just buzzed Claire in the gate. I forgot to tell you she was coming."

"Clairo?!"

"That's the one. I'm sorry, baby. I'll be home in like... half an hour. I'm on the road."

"What am I supposed to do with Claire for half an hour?!"

I regretted my words instantly.

"I'm picturing a few things..."

I swallowed hard, my stomach dropping and my cheeks heating. A second later, Shark leapt up from under my chair and raced to the front of the house, barking wildly.

"Goddamnit it, Bill, she's here. I gotta go."

She chuckled softly and I wanted to smack her. "Bye, my love. See you soon!"

I hung up on her and grabbed my towel, wrapping myself up as well as I could, trying my hardest to cover my exposed tits.

I hurried around the side of the house to meet her. She was walking from the gate, where a car had obviously dropped her off. She waved at me, and I gave a half-hearted wave back as she approached.

She smirked at me, her eyes shamelessly raking down my body. "Is this how you always welcome guests?"

I glanced down. I'd been out for a while, and my skin was tan, flushed, and glowing with sweat. My bikini top was... tiny. I pulled the towel up higher, covering my tits.

"Usually I wear even less," I said dryly. "Hi Clairo."

She rolled her eyes at my use of her stage name. "Hi, Lucy. Good to see you again."

She looked flushed from the heat, as well. She was wearing a tiny black tube top, mom jeans, and socks with loafers. Her long brown hair was swept up in a clip. She pulled an enormous set of black sunglasses off her face and settled them on top of her head.

I forced myself to smile, and held the front door open. "Come on in. Oh, Sharky, stop."

Shark jumped down from Claire's legs and followed me into the house. I stood awkwardly in the kitchen while she dropped her bag and collapsed into one of the barstools at the island. She looked around.