The World Behind My Wall

Chapter Six: Just For A Little While

That Christmas I spent with Bill and his family was the best I'd had in a really long time. Between Mark and Simone, they'd taken enough pictures to fill several albums. My favourite was the one of all of us together in our pajamas, after we'd opened all our gifts.

But like they say, all good things must come to an end. We left on January third, promising to come back and visit whenever we could. Bill and Tom planned to stay with us for two weeks before going back to LA.

Our neighbours hadn't done a good job watching over the animals; the chickens had froze to death during a snowstorm and Carolyn was devastated. The goat was nearing starvation in the barn because someone stole all our hay. The living room window had a rock thrown through it, and that would take up most of Mark's savings to replace. We had a feeling that Paul had been behind it, but we needed evidence before going to the police. In the end, Tom took it upon himself to hire professionals to install a new window. Mark didn't even bother to argue; he knew Tom would win that one.

"I don't want to go back." Bill whispered; we were on our way to town for groceries. "Especially not now."

"You have to. Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"But what if you're home alone and Paul decides to break in. Look what he did to your brother! The guy is dangerous!" He all but yelled, hitting the door handle with a clenched fist. I parked the car and didn't say anything. "Doesn't he scare you?"

"Yes. He does, a lot. But that won't do any good if he does want to stop by. Like I said, don't worry. Now come on, I don't want to be here long." I got out and slammed the car door. This thing with Paul was putting a strain on things. Not just with Bill and I, but Tom and Carolyn as well.

"Sorry I yelled. Please talk to me." Bill apologized in the frozen foods section. I'd been giving him the silent treatment for the past ten minutes, something I was really good at. "Ellie, you're killin' me!"

"Bite me." I reached for a bag of tater tots when he took me hand, raising it to his face. "What are you doing?"

Bill bit my thumb, gazing into my eyes with such fierce intensity it gave me goosebumps. Then he grinned and pulled me towards the ice cream.

"You're so weird." I giggled.

"Like you aren't?"

"Not as weird as you!" We gathered all the items on my list and headed towards the checkouts.

"Excuse me, but you really look a lot like Bill Kaulitz." Said a female behind us.

"That's because I am." Bill turned, and that's when I saw her. Amelia Dunn, in all her perfect glory. She'd been the most popular girl in our high school, and I'd been her favourite target. I looked down quickly, hoping she wouldn't say anything.

"You know, there are better girls to hang around. I could show you a good time. Hunter here is a complete prude."

"I'd rather be around my girlfriend than some superficial slut. Thanks for the offer but I don't want whatever STDs you more than likely have." Bill huffed and ignored her when she asked for an autograph.

/-/-/-/

"Mom, I have someone for you to meet. We spent Christmas in Germany with his family." I said to Mom during my visit. Bill was sitting by the nurses station waiting for me to bring him into the room. "Are you up for it?"

"Yes, I am. The more the merrier!" She smiled and I stood up. "When you were in Germany, did you..."

"Find out I was adopted? Yeah. Mark told me on Christmas Eve. No matter what happens, you're my mother. The one who raised and loved me." I introduced her to Bill and she stared at him for several long minutes.