Murder City

Chapter Twenty Two

22 | Aurora Bennett

A month has passed since the night I called my mother, and everything has been better.

Fletcher is out of the hospital, still unfortunately recovering from a broken leg. My intrusive anticipation of the other side has faded, and Billie finally agreed to take me on the tour happening next week. I'm living the life every little girl dreams of. I make sure to pinch myself often, to make sure this is not some dream or delusion.

Billie decided to invest in a hot tub for our balcony, and I have been spending my week consumed by the warm water. I sip champagne out of a tall glass before leaning back, letting the water swallow me into a deep relaxation. I should have dumped Fletcher years ago, is this really what I've been missing out on? It all feels weird. My life has changed so much in such a short period of time. I'm left wondering if I deserve all this, all the bad I have caused, all I have done wrong, am I the one deserving of this? Maybe this is the rest of my life, pure relaxation, far away from my past, far away from the bad and ugly sides of myself. Speaking of my past, my mother hasn't bothered to contact me again. I'm glad. I got my explanation, and that's all I hoped for. I don't want to keep reaching out, making her think she's apart of my life again. I want to keep her as a thing of the past.

I spoke to Billie about it. He didn't give me the whole "Oh, but she's your mother, you have to call her" thing. He understood where I was coming from. I haven't told him everything my mother has done, but he understands none-the-less. I love him for that very reason. He is the understanding weight I needed to balance out myself.

Billie opens the sliding glass door, stepping out into the open air, he hisses as the cold air hits him. I hear him faintly laugh for a second. I turn around, seeing him stood there. He has a smile on his face, which is half-obstructed by black sunglasses, and a small paper bag in his hand. "Are you" He pauses, tilting his head. "naked?" He asks, finishing his thought. I nod, taking a long sip from the glass. "Yeah. What, am I not allowed to be naked in my own home anymore?" I ask, sarcastically, raising my brows. "Well, you're technically outside. Anyways, I don't want the neighbors seeing you naked. Thats for my eye's and my eye's only." He starts undressing, instantly becoming a hypocrite. 

"You aren't the only person to see me naked, Armstrong." I roll my eyes, watching him climb into the hot tub in only his underwear, and I contemplate begging him to fully strip. He grabs me, pulling me in by my waist to tickle me. I giggle and squirm, fighting him while also trying to keep my champagne from spilling. "Stop!" I laugh, pushing him with my free hand. He knocks the glass out my hand, and it spills across his chest, before dribbling down from his stomach. 

"Oh you-" he pulls his arms away, looking down at his chest in faux disbelief. His head snaps back up towards me, his mouth opened in an 'O' shape. "I can't believe you." He scoffs "I work my ass off to give you the perfect life and you do this to me!" He gasps, gesturing to his damp chest. I can't help myself from laughing at his fabulous performance. "Wow, that was-" I place the glass on a table pressed against the hot tub to slowly clap, "Amazing. Oscar worthy." 

Billie bows his head, twisting his hands to give off the impression of him bowing, "Thank you darling, I try my best." 

I lean over to press a kiss to his lips. Running my hand through his hair, I pull him close. I hate when moments turn into memories. I wish I could live in every moment all the time. Like, if I do something one day, the next day comes around and that thing isn't happening anymore. It all passes too fast. I hate the fact that I wont be able to say something, or do something in the past, because well, it's the past.

Billie pulls away, scooping up water in his hands to tip over his chest, hoping to be free from the sticky feeling. He sighs in relief as he washes it all away. "You excited for the tour?" He asks, leaning back to get comfortable. I shrug. "I'm excited but are you sure Mike and Tre are okay with me tagging along?" 

"Of course they are!" Billie leans over, gripping my hand. He lowers his voice, so only I can hear. "Don't ever think they don't like you, okay? They love you! They wished you'd come along more." Billie kisses my cheek, I breathe in his cologne. The woody scent brings me great comfort. The air becomes quiet, the only sound being the bubbling of the hot tub, along with the birds in the sky.

I keep my head rested on his tattooed shoulder. 

"I never thought there'd be someone like you who would want me." When I speak, I mean every words. It is just us. Only us. What came before no longer matters.  Billie grips my fingers, squeezing reassuringly. "You know, you're the only girl to see me for me. Not for what I have." Billie could have nothing. He could be dirt poor, living on the street, unable to earn even a dollar a day, and I'd love him. 

I notice my fingers are beginning to prune up, the sign I have been in here far too long. "I'm getting out...you coming?" I ask, lifting myself out from the warm water into the sharp cold. I grab a towel from the floor, quickly wrapping it across my skinny form, to cover my naked body from the piecing cold. "Nah." Billie sighs, sweeping back his wet hair, "I just got in!" He smirks at me, looking as handsome as ever.

I shrug, smile, then walk back inside. I'd love to stay, to admire him for atleast a few seconds longer, however, being naked, outside, with a towel as covering, is not the best idea. I would rather not catch a cold before traveling across the country.