O'CONNELL'S LOVER

Sixteen

The three of us spent hours in the store, trying on outfits and giggling like teenage girls. I had to admit, it was actually kind of fun. Gio and King were surprisingly good at picking out flattering clothes, and even I had to admit that I looked pretty damn good in most of the outfits.

By the time we were done, I had a whole new wardrobe worth of clothes, and Gio and King were practically falling over themselves with excitement. "Oh my god, Billie is going to lose it when she sees you," King declared, admiring my latest outfit, a punk like fashion.

"Just make sure you wear this one first," Gio said, holding up a tight black dress, with a slit up the thigh. "Billie will have a boner when she sees you in this."

"Fine," I said, snatching the dress from her hands. "But if Billie laughs at me, I'm blaming you hoes."

"Oh, she won't be laughing, trust me," Gio promised, a wicked glint in her eye. "She'll be too busy drooling."

Despite my tiredness from a day full of work and shopping, I couldn't deny the adrenaline rush that was coursing through me as we left the mall. I was feeling a strange mix of excited and terrified, knowing that I was about to see Billie again soon, dressed in an outfit that was guaranteed to make her swoon.

Gio and King were practically bouncing with excitement next to me, chatting excitedly about what Billie's reaction would be when she saw me. "Oh, she's going to die," King declared, a Cheshire grin on her face. "She won't be able to keep her hands off of you." I don't mind.

I rolled my eyes, trying to play it cool, but couldn't help the small blush that crept onto my cheeks. The thought of Billie's hands on me was both thrilling and nerve-wracking.

"Just remember, babe," Gio said, throwing an arm around my shoulder. "You're rocking that outfit, and Billie will be drooling all over you. Just have fun with it and don't overthink it." King nods "yeah you're a bad bitch!"

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "Yeah, I know," I said, mustering up a confident smile. "I'm gonna look hot as hell, and Billie's gonna love it. And if she doesn't, well, that's her loss."

King cackled, slinging her own arm around my other shoulder. "That's the attitude! You're killing it, girl. Billie is gonna be putty in your hands."

Billie pov

I was rolling on my bed, restless and impatient, waiting for Lima to text me. I couldn't stop thinking about her, about the way she looked when she was focused on her work earlier that day. The way her brow would furrow in concentration, the way her fingers would dance over the keyboard. I just needed to see her, touch her, make her mine.

I checked my phone for the hundredth time, wishing that she would hurry up and finish work so we could be together again. I sent another text to Maya  when my phone buzzed.

Maya's pov

I was lying on my bed, scrolling through TikTok when a text from Billie appeared on my screen. I smirked, curious about what her needy ass wanted now.

"Hey, Maya," the message read. "I need your help with something." I rolled my eyes again. Of course she needed something. Why else would she be texting me?

I considered not replying, but curiosity gnawed at me. Whatever Billie wanted, it was probably going to be a headache. But then again, it could be entertaining. With a sigh, I typed back a response.

"What do you want?" I tried to sound disinterested, even though I was secretly kind of curious now. "Make it quick."

A minute later, Billie's response came through. "I need you to come over. It's important".

I groaned internally. Great, now I had to go to Billie's place. I typed back a reluctant response. "Fine. Be there in 20."

Billie pov

I jumped up from my bed, a mixture of excitement and anxiety coursing through me. Maya was coming over, and I had something important to ask her. I quickly tidied up my room, trying to make everything look presentable, and waited impatiently for her to arrive.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at my door, followed by Maya's voice. "It's me, idiot. Open up."

I rushed to the door and opened it, revealing Maya standing there, looking bored and unimpressed as usual. "Come in," I said, stepping aside to let her enter.

Maya sloped into my apartment, her gaze scanning the room. "So, what's this important thing you needed to ask me?" she said, leaning against the wall.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. "I need your help with something," I said, my voice coming out more hesitant than I had intended.

Maya raised an eyebrow, a sly smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Oh, this should be good," she drawled. "What do you need my help with? Your love life falling apart?"

I fume at her comment, but forced myself to stay calm. "That's not it," I said, ignoring the dig. "It's something else. Something... personal."

Now Maya looked intrigued. "Personal, huh?" she said, a glimmer of interest in her eyes. "Alright, I'm listening. What's this personal thing you need help with?"

I took another deep breath, steeling myself for her reaction. "I need your help with... with Lima," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

Maya's expression changed, her eyebrows raising in surprise. "Lima? What do you need my help with her for?" she asked, suspicion creeping into her tone.

I fidgeted nervously, knowing that Maya is a huge fan of Lima. "I just... I need you to keep an eye on her for me," I said, avoiding her gaze.

"Keep an eye on her? Why?" Maya's voice was skeptical. "You got trust issues with her or something?"