I hate you | B.E.

15

YOU COULD BE MY WIFE
COULD GET INTO A FIGHT
I'LL SAY, "YOU'RE RIGHT"
AND YOU'LL KISS ME GOODNIGHT

____

They all made their way out to the back patio, with Aurelia and Billie trailing behind. As they approached the door, Aurelia stopped suddenly, her expression unreadable. She tugged gently on Billie's arm, her eyes locked onto Billie's with a look that demanded attention. Billie glanced down, confusion mingling with concern as she felt the weight of Aurelia's urgency.

Without a word, Aurelia guided Billie down the hallway, her grip firm but gentle. They walked in silence, the only sound being the faint buzz of their families outside. As they reached Aurelia's room, she pushed open the door, revealing a soft red glow that filled the space. The light was warm, casting elongated shadows on the walls, creating a cocoon-like atmosphere.

Aurelia moved swiftly, grabbing the LED remote from her bedside table. With a few quick presses, she changed the light to a calming blue, the room's ambiance shifting to something more serene. She tossed the remote onto the bed.

Turning to Billie, Aurelia placed her hands on Billie's chest, guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed. Billie complied, looking at her concerned. She watched as Aurelia paced a few steps away, her posture tense but determined.

"Billie," Aurelia began, her voice firm and unyielding. The authority in her tone made Billie flinch, her shoulders tensing as she sensed the gravity of the conversation. Aurelia's voice cut through the silence with a sharp edge, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"We need to talk... We can't just kiss and make up," Aurelia continued, her eyes fixed intently on Billie's. She took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling as she tried to steady herself. Her fingers nervously fidgeted with the hem of her denim skirt. "I kind of know why you did the things you did, but I need to hear it from you, the full story."

Billie nodded, her throat tightening as she prepared to face the consequences of her actions. She felt a lump form, her emotions bubbling up unexpectedly. "I... I don't even know where to start," Billie stammered, her voice faltering as tears began to well up in her eyes, not excpecting herself to cry so fast.

"Sorry—fuck," Billie muttered, pressing her fingers to the bridge of her nose in a vain attempt to hold back her tears. Aurelia watched her, her own emotions a tangled mess of anger and sorrow. She took a deep, shuddering breath, her resolve hardening as she prepared to confront the pain she had endured.

"Well then... I'll fucking start." Aurelia crossed her arms over her chest, her voice rising with a mixture of frustration. "You were literally my fucking soulmate. Not necessarily romantically, but platonically, the romatic-ness part kinda sorta developed later...but that doesn't matter!" she hurried out her eyes closing for a moment as she swung her hands around. "...and that's just as deep. And then one day, your selfish ass couldn't handle the thought that I may not have liked you back. So you fucking ruined my life. RUINED ME!" She shouted, her finger jabbing toward her own chest for emphasis, her face inches from Billie's.

Billie winced, each harsh word cutting deep. She knew she deserved the full brunt of Aurelia's anger.

"And not only did you stop being nice to me one day, whatever your reasons were—whether it was your horrible friend group or your stupid feelings, I don't care. Little seventh-grade me did NOT deserve your bullshit. But, For years, you slammed me against walls, took my money, treated me like shit, and called me racist names." She gasped out clutching onto the hem of her tank top, as if to support herself, "HELLO?! Like I didn't need the racist shit EILISH! And guess what? GUESS FUCKING WHAT?" her eye widened as she spoke, on the brim of insanity, "I stuck with you this whole time. THIS WHOLE TIME. And you know what it took for you to finally confess? Us nearly FUCKING DYING. If we weren't about to die, you would have continued tormenting me."