L'amour De Ma Vie | Billie Eilish

Chapter 7

Two days later, I found myself back in the world of flashing lights and styled outfits. Today, I had a photoshoot scheduled, and this time, I brought Amélie along. I didn't want to be here without her. I needed her by my side. She was my anchor, especially after everything that had happened over the past few days.

As soon as we walked into the studio, Finneas spotted us and broke into a huge grin. "Well, well, look who decided to join us today!" he teased, giving Amélie a friendly wink.

Amélie laughed, a little shy but clearly flattered. "Thanks, Finneas. I'm just here for moral support today."

"Hey, we all need some of that," he replied, then turned to me with a knowing look. "Glad you brought her along, Bill. You seem... brighter."

I couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, she has that effect on me."

Before we could say anything else, my mom walked over, her eyes lighting up when she saw Amélie. "You must be Amélie! I've heard so much about you," she said warmly, pulling her into a hug. I could see Amélie relax a little more, her shoulders dropping as she hugged my mom back.

"It's so nice to meet you, Mrs. Eilish," Amélie replied, smiling.

"Oh, please, call me Maggie," Mom insisted, pulling back to look at her. "I'm so glad Billie brought you. It's good to see her happy again."

I blushed a little at that, but Amélie just squeezed my hand, her smile never fading.

The photoshoot was a whirlwind of outfits, poses, and camera clicks. Even though I was used to this kind of thing, it felt different with Amélie there. Every time I caught her eye, she was smiling at me, giving me this quiet confidence I didn't know I needed.

At one point, during a quick break, my mom pulled me aside. "I've got some good news," she said softly, her expression a mix of hope and relief.

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a rush of anxiety. "What is it?"

"It's your dad," she continued. "He's doing better. The doctors say he's stable, and you might be able to visit him in the hospital soon."

A wave of relief washed over me, and I felt tears prick at my eyes. "Really?" I whispered, barely believing it.

Mom nodded, pulling me into a hug. "Yes, really. I know it's been hard, but things are looking up."

I hugged her back tightly, feeling a mix of emotions. Relief, hope, fear—everything was jumbled together, but knowing that Dad was getting better made it easier to breathe.

When we pulled away, I turned to look at Amélie, who was watching us with a gentle smile on her face. She must have sensed that something was up because she gave me a questioning look, and I just nodded. I'd tell her everything later, when we were alone.

The rest of the shoot went by quickly, and before I knew it, we were wrapping up. I was exhausted, but in a good way. Having Amélie there made everything feel less overwhelming, and I was grateful for that.

As we gathered our things to leave, Finneas came over and gave me a quick hug. "You did great today," he said.

"Thanks, Fin," I replied.

He nodded, then turned to Amélie. "And you, keep making her smile like that, okay?"

Amélie laughed, giving him a mock salute. "Yes, sir."

With that, we made our way outside, my hand firmly in Amélie's. As soon as we stepped out, I spotted the paparazzi. They were always there, like vultures circling, waiting for something to capture. Normally, it would have made me tense up, but today was different. I glanced at Amélie, worried about how she would react, but she just squeezed my hand tighter.

"It's okay," she whispered, her voice calm and steady. "I'm with you."

And just like that, I felt a weight lift off my shoulders. She wasn't just saying it to make me feel better, she really meant it. She had accepted that this was part of my life, part of our life now. And she was choosing to be here, with me, despite everything that came with it.

We kept walking, ignoring the flashes and the shouted questions. The world could see us, but they didn't know us—not really. They didn't know what we had, the connection we shared, the happiness we found in each other. And that was fine by me.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" I asked quietly as we made our way back to the car.

Amélie nodded, her eyes soft and sincere. "I am, Billie. I know it's not easy, but I'm not going anywhere. I want to be with you, whatever that looks like."

I felt a warmth spread through me at her words, my heart swelling with love and gratitude. "Thank you," I whispered, leaning in to kiss her cheek.

She smiled, leaning into my touch. "Of course. I'm just glad I get to be here with you."

As we reached the car, I opened the door for her, and we both climbed in, shutting out the noise and chaos outside. In here, it was just us, our little bubble of peace amidst the storm.

The city passed by in a blur outside the window, and for a while, we just sat there in comfortable silence, enjoying each other's presence. But I could feel a question bubbling up inside me, something that had been on my mind since the moment we met.

"Amélie," I started softly, turning to look at her. "Have you thought about what happens when I have to go back to America?"

She met my gaze, her eyes soft but thoughtful. "I have," she admitted. "And I know it's going to be hard, not seeing you every day, not waking up next to you. But I also know we can make it work. If that's what we both want."

I nodded, squeezing her hand. "I do want that. I want you, Amélie. I want us."

She smiled, a small, hopeful smile. "Then we'll find a way. We can visit each other, make time for calls and texts, whatever it takes. And who knows, maybe I can come to LA for a while, see what your world is like."

My heart swelled at the thought of her in my city, in my life in a more permanent way. "I'd love that," I whispered. "To show you around, to have you meet more of my family and friends."

Amélie leaned closer, resting her head on my shoulder. "And maybe someday, when things settle down, we can figure out something more... permanent," she added softly.

I nodded, feeling a flutter of excitement and nervousness at the thought. "Yeah, maybe someday."

The car ride continued in a comfortable silence, the kind that's filled with unspoken promises and shared dreams. It wasn't a perfect plan, but it was a start. And that was all we needed right now.

As we pulled up to her apartment, I turned to her and smiled. "No matter what happens, I'm just glad I have you, Amélie."

She kissed me softly, her lips warm against mine. "And I'm glad I have you, Billie."