BLUEPRINTS || Billie Eilish

Concrete

It had been two long weeks since Billie had seen any sign of the construction crew. The rain had been relentless, turning her backyard into a mud pit, making it impossible for the work to continue. The silence of her empty yard had been a strange contrast to the usual buzz of activity she had grown used to. But yesterday, Miguel had called her with good news. The forecast finally showed clear skies for the week, and they'd be back to work.

Now, she was lounging on her porch, earbuds in, legs stretched out on the outdoor couch, the sun gently warming her skin. Billie had been trying to pass the time with a new hobby—reading. It was a small hobby to combat the boredom that snuck up on her during days off. It wasn't exactly her thing, but the calm it brought was a nice change of pace. Her latest read was gripping enough to keep her attention, though she found herself getting lost in thought every few pages.

She flipped a page, fully absorbed in the story, when suddenly she caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She screamed, nearly launching her book into the air as she scrambled up from the couch. Standing in front of her, looking equally startled, was Kai.

"Holy shit!" Billie yelped, clutching her chest as she sat up straight. Kai stood in front of her, looking just as startled by Billie's reaction. Billie pulled out her earbuds, heart still pounding. "How long were you standing there?" she asked, catching her breath.

Kai's eyes widened, clearly feeling guilty for scaring her."I'm so sorry, ma'am. I just got here, I swear! I'm not a creep or anything." she said quickly, her hands raised in defense. "I was just wondering if you could open the gate for me," she explained.

Billie laughed softly, waving off Kai's worry. "I don't think you're a creep," she said, locking eyes with her for a brief moment before standing. "Let me grab the keys."

She hurried inside, heart still thudding in her chest, not only from the scare but from the unexpected jolt of energy that always seemed to accompany Kai's presence. She shook her head as she grabbed the gate keys from the kitchen counter.

When Billie returned, Kai was leaning against her truck, phone in hand, chuckling at something on the screen. Billie couldn't help but feel a bit curious. "Funny text?" she asked, approaching with a slight smile.

Kai glanced up, shoving her phone into her pocket with a bashful smile. "Yeah, just something dumb," she said, her cheeks tinged with a hint of pink as she pushed herself off the truck.

Billie nodded, though she couldn't help but wonder more about who Kai was texting. Shrugging off her curiosity, she led the way to the side gate.

Unlocking the gate, Billie pushed it open and let Kai through. "Where's everyone else?" Billie asked, now realizing that the usual crowd of construction workers was absent. "Miguel, the other guys..."

Kai pulled her hair back into a loose ponytail as she walked back to her truck. "I'm working solo today," she said, her tone casual but focused. "We got really behind with all the rain, a lot of time lost, so we're splitting up to cover more ground and get back on schedule."

Billie hesitated, a small frown tugging at her lips. "Are you sure you don't need help?" she asked, a note of concern creeping into her voice. "You seemed pretty wiped out the last time you stayed for dinner... and now you're working alone?" she asked, her voice filled with worry.

Kai gave a soft laugh, glancing at Billie with a playful smile. "I appreciate the concern, but I'm fine. I was just under the weather last time. Feeling a lot better now," she said as she opened the back of the truck, revealing several bags of concrete stacked inside. "Plus, you do realize you're paying me to work for you, right?" she teased, as she reached into the truck bed to pull out a heavy wagon.