Beyond the lens - Billie Eilish

8 -

The two girls stared into each other's eyes, a shared silence settling between them. Ellie, lost in the ocean blue of Billie's eyes, felt a small pang in her chest. It was one of those suspended moments in time where nothing else seemed to exist. The intensity of the scene contrasted with the casualness of their earlier conversation. Ellie could almost feel the weight of this budding, inexplicable connection, but very real. It was both exciting and unsettling.

Just as the silence became almost too heavy, a bark echoed behind the door. Ellie turned sharply, realizing that Livai was getting restless, probably tired of waiting alone. That familiar sound broke the tension between them.

"Oh my God, is that your dog?" Billie exclaimed with childlike excitement, jumping up. Without waiting for Ellie's response, she rushed to the door, clearly thrilled at the idea of meeting the dog. "I love dogs, you should've let him in," she added, opening the door gently.

Livai, who had been waiting for this moment, strolled in with his casual walk, his large ears perked up and tongue hanging out, clearly happy to finally leave his solitude. Billie instantly crouched down to his level, gently stroking his fur, her face lit up with a sincere smile. "He's gorgeous," she murmured, giving him a few scratches behind the ears. "What's his name?"

"Livai," Ellie replied, a bit surprised by Billie's sudden enthusiasm.

"Like from the anime?" Billie asked, amused, still focused on the dog, her eyes shining with happiness.

Ellie: "Yeah, exactly. He was my mom's dog originally."

Billie looked up. "Aww, it's so sweet that you brought him with you. Couldn't you have left him with your mom?"

Ellie felt a weight in her chest. The question was simple, natural, but she didn't know how to answer without killing the mood. It was a question she often faced, but saying that her mom had passed away was never easy, especially in such a light moment. She hesitated, searching for the right words.

"Well..." She paused, looking at Billie, who was still petting Livai. "Let's just say things are complicated right now."

Billie gave her a gentle look but didn't press further. "I get it, don't worry. I'm sure he's super happy with you." She turned to Livai, speaking softly to him. "I should bring Shark next time, you'd get a new buddy." She smiled at Ellie. "That's my dog, an adorable pit bull. He's waiting for me in Los Angeles."

Ellie felt relieved that the conversation didn't dig any deeper. She wasn't ready to share that painful part of her life yet.

Billie: "That reminds me, you know dogs can sense when we're stressed? Shark does it all the time when I come home after a show. He jumps on me like he's saying, 'Relax, everything's fine.'"

Ellie laughed softly, nodding her head as she knelt beside Billie to pet Livai. "Yeah, I know what you mean. Livai does the same. He really helped me get through some tough times."

Their eyes met again, this time lighter, less filled with unspoken emotions. The moment that had briefly stopped had now resumed its natural rhythm. Billie seemed completely at ease, and her reassuring presence made Ellie forget the slight discomfort she had felt earlier. Talking about their dogs, about something so simple and pure, lightened the atmosphere.

"You should really come to Los Angeles sometime," Billie said, breaking the silence with a smile. "That way you can meet Shark. And maybe we could shoot some more stuff. Not just concerts."

Ellie, surprised by the offer, felt her heart beat a little faster. "That would be awesome, really."

"Then it's settled," Billie replied with a wink, before standing up completely. "We'll make it happen someday."

Ellie stayed sitting on the floor, her hand on Livai's head, watching Billie head toward the corner of the room to grab a bottle of water. It all seemed surreal, as if what she was living couldn't possibly be real. But it was. She was there, with Billie Eilish, talking, sharing simple moments as if they had known each other forever.

Livai rested his head on Ellie's thigh, breaking her thoughts. She leaned down to gently scratch his ears, grateful for his calming presence. But at the same time, she couldn't help wondering what the future held for her. Billie had already made some generous offers, but was this really something she would dare to pursue?

Billie came back over, sitting on the couch with a smile. "It's so cool that you came all the way out here, you know. Chicago's an amazing city, and this show was important to me."

Ellie smiled back, still a little overwhelmed by everything that had just happened. "Thanks for inviting me, really. It was such an incredible experience, and I'm glad I could capture all of it."

Billie nodded, taking a sip of water. "I told you, you've got real talent, right?" She gave Ellie a knowing look before glancing back at Livai. "And it looks like your assistant agrees."

They both burst out laughing, and the tension from the previous moment completely vanished. It was nice, natural, as if everything had fallen into place perfectly. But deep in her mind, Ellie couldn't help but think back to that moment, that shared glance, and the small flutter she had felt. Maybe it was just admiration, maybe a little more.

But for now, she preferred not to think too much about it. There was still so much to come.