Beyond the lens - Billie Eilish

10 -

Ellie returned to Portland in the early morning, exhausted from her journey but mostly from all the thoughts racing through her mind. The concert, meeting Billie, the proposal... it all felt a little unreal. When she stepped through the door of her apartment, Joan and Aubrey greeted her with big smiles.

"So, how was it?!" Joan asked eagerly, grabbing her bag to help.

"We want all the details!" added Aubrey, even more impatient.

Ellie smiled, touched by their enthusiasm but also slightly overwhelmed by everything she had to share. She set her bag down in the entrance, took off her coat, and joined her friends in the kitchen, where they had settled in, ready to hear everything.

"Just give me two seconds and I'll tell you everything..." Ellie began, sitting down on a chair and taking a deep breath. "The concert was incredible. The energy, the lights, the crowd... it was insane. And the photos I took, I think they turned out really well." She bit her lip, a shy smile on her face.

"Really well?" exclaimed Aubrey, frowning. "Ellie, you know you're super talented, stop downplaying your work."

Ellie shrugged, still a bit hesitant to accept compliments. "You're right, they are amazing... but the craziest part is what happened afterward."

Joan and Aubrey exchanged intrigued glances. "What? What happened after?" Joan asked, leaning in closer.

"Well... after the concert, Billie sent me a message asking me to come to her dressing room so we could look at the photos together."

Aubrey's eyes widened. "Wait, what?! She invited you to her dressing room?! Isn't that moving a bit fast for you two?"

Ellie nodded, laughing lightly. "It wasn't like that, even though it was super intimidating at first. She's really cool and laid-back. We looked at my photos, which she loved once again. Finneas even stopped by and said she had talked a lot about me." Her cheeks flushed again as she recalled that moment.

"Finneas?! Billie talks about you to her brother?!" Joan seemed just as shocked as Aubrey.

"I know, I know... it was surreal." She smiled, then her expression turned more serious. "But that's not all. She made me a proposal."

The two roommates leaned in closer, as if every word from Ellie was a precious secret. "A proposal? What kind of proposal?" Aubrey asked, her eyes wide.

Ellie took a deep breath, realizing that this moment was going to change a lot of things. "Billie offered me the chance to follow her for the rest of her tour and capture photos for her and her team."

Joan and Aubrey fell silent for a moment, shocked by this revelation. Then Joan was the first to react, a huge smile spreading across his face. "Ellie! That's huge! It's the opportunity of a lifetime!"

Aubrey nodded, excitement clear on her face. "Yes, it's... amazing. So, you're going to say yes, right?"

Ellie lowered her gaze, nervously playing with her fingers. "I don't know yet..."

"You don't know?" Joan exclaimed. "Ellie, this is an incredible chance. Why hesitate?"

Ellie sighed, resting her elbows on the table, her hands supporting her head. "Because if I accept, it means I have to pause my studies. And my job at the café... I can't just abandon everything like that."

Aubrey leaned forward, placing her hand on Ellie's. "But do your studies really make you happy? Can you imagine continuing down that path for years?"

Ellie didn't answer immediately, thinking about these questions. Her history studies had never truly excited her. She had chosen that path by default, without real conviction. Her true passion was photography, that feeling of capturing moments, emotions, and stories through a lens. But was she ready to risk everything for that passion?

"I don't know," she murmured. "I mean... I love photography, that's clear. But giving up my studies is a big risk. And then there's the job. The café doesn't pay a lot, but it allows me to cover my rent and other things. If I hit the road with Billie, I lose all of that."

Joan shook his head, his eyes serious for once. "Ellie, there are moments in life when you have to take risks. Look where your passion has led you so far. You've been invited by one of the biggest artists right now to work with her. Do you think that happens to someone every day?"

Aubrey nodded. "He's right. And you could always go back to your studies later if you want. But this opportunity is now. If you let it pass, you might regret it."

Ellie listened carefully, every word from her friends touching her deeply. They were right. Her studies weren't a passion, and while she appreciated her job at the café, she knew it was just a temporary gig. But following Billie on tour was a dream she had never imagined possible. Still, a part of her struggled to let go. There was the fear of the unknown, of failure, of rejection.

"And what if I'm not good enough?" she said, almost in a whisper. "What if I can't capture what they expect from me?"

Joan placed a hand on Ellie's shoulder, a kind smile on his lips. "Ellie, you're already good enough. You wouldn't be where you are if that weren't the case. Billie offered you this because she believes in you. And I think you should believe in yourself too."

Silence fell in the kitchen as Ellie weighed the pros and cons in her mind. Her heart raced, torn between the safety of an ordinary life and the excitement of an opportunity that could change everything.

She looked at Joan, then at Aubrey, her closest friends who had always believed in her. She thought about Billie, about the proposal, about everything she could learn and experience by following the tour.

The answer suddenly became clear, as if the veil of her doubts had lifted.

"You're right," she finally said, her voice more determined. "I have to do it. I can't let this chance slip away."

A bright smile lit up Aubrey's face. "That's the right decision, Ellie. You're going to crush it."

Joan grinned, pride gleaming in his eyes. "We knew you'd make the right choice. And don't worry about everything else. We'll be here to help."

Ellie suddenly felt lighter, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She smiled, this time with a conviction she hadn't felt in a long time. "I'm going to say yes to Billie. And I'm going to give it my all."

Her friends applauded, joy filling the room. Ellie knew this choice would change her life, but she was finally ready to take the leap, to follow her dreams, no matter the cost.