VALERIE SAT at her kitchen table, sipping her morning coffee as she scrolled through social media. the sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow over her cluttered space. it was a quiet morning, and she was enjoying the stillness, but that was about to change.
her phone buzzed, breaking the calm. she glanced down to see a text from claire.
imessages
Claire Manager
need to talk. asap. call me when you're up.
valerie's heart quickened. claire was never this urgent unless something significant was happening. she quickly tapped the call button, anticipation building as the phone rang.
"val! good, you're up," claire said, her voice a mix of excitement and urgency.
"what's going on?" valerie asked, her curiosity piqued.
"you know that interview you did with jimmy?" claire began.
"yeah, what about it?"
"well, you're not going to believe this," claire said, barely able to contain her excitement. "billie's team saw it. they reached out to us this morning."
valerie froze, her mind racing. "wait, what? you mean... billie saw my interview?"
"yes! they were impressed with what you said about her and your music. they want to set up a meeting to discuss a potential collaboration," claire explained.
valerie's heart raced, a mix of disbelief and excitement swirling in her chest. "this can't be real. you're serious?"
"i'm dead serious. they're interested in connecting. it's still in the early stages, but this is a huge opportunity. we need to prepare you for this meeting," claire said, her tone shifting to all-business.
"wow. okay, wow," valerie replied, still trying to process the news. "what do we need to do?"
"let's start by brainstorming what you'd like to say. think about what you admire about her music, what you'd want to create together. i'll set up the meeting for later this week," claire instructed.
valerie nodded, even though claire couldn't see her. her thoughts raced as ideas began to form. this was it. the moment she had dreamed about for so long, and now it was happening. she could hardly contain her excitement.
"thank you for letting me know, claire. this is amazing," valerie said, a smile breaking across her face.
"of course! just don't tell anyone other than close friends, if you want to. we'll figure out the details together," claire reassured her.
after valerie hung up, she immediately called olivia, her fingers trembling with excitement. olivia picked up almost instantly.
"hey, what's up?" olivia asked, sounding casual but curious.
"liv, billie's team reached out to me. like, they want to talk. billie."
there was a brief moment of silence before olivia practically yelled, "what?! billie eilish? no way. oh my god, val, this is everything! she actually knows who you are?"
"i guess she does now," valerie said, pacing her apartment. "they saw the interview, and... yeah, they wanna meet."
"oh my god, this is huge. you must be freaking out! i'm coming over right now. we need to talk about this," olivia said, excitement rushing through her voice.
fifteen minutes later, olivia was at valerie's door, practically buzzing with energy. as soon as valerie opened the door, olivia pulled her into a tight hug. "you're meeting billie. i can't believe it! this is huge. you've been waiting for this moment for so long."
"i know," valerie said, pulling back and sitting on the couch. "it doesn't even feel real. i'm still processing."
olivia plopped down next to her, "this is a big deal, val. you've looked up to her for years. i remember all those times you'd talk about how her music got you through so much. now her team wants to work with you. it's insane!"
"right?" valerie said, her voice softening. "she's literally the reason i'm still here... and now this? i'm just... overwhelmed, in a good way."
"you should be," olivia said, beaming. "this is everything you've worked for. you're gonna crush it. but for now, let's watch something stupid and celebrate."
valerie smiled, feeling a wave of warmth wash over her. "yeah, that sounds perfect."
they made some popcorn, put on a random rom-com, and settled in. between bites of popcorn, they laughed at the cheesy dialogue and predictable plot twists, but olivia kept sneaking glances at valerie, a proud smile never far from her face.
"so, how are you really feeling about all of this?" olivia asked after a while, her voice a bit softer.
valerie sighed, pulling a blanket over her legs. "excited, but nervous, too. like... it's billie. she's such a huge part of why i'm still here, and now i'm about to meet her? it feels so surreal."
"it's not surreal, it's real," olivia said, nudging her. "and you've earned every bit of this. you deserve it, val."
valerie smiled, her heart a little lighter. "thanks. i just hope i don't freeze up or say something stupid."
"you won't," olivia said, tossing a piece of popcorn at her. "you're gonna nail it. but for tonight, no overthinking. we're celebrating."
valerie laughed. "deal."
for the rest of the night, they got lost in movies and laughter, and for a few hours, everything felt simple again, like they were just two friends hanging out without the weight of the world on their shoulders. but deep down, valerie knew everything was about to change, and for the first time in a long time, she was excited for it.
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