Hostage to you

Backstage

Raven's POV

It's been one of those nights where everything seems to be going according to plan. The show's over, the crew is cleaning up, and the venue is starting to clear out. I'm backstage with Billie, checking out the area as part of my usual post-show routine, when suddenly the door behind us slams shut.

Billie and I both turn, our eyes locking on the door. I walk over and pull the handle. Nothing.

"What the...?" I mutter, yanking harder.

Billie steps up beside me, peering over my shoulder. "Is it stuck?"

I twist the handle again. "It's not budging."

"Great," Billie sighs, leaning against the wall. "We're locked in."

I glance around the small storage room we've been wandering through, the walls lined with old equipment and crates. "There's gotta be another way out."

But there isn't. After a quick scan of the room, it's clear the only way out is through the door we came in.

"And?" Billie asks.

I pull at the door one more time, but it's clear we're not getting out without help. "Nope."

Billie sighs, sliding down to the floor and pulling out her phone. "I'll text someone to get us out."

I lean against the wall, arms crossed, watching as she types a quick message to one of the crew. The room is small, filled with crates and old equipment, and the air feels heavy. Billie glances up at me after sending the text, her smile a little tight.

"At least we're not stuck in here forever," she jokes.

I smirk. "Could be worse."

She tilts her head, her eyes locking on mine. "Could it?"

There's something in the way she says it that makes the air feel thicker. Billie's still sitting on the floor, and I notice how close we are, how the space between us feels smaller than it should. Her knee brushes mine as she shifts slightly, and for a second, I wonder if it was an accident.

"We've been in worse situations, right?" I say, trying to keep things light.

Billie's grin widens, her eyes flicking over me. "I don't know... this one's not so bad."

The tension hangs between us, subtle but there. I can feel it growing with every second that passes, every glance that lasts just a little too long. Billie's gaze drops to my mouth, and my heart skips a beat, but I force myself to stay calm.

She leans forward a little, her knee pressing more firmly into mine. "You ever think about..." She pauses, biting her lip. "What if I kissed you right now?"

My breath catches, and for a second, I can't think straight. She's so close, her voice low and teasing, and it's like we're teetering on the edge of something neither of us expected.

I clear my throat, trying to play it off. "Is that something you're thinking about?"

Billie smirks, her lips inches from mine. "Maybe."

There's a charged silence between us. I can feel her breath on my skin, and for a moment, I think she's going to do it. She's right there, close enough to touch, and I'm not sure if I want to stop her.

"If I kissed you," I murmur, "what would you do?"

Billie leans in even closer, her voice barely above a whisper. "Guess there's only one way to find out."

My heart pounds in my chest as we inch closer, the tension between us snapping like a live wire. Our lips are just about to meet when—

A loud knock on the door shatters the moment.

"Billie? Raven? You guys in there?"

We both jerk back, laughing awkwardly as the staff worker on the other side of the door manages to get it open. Billie pushes herself up quickly, brushing off her clothes, but I can see the way her cheeks are flushed.

The staff worker gives us an apologetic look. "Sorry about that. Door's been sticking all night."

"No worries," Billie says, her voice a little breathless. "Thanks for getting us out."

As the staff worker walks away, Billie and I stand there for a second, the air still heavy with whatever almost happened between us. I glance at her, and she's already looking at the ground, her smile awkward.

And then it gets worse.

"I—uh—sorry, I didn't mean to..." Billie stammers, rubbing her hand through her hair, clearly flustered. She laughs nervously, looking anywhere but at me. "That wasn't... I didn't mean to make it weird."

"No, no, it's fine!" I say too quickly, trying to keep my voice steady but stumbling over my words. "I mean, we're just... locked in and... you know."

We both laugh, but it's awkward, the kind of laugh that's meant to fill the uncomfortable silence that follows. I take a step back, almost tripping over a crate behind me, and Billie reaches out instinctively, her hand brushing mine before she pulls away just as fast.

"Careful," she mutters, her voice barely above a whisper. Her cheeks are still pink, and I can feel my face heating up too.

"Yeah, uh... thanks," I mumble, feeling like a complete idiot for how clumsy this whole thing has become.

We stand there for another moment, both of us too flustered to say anything meaningful, the weight of the almost-kiss still hanging between us like a cloud we can't shake. Billie clears her throat and gestures toward the door.

"Guess we should... go," she says, her voice still a little shaky.

"Yeah," I agree, nodding way too fast. "Definitely."

We make our way out of the room, the silence between us now awkward and thick, like we're both trying to pretend that nothing just happened—or almost happened. As we walk down the hallway, Billie keeps her eyes forward, and I do the same, both of us too embarrassed to acknowledge what nearly happened.

"Well," Billie says as we reach the end of the hall, her voice a little lighter now, though there's still that awkward edge. "That was... interesting."

I laugh, but it's strained. "Yeah. Interesting."

There's a pause, and for a second, it feels like she's going to bring it up, but then she just nods, flashing me a tight smile. "Thanks for... uh, for not making it more weird."

"Anytime," I reply, my voice still shaky.

We part ways, but the awkwardness stays with me long after she's gone.