Dirty Little Secret

The Invitation

Billie Eilish threw herself onto her couch, exhaling as she scrolled through Instagram. The day had been long—studio sessions, interviews, and another photoshoot that she'd barely managed to survive without rolling her eyes at least once. Fame was great and all, but the constant glamorizing could wear her out. She was ready to just chill.

As she scrolled, a notification popped up. Sam Golbach tagged you in a post. Billie's eyebrow shot up. Sam Golbach? She didn't know him personally, but she knew about him and his friend Colby. Sam and Colby's YouTube channel had blown up because of their ghost-hunting videos. She'd even watched a few herself; they were intense—and honestly, pretty hilarious.

Curious, she clicked on the notification. It opened to a short video, Sam in his usual laid-back hoodie, a bit of stubble showing as he leaned against what looked like the rusted gate of an old mansion. His eyes sparkled with a bit of mischief as he grinned into the camera.

"Hey, Billie!" he began, nodding toward the spooky building behind him. "So, I know you're into dark and creepy vibes too, so Colby and I thought...why not invite you out to one of our ghost hunts? We're heading to this mansion that's supposed to be seriously haunted. If you're down, we'd love to have you. Only question is..." He leaned closer to the camera, waggling his eyebrows. "Are you scared?"

Billie snorted, replaying the video. Did he just challenge me? Her instinctive reaction was a bit of hesitation—she didn't know Sam and Colby, and exploring a haunted mansion with them seemed like a jump into the unknown. But the invitation stirred something in her, a spark of curiosity and thrill she hadn't felt in a while. Besides, a break from the usual routine sounded amazing. She typed a quick response.

Billie: Scared? Me? Alright, when do we start?

She barely had time to put her phone down before she saw the little typing dots pop up. Sam's response was practically immediate.

Sam: Yo, no way! You're serious? Tomorrow night. Old Saint Claire Mansion—it's creepy, but the ghosts might enjoy a Grammy-winner visiting. 😜

Billie: If they don't, I'll just sing 'em to sleep, no worries.

Sam: 😂 Deal! Alright, meet us at 8. And bring a flashlight, just in case.

As the conversation ended, Billie realized she was actually looking forward to this. Sure, a haunted mansion was about as far from her comfort zone as it got, but it was a chance to leave behind the high-stakes world of music for a night and dive into something unexpected—and a little crazy.

The Next Evening

The night of the ghost hunt came quickly, and Billie found herself driving down a dark, winding road toward Saint Claire Mansion. The mansion was a well-known urban legend in the area, rumored to be haunted by its former owner, a 19th-century artist who had gone mad and mysteriously disappeared. As she approached, she felt her pulse quicken—not from fear exactly, but from the thrill of stepping into the unknown.

She pulled up to the gated property and spotted Sam and Colby standing near the mansion's entrance, illuminated by the faint beam of a flashlight. They waved as she got out of her car.

"Billie Eilish, reporting for duty!" she called out, her voice echoing across the empty lawn.

"Billie Eilish in the flesh! Alright, we're officially cool now," Colby teased as he gave her a casual salute.

Sam grinned, tilting his head toward the mansion. "Welcome to the Saint Claire Mansion. This place supposedly has a few spirits who aren't too keen on visitors, but, you know, we figured you might charm them."

"Or scare them away," Billie joked, shrugging. She looked up at the mansion, trying to ignore the creeping sensation that prickled her skin. The house was towering and imposing, shrouded in shadows, its windows like dark eyes watching her approach.

As they made their way inside, Billie kept her tone light, throwing out sarcastic comments to hide any nerves that might be creeping in. "Just so you know, if any ghosts decide to mess with me, I'm blaming both of you," she said, glancing between Sam and Colby.

"Hey, we'll take full responsibility," Sam laughed, holding his flashlight out in front of them as they walked down a dusty corridor. "Though I'm pretty sure you'll be the one scaring them."

As they explored the main hallway, Billie couldn't help but relax around Sam and Colby. They were both funny, genuinely nice, and took turns cracking each other up with jokes that made the atmosphere less eerie. Sam kept glancing over, apparently amused by how at ease she seemed. She rolled her eyes every time he gave her a raised eyebrow, as if he was waiting for her to freak out.

"Gotta admit, Billie," Sam said, "you're taking this ghost-hunting thing a lot better than most people we bring along. Colby usually tries to pretend he's fine, but I can tell when he's terrified."

"Hey, don't throw me under the bus!" Colby shot back, but he was laughing too.

Billie shrugged, hands in her pockets. "Guess I'm just tougher than I look. Besides, what's the worst that could happen? Ghosts don't exactly bite."

"That's what you think..." Sam said in a mock-serious tone, shining his flashlight on her face to give her an exaggerated 'scary' look.

She snorted, pushing the light out of her eyes. "Wow, terrifying. Almost as scary as when I wake up in the morning."

Moments Later

They moved into a room with peeling wallpaper and a broken chandelier that looked like it might fall at any second. Sam pulled out his phone, preparing to record their next segment for the video. As he hit record, he lowered his voice to sound more mysterious.

"We're here at the infamous Saint Claire Mansion with none other than Billie Eilish, who, so far, seems totally unfazed by the creepy vibe," Sam narrated.

"Oh, please. This place? I've had creepier green rooms at concert venues," Billie deadpanned, giving the camera a mock-serious expression that had Sam and Colby chuckling.

But as they ventured deeper into the mansion, the eerie quiet began to set in, and Billie could feel a chill crawl up her spine. The longer they stayed, the more the place felt...alive, as if something was watching them. When the floor creaked unexpectedly, Billie jumped a little, then quickly turned it into a joke, punching Sam lightly on the arm.

"Alright, maybe I'll admit this place is a little freaky," she muttered, glancing around the dark room. "But don't go thinking I'm scared or anything."

"Of course not," Sam replied, smiling but with a hint of genuine curiosity in his eyes.

For now, she held her ground, finding herself laughing with these two strangers in an abandoned mansion, wondering what other secrets this place—and maybe even they—might hold.