Everything I Wanted

The Talk - 34

Story sat in the back of the Uber, her fingers nervously fidgeting with the hem of her sweatshirt. The city lights of Los Angeles blurred past the window, but she could hardly focus on anything other than the rapid beating of her heart. She had spent the entire studio session distracting herself with music, but now that she was on the way to Billie's house, the reality of what she was about to face set in.

Her mind was a mess of emotions—excitement, nervousness, uncertainty. She and Billie had agreed to meet up, but neither of them had actually said why. Was this just a casual hangout? Were they going to talk about it? That kiss. The one that had taken her completely by surprise. The one that had made her feel things she wasn't prepared for.

The car slowed to a stop, and Story looked up to see Billie's house looming in front of her. Her breath hitched. This wasn't the first time she had been here, but something about tonight made it feel different. More intense. She swallowed hard, gripping the handle of the car door but hesitating before actually opening it. Get it together, she told herself.

Finally, she took a deep breath and stepped out of the Uber. The night air was cool against her skin, grounding her just enough to keep her legs from shaking as she walked toward the front door. With each step, her nerves intensified, and by the time she was standing in front of the door, she was nearly trembling.

She raised her hand to knock and then hesitated again. What if she regrets it? What if she doesn't even want to talk about it? What if she just wants to pretend it never happened? The thoughts swirled in her head, making her chest tighten.

Before she could overthink any further, the door swung open. Billie stood there, her bright blue eyes locking onto Story's instantly. For a moment, neither of them spoke. They just stared at each other, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the space between them.

Billie's lips parted slightly, as if she was about to say something, but instead, she just stepped aside, silently inviting Story in. Story nodded, stepping inside and exhaling softly as the door shut behind her.

The atmosphere was light at first. They settled onto Billie's couch, keeping things casual. They talked about music, Billie asked about the studio session, and Story told her about the song she had worked on with Gracie—though she conveniently left out the part about it being about her. They laughed, they reminisced, they filled the room with the same easy energy they always had. For a moment, it was like nothing had changed.

But something had changed. And no matter how much they tried to dance around it, the tension in the room made it clear that they couldn't avoid it forever.

Eventually, a lull settled over the conversation, and Story found herself chewing on her lip, feeling that anxious energy creep back in. Billie was quiet too, her fingers tracing patterns on the couch cushion, her expression unreadable.

Story took a deep breath. Just say something. Rip off the Band-Aid.

"So... about the other night," she finally blurted out.

Billie's gaze snapped to hers. For the first time that night, there was no more pretending. No more avoiding. It was just them, face to face with what had happened.

"Yeah," Billie said softly, her voice cautious but warm. "I figured we'd talk about it eventually."

Story nodded, tucking her legs underneath herself as she tried to organize her thoughts. "I—" She paused, exhaling sharply. "I wasn't expecting that to happen. And I kind of freaked out afterward."

Billie tilted her head, studying her. "I noticed."

Story winced. "I'm sorry," she said quickly. "It wasn't—it wasn't because I didn't want it to happen, I just—" She let out a frustrated sigh, running a hand through her hair. "I don't know. I got scared. I wasn't expecting to feel so... much."

Billie nodded slowly, as if she understood. And of course, she did. Billie had always been good at reading her, at sensing her emotions even when Story didn't know how to voice them properly.

"It's okay," Billie reassured her. "I get it."

Story met her gaze. "You do?"

Billie gave her a small, understanding smile. "Yeah. And for the record, I wasn't expecting it either."

That surprised Story. "You weren't?"

Billie shook her head. "No. I mean... maybe part of me hoped for it, but I wasn't planning on it happening. It just... did."

Story swallowed hard. "And how do you feel about it?"

Billie was quiet for a moment, as if carefully choosing her words. "I think it was real. And I think it meant something."

Story's heart stuttered in her chest. Hearing Billie say that out loud made everything feel even more real. More tangible. She suddenly felt like she was standing at the edge of something huge, something she wasn't sure she was ready for.

"I don't know what this means for us," Story admitted. "I don't know if I'm ready to—"

"You don't have to be," Billie interrupted gently. "We don't have to put a label on anything. We don't have to rush. We can just... see where this takes us."

Story searched Billie's face, looking for any sign of doubt, but all she saw was patience. Understanding. Care.

She let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Okay," she said softly. "Yeah. I'd like that."

Billie smiled then, and for the first time all night, Story felt the tension in her chest ease. They didn't have everything figured out. But for now, that was okay.

The rest of the night felt lighter. They went back to talking, back to laughing, back to existing in their own little world. The weight of uncertainty was still there, but it wasn't as heavy anymore. Because now, they were facing it together.

When it was time for Story to leave, Billie walked her to the door, her hands tucked into the sleeves of her hoodie. "So... I'll see you soon?" she asked.

Story smiled. "Yeah. Definitely."

And with that, she stepped out into the night, her heart feeling a little less confused, a little more open to whatever was coming next.

Words From Lana - 

SURPRISE!

Sorry it's so short but I just felt that this needed to be a chapter in itself, don't worry another update is still coming tomorrow!

Love,

Lana🩷