Adopted by Austin Carlile

Hello Stranger, I'm a Disaster, this Brutal Love

"We're here," I heard Billie's voice float like a leaf in the breeze through my hazy, blurred line of consciousness.

"Come at a different time please, I'm a little busy at the moment," I said and reached out blindly with my hand, trying to figure out how to shut this annoying alarm up. Finding something soft and warm, I proceeded to press it in various places, but instead of finding the right button, something grabbed my hand by the wrist and gently pushed it away.

"I'll go get some ice cream then, you little drunkard. You just stay in the car and try not to blow it up or anything," the mysterious voice said, then there was the sound of a car door opening, then slamming shut.

Why is this world so damn loud?

I brought my fingers to my temples and counted to ten, then opened my eyes and looked around. I was sitting in Billie's car, the sun's rays lazily making their way through the side window and falling on top of my bare legs. I reached over and cranked up the AC, running my hand through my disheveled, messy hair and glanced out through the windshield.

Billie was in Carvel, holding two giant cones topped with vanilla swirls tall enough to resemble the Eiffel Tower. He somehow got the door open, and while he stumbled over to the car, I reached over the driver's seat and opened it for him.

"Here you go my little strawberry," he said and held out the ice cream cone to me, wearing the cutest smile.

"Thank you my little...watermelon?" I said dubiously, and started licking it.

"If you're calling me fat, there are worse ways to do so. I tend to like watermelons," Billie said and licked his ice cream.

"What else can you lick like that?" I asked seriously. He choked on his ice cream and accidentally banged his head against the steering wheel, which issued an ear-splitting horn.

"There are too many things wrong with this world," he said, holding on to his forehead and starting to lick his ice cream which had time to lazily make its way down his hand in several streams.

"You complain too much," I said just as my cell rang. Glancing at the screen I saw that it was Andy. Nope, can't deal with this situation right now. I quickly shut off my phone and looked back at Billie, who was looking at me with an accusing and curious gaze.

"I can't deal with this shit right now!" I said and glanced away.

"I don't blame you. So what do we do?" he asked me. I heard the uncertainty in his voice – do what about what? Do we run away? Do we live in secret and pretend like nothing is happening to our friends and neighbors and then meet in secret? Do we forget each other for good?

Looking into his bottomless eyes, I realized the last option is clearly out. This feels like a fucking twilight story.

"I guess try to make it work? I mean as long as Austin doesn't find out...and everyone else, but he's the one who's most likely to destroy you," I said.

He seemed lost in thought for a second and then absent mindedly nodded his head.

"We're having a concert a couple states over for one of those anniversaries crap and I was wondering...you want to come?" Billie asked, looking everywhere but my face.

"I would love to!" I yelled.

"Really?" he asked, his eyes hopeful.

"Hell yeah, it's like one of those fanfictions!" I yelled louder and started jumping up and down in my seat.

"Thank goodness, you'll enjoy it too!" Billie said, mirroring my energy and happiness back at me.

Somewhere around there, we ended up a little too close to each other and his lips found mine, and just like a moth violently bumps into a lightbulb, we engaged in a passionate kiss.

After we pulled away, he murmured, "We should head back,"

I silently agreed as he put the car in drive after throwing his napkin out the window.

*an hour later, back in Austin's house*

Billie and I walked through the front door just in time to witness madness known as my house.

"I say we need to get a chimney!" Alan yelled at Austin and commandingly slapped the table.

"It's physically impossible Alan. Physically. Impossible." Austin said in a tired voice and brought his hands to his temples and rubbed them.

"Without the chimney, Santa can't get in!" Alan yelled, his cheeks flushing red.

"Do you really still believe that Santa is real?" Billie asked from behind me, his voice colored in disbelief, curiosity, and amusement.

Alan slowly turned around, like they do in horror movies, revealing a scary grimace, his face the same color as his hair. He opened and closed his mouth like a fish out of the water, and then got enough footing to say, "HEY! Mr. Know-it-all-punk-rock-king-idiot! Do you know what? Instead of judging me, get your stupid guyliner and GO HOME!"

"Alan, stop being mean and calm down! If your house doesn't have a chimney, Santa can deflate his body and squeeze beneath your doorway!" Austin said and put his hands on Alan's shoulders.

Alan lost all the color in his face and asked quietly, "What is wrong with you?" then shook his head, refusing to look at Austin, and walked away.

"What, what did I say?" Austin asked, surprised.

"You're a creepy big fellow," Billie said from behind me.

"And you're a strawberry pop-tart," I said to Billie. I turned around to look at him and saw him looking at me.

"Ohhhh," he said, looking surprised.

"Thank you Jinxx," Austin said thankfully.

"I have to ask you something important," I said just as Austin turned away.

"What is it sweetie?" he asked, and turned back to me.

"Well Billie asked me to join him and his band to go on their concert a couple states over...is it okay with you?" I asked carefully.

"I promise to take very good care of her," Billie piped up from behind me. I tried my best to ignore the impulse to elbow him in the ribs.

"Well..." Austin looked from me to Billie. His face contorted in concentration and after a couple of tense minutes he slowly nodded his head and said, "Fine, but I'll have to video chat with you every day, no excuses,"

"Yes, sure," I said.

"It'll be great, you'll get to see the awesomest band in existence perform, aka me!" Billie said.

"Aww well look at you, you're so cute when you talk about things you're passionate about," Austin said sarcastically.

"Unless you're Hitler," Billie said, sensing the sassiness.

"Yeah, then you're only nein times cuter," I couldn't help but say.

"No, stop, just...stop," Austin said, putting his hands palms up and walked away.

Well excuse me!