The Artist / Billie Eilish

Chapter 3

I spun around to face the concerned voice, and instantly regretted my decision.

It was Billie.

Billie Eilish.

Not only the person who I've been hired to be in control of her creative department, who I have to follow around on tour, who I have to live with for the next year... My boss... But it's also Billie Eilish.

A slight laugh instantly snapped me out of my thoughts.

"I didn't concuss you, right? You good?" She smiled and cocked an eyebrow, sliding her hands into her pockets.

I could feel my face getting red, which only made her smile more.

"Yeah! No, I'm totally fine. Sorry. I just didn't, uh... I wasn't expecting..."

My stuttering was only making things more awkward for me, but I just couldn't seem to get my words out. After what felt like years of silence, Finneas put his hand on my shoulder.

"This is-"

"Rose." Billie interrupted, her smile never faltering. "I could tell. Your accent is a dead giveaway. Beautiful, but a dead giveaway." She quickly winked at me before turning and grabbing her friend by the shirt, playfully pushing her back inside - glancing at me once more before disappearing into the building.

I heard Finneas whistle.

"Well..." He chuckled, opening the door for me again. "Let's try this again. M'lady," he bowed mockingly, and I laughed at his silliness before finally entering the venue.

Maybe this will be a bit more fun than I was expecting.

•

Despite what Finneas said about everyone being 'douchebags', I've been taken into this little tour family with open arms.

Everybody is lovely.

Justin and Ethan even came along - they're mutual friends with Billie, and quite a few of their friends were hanging out at the soundcheck, so they thought they might as well come along to see me too.

I hadn't seen much of Billie since the awkward door incident, which I was grateful for. She probably thinks I'm a clutz now - which I am - but I usually conceal it until I've known someone for more than 0.3 seconds.

Mumbling something about going to get some water to Ethan, I exited the double doors of the green room where everyone was chilling. I wanted to try and find my luggage so that I could sketch some initial ideas based off of the tour merch I found lying around.

... But I had no idea where anything was.

The second I left the green room, it was like some sort of museum of doors. No signs, no security guards to help me, just a bunch of doors in a long hallway in a huge building in a city I've never been to.

No pressure.

I sighed, and aimlessly wandered through the hallway. Feeling too awkward to test out any of the doors, I just followed the corridor until it led to a small, black set of stairs.

"Well," I mumbled to myself. "Where else do I have to go?"

I skipped up the steps, pulling the curtain at the top to the side that was acting as a door, and i was met with...

Blinding light..?

Well, that wasn't what I was expecting. Am I dying? Did I literally just climb the staircase to heaven right now?... The staircase to heaven are some cheap little black steps in a corr-

My rambling thoughts were cut off by clapping.

And a laugh.

A familiar laugh.

Oh my god, no.

"So," I heard Billie mutter, "You wanted to start Ocean Eyes, huh?"

Suddenly the lights shut off, and I could see her smiling at me, trying not to laugh. She put her hands up in surrender, and clicked her tongue.

"Go for it, mamas. I ain't gonna stop you."

I already knew what'd happened.

Billie was looking up at me, I was looking down at her... Past the microphone in front of me.

I found the stage entrance.

In the middle of my new boss's soundcheck.

Great. Just great.