Property of Billie Eilish (✓)

002

I tapped my pen against the table during lunch. My eyes never left my notebook, my brain spitting out words that bled out onto the page before me.

-

I watched Billie sits alone on the other side of the cafeteria, her pen tapping against the table nonstop. I was supposed to be over there with her, but I couldn't help but be afraid. She yelled at me and then started going crazy. I didn't want her to have another...episode, so I guess it's best I stay away.

"What happened with the new girl?" A group of girls I had seen around but never spoke to asked me. I glanced back at Billie, and then clenched my jaw.

"Nothing" I said politely. The girls all stopped smiling and groaned. "Come on, Riley, don't be a bitch"

"What?" I said, feigning innocence. They continued to try and get information out of me, and then left and started towards Billie. Her head snapped up, her face blank. My body reacted before my brain did, and I ran to the table where Billie was and stood in front of her.

"Um. Can you move?" One of the girls said, and I froze. What the hell was I doing? I swallowed and shook my head.

"Leave her alone, alright?" I stood up taller when they refused to move "Go. Now"

The girl at the front looked at her friends and sighed. They all went back to their table, and I walked back to mine, grabbed my bag, and then sat across the table from Billie. Her eyes found mine, and her lip twitched.

"Were they trying to hurt me?" she asked, tapping her pen against the table "You acted like a bodyguard"

"They're just trying to ask you about what happened in the hallway this morning" I shrugged "I just- I don't know. I assumed you didn't want to be questioned by a bunch of people"

She nodded and looked down at her notebook "I don't like people at all" she mumbled. "But you kept them away from me. They tell me you're safe, so i am going to trust you. They don't think you're part of the" her eyes met mine again, and she blinked "Plot. The plot"

"Um, cool. I like your hair"

I was expecting a small smile or something, but the usual blank expression took over her otherwise beautiful features.

"Great.." I cleared my throat "I'm Riley."

Billie still said nothing, her pen continuously tapping against the table. Her eyes were clouded as she stared into space, her lips moving. I couldn't hear her over the noise of the cafeteria, and I didn't care to know what she was saying. She was obviously challenged or something, and I was taught to stand up for people who were otherwise defenseless.

"Billie?" I asked after a few minutes of silence. She didn't say anything, nor look at me. She just kept tapping her pen against the table and talking to herself. Eventually, she looked up at me and tilted her head to the side a little. "Will you let me take you to the rest of your classes? it's my job, and I don't want to get in trouble"

She blinked and her eyebrow started twitching. She closed her eyes, opened them again, yawned, and then nodded, closing her notebook. I watched her for a while, admiring her beauty. Her eyes flickered up to mine for a moment, and she shook her head at me.

"Can you read minds?" She asked, and I furrowed my eyebrows. "If you can read my mind, please try not to. That's an invasion of privacy"

"I can promise you, I can't read your mind"

"Then why are you staring at me?" she murmured, her eyes narrowing and lip starting to twitch. Uh oh.

"Uh- I just think you're pretty-" I blurt out, trying to keep her from having an episode. She doesn't respond, but it's better than her screaming at me. We spend the rest of lunch in silence, and when the bell rings, Billie's eyes find mine, waiting for me to lead her.

When i got up, she followed. I took her schedule and lead her upstairs to Algebra. It took me a moment to realize we had the same class. The teacher pulled Billie aside and spoke to her in a low voice. Billie avoided eye contact and rolled her shoulders back, walking away while the teacher was still talking.

"Alright, Alright, It's the first day of school. How about some ice breakers?"

**

"My name is Riley, I'm 16, and my favorite color is yellow" I sighed, sitting down. My eyes flicker to Billie, who was a few seats behind me. It was going in reverse order by rows, meaning her turn was coming up soon. Billie was still seated, and her eyes were down, pen moving against her notebook as she wrote. The boy in front of Billie sat down, and then all eyes were on her.

"Who's next?" The teacher asked, pointing to the girl behind Billie "It's your turn"

"This girl didn't even go" she says "If she doesn't have to, then I don't have to"

a few people chuckled and mumbled in agreement. Billie was still oblivious to what was going on, flipping the page in her book and continuing to write.

"She is an exception, and as long as she is in this class, she will continue to be an exception. Now, stand up and introduce yourself before you fail your first participation grade" the teacher says, her voice sharp. I smile a little to myself, liking this woman already.

After school, I sit next to Billie on the bus. She doesn't speak to me, and I don't expect her to. Her fingers tap on he journal, and I finally read the words written on the piece of tape.

Property Of Billie Eilish.