BILLY & EVE (GirlxGirl)

Part 2 - I Don't Want To Know

"I don't wanna stand between you and love honey I just-"

"What are you listening too?"

Billy ripped her earphones off, "huh?"

"I said what are you listening too?" Eve asked.

"Oh ur, Fleetwood Mac, I Don't Wanna Know."

"Oh I love that album, Rumours right? Hey did you know when they wrote that album, none of the band were on speaking terms, and when they talked it was solely about the music." There was a light pause, then she added, "I think that's what makes the album so good, that friction? I think it worked for them."

Billy did know this, but she nodded anyway. "Yeah it doesn't always work for everyone - friction that is - but yeah, whatever they were doing it worked I think."

Eve smiled, then she nodded down to the fold up table Billy was struggling with, "hey do you need a hand with that?"

"Oh this? No I've got that hang of it, you've just got to, urm, flick this out - wait shit no, open this first, then hold tha-" with that the table collapsed in on itself and hit Billy in the shin "- ow holy fucking shit. Oh you motherfuckin-"

"Still alright or do you need a hand yet?"

Although Eve was only playing, Billy couldn't help but snap.

"No thanks. Actually is it ok if you go and, urm, help Jared bringing the drinks out. I'll deal with this," she said coldly, and kicked the table. It came out a little more malicious than she'd hoped but Eve got the message.

"Yeah no problem, just let me know if you need a hand." Eve turned to go, and Billy watched her, feeling a bit guilty, then Eve turned back.

"You know I'm not actually a bad person, I know you probably think I am, and that's fine, but just becasue Jared now has someone else in his life other than you, doesn't mean you get to be a bitch alright?"

Billy stared at her, eyes wide, a small smile on her lips. It was fair to say she had not expected that off of Eve, she wasn't entirely sure Eve had expected that of herself, as she looked a bit taken aback, before nodding and turning away. Billy turned back to the table and ran a hand through her hair. She smiled despite herself and bit her lip, kneeling down to the pile of table on the grass and folding the legs out effortlessly this time. When Eve walked out holding a crate of beer, Billy stared at her but Eve did everything not to catch Billy's eye.

When the tables were all set up, Billy wandered to the bottom of the garden and into the shack they had named the Bar. At the counter Jared was moving glasses from a crate and onto the shelves, he smiled at her when she walked in.

"Alright love what can I get for ya," he said with a shocking west country accent.

"Is it too early to start drinking?"

"Never. Pint of lager?"

"We don't have a pump you can't do me a pint."

"Alright fine but I can do you..." Jared glanced into the fridge. "A bottle of Peroni?"

"Yeah go on then."

Jared took the bottle from the fridge and banged the top on the counter. The cap didn't budge, so he took out a bottle opener and pried the top off, the beer fizzed up and overflowed onto the counter. Jared slid the beer across the bar to Billy who snatched it before it tipped over, she took a long gulp.

"So."

"What?"

"So..." Jared said again.

"What?"

"What do you think of Eve?"

Billy sighed, she knew this was coming. She never knew whether it was better to lie about her now and then reveal what she really thought after they'd broken up, or just save him the time and tell him to ditch her early. The last girlfriend Jared had Billy had lied and said she seemed lovely, and a few months later after he'd caught her cheating Jared had wondered where it had all gone wrong. Billy decided it wasn't worth lying, she didn't even like Eve that much.

"She's..." Billy trailed off and shrugged as she took another sip of beer. She pulled out a cigarette and offered Jared one, he declined and she lit hers.

"She's...?"

"She's fine."

"Oh come on, I want to know what you think."

"Why? What does it even matter what I think?"

"Becasue you're annoyingly good at reading people and knowing what they're like. I mean really like."

"You really want to know what I think?"

"Yes!"

"Ok I think she's a bit... I don't know, posh and clingy."

"Wow, ok don't hold back on the honesty there Bills. Christ."

She took a drag on her cig. "You said you wanted my honest opinion!"

"Yeah I just didn't think it would be so... honest."

Billy scoffed and rolled her eyes. She inspected the cigarette in her hand and they fell into a silence as Jared continued unloading the glasses. There was a sound of footsteps and the Bar door unlocked. Their Dad walked in and Billy hid the cig lamely behind her back.

"Jared do we need anymore glasses down here?" John asked.

"No Dad this should be enough."

"Ah alright. How many people are coming again tonight Jared?"

"About 100?"

"Oh ok, the usual crowd yes?"

"Yeah just the regulars."

"Brilliant ok." John paused. "Amelia are you smoking in here?"

"Don't call me that, and yes."

John sighed and shook his head, mumbling as he turned away. Billy returned the cig to her mouth. The Rangers were known for their large parties, and nearly the entire village would come once every few months for a large get together with live music, dancing and plenty of drinking. Billy loved the parties and enjoyed everyone's company, especially her friends from the village.

"Right go on then. Fuck off and make yourself useful." Jared said and pointed to the door. Billy drained the rest of her beer and flicked the cig into the top, scowling as she walked out of the Bar. As she left, she thought she heard something from behind the shack. She turned slowly.

"Morris?"

The slobbering mutt bounded out from behind the shack and Billy scratched him behind the ear as they walked back up towards the house.