Bloom- Billie Eilish

Chapter 3

          It was about four days later and I had a flight to catch the next morning so I could head home and pack my apartment up to move out to L.A. I was sitting at Lunar Coffee and Pastries with Billie, something we had grown custom to doing nearly every day. We were laughing about the weird old man in the corner of the cafe when she brought up the flight I had to catch soon.

          "So you're heading back to Atlanta in the morning, right?" Billie asked.

          "Yeah, I have to get home and pack my apartment. I'll pack for the day, turn my keys into my landlord, and start the painstakingly long drive from Atlanta to L.A. I am soooo not looking forward to 35 hours in a car, alone." I grumble, which only makes Billie laugh.

          "Well hey, once you move out here, you won't have to make that drive ever again. Have you found an apartment yet?"

          "Yep! I found a one bed, one bath in Buschwick Heights, it's about a ten minute drive from your place, and a five minute walk to Epitaph Records. I picked it because I really like the area and wanted the option to walk to work when it's nice out. You'll have to stop by when I get back and move in."

          She cocked her head at me in silence, suddenly slapping me on the arm. "Oh, bitch no, I'm helping you move IN! I'm bringing mom, dad, and Fin so we can get you all settled before you officially start with work."

           I laughed, replying with "Okay, deal, but the first thing we're setting up is my stereo system, and I get the aux!" I checked the time, it was 6 pm and the cafe was about to close. "I guess I'd better get going, my flight is at 6 am and I have to check out of my hotel before i head to the airport."

           "Alright. I'm gonna head home and record with Finneas. See you in a few days Jay, you'd better text me when you get to Atlanta." And with that, Billie left, and I headed back to the hotel.

          I woke up to my painstakingly loud alarm at around 4 in the morning. I caught a breath and shuffled to my suitcase, pulling out clean underwear, a hoodie, and some spandex shorts, knowing that I would be spending my day on a plane, packing my entire life up, and starting the long cross country drive from Atlanta back to LA. I rushed to the bathroom and changed, throwing the last of my shit into my luggage and rushing out of the hotel to catch an Uber to the airport.

          About five hours later, I was standing in the doorway of my apartment with my dad and a buttload of boxes in our hands. "So I'm gonna tackle my bedroom and the bathroom. If you could start the kitchenette and living area, that would be great." My dad just nodded and got busy, so I headed to my room and did the same. I started by folding my sheets and linens neatly into a box. I had pre-packed most of my clothes already, other than a few hoodies and undergarments. Next I grabbed a few fragile things like candles and small art sculptures and wrapped them up in my hoodies, setting them in the box with my linens. Then I tossed my books, notebooks, loose paper, and some bills into a smaller box. I threw in my pencil case with an assortment of pens, pencils, and sharpies. Once my room was packed away and everything was put into either my car or the u-haul attached to it, I went to my bathroom to pack the few non-essential things I had left, which mostly consisted of tampons, extra hair products, a curling iron, and my shower curtain. I boxed everything up, walked out to the living area, and saw my dad picking up the last box and making his way to the door. I grabbed my car keys and the key to the apartment, walking out the door and locking it behind me.

          "So I guess this is it then. I'm really moving across the country on a whim. I really hope this isn't a mistake." I thought aloud, earning a soft chuckle from my dad. We didn't have the best relationship because of the drama that came with me coming out and my mom disowning me, but he still cared for me.