Insomnia // Billie Eilish

Chapter 48

The bus finally stops and we get off. "Okay, where are we," Billie asks. We've been playing "Guess The State" since the rides can get a little boring.

I look around for a minute and gasp in excitement. "Billie, it's Waffle House! Oh my God, we have to go at some point."

"You're just avoiding the question, because you don't know where we are. You lose, Mackenzie."

"Actually, I can't believe that you didn't think I'd get this one, seeing as how I used to live here, Billie." I cross my arms. "We're in Oklahoma."

"Damnit." We start walking towards the doors of the hotel. "Waffle House doesn't sound like a very vegan-friendly place."

"Oh, it's really not. All we can really eat is hash browns, but we still have to go. It's just a great place."

She shakes her head and puts her arm around my shoulders, kissing my head. "Only for you, Cameron."

"Yay!"

-

"It's so cute and small," Billie says, smiling as we walk into Waffle House.

"Yeah. You should see it on Saturdays." I shake my head. "It's crazy."

Billie grabs my hand and pushes through the doors. Two girls run over to us, excitedly. "Oh my God. It's Billie Eilish."

Billie hugs them and talks to them for a minute. They both hand me their phones. "Can you take a picture of us?"

"Yeah." I take a few pictures and hand them their phones.

"Come on." I head to the back left corner. "This is my table, right here." I sit down next to Billie.

A waitress comes over, holding a notepad. "What can I get you ladies to dr-" She looks at me for a minute. "Holy fuck. Mackenzie?"

My mouth falls open, remembering her. "You're kidding, dude. Maria?"

"Hell yeah!" She laughs. "This is the last thing I expected to see today. Mackenzie Jones hanging out with Billie Eilish. You guys are friends?"

"She's my girlfriend," Billie corrects.

"Wait, you're..." She trails off.

"Gay," I finish her sentence. "Yes."

She nods. "Yeah, I wouldn't say that too loud around here, but that's cool... how's Lilly doing?" She smiles. "It feels like it's been forever since we hung out."

"Are you for real, dude?" I furrow my eyebrows.

Maria laughs a little and then tilts her head, looking between me and Billie. "Wha... did something happen to her?"

I clear my throat. "Lilly's dead."

"Oh, uhm... anyways, what can I get you guys to drink?"

"Water," we both reply, not quite in sync.

"Gotcha." She clicks her pen and walks away.

Billie squeezes my hand, reassuringly. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I'm okay."

A couple of minutes later, Maria comes back and gives us our drinks. "You guys know what you want to eat?"

"Mm-hm. Just give us a large hash brown, light and peppered."

"Okay."

We eat our food and talk for a little while. "Ready to go," Billie asks.

"Yep." I nod and she grabs my hand, standing up. We walk out the door just as a group of four walks in. Billie and I immediately stop when we see them.

"Dad?"

"Oh, Cameron. Uh—hi!" He looks at me wide-eyed. He has bags under his eyes and he's paler than usual. He looks terrible. Matt is holding Brian on his left and my mom is on his right.

"What the hell did you do to his hair?" I put my hand on Brian's shaved head.

Brian reaches out for me. "Camin." My heart clenches as he starts to cry. I can only imagine how terribly they must be treating him.

"We cut it," my mom says, pushing Brian's arms down as I reach up to hold his hand. "Don't let her hold him."

"What are you doing with her," I ask my dad.

"Visiting her since you made her leave. What does it look like I'm doing? I missed her."

"Well, what about me, dad?" I cross my arms. "What about my feelings? Am I not important to you anymore?" I can't believe I really thought he was done with her. Silly, me.

"You're being selfish, Mackenzie."

I laugh, angrily. "Oh, I'm being selfish? You decided to bring my abusive mother back into the picture, but I'm the one being selfish. Right." I nod, pursing my lips.

"Well, I don't see why you care. You're just living it up with your girlfriend aren't you?"

"You know what? I am." I smile, mockingly.

My mom scoffs and shakes her head. "You disgust me."

"I could say the same about you." I grab Billie's hand again. "Well, I think I've had quite enough of this, so goodbye."

We walk back to the hotel. "Are you okay?"

"I'm perfectly fine."

We get in the elevator and Billie starts teasing me. "Do you want me to hold your hand," she asks in her baby voice. I hope she gets stuck in an elevator one day.

"I really hate y..." I trail off when the elevator suddenly stops and the lights cut off. "Oh my God." I start pacing as I think. "What the fuck did I tell you? You were talking about how it basically never happens, but look at us now, Bil." I stop in front of her. "Look at us!"

"Calm down, killer. Everything's fine."

Our phones start going off, warning us that there is a tornado watch. "Is it, Billie? Is it?"

She sighs. "Yes, Mackenzie, it is. Finneas said that they're saying the elevator will be fine in about fifteen minutes."

I resume my pacing. "Elevators are terrible. I can't believe I told you and you didn't believe me."

"Calm down, Cam," Billie says, leaning against the wall. "Don't worry."

"No, Billie. I'm not worrying. You're not worrying. Nobody is worrying. You're just a delusional wackadoo!"

"What the fuck is a delusional wackadoo," Billie asks.

"You."

"You're insane." Billie pulls me closer to her and sits down, pulling me onto her lap.

"I am not."

"You're so annoying," she whispers, kissing my neck. Her hand slides under my shirt as she gently scratches my back.

I close my eyes and lay my head on her shoulder. "You're just mad that..." I furrow my eyebrows as I think, trying to remember what I was talking about. "You're just—um..." I shake my head, too tired to think. "I don't know."

She laughs. "You're so fucking cute." A few minutes later, the lights come back on and the elevator starts moving again. I stand up and Billie crouches down a little in front of me. "Come on."

I get on her back and wrap my arms around her neck. She takes us to our room and I unlock the door. "So, I was right. You were wrong. My hatred for elevators is reasonable."

"Blah, blah, blah." She sets me down on the bed and turns around to face me. "Shut up and kiss me, bitch."