Kleptomania | Billie Eilish

Nine

Billie

"You excited?" I ask Maddie who's sitting in the passenger beside me as she bounces in her seat.

"Yeah," she looks over at me briefly as I drive, "I'm excited to see Xavier again. Jade too."

I picked up Maddie from her house about 5 minutes ago and now the two of us are heading the Xavier and Jade's small, beach get-together tonight. I hope Maddie isn't mad at the fact that we're like two hours late. She told me she couldn't stay long nor did I want to stay longer, so I made the assumption she wouldn't care if we showed late. But we're arriving soon for sunset, which not going to lie, I am looking forward to.

"Jade literally boasted about how cool she thinks you are the other night. So, I'm sure she's eager to see you too."

"Really?" she ridicules, "I didn't have such a great first impression with her." She rubs the back of her neck awkwardly.

"Oh? From the party? Jade doesn't give a shit about that, usually, she's the drunk one, " I blow raspberries.

"That's a relief, " she exhales, "how about you? Are you excited?"

I shrug, "to be honest with you, I fuckin' hate the ocean. Not really."

"What?" Maddie's mouth falls open, "why?"

"It's fucking terrifying! No fucking way am I swimming tonight. I really am only coming cause Xavier suggested bringing you with me." I see a small blush spread across Maddie's face in my peripheral vision.

I look over at her, "you blushing?" I smirk.

"No. That was sweet of Xavier to suggest, that's all," she responds cooly.

I hum, "if you say so, Peterson." I focus back onto the road as Maddie shuffles shyly in her seat, trying to hide the obvious pink displayed on her cheeks.

"Billieeee!" Xavier sings with a cup in his hand as Maddie and I walk through the sand. "Ohh, and you brought Maddie too," he smirks then brings me into a hug.

I push him off, "fuck off, yeah I did, don't make it a big deal."

"She's feisty today," he teases. Before I can spit something back Xavier greets Maddie. "Hey Maddie, I'm glad you came," he smiles softly, resetting himself to a calm manner after our usual tease sesh.

"Thanks for inviting me, it's good to see you again," Maddie rubs her arm shyly. Never have I seen Maddie so reserved, since I've known her, she's usually more confident.

"Come join us," Xavier leads us over to a small group, about 10 people total. There's two pop up tables with a variety of soda bottles, snack plates, bags of chips, beer cans, speakers, and more laid upon them. It looks like some of the people have been here all day since beach towels, surfboards, and umbrellas are dispersed in the sand.

"Hey guys!" a voice comes running up from the shore, it's Jade.
"I'm so glad the two of you came!" She says out of breath with her tangled, wet hair piled on the top of her head and a surfboard under her arm.
"Feel free to get a drink or some to eat," she drops her board in the sand.

"Thank you... do you uh- surf Jade?" Maddie gestures to the board.

Jade looks down at her surfboard briefly, "yeah, a little. My mom's taught me when I was young but occasionally I'll still catch a wave."

"Damn, that's sick! You might have to teach me this summer. Can I see your board?"

"Sure!" Jade sticks the surfboard in the sand for Maddie to look at. She runs her hand down the surface in awe.