Kleptomania | Billie Eilish

Eighteen

(Play "Bad Decisions" by The Strokes this chapter if you want an audiovisual.)

Maddie

"Come on, don't worry you won't fall," Billie reassures me as I try to join her in the hammock. I've been trying to climb into this hammock for a solid ten minutes now. It's high up in the tree so you have to climb up a small ladder. Bil's dad put two hammocks up in the two large oak trees in her backyard, one for Bil, one for Fin.

"You know what I'm just gonna sit in Finneas' hammock," I start to climb down towards the other hammock lower in-between the trees.

"No no, try again," Billie grabs my hand pulling me back up softly. "Please," she pouts. "The view is way better up here anyway."

I roll my eyes at her, "is it worth falling out of a tree?"

She laughs and shrugs, "probably not, but it's worth cuddling with me."

She grabs both my hands and pulls me up and into the hammock. I lie on her stomach, struggling to sit up. I start to slide around a bit, which causes my stomach to drop a little. I ignore the panic streaming through me and try to get comfortable, my hands gripped tightly on the sides.

"Bil, don't let me fall," I say with fear. She grabs my waist and pulls me back up next to her.

I lay almost on top of her, her arm around me, "I gotcha'. Now you can't make fun of my fear of the ocean, you're literally afraid of heights."

"Shut up," I mutter. "This isn't that bad."

"Oh yeah?" Billie begins swinging the hammock using her body's momentum. Which causes my stomach to drop immediately.

"Billie! Stop that!"

She laughs, "sorryy." She stops moving the hammock and I exhale deeply after we slow down.

"Go die in a ditch you asshole," I mumble harshly.

She ignores my comment and I lean in closer to her, resting my head on her chest. We lie in silence, watching the sun go down.

She plays with the ends of her hair, running her hands slowly through my dark brown hair. Her fingertips meet my scalp and gently scratches my head.

"Don't stop that," I say with my eyes closed. She chuckles softly and continues the head scratches.
After a few minutes, she stops and I let out a long whine.

"My hand is sore," she says.

I shake my head slightly with a chuckle. I enjoy her presence for a bit, enjoying the moment I have with her. Then, a sudden idea pops into my head. I quickly sit up, looking down at Billie.

"Can we get something to eat?" I ask.

"I don't got any money."

"You know we don't need money to get food," I smirk.

She gives me a look, "Maddie, come on. You know that we shouldn't."

"The last time I checked, you had a lot of fun lifting with me."

She bites her lips in thought, "you're not wrong but I don't want you to do something you'd regret, and what if-"