her ocean eyez

chapter 8

"Please," Billie said, looking up at me. She was leaning against the barricade, her head resting on my left arm that had wrapped around her, leaning on the barricade. "It'll be fun."

I looked down at her to meet her gaze. "Do they know?"

"Know that you pushed me up against a wall a couple hours ago?" I rolled my eyes and bit the inside of my cheek. "No. They don't know that."

"Not what I meant."

"Yes, they know. Now," She pushed herself up from the barricade and grabbed my hand. "Will you come?"

I sighed. "It'll be fun?"

"Yes." She pulled me from the barricade and dragged me through the crowd until we'd reached backstage. I grumbled a little, but let her pull me along. I fell in step with her as we walked toward the golf cart line.

"I'm driving, though."

"Whatever you say."

About an hour later I found myself sitting, one knee up, the other leg outstretched on the carpeted floor of an Indio home, Uno cards in hand. I placed a card down.

"Draw four...blue," I said.

Billie grumbled as she reached for the draw pile. "Bitch." Finneas, diagonal from where I was sitting went next. Claudia was across from me, who, as I recently learned, was shit at Uno. She had complained when Billie mentioned she wanted to play, commenting that the pair of siblings rope her into a game everyday. Conversation would strike up amidst the game and often we'd forget who's turn it was.

"Okay, but the jazz chords Ariana threw into thank u next?" Billie said looking at her brother as she placed a card.

"Oh my god, brilliant," Finneas said, leaning in. His eyes lit up as he launched into a detailed description of how they should throw that into a song they were working on. Billie would interject with her own ideas, either in agreement with Finneas or an argument would begin.
Claudia looked at me and half-whispered, "They do this a lot." She placed a card. "You'll get used to it." She smiled and I appreciated her way of making me feel a part of the "family" dynamic.

I watched Billie for a moment, as she frowned and crossed her arms, not happy with what Finneas had just said. I turned back to Claudia. "It's cute." I placed a card, shoving Billie. "Your turn."

"Uno!" She declared, triumphantly.

Finneas rolled his eyes before placing a card. "Uno." He challenged. I looked at the two cards in my hand, a draw four and a red six. I smirked. Claudia played her card and everyone watched at me, waiting for my move.

I placed the draw four, as I did, shouting, "UN-"

Billie clapped a hand over my mouth. "UNO. DRAW FOUR FUCKER." I fell back, and she fell with me. I pushed her off of me.

"Fuck you, fuck you." I grabbed a pillow and hit her with it. "That does not count."

She sat up and laughed. "Yes, it does."

"You cannot manhandle someone in the game of Uno bro."

"My place, my rules." She poked her tongue out. I looked at Claudia, helplessly. She just shrugged and mouthed Go with it. Finneas reached over the table and gave Billie a high five. I rolled my eyes, laughing at the pair.

"You still have to draw four." I pointed out.

She threw up her hands and huffed. "I hate you."

"And with that, I win," Finneas said, grinning as he placed his card.

I threw my cards onto the table. "I would've won if it wasn't for somebody."