BILLIE BROKE THE SILENCE, her voice quieter now. "so..."
valerie stared at her for a moment, unsure how to respond. her mind was swirling with everything that had happened-not just tonight, but over the past few months. she let out a shaky breath and crossed her arms, leaning back slightly against the wall.
"so," she repeated, her tone tinged with frustration. "what the fuck, billie?"
billie looked down, running a hand through her hair. "i don't even know where to start," she admitted, her voice heavy with emotion. "i feel like... like i'm the bad guy in all of this, but i don't even know what i did wrong."
valerie raised an eyebrow. "you don't know what you did wrong?" she said, her voice sharp. "you were all over odessa. you kissed her, billie."
"because i thought you wanted nothing to do with me!" billie shot back, her voice rising slightly. "you blocked me on everything. you just disappeared. i was confused, valerie. i was hurt."
valerie's stomach sank, guilt bubbling up alongside her lingering anger. "i didn't disappear for no reason," she said quietly. "odessa told me things-about you. things that made me think... i don't know, that you were just playing me."
billie's expression darkened. "what things?"
valerie hesitated, but then she realized she had to lay it all out. she wasn't going to carry this weight any longer. "she said you didn't really like me," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "that you were just bored. that you were keeping me around for fun, and you were always going to go back to her, and that you were sleeping with her while we were still happening."
billie's eyes widened in disbelief. "are you serious?" she asked, her tone sharp. "valerie, that's bullshit. i would never-never-do or say anything like that. odessa's a liar. you know that now, don't you?"
"i don't know what to think," valerie admitted, her voice breaking. "but it felt real at the time, and i just couldn't handle it, you know how i am."
billie stepped closer, her voice softening. "valerie, listen to me. i swear on everything-on my life, on my family, on every living creature in this world-that i never did or thought any of that. i've never loved anyone other than you."
the word hung in the air between them, heavy and electrifying. valerie blinked, her breath catching in her throat. "you love me?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
billie nodded, her gaze steady despite the vulnerability in her eyes. "yeah," she said simply. "i love you. and i don't care how messy this has been or how much we've hurt each other. i just can't pretend i don't anymore."
valerie felt a strange mixture of emotions-relief, fear, joy, and sadness all at once. she didn't know what to say, so instead, she let herself smile, just a little. "you're not supposed to drop an 'i love you' on me during an argument, you know," she said, trying to lighten the mood.
billie let out a soft laugh, the tension easing ever so slightly. "well, timing's never been my strong suit."
they stood there in silence for a moment before valerie spoke again. "you know the internet's going to have a field day with this, right? danah and you are going to be in every headline tomorrow."
billie chuckled, running a hand through her hair. "oh, i'm already bracing for it. but, i can't lie, it was worth it."
valerie laughed, shaking her head. "this is such a disaster," she said, though her tone was lighter now.
"it is," billie agreed, a small smile tugging at her lips. "but at least we're in it together, right?"
valerie met her gaze, feeling the last bits of her anger melt away. "yeah," she said softly. "together."
billie glanced at her, a playful smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth. "speaking of together... does this mean you'll unblock me now?"
valerie rolled her eyes but couldn't stop herself from laughing. "don't push your luck, eilish."