fifteen

I don't see billie during my next shift.

I keep obsessively checking the door every time the bell rings but she's never there.

my dumbass needs to remember that billie does have a job and a life which doesn't involve the store at all. hell, she grew up in the place I can't imagine she'll want to spend any more time than she already does.

this isn't like me at all.

I don't get worked up over girls.

I don't get worked up over billie.

"you still up for tonight?" kai says when the store is relatively empty. when I hesitate to answer they flick me on the tip of the nose and I yelp, smacking my hand over my nose. "you're not bailing on me, are you?"

"imp not dickhead" I push them backwards and they almost trip over, making me laugh out loud.

"that's what you get for flicking me on the nose" I pull my face at them, and they stick their tongue out at me. "it's just complicated with my gran" I sigh, folding my arms over my chest. "so when you pick me up, don't mention the party at all"

"I gotchu"

the party is next friday so kai and I came up with a plan.

I was staying at kai's house tonight, so that next Friday, there isn't any suspicion when I say I'm hanging out at their house.

I'm kinda scared because ive never stayed over at anyone's house before.

my dad never let me have sleepovers growing up.

what do you even do?

paint each other's nails, eat pizza and talk shit about people?

I have no-one to talk shit about.

unless I talk about myself?

regardless, I have five hours left of work and then im going straight to kai's house.

they live in a small apartment with their girlfriend but she's currently visiting her parents in boston.

not that im bothered, it's gonna be so nice to hang out with

"by the way, what did I hear about you and billie at the fun fair"

shit.

"it's a long story"

kai looks down at their watch "we've got five hours"

I sigh.

I just tell them I bumped into billie on my day off.

I don't mention the secret feelings, the leg touching and the fact billie called me 'sexy as hell'

which I still can't get over.

"she was just trying to cheer me up" I shrug "it's no big deal"

"hmm"

"hmm? what does that mean?"

"nothing" kai smirks "it's very interesting that's all"

huh?

do they know something?

"anyways, ill get it out of you once we've smoked a lil" kai smirks at me and I roll my eyes.

we're smoking now?

"no way"

kai goes back to dealing with a customer, leaving me with the glorious task of restocking the best sellers stand.

it's definitely not my favourite job but it certainly is something which needs doing multiple times a day.

I didn't realise how many people in LA come to buy vinyl's everyday.

but over the weeks I've been working here, Ive seen a lot of repeat customers who always come in looking for similar stuff and finneas lets his 'favourite' customers know when we've got new stock coming in.

work seems to go so slowly and im tired.

I wanna go home.

but I can't.

when work is finally over and we've cleaned the store, finneas follows us out, locking up behind us.

"see you monday" he waves us and walks over to his car and I stand beside kai, not quite knowing what to do with myself.

"don't look like im about to murder you sage, are you good?"

"I told you kai, I've never slept over and someone's house before"

Kai laughs and unlocks their car, opening their trunk to throw their bag inside. "don't panic, we're just gonna hang out. what do you wanna eat? I'm feeling pizza"

"im down to eat pizza"

"cool, come on" I hop into the passengers side and kai drives to the pizza place, picking up some pizza and driving to their apartment.

when I step inside, im impressed that my guesses were correct.

they live in a very kai style apartment.

When I close the door behind me, kai gestures over to their couch and throws themselves down, opening the pizza box and shoving a piece of pizza into their mouth.

I join them, kicking off my shoes and tucking my feet under my bum to make myself more comfortable. they grab the remote and turn on Netflix, handing it to me. "put whatever you want on"

"I don't wanna choose" I grab a slice of pizza and sit back, looking over to kai who's rolling their eyes. "bitch pick something. What do you watch when you smoke?"

"porn" I smirk, picking up the remote and clicking through the categories, looking for a good movie. "ooh what porn do you watch?"

"I don't actually watch porn when im high"

"what porn do you watch anyway?"

"lesbian but not the type of porn for men, I hate the fake ass moaning when girls scissor"

"oh tell me about it" kai groans, wiping their hands on their pants and bending down to get something from the coffee table.

"what porn do you watch?"  I click on a random movie and finish my pizza slice, watching kai open up their smoke box.

"anything with girls, I love me some tiddies"

I glance down to my almost flat chest and huff.

I wish I had boobs.

"so imma ask you again" kai begins to roll up, glancing between me, the movie and their fingers. "what happened with billie"

I roll my eyes and take another slice of pizza, wrapping my arm around my leg. "nothing, I bumped into her, we got talking and I mentioned id never been on a ferris wheel so she took me. nothing less, nothing more"

"she didn't try and fuck you?" kai licks the delicate paper and finishes rolling up, watching me for my reaction. "no, why?"

"because she never spends time with a girl unless they're already friends or she wants to fuck. Im surprised she didn't try"

"well she didn't" I shrug, watching kai light up and take a long drag, dropping their head back against the couch and blowing out the smoke, handing me the joint. "it's not like I'd let her fuck if she tried anyway"

"look man" kai grabs another slice of pizza, turning up the sound on the movie. "just be careful, alright? she's known to fuck a lot of the girls in la, especially the ones who start working at ten thousand hours"

"have you and billie fucked?"

Kai laughs, taking the joint from my hand and shakes their head. "first of all, billie would be lucky as hell to fuck someone as sexy as me but no, she tried though"

"she did?"

"yeah, no chance that was happening"

I'm quick to change the subject because I don't wanna talk about billie.

But what I do know is that billie and I aren't gonna fuck, it was just two people hanging out at the same time.

It might've felt like a date and I might have had butterflies the whole time but it wasn't a date.

It wasn't.

im so excited for these next few chapters...things are gonna progress 👀

who do you think is gonna find out first?? can't wait for the chapter when she realises 😏