Disarm

Chapter 18: Splinter under the Skin

**Billie**

"She's threatened by Jade." Fin says sitting in a chair across from the bed. "Because Billie's still in love with Jade."

"Well, Duh." Claudia says rolling her eyes.

I feel Dakota shift next to me, as I try to drift back to sleep, the conversation between Claudia, Fin and myself still very fresh in my mind.

"Ugh, yes! I'm still in love with Jade." I say flinging myself onto the bed looking at the ceiling, knowing both Claudia and Fin are grinning.

"So, how are you going to break up with Dakota?"

"I have no fucking idea."

"How are you going to tell Jade?"

"I'm pretty sure Jade knows." Claudia chimes in.

"I think Dakota knows that too." I sigh throwing my arm over my eyes.

I sigh and look at the digital clock on the hotel nightstand, trying to gage how much sleep I've actually gotten, which isn't much, I feel my head jerk to the right.

"Go back to sleep, babe." Dakota muffles into the pillow.

"Sorry." I mumble as I turn onto my side and close my eyes. I'm not even tired, and even though Dakota is next to me, her body doesn't seem to radiate the same warmth Jade's did.

I feel Jade shudder next to me and shoot up quickly as she tries to catch her breath, I look at the clock; 3:17am just like last night and the night before. I sit up slowly wrapping my arm around her shoulders as she brings her knees to her chest. "Hey, hey, I'm here." I say pulling her into me.

"I'm sorry for waking you." She says softly. "I'm okay." She says as she wipes her eyes, the way she has every night for the past week.

"Shush." I say kissing her temple as she rests her head on my shoulder. "Was it the same nightmare?"

"Yeah..."

"Still don't want to talk about it?"

"Nope..." She says with a sigh as she pushes herself off the bed and walks out of the room quietly. I sigh and fall back on the bed gently while looking at the long shadows of the palm trees on the ceiling. "I'm going to go for a swim." She says walking back into the room pulling her hair up into a bun. This seems to be her routine lately, not that I'm complaining, I get to see her in a bikini and she never seems to reject the idea of letting me join her.

"Okay, I'll be out in a minute." I say sitting up as I grab my suit off the pile of clean laundry.

"You don't have to." She says grabbing a towel. "I kinda just want to be alone for a little bit."

"Oh.... Okay?"

"Thanks." She says walking out of the bedroom leaving the door cracked a little.

"Ugh it's so humid here...I'm so glad we're leaving today." Dakota says pulling her hair up into a ponytail as she fans the back of her neck. She'd never been to Houston, and she was not a fan. "It wasn't this bad in Austin. Please tell me we're going somewhere not so humid."

"We're going to Corpus Christi next." I say handing my backpack to Sully.

"Great, more humidity."

"If you're going to complain about the humidity, go back to Austin, or go back to L.A." Fin says as we climb onto the bus.