ARTIFICIAL // B.E

8

aspen

"i don't wanna be forward, i don't wanna cut corners. savor this with everything i have inside of me. i'm not the type to run, i know that we're having fun." i finished reading the lyrics that i had, and i looked up at xavier from my notebook.

"yeah, that's good, i love it." xavier nodded. he held his hand out for a fist bump. "it's amazing, honestly."

"thank you." i chuckled as i connected my fist with his.

the door to the green room opened, and billie walked in. i closed my notebook and laid it in my lap.

"heyo," she greeted as she plopped down on the couch i was sitting on. "whatcha doing?"

"just talking about new songs and shit; nothing important." i shrugged as i leaned back against the couch.

"anything i can hear?" she raised a brow.

"nope." i popped the p.

"a shame." she muttered as she sighed.

she scrolled through her phone for a bit as me and xavier started talking. after a few moments, she let out a groan.

"dude, i'm hungry as fuck." she complained.

"then eat." xavier told her.

she kissed her teeth. "bro, no shit," she shook her head before standing up. "aspen, let's go get some food."

she held her hand out for mine. i gave her a skeptical look, though i still placed my hand in her's. she immediately interlaced our fingers. "from where?"

"there's a place right around the corner from here that i wanna try." she told me as we began making our way out of the green room. i waved goodbye to xavier as we did.

we made sully, billie's bodyguard, follow us out.

there were a few paps hanging out outside of the venue, which was expected. i held billie's hand tighter and leaned into her side as they started asking all these different questions and shit.

we eventually made it to the place billie was talking about without much trouble. we decided to get takeout and just take it back to the venue.

we walked back to the green room and sat on the couch once more. i opened my takeout box and kept it in my lap as i ate.

"ayo?!" my eyes widened as billie reached over and got some of my food onto her fork. "you thief."

"i'm not a thief," she shook her head as she finished chewing. "i was just borrowing it... permanently."

i narrowed my eyes. she gave a smile before holding her takeout box out towards me. "here, you can get some of mine."

i looked into her box, and my face scrunched up. "no, thanks. your's looks disgusting."

"mine is hella good, thank you very much." she muttered as she turned away from me to eat it.

§§§

"wait, yeah, i'd love to." i nodded.

it's now after the show. finneas, claudia, xavier, and i are all in the green room, while billie is doing her meet and greet.

xavier, finneas, and i were talking, and he mentioned something about maybe writing a song together. nothing serious, or something that would have to be released, just something for fun.

"alright, bet," finneas smiled. "i'm honestly really down to do it. just lemme know when you'd wanna."

"yeah, of course." i smiled.