Chasing Air // Billie Eilish

Chapter 50

BILLIE'S P.O.V

"Claudia, help. I've got all of my Christmas shopping done besides for Elliot. What did you get Fin?" I set my phone down looking up at her as she turned the stove off.

"He always forgets to turn the eye off. Oh my God. Sorry." She turned her attention to me. "I'm getting him a toaster because he broke ours and printing out some pictures. Look, I don't think you should stress about Elliot that much. Get her something that she wants or needs. What's she into?"

"Old music, coffee, me, um..."

Claudia laughed, sitting down beside me. "Elliot's pretty easy if you think about it. She'll be happy with anything. Get her some records or something. She'd like that. I'm not good with getting people stuff that means something. I give them what they want."

"You really think that's enough?" I raised my eyebrows.

"You know how she is." She shrugged. "She's not gonna want you to go all out because if we're being realistic, she can't afford to go all out. She doesn't like a lot of money spent on her."

"I know."

"What do you want for your birthday?"

"The chex mix shit—"

"Again?" Claudia laughed.

"Yes, bro, again. That's all I want."

"What do you plan on doing?" she asked.

"Nothing big this year." I shrugged. "But I don't know. I guess just go over to my mom's house."

"Tour's been overwhelming you, huh?"

I nodded, running my fingers through my hair. "It has. It's so hard to maintain everything when I'm on tour. My relationship with Elliot is still new too. I feel like running around the world isn't what I need to be doing right now."

"Billie," she said, looking up at me before continuing, "I know that you don't want to hear this. I know you hate having these conversations, but I think it's important that you do understand that you do have a say. If things get too hard again." Her eyebrows knitted together as she held onto my sleeve. "You have to speak up. You have to put yourself first. You come before anything else, okay?"

"I know."

"Promise me?"

I smiled softly, nodding. "I promise, Clauds."

"Good." She laughed, letting go of me.

"Hey, do you wanna cut my hair?" I asked suddenly.

"Seriously?"

"Seriously."

"How short?" She leaned her head back, looking at my hair.

"Just above my shoulders." I held my hand up to show her.

"I don't know. I think it'd look good, but are you sure you want me to do it?" She winced a little.

"Positive. Please? Early birthday present?"

"Fine, but the hair's on your hands if I fuck it up. Come on."

-

"Did we really have to do all this?" I laughed, keeping my eyes closed as Claudia did my eyeshadow.

"Yes. I'm almost done. Don't worry." She brought the eye shadow under my eye before pulling the brush away. "Open."

I smiled at her, opening my eyes. "We good?"

"Wow. I mean, who's Elliot? Who's Finneas? Let's just get together. You look so good."

"Funny." I shook my head, turning around to look at myself in the mirror.

"Do you like it?"

"I do." I turned my head a little. "Thank you. I'm gonna head home now."

"Okay. I love you. Drive safe." She pulled me into a hug.

-

"Baby," I yelled, looking around before pushing my bedroom door open. Elliot was asleep on the bed. I slipped my shoes off, crawling into bed next to her. "Elliot." I set a hand on her cheek and she sighed, wrapping her arms around me. "Have you eaten?"

"I'm not hungry," she mumbled, turning over to go back to sleep.

"You're so annoying." I laughed, straddling her and cupping her face in my hands. "You're getting up."

"I'm not," she grumbled.

I leaned down to kiss her, resting my hands on her chest. "Elliot Eneide, eyes open. It's barely five o'clock."

She rubbed her eyes for a minute before finally opening them. "Wow."

"Was that so hard?" I teased.

"You look so good." She finally sat up, setting her hands on my thighs.

"Thank you, baby." I kissed her, wrapping my arms around her neck. "Claudia cut it. Do we like?"

"We love." She chuckled before laying back, pulling me with her. "And now we sleep."

I wiggled out of her grasp, getting off of the bed and grabbing her ankles, pulling her to the edge. "No. Now we wake up and cook something because I'm hungry."

"Alright, alright." She threw the blanket off of herself. "Hand me a shirt."

"You don't need it." I grabbed her hand, dragging her into the kitchen.