Questioning//BILLIE EILISH

16

"Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart, a true love's kiss perhaps."

Billie leans in to leave a kiss on my temple.

Oh my god.

The end credits roll once the movie's over and Billie sighs, "I'd better get home. I don't usually miss family dinner."

My heart sinks, but I understand, "Yeah, okay. Erm, this was nice."

She smiles, "It was."

I open the door to my room and let Billie walk out before me. I feel a desperate urge to tell her my feelings, but this pit of fear is keeping me from saying anything.

What if she's just affectionate? What if she doesn't actually have feelings for me? What if she's just playing with my heart?

We walk downstairs to meet my mother getting a snack from the kitchen... and my brother on the couch, playing one of his games with his friends.

"Oh is Billie going home?" My mom asks, sparking interest from my brother, his eyes still trained on the TV.

"That weird girl is here?"

Billie's face turns bright red as she stands, clearly waiting for the right time to bolt out the door. My mouth falls open and I quickly grab Billie's hand, not wanting her to run off.

"Tyler.." I start, "she's standing right here."

I feel Billie try to pull out of my hand, but I hold my grip. Tyler turns his smug face around and I watch a tinge of red grow on his cheeks.

I furrow my eyebrows as I watch him look up at Billie.

"Oh, h-hi, Billie," he cowers.

Billie stops pulling on me and I look up at her smirking face. I raise an eyebrow when she makes eye contact with me and she leans into my ear, "What's your family's obsession with me?"

A pit falls in my stomach as she acknowledges my crush on her, and I stutter out a reply, "Y-you think he likes you?"

"PEDESTRIAN," Tyler yells, storming out of the living room with burning cheeks.

"Well that confirms it," my mom says, her head buried in the fridge in search of something to eat.

I giggle, but feel a little bad for him, "Oops?"

Billie laughs as well, "Suddenly I'm not nervous anymore."

"Oh shut up, you lesbian," I say with a fake laugh as I push her out the door and shut it behind us, "Lesbians don't date boys, right?"

I sit in suspense as she answers, "Don't worry, Sweetheart. I would never date a guy, let alone your little brother."

An involuntary sigh of relief slips past my lips and Billie smiles, "I'll see you at school tomorrow, yeah?"

She tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and I reply as best I can through the butterflies, "Yes."

She walks down the driveway to her car, sitting inside and starting up the growling engine. I watch her drive away and stay outside for a few extra minutes, looking at the stars and loathing the environment when I walk back inside.