One in A Bil~ion // B.E. agere

8

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~+~ Author's Note ~+~
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Wowowow thank you so much for 1k reads :]

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"Is your ankle still sore from yesterday?"

"Yeahhh it huwts stiwll."

"Alrightt, hop on." Blaire says while squatting down and holding her arms out behind.

"Yay!!!" Billie says while hopping onto Blaire's back. Blaire supports her as Billie piggybacks her for the remainder of the walk to school.

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When they arrive outside of the high school, Blaire squats down to the ground allowing Billie to jump down herself.

Despite the hectic morning, they are still 15 minutes early which Blaire is relieved about for Billie's sake. They have time to get everything situated without rushing.

When placed on the ground, Billie lets out a small whine and hides behind Blaire clutching onto her shirt tightly. She peaks out from behind, looking at the place that never treats her kindly.

Blaire turns around and crouches down in front of Billie, grasping onto both of her hands. Billie looks toward the ground, causing her hair to shield her face.

"Hey... angel? Look up at me please." Blaire says while she gently lifts her chin up with her index finger. But Billie's eyes are still casted downward, locked on a sidewalk crack that happens to fall between the two.

Even in her small headspace, the crack feels like a barrier —a wall of fear preventing her from going towards the school. If she crosses it there is no telling what may come of it.

Yet Blaire has already crossed it herself. And if Blaire can, maybe... just maybe she can too?

She slowly looks up until her icey blue eyes meet warm brown ones.

"It's gonna be okay darling. You have been so so brave coming here every single day and fighting through all of it alone. But now I will be here to help you. We are in this together. You got that?"

Billie's panicked face relaxes substantially and she nods with a small smile. Although Blaire has said this before, it helps to be reminded that she has a shoulder to lean on now.

Suddenly the huge, invisible barrier feels so much more like the silly sidewalk crack that it actually is.

"Alright, good. Now let's go see what Mrs. T. is up to!"

Blaire begins to walk. But after a few steps she turns around to see Billie still standing in the same spot that she had just been. Blaire looks at her with a confused expression until she sees Billie hold a hand out.

Billie needs help crossing the barrier of her fears.

"Oh how could I forget?" Blaire says, swiftly returning back over to Billie. She wraps her hand around Billie's and they both walk toward the school together.

As they reach the door, Billie looks back at the measly crack in triumph.

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