Out Of My League

- fifteen -

"Can I meet your parents?" Billie asked.

My parents? I mean they're great but there's three big problems here.

1: They don't know I know Billie, let alone that I have been hanging out with her.

2: They don't know I'm gay.

3: They think I'm hanging out with Jules.

Billie must have noticed the expression on my face change from fondness to contemplation as she quickly dismissed the idea, "I don't have to if you don't want me to."

You know what, if we're girlfriends they'll find out we've been hanging out soon enough. I guess I could give them a little white lie - they can just know we're friends for the moment. I'm not ready to come out yet.

"Actually, I want you to meet them." I remark as her face lights up, "But..."

Billie's face drops slightly but she still had a glimmer of hope.

"I'm not out yet." I continue, "Can you just say we're friends for the moment?"

"I thought you were going to say something much worse than that." Billie says with a sigh of relief, cupping my face with her hands, "Of course, you don't have to tell them anything until you're ready."

She is literally all I could ever want. She's accepting, she's patient and she understands. 

I give her a small peck on the palm of her hand and unbuckle my seatbelt, both of us getting out of the car and walking to the front door.

It was already unlocked so we both walk in. I could tell Billie was slightly apprehensive but she hid it pretty well, at least to most people. I only know as she gets tics when she's nervous, and she was, every so often, flicking her eyes side to side.

"Mum?" I call as I walk into the kitchen, Billie just behind. I dump my wallet and phone on the counter as I hear someone coming down the stairs.

"Y/n!" my mum exclaims walking through the door and embracing me in a hug before turning to Billie, "and Billie Eilish?"

"Hello." Billie timidly says.

"Sorry if I'm a little behind, but why is Billie Eilish in my kitchen?" my mum questions, surprised but embracing a smile on her face.

"Well you know when we left the concert and bumped into each other?" I ask, my mum nodding in agreement, "We kind of got talking after that and we've been hanging out."

It was obvious that my mum was confounded. I mean who wouldn't be if their introverted, practically antisocial daughter bought a celebrity through the front door? Even so, she still had a smile on her face. I think she was glad I was socialising, even though it wasn't exactly in the way she expected.

She lent in and gave Billie a welcoming hug, which Billie accepted with open arms.

"It's nice to see Y/n hanging out with someone! She's normally a bit of a recluse." my Mum explains.

"Mum!" I groan; why did she have to embarrass me like that?

"I'm glad we met." Billie continues, "Y/n's actually pretty cool, and it's nice to make new friends on tour."

Good, she said friend.

Just as my Mum and Billie started to get engrossed in conversation, my dad walked through the door.

It took him a moment before he realised that he had a celebrity in his kitchen, standing next to his wife and daughter.

"Hi there." he introduces, "I'm Jack." keeping a collected mannerism about him.

He isn't one for hugs and stuff like that, so he just gives Billie a small wave and smile.

Billie returns the same demeanour, giving a wave and a smile.

"Come through, let's not stand out here!" my mum insists, ushering Billie into the lounge and onto the sofa before taking a seat next to her. I can already tell she is going to want to know everything.

"Do you want a drink? Tea? Coffee?" she asks Billie.

"Can I just have some water, please?" Billie accepts. 

My Mum gives 'the look' to my dad, in other words saying 'You do it.'

He walks back out and into the kitchen to get Billie a glass of water.

"You have a lovely home." Billie comments.

"Well thank you." my mum continues, "Me and Jack have worked hard to get it how we want it."

The next hour consisted of a general, sweet chat - my mum, dad and Billie exchanging comments and compliments, getting to know each other. You would think my mum was the girlfriend, the amount she was talking!

Billie had become more comfortable, her tics subsiding. I was sat on the sofa next to her, my mum and dad on the next sofa. 

It was nice to share this conversation. Maybe it won't be so bad when I do decide to come out. I should really think it through first though and make some sort of plan, right? Oh I don't know how to approach this. 

For now, friends it is.