Real Love Hurts // Billie Eilish

Chapter 8

B I L L I E   E I L I S H

"Baby, you almost ready to go? It's 9." Riley said from the bed, eyes still glued to her phone.

"Yeah, hold on, lemme put some shoes on." I grabbed some black sneakers to match the all black outfit I had going on. "Okay, leggo." She sat up on the bed. "That's what you're wearing?" I asked.

"What else do I have to wear. It's just a kickback. And it's not like you'd let me borrow any of your clothes."

"All my clothes are too big for you, shorty."

"All your clothes are too big for you," she said, standing up.

"I hate you."

"Aww, Billie, I hate you too," she said, making a fake pouty face. "My outfit's not that bad." She was wearing some red vans, jeans, and a sweatshirt that said '#1 Dad' on it.

"You know vans have little dick energy."

"Really, cause I'm wearing vans," she said, getting really close to my face. "But do I have little dick energy to you?" She was so close to my face I could feel her breath and our noses were almost touching. "Cause I'll show you little dick energy if you want me to, baby." We stayed there for a second.

"Whatever, bozo," I said, deflecting the situation and stepping back. "How we gettin' there? Uber?"

She had that familiar smirk on her face. "Nah, bro. We're taking my bike."

"Riley, bro, you serious? I don't have a motorcycle helmet."

"You can have mine. Don't worry 'bout it." She said that as if I still couldn't fall off the bike and DIE. She just walked out of my room and out of the house, making sure to grab her backpack on the way out. Not sure what's in there. Also not sure I wanna know.

I followed her out of the door and onto the curb. On the street in front of my house was a black and lime green motorbike that said 'Kawasaki' on the side.

"Ca-wah-sack-eye," I said out loud, trying to figure out how to say it.

Riley laughed and said "No, no, cow-uh-sock-ee. Kawasaki."

"Kawasaki," I repeated back. She nodded and handed me the black helmet that was hanging off one of the handlebars. I put it on, keeping the visor up so I could hear what Riley was saying.

"Relax, baby, I've been riding this thing for a while. Your only job is to lean with me when we go around corners, okay? Don't lean against the bike or else you'll fall. Just lean the way I go, got it?" I gave a thumbs up in response. "Good, lemme get on first, then get on behind me and hold on tight."

She swung one leg over the side of the bike and flipped the kickstand up. I climbed on after her, putting my arms around her waist. She pressed a few buttons on the console and put a key in the side of one of the handlebars. The motorcycle roared to life and started to vibrate a little. I gripped onto her tighter.

"You ready, baby? Remember to lean with me, not against."

"Mhmm." was all I get out. I was kinda shitting myself. The bike started moving and she lifted her legs off the ground, putting them on the foot holders. She peeled off and onto the street, picking up speed quickly. I was holding onto her so tight she might not have been able to breathe, but I was not about to die today.

We weaved in and out of typical L.A. traffic and soon came towards a turn. I did exactly as she said and leaned into the turn. We were so close to the ground I could've reached out and touched it. I held on impossibly tighter.

We were stopped at a red light and Riley pushed her glasses back up onto her face. I came to a realization.

"Holy shit, I just realized, you don't actually need glasses, do you?" I said, my voice slightly muffled by the helmet. She looked at me out of the corner of her eye and smirked.