Love Like Her

Overlook Leads to Understand

I'd never imagined feeling anything besides the searing pain of existing, but ever since I met Billie, that feeling is almost gone when she's around. Like right now for instance, we're at an overlook, sitting on the hood of her car. More specifically, I'm in between her legs with my head on her chest, the both of us just gazing up at the clouds overhead.

"So why is this one of your favorite places?" I ask her curiously.

She twirls a strand of my hair in her fingers. "I used to come up here just to clear my head and one time I was here as the sun was setting and it was absolutely breathtaking, but then seeing the city below just come to life at night was another sight to behold." she explains, her voice full of excitement.

We sit for a little while longer and then our silence is interrupted by her phone. She answers it quickly, giving my hip a squeeze signaling that she needs me to move.

"Hello? Yeah I'm close, why what's up? I'm sorry he what?! No way! Hell yes I'm coming over!" she shouts before giving a quick by and shoving her phone back in her pocket.

She gets into her car and I follow suit, doing the same. "Change of plans, my brother had something come up and we're going over there."

Wait, no.

I'm not ready to meet her brother.

I honestly didn't even know she had a brother.

~~~~

"Hey you made it!" A man says throwing his arms around Billie and pulling her into a hug. Then he spots me standing a ways behind her. Fuck. He lets Billie go and nods toward me. "So who's this?" he asks giving her an unreadable look.

"Oh uh, this is Violet. She's just a friend." she replies her eyes not meeting mine.

Instead of making this awkward, I suck up my nerves and extend my hand to shake his. "It's nice to meet you..." I start, but then I realize I don't know his name.

His hand meets mine and shakes it firmly. "Finneas, and it's nice to meet you too. You're the first person my sister has had me meet in a long time." he notes with a smirk.

The lack of communication between Billie and her brother lets me know that she's a much more private person than I had initially thought. Now that I think about it, I actually know very little about her.

Finneas steps aside and lets us into his home and introduces me to his wife, Claudia. Claudia takes me on the grand tour of their home while Billie and Finneas talk.

"This is probably my favorite picture of Finneas." she says, showing me a picture of him and Billie goofing off, the both of them smiling ear to ear.

I let out a small chuckle. "Please tell me you have more pictures like this." I jokingly ask her.

"Actually Finn's mom gave me a huge box of pictures from when he was a kid that I haven't gone through yet. Wanna help?" she asks wiggling her eyebrows.

About an hour later, pictures are splayed all over the floor ranging from childhood birthday parties to graduation pictures.

"Oh god, why do you have physical evidence that my hair was blue?" Billie gripes snatching the current picture from my hands and sitting next to me. She runs her free hand through her hair and examines the ends. "I hate the color blue... oooo the silver was fire though!" she says picking up another picture and examining it.

I bring my knees to my chest and catch a glance of the picture. "How old were you there?" I ask her.

"Uh I was maybe 15... same sense of bougie style though." she says with a cheeky grin, sticking her tongue out just slightly.

"That particular day you had it out for me, giving me shit over every little thing." Finneas says taking a seat next to his wife.

"I'm sorry I don't recall asking for your input man child." she pokes at him.

He playfully waves her off. "You're just jealous you don't have talent like I do. See this finger?" he says holding up his pinky finger. "I have more talent in this finger than you have in your whole body Billie."

"Oooo burn. Okay, see this finger?" she snaps back holding out her middle finger near her crotch. "This finger has gotten more pussy than you have in your entire life."

My eye go wide and my cheeks flush, getting secondhand embarrassment from her vulgar comment. Knowing her charismatic personality, that 'fact' doesn't surprise me.

I wasn't expecting Billie to be so playful. I've only seen her lecture and in her house, but seeing her with her brother is a nice change of pace. It lets me know that she actually has a sense of humor and isn't stoic all the damn time.

Somehow I find her even more attractive than I already did. Don't get me started on all the childhood pictures and the goofy stories that go with each and every one. It gives me a small glance into who she used to be, I wanna know more about who she is now, and who she's yet to become.

I look over at Billie and she's got a huge smile on her face laughing over some joke her brother made. She her genuinely smile makes me smile. Her eyes meet mine and I'm captivated by the ocean blue swirls that peer so deep into me I feel as though she can see the innermost parts of my soul.

The thing is, I would normally feel exposed and vulnerable with the way that she's looking at me, but instead I feel safe. For the first time in a long time, I feel safe.

Safe.

Safe.

How did I deal with things before this?

a/n: I had no idea where this ch was going but here it is! Also this is the fifth day in a row I'm having jersey mikes for dinner... they're the only sub place that does gluten free sub rolls and I'm living for it.

Do you guys have any weird allergies?

I love you bubbies 💕