accompanied | billie eilish

forty-three

billie

a few days later, i've pulled a few strings and i think i'm finally ready for me and aria's first date.

i step onto the tour bus, pausing as i come across tyler and finn playing mario kart.

"ah come on, comeoncomeon-" tyler yells.

"fuck yes!" finneas cheers as he just barely beats tyler past the finish line.

"motherfucker," tyler groans, throwing the remote on the floor. "i was so close, dude."

"and yet i won," finn cackles, waving when he spots me watching them. "what's up, bil?"

"nothing much," i shrug, even though my stomach feels like a pit of butterflies. "uh, have you guys seen aria anywhere?"

the two nod understandingly in unison and i give them the middle finger. "shut up, dude."

"i didn't say anything," tyler protests playfully.

"is the date ready?" finn asks, eyes twinkling, and he claps excitedly when i nod. "oh finally, it's only been a year. i think she's watching a movie with ashley."

"thanks," i smile and make my way down the narrow aisle of the bus, reflecting on what finn just said. it really has been nearly a year since this tour started, and it's absolutely changed my life for the better. without it i wouldn't have met shay, or tyler, or ashley... or aria.

i'm jolted out of my thoughts as i narrowly avoid
shay, who's carrying a tray of paint pots which are very full and wobbling ominously.

"what are you doing?" i ask incredulously.

"i'm painting," is all he replies as he carefully sets the tray down on a table, next to an easel and canvas.

i blink. "on a moving tour bus?"

"what is life without risks?"

he grins at me. i let out an exasperated sigh in response and move very slowly and carefully past shay and his paint pots, towards the back of the tour bus.

i open the door to the tiny compartment with the sofa and tv, and see ashley watching in mild amusement as aria sobs her eyes out. i tense instinctively, but relax after only a moment as i realise the movie they're watching is coco. she's cried at it four times this week.

me and ashley exchange a bemused look, and aria glares at us through tears.

"don't look at me like that," she sniffs. "it's just so nice when miguel and héctor see the photograph, okay."

"we know," ashley replies patiently. "we've been hearing about it since last thursday."

"i wish marcus never bought you that fucking dvd," i add, but i'm smiling.

"i'm glad he did." she wipes her eyes. "anyway, what did you come in here for, bil?"

"can i borrow you for a moment?" i ask. she nods, climbing over a protesting ashley to reach me, and i offer her my arm, which she accepts.

"where are we going?" she asks me after i've closed the door behind us.

i lead her towards one of the changing booths; a tiny tiny cubicle with a curtain that hides us from view, which gives us just about the most privacy you can get on this bus.

aria plops down on the bench. "what's up?"

"well." i clear my throat dramatically. "you remember that one time you said you'd go on a date with me?"

her eyes light up, and she starts to fidget in her seat a little bit, and i think my heart melts. "yeah?" she replies.

"well, i've finally finished planning it. wanna hear what we'll be doing?"

she nods vigorously, and i reach into the front pocket of my hoodie to pull out two concert tickets. "we're seeing dua lipa perform tomorrow night," i announce. "she's here in paris too, on tour, and i know she's a good friend of yours, so i pulled a couple strings and got us backstage tickets. and then after that, a candlelit dinner for two." i wink, and then stumble back when she throws her arms around me tightly, with such force that she rocks the whole bus. i hear shay scream and something shatter but i ignore it, too caught up in the fact that her arms are around me.

"that sounds wonderful," she breathes after a moment, letting go of me.

"you're wonderful," i reply earnestly, and then flush as i process what i just said.

she leans down a little to kiss me just shy of my mouth, and i can feel her smiling against my skin. then she walks out of the changing booth, leaving me grinning like an idiot behind her.