if i love you was a promise | b.e

eight

"hey mom." i said shakily. for some reason whenever i was nervous i couldn't stop smiling, it was annoying.

"how is everything? and what time is your flight back?"

i didn't quite know how i should answer so i said, "um, it should be at 7."

"you should start packing then soon. what did you want to talk about?"

i shuddered a little and took a deep breath. billie squeezed my hand to try to comfort me.

"ok, i know this sounds crazy... but i can prove it to you." i said, looking at the people surrounding me who were giving me encouraging looks.

"joey, what are you talking about?"

"remember i had the meet and greet tickets?" i started.

"yeah, you saved up for that ticket for ages. did something happen? did you not meet her?" my mom sounded worried. "did you get robbed?"

"no! no not at all, i met her..." i reminisced at how oblivious i was to what was coming.

"ok, good. how was it?" she answered, relived.

"it was amazing... better than i thought it would be." i said, looking at billie who put her arm around my shoulder.

"im incredibly happy for you joey, but what are you telling me?"

"ok, don't talk, just listen." i took a deep breath before beginning. "billie gave me a note asking if i wanted to hang out with her. so naturally, i met her and it was incredible. we hung out for a couple of hours, and i ended up staying in the hotel with her. and just today...she asked if i would tour with her."

there was a silence.

"what?"

"billie wants me to go on tour with her." i repeated.

"what? i... how? joey-"

"i know."

my mom said nothing.

"why don't we video call. maybe you can talk to them." i said and maggie nodded, shuffling slightly towards me.

"ok." my mom said in a speculative and ghostly voice.

i tapped on the video icon, and after a second my mom's face appeared on my screen.

"hi." i said nervously. i felt sick.

"are you being serious joey? be honest with me."

"yes. i know it's hard to believe, i barely believe it myself." i laughed. "here. talk to maggie." i handed the phone to maggie.

"hello there." maggie said, smiling.

"maggie? billie's mom?" my mom asked, slightly stunned.

i grinned, proud at how my mom had remembered her name after me talking about her.

"yes, billies here too, and claudia, finneas and patrick. finneas, how do you turn the camera around?" she leaned over to finneas, putting him in the frame, and i heard my mom gasp lightly, realising i was telling the truth.

"oh, my." my mom laughed in shock as maggie pointed the camera at billie and i.

"this is crazy!" my mom laughed, and maggie laughed too.

"so about the tour..." maggie leaned back on the couch, holding the back of her head.

"right." my mom paused for a minute.

"billie wants her to come?" my mom asked, still not quite convinced.

"yes, ever since she first met joey she's been crazy about her. ive really never seen her like this before. i think it could be good for her health, and joey is dying to come too." billie blushed and looked down. "i know school is an issue, and of course being away from your daughter will be hard, but i think it could be an amazing experience for her, learning about all the different cultures all around the world."

my mom sighed, taking it into consideration.

"you're right. i just don't know about school..."

"mom," i started, and everyone looked in my direction. "i can drop out."

everyone paused and looked around, not quite knowing what to say.

"joey.." billie broke the silence. "i don't want you to drop out of school for this."

"you've worked so hard on your education, joey." my mom inputted.

"i know. but im seventeen. and be honest, how many people get an opportunity like this? touring with a growing artist? and i could always go back to school if i wanted to in the future. looking at the bigger picture..."

"you're right, you're right, you're so right. i can sort it all out. go on the tour joey."

billie let out a yell and jumped on top me. since the camera was facing us, my mom was watching and giggled.

she hugged me so hard it hurt, but in the best way. she made her hair cover her face so no one would notice her sneak a kiss. a burst of butterflies came to my stomach. i smiled and gave her a quick kiss back. thankfully no one had noticed at all. everyone in the room was smiling and laughing, and i don't think ive felt such a happy atmosphere since.

"i wish i could hug you right now, mom." i said with the hugest smile, adrenaline rushing through my veins.

"ill go and work out how this works. i guess having the reputation of a dropout isn't so bad when you're going on tour with billie eilish." we all laughed loudly. "i love you joey, ill call you later. and thank you so much billie, maggie and patrick for giving my daughter this opportunity." we all said goodbye and hung up.

"FUCK YEAH!" billie yelled and hugged me again.

"your mother seems so lovely." maggie smiled at me, and patrick nodded, saying "she was so good to let you come. not many parents would do that."

"thank you guys so much. ill never be able to tell you how grateful i am."

at this point billie was sitting behind me, her hands around my shoulders and her feet on my lap.

"well, soundcheck is still in twenty minutes. we'll leave you two here while we set up, don't be late billie." maggie said as she stood up and smiled at us and so did everyone else.

"looking forward to hanging out with you, joey." finneas grinned as he took his guitar with him down the hall to the stage, claudia close behind him.

"this is fucking insane. oh my god." billie said, now sitting beside me.

"tell me abou-"

billie interrupted me, kissing me again. i blushed slightly, but she didn't notice. she didn't pull away for the whole twenty minutes.

**
hey babies

just letting you know that i made two snapchat pages for my two girlies! ill be posting things on their stories almost everyday and ill finally have a face for joey. you guys can add them -
billie-oconnell and joey-rowan. i thought it could add to the story if y'all were able to watch their stories and stuff throughout the day, GWT time. (UK etc)

make sure to add them 😜 love you 💞 **