accompanied | billie eilish

twelve

aria

i wake up late morning, after everyone else. billie's bed on the other side of the room is empty.

i get up, stretching, and get dressed before drawing the curtains back. outside on the tennis courts below, shay and tyler are playing an idle game, laughing and joking.

i watch for a moment with a smile on my face before leaning out the window and shouting "tyler, you can't play tennis for shit!"

he spins around, and when he sees me he gives me the middle finger and shouts back "neither can you!"

"excuse me, i beat your arse five games in a row last summer," i yell, then duck down from the window before he can reply.

i make my way downstairs to the kitchen. it's the same as it always has been, but the familiarity fills my chest with warmth all the same. we've been staying at this villa every year since we were kids, and we've made so many memories here.

sam, billie, finneas, matt, sienna and ashley are all sat around the kitchen island, piling their plates with the food in the centre of the table and talking happily. the wireless radio hums away quietly to itself in the background, and the sunlight streaming in through the window bounces off the stained glass pots dotted throughout the room, casting everything in a colourful glow.

i sigh happily and sit down at the end of the table.

"morning bunny," matt grins, ruffling my hair.

"tallz," i greet him in return. "where's smallz?" i add as an afterthought.

i blink as i realise what i've just said, and why my siblings and bandmates are staring at me. "oh shit. sorry."

madelyn, or smallz, is the youngest sibling, and she's only our half sister. her father is our vile stepfather and the last time we saw her, we ended up having a massive argument about him.

"i didn't think," i sigh. "used to her being here at the villa with us."

"no worries," matt shrugs. "for the record, mum said the other day that she's doing fine."

"anyway," i say, hastily changing the conversation. "any plans for today?"

"fridge racing," says sam immediately, his voice muffled as he speaks through his mouthful of cereal.

"sam, you know your grandma only just bought a new fridge after last time," ashley frowns.

sam nods, smiling wickedly. "and it won't last long."

✦ ✦ ✦

billie

i zone out on the rest of the conversation that takes place as we eat breakfast. instead of listening to the idle conversation, i find myself staring shamelessly at aria, the way that she talks and moves and laughs.

"you're staring again," finneas mumbles subtly into my ear as he passes me to put his plate in the dishwasher. i blink, and hastily look away, grateful for finn always having my back.

"hey let's go outside," aria calls from the doorway. "we can beat tyler and shay's arses at tennis."

"race you!" yells ashley, pushing violently past her and bolting outside.

"fuck you!" she yells, running as fast as she can after her.

everyone else starts to follow; i roll my eyes and get up, joining.

we spend the whole day basking in what remains of the late summer sun, playing tennis and scaring each other from behind bushes and laughing. halfway through the day claudia arrives, and she and finneas disappear to some secluded corner of the gardens, giddily in love with each other.

as the sun starts to set, i retire to a pretty wrought iron garden chair on the patio, watching tyler and aria playing dodgeball and letting my mind wander.

touring with the vision, their team and their music has been incredible and we're only a couple of months into it. with breaks in between, this tour spans out over the best part of a year, covering every part of the world.
every single person we're sharing the bus with is talented and intelligent and genuinely pleasing to be around. this tour is the most fun i've had in a long time. i'm feeling more inspired than i have been in months and i don't think i ever want this tour to end.

"hi bil," says tyler nonchalantly, sliding into the seat next to me.

"what's up dude," i greet him, running a hand through my green roots as i turn to face him.

aria approaches behind him and opens her mouth to talk but is interrupted by finn's yell drifting out from one of the open windows of the house;

"what the- sam, put the fucking fridge down!"

"oh shit," aria mutters, turning and sprinting up towards the hill that the villa perches on.

tyler chuckles, but makes no move to get up. "i need to talk to you about something," he tells me.

i blink, a little taken aback, but shrug. "sure."

without missing a beat he looks straight into my eyes and asks, "are you in love with aria?"

i tilt my head back and groan. "jesus fucking christ dude is it that obvious?"

"you're not very subtle, no," he grins. "it's all good though, i don't think anyone's noticed yet- somehow- and i'm rooting for you. you two would be cute together."

"thanks," i say, surprised.

"and i've known her for years, so if you need any help, just shout," he says earnestly, standing up and tapping my shoulder before heading towards the house without looking back.

i stare after him, trying to figure out what the fuck just happened.