Part 29

As soon as Billie killed the engine of her car , I was out making my way up the porch before hitting on the bell. Billie took her time getting out of the car, slowly following up behind me.

"Hey Valerie! So good to see again." Claudia greeted me as she opened the door before her eyes flickered towards Billie close behind me. "Oh hey Billie." She said, stepping aside to let us inside.

The interior of the house still looked the same. Only a few different decor pieces were scattered around. And the scent. The smell hitting my nose gave me a wave of nostalgia mixed with the smell of delicious food coming from the kitchen.

"Did you come with Billie?" Claudia whispered as I slipped off my shoes."Well-" I tried to explain, but I got cut off by Maggie storming out of the kitchen. " Valerie ! So good to see you again. " She greeted me with a big hug.

"Ouch, what about me?" Billies voice came from behind me . Maggie pulled away from the hug before turning to her daughter. " You're here all the time, Billie.  But of course it's good to see you again as well. " She said, pulling Billie into a quick embrace.

Maggie led us into the dining room where Finneas and Patrick were deep in conversation . They looked up to greeting us before continuing their talk. "Valerie did come with Billie?" Maggie asked, turning around . And as I tried to explain, I was once again cut off this time by Billie. " She got off the bus too early because she's stupid. So I had to drive her the rest of the way." She fake smiled. Was she fucking kidding me right now. She knows that's not what happened .

"Billie dont be mean." Maggie chimed in."Nah, Billies, right , so stupid of me, but it's not my typical area to take the bus, so yeah." I dont even know why I backed up her lie. Maggie gave me a reassuring smile."Don't worry, I'm sure that next time you'll know better." She said, putting her hand on my shoulder before going back to the kitchen. I shot Billie a death stare, but she just looked away.

Next time?!

Nah, I don't think I could do this another time. At least not if Billie's back again.

Billie and Claudia settled at the tabel while I joined Maggie in the kitchen."Do you need any help? It smells amazing, by the way ," I said, looking at all the pots on the stove."Thank you love. But don't worry, I got it all under control. Why don't you join the others." She said, shooting me a smile. Ugh.

I turned around and walked back out as Maggie called my name, making me turn around. " I'm glad to have you back, Valerie. " She said her smile was warm as always.  "I'm glad to be back, too." I said a smile forming on my lips.

I went back to the dining room flopping down in the seat next to Clauida. "That's not your seat, Valerie." Billies voice made my head snap up. "What?" I asked, clearly confused. "Come on, Billie, let her sit wherever. No one cares about the seating plan we made when we were kids." Finneas chimed in. Oh, now I know what she meant.

"But that's not her seat." Billie said again, sounding like a little child who didn't get what it wanted. I growned getting up, walking around the table before flopping down next to Billie." Happy now ?" I said with a fake smile . " Yeah" I rolled my eyes at her before Maggie came in carrying the food.

We ate for a while, falling into light conversation. And damn Maggies cooking still tastes so delicious. I could feel Billies eyes on me multiple times, but I just concentrated on the plate infront of me."So tell me Valerie, how's college?" Patrick asked from across the table. " Oh yeah, Clauida told us you do photography. " Maggie next to him chimed in sounding truly interessted.

"Yeah, I'm at UCLA, and it's great. I love it really, but it's a lot sometime. Finals are soon so I have to study like 24/7 now." I said with a slight chuckel.

"Oh, that must be exhausting. " Maggie said. "Well, it's ok, but I broke my camera by accident, so now I have to find a job on top of that .So that I can afforda new one. But I always loved photography, so it's worth the afford. " I said before taking another bite of my food.

The evening continued on Patrick put on some music sometime throughout, playing softly in the background of multiple different conversations about everything. "I think I should let out the dogs for a while. " Finneas said, pushing back his chair ,getting up. Claudia and Finneas had brought over their dogs Peaches and Mouse who had been patiently waiting in living room to be set free. "Oh, I'm coming along. I need someone fresh air anyway. " I said, following him and the dogs out into the backyard.

The air was cool but not too cold. Just right to cool off a bit without freezing. The two dogs sprinted off disappear somewhere in the darkness of the yard.I sat down next to Finneas on the steps of the patio , leaning back on my hands to look up at the faint stars on the night sky.

"I hate light pollution," I said, breaking the comfortable silence between us. " Yeah me too. It's sad that you can't really see the stars here eventhoug we're kind far out the city center. " Finneas said before going quiet again. The dogs were somewhere chasing each other,  their breathing and the ratteling of their collar filled the silence in the backyard.

The voices inside were muffled through the glass sliding door." You know -" Finneas broke the silence again"- it was great having you here again like old times. Didn't realize how much I missed this." His words made me smile." Yeah, me too." My words came out quiter than intended.

"I was so sad to hear that you just moved away. You didn't even say goodbye. Billie had to tell us." Finneas said his his voice sounded a little sad."A wonder Billie even knew I moved ." I huffed. "Why wouldn't she ? You two talked day and night. She was so sad after you left. She wouldn't come out of her room for days. We were genuinely worried for her."

His words made me literally laugh out loud. He was kidding, right? The Billie who just stopped answering any of my texts and calls  weeks before I moved had been sad about me leaving?

"Why are you laughing Valerie. That's not funny?" He said a little defensive. I shook my head. I couldn't believe this. Bilie was just such a big liar , it was crazy.

" Because I highly doubt that she cared that I moved. Do you really think that me moving away was the reason me and Billie lost contact?" I asked. I genuinely wanted to know if that was what he believed had happened, and he just nodded . I could see the confusion forming on his face.

I took a deep breath, preparing myself to tell Finneas the truth. " Well, in reality, everything was great between us until one day she just stopped answering any of my texts. At first, I thought she was just busy because you guys were about to go on tour. But days passed, and not a single response. I went over to your guys house, and this guy opened the door . Still don't know who that guy was, but he told me that Billie didn't want to see me again . Like ever. That was also the time that my mom got diagnosed with cancer. I could have really needed a friend at that time, but Billie just left me. I only moved away a few weeks later."  I said my eyes, filling with tears , threatening to fall at the thought about my mum.

Finneas already knew my mom died, so that was no news to him, but everything else was. He was silent for a while. Not saying a single word just stearing ahead into the darkness.

" I- I dont even know what to say, Valerie. I can't believe Billie would do something like that.  Especially to you." His eyes finally catching mine again his facial expression a bit shocked. " You know Billie told me about you guys back then.  I mean, about you two being kind of a thing ." My eyes widened.

"She did?" I basically chocked out because no one had know about us. Billie had made it perfectly clear that she didn't want anyone to know.

" Yeah she did. But to be honest she didn't even have to tell me because I could see it. I could see the way she was always looking at you. It makes it hard to believe that she would just cut you off like that." Finneas leaned over a bit pulling me into his side . His arm was draped across my shoulders, and my head was resting on his shoulder. Finneas had always been like a big brother to me.

" I think the worst part is that she didn't explain anything to me. She just sent this guy to tell me she didn't wanna see me again. I wondered for years what I did wrong." At this point, I was just telling him everything that had been stuck in the back of my brain for years and years.

" That was probably Q. A douch anyway. He and Billie were in a relationship for a while, but he was horrible to her. I was so glad when Billie finally saw the truth too and broke up with him." Finneas said, finally answering the question I had had for years. But I didn't make me feel any better knowing the truth.

" So she just left me for someone else." Finally pieced it together, my voice even quieter now. I pushed myself harder against Finneas, needing him to steady me now. He must have realised that I was on the verge of a break down do he pulled me into a hug.

I dont know if I felt relieved in that moment because I finally knew the truth or if I felt worse than before because I lost my best friend to a douch."I feel so stupid."I took a few breaths, calming myself down. I didn't cry because I already did that enough about Billie.

" Im sorry." I apologize pulling away from Finneas suddenly, realizing how pathetic I must look. I'm having a breakdown about a breakup that happened years ago.

"Hey, don't apologize. It's ok. I would probably feel the same if I were you." Finneas said, placing a comforting hand on my shoulder.

We fell into silence again before switching to a different topic, Finneas clearly wanting to distract me. We sat outside for a while , the dog joining us , settling at our feet clearly exhausted from running around so much.

The sliding door opened, making my head whip back." Hey, you two.You should probably come back inside it's getting kinda cold." Claudia said as she pushed outside. I nooded before getting up. Finneas following behind me. We all settled back inside.

I couldn't even look at Billie anymore. I dont know if I was angry or just disappointed in her. In me.

Maggie brought out a small dessert, just some cut-up fruits. But I had no appetite anymore, ingeneral. I kinda tuned out the conversations a bit - lost in thoughts. The night continued on for a little longer before we all decided that it was time to call it a night.

Finneas and Claudia headed off pretty quickly while I still stayed behind helping Maggie do the dishes eventhoug she had insisted that she was fine doing it herself but I didn't mind. Billie was still settled on the couch with Patrick discussing about some song.

After Maggie and I were finally done, I decided that it was time for me to go as well. " Thank you for having me over." I said to Maggie as I put my shoes and jacket on.

"Well, it was a pleasure to have you. You definitely have to come over sometime again." She said." I will." After giving me a hug, I opened the door and left. The air outside was colder now and I was glad that I had brought a jacket with me. I was barely down the driveway when the door opened again.

" Where you going, Valerie?" Billie asked, jogging down the steps. " Home obviously," I said in a duh tone. " Yeah, I know stupid, but I'm driving you, so get in the car." She said in commending way.

" No thanks," I declined. " Ugh, not this again. Just get in the fucking car. I dont want you taking a bus this late with all those creeps" She said standing next to her car a few meters away from me.

" What creeps ? I thought I was just to stupid to take the bus" I shoot back. Billies hang her head down with a grown obviously caught by her own lie. "Ok I'm sorry I lied.  Stupid of me but please just get in the car." She said her voice almost pleading.

" Wouldn't be the first time that you lied about something. " I said clearly annoyed but I was tired of fighting so I just let out a sigh before walking back up the driveway getting into the passenger side.

The drive was quite only the soft sounds of Billie's Playlist on shuffel savings us from total silence. It turned out that my apartment was on the way to Billies place anyway so she didn't have to do that big of a detour to take me home.

Billie broke the silence looking over at me when we had to stop at a red light. "Whats up with you? You seem so different since you came back with Finneas." She asked , still looking at me. But I had my head stayed turned out the window. " Nothing I'm fine. Just tired. " I lied

" I'm not stupid. I know you Valerie and you're not just tired." She said her voice softer but her words infuriated me." You don't know me Billie . Not anymore." I shoot my voice a little louder than intended . The traffic light switched back to green making Billie peel her eyes from me.

"Yeah you're right. I'm sorry . For all of it." I huffed at her words. Right .

We pulled into my street, and I was ready to bail the second the car stopped, but before I could, Billie caught my wrist.        " Here, take this." She said, handing me a small piece of paper. " Whats that ?" I asked, confused.

" My number.  " She was quiet for a second before adding." Text me when you need to get somewhere at night. I would rather get up in the middle of the night than have you take the bus with some drunk creeps." She said, her voice softer and calm. My heart slightly fluttered at her words.

" Thanks," I mumbled before pushing the car door open and disappeared in my apartment building.

Billie really confused me.

A.NBlessing you with another long chapter with lots of drama. Wrote most of this at 2am, so yeah, I hope any of this makes sense.