Chapter 55

The lights in the arena dimmed, and for a moment, the entire space was swallowed in darkness. A deafening roar erupted from the crowd, a sound so powerful it vibrated through my chest. The intro track built steadily, the low bass reverberating through the floor, the anticipation crackling like electricity in the air.

I stood just behind the curtain, gripping my microphone, inhaling one last deep breath. This was it. The moment I had worked for. The moment I lived for.

A single spotlight flashed on, illuminating the massive LED screen behind the stage as the first few notes of the opening song rang out. The energy in the venue surged, and as the beat dropped, the curtain lifted.

I stepped onto the stage.

The crowd exploded.

Thousands of voices screamed my name, hands reaching, faces glowing with excitement. The adrenaline hit me like a tidal wave, flooding every inch of my body as I took my place at center stage.

"WHAT'S UP, LA?!" My voice rang through the speakers, and the reaction was immediate-another deafening wave of cheers, a symphony of energy that fueled me like nothing else.

I didn't waste a second.

As the music swelled, I launched into the first song, my body moving on instinct. The stage lights pulsed in sync with the beat, casting streaks of color across the crowd, illuminating thousands of fans who sang every word back to me. My voice rang strong, clear, soaring over the music, and the sheer euphoria of performing took over.

I glanced toward the side of the stage-Billie was there, standing just behind the barricade, hands cupped around her mouth as she cheered for me. Ivy and Aidan were right beside her, both losing their minds, jumping up and down like they were just as much a part of this as I was.

A grin spread across my face, and I poured even more into the performance. Every lyric, every note, every movement was a release, an extension of the fire burning inside me. The crowd fed off my energy, and I fed off theirs, a perfect storm of passion and connection.

By the time I reached the middle of the set, I was breathless, sweat glistening on my skin, heart pounding with exhilaration. The acoustic guitar was handed to me, and the mood shifted. The energy didn't die down, but it became something deeper, something more intimate.

I strummed the first chord, and the stadium quieted just enough to let my voice fill the space. "This next one... this one means a lot to me," I murmured into the mic. My eyes flickered over to Billie again, and even from this distance, I could see the softness in her expression.

I sang the first line, and the crowd joined in instantly, voices blending in a way that sent chills down my spine. It was magic-this shared moment between me and the people who had been with me since the beginning.

I closed my eyes, letting myself feel every word, every emotion pouring into the music. And when I opened them again, I locked eyes with Billie.

She was singing along.

Smiling.

Watching me like I was the only person in the room.

And for that moment, despite the thousands of people surrounding us, it felt like the whole concert was just for her.

I let the last chord ring out, the sound echoing through the arena as the crowd cheered, their voices blending into one massive roar of approval. I caught my breath, pushing my damp hair from my face as I glanced out at the sea of faces.

The energy in the room was electric, but I could feel a shift coming. This next moment-it was going to be special.

I stepped toward the mic, my fingers still curled around the neck of my guitar. "Alright," I exhaled, my voice slightly breathless. "So, I've got something for you guys tonight."

The crowd screamed in response, their excitement palpable.

"This one... this one's not out yet." A wave of gasps and cheers rippled through the arena, and I smiled. "It's from my upcoming album, and you guys are gonna be the first people to ever hear it live."

The roar that followed was deafening.

I let the noise wash over me, my heart pounding. This song-it wasn't just another track. It was a piece of me.

I glanced over to the side of the stage, my eyes immediately finding Billie. She was grinning, arms crossed over her chest as she nodded at me, mouthing, You got this.

A deep breath. A steadying moment.

Then, I started to play.

The first chords rang out, soft yet powerful, carrying through the arena like a whispered secret. The crowd quieted, waiting, listening. I leaned into the mic, my voice raw and full of something real.

The lyrics poured out of me, each one laced with meaning, with truth. It was about love, about finding something unexpected, about being completely and utterly consumed by someone in the best way.

It was about her.

I didn't have to look at Billie to know she was watching. To know she was listening. To know she knew.

The chorus swelled, the melody wrapping around the crowd, drawing them in. Even though they didn't know the words, they swayed, feeling it, living in it with me. The energy was unreal-something between us, between me and them, between me and her.

And as I sang the last line, letting it hang in the air for just a second longer, the entire arena erupted into cheers so loud I could feel it in my bones.

I let out a breathless laugh, shaking my head. "Damn," I murmured into the mic. "You guys are really something else."

The response was another deafening roar, and I knew, without a doubt-this moment was going to live with me forever.

I let the last note of my final song ring out, my chest rising and falling as I took in the crowd-thousands of faces lit up, voices screaming, hands reaching toward the stage. The energy in the arena was something I'd never felt before, something bigger than me, bigger than any one person. It was magic.

I gripped the mic, my heart pounding with adrenaline, with love, with everything.

"Alright," I breathed into the mic, my voice slightly hoarse. "Before I go, I've got one last thing to say."

The crowd erupted again, cheers and screams bouncing off the walls.

I laughed, shaking my head. "Y'all are insane. I love you for it."

A chant of my name started somewhere in the pit, spreading like wildfire-fitting, considering what was about to happen.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself. "You guys have been with me from the start. You've watched me grow, change, evolve. And it's because of you that I get to do what I love every single day. So... I think it's only right that you're the first to know."

The arena held its breath, waiting.

"My new album, Wildfire-" I paused, letting the tension build, my grin widening. "Is out. Right. Fucking. Now."

The explosion of sound that followed was unreal. Screams, cheers, gasps-it was like I'd just set off a bomb of pure excitement.

I laughed, overwhelmed, running a hand through my sweat-dampened hair. "I had to keep it a secret, but trust me, it's worth it." I exhaled, glancing offstage. "And honestly, I wouldn't have been able to do it without some really special people in my life."

The crowd was still going wild, but I turned toward the side of the stage, catching Ivy and Aidan's stunned expressions. Billie, arms crossed, brows raised, was watching me with something between amusement and suspicion.

I pointed at them. "Get out here."

Aidan's mouth fell open. Ivy shook her head like she couldn't believe me. Billie, on the other hand, straightened up, eyes narrowing as she mouthed, What the fuck are you doing?

I grinned. "C'mon, don't make me beg."

The crowd started cheering for them now, and finally, they gave in. Ivy grabbed Aidan's wrist, dragging him forward, and Billie-who was still looking at me like I was insane-reluctantly followed.

The moment they stepped into the light, the crowd erupted again.

Ivy beamed, throwing an arm around me. Aidan, still looking shell-shocked, just shook his head. Billie stood a step back, hands on her hips, eyes locked onto mine.

I could practically hear the What the fuck? radiating from her.

I smirked. "You have something to say, B?"

She scoffed, but her lips twitched upward. "Yeah. What the fuck are you doing?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I grabbed her by the wrist, yanked her toward me, and kissed her.

The arena lost its fucking mind.

Billie froze for half a second before she melted into me, her hands coming up to cup my face, kissing me back like she didn't care that we were standing in front of thousands of people. And for the first time, neither did I.

This was our moment.

When we finally pulled away, Billie was grinning, her cheeks flushed, her hands still resting on my face like she wasn't quite ready to let go.

The crowd was still screaming, Ivy and Aidan were still in shock, and my heart was still pounding, but all I could focus on was her.

Billie let out a breathless laugh. "You're insane."

I just smirked. "Took you long enough to figure that out."

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

And as I turned back to the crowd, soaking in the chaos, the love, the moment-I knew.

This was just the beginning.

A/NTHANK YOU. Thank you so fucking much for reading this book, for coming along this journey with Ember and Billie I LOVE UUU!!! I was listening to happier than ever whilst writing this last chapter. So you should do the same whilst reading. Ily thank u guys so much for the love on my first Billie fanfic.My new book "only you" will be out today! The first chapter is waiting to be published woohoo!!🖤🖤🖤🖤🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷