chapter 34

1 week later.

The dressing room was alive with energy, laughter echoing over the music blasting from the speakers. Billie's team, the band, and a few close friends filled the space, celebrating the final show of her Australia tour. Bottles of champagne popped open, mixing with the scent of sweat and victory, and an assortment of snacks littered the table, half-forgotten in the excitement. The night carried that kind of high-energy haze, the kind that only comes with the end of something big-something unforgettable.

Billie, still glowing from the performance, had barely sat down since coming off stage. Her damp hair was a mess, strands sticking to her forehead, but she didn't seem to care. She was bouncing between conversations, animatedly talking to her team, eyes bright and electric as she relived the highs of the night. Every so often, her laughter rang above the music, a sound so contagious that it made people smile just hearing it.

I leaned against the armrest of a couch, nursing a drink, watching her in her element. She was magnetic-completely unfiltered, completely her. Even in a room full of people, she had this way of drawing all my attention, like nothing else mattered but the sound of her voice, the glimmer in her eyes when she was happy.

She caught me staring and shot me a grin, making my stomach flip. Before I could look away, she excused herself from her conversation and sauntered over to me, plopping down dramatically beside me, her knee brushing mine.

"You good over here, Pretty?" she teased, nudging me gently.

I smirked. "Just enjoying the show."

Her lips twitched as she leaned in, voice dropping into that soft, teasing lilt that always got to me. "Better than the one I just put on?"

I hummed, pretending to think. "Mmm... It's a close call."

She scoffed, shoving my shoulder playfully. "You're the worst."

Before I could respond, one of her bandmates called out, "Eilish, speech!"

The room erupted in cheers, and Billie groaned but didn't fight it. She hopped onto one of the chairs, raising a bottle in the air. "Alright, alright! I guess I should say something since you all refuse to let me just drink in peace."

Laughter rippled through the room as she grinned. "This tour has been fucking insane, and I mean that in the best way. You guys are the reason this happened, the reason I get to do what I love. So, seriously-thank you."

More cheers. She glanced at me for a fraction of a second before continuing, "And, of course, I deserve all the credit."

The room groaned in mock protest as she dramatically flipped her hair, milking the moment for all it was worth.

I laughed, shaking my head. "So humble."

Billie hopped down from the chair, her eyes still on me as the party carried on. She closed the space between us in a few steps, fingers hooking loosely around my wrist. "Come dance with me."

I raised a brow. "Didn't you just run around on stage for two hours? How do you still have energy?"

She grinned. "Adrenaline, baby."

I rolled my eyes, but when she tugged me forward, I didn't resist. The music pulsed through the floor as she spun me around, laughter bubbling between us. It was effortless, the way she moved, the way she pulled me in close without a second thought. Her hands slid to my waist, her touch warm even through the fabric of my clothes.

Her voice was soft against my ear. "Can't believe this tour is over."

I met her gaze. "Yeah, it flew by."

She searched my face for a second, something unreadable flickering in her eyes. "I'm glad you were here."

My chest tightened. "Me too."

She didn't say anything else-just kept me close, swaying slightly even though the music was fast. For a moment, it felt like we weren't in a crowded room at all, like it was just us, suspended in this bubble of warmth and something deeper that neither of us dared to name.

Eventually, the party slowed into a more relaxed haze, people settling onto couches, lost in conversation or half-asleep from exhaustion. Billie and I ended up in a quieter corner, tucked away from the chaos. Her head rested against my shoulder, and I ran my fingers absentmindedly through her hair, relishing the rare moment of stillness.

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "You excited to go back home tomorrow?"

I nodded. "Yeah. Feels like we've been here forever."

She exhaled, her breath warm against my skin. "It's been a long one. But I'm kinda sad too."

I tilted my head, watching her. "Yeah?"

She shrugged, her fingers playing idly with the fabric of my hoodie. "It's been nice... having you here. Just us. No distractions."

My heart clenched a little at the way she said it, so soft, so honest. I squeezed her hand. "We'll have that back home too."

She looked up at me, her blue eyes searching mine. "Promise?"

I smiled. "Promise."

I smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Sleepy?"

She made a soft noise in response, her grip on my hoodie tightening slightly.

I looked around at the room-at the people who had been on this wild journey with her, at the exhaustion and joy lingering in the air. This chapter was closing, but something else was beginning. And as I sat there with Billie curled up beside me, I had a feeling that whatever came next, it was going to be just as unforgettable.

--

The morning air was crisp as we stepped out of the hotel, luggage in tow. The sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the pavement as Billie and I climbed into the black SUV waiting for us out front. The hum of the city surrounded us, the last echoes of our time in Australia fading into the background as we prepared to head home to LA.

Billie let out a dramatic sigh as she flopped back against the seat, stretching her legs out with a groan. "I can't believe it's over."

I smiled, settling in beside her. "You say that like you didn't just finish an entire tour."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but I don't want it to be over. It was fun. The shows, the cities... being here with you."

Warmth spread through my chest at that. A week had passed since she'd asked me to be her girlfriend-since we'd made things official, even if no one else knew. It was still ours, this private little thing we held close, away from the public eye. And I loved it.

I nudged her knee with mine. "You'll be touring again before you know it."

She sighed. "Yeah, but it won't be the same. I liked having you with me."

I smirked. "Are you saying you'd be sad if I didn't come on the next leg of your tour?"

Billie turned her head to look at me, something soft flickering in her gaze. "No. I'm saying I need you there."

The words were simple, but they landed deep. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from grinning too much. "I think I can make that happen."

She hummed in approval, reaching over to tangle our fingers together, a quiet, steady presence between us as the car pulled away from the hotel.

The ride to the airport was smooth, the city streets rolling past in a blur. Billie played with my fingers absentmindedly, her body leaned slightly against mine. Every so often, she'd glance over, her eyes filled with something unspoken, something only I could understand.

As we pulled into the private terminal, a small crew was already waiting to load our luggage onto the plane. Billie sighed again, giving my hand a quick squeeze before letting go. "Time to go home."

I nodded, grabbing my bag and stepping out of the SUV. Billie followed, sliding on a pair of sunglasses as we walked toward the jet. The flight crew greeted us, and within minutes, we were seated inside, the engines humming to life beneath us.

She stretched her legs out across the seat, resting her head on my shoulder. "You know, LA means real life again. No more late-night hotel room service or sneaking around just to hold your hand."

I laughed. "You say that like it's a bad thing."

She tilted her head, considering. "Nah. Just different."

I brushed a stray piece of hair from her face. "We'll figure it out."

Her lips curved into a small smile. "Yeah. We will."

As the plane lifted off, leaving Australia behind, I found myself holding onto the moment, to her, to us-knowing that whatever waited for us in LA, we were facing it together.