The Artist / Billie Eilish

Chapter 54

Rose's POV

"No way? Really? But the red one's so badass. You're totally wrong."

Spread out on the hotel room couch, I rolled my eyes playfully at my girlfriend, continuing to play with rings on her fingers. She was stretched out on her back, and I was stretched out on mine, on top of her. My Ninja Turtle socks had sparked off a somewhat debate, and we'd been arguing about it for the better part of 20 minutes, now.

"Wow, Lynds. I had no idea you'd get so riled up about this," I teased, reaching up to press a kiss to the underside of her chin as she giggled, jabbing at the ticklish spot just under my ribs. I squealed, shuffling against her desperately to try and get away, but she didn't give up, and she ended up straddling me on the couch, our laughter echoing through the empty room.

"Please, please! I surrender, you asshole, please," I struggled through uncontrollable laughter as she eventually stilled her hands, watching me with a fond smile as I caught my breath. I threw my arm over my eyes as I tried to focus on my breathing, a smile still dancing on my lips. "Oh yeah, you're definitely the red one. He's the meanest."

We laughed again as we fell into light, teasing conversation, like we always did. We kept this up until my phone went off - not one, not two, but three times. Once it chimed for a seventh time, I groaned loudly, shuffling out from beneath Lyndsey to wander over to the kitchen, squinting at the screen in frustration.

"Who is it?" My girlfriend called from the other room, and I made my way back in there to see her flicking through channels on the TV, settling on Dr Phil.

I sighed, falling backwards into the armchair, knowing I'd have to get back up again straight away anyway. "Finneas. The tech guys need me to show me all of the stage designs so they can start pairing them up to the system. This is gonna take forever," I groaned as I watched Lyndsey's attention fall into me, a sympathetic pout on her lips.

She mumbled "poor baby", and outstretched her arms to me, waiting until I eagerly fell into them, burying my face against her neck and inhaling her soft, cinnamon scent that I'd grown so familiar to.

I felt her press a light kiss to my forehead, and I reciprocated against her neck, before we fell into a sleepy state of comfort. That was, until my phone went off another six times.

I groaned dramatically again, and Lyndsey laughed before pushing me off of her as I half-heartedly protested. Typing out a quick reply, I reached down to kiss her goodbye before jogging towards the door, squealing as she playfully smacked my ass on the way past, making some joke about her "working woman".

"I'll be back later, okay?"

I turned to see her already invested in Dr Phil again, chewing on her bottom lip thoughtfully.

"Baby?"

Her eyebrows raised as she glanced at me for one millisecond, in an attempt to convey that she was listening. She hummed in response as I grinned, rolling my eyes at the girl.

"See you later, dumbass."

•

Billie's POV

I blew the hair that came loose from my space buns out of my
eyes once I pressed the button to the seventh floor in the elevator.

Spinning around on the balls of my feet, I turned to face myself in the mirror, pulling exaggerated expressions as I mouthed the words to the song I was playing out loud, thankful that the elevator was empty once I started dancing, too.

My moonwalk came to a dramatic halt once the doors slid open - two Chinese businessmen staring me down as Childish Gambino's III. Telegraph Ave. continued to
blare out. I awkwardly smiled at them both before pushing in between them and running down the corridor, determined to put as much space between me and that awkward shitshow as possible.