chapter six;
a helping hand

THE MUSIC PULSED THROUGH HER. It was so loud inside the club. The night had gone well so far. They'd gone for nice meal and then toured all their favourite bars before ending up in the club. Emma and Rochelle were currently clinging onto each other in the middle of the dance floor, both of them drunk out of their minds. Billie was grabbing another drink at the bar, she didn't feel drunk, but she felt...Just right.

The bartender hands over her vodka cranberry and Billie makes her way back to her two friends. She'd chosen a simple outfit of black jeans and a white t-shirt that had David Bowie on the front- Emma had given it to her as it was too big for her petite frame. She still donned her iconic red lipstick and pretty white bob. She reached the two girls and immediately they invited her into their huddle.

Rochelle leaned closely to her and gave her a smile, "I think we're going to head home,"

"What?!" Billie asks, "I only just got my drink!"

"Down it!" Emma says, her eyes were foggy and she looked like she could drop off to sleep at any moment. Both Emma and Rochelle worked as bankers and they weren't used to going 'out out' like this. Whereas Billie had been to University in London, the girl sure knew how to handle her alcohol.

"Fine," Billie laughs, chugging back the vodka cranberry and cringing afterwards. Downing vodka, no matter what it was mixed with, had always made her feel a little uneasy afterwards. She shivers, grabbing the hands of the two girls beside her, "Lets go!"

The trio get their coats from the cloakroom and head out to the surface, letting the cold, fresh air hit their faces. It made Emma pale. She hurled up after 5 minutes of walking. Billie let Rochelle deal with it- sick was one thing Billie always hated. Emma regains her composure and the three of them start attempting to hail a cab. Rochelle and Emma have to hold on to Billie for support, both of them completely drunk.

"I think you should both just come back to mine, you can have my bed and I'll have the sofa," Billie says and Emma hiccups a laugh.

"Maybe you can share with that boy," She slurs.

"I don't think so Em," Billie laughs, waving her hand at a cab. Finally, one pulls over.

"She has a boyfriend," Rochelle says, stumbling towards the yellow cab.

"Boys and girls can share a bed as friends," Emma says, climbing into the back of the car.

"If they hurl, you're paying double!" The driver says as Billie finally gets inside.

"Yeah, yeah, just drive," The girl mumbles before quickly giving the address.

The driver takes them there, and luckily, none of the girls throw up, so he can only charge the normal rate- which is still a lot. Billie helps the two of them out the car and guides them into her apartment block. She decides that she'd rather take the elevator with them than have to try to drag them up the stairs. Billie presses the number of her floor and the rattly, rusty elevator makes its way upwards. Billie lets out a breath of relief when the doors open to her floor and she hurls the two girls out of the lift and into the corridor. Two apartments were on each floor in this block. She opens up the front door and tries to be as quiet as possible as she guides them into the flat.

She closes the door and lets out a deep breath, "Okay, c'mon, shoes off, makeup off, hair tied up and into bed...Please,"

Emma and Rochelle stumble into the bedroom, Billie making sure they go into the right one, and start to get to work on Billie's instructions. The two girls help each other with shoes and makeup removal before finding some of Billie's pyjamas to borrow.

"I'm starving," Emma says, her voice seemed so loud.

"Okay, come grab something," Billie says, who had also changed into some other clothes and had wiped off her makeup. She leads Emma into the kitchen area, Emma makes sure to stomp along the floor as she walks. It was almost as if she wanted to wake up Timothée. Billie shows Emma what she has in her cupboards and also lets her peek in the fridge. Emma goes for a big bag of doritos and some salsa.

"Please, for the love of god, don't spill that on my bed," Billie warns, wagging a finger in Emma's face. Emma laughs, carrying her food back to the bedroom.

"Night Bill!" Emma shouts and Billie lets out a deep breath, Emma had really got on her nerves since being home.

"Night Em," Billie smiles as Emma closes the bedroom door with a bang.

Billie falls onto the sofa, dragging her hands down her face, exasperated. Just as she closes her eyes to settle into sleep, a door opens. She sits up and sees Timothée coming out of his bedroom.

"I am so sorry-"

"Your friends are extremely loud, and I think they're having sex...Is it the two girls who I met when you moved in?" He interrupts.

"Oh...Yeah, yeah they are," Billie says, she felt her cheeks burning red. "I'm so sorry, Timmy, they were just so drunk and tired and I didn't trust them to get home on their own and this place was closer to get to..."

"Its alright, I was awake anyway, I've been...Practicing," He says, he walks towards her and takes a seat on the free section of the sofa.

"Oh... I'm still sorry, we must have disturbed you," She says, shifting her legs a little, feeling awkward to be so close to him. It was in this light- almost complete darkness, but with a slither of moonlight streaming in through the large glass window- that she realised he was actually really beautiful.

His perfectly chiseled face, the green eyes that have slight drops of brown and his shaped brows and curly mop of brunette hair. He gave her a soft smile in the dark, stretching his arm around the sofa, in her direction.

She shifts a little. "So, what were you practicing?"

"Just a script, you know I'm rehearsing for a role in theatre," He says, "I'm going for Caliban,"

"From The Tempest?" She asks in reply. He looks shocked that she knows what he's referencing.

"Yeah..." He nods, "Didn't think you'd know what that is,"

"I'm a big Shakespeare fan...Plus I lived in England for 3 years, c'mon," She laughs, "Plus I looked at a lot of Shakespeare based art, for my degree, it's pretty interesting to look at character interpretations,"

"Thats awesome," He says, he ruffles his hair a little and then looks towards the window, "Are you sleeping out here tonight?"

"Unfortunately I have a lesbian couple fucking in my bed right now," She shrugs, "I don't really want to share,"

He laughs, "I wouldn't mind sharing,"

"Ewww," Billie giggles, shaking her head, "Men are ridiculous,"

"We are indeed," He says, the arm that was slung over the sofa back, lifts and he stands up, "You can have half of my bed if you want?"

A lump forms in her throat. Her mind raced. Was that allowed? They both had partners? Surely that made it better than if only one of them did? Or if neither of them did?

She glances towards the moon that lit up the room slightly. It was wrong? Right?

"Well?"

"Urm-uh-I don't know,"

"Well, the offers there, trust me, I've slept on that couch before and its the most uncomfortable thing ever," He chuckles, "Just going to the toilet,"

He steps into the bathroom and she hears the door lock behind him. She lets out a silent sigh. She felt so strange in that moment. Perhaps it was the alcohol catching up to her, or perhaps it was just a 'I don't care moment'. She stands up as she hears the toilet flush and the taps turn on. A few moments later, Timothée steps outside, and he offers a smile.

"You coming then?"

"I think I will," She nods. He gestures for her to follow and she does. They step into his room and she gets a real look at it. Its pretty much the opposite of her room. His furniture is all black and the colourful accents are all deep blues and greens unlike her pastel purples and pinks.

"Nice room," She says, catching a glance of the bookshelf above his desk that housed copies of Shakespeare plays and biographies of famous actors.

"Thank you," He says, climbing into the far side of the bed. He pats the space beside him.

"Is this not weird for you?" It blurts out her mouth before she can stop herself. Immediately, she regrets it.

"Nah," He says, putting his hands behind his head.

"But...You have a girlfriend..." She says.

"You have a boyfriend, and yet, there you stand, like a lost puppy," He smirks. The smirk makes her spine shiver.

"Touché," She breathes, leaning back against the door. In the following moments, all thought of Zac left her mind. She stepped forwards, pulled back the quilt and climbed under. "Thanks for letting me share,"

"Its no bother, trust me, sharing with someone you barely know if a hell of a lot better than breaking your back on that couch," He chuckles and she turns her back to him, facing outwards.

"Goodnight Timothée," She says and he smiles to himself behind her, looking at her perfect white hair that fanned out across his pillow.

"Goodnight, Billie Rose,"

_________________

And so it begins....

Thank you for reading & i hope you enjoyed!

~bobbybasic❤️