┏━━━━⋆｡‧˚ʚ ❀ ɞ˚‧｡⋆━━━━┓

LATE NIGHT TALKIN'

SENIORITIS WAS FULLY SETTING IN FOR BILLIE BURBANK THE MOMENT APRIL ROLLED AROUND.

Jess was deemed valedictorian and was constantly asking Billie for help with writing her speech out— a task that the blonde girl was more than willing to help out with. The Stanley girl deserved to be their class valedictorian, simply because of how involved she was with every aspect of the school. The amount of clubs she was in alone was insane, so in Billie's mind, there was no one better suited to give that speech at their graduation.

Billie on the other hand was keeping busy by crafting invites to the graduation barbecue her mother wanted to host on her behalf. So far, Embry and Bella were at the top of her list, followed by others who were closest to her and her mother. The Chief was also near the top of her list, Katherine insisting that it'd be rude to invite Bella and not her father (surely for no other reason, right?), and for that same reason, she wrote down Billy Black's name under Jacob's.

Even though she hadn't seen the boy in a while, tensions rising between his friendship with Bella, she figured it wouldn't hurt to ask. Plus, she didn't want anyone to feel excluded, as she knew she'd feel that way had she not received an invitation to a good friend's graduation celebrations.

She pointedly left out her father's name, knowing that despite moving in across the street, she'd yet to see him other than the first day he and Kate came by. She'd catch occasional glimpses of him in the mornings, dressed in a pristine suit heading towards his car, coincidentally around the same time as she had to leave for school. Yet, other than that, he was making no effort to engage with her— just like it had always been.

College acceptances were also due by the end of the month, meaning Billie had to decide from one of her three top offers. Seattle University, Bellevue College, and even Pepperdine wanted her to join their ranks, and as much as the two Washington schools interested her, her heart was leaning towards Pepperdine and it's gorgeous, sunny Malibu campus.

Katherine wasn't a fan of Pepperdine, only because it was out of state and a lengthy travel away from Forks. She'd gone to Seattle U and turned out just fine, but as much as she was eager to push her daughter in that direction, she knew the choice was Billie's.

In thinking about college, and the future as a whole, it made Billie itch to put on that yellow graduation gown and throw her cap into the air. She was ready to embark on a new journey, as a human.

The looming promise of her becoming a vampire, like Alice had seen in her vision, was a reoccurring thought she had at night time when she was alone. The ever-so bubbly Billie was usually reduced to silent sobs at her future being so grim, so undead.

Bella might've wanted that as her future, but Billie sure as hell did not.

She wanted to go to college, get a nine to five job somewhere out of state, and wanted to tan in the sun without sparkling like a rhinestone. Through her tears, she held onto hope that her time to turn would come later instead of sooner.

It didn't help with Aro breathing down her neck all the time— figuratively, of course. Although she did enjoy his active engagement with her, his occasionally cheeky comments, and random questions about the human behaviours she exhibited, it was just a constant reminder of what was bound to happen.

So, one night, she dared to be the one to reach out first and hoped her message wouldn't come back to bite anyone in the ass.

Billie
Idk a whole lot, but ik my
future, so I'm asking; can
we please hold off?

Let me live? Just for a bit?

It was late when she sent him that message, fingers literally crossed as she anticipated another speedy reply. However, she nearly blanched when she saw his Caller ID pop up, taking over her entire screen.

He was calling her.

Not wanting to find out what would happen if she kept the literal vampire king waiting, she pressed the green answer button and pressed the device to her ears. "Hello?"

"What have they told you?"

Jumping right into it, she guessed. Ignoring his slightly hardened tone, one that she should've paid more attention to, she pressed on. "They told me about Alice's vision, the one you saw too..."

She was leaving out the rest of her conversation with Edward— the one involving the s-word that she still didn't fully understand yet.

She hoped he'd just take her word as it was; however, there was a beat of silence.

"Are you lying to me, piccola?"

Billie's stomach tumbled because she really hated lying. "Not lying," she responded instantly, before she sheepishly tacked on a, "but maybe some purposeful withholding is happening."

A chuckle reverberated through the phone, and Billie swore her eyesight went hazy for a single second. She rubbed her eyes with her free hand while he answered. "You have nothing to worry about, Billie," and shit, the way he said her name? The blonde almost asked him to repeat it, but bit her tongue. "I am simply enjoying my time as I am, with these silly little messages we send to one another."

To her, the message was clear: I'll let you live.

"Oh," was her weak, albeit relieved, reply. "That's cool, yeah."

"Although," Aro began, almost cryptically, "I would much rather hear your voice from here on out."

Billie froze, her mouth opening and closing on its own as a faint blush rose to her cheeks. "Yeah—" she stuttered out, her feet swinging off the side of her bed, "yeah that works too."

"I understand these are... goofy circumstances," he told her, and Billie was momentarily thrown by his use of the word goofy. She could hear the smile on his face through his light tone. "But, patience is something I have mastered, lately."

"Aren't kings naturally impatient beings?" she questioned with a smirk, knowing that historically, what she was saying was true. Rulers were always impatient, and although she didn't know Aro, she'd read of rulers like him— minus the vampirism part... that part was not in the history curriculum.

"I've waited for you for a thousand years, amore," he mused nonchalantly, stating such as though it was common information. "I assure you that I can wait a bit longer."

The sheer amount of devotion in his tone at that last little part had Billie gripping her cellphone tighter, her gaze looking out the window where the trees were rattling in the wind. This was real life, and Aro was out here confessing that he'd spent his entire undead life waiting on her.

Her, a clumsy human girl who'd lived her entire life in a town with less than five thousand residents. She was small in the grand scheme of things, but the way he addressed her?

It made her feel larger than life, and that alone was an addicting feeling.

"Okie-dokie."

"Marvellous... now, tell me about this graduation you speak of."

⋆｡‧˚ʚ ❀ ɞ˚‧｡⋆

[ wyn's note ]

purrrrrrr billie's got herself a blatant admirer!!

side note: where do we think billie's gonna go to college?! are we pepperdine "get the hell out of forks" fans or are we seattle/bellevue "stay local shawty bae, do it for ur mama" fans ????

i know my answer ;)

till next time!