THE TRUTH WAS, BILLIE WAS STARTING TO SLIP INTO WHAT SHE FELT JUST ABOUT A YEAR AGO. AND SHE WAS SCARED.
She wasn't the type to be uncomfortable with herself or scared of anything really. But she was starting to fall. She was terrified.
She sits in the driver's seat, always insistent on driving the group. It took her mind away to relaxation despite the heavy traffic through the California area.
Today, they were headed down to Texas, where they'd take two days of straight-through driving and perform her newest album on stage in front of her biggest crowd yet.
Nobody expected Billie to make it over forty-eight hours of staring at traffic lights and street signs. But as the night falls after the first long day, Billie still remains in silence as she grips the wheel.
"I can take over?" Claudia rests her hand to her shoulder from the back, gently squeezing it to reassure that she was still conscious. Nobody had heard her speak in a long while. Not since they left.
Her head shakes; voice raspy, "I'm fine."
"Billie, that's a bit dangerous don't you think?"
"I said I'm fine." She looks back at her then back to the road.
Typically, Elizabeth would have interfered. Told Billie that she should take a break otherwise she'd be risking all of their lives that night.
