accompanied | billie eilish

three

four children running along a dirt path together.

"aria, look what i can do!" shouts one girl, halting in her tracks to turn a cartwheel.

"i can do that better," replies the first girl's lookalike, pausing to demonstrate.

"no way, mine was better," the first girl argues.

"no, mine!"

"mine!"

"fine. hey- sienna," the first girl calls, attracting the attention of their older sister. "who's better at turning cartwheels?"

"aria is," the older sister giggles, much to the pleasure of the second twin and the annoyance of the first.

"stop arguing about cartwheels and hurry up, or we'll be late home for dinner," calls the oldest sibling, their brother, from up ahead. "ma said it's chicken bake tonight."

the three girls pick up their pace to catch up with their brother as they continue down the dirt path, headed for home.

✦ ✦ ✦

aria

we're around a week into tour, and i can't believe i forgot how much i love it.

right now, we're stood around in our berlin venue, in the middle of soundcheck for our performance tonight. me and the rest of the band are up on stage, while billie, finneas, maggie and a couple members of the tour crew are stood around in the audience area, watching us or talking idly.

"hey aria, why don't you turn up your microphone a little for flowerss when you switch?" shay asks from his seat by his drum kit, as he watches me set down my acoustic guitar and pick up my microphone. "i can't really hear you over the bass."

"yeah, and i'll turn the bass down," ashley nods, reaching for the amp.

"flowerss is our last number, right?" i ask, tapping the microphone to test that it's on.

"yeah, after that is all the good girls go to hell, and then we do watch together," calls finneas from the audience.

"and then it's the closing number," tyler nods. "okay, let's run through that and then i think we're good to go."

we make our way through the rest of the setlist; just as we finish, the doors at the entrance of the hall are flung open and a familiar figure takes long strides down the aisle towards the stage.

"aria, you better get your arse down here right now," a voice i know thunders teasingly threateningly; ashley and i exchange glances of disbelief as the figure steps into the illumination of the stage spotlights and reveals themselves.

"marcus?" i say in surprise, hopping eagerly off the stage to greet him. "what're you doing here?"

"didn't anyone tell you? i'm on this tour too, bitch," marcus grins, and i pull him into a tight hug.

marcus was the hair and makeup artist for us during our previous tour, with dua lipa. he's incredibly good at his job, and he really had his work cut out for him last time, being in charge of all the performers as well as twelve backup dancers.
he and i grew to become pretty much inseparable, and in the year or so since the tour have maintained contact frequently.

however, marcus hasn't been around during the first week of tour, so i just assumed he wasn't coming on this one.

"that's awesome," i laugh, leaning up to kiss his cheek. "this tour is gonna be even more amazing with you here."

"marcus?" says tyler from behind me, and they both hug. "been a while."

"it's great to be working with you again," marcus smiles widely.

billie, finneas and maggie approach from behind marcus. all of their eyebrows are raised in such an identical questioning expression that i have to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing. a family trait, i guess.

"who's this?" finneas asks politely.

"oh! maggie, billie, finneas, this is marcus," i explain. "he worked with us on our last tour, and now apparently he's on this tour too. he's really cool." i smile up at him, one of my arms lacing around his. "marcus, this is billie eilish, finneas o'connell and maggie baird- we're touring with them and they're the nicest people ever."

"nice," marcus smiles, nodding. "i look forwards to seeing you on stage tonight."

"come on, i wanna show you backstage in this venue," i say excitedly. "the dressing rooms are insane- this tour is gonna be so much fun with you here."

"race you," marcus grins, sprinting away towards the stage.

"fucking child," i call playfully after him.

i look back at billie, laughing at his immaturity and assuming she will be too, but i frown when i see the stone cold glare she's giving him.

shaking my head and trying to erase that from my mind, i hurry after marcus, up towards backstage.