Chasing Air // Billie Eilish

Chapter 10

BILLIE'S P.O.V

"I have to go," Elliot said before rushing out of the house. What the hell happened? It was not very often at all that Claudia yelled, so it was sort of frightening when she did.

"Is everything okay?" Finneas asked.

"She's just so stubborn. To be honest, I'm a little worried about her." Claudia admitted, sitting down.

"Why? What's going on?" Finneas sat down beside her, grabbing her hand.

"I don't know—I'm just thinking too much into it." She shrugged.

"No," I said finally, leaning against the doorframe. "Her boyfriend's really weird."

"You've met him?" Claudia raised her eyebrows.

I nodded. "They came over to my house. It was just supposed to be Elliot, but her boyfriend is really paranoid. He was getting mad at me for flirting with her—which I wasn't doing and she apparently has to ask him for permission to use the bathroom, and I find that kinda weird."

"I mean, maybe she's cheated on him before," Finneas offered. "Maybe she's given him a reason to not trust her."

"It's just a wack relationship in general." I shook my head.

-

"It's just weird, Zoe." I shrugged.

"Why are you so worried about it?" Zoe asked, setting her phone down.

"I just—I mean..." I huffed, frustrated with myself. "Why can't you just agree, Zoe?"

"Is it possibly because you like her?"

"Of course not!" I furrowed my eyebrows, my face heating up.

"You're blushing."

"No. You're just embarrassing me."

"Because you like her?" She raised her eyebrows.

"Because I'm uncomfortable."

"Because I called you out? Why are you lying to me about this?"

I shrugged, rolling my eyes. "I want to act like I don't like her. She has a boyfriend. She's not even allowed to talk to me anymore."

"That's bullshit. If she really cares, she won't listen to him. If I had a boyfriend and he told me that I couldn't talk to you anymore, I wouldn't do that. Because I'm a good friend."

"But we've been friends forever, Zo. I've only known her for a couple months and she's been with her boyfriend for a long time."

"Right. That's true. I don't know, Bil. I guess there isn't much you can do. You could try to reason with her boyfriend, but I don't know how I feel about that." She shrugged. "He seems a little off."

I sighed, tilting my head back. "I guess I should just try to forget about it."

She shrugged. "I don't know. I'm sorry I don't have any better advice to offer."

"It's okay." I didn't like this. She was right. There really wasn't anything I could do. And I unrealistically and selfishly wished she'd just break up with her boyfriend. I didn't really know Elliot's sexuality but with the way her boyfriend acted, I safely assumed she was not straight.