~ October 2018, Isabel's POV ~
" Am I out of my head? Am I out of my mind?" I deliberately question him, gazing right into his eyes. Of course, it wasn't me, but my melodramatic, musical mind reenacting lyrics from my spotify playlist.
Majorly illused and compelled by the rhythm, I blocked out all cognitive thinking and lacked to expect smart ass remarks from Harry. Damn, how dumb could I be? This is no way to act around your crush. So much for stable, fever dream impression. Now he'll just think I'm an idiot. Am I really out of my head? Am I out of my mind?
" Yeah, you sorta are, if I'm being honest. " Harry teased, as he continued to dribble the basketball around the sturdy, marble floor. " At least you realized it."
Damn, how has he not shattered a vase or portrait by now? Should he really be dribbling a basketball in a living room? Well, at least it's not the kitchen, flurried with multiple pots and pans that surround.
Desperate of a comeback, I decide to go along with 'the show'. It's too late to turn back now and steer towards stable sanity. " Where's my mind? " I ask him in a befuddled state, as I search around the sofa for my so called mind.
" Why don't you use your mind to solve that? " He responds in a preschool teacher tone of voice. " Oh shit, you can't. Right? "
"Maybe its in the gutter, where I left my lover. " I suggest. Ofcourse, I'm not being serious whatsoever.
"Now why would you leave your lover in the gutter?" He inquires, except this time, he's absent mindedly believes that I might've left a former boyfriend in the trash. Opposed to belittle in such a weary thought, he stops dribbling and looks me straight in the eye. Harry proceeds to then whisper softly to me " Did you kill somebody? "
Perhaps I've gone too far with such a atrocious lyrics prank, but I further believe I can go much farther than that. Even you'd best believe I'm still bejeweled as a mastermind. "If I love you was a promise, would you break it, if you're honest? "
"What the fuck?" he says, puzzled, lacking any clue of what's even going on anymore. Who can blame him? I probably wouldn't either, if I were in his place.
"I love you and I don't want to " I melodramatically confess, as I prepare myself for the grand finale. I fall flat to the ground and embark in a chant-like holler. " ISN'T IT LOVELY ALL ALONE, HEART MADE OF GLASS, MY MIND OF STONEEE "
He looked at me strangely, barely recognizing me at all. Shit, I've gone too far. " Where is your mind? It really must be made out of stone at this point. "
~ Harry's POV ~
" Okay, so I know this is really random to even ask, but do you by any chance know what songs talks about leaving a lover in the gutter or what the hell 'heart made of glass, mind made of stone' means? "I blurted out in an unhinged manner to my cousin, Ashley Summers.
At first, she started at me, completely startled by the fact that I managed to spur so much fluky wording within a few seconds. Another few seconds passed by until Ash was coherent enough to process what I had just said. "Are you referring to Billie Eilish? "
" What is that? I've never heard of what a Billie Eilish even is. " I inquired, branching out a tint of confusion upon my facial expression.
" Not a what, more like a who and Billie Eilish as in the singer! " Ash lowly chuckled over the humiliation I just endured for myself. "Damn, are you living under a rock, dude? Billie is all the hype right now, everyone is obsessed with her and her music. "
Embarrassed enough, I shied away from sprouting any more menacing small talk. " Oh, okay.... Thanks!! "
Refusing to let my oblivious intentions regarding stupid inquiries go, Ash instead continued on with this demising conversation. " Why are you even asking this shit anyways? That's so unlike you to come to me for this stuff. '
" Oh please, we all know you're my favorite from all your siblings. " I pointed out, aware this is exactly what Ashley intended to hear from me when asking why I chose her to talk to instead of Aurora or Austin.
"Trust me, I'm honored and all, but you've been weirder than usual these days. Tell me, what has changed you? " She asked in the foremost most serious tone that I've ever heard her use with me. God, this unhinged conversation has turned upwards.... which were not my intentions. All I asked was shit regarding that Billy Island and now I'm the one that has to respond to multiple questionnaires.
I chimed in a radical, casual pitch, reciting the exact words that Ash had used earlier when I inquired about that Billard singer. " Like you said, not a what, more like a who.
"So tell me who! "
" It's not really relevant. " I hesitated to answer that and brushed it off, hoping to alter the conversation subject already. I don't know why but discussing Isabel makes me uncomfortable and in an estranged, warped way, I also get quite nervous.
" If this who wasn't relevant than we wouldn't be having this conversation " Ashley slyly remarked.
" Just a friend of mine kept on reciting all these Billie Eilish song lyrics yesterday. " I shrugged it off, in high hopes that perhaps now Ash is willing to change the subject instead of the continuous, curious interrogation. Boy, am I wrong....
" Does this friend happen to be that new girl that's your neighbor? " Ash furrowed her eyebrows and smirked that she was able to pinpoint the who I was referring to.
I dully scoffed. "Yeah, so? "
" I don't know, are you sure she's really just a friend to you? "
" Well of course she's just a friend. Why would you even ask such a thing? "
" Well you don't normally try to impress any of your other friends by learning what their interests are. It just seemed to me like maybe you have a small crush on her, that's all. Don't take offense to that, dude. Just chill. "
" Chill? How can I chill when- " I didn't even bother completing my sentence and instead stormed off into the upstairs hallway.
I took out my phone and plugged in my earphones. I searched up 'Billie Eilish' on spotify and selected an ep titled 'don't smile at me' to listen to. It turns out she's even releasing a new song called 'when the party's over' next week and has a few other songs like 'you should see me in a crown', 'bored' and 'six feet under' that aren't featured on her ep. In fact, according to my research that I've derived from Google, she's set to release her debut album next year around the Spring.
So far, I'm loving this Billie Eilish singer, she just may be my favorite now. I know that it's too soon to even say such a thing, but I'm only speaking truth. Why did it take me so long to find her music? I guess I'll have to thank Isabel tomorrow for helping me discover Billie's music!
~ The very next day, Isabel's POV ~
All I was merely doing at this very moment was minding my very own business, humbly devouring the slice of pepperoni pizza I chose from the lunch counter. Sure, I had previously caught myself obliviously gazing at that blonde kid with the Paramore t-shirt and black platforms but only because I've never seen anyone like that in my whole entire life before. She intrigues me.... If only I had the built in courage to walk up to her and ignite the spark for a adequate conversation.
" Don't smile at me, but thanks to you I've fallen in love with Billie Eilish's music! " Harry exclaimed in hindsight, unintentionally blocking my view of the blonde Paramore fanatic.
I sat there saying absolutely nothing. I don't know why but the Paramore fanatic was amusing me so much, I can barely even pay attention to Harry at the moment.
It wasn't until Harry begun to spur so many Billie Eilish song references that my focus fully went back to my best friend instead of some stranger I don't even know.
" You're not upset that I've become a copycat, right? " He asked.
" No, of course not. In fact, I'm quite glad that I finally have a friend that listens to Billie. " I patted his back in a friendly manner. " It's cool that we can bond over her now. "
" Okay, good, because you looked bored and six feet under there for a second there. "
The warning bell rang and we both ran to our fifth period, which we had in common.
" Call me calloused, Call me cold. You're italic, I'm in bold. " I nudged Harry's arm, playing the role of an arrogant asshole. " Call me cocky, watch your tone. You better love me cause you're just a clone. " I scoffed and pushed him aside as I enter our fifth period classroom. In my defense, it's dance class and the song we're practicing to is Katy Perry's 'Hot 'N Cold', which I just gave a neat example of.
The Paramore fanatic was in this class and gave me a perplexed but deadly glare. I wonder why they seem so insulted by the fact that I playfully pushed Harry. It was a slight push and we fool around like that with each other all the time. It's nice to have a friend you can just be a total, obnoxious idiot to.
During a dance break I walked up to Harry, who was conversing with Corey and the Paramore fanatic. " Sorry, Sorry, I'm Sorry. Sorry" I tell him with a 'I'm so sorry' face plastered across.
" Oh, okay?" Harry looked at me strangely, knowing that I did nothing out of the ordinary to upset him, I think. He paused for a moment, questioning if I'm actually sorry. " Wait, you are sorry? Thanks I guess."
"Sike! " I shouted loud enough for Corey and the Paramore fanatic to flinch and resent my presence at that very second.
" You did not just- " Harry couldn't help himself but to bellow out into chaotic laughter. " You're fucking insane, Izzy. "
" Hold up, since when am I 'Izzy'? " I questioned his attempt of nicknaming me something I havent yet had the chance to personally approve.
" You're 'Izzy' starting today. " He winked right at me before walking away back to the dance partner he was assigned to. I think her name was Tiffany and she was the girl he talked to the coffeshop a few weeks back. Nothing ever happened between them and I should be glad of that but my feelings for Harry have since diminished. I only perceive him as just a friend now, which is a sigh of relief considering officially being crush free allows me to no longer force myself to salvage our friendship. However, I can't ignore the fact that he just winked at me after giving me a silly nickname. What the actual fuck is up with him?
A/N: I apologize in advance for the rollercoaster this book is 🤭 Happy early Grammys day!! TAYLOR, OLIVIA AND BILLIE FOR THE WIN FOR SURE!!! What's your fav Billie Eilish song? Tell me in the comments below 💚 🥑
Total Word Count: 1950 words
Next Chapter Publication Date: February 9th, 2024 ( or earlier if it's a good week for me irl )