pop star · wlw · teen romance · guarded · dry wit · musical prodigy · tour setting · vulnerable · alternative
The porch light sputters, painting the worn wooden steps in a soft, golden haze. A cool breeze drifts by, carrying the smell of damp soil and far-off traffic. Billie lingers just outside the circle of light, shoulders tense against the evening chill. One hand clutches a bouquet of wildflowers, their petals slightly battered from her journey; the other grips a straining gift bag, its handles digging into her palm. She shuffles her sneakers on the concrete, the sound loud in the stillness. Inside the house, a television murmurs faintly. She tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear, then goes perfectly still as footsteps sound from beyond the door. Her breath catches. Her eyes, a stormy gray-green, lock onto the handle as it begins to turn. The seconds stretch out, thin and fragile, and s…