Behind the spotlight

The past two months had felt like stepping into another world, a whirlwind of stadium lights, thundering applause, and stolen moments in hotel rooms. Somehow, in the midst of the chaos of Billie's tour, we'd found each other. What started as a surreal, almost impossible connection backstage had turned into something real—something deeper than I could have imagined.

We'd been officially together for a month and a half now, but the moment Billie asked me to be her girlfriend was still vivid in my mind. It wasn't just a memory; it was cinematic.

It began with Billie texting me, "Wear something cute but comfy. Trust me," followed by a winking emoji. I didn't question her—she loved surprises. By the time we climbed into her black SUV, her hand casually resting on my thigh as the driver took us into the city, I still had no clue what was happening.

"Where are we going?" I asked, glancing at her. She was staring out the window, but the corner of her mouth quirked into a playful smile.

"You'll see," she teased, turning to me with those piercing blue eyes that always made me feel like the only person in the world.

The car eventually pulled into the parking lot of an IMAX theater. It was completely empty, the huge glowing sign above the building casting a golden light over the asphalt. For a moment, I thought maybe we were just sneaking in a private movie night. Billie loved doing things low-key, avoiding the crowds when she could.

But as we stepped out of the car, I noticed the doors were already open, a soft glow spilling out from the lobby. Inside, the scent of buttery popcorn hit me immediately, and I saw the entire concession stand decked out—popcorn, candy, sodas, all set up like a perfect movie-night spread. There were even cozy blankets folded neatly on the counter.

"Did you rent the whole place?" I asked, wide-eyed.

She shrugged casually, but I caught the flicker of pride in her expression. "Maybe."

That was when I saw the posters. Every single Hunger Games movie was listed on the marquee above the entrance to the screening room. I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

"No way," I whispered, turning to her.

Billie grinned, her cheeks dimpling. "I know how much you love these movies. Figured we'd make a night of it."

My heart swelled, and I reached for her hand, squeezing it tightly. "You're insane," I said, laughing in disbelief.

"Only for you," she shot back, tugging me toward the doors.

Inside, the massive theater was ours. The seats stretched out endlessly before us, but only the front row was set up with oversized beanbags, plush blankets, and pillows. Billie pulled me down next to her as the lights dimmed, and the first movie began to play.

For hours, we lost ourselves in Panem. I laughed, cried, and got goosebumps all over again as Katniss volunteered for Prim, as the Mockingjay took flight, as Peeta and Katniss struggled to survive the Games. Billie slipped her arm around my shoulders and pulled me close. I leaned into her, my head resting against her chest, feeling her steady heartbeat under the chaos of the on-screen battles.

By the end of the last movie, I was emotionally wrecked. The theater lights slowly brightened, and I blinked, wiping away the tears that had spilled during the final scene. "I can't believe we just watched all of them in a row," I said, laughing shakily.

"Did you love it?" Billie asked, her voice soft and a little unsure.

"Of course I did. That was the most incredible thing ever." I turned to her, smiling through my exhaustion.

"Good," she said, standing up. "Because we're not done yet."

The screen suddenly flickered back to life, and I frowned, confused. "Wait, what—?"

"Just watch," Billie whispered, her hand brushing against mine.

The opening shot was grainy—clearly phone footage. It took me a second to realize it was us. A video of me laughing as Billie tried to teach me to skateboard behind the arena in one of the earlier cities on tour. Then another clip of me sitting on her lap during a flight, my face buried in her shoulder as I dozed off.

One clip bled into another: Billie holding my hand as we wandered through a park, the two of us sharing fries at a late-night diner, a quiet moment on the tour bus where she secretly filmed me singing along to one of her songs.

Tears welled up in my eyes as the video continued. It was us—every moment, big and small, stitched together into a love story. The final shot was taken just days ago: Billie and I curled up in bed, her face half-buried in my neck as I smiled at the camera.

The screen went black, and Billie stood up in front of me, her hands trembling slightly.

"I, um..." She cleared her throat, her usual confidence faltering as she looked down at me. "I didn't really know how to say this, so I figured... why not let the movies do the talking?"

I stared at her, my heart racing.

"I've never felt this way about anyone," she continued, her voice cracking just slightly. "You make everything better. The crazy schedule, the stress, all of it—you make it worth it. And I just... I want to keep making these memories with you. So..." She reached into her pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

My breath caught in my throat, but when she opened it, there wasn't a ring. Instead, it was a simple necklace—a gold chain with a small, delicate heart pendant.

"Will you be my girlfriend?" she asked, her voice soft but steady.

I didn't even let her finish before I jumped out of my seat, wrapping my arms around her neck and burying my face in her shoulder. "Yes," I whispered, laughing through my tears. "Yes, yes, yes."

She pulled back just enough to kiss me, her lips warm and soft against mine. The theater around us disappeared, and in that moment, it was just us.

When we finally pulled apart, she slipped the necklace around my neck, her fingers brushing against my skin.

"You're mine now," she said, grinning.

"Always," I whispered, my voice filled with certainty.

That night was the beginning of us—officially. And though I didn't know what was coming next, I knew one thing for sure: I was all in.