Fearless Feelings: A story with Billie Eilish

The days following the concert were a whirlwind for Marie. She was still processing the conversation with Billie, trying to figure out where she stood in all of this. Her mind was flooded with emotions, and despite Billie's reassuring words, a part of her was still hesitant to fully embrace the idea of being with her again.

She spent the next few days in a daze, moving between work, university, and the quiet moments in her room, reflecting. She had always been the type to overthink, and now, more than ever, she was questioning everything—her feelings for Billie, the way their relationship had unfolded, and whether it was worth the emotional turmoil.

Meanwhile, Lucas noticed the shift in Marie's demeanor. She had become quieter, more withdrawn, and he could tell she was struggling with something.

"Marie, you've been distant. What's going on?"

Marie looked up from her notes, startled by the sudden question.

"I'm fine. Just... a lot on my mind."

Lucas didn't buy it.

"You've barely talked about Billie."

Marie's shoulders tensed at the mention of her name.

"I don't know, Lucas. It's complicated."

Lucas leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.

"Yeah, I get that. But you can't keep running away from it. If you want to be with her, then go for it. If not, then cut it off."

Marie's eyes widened slightly at his bluntness.

"I know. I just... I don't want to make the same mistakes."

"You're not going to know unless you try."

Marie sighed, feeling the weight of his words. She had been avoiding the truth for so long. Maybe Lucas was right—she needed to face it, to decide what she truly wanted.

As if on cue, Marie's phone buzzed. It was a message from Billie.

Billie: Hey, I've been thinking about us... and I just wanted to say I'm sorry if I rushed things. I know you're still processing everything, and I respect that. Just wanted to check in.

Marie stared at the message for a moment, unsure of how to respond. Billie had given her the space she needed, but Marie still wasn't ready to dive into everything.

Instead of replying right away, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She needed to make a decision—not just for Billie, but for herself.

She finally typed out a message.

Marie: I'm not sure what's going on right now, but I appreciate you being patient with me. I just need a little more time.

She hit "send" and let out a quiet sigh. She wasn't ready yet, but she knew she needed to figure things out soon.

The following days felt like a blur for Marie. She had managed to respond to Billie, but deep down, she was still unsure about how to handle everything. Her life, in a way, had been upended by her encounter with Billie—what had once been her quiet, routine existence was now filled with constant messages, emotions, and decisions she wasn't ready to make.

She tried to keep her focus on work and school, but her mind kept drifting back to Billie's words and the way things had shifted between them. Each interaction left her with more questions than answers.

At school, things weren't much better. Her classmates had noticed her growing distance, and whispers followed her through the hallways. No one had outright questioned her, but the air felt thick with unspoken curiosity. She felt like the walls were closing in on her, the pressure mounting with each passing day.