Fever Dream

Billie

I was pacing.

Not dramatically — just enough that Claudia noticed and gave me one of her "Should I be concerned?" eyebrows from where she sat on my studio couch, sipping iced tea and scrolling her phone.

"You're doing that thing," she said without looking up.

"What thing?" I asked, mid-turn.

"That Billie thing. When you're excited but also kind of spiraling quietly."

"I'm not spiraling."

She arched a brow and set her tea down. "You FaceTimed your girlfriend three times this morning just to ask what cereal she ate."

"That was a genuine question," I muttered. "I care about her gut health."

"Uh-huh."

I sighed, sitting down across from her and running both hands through my hair. "I don't know, Claud. I just... I've never felt like this. Not like this."

"Like what?"

"Like I'm fourteen again and trying to keep my voice steady every time her name comes up."

Claudia smiled. "You love her."

"I know I do. But it's more than that. She makes me feel like... like I want to be braver. Softer. Like if she asked me to follow her into fire, I wouldn't even ask where we're going."

"That's dramatic," Claudia said, but her voice was gentle. "And kind of beautiful."

"I'm taking her to the Grammys," I said, just to hear it out loud again. "She's gonna be on the red carpet with me. I'm so proud. And also terrified."

"Terrified of what?"

"That she's too good for this circus. That they'll say something cruel. That I won't be able to protect her from all the noise."

Claudia leaned forward. "You love her. She loves you. The rest is just noise."

I nodded, trying to believe that. "She's at her fitting right now."

"Oooh. You gonna sneak a peek?"

"I want to. But she's being all 'mysterious diva' about it."

Claudia grinned. "I love that for her."

"Hmm, let's call her, maybe she'll show." I laughed

-

Kalena

I was halfway into the third dress when Jace gasped like he'd just seen God.

"Kalena," he whispered, hand over his mouth. "This. This is the one."

I turned toward the mirror and blinked.

Yeah. It was something.

Ivana let out a low whistle. "You're going to cause accidents on the carpet."

Esme laughed. "She's going to cause accidents in Billie's brain."

I rolled my eyes, but my heart was pounding.

The dress was... well, I wasn't even sure I had words. It hugged every part of me without clinging, flowed like water when I walked, and shimmered under the lights like it was alive. It was soft, powerful, and a little dangerous.

Jace was still fanning himself when my phone buzzed.

Incoming FaceTime: Billie 

I answered and Billie's face filled the screen, her hair messy and smile instant.