Billie sat on the edge of her bed, her legs crossed as she fiddled with a necklace while balancing her phone on her lap. The bright New York sun streamed through her curtains, illuminating the room. The call with her friends had started as a quick check-in before her interview with Jimmy Fallon, but as usual, it had spiraled into chaos.

"Did you lock down the BD yet?" Quenlin's voice crackled through the speaker, her tone dripping with mischief.

"BD?" Billie repeated, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

"Balaclava daddy," Quen clarified nonchalantly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The nickname earned a round of snickering from the others on the call. Odessa chimed in, laughing, "It's faster to say, and honestly, kinda iconic."

Billie rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help but smirk. "You guys are ridiculous."

"You didn't answer the question," Ava teased, her voice muffled as if she were chewing on something. "Are you locking him down, or what?"

"Locking him down? What does that even mean?" Billie asked, raising an eyebrow as she leaned back against the headboard.

"It means," Quen cut in, her voice taking on a dramatic tone, "make him fall in love with the pussy-"

"Quenlin!" Billie interrupted, her face flushing red as she buried her head in her hands. "Oh my god, seriously?"

"Sorry, I apologise," Quen said, clearly not sorry at all. "But, like, for real, Billie. You've been spending all this time with him. Dude is fine. And tall. And mysterious. And British. You're living a romance novel right now. Don't waste it."

"She's not wrong," Odessa added, giggling. "Have you seen his face yet?"

"Yes," Billie admitted reluctantly, biting her lip as she fiddled with the edge of her hoodie.

A chorus of gasps erupted from the call.

"And?" Quen demanded. "Outta ten."

Billie hesitated, glancing at the wall as if it might provide some kind of answer. Finally, she sighed. "Ten outta ten. Minus nothing."

The reaction was immediate-a mixture of shrieks, laughter, and exaggerated swooning from her friends.

"Girl, you're done for," Quen declared, cackling. "It's over. You're cooked."

"I'm not cooked," Billie said defensively, though the smile tugging at her lips betrayed her. "He's just... my bodyguard. That's it."

"Mm-hmm," Ava said, clearly unconvinced. "And I'm just casually dating Harry Styles."

Billie groaned, running a hand through her hair. "You guys are the worst."

"We're the best," Odessa corrected. "Now tell us more. Like, how does he look without the mask? I need details."

"Yeah," Zoe added.

Billie hesitated again, a part of her wanting to keep Cedric's face to herself. There was something about the way he'd finally let her see him, the quiet vulnerability in that moment, that felt sacred.

"He's..." She trailed off, searching for the right words. "Perfect. Like, annoyingly perfect. Strong jawline, sharp cheekbones, dimples and those green eyes? They're even crazier without the mask."

Another round of dramatic reactions filled the call, with Quen practically screaming, "I KNEW IT!"

Billie laughed despite herself, shaking her head. "You guys are so extra."

"But you agree with us," Ava said slyly.

Before Billie could respond, her phone buzzed with a notification. She glanced at the screen and saw a text from Cedric: "Car's ready. Leaving in 15."

She quickly typed back a thumbs-up emoji before returning her attention to her friends.

"Speaking of, I gotta go soon," she said, standing up and making her way to the mirror.

"Wait, before you go," Quen said, her voice suddenly serious. "Are you really not gonna make a move? Like, at all?"

Billie paused, adjusting the oversized blazer she'd paired with a graphic tee and baggy jeans for the interview. "It's not that simple. He's my bodyguard. There's, like, a whole... boundary thing."

"Boundaries are meant to be pushed," Quen said matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, well, I'm not trying to lose the best bodyguard I've ever had just because I think he's hot," Billie shot back, her tone half-joking.

"Fair," Odessa admitted. "But also, life's short. Just saying."

Billie didn't reply, her mind already spinning as she grabbed her bag and made her way toward the door.

"Alright, I'm out," she said, grabbing her AirPods. "Wish me luck."

"Good luck!" her friends chorused, though Quen couldn't resist adding, "And don't forget to give Balaclava Daddy our regards."

Billie rolled her eyes, ending the call before they could say anything else.

Downstairs, Cedric was waiting by the car, his tall frame leaning casually against the sleek black SUV. The balaclava was firmly in place, his eyes scanning the street with practiced ease.

"Running late as usual," he said as she approached, though there was no malice in his tone.

"Fashionably late," Billie corrected, climbing into the backseat. "There's a difference."

Cedric shook his head, shutting the door behind her before taking his place in the front passenger seat. As the driver pulled away from the curb, Billie leaned back in her seat, her mind still lingering on the conversation with her friends.

"Hey, Cedric?" she said after a few minutes.

"Hmm?" he replied, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.

"Have you ever... broken a boundary for someone?"

Cedric raised a brow, clearly caught off guard by the question. "What kind of boundary?"

"I don't know," Billie said, shrugging. "Like, something you weren't supposed to do but did anyway because it felt... right."

Cedric was silent for a moment, his green eyes thoughtful. "I think everyone has, at some point," he said finally. "But it depends on the situation. Why?"

Billie hesitated, biting her lip. "No reason. Just... curious."

Cedric didn't push further, but the look he gave her lingered, as if he could sense there was more to the question than she was letting on.

As the car weaved through the busy streets of New York, Billie found herself sneaking glances at him, her friends' words echoing in her mind.

"Lock him down," Quen had said.

Billie smiled to herself, shaking her head. Easier said than done.

Backstage at the studio, Billie sat in the makeup chair, her phone buzzing with notifications. Her friends were blowing up their group chat, spamming her with GIFs, edits and memes about "Balaclava Daddy" as she tried to focus.

Cedric stood off to the side, his imposing presence a comforting constant amid the chaos of crew members rushing around.

"Ready?" he asked, his voice low as she stood up, adjusting her blazer.

"As I'll ever be," Billie replied, taking a deep breath.

As they walked toward the stage, Cedric fell into step beside her, his hand hovering protectively near her back. For a moment, she felt a pang of guilt for the way her friends had objectified him earlier. He wasn't just some mysterious, brooding figure-he was Cedric. Loyal, patient, and maybe a little grumpy, but always there when she needed him.

"Thanks, by the way," she said suddenly, glancing up at him.

Cedric looked down at her, his brows furrowing slightly. "For what?"

"For being you," she said simply, smiling.

He didn't reply, but the slight softening of his eyes told her everything she needed to know.

And as the applause from the audience roared in her ears and the stage lights blinded her, Billie couldn't help but feel a strange sense of comfort, knowing Cedric was there, watching her back.