flashback

ALICE.

Billy and I laid on the floor for a few moments longer in silence, just staring into each other's eyes as the time rolled by. Billy's eyes didn't give off the hostility Austin's and Matt's did, and Kellan's eyes were always emotionless, but Billy's were full of flaws, regret, emotion, sarcasm, kindness- all qualities that made Billy who he was. He wasn't like the others, but he still stuck around them, and I knew why. It was the same reason I stuck around after all these years.

The two of us sat up after a few more moments of memorizing each other's faces, because God knows how long it'd be until Austin, Matt, and Kellan got back.

Billy stood up and held out his hand for me to take, which I politely refused his offer and stood up by myself. We leaned against the counter for quite sometime just staring into open space until Billy's phone began to vibrate.

"It's Austin," Billy murmured before pressing a button. "What's up?" Billy asked into the phone.

I could hear Austin yelling and swearing, causing Billy to close his eyes and sigh.

"So how long is it gonna take?" Billy mumbled.

More muffled words from Austin were said into the phone, causing Billy's eyebrows to raise from something Austin had said.

"Yeah. That's fine," Billy mumbled, pulling a cigarette from his pack and lighting it.

Austin must've asked how I was because Billy responded, "She's fine, Austin. Don't worry. I've got everything under control." Billy offered me a kind smile and held out his cigarette for me to take. I took his cigarette and inhaled.

"Ok," Billy mumbled into the phone, shaking his head and rubbing his hand over his face. "Don't worry, Austin," he muttered.

A few more moments went by until the two men said their goodbyes and Billy hung up the phone.

"What's going on?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as he softly pulled the cigarette out of my mouth and took a hit.

"They're gonna be gone for a few more days," Billy mumbled, shaking his head. "Something about Daniels' pulling out of the deal and finding a new buyer."

I shook my head and sighed. "And?"

Billy looked at the ground before lifting his eyes back to mine, inhaling a long puff from his cigarette. "Daniels' is no longer an asset," he mumbled. "Because he's dead."

I raised my eyebrows. "All because he's no longer a client?"

Billy laughed and shook his head, pulling the cigarette out of his mouth as he did so. "Kellan may or may not have gone a little overboard with threatening Daniels and whatnot," he said, waving his arm around. "Austin's pissed but won't do anything about it. They're just staying a few extra days so Austin's guys can coverup his death completely and make it look like an accident, but Austin's staying in the area just in case he needs to so it doesn't look like he's running," Billy murmured.

"And what about Matt and Kellan?" I asked.

Billy sighed. "They're staying too. Austin wants Kellan there so he can take the fall for it all, and Matt's on Austin's side, but Kellan doesn't know about their whole plan," he murmured. "My guess is that Austin's gonna cry wolf and take Kellan down for it all, not only blaming the death on him, which it is his fault, but also blame the deal and everything on him."

I nodded my head. "Fuck," I sighed, closing my eyes and leaning my head back.

Billy was silent for a few moments before he murmured, "Austin also wants me to take you out tomorrow because he has some of his guys coming here to deal with some other shit."

I opened my eyes and jerked my head to meet Billy's eyes. "Austin never wants me going out or doing anything," I stated, raising an eyebrow.

"I know," he murmured. He glanced at me. "Which is why I'm making tomorrow one of the best days of your life." He offered me a kind smile.

I giggled softly and held my head down, breaking eye contact with him. The two of us stood there for a few more moments before Billy finished his cigarette and threw it in the sink.

I checked my phone to see what time it was and it read 10:47 pm.

"It's late," I murmured, glancing back up at him.

He smirked and checked the time on his phone. "You think that this is late?" He asked. "Every other time you end up going to sleep at, like, 3," he said.

I closed my eyes and sighed. "That's because Austin forces me to stay up," I murmured. "If I don't stay up, then he'll just do whatever he wants to me still, but while I'm unconscious."

Billy closed his eyes and muttered something inaudible. He opened them and searched my face before meeting my eyes. "Where do you want me to sleep?" He questioned, concern written on his face.

I bit my lip before answering. "You can sleep in the guest room," I mumbled. "Or the couch," I offered. Both said places were on the main floor of the mansion, but Austin's and mine shared bedroom was on the top floor.

He smiled sincerely at me before nodding his head. "Ok," he whispered.

He began heading to the guest room before I interrupted him, causing him to turn around.

"On second thought," I called after him. "You could sleep on the floor in my bedroom," I suggested while shrugging.

He raised an eyebrow before taking a few hesitant steps closer to me. "You want me," he began, a cautious look on his face, "to sleep in the same room as you?"

I nodded casually, remaining eye contact with him.

"Are you sure?" He asked slowly.

"Is there a reason for me to not to trust you?" I challenged, raising an eyebrow.

He smiled back. "There's a million reasons why you shouldn't trust me," he responded lowly.

I smiled at him and then turned around, heading for the staircase. I heard his footsteps behind me as I walked up the staircase. He couldn't see it, but I was smiling ear to ear, and I didn't know why. Maybe it was because I finally had a friend in my time with Austin, and I loved it.

I walked down the hall to the bedroom, him still trailing quite a few feet behind. I reached the bedroom and sat on the bed, and he showed up a few moments later and leaned against the doorframe.

"Hi," I mumbled, almost in a whisper.

"Hi," he mumbled back, a lazy grin appearing on his face.

He looked around the room and took note of the dark furniture surrounding the room. "I've never been in here before," he murmured, slowly walking in as he gazed around the room.

"It's not how I would decorate it," I admitted, following his gaze. His eyes were fixed on a picture of Austin and I mid-laugh at the fair back from high school. "That's when we were happy," I uttered, causing his gaze to slowly fix on me.

"I can tell," he mumbled with a soft grin.

"I wish we were still happy," I murmured, looking back on the day. Austin and I had been at the fair with a few other friends, none of which we still talk to today. He had just bought cotton candy and had shoved half of it in his mouth, causing me to burst out laughing at how crazy he looked. He laughed so much that he had to spit it all out, causing the two of us to laugh even harder.

"So," Billy began, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Where should I sleep?" He rocked back and forth on his heels.

I pointed to an empty section on the floor where there was no furniture to the right of the bed. "Right there is fine," I murmured.

He smiled and took his jacket off and placed it on the floor. "Got any spare blankets?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "And a pillow perhaps?"

"Yes," I sighed as I gave him Austin's pillow, and then handed him the comforter.

"Don't you need this?" He questioned.

"I can just use the sheet," I responded.

He nodded his head and began setting up his makeshift bed on the floor. I sat on the bed cross legged as I watched him, taking in all of him. He moved with laziness as he prepared his "bed," fumbling with the comforter as he did so.

"I'm sorry," I apologized, closing my eyes and shaking my head. "You have all this money and you're sleeping on my bedroom floor."

He gazed up at me from his bent over position and laughed. "It's not that big of a deal," he chuckled. "And besides, you have money too, y'know."

"Yeah, but I'm sleeping on a bed," I countered.

He chuckled. "I had my opportunity to sleep on a bed and a couch, but I turned it down, Alice," he said, smirking at me.

I rolled my eyes and watched him finish up setting up the comforter.

"Y'know," I started, causing his gaze to shift up to mine. He was now sitting on the floor, the comforter covering his lap. "I'm not really that tired anymore," I said, sheepishly smiling and biting my lip.

He rolled his eyes while laughing. "What do you wanna do now?" He asked, resting his chin on his knuckles.

I thought for a moment before thinking of an idea. I moved farther away from him and patted the spot next to me on the bed, causing him to raise an eyebrow.

"Relax, Billy. It's not sexual," I joked.

He slowly kicked his shoes off and sat on the bed, facing me. He and I were both sitting cross legged.

"So," he questioned, raising an eyebrow.

"I just wanted to talk," I spoke softly, causing him to chuckle.

"And we couldn't do that while I was sitting on the floor?" He questioned, raising an eyebrow with a profound smile on his face.

"I didn't want to crane my neck every time I looked at you," I stated. I smirked at him. "Is there something wrong with being in bed with me, Billy?" I raised an eyebrow.

He closed his eyes and sighed. "Besides Austin killing me and ruining my life, no," he countered, slowly opening his eyes to meet mine.

I leaned forward and placed my hands on his, which were resting on his knees. Billy looked between my hands and my face cautiously. I giggled before whispering, "Austin's not here, Billy." I leaned back and placed my hands back in my lap, causing Billy to take a deep breath.

"I know, but still," he mumbled. "I don't plan on dying any time soon."

I giggled. "If you didn't plan on dying soon, then you wouldn't be in bed with me right now," I said, raising an eyebrow, a cocky grin forming on my face.

He smirked at me. "I guess I'm just a risk taker these days," he mumbled.

The two of us talked a little more before I started to yawn repeatedly, barely able to keep my eyes open.

Billy said goodnight to me before he settled into his makeshift bed, drifting off to sleep. I, on the other hand, could not sleep. My mind was whirling with today's events that I doubt would ever leave me.

I slowly rolled over and turned the lamp off, gazing down at Billy. He was lying on his side and facing the wall, the direct opposite of facing me. I gazed down at him for a few more moments before I settled into bed once again, my head spinning from the alcohol and today's happenings.

I drifted off into sleep a few minutes later; my dreams filled with happiness for once. And they all contained the same person.

Billy.

I LOVE BILLY FUCK.
DANE DEHAAN AS BILLY SLAYS MY LIFE.
I LOVE BILLY.