CHAPTER 5

Matilda covered her eyes when the curtains of her bedroom were pulled back, letting the sun inside. "Fuck off," she said.

"Happy birthday," Isiah shouted loudly, throwing a pillow at her.

"Isiah, please." She begged, pulling the sheets over her head.

"If you get up now, i'll buy you as many drinks as you want when we go out later." He bargained, crossing his arms.

Those words were enough for her to sit up straight.

Matilda rubbed her eyes and launched a pillow at him, laughing when it hit him in the face. "Where's Finn?" She frowned, looking around the room. "Tom wouldn't let him leave the shop."

She pursed her lips into a straight line and threw her legs over the side of the bed, standing.

"Well, are you going to leave and let me change or.."

"I was actually planning on standing here the whole time." Isiah joked, heading for the door. She gave him the middle finger and closed the door behind him.

Once she'd finally picked out
something to wear, she struggled to tie the white ribbon in her hair but did it eventually. She heard mumbled speaking down the stairs and she frowned, going down to see who it was.

"Oh, Finn, hello," she smiled happily, pulling him into a hug. He placed his hands on her back, hugging her. "Happy Birthday, Tilly." He said, out of breath.

"Did you run here?" she questioned.

He nodded, holding onto the wall. "I did."

"Happy Birthday," he repeated, holding up a small paper bag. She carefully opened it and a small smile appeared on her lips when she realised the bag was filled with multiple ribbons, all different shades of blue.

"Polly helped me, I had no clue where the fuck i'd go to get them things, i'd forgotten what they were called again."

"Ribbons, Finn, they're called ribbons." She laughed, holding the bag tight.

Although it wasn't much, she
actually really liked the gift. It didn't take a lot to please Matilda Willows. Well, that was obvious considering she couldn't stop smiling at the fact Finn Shelby had gotten her ribbons for her birthday.

"Thank you, they're lovely." She nodded, gently touching his shoulder.

"Okay, can we go now?" Isiah appeared behind Finn from previously being in the kitchen. "Your house is fucking freezing."

"Yeah, maybe because my mother is never home, so i only ever light the fire in my bedroom." She said in a sarcastic tone, shoving Isiah out of the door.

Matilda was grateful that there
was no longer an awkwardness between her and Finn.

-

"That boy had me so confused," Polly said, placing a cup of tea in front of her. "He said to me, 'aunt Pol, I need to get Tilly's present,' and when i asked him what it was he was planning on getting you, he said, 'I've forgotten what they're called but they're colourful and she puts them in her hair. You have to tie them. She likes blue ones.' How does the boy not know what a hair ribbon is?" The older woman said, taking a seat opposite her.

"I've got no clue, Pol. He baffles me sometimes."

"He also insisted that I picked up blue ones, he told me numerous times, 'no red ribbons.' So, i did as he asked and got blue." She shrugged.

"Yeah, he's very used to my complaints about the colour red."

Polly laughed slightly.

Their head turned when Arthur walked through the kitchen. "Ello, Tilly, happy birthday love." He said, squeezing her shoulder as he passed.

"Thanks..Arthur," she said as he walked through the doors.

"Anyway," Polly sighed. "I haven't seen much of your mother recently-"

"Yeah, neither have I. I choose to avoid her at all costs." Matilda said, adding a small laugh onto the end of her sentence.

"Is she doing well?"

"She's still a whore and an addict, Pol. So..do what you want with that information."

Polly sighed sympathetically for the seventeen year old girl. "Well, you've always got us, you know that don't you?" Polly said, placing her hand over Matilda's.

"Yeah." Tilly smiled, "you've always been more of a mum than she has." She told the older woman.

"I have always seen you as my own daughter if i'm honest, Tilly." Polly winked, retracting her hand and sending her a smile.

-

Matilda lay on her stomach on Finn's bed as he sat opposite her, placing a card down. Isiah sat in the chair beside the bed, watching.

Finn forcefully smacked the pile of cards when he'd realised he'd gotten a pair.

"Fuck off!" Tilly whined, throwing the remaining cards in Finn's face. He laughed at her and gathered up the cards. "You're so shit at this."

"Well, Finn. I can't tell the difference between a 3 and 8 or a 9 and 6 so lord forgive me hating this game." She retorted, using her hands to lift herself up.

Isiah placed a hand on his knee, watching carefully.

"Yeah well, i can't read but i still play." Finn shrugged.

"Yeah, words..you can't read words." Matilda hissed, sitting with her legs crossed. "Still!" He argued, waving his arms around.

Tilly leaned back, rolling her eyes.

Silence.

She cleared her throat. "I'm going to see Billy, then I'll come back and we can go the Garrison." She hummed, climbing off the bed and fixing her dress. "But if i'm not back by seven, go without me and i'll meet you there."

"Yes ma'am," Isiah mocked.

"Shut up, Siah." She mumbled before walking down the stairs.

As Matilda was walking through the
cold streets, she couldn't help but
feel like something was off. She just couldn't figure out what it was. Tilly shook the thought away from her head and knocked on the dark wood door in front of her.

"Oh, hello Matilda." Harry said, opening the door, "happy birthday." He said, letting her inside. "Thank you, Harry." Tilly smiled, placing her coat on the hook, "is Billy home?"

"Yeah, he's upstairs," Harry nodded toward the staircase.

Matilda excitedly made her way up the stairs, entering her boyfriends bedroom, a smile on her face. He peered over his shoulder, taken back by her appearance. "Oh," was all he said.

"Oh?" She questioned.

"I wasn't expecting to see you today."

"It's my birthday?" She forced a laugh, "you said I could come over, remember?" She reminded him.

He stood, placing his hands on his hips, "yeah i remember." He took a deep breath, walking to embrace her.

"Is everything okay?" Tilly frowned, pulling her head back to look at him. Billy nodded, "everything's fine, promise." He assured her, sitting on his bed.

Tilly sat beside him, leaning against the pillows. "I'm meeting Finn and Isiah in the Garrison later if you want to join us."

"No, er..i have plans."

Matilda's chuckled, "plans? on my birthday. That's a bit ridiculous don't you think?"

There was a sudden shift in his eyes.

"You don't get to tell me what is ridiculous and what isn't, Tilly." He spat, his tone changing. "I can do what i want."

"Yeah, I wasn't saying you couldn't-" She stammered, slightly frightened by the look in his eyes.

Billy sniffed, turning toward her.

"All i was saying is that i thought you'd want to spend time with me today?" She said, cautiously. "Well, I don't, all right? It's no big deal." He raised his voice. Tilly stared at him. "Billy," she began.

"Shut the fuck up."

"Billy what's up with you today?"

Billy pushed her backwards slightly so her back was against the mattress and he was hovering over her. "What are you doing?"

He said nothing. His hands wandered over her arms, pinning them down. She squirmed under his touch, scared. "What's gotten into you, get off me."

Billy forced his lips onto hers, despite the fight she put up.

"Billy," she fought, "please get off."

He held her down, making it almost impossible for her to move. "Just be quiet," Billy huffed, annoyed as he allowed his hand to go up her dress.

"No," she stopped him. "No, stop." She begged. "Billy, fuck off," Matilda cried, her eyes burning.

He ignored each and every one of her cries, as if he couldn't hear her.

This wasn't Billy, at least
not the Billy she knew. The look in his eyes was petrifying, it was as if he wasn't there.

"Billy-" Tilly whispered, slipping her hand away from him and placing it on his chest in attempt to push him away. "Billy, please."

He stared at her coldly, his nails digging into her shoulder. She winced, finally able to push him off and jump off the bed.

"What are you doing, Billy?"

He ignored her.

"Billy?" She asked again, "what's gotten into you? I asked you to stop."

"You're so fucking boring," he insulted. "Wont even fuck your own boyfriend. Why? Are you shagging Isiah, is that it? Or is it Finn, hm?" he accused her. She stared at him blankly, shaking her head.

"Which one is it?" Billy shouted, standing in front of her as she backed into the wall.

"None, Billy i swear."

He laughed at her, forcefully grabbing her chin. "You're pathetic."

"You can't say anything, Billy, you're the one whose fucking Victoria Riley," she blurted out accidentally.

"What?" He asked.

"My mum saw you."

"Yeah but your mums a fucking addict, Tilly, can't trust a word she says."

"Shut up."

"And one of these days you'll end up like her, with a sad, pathetic life, alone. You know, you're lucky to have me, it's a surprise that I even put up with you. You're just so..jealous and insecure."

He shoved her to the floor. Matilda scrambled, holding her arms against her chest.

He insulted her, over and over again, causing tears to spill from her eyes. "Stop," she croaked.

"But it's fine, Isiah can have you, he'll be disappointed anyway." Billy's hand collided with her face..well, her mouth, causing her to bite her lip create a small cut.

Anger had filled Matilda, and without thinking, she grabbed the empty whiskey glass off his drawers and smash it onto the back of his head. He shouted in pain and only grew more furious.

Tilly scrambled to her feet, making a run for the door but he'd grabbed her upper arm, shoving her face down onto the cold wood. She hissed in pain as the small shards of glass pressed into her face.

"Get off," she cried, kicking her feet. "Get off, fucking get off!"

˗ˏˋ ★ ˎˊ˗

For context, this is the face claim for Victoria Riley.

Sabrina Carpenter