15 | thank you.

- billie's pov -

"you're really about to go hang with quinn?" zoe asked as i was dropping her off at home from the wedding.

"i mean," i shrugged. "saylor is literally married now and probably about to move away. what would it hurt?"

"just be smart about it eilish," she said. "you don't even know her. it's clear you're just doing it to take your mind off saylor."

"shut up," i told her. "you know nothing."

zoe chuckled. "just be careful."

i looked back to the message thread between quinn and i and tapped the location she sent me. i followed the directions there and made it within like 15 minutes.

i got out the car and walked up to her front door. i took a deep breath before knocking. it wasn't that long before the door opened and quinn stood before me, in a tank top and shorts.

i grinned nervously. "hi."

"hi," she smiled. "come in," she moved out the way.

i walked in and she led me to her couch where we sat. we honestly just talked and got to know each other a bit, she seems cool but i keep having to remind myself that she's friends with paige.

"so if you live here in LA, how'd you become friends with paige?" i asked.

"i lived in palm springs growing up but i came here for college and just stayed," she shrugged. "i kept tryna tell paige and moony to come out here too but paige rather stay where they were."

"oh," i nodded.

"enough about them though," she sighed. "tell me more about billie."

i giggled. "what else do you wanna know?"

"oh i don't know," she shrugged shyly.

"seeeee," i joked.

"look," she started. "i have to use the bathroom but by the time i come back, you better have some type of fact about you ready to share."

"yes ma'am," i chuckled, shaking my head.

as i sat there, pondering on wtf im going to tell this girl, my phone rang.

i answered. "hello?"

and all i heard was the sound of glass being thrown and broken, and loud screams.

"saylor?!" i exclaimed.

"stop!" i heard her scream, along with the sound of more things being broken. "please!"

then the phone hung up.

"fuck," i mumbled as i got up quickly and started walking towards the door.

then quinn came back out. "wait you're leaving?"

"im sorry," i told her as i ran out the door and shut it.

i got in my car and sped off. i haven't driven this fast since the night paige hit saylor with that ice skate.

i was in such a panic, i didn't know what to do. so i called 911.

"hello? i need help, like now!"

"my friend.. she- she's in danger."

"yes, this apartment.. this unit."

"she has long black hair, and the abuser is taller with brown hair."

"no please hurry like you have to hurry!"

"yeah, im almost there now."

minutes later, i pulled up to the apartment complex and got out my car with quickness. i ran to saylor's apartment door and immediately froze as i didn't know the code to her door.

i tried to think hard and hard on what it could be and then i remembered what saylor told me.

"like i literally use 444 for everything, pins, codes, you name it."

my eyes lit up and i quickly pressed 444 into the keypad on the door. thankfully, it unlocked and i rushed inside.

when i entered, the first thing i saw was paige on the floor, choking saylor.

my eyes got wide.

paige quickly looked at me and immediately got up. i was so caught off guard and frozen that i just tensed up.

she came and pushed me up against the wall. "that's what you want?!" she yelled to me in anger as she pointed to saylor, who was laid out on the floor. "you want that?"

shocked, i couldn't even talk back.

"you can have her ass," she continued. "if she makes it."

then she just stormed out the door.

and i suddenly snapped back to when i realized saylor was still laid out on the floor. i ran over to her and kneeled down to the floor.

"saylor," i said, terrified. "saylor-"

"b- billie im sorry," she struggled to get out.

"what- what happened?" i held her head up off the floor.

"i told her."

i shook my head. "told her what baby?"

"ev- erything," she struggled to get out.

"saylor, why?" i began to tear up.

then she pointed to the corner of the wall. "look at the cameras b. we finally got proof, i won. we won," she said as she started to drift.

"woah woah no saylor no," i said quickly. "stay with me baby, stay with me."

she began blinking, trying to stay awake.

"ugh fuck," i began crying. "saylor, i love you. okay? im in love with you."

she rose her eyebrows. "really?" she faintly smiled.

"yeah baby," i nodded. "yeah."

then her smiled faded. "then im sorry."

and her eyes closed, and she went unconscious.

"no," i shook my head. "no no no no no saylor wake up! help! somebody please help!"

-

i sat there in a chair next to saylor's hospital bed as the nurses did multiple tests on her to make sure she was good.

i couldn't take my eyes off of her, i didn't want to, i couldn't. somehow, i felt partially responsible for what had happened.

i shouldn't have let it go this far.

as for paige, they caught her as she tried running away so she's in police custody.

but some cops are supposed to be here soon to talk to saylor.

"oh my god," tatum came running in the room, still in her bridesmaids dress. "moony what- what happened? where's paige?"

saylor's face instantly frowned up and she began to cry, shaking her head. "im so sorry tatum."

"what's going on?" tatum asked as she sat on the edge of the bed, worry all over her face.

saylor just looked at me. it was clear she didn't wanna be the one to tell her.

i sighed. "tatum look this won't be easy to hear but-"

"she hit you didn't she?" she looked at saylor.

saylor and i both looked at each other in confusion.

"moony," tate said. "is paige the reason you're laying here right now?"

trying her hardest not to cry more, saylor nodded her head yes.

tatum looked down. "im gonna kill her."

"she's in jail," i shook my head. "they caught her."

"but what happened?" she shook her head. "how? why?"

"she's been abusing me for years tate," saylor sighed. "i just never wanted to get anyone involved."

"moony we could've done something about it," tatum said, her eyes wide.

"but i was still convinced that i needed her," she shrugged. "she still had me under the impression that i was a lost cause."

"oh saylor," tatum poked her lip out. "im sorry, i should've noticed."

"no stop," saylor shook her head. "i did all i could to make sure no one knew, besides billie."

then tatum's eyes shot to me like she was gonna kill me.

"no no no," i quickly said. "she asked me not to tell you and i am a woman of my word."

"ugh. well so," tate started. "now that you're married to her-"

"oh im not," saylor shook her head.

"what do you mean?" i looked at her.

"i didn't sign my name on the license," she shrugged.

"what?!" tatum and i exclaimed.

"cmon guys," saylor shrugged. "didn't i tell yall that i had a plan? didn't i say to trust me?"

i rose my eyebrows. "so you're not married to her at all? like you're legally single and free?"

"yup," she chuckled. "and i still have all my money hidden in my savings."

"im impressed," tate nodded. "but like, are you okay?"

"in what way?" saylor chuckled.

"all," she rose her eyebrows. "mentally, physically, emotionally?"

"yeah im good," she shrugged.

"you're lying," tate shook her head. "you must be traumatized."

"slightly but i'll be fine," saylor assured her. "but can you do me a favor and call harley? just let her know but tell her im okay."

"yeah sure," tate got up and walked out the room to make the call.

- saylor's pov -

"ms. monroe," the nurse walked in. "i'd like to confirm your contact information if that's okay."

"yeah yeah sure," i nodded.

"okay for emergency contact we have billie o'connell," the lady said.

oh fuck.

i glanced at billie, and she was already looking at me.

"sorry," i started to her. "i put you down as my emergency contact when the last incident happened and we were here-"

"that's okay love," she rubbed my thigh. "that's totally fine."

"i just need the relationship between you two to write down," the nurse said to me. "friend, cousin, sister-"

"girlfriend," billie told her.

i shot my head to her quickly, my eyes wide, my face filled with shock.

"i- i mean if that's okay with you," billie said to me with nervousness.

oh my god.

"y- yeah," i said lowly with nod. "yeah."

a smile grew on her face. "okay."

-

hours later, after talking to the police, and getting more care, i was released from the hospital.

billie and i got into her car and i let out a huge sigh. it was late at night at this point and i was just so exhausted.

she looked my way, i could tell she felt so bad for me.

"um," she started. "did you wanna go back to your apartment?"

spaced out, not looking at her, i shook my head no.

"you wanna come stay with me?"

i just nodded my head yes.

we made it to her house and walked inside. we went to her room and i sat on her bed. she came and kissed my forehead. "i know you're not okay. i could run you a bath or somethin-"

"i just wanna lay with you," i said to her. "if that's okay."

she nodded before walking to her bathroom.

i began undressing to get in bed when i saw her phone ping. i furrowed my eyebrows as i saw it was a text from quinn. but her phone was locked so couldn't see what she said.

i just rolled my eyes and shook my head.

i got under the covers and billie came back out the bathroom. she joined me in the bed and turned on the tv before putting her arm around me and pulling closer to her.

"thank you for everything," i said to her.

"what did i do?" she looked at me.

i chuckled. "you know if you never showed up, i'd be dead."

"don't say that," she shook her head.

"you know it's true," i shrugged. "she didn't stop choking me til you walked in and you called 911."

"and you called me," she kissed my forehead.

i blushed and laid my head on her shoulder. "so.. your girlfriend?"

billie chuckled. "shit, finally."

"i know," i said. "i put you through so much and you waited for me. i'll make it up to you."

"yeah i know you will."

"oh? how's that?" i asked.

"wait and see," she said lowly.

-

i woke up in billie's arms. her heavy breathing all in my face. i giggled before getting out from under her grasp.

i went into her bathroom and took a shower. once i was done, i walked out in a towel, my hair wet.

billie sat up and looked at me. a smile grew on her face while she stretched her arms wide. "hey pretty girl."

"hi," i giggled.

"you ready to go to your place?" she asked.

i sighed. "nope."

billie eventually got up and put clothes on so she could take me to my place. we made it there and parked before getting out of her car.

when we approached my front door, there was a note taped to it. i took it off and opened the envelope and it read:

"Ms. Saylor Monroe, due to numerous complaints of noise and speculations of violence coming from your apartment, we are evicting you. Effective immediately. We have zero tolerances for disruptive behavior."

my eyes widened. "what the fuck," i said lowly.

"what does it say?" billie asked as she took the note from me.

she read it and her face dropped. "oh my god."

"this is such bullshit," i groaned as i put the code in the door and opened it.

i walked inside and paused at the sight of broken glass everywhere. chairs tipped over on the floor. the place looked wrecked.

i sighed.

billie came up behind me and put her hands on my shoulders. "cmon," she said. "don't look at it too long."

"so annoying," i turned to her. "i had my own place, doing fine. and then she came and fucked everything up like she fucking does."

"i know baby but she's in jail now," billie said to me.

"yeah she's in jail and now i have to meet up with a lawyer before the court date," i rolled my eyes.

"no worries," billie told me. "i got you, you're not alone."

"thank you b," i said. "but what am i gonna do about this?"

"i mean," she shrugged. "you can come live with me if you want."

i looked at her with caution. "really? you sure?"

"i'd honestly feel a lot better if you did," she chuckled. "but hey, no pressure."

i smiled and hugged her tightly.

"thank you."