seven.

if you don't know who lennon stella is....go listen to her music right now. especially acoustic, her voice is so fucking beautiful and she's is what I can imagine sage to sound like

thank the lord for air conditioning.

luckily the temperature has to be a certain number in the store to keep the records safe.

because if it gets too hot, the records can warp.

this fucking heat in LA summer is literally gonna be the death of me.

especially wearing black.

but that ain't gonna stop me from being a bad bitch and riding around like wednesday addams on frankie.

"can I go home already?"

"I'll ask finneas to go get us water on his way back" kai says, grabbing the work phone and pressing the speed dial for finneas.

finneas has gone to collect some inventory for the store and left kai and I to fend for ourselves.

and kai has been working here a lot longer and basically knows what they're doing.

a couple of minutes later the door behind me opens I turn around and spot billie with another person.

this is the first time ive seen billie since that day when she spend her time in the recording studio.

she hands us a bottle of water and gives me a lazy smile that's entirely too sexy for a girl my age and it makes me nervous all over again.

why does she have to be such a bitch but so hot?

"you're looking fine as hell today princess" billie smirks, leaning against the doorframe and I get a whiff of her scent and immediately recognise what billie and her friend must have been doing.

im jealous.

"you look high as hell princess" I mock billie and she laughs, glancing over to her friend who's eyes are scanning up and down my body.

"hey bil, hey z" kai smiles, clearly knowing both of them.

"wassup baby, you trynna link after work?" z smirks lazily to kai.

z looks stoned as fuck right now too.

"dude you know I have a girl, I can't fuck around anymore"

I need to find out more about kai and this z for sure.

someone comes to the desk and I step away to serve them, letting kai talk with 'z' and billie.

"I didn't think you'd have lasted this long" billie comes up behind me and the hairs on the back of my neck stands up because of how close she is.

"what do you mean?" I smile at the lady, sliding her records into the paper begs and letting her know the total.

"the last girl lasted two days"

"well im not that last girl, am I?"

"damn ma you've got a tongue"

a tongue you'll never know what it feels like.

"and why aren't you working here?"

"I got my own company baby, wanna come and ride my pole?" billie winks, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"excuse me?" I whip my head around to face her and her eyes are scanning my face, smirking at me.

billie laughs and picks up my sketchbook which I swiftly snap back off her.

"I have a dance studio, we have a pole dancing class"

"do I look like I wanna dance anywhere near your pole?"

"I don't know princess, you tell me"

"I have customers to deal with, so if you don't mind" I give her a polite smile and turn back to the counter, completely ignoring her presence.

"what's your instagram ma?"

"don't give it to her" kai comes up behind billie and wraps their arms around her neck from behind.

"why the fuck not?" billie scoffs, turning her head to look at kai.

"cause you wanna fuck her and baby sage is off limits"

baby sage? cute.

I fold my arms over my chest and stare at the both of them, knowing there must be a reason why kai is telling me not to give billie my instagram.

"the last girl quit because billie fucked her and then dropped her, in-front of a store full of people"

"dude! we didn't even fuck!"billie throws her hands up, running her fingers through her hair.

"that's not what she told me" kai defends and billie rolls her eyes "I told her not to get attached"

"well for your information, I will not be giving billie my instagram, nor will I be fucking her"

"correction; I'd be fucking you"

"yeah alright" I snort, raising my brow at her.

she definitely pretends to be such a top but I know deep down she's definitely a bottom.

"are you already in a relationship or sum?"

"since when was that any of your business?" im irritated that she's sat trying to figure me out.

I just want her to leave me alone.

"seeing how you're working in my families store and I could make this day your last, id say it's pretty much always my business"

"are you threatening me?"

"huh?"

"that sounded like a threat"

"woah chill out ma. that wasn't-" she's getting flustered, her cheeks are turning pink.

huh? cute.

"kai"

"keep me outta this dude" kai smirks, letting go of billie and billie lets out a noise from the back of her throat which almost sounds like a growl.

"why are you invading my question?"

"why are you asking so many questions? you trying to figure me out or sum?"

"ive already got you figured out princess"

I don't speak and billie smirks, running her fingers through her hair once more, eyes jerking to the other side of the room.

"you're a stuck up, rich little daddies girl trying to make it in LA doing whatever the fuck you're here for and he's made you get this job because lord knows you don't speak to middle class trash like us"

my mouth falls open.

im so stunned, I feel as though she's kicked me right in the stomach.

does she really think that of me?

does everyone really think that of me?

im not some rich kid who has everything handed to me on a silver platter.

hell I even remember when my mom left, my dad and I used to share a packet of noodles for dinner because we didn't have enough money to buy groceries.

I remember savouring a slice of bread all day because we had bills to pay and I didn't know when we were next gonna eat.

im not going to explain that to her or anyone else.

I think I well and truly hate billie.

who does she think she is?

"you know nothing about me or my family. and you're a fucking piece of shit, you know that?" I say, so enraged I don't even care that we have customers in the store right now.

customers which have seemed to all be turned and listening.

everyone is staring at me but I don't care and I bolt it out the back door.

I don't even know where im going but I don't wanna be here.

I sit down on the sidewalk in the parking lot and consider driving away on frankie but I don't even have my keys to unlock my bike.

I take deep breaths in order to cool myself down.

I can take a break, right?

I have thirty minutes to sit here and wallow in my own self pity and embarrassment.

why the fuck did I let billie speak to me like that?

im gonna get fired and it's all billie's fault.

something about her just brings out the worst in me.

im not sure how much time passes but I eventually head back into the back room where finneas is carrying some boxes inside.

I look at finneas expecting him to fire me on the spot.

finneas drops the boxes and looks over to me, a puzzled look on his face.

"you're not quitting, are you?"

"no?"

"good" finneas nods and walks back out to carry on bringing boxes inside.

I walk back behind the register and kai is sat there, unwrapping a sucker.

"hey baby sage" kai smiles, handing me a sucker "are you okay?"

"im not getting fired am I?"

"no, billie is a bitch, don't worry about it"

whew.

I sit down beside kai who turns to book someone in to use one of the recording studios.

after the end of my shift I drag myself over to frankie and unlock her, seeing a little note in the bottom of the basket on the front.

'sorry' is written on the little note along with a red rose.

billie?

regardless, I promised my grandma id make food tonight so I shove the note and rose into my tote bag, setting off home.

instagram [sage] bil has requested to follow you!

[confirm] [delete]

☻ sage

♥︎ 𝘘 ➢

⎋ liked by kai and 21 others

sage: actin like ur somebody else

finneas: HOLY SHIT

kai: dude you can sing what the fuck

3 hours ago