hurricane;;

BILLIE:  The prospect of seeing Theo again was making her nervous, it shouldn't. They were adults now, no longer kids. No matter how many times Billie said that to herself, she still felt the fire in her belly. Maybe she just wanted to protect that childish part of her that fell for a wicked trick. Either way.. She'd have to swallow her anger and get through this awkward meeting. Just because she couldn't stand Theo didn't mean she had to ruin the friendship him and her father created. Her childhood home wasn't too far from the bakery, the other employees were able to hold it down while she visited her father.

The Alzheimer's was on set, but Jack Rutherford still remembered most things most days. It was Billie's insistence that she take over the bakery while he relaxed, enjoyed his life. "Hey Daddy," She smiled walking into the house, he was sitting on the couch with a cup of tea, she leaned down and kissed his forehead, he smiled up at her. "What do I owe the pleasure?" He asked, setting his newspaper down. It always made her giggle that he still read it. "Theo wanted to come over and see you." It felt weird saying 'Theo' but she refused to say his full name like she used to. "That'd be nice." Her father hummed, Billie laughed, taking off her shoes and sitting next to her father. "I guess." Of course the doorbell rang, she huffed before pushing herself off the couch and opened the door. THEO:  Theo. Billie called him Theo. Billie Rutherford who'd only ever called him Theodore. Everyone else exclusively called him Theo or TJ. But the way his full name fell out of her mouth was... anyway. So she was clearly holding some kind of grudge. Even after all these years and space away from each other. That wasn't much of a deterrent though. She'd let it go eventually. So he pulled on his best ripped jeans, a plain tee,  a plaid shirt, and his favorite hat backwards and skated his way over to Jack Rutherford's. 

Theo shifted on his feet in front of the door with a large thermos of soup in one hand and a six pack in the other. For a second he almost reconsidered. And then the door open and the thermos almost rolled out of his hand. He quickly recovered, catching it and clearing his throat. Some things never changed but Billie sure did. Her bouncy curls that she'd started straightening the last he saw were back in full force. They framed her face that no longer carried any of the awkwardness teen years brought. She was hot. Very hot. "Sup," he finally managed to get out and slipped in the door, toeing out of his shoes before letting himself into the house proper. "Hey, Jack," he greeted warmly, setting down the thermos and going in for a high five. Jack met it with a laugh that made Theo smile softly. "Nice having Billie back around, huh?" He swung his eyes over to hers with the question and tried not to get lost in the brown of them.

BILLIE:  Maybe this was a bad idea, maybe she should leave. Billie didn't really need to be here, they were friends, Jack and Theo could get along without her fine. She inhaled through her noise, ignoring the weight in the middle of her chest. Billie shrugged, "Enjoying a lunch break." Billie closed the door behind Theo, letting him walk further into the house as she stood back. "Of course it is." Her fathers words snapped Billie out of her trance, she smiled softly at her father, it fell when she met Theo's eyes. "Did you want some soup now?" She asked her father, walking towards the thermos, taking it in her hands. "Just a little sweetpea," Billie nodded, she didn't really want to ask Theo if he wanted any, but her father would drill her about it later on if she didn't. Besides she was raised to be polite. "Would you like some too?" She asked Theo, slowly dragging her eyes to him.

THEO:  Theo watched as Billie set up soup for Jack and wondered what about this seemed like a grand idea in the first place. "Nah that's all him," he declined politely with a small wave of his hand. He could tell the politeness was forced for the sake of her father being in the same room. Maybe this would've been better alone. Or maybe he intentionally wanted Jack around as a buffer. They hadn't spoken to let alone seen each other in years. He was slightly worried it was more than just a grudge. Theo cleared his throat and grabbed the beer off the table. "I'll put these away before they get warm," he excused himself and made his way into the kitchen. He let out a deep breath as he opened the fridge and found a spot for them. He leaned against the door even after it was closed and berated himself. "Get it together idiot," he mumbled and pushed off of the fridge to head back towards the living room.

BILLIE:  Nodding, Billie got a small bowl and a spoon from the kitchen before pouring some out for her father, she put it in his hands, wondering if she should store the rest in the fridge. "Lighten up sweetie, no need to hold a grudge."  He said once Theo left the room. Instantly, Billie shot daggers at her father. Part of her couldn't blame him, he didn't know the trust about their falling out. For all Jack knew, they dated shortly before breaking it off. She didn't want to ruin their friendship. Jack's eyes got wide before looking down at his soup. She closed the thermos before going to walk towards the kitchen, almost bumping into Theo in the process.  She stopped, her eyes on his chest before she blinked and looked up at him. She squared her shoulders a bit, "Excuse me."

THEO:  Theo hadn't even seen her coming until she was practically in her face. "Woah, shit," he exhaled, his hands shooting out to catch her forearms -- a kneejerk reaction. They lingered for a just a moment before he dropped them to his sides. His eyes wandered across the shorter cut of her hair. It worked so incredibly well for her. For a moment he considered just stepping to the side and letting her by. But if there was ever a chance for confrontation, this seemed to be it. He licked his lips and creased his eyebrows slightly. "Are you ever gonna let it go?"

BILLIE:  "Theo," She sighed, closing her eyes and pinching the bridge of her nose. "Why does it matter if I do or not?" She asked looking up a him. Part of her wished she could, holding onto anything negative was draining. But after she overheard the truth.. She was hyper aware of how she looked, her hair. The glasses and extremely curly hair got her teased a lot. After everything with Theo she start to straighten it, pleaded her parents to let her get contacts. It stopped the bullying, but she never trusted anyone had genuine interest in her. On top of them only noticing her when she changed. "I get that it was some stupid joke for you in high school, but it --" She sighed, having to explain this dumb high school prank fueled years of trauma and trust issues wasn't easy. She was already vulnerable with him once, and look where that got her. "It wasn't for me."

THEO:  Hearing the name Theo never stopped hitting his chest in a particular way. Like the extra vowel to get the -dore out wasn't worth the effort. His eyebrows pushed deeper together because he was sure he knew why but he didn't want to give that theory any life. He wasn't harboring years old secret feelings. He just missed his friend. "Because I miss you," he blinked. "I miss my best friend." Theo shrugged his shoulders and carded a hang trough his hair. That much was very true. He always had. Every pivotal moment in his life he wished he'd been able to scream about it over snapchat with his friend. That's all. He sighed through his nose and pressed his lips together for a moment. "I know and I'm sorry. I meant that. I never intended to hurt you."

BILLIE:  "But you did." She pressed, "You made me feel stupid, everyone knew it was nothing but a joke. I walked around school thinking you had feelings for me and it was all a lie. I damaged my hair, I forced my parents to get me contacts. I don't trust anyone, because I fucking can't. You did that." Billie's throat ached, her nose burned slightly. She hated that he was bringing all of this out of her, she wished she stayed at the bakery. This was stupid and pointless. What was awful was that she missed him too, but she refused to let herself sink into those feelings. She waited for years to hear him say he was sorry, but it didn't take the pain away like she thought.

THEO:  Theo was briefly at a loss for words. Of course he'd noticed when she showed up and her bouncy curls were gone. And then the glasses. Subtle changes but enough to make a difference in the cruel eyes of high schoolers. He didn't think it was his fault. And then to know his stupidity left a mark she carried even now? He swallowed hard and murmured, "Wilhelmina. It wasn't," he started softly. "It wasn't a lie. I-- At first, yeah, okay, fine, it was a dare and it's fucked up. It stopped being a joke. I didn't know how to tell you. And then you found out and everything went to shit," he huffed. Nothing about her expression was telling him she would crack anytime soon. Maybe too little too late was a very real thing. Theo sighed and wiped his palms down the sides of his jeans -- an anxious habit. "I should go."

BILLIE:  Hearing her full name from him was weird, she wondered if that's what it felt like when she shortened his. "I appreciate that," And she did, would it be enough to stop holding the grudge? Maybe not yet, maybe not ever. Her face softened, she sighed. "No," She started, scratching at her arm -- A anxious habit she still couldn't drop. "He likes having you here. Stay. I should get back to the bakery anyways." Billie's lips formed a straight line, she shifted her weight before sighing again. "Give me your phone." She managed finally, looking at him.

THEO:  "Do you?" he snorted hard because it felt like the polite thing to say and not how she truly felt underneath the surface. Apparently he'd have to work for that. Theo eyed her hand and silently reach his fingers out to curl around hers and pull it away. She'd break the skin if she had her way. He glanced over her shoulder into the living room and sighed softly to himself. As if he should've noticed Jack wasn't entirely himself sooner. Theo'd been too caught up in talking about Billie with him. "You sure?" Trying to worm his way to Billie's good side was going to be a hell of a time. At her question he gave her a brief side eye and slowly pulled out the device, unlocking it and holding it out for her.

BILLIE:  Her brows pushed together, creating a crease, her eyes hard. "I can take it back." She said sternly, Theo pushed buttons she didn't like pushed, she was trying her best not to entirely go off on him. Especially here, in her father's home. Billie took the phone, putting her number in, putting in her full name because she was feeling a little petty. She sent herself a text so she'd have his number as well. "Here. If anything happens if he starts to forget anything." She held the phone out for him before holding her hand back. "Do not make me regret giving you my number." She stated before handing it back to him. She didn't trust Theo with her heart anymore, but she felt she could trust him with her father.

THEO:  Theo squared his jaw and inhaled slowly through his nose. And quite literally bit his tongue. It was an argument that would go nowhere and was better left alone ultimately. So he pushed out an exhale and held his palms up in surrender. "Relax." He watched her enter her number and full first name which he huffed a laugh at. He reached for it and rolled his eyes as she snatched it back out of his reach. "No promises," he teased as he slipped it back into his pocket. Theo's eyes fell on Jack then back to Billie's and they softened around the edges a little. "I'll take care of him."