anastasia continues her toast as billie forced her attention away from her to fully focus on jade.

billie reached out, her fingers slightly tugging the straps of jades dress.

"what would you say to upping the stakes on you little game with ana? see how far we can really push her? all in good fun, of course." billie whispered into jades ear.

jade gives billie a thoughtful side eye while poking her tongue against the inside of her lip, finally she chuckled. "I like where your heads at, billie."

jade wraps an arm around billies waist, billie leaned into her.

"uhm..as I was saying, victoria is an incredible woman..." ana said nervously.

"forget victoria, you're the easiest woman to pretend- flirt with ive ever met." jade said chuckling.

billie bit her lower lip, and glanced up with a doe eyed look.

"lets take this up a not, shall we?" jade said.

jade turned billie a bit, putting herself between billie and ana.

"...victoria always makes the time fly by, like the most pleasant dream."

billie giggled, slapping jades shoulder playfully. out of the corner of her eye, she saw anastasia struggling to get a visual of what was happening between her and jade.

"but, uh, what I like the most uh, about victoria is..ugh, move, you bimbo." ana said trying to see what billie and jade were doing.

"what?" victoria asked angrily.

"whoops." jade said trying not to laugh.

"I said...'you're smooth as merlot'? uhm because you've always had such sophisticated taste in everything...except woman, I suppose." ana said laughing hoping people would understand the joke.

thankfully the crowd laughed and jade shook her head. "always manages to stick the landing."

"I know i'm a lucky woman, for someone like victoria to pick me.."

"maybe, but we're just getting started." billie said to jade.

"I like the sound of that. what'd you have in mind?"

anastasia tapped the mic, scowling in jades direction.

"a-hem. I know some of you are busy smooth- talking your 'flavor of the week.' but all eyes need to be up here, thanks." ana said angrily.

jade raises a hand in apology as she shifted to face the couple again, but her lips find billies ear once more.

"I think we're making the boss mad. but you know what would make her really jealous?"

"enlighten me."

"seeing us leave together."

billie pulled jades drink out of her hand with a coy smirk. "as much...fun as that sounds, I think I got what I was looking for." billie said smiling.

jade reached out to take the glass back, but billie pulled it back. she could smell her perfume all around her.

across the room, billie catches ana glaring at her. she seemed to only have eyes for her and jade.

billies eyes dart back to jade. "kiss me." billie whispered.

"seriously? now?"

"don't you want to?"

"yeah..."

without skipping a beat, jade pulled billie and crashed their lips together.

"jade, can you fucking focus for one moment."

"I was focused!"

"not on the right thing. just try to behave yourself, alright?"

jades hands leave billies waist as she turns to glare at her sister. "sorry."

the crowd murmured uneasily, glancing back and forth between ana, jade and billie.

"can we please get back to the toast? sunshine, you were talking about all the things you love about me." victoria said.

"right. victoria has always been a friend- I mean, a woman- of utmost grace, and I only hope this night lives up to her high standards. to you, victoria."

everyone raises their glasses to victoria, who glows as if the outburst at jade never happened.

"to me!"

billie swiped a glass of champagne from the nearest serving tray and drained it in one gulp.

billie looked back across the room and sees anastasia's eyes still on her.

billie sat down her now-empty glass on the table harder than she intended.

"excuse me." billie said standing up.

"are you okay?" jade asked.

"yeah, I just need a break from all this excitement." billie said before leaving from the back off the room.

{ billie's pov }

I find the women's restroom which is thankfully empty.

"okay. deep breath in...deep breathe out...everything's going to be okay."

I grab my purse to look for my mascara when the door bangs open and victoria glides in.

"oh its you." she said as joined me at the sink and began touching up her makeup.

"so have you been enjoying yourself tonight? It certainly seemed you and jade were getting cozy."

"Ive been better."

"hmm. I'd be lying if I said that you didn't seem a little overwhelmed."

"yeah...must be something I ate."

"you dont have to make up excuses for me, billie. I told ana I thought this might be too much for you."

"what do you mean?"

"she wanted you here, but I told her she doesn't realize how hard it is to run in our circle. we've been training for nights like this our whole lives, but someone like you...well its just not fair to expect you to swim when you've been thrown to the sharks..even if you do clean up well."

"excuse me?"

"don't worry your pretty little head about it. Ive got your back. once ana and I are married, we won't be bringing the kids to events like this, so you can stay home with them where you're comfortable."

she reached out to me crinkling her nose and giving my arm a patronizing squeeze. "Im sure you'd kill for some sweatpants right now, huh?

"you know what, victoria? ana loves a girl in sweatpants."

"she does have a weakness for some of the boring things in life, doesn't she? but I love her anyway!"

victoria leaned forward and ghosted a kiss against each of my cheeks.

"also, feel free to leave early if you want. I won't be offended, and i don't think ana would even notice nor care. bye!"

she left the bathroom and i slouched against the sink.

a few minutes later i'm on the rooftop, dragging in a deep breath and bracing my hands on the ledge.

i started thinking, while I tried to pull myself together.

behind me, the door creaked open.

"there you are."

jade joins me by the railing and she casually leaned besides me. "you okay? I know i'm not the most mindful woman in the universe, but even i noticed victoria was getting to you back there."

"right, you were probably just hoping i came up here for that 'good time.' " billie said with a light chuckle.

"you may be hot but, hooking up with woman who are heart broken over my sister just isn't my style." she stopped and chuckled. "even if they are one hell of a good kisser."

I laughed and playfully hit her shoulder. "seriously though, if you need to talk, i'm here, okay?"

"thank you." I said as i pulled her into a tight hug. she wrapped her arms around me as she rubbed my back soothingly.

"things will get better."

"you don't know that."

"but i know you. and you're a fighter. that's why i know you'll be great in bed."

"jesus christ jade read the room." I said laughing.

as i was about to step back from the hug, we both heard the door creak open. "seriously jade? what did i tell you about spending time with billie? she's not just one of your fucking dates that you can take advantage of because you're bored."

"who said she's taking advantage of me?"

"yeah, calm down ms. big shot. i was cleaning up your mess."

"what's that supposed to mean?"

"don't play stupid. It's not a good look on you."

jade turned back to me softening her eyes. "Is it okay if i leave you two here alone to talk? or do you want me to beat her ass." she said chuckling.

"I'll be fine. thank you." i said as i smiled at her.

now that it was just the two of us i turned to her unsure of what to say.

{ omniscient }

"are you okay?" ana asked.

"I'm fine, you know...jade is actually a good woman. you just judge her because she lives a spontaneous, free spirited life."

"no, billie look, you only just met jade, you haven't seen her patterns. she's like this with all the woman she dates.."

"okay? who gives a fuck if she treats me like every single one of them. she's single and so am i." billie said angrily.

"I-I know that." anastasia said taken back from billies tone.

"In fact. the only person who has any 'romantic obligations' to anyone is you."

"I know that too." she said sounding upset.

billie stepped closer and angrily pushed her hands against anastasia's shoulders. "one minute, you pull me onto the dance floor, and next i'm watching your fucking engagement speech!"

billie pushed her again.

"and i can't stop thinking about that dance billie.."

"you said we needed to talk right? then talk! here's your big chance! tell me all about how sorry you are and how wrong this is."

she pushed again..

"why did you even ask me to stay tonight? did you want me to see her all over you?" billie said on the edge of crying.

before billie could push her again anastasia grabbed her wrists and held them tightly.

"stop! of course i didn't, i just.." she took a deep breath letting go of her wrists. "i just wanted you here with me billie. for once in my life, i wasn't thinking ahead.."

"..yeah, well you'd better make up your mind soon. I'm not going to wait for you forever."

"i'm trying, billie."

anastasia softly caresses billies arms. billie felt herself start to want anastasia to come closer to her, to touch her anywhere and everywhere.

"every day, i'm fighting not to let myself get carried away. I'm fighting not to touch you. I'm fighting not to do this.." anastasia's right hand went to billies neck and slowly went to her jaw, raising it up.

she quickly pulled billie in for a deep, passionate kiss.

"god, this was all i could think about doing on that dance floor." anastasia's lips rake up and down on billies throat, pressing hot kisses and occasional nibbles.

"tell me what you what billie. I'll give you anything."

billie can feel exactly what anastasia wants to give her, throbbing between her legs.

"kiss me again."

anastasia smiles as she cups billies face in her hands, smoothing a thumb down the side of her cheek.

"how do you have such starry eyes all the time?"

"i don't. just when i look at you." billie smirked.

billie leaned in, pressing her lips to anastasia's.

a few seconds later they could hear the din of the party drift up from an open window below.

anastasia pulls billie by her hips, making her let out a muffled moan.

anastasia's eyes darken with lust as she stares at billies lips.

"god, just wait until i make you scream my name."

they both leaned in for another kiss as billies hands start to slither downwards.

billies eyes widen at her size, against her hand. she licked her lips at the thought of taking her all in..

"you're killing me billie.."

billie strokes her again..

"billie, we can't..i want to..trust me i do." anastasia clears her throat and pulls back. "but we have to stop. i don't know how long we've been up here."

"i know..you're right."

anastasia starts to fix her hair and clothes.

"anastasia..can i have one more kiss..and then i'll leave you alone.."

"don't say that."

their lips meet together one last time..

down below they hear victoria's voice. "ana! where'd  you go, sunshine?!"

"looks like victoria needs you." billie fixed herself up before stepping away.

"billie.."ana tried grabbing billie but billie stepped back, wrapping her arms around herself.

"you should go.."

"i- right. see you at home."

ana left, leaving billie looking down from the edge.

a few minutes later, ana emerges onto the sidewalk below.

"finally." victoria grabs ana, pulling her down for a kiss. "I had a fabulous night, sunshine. I cant wait to spend even more time with you, now that i'm back here for good."

"..yeah..me too.."

as billie watched them get into the limo together, she realized that's the first time she has ever seen them kiss.

'whatever it takes to have anastasia, i'll fight for it. I know ana cares about me too. it's not all in my head. clearly.' she laughed to herself.
'and there's still a lot of time before the wedding..'