the crowd was deafening, a pulse of noise that carried through the walls, even through the little speaker on your phone

you were backstage on a set hundreds of miles away, still in costume, slouched in a folding chair with your feet up on a crate. your hair was still slicked back from the days shoot and eyes heavy but your smile tugged wide the second the screen lit up with billies name

the facetime call was chaos from the second it connected. the video shook like an earthquake, strobe lights flashing in the background, and for a second you could barely see her through the movement but then there she was

she was sweaty, flushed, and had eyeliner smudged while grinning like a devil with the stage behind her glowing red. her tongue was out and she shoved her mic in the frame like she was trying to sing directly into your soul

“BABY” she yelled, voice scratchy but electric “LOOK WHERE I AM”

you laughed, shaking your head as you leaned closer to the screen “youre insane. arent you literally in the middle of a set?”

“yeah” she smirked, turning the phone around to show the crowd still screaming her name. then it flipped back to her, closer this time. her voice dropped just a little “missed your face”

your throat tightened, heat blooming in your chest “youre ridiculous” you murmured but it came out soft

she stuck out her tongue again then pulled the mic from her mouth just long enough to say “dont hang up. ill take you with me” she started walking across the stage like it was no big deal, half performing and half talking to you through the screen “you shouldve been here tonight” she said, voice quieter now, just for you “crowds crazy. they wouldve loved seeing my girl”

you smiled despite yourself “ill be there next week”

she turned her camera on herself again, flashing that wicked grin “you better be. im not sleeping alone again”

you were still smiling when the assistant director called you back to set but your heart was already in the crowd with her