[3rd POV]
Currently Billie was sitting at the dinner table, helping Claire and Mitchell cover glasses that were being donated in bubble wrap, so they don't accidentally get destroyed in the boxes.
As she was helping wrap, she was having a conversation with the two.
"So, Billie, I've got to ask, do you really not have any plans for college? Cause from what I've seen, you could easily get into a good college, like CalTech. And Alex has sung your praises constantly too. She practically threw a fit when she found out you weren't interested" Claire asked, genuinely curious as she wrapped another glass cup in bubble wrap and placed it in a large box.
"Nah, I've got no reason to go. It's just a waste of money and time to me. If I ever really need to learn something, I just do my own studying. No reason to spend tens of thousands of dollars - if not more - on something that I can just do myself" Billie responded with a shake of her head, not even remotely interested in the idea.
"And what about Haley? What if she goes to college, will you want to go with her?" Mitchell asked, as Claire perked up at these words, staring at Billie with an eerie amount of intent.
"If she goes I'll just have to get a place near her if she decides to live in the dorm. But I am pretty confident that she will not be going to college. As I mean no offense to you, Claire, but I know Haley. And I know that she is just like me. In the fact that she wants to pursue music, not college" Billie said, confident in her words.
She knew her girlfriend that much.
They had talked about it before after all.
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[Flashback]
Shortly after the two of them had started dating, Billie had been helping Haley study for a test that week. She had only recently started to get better and better grades, and it was all thanks to the help of Billie.
And thanks to that help, Billie was pretty confident that Haley would reach the level required to be able to attend a college, even if it is only a decent one. Which made her ask the question on her mind, as she sat next to her, watching her solve her problems.
"You know, I don't think I ever asked you this. But...are you interested in going to college after high school? Or is this just so you can get your mom off your back?" Billie asked, glancing into the eyes of her girlfriend.
"Oh no, absolutely not. I'm not gonna waste the next four years of my life in college, and I am not going to go into debt for tens of thousands of dollars just to get taught what I can already learn from the internet. It's a total waste. I'd rather pursue fashion or something else" Haley responded adamantly.
Hearing the mention of fashion, Billie hummed, as an idea came to mind, and she smirked.
"What about music?"
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[Flashback End]
That had been the sort of "Beginning" of Haley's eventual rise as a singer. Well, sort of. It had taken a bit longer, as she had to actually make the album, but it was the start of the thought of it at least.
"I know you might not like it, Claire, but that is just how it is going to be. But trust me, thanks to the amount of albums she has sold, she is making more than enough money to never even need to go to college" Billie said, as Mitchell stilled at this.
"...Wait...how did she even do that?"
"Hmm? What do you mean?" Billie asked, glancing at Mitchell.
"I mean, how did she sign a contract and all of that? She is 17, which means she would need the approval of her parents, aka Claire in this case. So how did you get that signature?" Mitchell asked, realizing that Billie might not have exactly gotten her into the business legally.
Billie awkwardly stared at him before glancing to the side.
"Well..."
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[Flashback]
"Hey mom?" Haley said, as Claire yawned, a nasty headache ailing her mind after she had went out with Phil the night before.
"Yes honey?" She asked with a yawn.
"Can you sign this? It's just a form for school" Haley asked, as she placed a rather thick stack of papers in front of her. The half asleep Claire just glanced down before grabbing the pen from Haley's hand.
"Thanks mom, oh, and you just need to sign here, here, and here..."
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[Flashback End]
"I was wondering what that was!" Claire exclaimed, as Billie just explained what they had done. Which was basically just wait until Claire was too out of it to even read the paper, and then get her to sign it.
Probably not legal, but at least they got the signature.
"You know that that is like...definitely illegal, right?" Mitchell asked, glancing at Billie who just shrugged.
"It was. But I don't think you're going to report us for it, are you?" Billie asked, as the two snorted.
"Hell no, I've already gotten into your business too much. Even if I still think some of my reactions were fair" Claire said with a shake of her head.
"Yeah, they were. Like I said before, I understand why you were all so weirded out, as she was changing. But it wasn't even the fact that you were trying to figure out what she was up to that was wrong, but the fact that you literally stalked her halfway across town, bribed a security guard - who has been fired - and sorta forced your way into my apartment" Billie responded, not minding the initial parts, it was just the way they did it that was wrong.
Them being a little worried about the changes was completely fair.
"Yeah we tried to tell her off about that, as it was creepy. But once Claire gets going..."
"It's impossible to stop her, yeah, Haley's told me that much" Billie said with a small chuckle, as Claire just sighed.
"Yeah yeah, I know. Although I've gotta admit, I kinda feel bad for the security guard. I didn't even think about the fact that you might fire him" Claire responded, feeling bad.
"Oh don't worry about him. He was fired from his security job, but wasn't fired completely. Instead I just gave him a new position as a bar tender, as it turns out he had a lot of training in the area, but just couldn't find someone to hire him. Now he's happily working as the bartender for the apartment's bar on the ground floor" Billie said, waving off her concerns.
"A bar? Man I wished we were able to stay longer, I would kill for a martini right now" Mitchell grumbled, as he continued to wrap the glass up.
"You can come over if you want, all of you can. Actually...how about we make it a family thing? We can do thanksgiving at my apartment, or something along those lines. I've got more than enough space, and tons of fun stuff the kids can do. Like a game room, a theatre, and all sorts of other crap" Billie offered, as the two glanced at one another.
The idea sounded...really appealing actually.
They had done Christmas and Thanksgiving at all of their places for years, so this could be a fun switch up. And it would also give the rest of the family (mostly Gloria and Manny) an excuse to get closer to Billie who they hadn't really spoken to yet.
"You know what...I'll have to talk with Gloria and my Dad, but I think we might have to take you up on that offer" Claire said, as Mitchell nodded.
"Oh definitely. Definitely beats coming here or to Dads every year. Something new and exciting sounds perfect right now" Mitchell agreed, as Billie smiled.
Sounds like her holidays were going to be very interesting this year.
With that, Billie got back to her wrapping, as the three of them talked about all sorts of random things. And with that, Billie got closer and closer to the Dunphy household.
Closer to her new extended family.
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That's the end of the chapter!
Just a chapter explaining some things that...I completely forgot about, and we're definitely plot holes that I hope I fixed. The contract thing was a HUGE one that I am embarrassed to admit I completely missed, and I hope this fixes that.
Still illegal, but at least now it's explained, and they can actually get away with it.
Anyways, have a good day!