Billy Troll's Arc

Chapter 1 of 6

Billy set down his coffee and looked up from the breakfast table, ready to give his full attention to whatever came next. He'd built his whole life around showing up — for the kids at the hospital, for Dianne, for anyone who needed him to be steady. This morning felt like any other, the kind of quiet moment before the day really started. But then the gate buzzed. Footsteps crossed the patio stones. Mic appeared around the corner of the pool with that smirk already fixed on his face, carrying a beat-up acoustic guitar slung over his shoulder. He didn't knock. He didn't call ahead. He just walked right into Billy's family morning like he owned the place. Mic dropped the guitar case on the patio table with a heavy thud. "Battle of the Bands next month," he said. "Winner takes the loser's best instrument. I want that blue electric of yours." He pointed toward the studio window where Billy's favorite guitar hung on the wall, the one he'd used on every album, every charity show. The one that meant something. Billy felt the weight of Dianne's eyes on him from the kitchen window. He thought about the kids who watched him at the hospital, who learned from how he handled moments like this. He picked up his coffee again, took a slow sip, and met Mic's stare. "You're on," he said, and watched the smirk falter for just a second before it locked back into place. The best version of himself wouldn't back down from this.