Little Lies // (Discountinued)

Chapter 2

"So, how you liking Hawkins?"

you chewed on the chicken wings you'd
ordered for you and steve as you watched
max aggressively play against lucas at a
multiplayer. Steve, unbeknownst to you, was internally screaming at how adorable you were. He always had a thing for girls not from his small town, as they were something fresh, new.

"I actually love it. you'd think that me, coming from california, would hate a teeny tiny town, but i think it's charming. refreshing, too, you answered, wiping the buffalo sauce off of your fingers. you smiled sheepishly as you licked the extra off, and steve grinned at your
cuteness.

"you're from california, huh. I'm assuming you knew max from before." you paused, deliberating whether or not you should tell steve your history with billy and his sister. during the car ride, the kids had told you how much steve despised billy, and how you were supposed to avoid all things to do with him. however, it felt like you were being secretive for no reason. steve couldn't judge you after he'd already had a first impression with you if he did, that was his issue.

"oh, yeah. max and i go way back. me and her step-brother were like this," you linked your pinkie fingers for visual emphasis, "since We were in the 3rd grade." noticing steve's surprised expression, you added, "he used to be a lot nicer, less of a man whore, less of an asshole. i've heard he's kinda both of those things now."

Steve nodded profusely, dipping his wing into the blue cheese ranch that came with the delicious, decadent snack. "yep. he beat me up, once"

you froze in shock. billy had beat steve up? for what? billy may have been protective at times, but he'd only used violence when he was overwhelmed, or when someone threatened someone he cared about. "what in the hell for?" you asked, a bit louder than you'd intended.

"no good reason, i can tell you that. i don't get how someone so sweet like you could be best friends with that guy. seriously," steve commented. you almost took offense to it, but you remembered two things - steve only knew billy as the person he was now, and he was trying to subtly compliment you, just like before.

"you're a horrible flirter." you suddenly
blurted. steve stopped eating, but resumed once he was able to crack a playful smile.

"i know. at this point, i'm just trying to get you to notice me," he confessed. you let out a genuine laugh and slapped the table softly, throwing the bone of your chicken wing into the metal bucket.

"how could i not? with the hair, and the eyes; you aren't an ugly dude, let's say that." you realized what you'd said, but steve seemed more flustered than you, and you took solace in that. "I'm being bold today. I'm not usually like this.

steve smiled. "well, maybe i bring out the best in you."

•••••

it was getting late. you, steve and your metaphorical children were the last in the darkening arcade. the person working the night shift was practically kicking you out, so you ushered everyone toward the cars.

"oh, about that. i kinda sorta called billy to ask him to pick me up." max admitted. smiling awkwardly. you rolled your eyes, and motioned for steve and the others to wait for max's brother to arrive. you weren't just going to leave her on the side of the road.

"let's play a game. i spy something.... blue,
you blurted, trying to wake up the fading
children. it worked, and the eight of you
leaned against your car as they scanned the environment for something that color.

"billy's car?" max asked, pointing toward the vehicle speeding down the street. it
haphazardly pulled into the parking spot in front of steve's car and you tensed up a bit. how was he going to react to seeing you after all this time? did he ever think about that night?

thoughts raced relentlessly through your
head as you watched billy climb smoothly out of his expectedly attractive car. he always had a thing for automobiles.

"c'mon, max."

you were a bit disappointed. you thought billy would at least talk to you, but he hadn't looked at anyone except his step-sister. even max seemed to think it a bit weird, as she sent you a quick look before waving goodbye to everyone and rushing off to billy's car.

billy, however, stood silently outside his blue Camaro. he took the cigarette from his lips and ground it beneath his boot, lifting his eyes up to you. they were full of buried anger and frustration, and your heart suddenly ached for your old friend, despite what everyone was saying about him.

"is there something you want, or are you just ogling her for kicks?" steve suddenly asked, shattering the uncomfortable silence. billy's eyes narrowed.

"none of your business, harrington.

the two boys began a sort of staring contest the atmosphere was so thick with
testosterone that you could practically cut it.

"steve, it's okay. I'm fine." this was your way of telling him to leave without actually saying it, and he got the message. with a sort of defeated look, and steve tore his eyes away from billy and filed the kids into his car, waving goodbye as he drove off.

as soon as steve's car was gone, you took a
few steps toward billy's car and leaned
against the hood.

"why didn't you tell me you were coming?
and why in hell are you hanging around
harrington?"

you scoffed. "i can hang out with whoever i want. and if you'd approached me in the
parking lot, maybe you'd already know that I'm moving here.

"i don't like you talking to him. he's bad
news." billy commented, changing the
subject. you were beginning to get annoyed now, as billy was just completely ignoring your statements. deciding to stop dancing around the elephant in the room, you struck the heart of it.

"and you aren't? from what i've heard, you're acting like quite the heathen recently, you accused, voice softer than you intended. you meant to sound sharp, but you just couldn't, knowing that billy was only acting like this because he was in pain.

his face hardened. "it's not your problem what i do anymore. just leave me alone," billy hissed. he turned to go into his car, but you acted on impulse and reached forward for his shoulder.

"billy, please. you've know that i will never
leave you alone, and you know you'll always be my problem.

he stood still for a moment, looking back at you. for a second, you saw the hurt and
confusion in his eyes.

then, billy jerked his shoulder and let your
hand fall aimlessly to the side. he got into his car and drove off, leaving you more empty than you'd felt in a while.

••

"goddamnit, billy, are you blind?"

"what the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm in love with you. there, i said it. i fucking love you."

"you love me?"

you tried not to focus on the words from that night as you drove home, but there was no way to escape it. they echoed through your head like the excited shouts of little child in an empty church - shrill, deafening, heartwarming.

it hurt you that billy could disregard you like that, especially after all the history you had together. however, it hurt you even more to see that pained expression on his face when he let you see him, really see him.

but you meant it. you weren't going to leave him alone, no matter what he said or did to get you off his back. and you were always going to care for him.

you were going to make it your mission to
help billy, despite everything you knew he
was, or pretending to be.

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Word count: 1332