𝑩𝑳𝑼𝑬 - Billy Hargrove [1]

FOURTEEN

FOURTEEN|SNOW BALL

Bernadette made small talk with Nancy as the pair worked together with a few other high school students at the middle school party. She was worried it would be awkward between the pair but Birdie instantly warmed up to the nerdy girl. It had been over a year since Nancy had helped save her from the Upside Down and she promised to Steve to pay her back.

Her hazel eyes scanned the large gymnasium, haltering on a familiar figure walking straight towards her. She crossed her arms over her chest, waiting to hear what the boy had to say to her.

"What do you want, Billy?" Birdie asked, her voice monotone as she spoke. She raised a single brow at him, impatient with his silence. "Don't you have someone's sibling to go beat up?"

"So this is the famous Queen Bee temper I've heard so much about." Billy smirked at her hostility, standing across from her at the beverage table. "I was waiting to see when you would unleash it."

"I don't have time for you stupid fetish's." She rolled her eyes at him, pushing her long brown hair behind her ear. "What do you want, Billy?" She repeated her question, sighing with frustration as his smirk only grew in response.

"I came to apologise." He revealed, his confession startling her as Nancy sent her a smirk and wandered away. "My father-"

"I know your father has had a large influence on your behaviour but what you did was personal." She stopped him from rambling up an excuse, wanting him to tell her the full truth. "Why did you really do it?"

"Jealousy, resentment, anger, sadness." He listed off, his truthful answer breaking down her tough facade. "If you take my hand now, I will fight for your heart again. I will make you mine over and over again." Billy held out his hand to her, a cheesy grin on his lips as he looked at her with admiration. "If not, I'll walk away."

"I did not expect something so cheesy to come from you." Birdie chuckled, slowly placing her hand in his. "What did you do with my Billy?"

"I don't want to be threatened with a knife again." He pulled her close, dipping his head down to place a gentle kiss on her lips. "I'm supposed to be the one that would kill for you."

Billy stepped back, a mischievous look on his face as he pulled her away from the beverage table and out the doors of the gymnasium. Her laughter echoed around the car park as they ran away from the middle school party.

His hands grabbed her hips, lifting her up and gently placing her on the bonnet of his car. He stood between her thighs, one hand stroking her hip as the other gripped her chin, forcing her to look into his baby blue eyes.

Her hands reached up, cupping his face as she leaned forwards. Birdie hesitantly touching her lips on his, pulling him closer as she deepened the kiss. All the memories flooded in her head, warning her she should run away, she would only get hurt, he couldn't change. But she stayed. She pushed aside the red flags, the warning signs and the cracks already littered on her heart.

Billy pulled back first, his callous hand stroking her cheek before helping her off the bonnet and opening the passenger door for her. She hesitated, knowing this was her final chance to turn around, to run far away.

Bernadette slipped into the car, a light smile playing on her lips as she looked over at him. His hands tapped the steering wheel in time to the loud music, eyes concentrating on the dark road and mouth mumbling the lyrics of the song. He was her greatest mistake that she would fall in love with over and over again.

He pulled into the same field they had spent so many nights in, talking about life and what they were going to do when they left Hawkins. He grabbed a blanket from the back seats and stepped out the car, leaning against the bonnet.

She followed him, not understanding what he was planning. She sat beside him, the blanket draping over her shoulders and his as they say quietly, watching the world pass them by. As she looked at him, the moonlight reflecting in his vibrant blue eyes, the sadness hidden deep within that he tried to heal with drinking and working out. Birdie knew in this moment that she was truly in love with Billy Hargrove. Their strange relationship had become more than friends but she hesitated to fully open herself up. Although he was easy to read, she could not understand how he felt about her.

"Only one more school year after this." She broke the silence, looking back out at the long, overgrown field. "Move to Los Angeles with me. Let's leave this horrible town, run away and never look back. I can leave my parents, you can leave your father. We can start fresh."

"I will drive you to any part of the world." Billy looked down at her with a smile, slipping his hand in hers as he listened to her ramble about all the things she wants to see outside of Hawkins.