DONTMAKEMEFALLINLOVE || Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

Season 4 Bonus Chapter IV.

Wednesday March 26, 1986

Yesterday was spent at the house of Victor Creel's. After a long evening of scoping out the abandoned home and getting covered in spider webs, there was something the group had gotten out of it; when their flashlights began flickering, the group knew there was some other being in the house. When they had turned off their flashlights, they paced around the house in search of the path that illuminated their flashlights again. Vecna was there. The creature's energy led them to the attic. Diana had trailed after Robin, thinking, The attic. Why is always in an attic? Couldn't monsters choose another room except the attic?

After the newfound evidence from Creel House, the bunch left in a hurry. Robin, Diana, and Dustin were dropped off at the Henderson household to freshen up for the next day, while Nancy, Steve, Max, and Lucas returned to the Wheeler household for the night. Nancy and Steve swore they'd pick them up the next morning; sticking together in groups was the best precaution.

Who knows how many days Dustin had gone without a shower, but he was the first to dash inside and call dibs on the bathroom. Ms. Henderson welcomed Robin inside and chatted with the girl before finally declaring she was off to bed.

Robin hopped inside the shower a few minutes after Dustin had left the bathroom with wet hair. When she was sure Robin had turned on the water and Dustin had shut his door, Diana rang Billy. It was a relief to call him tonight. Yesterday she almost said too much. She was shaken by the recurring image of Max in the air. What had mattered was that Max didn't die. It was a relief, calling him and not having to deliver the news. Although Vecna may have still been after Max, she lived to see another day. And another.

"Hi," she answered when Billy picked up.

"Hey love," Billy responded, "how was your day?"

"Better," Diana confessed, "no new deaths. At least none that I know of. We were just at this creepy old house, trying to find clues or answers. It felt like Scooby-Doo."

"Did you find anything?"

"Sort of," Diana recalled the urge of wanting to flee the attic, "I'm never going in there again."

Billy laughed through the phone. A smile slowly grew on Diana's face. How she missed his laugh. Just hearing it may have given Diana more motivation to help her friends end Vecna's curse and go back to Billy. Only three more days until Billy's birthday...she promised him. She had to be back home with him.

"Stop that," Diana chuckled, "you wouldn't have liked it in there either."

"I'll take your word for it," he mused.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Shoot."

This was it. Diana waited long enough. She was patient and Max almost died. Until Max knew about Billy, there was going to be an itch that would never vanish. She had to make it quick; Robin was probably nearing the end of her shower. And she had to be vague again, but she hoped Billy would pick up on it. "I um," she stuttered, "when will it be time your stepsister knows?"

Billy didn't answer for a moment. It was hard to guess which reaction struck his face when she felt as though he was unreachable. He answered. "Do you think it's time she knows?"

"Please don't do this to me," Diana shook her head and inhaled, "I can't decide that."

If it was up to me she would've known much earlier.

She initially didn't want to talk about this over a call. It wasn't the right way to go about it. And she didn't want this to lead to an argument either. Not over the phone.