POISON - Billy Hargrove

- Eleven -

Billy skipped the following two days of school, or so Melanie assumed. His desk collected dust in the classes they shared. A teacher workshop fell on that Friday, blessing him with a near full week off. Apparently, Dustin told Steve everything she said at the dinner table because she got a lecture about it later.

"Billy is such a piece of shit," Steve muttered over the phone. "I can't believe you like him."

"Excuse me," Melanie laughed. "I did not ever say those words." She laid back in her bed, coiling the cord of the phone around her finger. "He's good looking, but that's it. I mean, the kid has literally no redeeming qualities. I'd like a man with a personality."

Steve let out a hard laugh.

"Really," she added, chuckling too. "You should've heard some of the things Max had to say about him."

The following Tuesday, Melanie prepared herself to go back to the Hargrove's. She walked across the school parking lot, backpack slung over her shoulder. As winter approached, walking home grew increasingly annoying. The kids of Hawkins were notorious for refusing to bundle up in the winter, and Melanie was no different. She stiffly shuffled across the lot, her shivering causing her backpack to slide down her shoulder.

Leaning against his car and smoking a cigarette, Billy watched her struggle with her backpack.

"Look at you, St. James," Billy called out, moving his cigarette from his lips and holding it between two fingers.

"Billy," Melanie nodded awkwardly, continuing to walk around his car.

Billy took a few steps to the side, meeting her as she walked around the front of the blue Camaro.

"Billy?" he laughed, smoke shooting from his mouth. She never actually called him by his first name. "Since when do you call me Billy?"

"I'm just trying to be nice," she mumbled, shuffling past him quickly.

"Nice?" Billy was taken aback. He grabbed her arm lightly, and her backpack slipped off her shoulder.

She stopped and faced him. She had tried to apologize, she tried being nice, and he was still giving her shit. Their fun little game was over. All Melanie wanted was to help Max with her English and steer clear of Billy's outbursts.

"Listen," she began, looking up towards him, "I get that you're pissy over a drawing, which is stupid by the way, but I have to help out your sister. So, it would be great if you could mature a little and get over yourself."

He eyed her for a moment. A few small curls fell onto his forehead as the frigid wind against them. Billy took one last, long drag from his cigarette before tossing it on the ground. His foot rubbed over it briefly.

"Get in," he spoke, nodding towards his car. "You're coming over today anyway, yeah?"

Melanie's eyes followed, and they met those of Max. She sat in the passenger seat, a skateboard between her knees, and waved Melanie over.

"Only because Max wants me to," she remarked, and a smirk spread across Billy's face.

"Mhmm," he hummed sarcastically. "Sure thing, sunshine."

Melanie walked around to the passenger side of Billy's car, listening to the muffled sounds of him and Max bickering as Max moved to the back seat. The three pulled out of the parking lot, music playing through the radio.

As the car turned the corner, Madonna's "Material Girl" began to play.

"Oooh, can you turn it up?" Max asked quietly from the back. Her personality was different around Billy. She was wary.

"No," Billy snapped, turning off the radio altogether.

"Jesus, don't be a dick," Melanie defended Max. She reached forward and swatted his hand away from the radio knob. It clicked as she pushed it again and turned the volume up.

Billy let out a groan.

Max hummed along to the song happily, and Melanie turned to face her. She chuckled at Max's quiet humming. Her head swayed happily, dancing slightly in her seat while Max hummed.

Billy glanced over and rolled his eyes at the girls. Melanie caught him.

"You're no fun," she pouted, turning the music up louder. She caught Max smiling in the backseat, and turned to face her again.

"Cause the boy with the cold, hard cash is always Mister Right," Melanie sang along jokingly, bobbing to the beat. She reached out her hand to Max, suggesting that she join her.

Max let out a loud laugh and accepted. They sang together loudly, dancing in their seats, much to Billy's dismay. His eyes continued to wander over to Melanie as he drove and tapped the steering wheel. Her happy dancing was goofy, but she didn't seem to mind. Billy couldn't help but watch, and although Melanie noticed, she didn't dare mention it.

They arrived at the Hargrove house, and Melanie and Max quickly got to work. Billy took off into his bedroom. After an hour or so, his door opened. He passed the girls working at the kitchen table and moved into the living room. Loud rock music burst suddenly from the living room stereo.

Max let out a loud groan. "Do you have to do that now?" she yelled across the kitchen.

Billy ignored her, lifting the bar with weights on it as he laid back against a white weight bench. The leather on it had tears in it, showing its age.

"He always does crap like this," Max grumbled. "It's so annoying."

"You ever try annoying him back?" Melanie asked.

"Hell no," Max shook her head, and Melanie grinned.

Juke Box Hero blared through the house. Melanie stood up and grabbed Max's hands, pulling her from the kitchen table. They bounced to the beat, laughing and moving towards the living room. Melanie spun her around, Max's flaming hair spinning wildly. The two jumped around the living room, dancing more freely than when in the car.

Billy dropped his weights and sat up on the bench. His arms rested on his knees as he watched the girls. As he watched Melanie. His eyes glued to her slender body bouncing and spinning around his living room with his step-sister. She slowed and met his eyes. A witty smile formed on her face.

"And be a juke box hero," she mouthed along with the song, approaching him slowly, holding out her hands. She reached forward at his, but he closed them into fists. Her arms pulled back and folded across her stomach.

Billy looked up at her. Melanie was much shorter than Billy, but stood taller than him when he was seated. She was determined to make him dance with her, and an idea sprung into her mind. She reached forward again, this time tugging lightly on the chain he wore around his neck. She pulled on it slowly and he stood, as if she was pulling him up with it. Melanie dropped the chain and giggled at her success. She proceeded to bounce on her toes to the beat, her eyes closing lightly. She was in her own world, happily bobbing around him. A smile tickled at Billy's lips. He grabbed her hands lightly and spun her.

Max, on the other side of the room, had stopped dancing. She watched in shock as her step-brother let out a loud laugh and followed Melanie's lead. He took her hands, the two of them dancing around each other, laughing and singing loudly with the music.