A Bridge Over Troubled Water (Billy Hargrove X Female!Reader)

Chapter Four - I Hurt Too

I awkwardly tried to cover the cut on my face with some old foundation I barely used, and some bandages. Hopefully nobody would notice. Pulling up to school, I noticed Billy and his two goons, as well as Steve. They were standing about a centimeter apart, trying to rip out eachothers hair and kill eachother.

A small part of me was amused, but I could see Steve definitely was not winning here.

I ducked out of my car, and headed towards the idiots. Billy wasn't paying any attention, nor was Steve, so when Steve dodged the attack, Billy's fist made a connection with my nose, and my fathers recent drunken tantrum.

As I hit the ground with my ass, I could feel the cut get hot, and my nose as well as the cut began to bleed.

"Go fuck yourself, asshole." I said, looking up at Billy, with pure spite, as I stood up. Steve stood frozen, as did most of the small crowd that formed when the fight started. As I pushed through the crowd, people began murmuring behind me. I put my (F/C) sweater sleeve to my nose, and made my way to the nurses office. Footsteps followed behind me, and I ignored them, sitting down on one of the nurses beds.

"Are you okay?" Two voices asked, almost in unison.

"Take a wild fucking guess," I spat, directing my rage at Billy.

"Where did you get that other cut? That wasn't Billy was it?" Steve glared in his direction as well.

"No, it's nothing," I told him, holding my hand up to gesture I didn't wish to talk further about it.

"Here," Billy handed me some wound cleaner, and fresh bandages.

"Oh so you want to be a nice guy now?" I scoffed. "Screw that. Bets off. Apologize and leave."

"I'm sorry," He said, looking at me.

"Wrong person, Hargrove."

"Excuse me?" He looked stunned for a second, and then pissed. "No way in hell I'm apologizing to Harrington."

"Then leave. And don't speak to me again."

"Fuck," He muttered, standing up, and turning to look at Steve. "I'm sorry you have such a punchable face, Harrington. Now leave, I need to speak with (Y/N) privately."

Steve left, still somewhat stunned from some of the blows to his head, and Billy sat on the bed besides me.

"What do you want? I told you, bets off." I glared. Billy ignored me, and began removing the bandage I put on earlier. I winced as the fresh air hit the wound, and looked away.

"What happened."

"It doesn't matter. Piss off." I retorted.

"Didn't ask if it mattered. Asked what happened."

"I-" I tried to speak but froze. Why tell him? He would rat me out and I'd be a laughing stock. Standing up to Billy but terrified of my own father.

"Hey." His voice softed, and I felt his hand wipe tears away I didn't even know were there.

"If a word of this gets out, I will kill you. I need to go somewhere private." I took a deep breath and looked at him. He grabbed the stuff for my facial injuries, and took my hand. The bell had already rang, and the other students were in their classes. I already felt pathetic, and I didn't need anyone to see me getting dragged around by the school man whore.

He opened his car door for me, and I hesitantly sat down, him getting in the drivers side not long after.

He drove for awhile, random medical stuff from the nurses office on his lap.  His hands drumming on the steering wheel was the only thing I could focus on, and when he stopped the car, the jolt shook me back to my senses.

"Private enough?"

I opened the door, and took a deep breath. There was a lake in front of me, a forest behind. I wasn't sure where I was, but it felt safe.

"My dad." I said, softly. I could feel him standing behind me, and I knew he heard me, because his body tensed up at the words.

"Your old man did this?" He asked, turning me around to face him. I could only nod, my throat feeling tight and tears spilling like a fountain. He sighed, and pulled me in to a small hug.

"Yeah. My dad does that too, I know how you feel," He awkwardly patted my back with one hand, and I could tell he wasn't sure how to comfort people.

"You know, you don't seem so scary right now."

"Whadda mean by that?" He asked, his voice a bit annoyed.

"You just seemed so disant from the world, from problems, from everything. I guess I didn't think you actually had any issues like everyone else."

"You know," He laughed a little. "I thought the same about you."

On the ride back to the school, I looked at him.

"Hey, please don't treat me differently. I don't want anyone to think I 'finally' had sex with you,"

"Why? Embarrassed?" He laughed, running one hand through his hair.

"Unlike you, I can't do anything about harassment," I awkwardly laughed.

"If they try anything just let me know,"

"And what, ruin your reputation instead?" I laughed. "My big strong guard dog now after one heart to heart?"

"I guess I just feel like this makes us closer, you know?" He looked away from me, at the trees as we drove back toward the school. "You don't treat me the same as everyone else. And you understand me, in a way. It's refreshing. If some stupid asshole doesn't want to follow me around because of that, they can go fuck themselves."

"Thanks."