A Multifandom Collection of Short Stories

8: Find Max-Billy Hargrove

Smoke swirls above my head. Billy blows another puff of smoke into the air and sips his beer. My beer sits untouched, by the side of the bed where I sit. I have drank enough and I know it. A cigarette, however, is perched between my fingers, smoke flowing from the end. I had gotten a new job, and Billy wanted to celebrate. His parents aren't home and we have music going loud. He looks amazing with his shirt unbuttoned a few buttons, his chest exposed. And he smells great, too; probably a cologne I had gotten him.
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway brings a frown to Billy's face. He rolls his eyes and crushes the empty beer can. The front door opens and closes.
"Hey, guys, we're home." It is the voice of Billy's stepmom, Susan. I had met Billy's parents a few times, but never really liked either of them. Neil was a complete dick and Susan was a pushover. "Guys? Hello?"
Max's bedroom door opens and then closes a few seconds later. Then there's a knock on Billy's door. Billy rolls his eyes again.
"Billy?" It's Susan.
"Yeah, I'm a little bit busy in here Susan."
"Open the door. Right now." It was Neil this time and he sounded upset. Billy takes a final drag on his cigarette and tosses it into the ashtray. I do the same with mine, standing behind Billy by the bed. Billy opens the door.
"What's wrong?" Billy asks.
"Why don't you tell us?" Neil says.
"Because I don't know."
"We can't find Maxine," Susan says. I hadn't seen Max all day. She was gone when I got here around 7:30. It was 9:30 now.
"And her window is open," Neil added. "Where is she?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?" Neil scoffs.
"Look, I'm sure she just, I don't know, went to the arcade or something. I'm sure she's fine." Billy walked back into the room toward me. I sat back on the bed. Susan gave me a weak smile when she saw me and Neil paid me no attention.
"You were supposed to watch her," Neil said, continuing to argue with Billy. I could tell where this was headed, but I trusted Billy to deescalate the situation.
"I know, Dad. I was. It's just you guys were three hours late, and well, I have company. I'm sorry, okay?"
"So that's why you've been locked in here with some girl, instead of watching your sister?"
"I have been looking after her all week, Dad. Okay? She wants to run off, then that's her problem, all right? She's 13 years old. She shouldn't need a full-time babysitter. And she's not my sister!" Billy hits the pause button on the cassette player, the music stopping. I can see Neil getting ready to do something. I stand up and lunge between them. I stand with my back to Billy, my hand pushing on Neil's chest, holding them apart.
"What did we talk about?" Neil asks Billy, ignoring my presence. Neil reaches for Billy, but I grab his hand. Neil pushes me to the side, throwing me onto the bed. He shoves Billy into the shelves. "What did we...talk about?" Neil asks again.
"Respect and responsibility."
"That is right. Now, apologize to Susan."
"I'm sorry Susan," Billy says forcefully.
"It's okay Neil. Really-," Susan begins.
"No, it's not okay. Nothing about his behavior is okay. But he's gonna make up for it," Neil says, letting go of Billy and turning to Susan in the doorway. "He's gonna tell whatever whore this is this time to go home, and then he's gonna find his sister. Like the good, kind, respecting brother that he is. Isn't that right, Billy?"
"She's not a whore. She's my girlfriend and you're going to treat her with respect," Billy says. Neil stands there stunned for a second, then strikes Billy across his left cheek.
"I said, you're going to tell her to go home and find Max! Isn't that right?"
"Yes, sir," Billy says softly, water gathering in his eyes.
Neil sighs. "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you."
"Yes, sir," Billy says louder.
"Find Max."
Neil and Susan walk out shutting the door behind them. Billy turns around silently and presses play on the music, turning the volume up slightly. He turns to me and a tear falls down his face and he falls at my feet, hanging from the edge of the bed. He curls up between my legs and cries and I play with his hair until he's calm.
Billy had told me about his dad before, but I had never seen anything happen between them. As Billy cries on my leg and I stroke his hair, a few tears of my own slip down my face. I hold his cheeks in my hands and force him to look up at me.
"We'll find Max, and then you can stay at my place. Okay, baby?"
"Yeah, sure," he says, wiping his face and then kissing me.