DONTMAKEMEFALLINLOVE || Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

Season 4 Bonus Chapter XII.

(author's note: this is the final season 4 chapter. thank you all for reading)

Saturday March 29, 1986

10:45 am

The worst spring break had come to an end. To think Diana was so set on traveling the state of California just last week had felt so out of reach now. She had absolutely no rest during the week–she'd be returning to school even more exhausted than when she left. Billy had boarded the plane without notifying the surf shop he worked at–they might've fired him for ditching during one of the busiest weeks of the year. Only time will tell.

They couldn't stay. The two were on the same note...Max wasn't going to wake anytime soon. No one knew how much life had been sucked out of the girl. Other than Max, Billy had no one left in Hawkins. His life was in California; it always was.

Putting herself through college was a distraction from her addictive thoughts; Hawkins was draining Diana. For now, that's all she could ask for–distractions that could at least drive her away from addiction. She knew it was bad to think like this; she needed help again. But she was stubborn; as long as Diana had distractions, she wouldn't need to think about it. There were no more distractions left in Hawkins. Diana had tried to speak with Dustin this morning, but he was gone. Diana rang the phone. When the other person on the line picked up, she didn't waste any time in getting to the point. "Is my brother with you?"

"Good morning to you too, Henderson," Steve scoffed, "yeah, he is. Spent the night at my place."

"Did you pick him up after I left for the hospital?"

"Yeah," Steve said as it sounded like he was munching on food, "why so many questions Dee, he's fine."

She was relieved Dustin wasn't there to hear her and Billy last night. But that wasn't the only concern she had about her brother. "Because he's turning into me," Diana claimed, "he just lost someone and he's trying to avoid me." He's acting like how I was and look how I turned out, she thought, I don't want that for my brother.

"Well that usually happens," Steve replied, "you're his sister, of course he'd avoid you first because he loves you."

Steve worded it entirely wrong, but Diana understood his point. When Diana remained silent, Steve spoke again. "Look, you two are terrible at feelings," Steve grumbled, "I have to swing by the Wheeler's and pick some stuff up for the relief donations at Hawkins High. After I can swing by your place, and we'll all go. Maybe then you two can talk."

"Yeah," Diana sighed, "I guess so."

Steve nodded but stopped abruptly; he forgot Diana couldn't see him. "See you later."

"Wait," Diana added before he hung up, "can I ask for a favor? Later can you drive me to the airport? I would ask my mom to, but um...Billy came back, and my mom doesn't know he's alive, actually she hated him so–"

"Diana, shut up," Steve interrupted, "I will, okay? See you guys later."

•

Billy had left the room to shower after Diana had returned from showering herself. While combing through her hair, Diana picked up the remnants of last night's events from the floor. They really did throw every piece of clothing all around the room. She threw the dirty clothes into the laundry basket before she scanned the room again. Diana missed one piece: the leather jacket she wore the past week had remained at the edge of her bed. As she retrieved the jacket from the floor, something fell from the pocket.