Don't Panic - B. Hargrove

TEN

Billy Hargrove was back in the game. Literally. It was finally time to play some basketball, and so far, his team was leading against Steve Harrington's, and that was all he wanted right now. He had spent the entire day avoiding meeting a certain boy and was feeling more positive than ever that their last meeting had been just a tiny glitch in the system.  Now his mind was back on track with his priorities, and nothing had changed.
And yet, about ten minutes into the training, the door opened, and the boy he didn't want to see sneaked in with his board under his arm and a bottle of soda in his hand. It looked like a routine how he found his spot on the bleachers and unpacked a few things from his bag, starting to do his homework without looking up once. Billy was so puzzled by his appearance that he almost missed the ball that was passed to him. But he quickly ignored the boy while going after the team captain. Steve Harrington was a good player, but Billy was better. Aggressively, he pushed through the opposite team and scored another time just before there was a whistle signaling halftime.
Billy, with a malicious smirk, then walked away to get himself a drink.

Meanwhile, Steve made his way to the bleachers, taking the soda David was already holding out for him to take. That didn't go unnoticed by his rival, as Billy watched them out of the corner of his eye while Tommy talked to him.
Somehow, he didn't like that picture of sweaty Steve sitting next to Byers, gobbling his childish soda with the other boy's gaze on his face.  Tommy didn't notice his stare, but the two boys pointed at them with his half-empty water bottle.

"He's here every fucking time, always get Harrington his drink and guards it till the end of practice. Then he waits for him outside, and they drive off together. Pretty gay if you asked me."

"I'm not asking you. Why would I care?" Billy snarled at him. 
"Just wanted you to know what a fairy Harrington had become."Tommy shrugged, unbothered.
Billy rolled his eyes, taking another sip of his water while risking another glance at the boys on the bleachers. Perhaps, he had accidentally crossed into Harrington's territory when he had mistaken David for a girl. Somehow that made it better and worse..

Steve didn't care to talk to his team once during the break. He was too busy being all chatty with his weird friend.
Billy wasn't sure if that was bothering him because he wanted Steve's attention on the fact that he was losing the game or just off of the tiny boy. David looked contented at the basketball captain; that was just not right.
Thankfully, the game started again, and Billy could mock Harrington further. Stupid Harrington with the perfect hair and the pretty face. He couldn't wait to kick him off his throne already. With force, he ran into the boy, making him stumble and fall.
It was just too satisfying watching those doe eyes filled with frustration. He deserved it. A glance to the bleachers told him that David had watched and jumped to his feet in worry, stretching his neck to get a look at his special friend on the floor. Billy smirked at him. Then, he reached out to help Harrington get back up on his feet. Or at least to pretend to.

On the bleachers, David was afraid Steve had gotten hurt. He couldn't make out what Billy was saying to the boy, but he gasped as he just let him fall back to the ground again. He was so close to getting up himself to check on his friend but was distracted as the backdoor swung open, revealing Nancy.
She pressed a book to her chest, and he could perfectly imagine what made her so tense.
Steve had told him about their argument at the party that had caused them to break up. At least, Steve had interpreted it that way. David had forgiven him when he added that he had driven home directly after so no one would see him cry. And he could tell Steve was sorry for leaving him behind, and David was the best to understand how feelings sometimes got the best of one.
He cared too deeply about the few people in his life; he just couldn't stand the thought of them being hurt, so watching Steve leave with Nancy made him nauseous, and he couldn't decide on whether to stay or go.
So he just sat back down and froze, his gaze firmly on the game without actually watching it.  A loud cheer snapped him back into reality as Billy Hargrove scored again after waltzing down half of the other team.

He was part of the skins, half-naked, and in a killer mood.
David hadn't told anyone what had happened after the party. Just as he promised. Only Jonathan seemed to know somehow that, maybe, it was their average non-existing twin bond. Or Will had told him about how Billy had been at their house.
Will himself seemed to have already forgotten the incident, and that was for the best. David wished he could do so as well.
Still, the way he had enjoyed being squished and handled by that beautiful boy had just nestled itself into his guts and made them ache by the looks of Billy Hargrove, and the small red mark on his neck was only firing those memories.
To be honest, the boy had come to the very bitter realization that the asshole with the anger issues was his first real crush.
Until Billy, his whole body hadn't believed someone would ever touch and want him in any romantic way. And then that idiot had changed that within a few minutes. He sighed—just his luck.

A few minutes later, Steve returned. He was darting right towards him and let himself plop down next to his friend. He looked awful.
"We're done. Nancy and I are over." he almost whispered.
Yet again, the boy brought David into a situation he didn't know how to deal with. Comforting someone was really not his strength. So he awkwardly padded Steve's hand.
"I'm sorry," he mumbled in sympathy. Steve wiped a hand over his face.
"I'm so fucking done, Doodle. I can't deal with it anymore. If she wants Jonathan, she shall have him. I'm out."

David eyed him closely.
"You got me, Steve." Steve looked at him with adoration, and a light chuckle escaped from him. "You're my favorite anyways."
David smiled at him.
"We're family."

From afar, that declaration looked very much like a declaration of love, and Billy Hargrove had seen every bit of it. It did something to him, made his temper rumble. He didn't like how David touched Steve, nor how Steve looked at the other boy. They were too close for comfort.
The uneasy feeling still lingered when the team showered together after the training.  Billy eyed Steve, his sticky legs and slender frame. He just despised him. He hated the image that had gotten into his head of Harrington and Byers making out behind the gym, the taller boy pressing the tiny one against the wall, legs wrapped around his hips. Disgusting.
Tommy shouldn't have told him how David was currently waiting for Steve outside. Now he couldn't stop thinking about it. He finished up and got dressed while Steve was still in the shower.
He desperately needed a cigarette to cleanse his mind. He pushed through the doors of the gym, stepping into the sunlight. Smoking wasn't allowed here, but he had never been the one to care about rules.

So he lit up one anyways, the smoke entering his lungs like an old friend, calmness rushing over him. Content, he glanced around, and of course, Byers was sitting on the hood of Harrington's car, dangling his feet. That boy was haunting him.
His head lifted as Billy stepped outside, obviously waiting for his loverboy to appear.
As their eyes met, and the boy sent another one of his ridiculously awkward waves in his direction. Billy nodded back, but that was all he was going to offer before making his way over to his own car.
And much to his pleasant surprise, a girl was leaning against it.
Jennifer Harley. Apparently,  they had a date. He didn't mind about the lie. He would never have asked one of the cows out.

With Byer's gaze observing him from a distance, the girl had the perfect timing. Billy Hargrove was not a faggot, and that was the perfect proof of that. David might stop popping up everywhere he went when he watched them leave together. And Jennifer wasn't bad looking, had a sweet smile, and Billy could use casual sex. Simple as that.
But as he started the engine and threw a last look in the mirror, he saw how Harrington approached his car and the boy on it. He clicked his tongue in frustration. He had to stop caring about that.