Don't Panic - B. Hargrove

ELEVEN

When David got home from Steve's and their post-break-up star wars marathon, there was no peace at home. But instead, Joyce was cradling Will. As he had to find out, Will had had the second episode in two days, and on top of that, their mother had identified a monster he had drawn on the tape filmed during his group's Halloween spree. In cases like this, she would typically call Hopper, but the man was busy with other strange happenings around town.

So there was nothing they could do.
They spent the night cuddling all together in Joyce's big bed, and when they woke up, there was a note from Jonathan telling them not to worry and that he was going on an educational trip with his friends. Something told Jonathan that this education was sexual; then, as he turned up at school, Nancy was gone too, and Steve was still in a mood about her. So Mark Hamill could only cure David's lack of love life. To be fair, that was enough heavy lifting already for Luke Skywalker to do, with Billy being the only one who had ever kissed him.

"This is ridiculous," Steve told David as he walked the boy to his chemistry class.
"I just can't stop thinking about her." "I guess it takes time." David shrugged.
Once again, he would have loved to tell Steve about his problems but felt terrible bringing it up while he suffered like that. Also, what was Steve supposed to do about them? He wasn't able to help either.
And telling him about how his ex had run off with his twin to go on a mystery adventure only be like drizzling salt into his wounds, and David would never do that.
"Yeah, probably." Steve nodded.
"I just really thought she loved me back.". David had heard that sentence many times over the span of the last afternoon, so it wasn't as bad that he didn't listen to it once more.
His attention had been occupied by Billy Hargrove, who was strutting down the hall in their direction. He looked smug and had an extra bounce to his step, and David had to wonder if that was the afterglow Steve had told him about once.
He was more than confident he knew what had happened in Billy's bedroom last night with Jennifer. And it hurt.
For the first time in his life, David could actually understand what Steve was going through. At least a bit, as his pain must be a milder case of heartbreak as he had never been in a relationship with the boy he liked.
Speaking of, Billy just glanced at him once.
"Harrington," he snarled when addressing Steve, who was annoyed by just looking at his handsome face. "Hargrove," he nodded back, then turned to David again as if Billy wasn't there.
Instead, he reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out a few dollar bills like he always did.
"And buy yourself something this time," he told David when handing the money for his soda over.
"You know I don't like cold drinks," the other boy shrugged.
"Strawberry or grape?" he added. Steve scrunched his nose while thinking.
"Grape.Thank you, Doodle."
Billy, next to them, clicked his tongue.

"Can you stop blocking the door already?" he huffed at them, and Steve stepped to the side to let him through.
"I'll see you later. Good luck with that idiot,"  he whispered into his friend's ear, then left.
Fighting a small smile of amusement, David entered the classroom and got himself seated. He briefly glanced at Billy, who just glared at him, and decided it was best to let the grumpy boy be. But he could feel how Billy was observing every move he made, which made him so miserable that he snapped eventually.
"Can you please look away already?" he snarled, sounding as pissed as he was about the other boy.

"I'm not looking at you. I'm copying your notes." Billy huffed.
David rolled his eyes; then he rotated his college block so Billy could read it the right way around. The other boy was perplexed, his blue gaze meeting David's.
"You could just ask instead of driving me crazy." the tiny boy blurted out, not realizing how that sounded.
But Billy Hargrove did pick up on that meaning, and his eyebrow lifted.
"I'm driving you crazy?" he asked, and the tone was still puzzled, the boy having no idea how to deal with the feeling that had flickered at that sentence.
"Absolutely. I don't like when people stare at me." David responded.  Billy leaned forwards, maybe in an attempt to make himself look more intimidating.
But the tiny boy was furiously fumbling with his fingers and meeting his gaze straight. He had never held eye contact that long with Billy before.
"You should watch your mouth." the older boy said, but there was no mean intent behind it. It was more of a piece of advice. David didn't catch onto that.
"You should watch yours." he fired back, a finger tapping against the hickey that had turned purple.
Billy blinked. Was that supposed to mean what he thought it was? Had David Byers just reminded him about Halloween?
Dumbstruck, he watched as David pulled his notes back and started to pack.

A few hours later, David was standing in front of the vending machine, inserting Steve's crisp dollar bill. No grape beverage left, so he chose the strawberry, knowing that Steve wouldn't mind.
As he leaned down to collect the bottle, he was pushed. He didn't need to look up to know who it was, as he had already recognized the cheap perfume. Tommy.
"Hello, little fairy, serving your lover boy?" Tommy grinned devilishly down at him.
There was no correct answer to that question, and David knew that whatever he did, he would get hurt.

A terrible day for this situation as David had already let his intrusive thoughts win once today.

"Oh come on, your just jealous he doesn't hang with you anymore." he huffed as, somehow, his brain had decided that would be a good idea.

"You little piece of shit! Did you just call me a fag?" was the prompt and furious response.
And there was it again.
"I didn't not call you that." David shrugged, and as the first kick hit him against the leg, he was well aware that his stupid sense of correctness had deserved that one.
But not the three after. Nor the third to his stomach.
"Watch your mouth, retard." Tommy spits at him, literally.
David could see the disgusting saliva landing on his sweater.
"That's the day's advice," David mumbled as he watched Tommy leave.
He remained in his position a little longer, waiting for the first and worst wave of pain to disappear, breathing it away with sad expertise and closed eyes.
He could hear nearing steps, and he just hoped it wasn't Tommy returning for a second round.
"What the hell happened to you?"
Billy Hargrove didn't sound particularly interested in the answer or his question.
"What does it look like?" David huffed, opening his eyes. He hated dumb questions. Billy frowned at him. "You got an attitude problem today." he pointed out, and the other boy glared at him .
He half expected the older boy just to let him be and get on with his plans, but instead, he held out a hand for him to take.
David eyed it skeptically, remembering perfectly well what had happened to Steve. Billy sighed. "Come on; I don't have all day."

So David took his hand and let the boy pull him to his feet.
For a second how he wavered in his stance, then sighed again, putting an arm around the tiny boy's hip to give him some stability.
He could keep the full boy weight up with just two fingers in a belt loop of his jeans.
"It's fine." David waved it off, not a fan of how much he liked being pressed to the other boy like that. "Shut up and get your shit together, Byers," Billy rolled his eyes.

It was awkward how they stood in the empty hall, waiting for David's legs to work again correctly.
"Something's broken?" Billy asked after a while. Still, he didn't sound like he cared but just the fact alone he asked made his stomach fizzy, and a faint blush broke out on The tiny boy's cheeks.
"No, that would hurt differently." He quickly shook his head.
"You're such a weirdo, Byers." Billy snarled almost softly, then surprisingly carefully, pulled his hand back. The pain was still there, but David's balance had returned.
"Thank you," he mumbled without looking up. Billy just huffed. "Whatever." he hoisted his gym back that he had let fall to the ground when he'd arrived.

He gave the other boy a final look, then just walked on. David wasn't sure what to make out of his strange kindness. Billy Hargrove wasn't known for his service.
And David wasn't known to be late, so he needed to get going. Steve was waiting for him.