Bad Intentions (Book One)

Chapter 73

The next four weeks in the hospital were not as bad as I thought it was going to be. I got to stay all day in bed and nothing was trying to kill me so that was a plus. I actually enjoyed being out of the house and away from Neil. He had not come by to see me once while I was here and I wouldn't have it any other way. I wish I never had to see him again. It was crazy how much I hated that man. For the first week my mom came to see me every day. Then the second week she came every other day. The third week it was just on the weekends. This last week I hadn't seen her at all. Max came by to see me everyday even if mom wasn't with her. She said Billy would drop her off. He never came in, I hadn't seen him since the day of my surgery.

I was worried about him being alone in that house with Neil. Even though my mom and Max were there he was alone. They wouldn't stand up for him and without me there he would be on the receiving end of all Neils rage. It was hard not to think about him, to not ask about how he was doing. I even thought about telling Max to ask him to come see me but I was too scared. Scared of what I saw in that vision. The one thing that scared me the most was becoming my mom and if that vision was true that's exactly what I would become.

I didn't see much of the other kids. Which isn't surprising. They were dealing with Eleven. Lucas stopped by a few times to check on me, but I knew it was because he wanted to see Max. Dustin came by a few times a week whenever Steve came to check on me. On one of Steve's visits during my second week here he came on his own. He brought me a burger which was so thoughtful because the food in the hospital sucks.

After we ate and watched a movie that was on tv I asked him if he had seen Billy at all. I couldn't ask my mom or Max but it was killing me to not know how he was doing.

Steve's face tensed up the second I asked him.

"Steve?" I asked as I was confused by his expression.

I know he hated Billy and he had every reason to but the disgusted look he had on his face was something new. Something I haven't seen before, not from Steve who seemed kind even when he shouldn't be.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

He sat up from where he was lying next to me. I knew there was something he didn't want to tell me because he turned in a way I wouldn't be able to see his face.

"What aren't you telling me?" I asked him.

"Nothing." He lied, he was a bad liar "I have seen him around town a few times, but it's not like I stopped to talk to him." He told me.

I could tell he wasn't lying but he also was leaving something out. I could not help but wonder if Billy said something to him. Maybe he threatened him. Or maybe he hurt him again.

"Did he say or do something to you?" I asked him.

"No." He answered quickly as he turned to look back at me.

I sat up so I was next to him.

"What was he doing that you are worried about me finding out?" I asked him.

"Nothing, just Billy benign Billy." He answered.

"Steve, don't lie to me." I told him.

"Leslie, come on just drop it." He told me.

"You can tell me what I want to know or you can leave!" I snapped at him.

"He was with Chris." He answered.

I was too shocked to reply. It felt like my chest had tightened and my heart had dropped down into my stomach.

"What do you mean he was with Chris? Like there hanging out. I didn't think they were friends." I said even though I knew exactly what he ment.

I just didn't want to believe it.

"I don't know Leslie. All I know is that I have seen them around town a few times together." He answered.

I ran my hands through my hair as I tried to keep my breathing under control. How could he be out with her? Why do I even care? I broke up with him.

"Are they sleeping together?" I asked him.

"I don't know." He answered but I knew he was lying.

When he left I cried myself to sleep.

The next day when Max came by to see me I could think about anything else then what Steve told me yesterday. After not being able to focus on Max she called me out on ignoring her. So I gave in and asked her about Billy and Chris.

Unlike Steve she was not shy about telling me what was going on.

"He's disgusting, yeah he's going on dates with that Chris girl almost every day but then when mom and Neil are out he's been bringing home different girls." She told me.

"Girls?" I asked her.

"Yeah." She answered as she plopped herself down on my bed.

"He brings home these girls when you're there?" I asked her.

"Yeah, I can't wait until you are back so I don't have to put up with his shit." She said,

I never asked about Billy again. I didn't want to know what he was doing. I was the one who ended it but that doesnt mean this didn't hurt. I'm not even out of the hospital. How could he move on so fast? Did he even care about me at all? Did he ever? These were the questions that ran through my head constantly every time I was alone.

Thank god I wasn't alone much. Eddie came to visit almost every day. We had almost an entire set of songs written now. Of course we haven't had a chance to practice but I think they were pretty great. The other guys came by once or twice which was expected but Eddie would go out of his way to come over as much as possible.

He said the guys had been practicing so they would be ready when I got out. He even offered to take me to physical therapy if I ever needed a ride. I told him that wouldn't be necessary. I'm sure my mom or Billy would drive me but Eddie wanted to make sure I didn't miss an appointment. He was really nice, and it was easy to see if anyone spent more than five seconds with him. It pissed me off that everyone was so mean to him for no reason.

I haven't known him long but I would always have his back. No one would treat him like shit, not if I was around. Eddie and Steve surprisingly became people I care about greatly. I would have both of their backs no matter what.

But today was the day I got to go home. I was being wheeled out in my wheelchair that I was going to be stuck in for the foreseeable future. Everyone was here including Billy and Neil. Neither one of them looked at me. I had a feeling my mom forced them to come.

The thought of being stuck in this chair in that house sent a chill up my spine. At least we had a few more months of school. That's not something I thought I would ever say. Being excited for school. But at this point anything to get out of that house.

I just had to deal with it for a little while longer. For Max, it's always for Max.