Blue Billy

Chapter Fourteen Jumpstart.

Chapter Fourteen - Jumpstart.

We stood there for what felt like an hour, but it was probably a few minutes. We step back as a very tired Reefer Rick opens the door. He squints his eyes as he holds the door half open. "Fucking Hargrove, of course". He swings the door open the whole way, "you know it's six in the morning, right?' Billy nods, and Rick gestures for us to come inside. "Sorry man, look, my car ran flat I just need a jump start, alright? Billy asks Rick.

"That's not a problem", Rick answers as he opens his fridge, pulling out a beer. He turns back, holding two more, offering them to us. Billy steps to take it. "Billy", I wide-eyed him, and Billy shakes his head no. Reefer Rick smiles as he looks at me, stunned. It seems like someone is taming the wild Billy Hargrove.

"So you will give me a jump start?"

Rick shakes his head as he sips the six-in-the-morning beer.

"That wouldn't be a problem, except they impounded my car."

Billy laughs "you just got out of prison, man."

Rick shrugs "could we use your phone? Is that alright?" I ask

"Sure thing", he points at it.

I call Nancy. I'm not surprised there is no answer, it being so early.

Billy leans on the wall next to me, and I hand him the phone. He calls a few of his friends, two of them not answering at all. "Hey, hey man, look, I need a favour."

"I know it's early. Just listen."

"Fuck", Billy sighs as he slams the phone back down, "he fucking hung up on me."

Reefer Rick sits on his couch with a bong in hand, watching us as he lights up. Billy and I think for a moment. "There's one person I can call but your not going to like it." Billy looks confused but not for long. "No, no way" He leans off the wall and walks into the lounge room, "there's no way in hell Y/n."

"Who else will we call Billy, your Dad? my Dad?"

Billy sits down next to Rick and is offered the bong. Billy looks at him, frowning. He almost ignores him, looking back at me. "I said no, Y/n. Id rather we walk home and leave my car here for the rest of my life than call Steve."

A few moments later

"Hey, Steve, I know it's early."

A tired Steve's voice sounds low. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

I fill Steve in on what happened, and I hear him sigh on the other end

"I'll be there soon, okay."

Billy paces Reefer Ricks's kitchen as I see Steve's car roll up from out the window. Billy walks out; they don't say anything to each other as Steve throws him the jump cables. Billy pops his hood and attaches them. He moves near Steve's car as Steve pops his hood.

Rick and I stand on the porch watching them. I have never seen two people work together in such silence. It's almost comical.

Steve sits in his car, and Billy steps in his.

"Try it now", Steve called out.

Billy turns his key the engine doubles over. He tries it again.

"Your going to flood it." Steve turns his car off.

Billy steps out "No, I'm not."

Steve walks closer, moving around Billy's car. "It's not your battery."

Billy looks at Steve head-on, "well, obviously dipshit."

"I don't have to be here. You know that, right I can take Y/n home and leave you here. I'm not here to help you."

Billy steps closer to Steve but looks up at me as I watch them both

He steps back and calls out to Rick, "have any tools, man?"

Rick shrugs. "Yeah, in the boat house."

Billy walks towards the boat house as Steve looks over the engine.

"So breakfast? Rick smiles as he asks me.

"Sure" we head inside, leaving the boys to it.

With their heads inside the hood of the car, Billy and Steve look it over. Billy finds the problem and tells Steve to step back, being possessive over his car. Steve rolls his eyes and steps away. He watches the lake as he hears Billy struggling, dropping tools and swearing. "Look, man, just let me help get this over and done with, okay?"

"Fine, just hand me what I ask for, alright."

Steve rolls his eyes.

Billy pulls himself under the car.

"Get that rag and realise the gasket, it's going be.."

"Ouch fuck!" Steve yells out, shaking his burnt finger.

"Hot...your Dad never teach you this shit?" Billy asks in an almost sarcastic voice.

"Uh, no, my Dad just taught me how to stay out of his way."

It's silent for a moment "just try it again. Just double the rag over."

Steve gives it another go. "I did it." Steve sounds like a kid proud of himself. Billy slides himself out from under the car, all covered in oil. He stands next to Steve and pulls the gasket off. He hands it to Steve. Billy gets to work a wrench in one hand, half his body leaning over the hood. Steve almost looks impressed. "So you're pretty good at this stuff, huh?"

"Guess so" Billy looks back at Steve, who seems fascinated. Billy rolls his eyes he, steps down, and hands Steve the wrench.

Steve looks confused. "Here, get in there. I'll show you what to do."

They work in almost silent unison, only a few instructions being said.

"Should it be tighter" Steve tightens the bolt. Billy nods "yeah, see, you have the hang of it now."

"Hey, uh, look, I'm sorry about Y/n. I shouldn't have overstepped." Billy stops but doesn't look at Steve.

"I just didn't want to lose her, but I have, so I just don't want her to get hurt." Steve's voice shakes as he talks Billy finally looking at him. "You haven't lost her, she, she misses you and Robin it's like I don't know the three of you don't work without one another."

Steve nods. "I just want my friend back."

"Look, if it were up to me, I wouldn't let you step a foot around her, but as much as you don't want to believe me, her happiness means everything to me."

With the blown gasket fixed, they both drop the hood, cleaning their greasy hands off on rags. I call out to them from the porch to breakfast.

Gathered around Reefer Rick's table, we all eat. "Dude, this bacon is so good." Steve holds it up like it's a newborn king and guides it to his mouth. "Right, Rick can cook a killer breakfast", Billy agrees, and I smile, seeing them getting along. "Uh, excuse me, I helped", I scolded.

"That she did those eggs all Y/n, you got a good one, Hargrove, don't fuck it up", Rick lightly shoves Billy's shoulder. Billy leans into me. "I know", he kisses me before turning back to his plate. Steve smiles. We eat and talk. It feels like a peaceful morning.

Red and Blue lights flash through the window as we frown at the sound of a siren. "Shit, shit" Rick springs to his feet and runs to the lounge room, grabs his bong and flies passed us, running into another room. Steve pulls the curtain across. "Shit Y/n it's your Dad."

"Oh, shit", Billy and I say simultaneously.