Games| B. Hargrove

04

Nicole walked her way back home, early. After gym she couldn't stand to be at school, she was far too emotional. The girl kicked the rocks and the leaves that crunched beneath her feet on the long road. I'm just a week her life had gotten increasingly worse, and she knew it wasn't done. Nicole had no clue that Nancy was feeling a certain type of way toward her and Steve, had she known she would've backed off a lot sooner. Her neighbor, who just moved in, was already wreaking havoc in her life by spreading pointless nothings so people would loathe her.

Nicole liked to consider herself a free-spirit. She was bubbly and kind to everyone, always saw the good in people until they didn't deserve it. She wasn't sure when everyone was suddenly against her, but she constantly asked herself why. Steve shot up in the popular chain by eighth grade, somewhat leaving the girl behind. She never cared much for social statuses, all she wanted was to have the one person she trusted with everything by her side.

Now that was stripped away from her too.

She reached her house, and went to turn the door knob, only to find that it was locked. Her mother kept every window and door locked whenever nobody resided the house, so she knew there was no chance of getting inside until one of her parents got home. So, she sighed as she plopped down on the cold concrete pathway that stopped just in front of her door.

For an hour, she stared up at the foggy sky, hoping that something interesting would come out of it. However, much to her luck it just continued to shine it's dullness for her eyes. The wind whistled and whipped down Cherry Lane, biting at the skin that wasn't covered by clothing. Suddenly, there was a roar of an engine and blue flashed in her vision.

Sure enough, school was by now let out and Billy was arriving home, with the short red head. The smaller girl raced inside before Billy could even cut off his engine, and Nicole felt she would have too. Billy stepped out, his boots clicking against the pavement, and studied his surroundings. He noticed the girl who had her knees pulled to her chest in attempt to keep warm, shooting looks toward him every few seconds.

"Locked out?" He called, but didn't receive an answer.

He huffed and rolled his eyes before looking around him once more. After realizing no one was around to catch the interaction, he sauntered over to 4813 Cherry Lane.

"I asked you a question." He stated as he planted his body a few feet from the blonde.

"I heard." Nicole rolled her eyes as obnoxiously as she could, hoping he'd take the hint.

"What's your deal?" His eyebrows furrowed, as he took a cigarette out from the pack that was stashed in his leather jacket, quickly lighting it.

"Nothing." She muttered.

Billy sighed with an eye roll, "look, I'm trying to be nice alright?"

"You aren't nice to me any other time, so why start now?" Her eyes snapped up at his icy blue ones, glaring into them.

"Listen, from what I heard you're the schools slut. I was just being cautious, you know?" He chuckled bitterly as he inhaled the smoke from the stick in his hand.

Nicole quickly stood up, to attempt to level with his stare, "I am not a slut."

"That's not what I hear, princess. I go off group majority, and trust me. You are not the majority." He pointed with the cigarette his hand held, keeping his cocky smirk plastered on his tanned face.

"Get the fuck away from me." She seethed, never breaking eye contact.

"Or what? What're you going to do about it?" Billy caught his eyes snapping toward the girls perfectly plump, pink lips.