Stranger Things - Imagines (Book 2)

Billy Hargrove X Reader - Ego (Part 2)

A/N - This chapter is a follow-up to another story in this book. It was inspired by the song Flowers by Miley Cyrus, which I've been waiting to use for AGES and I'm so excited that I've finally found a good chapter to work with it! I hope you all enjoy it. 

The first couple of weeks had been hard. Of course, you'd expected them to be. It was weird going from being around one another almost all of the time to never seeing him. It felt wrong to come home from work and realise he wouldn't be there waiting for you. You were still adjusting. Still getting used to cooking for one, cleaning for one, sleeping alone, and not having someone else there to lean on when you needed to talk. Put simply, it was lonely. 

But then, you'd started to slowly adapt. You worked out how to make the most out of living alone. You figured out the right amount of pasta to cook for one person so that you didn't have so much left over that you could still feed a small army. Things just started to click into place and suddenly, you didn't miss Billy anymore. You didn't need him anymore and that was more freeing than you had been expecting.

So, you could go out when the girls from work suggested drinks after a long shift, without worrying about Billy sitting home alone. You could take yourself out for fancy dinners without having to think about what he wanted. You could watch what you wanted on TV and listen to the music you liked. You could do what you wanted without anyone holding you back and it was incredible. 

And then, right as you'd finally come to terms with everything, right as you had settled into your new routine, Billy had shown up on your doorstep, looking like a lost kid. 

"I made a mistake," he hummed, standing in your doorway, a deep frown painting his features. "I never should've ended things. I miss you-"

A soft chuckle slipped out of you and you shook your head, arm still pressed to the doorframe to make it as clear as possible that he wasn't welcome in your home anymore. "I don't know what you want me to say," you told him softly, shrugging at him. "You promised you wouldn't come back," you reminded him. "I don't want you here."

"Baby-"

"No, Billy. I told you that if you left that was it and you left. I didn't want you to go. I didn't leave you. You left."

He swallowed down the lump in his throat, his tongue darting out to wet his bottom lip. "But I love you," he murmured, watching you with such soft eyes that you knew a few months back you probably would have cracked and let him come running back with his tail between his legs. The old you would have done anything for Billy, but now, you weren't going to be so easy to manipulate. 

"Not enough, clearly," you uttered, letting out a soft sigh. "I told you not to come crying to me when it didn't work out, Bill. I told you I wouldn't be waiting for you," you murmured. "So, I think you should just leave-"

"So you met someone else?"

A sharp snort of laughter slipped out of you at the accusation. "No, I haven't. Not that it would be any of your business if I had."

"Then why can't we try again?"

"Because I'm better on my own," you told him, watching as his expression shifted under your gaze. "I actually love myself now. And I treat myself better than you ever treated me."

Billy shook his head. "I was good to you-"

"You were fine," you corrected quietly. "But I deserve better than fine, don't I?" He hesitated for a moment, shifting on the spot. "I deserve to be adored. I deserve someone who is so certain about me that he doesn't have to go off and sleep around for a couple of weeks in the hopes of finding someone better." 

Billy cleared his throat. "So, there's nothing I can do?"

You shook your head slightly, offering him a soft smile. "No," you answered quietly. "But, we had a good run. It's just a shame it had to end how it did."

He nodded, swallowing down the lump forming in his throat. "I do love you," he reminded you, biting down on the inside of his cheek. "More than I think I ever realised when we were together."

"It wasn't enough though, was it? Sometimes love just doesn't cut it," you told him, shrugging slightly. "Besides, you'll fall in love with someone else eventually. It just takes time-"

"It didn't take time with you. I knew I loved you on our first date."

A soft chuckle slipped out of you. "We were kids. Love's easy when your biggest worry is whether anyone is going to ask you to prom," you hummed. "It's harder when you're an adult."

He nodded, offering you a small smile. "Can we at least be friends?"

Your own smile faltered slightly at the question, your mind whirring. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"But-"

"Bill, just let it go," you uttered, watching his shoulders drop, his face falling. 

"So, this is it?" You nodded your answer. "Alright," he breathed out. "Well, best of luck, Sweetheart," he pressed on, clearly fighting back tears as he turned his eyes to the ground. 

"Yeah," you agreed softly. "I hope it all works out for you," you reiterated. "See you around."

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