HEART FLAYER | b. hargrove

CHAPTER 015.

February 7th, 1985

The next morning, Arwen sat on the hood of her car before classes as she usually did. But this time, she was on the lookout for the blonde douchebag instead of dreading him. When the blue Camaro finally pulled in and El bid her goodbye to walk with Max to the middle school, she strolled over to him and leaned against the front of his car as he lit a cigarette. 

"Thanks for the flowers." 

"I don't know what you're talking about." Billy said casually without even sparing her a glance. 

Arwen rolled her eyes with a small smirk. "Probably a good thing, then. Because I planned on telling whoever sent them that I actually prefer lilies." 

He snapped his head to give her the most annoyed expression she'd ever seen. Which was saying a lot, honestly. A triumphant grin formed on her lips.

"Got you." She winked and began to walk away.

"Arwen!" He called to her and she stopped to turn and raise a brow at him. "I'm a little offended that I wasn't invited to your little birthday party."

Billy held a little smile that showed he was at least partially joking with her. She laughed in an almost mocking way and shoved her hands into her jacket pockets as she looked at him. 

"We haven't spoken in almost a month. Why would I?"

"Fair point," he nodded and took a drag of his cigarette, blowing out smoke as he replied. "Let me take you out tonight for your birthday, then."

"It's not my birthday." She waved him off and walked away to go to class, chucking to herself as she went. 

It gave her a little bit of whiplash, to be honest. His behavior went from yelling at her one moment, to beating someone's ass for her, to ignoring her for weeks, to offering to take her out. But she had to admit that it made her feel like a silly little schoolgirl without a care in the world to see him sending her flowers and being upset that he wasn't invited to her party. Billy was an interesting guy, she'd give him that much. 

She'd come to find out quickly that not only was he interesting, but he was persistent as all hell. Throughout the day, he'd find her and ask her out again or she'd find a note inside of her locker also posing the same question. Every time, she'd just casually brush it off with some smartass remark. But in English class at the end of school, he'd finally worn her down. 

"You are a stubborn prick, you know that?" Arwen whispered in response to him asking the same question once again in the middle of a test. 

"I'm going to keep asking," he muttered as he kept his eyes on his paper. "So might as well just take a chance and say yes."

"Fine. Jesus Christ." she sighed. "But nowhere too public. I don't need it being the next big rumor in the school that I went out to dinner with you once."

Billy got a smug smirk on his face. The bell rang and they all handed in their tests to Mrs. Smith's desk. Billy shot her a wink as he headed out of the door. 

"Seven o'clock."

She flipped him off before he disappeared out of sight and found Eddie had appeared at her side as she walked out of the classroom. 

"Fucking Hargrove sent you those flowers?" He leaned down to ask her quietly as they walked. She looked up at him with wide eyes and slapped his arm. "'Firecracker?' What does that even mean?"

"Shut up! But... yeah." Arwen struggled to fight off her grin and ignored his second question. "His little feelings were hurt that he didn't get invited yesterday, so... he's taking me out tonight. But you can't tell anyone! Steve and Robin will freak." 

Eddie laughed and put his arm around her. 

"Oh I am going to hold this date over you so hard." 

"It is not a date." Arwen said firmly as she shot him a stern look. He seemed unconvinced, but she decided to just let it go as they said their goodbyes and she went to her car.

-

Arwen went ahead and microwaved some dinner for Eleven, explaining to her that she'd be gone for a little while as she handed it to her on the couch. 

"Where are you going?" El asked in between bites of food, watching intently as her sister rushed around the cabin. 

"Out with a friend." 

"Robin?"

"No."

"Steve?"

"No."

"Eddie?"

"Good lord, El!" Arwen groaned from inside of her bedroom as she flung items of clothing around, looking for the best thing to wear. She stuck her head out to shoot a glare at her little sister. "It's Billy. Don't look at me like that! It's just as friends, okay?"

"I knew it..." Eleven muttered with a smug smile. 

"What was that?" Arwen raised a brow at her and stood in her bra and jeans in the doorway of her bedroom. 

"Oh, nothing." Eleven grinned like a little angel. 

The elder girl narrowed her eyes, but ultimately decided to let the comment go. She didn't know why she was stressing so much over what to wear. It was not a date. It was an asshole taking her out for food in his attempt to be a little less of an asshole. He may have been an extremely attractive guy, but he was nothing but a player and a complete dick to her and her friends a majority of the time.

The phone rings and makes her jump. She jogs over and picks it up. 

"Hello?"

"Hey, what pizza do you like?"

It was Billy. She furrowed her brows.

"Uh, cheese with olives and pineapple..." 

"God... what the fuck is wrong with you..."

He'd said it under his breath before hanging up the phone. Arwen stared at the phone in her hands as if it'd offended her before putting it back up on the wall with a huff.