𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐂𝐔𝐄! ✽ 𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

49

❝𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋, 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋, 𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐋,❞ billy hargrove sneered through a cloud of cigarette smoke. malice dripped from his lips like an allusive honey. waves of goosebumps shuddered over dani, as well as a stream of memories, just as they had when she saw him in hawkins for the first time. "i knew this address sounded familiar... if it isn't my cherry baby!" sheridan rolled her eyes, her arms crossed over her black sweater. steve stood just behind her on her left with his hands planted firmly on his hips.

"who's cherry?" dustin questioned from the other side of the window.

"and am i dreaming or is that you, harrington?" billy inquired, rolling his cigarette between pinched fingers. dani could hear the jealousy in his voice. billy was always one to want what he could never have.

"yeah it's me, don't cream your pants," steve jabbed.

"what the fuck do you want, billy?" sherrie asked earnestly.

"what, i can't visit my favorite girl?" steve navigated around sheridan, trudging down the wooden porch steps. underneath her collected exterior, she cried out for steve to stop whatever the hell it was he was doing—or about to do.

"you've got ten seconds to talk before it's lights out," steve threatened, "so i suggest you tell us why you're really here."

billy sighed, glancing down at his shoes before meeting steve's eyes. he was slightly shorter than the harrington boy, especially taking into account the impressive height of his hair; but steve was more scared than billy ever could be. this was partially for sheridan, and yet, mostly for him. he desperately needed to prove himself. "i'm looking for my stepsister. a little birdie told me she was here."

"huh, that's weird, i don't know her," steve answered at a suspiciously fast pace. sherrie's face scrunched. she knew billy would pick up on it right away. nothing got past him.

"small? redhead? bit of a bitch?" dani rolled her eyes again. in the few hours she had spent with max, she had grown to love her; she'd felt she'd known her her whole life. billy actually had, and it was abundantly clear he hadn't made the effort to get to know her. it wasn't surprising in the least to know that billy talked about her that way.

"doesn't ring a bell, sorry buddy," steve replied. billy nodded in complete disbelief.

"you know," he scoffed, "i don't know, this..." he waved his hand a bit and took a step closer to steve. "this whole situation, harrington, i don't know... it's givin' me the heebie-jeebies."

"oh yeah? why's that?" steve inquired. billy took another small inhale of his cigarette.

"my 13-year-old sister goes missing all day. and then i find her with you, at cherry's house," billy explained through his foggy exhale. his face contorted with disgust. "and you lie to me about it."

"seriously, who the hell is cherry?!" dustin exclaimed.