Games| B. Hargrove

22

Why is he so frantic?

Does he not understand how stupid he looks right now?

God, way to get a girl Harrington.

This was the inside of Billy Hargroves mind as he watched the boy who's title he stole. King Steve had really dropped low into the creep category, making girls jump left and right by his frantic approach. Apparently someone had really lost his game, let alone his sanity.

"Have you seen Nicole?" Steve asked a girl just within ear shot of Billy.

"Who?" The girl replied, a look of disgust on her face.

"Nicole Moore, you know. Blonde, about yay-high-" The boy went on to explain her appearance but Billy zoned out.

Of course he knew of the girls fair hair. The golden locks that fell gracefully over her slightly sun kissed shoulders, which had grown more pale over the break. Of course he knew how tall she was, he'd measured by how she always stood just under his chin. Some days when she'd wear heels, her forehead would be in the perfect area for him to plant a swift kiss on. He could point out Nicole Moore a mile away with absolutely no help. The fascination he had with her drove him mad, to the point that avoiding her was taking a toll on him.

Wait, why is Harrington looking for Nicole? He's supposed to be the one looking after her.

Billy quickly flicked his cigarette away and got settled in his car, bringing his engine to life with a roar. He didn't care that he was supposed to be waiting for Max. He didn't care about the beating that he would surely get for abandoning his step sister. All that was on his mind was finding Nicole, acting as if he was hypnotized. Without checking twice, he took his car out of park and peeled out of the parking lot, on the search for the blonde.

.·:*¨¨* ≈☆≈ *¨¨*:·.

It didn't take Billy long to find Nicole. It also didn't take Nicole long to notice Billy, his car taking away from the surprise. After the boy shut off his engine, he began walking toward the girl who was wiping her face frantically. It was obvious she had been crying, but Billy didn't say anything. Instead, he offered her a smoke. Nicole looked at the white stick for a moment, before nearly snatching it out of the boys fingers, holding her hand out for a light.

"How did you get all the way out here, princess?" Billy asked, but silence was his only answer.

"Listen, i don't know if you got deaf or somethin' but I asked a-"

"Oh so now we can talk? Now we can talk after you shut me out, after I had to damn near scramble for a place to live, after ruining my life again?" Nicole spat, interrupting the boy.

Billy took a moment, a moment for those three frightful words to fill his mind, a moment to chew on his lip.

"I have your things, if you uh— if you want them." He took out a smoke himself.

Nicole scoffed, letting out a pitiful laugh as tears brimmed her eyes again.

"C'mon, Nic. I didn't— you know. It wasn't supposed to be like t—"

"Be like what, Billy? Saying some stupid fucking words doesn't make anything, anything." She whipped her head toward him, almost fuming.

"Stupid words," Billy huffed under his breath.

"Whatever Nicole, just come get your shit."

"Don't need it. Just throw it out, you're good at doing that." Nicole jabbed, uncaring of the words that flew out of her mouth.

"Aren't you riding Harrington's dick now? You hopped from one home to the other just fine." The blonde finally snapped.

"No I'm not, Billy! I'm about to get kicked out of there, too. No matter where I fucking go I am a nuisance. I take up space when I clearly shouldn't fucking be here." A sob escaped her mouth and betrayed the girl, who was now in a fit of tears.

"God dammit Nic.. listen— look at me," Billy now shuffled his way over to the broken girl, taking her chin between his fingers, "dammit, stop crying. You're not a fucking nuisance, or.. whatever. You're a smart girl who cares too much for her own good, who cares about people like me. People like me who— who don't know how to feel fucking loved. But fuck, Nicky, I didn't want to hurt you."

"You didn't want to hurt me, y-yet you left me by myself on Tina's front lawn. You left me after I admitted I loved you while I was drunk. I don't even know if I do, Billy. But god dammit regardless, you left a girl who cares about you." Nicole got out through hiccups.

"I know, I know. Don't you think I've been beating myself up about it? I'm a man who believes drunk words are sober thoughts, you don't say shit unless you want to."

"And what if I do, Billy? What if I do love you? Are you going to run away again? My heart can't take this back and forth shit. So either go away, or stay." Nicole gave the ultimatum.

Billy sat in his head for a moment. He knew Nicole's situation, and of course he pitied her. It was still in the middle of the winter months, she'd be freezing trying to find a good place to stay. He knew she wouldn't keep up on her schooling, hell, she was struggling now. However he didn't want to stick around out of pity, he knew he had to stick around because he wanted to. His head was spinning at the rate he was thinking.

"Nicky I— I don't know."