Meet Your Match | Billy Hargrove

Seven.

Beth POV

The night was quiet and chilly as I stood outside of the the dorms, smoking my last cigarette for the night. Billy had left me his jacket while he went to grab a change of clothes, knowing Eddie would be back with Kass at any time.

A few minutes and half of a cigarette later, Billy emerged from his building with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder. His light brown curls shined in the moonlight while a soft smile spread on his lips as he spotted me in the dark. He joined me, pulling out his pack of cigarettes.

"Eddie back yet?" I asked quietly.

"No, probably waiting for Kass to finish her shift."

I nodded, looking down to the grass.

"You going to tell me what's going on?" He asked, putting a cigarette between his lips.

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, watching a car drive by as I avoided his eyes.

"Beth," he looked over.

"Why do you care?" I defensively shot back. I knew snapping at him wasn't the answer, but he wasn't making it easy to hide from the emotions I was trying so hard to avoid.

He huffed a laugh before taking a long drag of his cigarette. "You're acting like we haven't spent every night together for the last week... if this is your attempt at pushing me away, you're going to have to do better than just giving me some shitty attitude."

I could feel Billy taking apart the wall I had cemented together, brick by brick. I let out a long exhale, pressing my back into the brickwall before sinking down to the ground.

"Believe me," he started as he joined me down in the grass, "I've been pushed away. Plenty of times," he looked down the empty street. I could sense a sadness in his tone, one he wasn't ready to talk about yet and I knew better than to push it. "You going to tell me or what?"

"It's stupid-"

"Beth," he glared.

"It- this girl was talking shit to me and it just kind of... triggered something else," I shrugged.

"Who?"

"It doesn't even matter, Billy," I shook my head before hugging my knees, attempting to make myself small.

"Okay... so, what was it?"

"You're not going to give up, are you?" I looked over, meeting his eyes.

"I've got all night, babe," he smirked, finishing his cigarette and tossing it into the flower pot next to the doors.

"Okay," I sighed, "so, it all started when my mom called. She told me she's getting married in a few weeks, and she did her usual guilt tripping bullshit, that I needed to be there, and Jesse- my ex boyfriend, would be there too," I said before stopping myself.

Billy's eyes narrowed at the mention of Jesse's name. He finally nodded, probably hoping I'd continue.

"And... that's it," I shrugged. I noticed his interest, but I hoped he'd just drop it.

"Jesse?" He cocked an eyebrow.

I nodded, taking a long drag. I pressed my head against the cold wall as I looked up at the star filled sky.

"That bad?"

"Are you always this fucking nosy?" I looked over.

"Yep," he chuckled after earning an eye roll from me.

"It was just... the worst. We were always on and off... it was of course my fault when he'd cheat on me with my friends... and," I bit my lip as I remembered it all, "while he never actually hit me, he'd leave bruises."