Black Beauty- Steve HarringtonxOC

Chapter 15

A boy their age stands from the driver's seat and closes the door on the blue Camaro. He doesn't even park straight in the Byers' driveway. "Am I dreaming or is that you, Harrington?"

There's zero enthusiasm in Steve's voice when he says, "Yeah, it's me. Don't cream your pants."

Filly makes a face like she tastes something sour. "Cream? What?" She scoffs good-naturedly, shaking her head.

"Very cute. I'm Billy. Billy Hargrove. What's your name, sweetheart?" The interloper puts the cigarette in his mouth and holds it there while he divests himself of his leather jacket. He looks Filly up and down, taking his sweet time examining her figure.

Filly isn't sure why he's asking. Is this truly the time for introductions? Why is he calling her sweetheart? She answers, "You may call me Filly."

"It's a pleasure. You know, our names make a great match. 'Billy and Filly.' We could go out, and take it for a test drive," he suggests, smirking and striding a little closer to them. "Do you go to Hawkins?"

Another trivial question, but it's no skin off her back to answer. "I do not go to school." Why is this stranger even interested in knowing about her? Does he work for Brenner?

"She meant to say she's, uh," She can see the gears turning in Steve's head as he thinks of an excuse. "She's homeschooled."

Billy winks at her, smiling, then turns back to Steve and asks him, "And what are you doing here, amigo?" Filly thinks it's odd that he calls him that since Steve made it sound like they were not friends. Filly would not call her enemy her "amigo."

"I could ask you the same thing," Steve replies, stalking forward to meet him with Filly close behind. He shrugs his shoulders, tacking on, "Amigo."

Billy stares hard straight into Steve's eyes."Looking for my stepsister. A little birdie told me she was here."

"Huh, that's weird. I don't know her."

"Small? Redhead? Bit of a bitch?" Filly wants to tell him that she's not a bitch. Max is completely human and not a dog, but Steve had made her promise to let him do the talking.

"Doesn't ring a bell. Sorry, buddy." Steve doubles down, crossing his arms.

The wrinkle between Billy's brows gets progressively deeper. He takes another long drag of his cigarette. "You know, I don't know, This... This whole situation, Harrington, I don't know," the intruder says. He shrugs, closing his eyes and shaking his head in confusion. "It's giving me the heebie-jeebies."

Steve is motionless, deadpan with his response. Filly squirms nervously as the man gets closer and closer to her friend. "Oh, yeah? Why's that?"

Plucking the cigarette from his lips, he waves his hands around. He's exasperated, acting like Steve is pulling one over on him. "My 13-year-old sister goes missing all day. And then I find her with you, in a stranger's house, with a bruised and malnourished girl at your side. And you lie to me about it."

Steve chuckles, trying to keep the smile off his face. "Man, were you dropped too much as a child, or what?" Billy laughs out a plume of smoke and runs his tongue over his teeth. His earring dangles distractingly as Steve continues to lie. "I don't know what you don't understand about what I just said. She's not here."

"Then who is that?" He points over Steve's shoulder with the ember of his cigarette. The window!

Looking over, they see all four kid's faces huddled around the window, clear as day. "Oh, shit. Listen-" Steve starts, but is cut off by Billy pushing him hard down to the asphalt.

"I told you to plant your feet," he taunts. Billy follows it up with a stomp to Steve's stomach. Laid out flat, Steve can do nothing but groan while Billy storms past them and up to the Byers' home.