𝐃𝐀𝐃𝐃𝐘 𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐔𝐄𝐒 [Stranger Things x Billy Hargrove]

prologue.

AUTHORS NOTE: I'd just like to say that this book is far from perfect, I wasn't always in the best headspace during the time I wrote this. It's long overdue for some thorough editing and I'm aware of that. So please be gentle with the criticism, I don't have heaps of time to fix it at the moment.

I can't believe I'm here again.

I know by now exactly what provokes him and how to tip-toe around his temper, but I can never seem to hold myself back when he comes home completely off his face and starts giving my mother a hard time. I always do what I have to do to get him to focus his anger towards me instead of my mother, she deserves so much better than that awful man.

I know she'll never leave him, no matter how bad he may hurt her or even me. She has always relied on men, her entire life. She doesn't know how to function without a man. I'm glad I'm an only child, at least this way I'm the only person who the pair of them can hurt.

I can take it.

I let out a long sigh and take another swig from the bottle of whiskey hanging loosely from my fingers. It burns pleasantly on the way down and I feel more of my worries beginning to disappear, that's the beauty of alcohol.

I grin to myself as I remember swiping the bottle from Jim's personal stash, I hope he realises it's gone.

Jim had come home late tonight, drunk of course, and he'd gone straight for my mother in an all consuming rage. I can't help but wonder why he's always so aggressive when he's drunk.

I had heard his car pull in sometime past midnight and when I'd recognised the all too familiar yelling coming from the kitchen, I'd rushed towards the noise.

I'd arrived just in time to see the bastard push my mother roughly up against the fridge and as soon as I saw the expression of pain on her face I had lost all control of my body.

I saw red as I'd lunged for him, scratching and clawing at whatever bare skin I could get to. But he'd merely laughed and pushed me off of him with ease.

I knew it was no use, he was so much bigger than me, not to mention stronger. But I could never leave my mother to deal with him alone. It was stupid really because although I always stood up for her, she could never return the favour.

Whenever he would yell or hit me she would cower away in fear, sometimes she would just leave quietly. And although I knew it was so so wrong for her to leave me like that I could never bring myself to hate her, she was my mother after all.

Now as I stumble along the long, country road in the dark, I can't help but question my choices as I always do after nights like these. The cool air causes goose bumps to rise on my skin and I shiver involuntarily, wrapping my arms around myself.