Bruises// Billy Hargrove

1

I sighed my brother Steve talking about something I really didn't care about. We drove to school, it was cold outside, the sun was out but where it didn't hit it was cold.

"I don't even know why I talk to you sometimes. It's like talking to a blank wall." He said and I looked at him and rolled my eyes.

"Steve you talk about the most stupid thing. Half the time I don't care." I said and he looked back at the road.

"Noted." He said and we pulled into the school car park. I liked living in Hawkins, I mean there wasn't much to do and the kids were annoying but apart from that it was peaceful. Well I mean when there isn't a Demagorgan trying to take over the town.

"Harrington!" An all to familiar voice yelled out from behind us and I groaned. I turned around and an arm was thrown around my shoulder before I could think twice. Steve rolled his eyes and I just did the same back.

"What do you want Hargrove?" I asked and he walked us into the school.

"I offered you a month ago to go on a date with me. I'm still waiting for your yes." He said and I pulled away.

"Billy, I'm not here for your stupid games. Go find some other whore." I said and walked away. Steve walked next to me once I was away from Billy.

"What's his deal?" He asked and I sighed.

"I'm like the only girl in our year he hasn't slept with." I said and Steve laughed.

"Sounds about right." He said and we both turned back to see girls swooning over him as he talked to them.

"Remember when you used to be like that? Now you're a mom." I said and he nudged my shoulder.

"Shut up . But that does remind me, Dustins coming to ours after school because his mom is working late." He said and I smiled.

"Gotta love that kid." I said and he nodded with a smile.

***

"What are you doing?" I asked Dustin as he mixed together some things in a bowl.

"Making pancakes." He said pouring the green mixture into the pan.

"Hows about I do that." I said and he handed me the bowl over. I poured the mixture into the bin and made a new one.

"So Dustin. How are things after what happened?" I asked.

"Great! I mean that was awesome what happened. Who knew that demidogs were a thing." He said and I laughed.

"Definitely not me." I said and he smiled. We talked for a while longer till I had a stack of pancakes. I handed it to Dustin and his face lit up. I placed the syrup on the table and he doused it in it.

"Okay I'm done." Steve said coming into the kitchen with wet hair.

"Okay can I go now?" I asked and he put his hands up.

"I don't control you're life." He said and I pushed his shoulder.

"I'll see you later kid." I said ruffling Dustin' hair and grabbing my coat. I walked out to Cold but warm air. I walked to the quarry. I remember a few months ago Hopper caught me up here and sat with me. We talked for hours, he was like the dad that was there for me. My parents were always gone, never at home. So having Hopper in my life is great. I sighed and sat cross legged on the ground looking over the water. I sat for an hour or so till I heard a car pull up. I didn't move, I just looked or the view.

"Harrington. What are you doing here?" I heard a slurred voice ask from behind me and I sighed and stood up.

"I'm taking in the view Billy is that a- what the hell happened to your face?" I asked and he stumbled back a bit. He was holding a brown paper bag obviously a bottle of booze inside of it.

"Nothing m' fine." He said and I nodded not wanting to press any further. Then it hit me, he drove here in the state he was in.

"Billy did you drive here!" I exclaimed.

"Yup." He said and I mentally scolded him. But I just nodded. He stumbled forward a bit towards the edge. A bit too close for my liking. I sat down as I watched him. He wasn't as tense as he usually was, he seemed to be shaking and his posture was slumped. His hair was a mess and the bruises and blood on his face made him look 10x worse. After a while he stumbled back and sat next to me. His head drooping ever now and then.

"Are we friends?" He asked in a weird tone. Almost like he was sad. I looked at him and then back out to the quarry.

"Not really Billy. From the first you've been here you've tried to get me into your bed." I said and he looked over the quarry.

"I asked you on a date, I didn't ask you to sleep with me." He said and I looked at him and he looked genuinely upset. Alcohol is a stupid thing.

"Come on Billy. I'll drive you home." I said and pulled him up before he could say anything. We drove in silence, what he said playing over in my head. Did he really want to go out on a date with me? Or was it the alcohol. I shook it off and decided to take him back to my place because I would have to walk all the way home if I drove him to his house. Once I pulled into the drive I sighed and turned the ignition off. I pocketed the keys and dragged Billy out of the car. Dustin opened the door and looked at me with confusion.

"What happened to him?" He asked and I sighed.

"No idea." I replied and he collapsed on the sofa. I covered him with a blanket and placed his keys in his denim jacket.

"Goodnight Hargrove." I whispered and shut the living room door.