Bruises// Billy Hargrove

3

I sighed as Steve and I cleaned the house. It's been a few days since Billy had his breakdown. I've tried to talk to him but he won't let me in. We just sit in his car for hours.

"Hey Steve. Have you noticed anything about Billy recently?" I asked putting the vacuum back in the closet.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I don't know, the way he is in class?The way he looks?" I said cleaning the dishes.

"I mean he's not been as cocky lately, I guess he's became a little bit skinnier also. Why do you ask?" He asked as he run his hand through his hair.

"No reason." I said and he shrugged and got back to cleaning. we cleaned for another couple of hours and in the end we both flopped onto the sofa.

"Theirs a part tonight. Wanna go?" He asked and I smiled.

"No I'm good. But you should, ya know try find someone new." I said nudging his shoulder and he laughed. He jumped up and started getting ready. I tried not for think about Billy as much. He's probably be at that party anyways. I sighed and looked towards the door.

"I'll be back by 1." He said and I nodded. I watched the door as he left and sighed. I grabbed the radio and popped a cassette tape in. Letting it play in the background. I made my way outside and took my shoes and socks off. Sipping my feet into the water. I sat around for a while. Until I heard the familiar engine pull up to the house.

"Lilly!" A voice yelled and I smiled.

"Come in! I'm in the garden!" I yelled back. A few seconds later Billy was sitting next to me. Copying my actions by sipping his feet in the water. I quickly jumped up and got 2 beers from the fridge before resuming my place.

"When I was 7 my mother died. We had a pretty good family, but I didn't know what my dad did behind closed doors. So when my mom died it was a horrible accident. She overdosed. After that my dad continued to blame me for it, it turned physically after a while, but he would never do anything that could leave a mark where people would see. Then I turned 14 and it became more believable that I got into fights. My dad toughened me up, told me about discipline. Then he met Susan and they married and we moved here. I blamed Max but I knew we moved because people started to catch into what my dad was doing. When we moved here he kinda chilled off. That night Steve and I fought at the Byers I was getting ready for a date before that, Max wasn't in her room and it was my fault. So I came to find her. I wasn't angry at anyone of them kids or Steve. I was angry at myself and my dad." He said, silent tears rushed down him face and I aced my head on his shoulder.

"You're not a bad person Hargrove." I said and he laughed. The tears still freely flowing down his face.

"I am the bad person." He said taking a swig of his beer.

***

Steve stumbled in the door around 12 am. Billy and I still sat in the back garden. His denim jacket placed around my shoulders as we lay back on the sun chairs and looked at the stars. He didn't make his presence known but listened into their conversation.

"I can make some mad cookies." I said and Billy let our a laugh.

"I tried to make pancakes once and they burned." He said and I followed up with a laugh.

"Their like the most basic things to make." I said and he smiled.

"Maybe you can make them and you're 'mad cookies' for me one day." He said using his fingers for the quotation marks. Steve eventually got bored and then made his presence known.

"Hey kids!" He exclaimed walking into the back garden with a beer. Acting more drunk than he actually was. Billy and I sat up real quick and Billy wore both an angry look and a confused look. I looked at him and he looked back at me.

"Hey Harrington!" He exclaimed back. His anger diminishing as he looked back at Steve. I smiled and sat up straight crossing my legs.

"What are you doing here Billy?" Steve asked as he leaned against the barbecue and I rolled my eyes.

"Taking some time with your sister." He said and I just looked back at Steve.

"What do you mean. Taking time with my sister?" He asked and I mentally groaned.

"Oh ya know, talking, hooking up and some more talking." Billy said and I hit his arm.

"Billy!" I yelled and he laughed. Steve's face drained of colour and I hid my face in my hand. Billy found this while event quite hilarious.

"Okay well I'm just gonna go now." Steve said and walked into the house. I groaned and looked at Steve.

"You're such an ass." I said and he gave me a wink. Then I realised the cassette had finished and Steve drank the last beer.

"Hey I should head off. It's getting late." Billy said and I smiled and stood. I walked to him to his car and he looked down at me.

"You tell anyone about this Harrington." Before he could finish his sentence I finished it.

"You'll get me. It's between you and I Hargrove." I said and he nodded. He pressed his warm lips to my cheek and then climbed into his car. I watched as he pulled out of the drive and drove away. I waited outside till I heard the noise of his engine fizzle out. I walked back into the house shutting the door, realising I still had his jacket on m. I smiled and pulled it closer to my body. Maybe I was falling for Billy Hargrove.