LIFEBOAT ✧ billy hargrove

NINE

Emily opened her eyes as the car turned abruptly and gripped the edge of the seat when they grew nearer to the house. She tried to think of anything she could say to make him turn back, but before she knew it, Billy was already out of the car with a cigarette hanging from his lips

"Billy don't do anything stupid." Emily warned when she saw Steve had walked out of the house, standing only feet in front of the eldest of the Hargrove children.

Billy ignored the girl and shut his door, causing Emily to open hers just slightly so that she could hear their conversation.

"Am I dreaming, or is that you, Harrington?" Billy addressed the other boy.

"Yeah, it's me. Dont cream your pants." Emily rolled her eyes and couldn't help her stifled laughter at the remark, even in the situation they were in.

"What are you doing here, amigo?" Billy asked Steve as he neared the blue Camaro.

"I could ask you the same thing." Steve raised a brow. "Amigo."

"Looking for my stepsister. A little birdie told me she was here." Billy tilted his head toward the car and Emily got out with a sheepish smile and guilt painted on her face. She both did and didn't regret telling him about Max's whereabouts. She was worried for what he might do, but she thought that he deserved to know, especially after what she had witnessed.

"Huh, that's weird, I don't know her." Steve tried to play off, completely ignoring Emily, and she knew that he wasn't happy with her for spilling.

"Small? Redhead? Bit of a bitch." Billy feigned concern for the young girl he'd been forced to care for.

"Billy, don't say that." Emily scolded.

The boy ignored her yet again.

"Doesn't ring a bell. Sorry, buddy."

Billy sighed and removed the cigarette from his mouth.

"You know, I don't know, this..." He clicked his tongue. "This whole situation, Harrington, I don't know. It's giving me the heebie-jeebies."

"Oh, yeah? Why's that?"

"My 13-year-old sister goes missing all day. And then I find her with you in a stranger's house. And you lie to me about it."

"Man, were you dropped too much as a child, or what?" Steve chuckled dryly. "I don't know what you don't understand about what I just said. She's not here."

"Then who is that?"

Billy gestures to the window of the house where a flash of different colors of hair could be seen.

"Oh shit. Listen—" Steve started, before the other boy had pushed him to the ground

"I told you to plant your feet." Billy looked down at the brown haired boy, and Steve groaned in pain as Billy kicked him in the stomach and walked toward the house, Emily hurrying after him and pulling at his arm, trying to stop him from going in.

Next thing she knew, the door was wide open and she ran into Billy as he stopped to look at the four younger teenagers.

"Well, well, well."

Billy slammed the door.

"Lucas Sinclair. What a surprise."

"Hey!" Emily stepped in front of the muscled boy as he neared her little brother. "Don't touch him, Billy." She glared, pushing Lucas back a little.

"I thought I told you to stay away from him, Max."

"Billy, go away." Max told her stepbrother.

"You disobeyed me. And you know what happens when you disobey me."

"Billy..."

"I break things."

Emily suddenly felt herself being thrown on the ground and her head hit the wall. She could see Billy slam her brother up against a cabinet and she tried to yell, to get up and stop him, but her mind was fuzzy from the hitting of her head against the wall.

"Billy! Stop! Billy! Stop!" Max's cries to her brother were heard and they rang in Emily's ears, and everything played out in front of her. Lucas kneeing Billy in the groin, Steve walking in and punching Billy in the face, and Billy's maniac laughter and yelling. The blurred figures of the two boys moved around the kitchen as they threw punches, and Emily heard the sound of a plate shatter.

Then, she woke up from the slight daze she was in, and with the sound of jangling keys and the slamming of the door, Steve and the kids were gone, and Emily's vision started to get clearer. Once she was able to stand and see properly, she found the first aid kit that the Byers family kept on top of the fridge and she kneeled down next to billy. She took a deep breath in and set Billy's broken nose which caused him to wake with a scream.

"Jesus Christ! What the fuck?!" Billy yelled, moving his hands to grab her wrist.

"I'm sorry, I had to set it." Emily tried to pull away and she fell back, scooting away from him.

Billy sighed when he remembered all that had just happened, and he sat up, looking into her frightened eyes. He'd been blinded by rage when he pushed her, and attacked her brother and Steve, and he hadn't meant to hurt her or anyone really.

"Emily, I'm sorry..." Billy apologized as sincerely as he could and reached a hand out toward her.

Emily stared at his outstretched hand before grabbing it hesitantly and letting him pull her to him, close enough that she was almost sitting in his lap.

"Are you hurt?" He asked her softly, looking into her eyes in the most concerned way that he'd ever looked at anything in his life.

"I'm okay." Emily gave him a pained smile and winced as her head throbbed.

Billy placed his hand gently on the back of her head in what was supposed to be a soothing gesture before pulling his hand back toward him, seeing it covered in blood.

"Emily, oh god, I'm so sorry." Billy frantically stood up and took her in his arms, carrying her out of the house and to his car.

"Where are we going?" Emily asked him tiredly and cluelessly.

"I'm taking you to the hospital."

And with that, the two of them sat in the car, Emily half asleep, and Billy looking over at her often with concern as he drove her to the hospital, just hoping that she'd be okay.

☽ ☼

sorry about the bad chapter and the fact that it took me so long to update!! i've been super busy and haven't had the time or motivation for it. this story will be coming to an end soon and if you'd be interested in another type of story, i had a few ideas on my a/n chapter and I'd appreciate some feedback. thank you all for reading and feel free to message me or leave a comment, about anything, not just the story.