lover boy

fourteen

Billy's Pov

I stare into the mirror on my dresser making sure every hair is in the right place, and that there's nothing wrong with how I look.

I must say, I'm pretty fucking hot. I thought I was lucky to be with Diana, but I'm beginning to think she's the lucky one.

I'm interrupted from my thoughts when I hear a knocking on my door. I ignore it, it's probably just Susan. The knocking continues.

"I'm a little busy, Susan." I yell out, blowing out my cigarette smoke.

I hear my dad yell behind the door and I can feel my nerves rise. I put my cigarette down and walk across my room to open the door. Both Susan and my dad are behind it.

"What's wrong?"

"Why don't you tell us." My dad replies and I scoff.

"Because I don't know."

"We can't find Maxine." I look at Susan who has fear in her eyes.

"And her windows open." My dad adds.

What the fuck is this kid up to? I feel annoyance flow through my body.

"Where is she?" My dad asks.

The annoyance intensifies.

I let out a sigh, "I don't know."

I hear my dad scoff, "You don't know?"

"Look...I'm sure she just-I don't know-went to the arcade or something," I say walking away from my door to my closet, "I'm sure she's fine."

"You were supposed to watch her." My dad says.

God, why can't this fucking prick get off my case.

"I know, dad, but you guys were three hours late...and well, I have a date." I mumble the last part, and hope he doesn't hear it. I've decided to take Diana on a surprise date. To prove I'm better than that asshole Harrington. I really don't need my bitch of a stepsister and my dick of dad to get in the way.

I turn around to face him, "I'm sorry."

"So that's why you've been staring at yourself in the mirror like some faggot, instead of watching your sister?"

Anger rises in me when he calls me faggot.

"I have been looking after her all week! If she wants to run off that's her problem, alright? She's thirteen years old, she shouldn't need a full time babysitter!" I raise my voice at him.

"And she is not my sister!" I turn my stereo off. As I do, my dad pushes me in to my bookshelf and grabs me by the collar of my shirt.

He's quiet at first and the only thing that you can hear is our breathing, "What did we talk about?"

I say nothing and look away, but he grabs my jaw making me look at him. He repeats himself.

I finally answer him, "Respect and Responsibility."

"That is right. Now, apologize to Susan."

I keep my eyes locked with his, "I'm sorry, Susan."

Susan jumps to my defense and I feel sorry for her. She shouldn't of married him. My dad releases me from his grip and begins to walk towards her.

"Nothing about his behavior is okay, but he's gonna make up for it. He's going to call whatever whore he's seeing tonight and cancel their date. Then, he's going to go find his sister. Like the good, kind, respecting older brother he is. Ain't that right, Billy?"

I stay quiet.

"Isn't that right?" He screams walking towards me.

"Yes sir." I whisper.

He lets out an agitated sigh, "I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you."

"Yes sir." I repeat myself louder this time.

"Now go find Max." He says before leaving. After the door shuts a tear slips down, which I quickly wipe away.

Fuck.

I grab my car keys and rush out the door. I'll tell Diana what happened and then I'll find Max. As I drive anger still surges through my body. Maybe Max is with Dustin and that can be the set up for us to go on a date.

If Max didn't decide to be such a little shit this wouldn't have happened. Why the fuck would she want to run away? She gets everything she fucking wants.

I pull up to Diana's house and knock on the door. She opens the door with a confused look.

"Billy?" She wraps her arms around herself when a gust of cold wind hits.

"Hey, I'm looking for Max. I was hoping she'd be here."

Worry crosses her face and I can tell by the looks of it, we won't be going on a date tonight.

"I-I thought Dustin was with Max." She presses her hand against her forehead. Maybe this can go my way after all. Be the hero and find her brother.

"You know this town a lot more than I do. Want to help me find them?" I flash a pleading look. I can see her debating in her head. After a couple of minutes she nods her head.

"Let me get out of my pajamas and get my shoes on." She closes the door and I head back to my car.

I tap my fingers on the steering wheel impatiently. Finally, she comes out in a Hawkins High School athletics tee shirt tucked into her light wash jeans and a pair of beat up Converse. Not really date clothes, but what are you gonna do?

"Let's go to Mike's house. They're always in his basement playing." She mumbles. I don't know why she's so genuinely worried. It's only her brother.

"Alright just tell me where to go." I say pulling out of her driveway.