No Good • Billy Hargrove

Seven

Billy

I woke up to an empty bed, something I wasn't used to. Danica's side was cold, so she must have left hours ago—probably before the sun was even up. Her scent still lingered, though, a mix of coconut and vanilla that filled my nostrils as I lightly inhaled.

I sighed, getting up and catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror. Not bad, considering last night's fight. The swelling around my eye had gone down, and my split lip didn't look as bad.

Reaching for my pack of cigarettes, I smirked when I saw a note stuck to it. Her handwriting was small and neat, and the message was pure Danica:

I let myself out. Figured it wouldn't be so easy to explain to your dad and Susan if they caught us. Thanks for last night—it was fun. See you around, Cali.

Her words brought everything from last night rushing back. Danica wasn't like most girls. Most threw themselves at me, but she didn't. She held back, always playing it smart. She had this fiery edge but also a softness that made her impossible to ignore. And damn, I wanted to know every side of her.

Running my fingers through my hair, frustration bubbled up inside me. "What are you doing to me, Danica?" I muttered to myself.

After freshening up, I stepped out of my room. My father was watching TV, and Susan was in the kitchen, attempting to cook. I tried to avoid her meals as much as possible—she somehow managed to ruin even the simplest things like potatoes or mac and cheese. I hadn't had a good home-cooked meal since my mom.

"Don't forget you're watching Max today," my father said, not even looking at me.

"I always watch her," I muttered under my breath.

That was the wrong thing to say. My dad stood, glaring at me.

"What did we talk about, Billy?" he asked, his voice dangerously low.

I didn't answer.

"What did we talk about?!" he barked, shoving me hard against the wall.

This wasn't going to end well.

Danica

"Dani?" a small voice called, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I looked up to see Will Byers standing at my bedroom door, looking as nervous as ever.

"Hey, bud. What's up?" I asked, sitting up in bed.

"Well, uh, we were wondering if you could drive us to the arcade," he said, fidgeting with his hands.

Will was always shy around me, and I figured it was just a little crush. It was cute.

"Sure, bud. Just meet me at the car," I said, standing and grabbing my trainers.

Will grinned and ran downstairs to tell the other boys. I laughed when I heard their teasing comments about his crush, Dustin loudly declaring, "Ew, she's my sister!"

Grabbing my keys, I headed down to meet them.

I pulled into the arcade parking lot and turned to the boys.

"Alright, guys, I'll be back at ten. Look out for each other, and obviously, don't do anything dumb. If you're going to, at least call me first so I can do it with you," I joked.

They cheered as they piled out of the car, but I held Will back for a moment.

"How are you doing?" I asked softly.

He gave me a small smile. "I'm fine."

I ruffled his hair. "Alright, go ahead."

Will ran off to join the others, disappearing into the arcade. Just as I was about to leave, a blue Camaro roared into the lot, music blaring. I didn't need to look to know it was Billy.

I stepped out of my car, walking over to his as it screeched to a halt. Max climbed out, glaring at Billy. She flipped him off before stomping away, but her face lit up when she saw me.

"Hey, MadMax," I whispered, giving her a quick hug. "The boys are inside waiting for you."

She nodded, her scowl melting into a smile as she ran toward the arcade.

Billy stepped out of his car, his usual cocky swagger on full display. He grabbed me by the waist and pressed me against his car.

"What happened to your face?" I asked, noticing the bruises and swelling looked worse than before. I reached up to touch his cheek.

He gently took my hand, moving it away. "Don't worry about it," he muttered, brushing it off like it was nothing.

He kissed my knuckles, then leaned down to kiss my lips. I pushed him back gently, glancing around.

"No one's around. Relax," he said, rolling his eyes, annoyed.

I crossed my arms. "We aren't a thing, Cali, so you shouldn't be kissing me like we are," I said firmly.

For a split second, I saw something flash in his eyes—sadness, maybe? But he quickly masked it with his usual cocky smirk.

"Could've fooled me," he said before sliding into his car.

He sped off, leaving me standing there.

I sighed, shaking my head as I got back into my car. "Fuck," I muttered, hitting the steering wheel in frustration.

I didn't know what Billy and I were, but I couldn't deny I liked the affection we shared. I scolded myself, driving off and making a mental note to be back at ten for the boys.

Billys POV!!! There will be more of those coming don't worry ☺️ Comment! Vote 💕