the scientist // billy hargrove

N i n e t e e n

Physical and sexual abuse warning in a flashback.

Alex watched his girlfriend's eyebrows furrow as Billy explained his home life. She slid down the lockers and grabbed Billy's hand. Alex knew she wanted to support him but it was truly hurting her.

In her freshmen year, when her and Alex were already together, the trio went to his uncle's cabin before school started. His uncle had requested that Jade and him went out on a beer run when Bev was in the shower. They figured it'd be fine but didn't know his uncle had hurt Alex's little sister before while under the influence. Alex and Jade went to town which was about thirty miles away on his uncle's motorcycle.

The uncle snuck into the bathroom and pulled the curtain back, causing Beverly to jump and hit her head on the hose. He threatened her to participate in sexual acts with her, but she refused which sent him into a rage. He began to pound her with his fists and kicked her when she was on the ground. When she was lying on the shower floor with blood running into the drain, he became pleased and called a friend of his to pick him up. Beverly didn't move until she heard a truck pull in and then leave. She slowly sat up, wincing in every movement, and wrapped a white towel around herself. She sat on the floor next to the shower, listening to the water and staring into space.

Jade and Alex decided to get slushes in town when they got the alcohol, causing them to get to the cabin twenty minutes after the uncle left. They walked into the house to still hear the shower running and the uncle no where in sight. They walked into the bathroom together to find Beverly on the floor. Alex sat next to her and pulled her into his lap. She gripped onto his bomber jacket and sobbed into his neck, occasionally biting his shoulder so she wouldn't scream like she wanted. Jade looked at Beverly's black eye, bloody lip, and bruises and scratches forming on her arms, legs, and neck. Jade began to cry and Alex pulled her into his arms as well.

Everyone calmed down about an hour later. Beverly didn't bother getting dressed so Alex gave her his bomber jacket to wear which she still has to this day. They all sat on the couch together drinking the beer they had collected and listening to Beverly share her story.

That was the last night they would feel weakness. Alex signed up for wrestling, basketball, football, and track that year. The girls decided to stop skipping gym and joined cheerleading, dance, and track that year. Since sexism was still around, Alex would show them the workouts he did for football and basketball so they could build up their muscles. Alex started to get high and the girls started drinking. Up until junior year the girls wouldn't go anywhere without a jacket, they didn't even go swimming, not until they felt strong enough. They closed off on all of their friends except each other and grew apathetic. They didn't want to be vulnerable. They wanted to be strong and trust that nothing could happen.

When the same situation happened with Alex's little sister, his father went after his uncle and got him arrested. He could've killed him, but wanted him to have to suffer in a prison. Alex's uncle killed himself a week after receiving his life sentence. His father doesn't miss his brother. He would've if it were only Beverly because he didn't know her well enough, but when it happened to his daughter and when he started to see Beverly as a daughter, he didn't feel the slightest bit of loss. He was glad his brother was gone. He knew the world was deprived of one less horrible person.

He crouched down in front of Beverly who was pinching her bottom lip with her free hand and staring into space.

"Bevvy, you okay?" She blinked but that was it. He stood up and faced Billy. He nodded towards the door, in a way, asking if he could leave. Alex shook his head and whispered into his ear, "she can empathize. Don't leave her." Billy nodded and sat on the floor next to Beverly. He rubbed his thumb over her hand and studied her face. Alex put his feet to the lockers and sat where Beverly's knees were. He grabbed her other hand and sandwiched it between his. "Bev, you wanna go on a ride?" Another blink.

"Hey, uh, Beverly," Billy cleared his throat, "I want to show you something." Billy stood up and stretched his hand out to Beverly. Both her and Alex stared at him until Beverly reached for his hand.

The teen in denim led them out to his car.

"Dude, what are you doing?" Billy ignored Alex and got in the driver's side. Beverly sat in the passenger's seat. They both grabbed cigarettes and Alex leaned in on the passenger side. Billy reached into the glovebox and pulled out a Polaroid taken a week ago.

Billy and Alex were sitting together on Beverly's faux leather couch. Billy with a cigarette and a smile. Alex with his sunglasses and a beer. On Billy's lap was Jade, smiling for once and laughing at a joke Beverly told her, Beverly doing the same. The teen boys smiling at their girlfriends and the teen girls laughing with one another. It was his favorite picture. Beverly studied it and felt a smile growing on her face.

"You should keep it. It's a great picture of you two." Beverly flipped it and read the back.

"I can't take this," Beverly reread the sentence and smiled.

There's no one like you.

"You should go after her though." Beverly put the picture back in the glovebox and took Alex's hand when she exited the car. Billy put the keys in the ignition and sped out of the school parking lot, knowing Jade would go everywhere.