the scientist // billy hargrove

T w e n t y O n e

Billy and Jade had left school early together in their separate cars, blasting the Scorpions as they did so. Jade stopped the car at her house and had put the keys in her room after removing the house keys. She shoved the keys into her pocket, grabbed the blunt off her bed that she had previously begun smoking and lit it.

She inhaled the smoke as she packed a bag of clothes for the night and hiding what she would get in trouble for in her "hiding spot." There was a lose floorboard under her bed and she had started using it as a hiding spot when she turned twelve and found it. She took her ashtray that she had hidden (her mother didn't know about her most recent life choices) and dumped the ashes out of her window.

While Jade was working on hiding things and getting rid of evidence, she hadn't realized Billy was inside her house looking around at things and lighting himself a cigarette. She had told him to  stay in his car, but, Billy being Billy, didn't take orders.... unless they were from his father. Billy was looking around in Jade's brother's room, he thinks she said his name was Dustin or something like that. Billy flicked the ashes from his cigarette before migrating to Jade's door, waiting for her to notice him standing there. Her back was towards him, but he saw that she was smoking and that she was frantically grabbing objects off and around her bed. She turned, but still hadn't noticed him, and continued hiding what she would get in trouble for. She was fine with leaving her car keys on her Impala even though she'd rather hide those too. While Jade was thinking about her car and grabbing everything she would get in trouble for such as her blunts from Alex or her alcohol, Billy had the mind enough to know what she was smoking, but didn't know why she was if he had promised to tell her everything.

"You have a nice house," Billy commented, breaking the silence and not bothering in hiding his frown from her smoking weed.

"I told you to wait in your car," she responded curtly and shoved everything she wanted hidden under her floorboard. She stood, grabbing her bag and slightly shoved past Billy, heading to the fridge; he followed. She grabbed one of her mother's beers which she would be yelled at for later and grabbed a pop for herself.

"Thanks, babe."

"I'm not your babe," she mumbled and held the door open for him to walk out.

"You will be when you find out everything tonight," Billy had been thinking of his father when he spoke and grimaced.

"Right." They got into his car and they drove around until school let out. Jade rested her head on the cool glass of the window when they pulled up to the school. Max was on the sidewalk with her skateboard under her arm and was talking to Lucas, Mike, Dustin, and Will. Jade smiled when she saw them together. She knew how much they adored each other, but she didn't know why they all had grim faced at the moment. "I'm getting out," she told Billy and walked over to them all. She put her arm around Will and drank out of her pop bottle.

"Hey, J," Mike smiled and bumped her fist with his own.

"Why do y'all look so upset? Come on, it's Friday!"

"Why do you have scratches all over? Do you know about the demo-" Mike elbowed Lucas.

"Lucas meant to say 'why do you have scratches on your arms?' Right, Lucas," Dustin raised his eyebrows at Lucas.

"Yeah, that's what I meant."

"I was walking Nanook and got dragged through a thorn bush."

"That high?"

"I'm not very tall."

"Okay...."

"Did you come over to steal Max? Aren't you staying at her house tonight?"

"Yeah, but I don't feel like stealing her yet. I'd rather hang out with the lot of you for a little while, Billy ain't the boss of me."

"Can I talk to you, Jade," Will murmured.

"Sure. We'll be back guys." She took another sip from her pop bottle and kept her arm around Will when they walked into the carpark. She walked over to Billy's car where he was smoking a cigarette and waiting impatiently. "Out."

"This is my car, Jade. Who's this little fuck? One of the kids that hang around my sister?"

"I have no shame in punching you for insulting these boys. Now get out, I need to talk to him."

"Still my car."

"Get out, Billy. If you're so worried just stand next to it or go talk to some single girls. I don't care." Billy sighed and mumbled in her ear before walking away.

"I only want you."

"Well, that's a bit unfortunate, isn't it?" She told Will to get in the passenger seat while she got into the driver's. She rolled up the window so Billy couldn't eavesdrop. "What's up?"

"Have you been crying? I didn't want to point it out earlier because I know you never cry."

"Yeah, but it's nothing for you to worry ab-"

"It was because of Billy, wasn't it?"

"How'd you-"

"I've seen y'all around before. It's also the way you look at each other. You both miss each other."

"You don't need to worry about my romantic life."

"You never cry."

"It's alright."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. Thanks for worrying about me. You want to go back now?"

"Yeah." They returned and she hugged the boys before walking Max to the car.