the scientist // billy hargrove

T w e n t y F o u r

Jade returned home late on Sunday night. She was watched after by her friends like Steve had requested and he came by every morning to check on her. On that two day vacation she'd gotten out of her own self pity, the last time she cried was Friday, and she managed to get back to the way she was before Billy.... for the most part. She'd also stopped drinking and smoking excessive amounts, but she wasn't planning on being sober any time soon. Her goal was to have something to put her trust and emotions into so she could forget the pain that she was going through, but something that wouldn't judge her, thus, alcohol. The weekend had consisted of Steve checking in on her and calling her while Beverly and Alex watched her favourite movies with her. If someone were to look at Jade, she spent most of her time watching the movies and petting Nanook, but from her eye, she's been living in her head since Steve dropped her off. That's all she really needed. At least that's what she told herself.

She walked over to her house at nine and attempted to say "hi" to baby, but her Impala wasn't where she had parked it and, come to think of it, she hadn't seen it when Steve dropped her off Friday night. Her mind was elsewhere at the time, of course, but she didn't think her Impala could turn into her ex's Camaro over the weekend.

"It's finally happened. I've lost my fucking mind," she muttered before running into her house and throwing her bag onto the floor. "Mom, where the fuck is the Impala and why is-" she froze when she saw him. The voice in the back of her head said that his car being there means he'd be there as well, but she hadn't wanted to believe it. Now she was looking into the blue eyes of the enticing devil with a smile as beautiful as when they had met. Despite his charming features, she could see the bruises that had failed to fade over the past two days and they seemed to be his most prominent feature now that she knew what his home life was like. Everyone has their own baggage, that's inevitable, hell, she's had it rough and her family doesn't even know that truth, but now that she's seen firsthand what he has to go through.... he's real. He's definitely an asshole, though she now knows why, and she thought she were fine until she saw him and his unfortunately handsome self leaning on the counter with her mother blushing more than Jade had ever done in her life.

"Watch your mouth, Jade Samantha Henderson-West." Billy smirked at Claudia scolding her for swearing.

"I told you to stop calling me 'West.' I shouldn't have the last name of someone that doesn't give two fucks about me." Claudia ignored what her daughter said and carried on.

"You never told me you had a boyfriend. What happened to you and Patrick, hm? You two were so close, joined at the hip almost." She flinched when she heard her abusive ex's name and, of course, looked at Billy. It looked as if a shadow had come across her face and it darkened when she remembered what Eleven had done to protect her. Jade had loved Eleven and when the boys came home crying, she knew something was wrong. Lucas hated her when they first met her, but he had cried when she was gone. Mike had told her that Eleven had died without bringing in the fact that she was protecting them from a monster out of a board game. She folded her arms under her chest as if her mother could see her scars, but she couldn't, even if Jade hadn't crossed her arms.

"I guess you could say our relationship was hit by a minivan and hospitalised, but never recovered," she scowled when she answered and twisted her bandana.

"You've got to stop having a macabre sense of humour. It's not very ladylike and it makes people uncomfortable." Jade let out a soft laugh and licked the inside of her bottom lip.

"Okay, yeah, it's not like I want to make people uncomfortable or anything."

"I don't understand why you've been acting out so much since you were a child. You act like you've had it so hard, but you've had a great life. Stop being over dramatic and being so.... dark. Black isn't the only colour in the world, y'know."

"Yep, my life's been easy. Peaches and cream. I haven't had to go through one tragic thing in my dear, sweet life, have I?"

"Jade Samantha Henderson-West, stop."

"Oh, no, my full name and that bitch's last name plus a stern tone. I'm in deep shit now, aren't I? Sorry, babe, we got off topic from talking about my amazing ex-boyfriend," she gave an obvious fake smile to Billy and kept her arms folded while she leaned against the wall.

"Anyway," Claudia used a stern voice for the thousandth time since her daughter came home, "I don't see why you antagonised me when I brought up that angelic boy, Patrick, but I suppose it's rude to talk about him in front of your new boyfriend." She wore a smile as if none of the previous events had occurred and returned her attention to the alluring young man across from her. "She never tells me anything."

"That's alright, Ms. H. I see where she gets her beauty," he charmed Claudia once more and her daughter quietly scoffed.

"Oh, my," she blushed a deep red. Jade grit her teeth and cracked her jaw as she watched her ex entice her mother.

"Hey, babe, how long have you been here and what are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to check on you and I heard Steve has been spending a lot of time with you this weekend."

"That's none of your fucking business and bold of you to assume that I'd be the one to cheat, hun."

"'Oh, sexy girlfriend,'" he grinned, bringing her attention back to him, "don't you think that's a little rude? I think we should kiss and make up to make sure that we're okay."

"He's right, Jade. You don't want a relationship thriving off your anger. You don't want to be the one to ruin the relationship, do you?"

"I already did," she said softly, inaudible for her mother, but loud and clear for Billy. She walked over to him and gave him a hug to get her mother off her back and told him something to protect him if he's smart. "I assume that you'll see yourself out of here and my life. It's what's best for you and you'll be following everyone in my life's footsteps. I trust I won't see you tomorrow if you know what's right and if you have a head on those broad shoulders of yours." She let go of him and walked to her room where she locked herself until her alarm went off the next morning.