Sky is the limit / Billy Hargrove

Chapter Three - Sheet Faced (1)

"Alright Harrington, since you never came for your essay last night like you said you were going to, you will finish it now and we can submit our applications together in study hall." I inform him.

"Sorry about that, I wasn't in the right head space after the dinner. It got super depressing super-fast." He admits with a small smile on his face.

"Wanna talk about it?" I ask, not enjoying the upset look on my best friend's face.

"No, not right now anyway. Like you said, we are going to finish this essay and submit these applications. Although, it seems like you already finished it for me." He says after scanning the essay I wrote for him.

I hear Billy once again squeal into the parking lot and I watch Max skate away to the middle school. On his way in, Billy nods at me and I give him a wave in response, a little confused to why he even acknowledged me. 

Steve looks at me confused as well and I just shrug my shoulders, not really knowing what to say. The warning bell rings and we gather our things to head inside. I realize on our way in that Nancy never joined us at his car like she usually does.

"Where's Nancy?" I ask as we begin to walk towards the school.

"Honestly......I'm not sure. I'm supposed to meet her in the library during second period so I hope she will be there" Steve responds. I give his shoulder a squeeze as I make my way to English and he leaves to go to trigonometry.

*****

After his library session with Nancy, Steve was acting different. Not that he gave me any details of what happened. I made a mental reminder to get it out of him later today including what happened at the dinner last night. We had already submitted our applications and were currently standing at my locker.

"Hey wanna ditch school?" I offer, knowing he would probably say yes.

"And what would we do instead?" He asks, raising his eyebrow while he was leaning on the locker next to me with his arms crossed.

"What we always do when we skip school Steve. Smoke some weed and go get milkshakes". I pull the joint from my locker and start to wiggle it in front of his face. He quickly takes it from me and starts running to his car. "Hey wait up loser!" I yell chasing after him, letting out a laugh.

As we smoke in his car, I focus on the sound of The Doors playing from the tape I brought. I try to zone out, but Steve looks at me before speaking "The new kid apparently wants to take my spot as the King of the school."

I laugh, "Since when have you ever been the King of the School?" I joke. He looks offended and punches my arm lightly. "What the fuck Harrington?" I exclaim, rubbing my arm even though it didn't hurt.

"Hey, I have always been the King of the school. My hair rules all of Hawkins." He attempts to tell me seriously but we both laugh.

"So? Let him be the King. We graduate this year anyway, who fucking cares about popularity?" I respond. "Soon enough we will be gone, and the new King will declare his reign and thrive in all his small-town glory."

"Sky you've never cared about being popular so you wouldn't understand," he says shaking his head. "Anyway, I'm not so worried about that, as I am about you honestly." Steve says, looking out the window and then at me. "I heard he has his eyes on you."

I give a genuine laugh at that. "Heaven forbid a guy finds me attractive Steven."

"That's not what I meant" he laughs back before becoming really serious. "I, I just don't want to see you get hurt, especially by some California douche bag. Just be careful around him" Steve responds.

I shake my head agreeing with him. "I won't let a boy break my heart again". I promise looking over at him.