the scientist // billy hargrove

T w e n t y N i n e

⚠️ abuse later in the chapter ⚠️

She hadn't realised how hungry she was until she scarfed down five black coffees and two stacks of Eggos by herself. While she was eating, Billy literally counted down the time until noon so he could order a beer and some of the diner's "specialty pie." Steve spent most of his time looking out the window and silently drinking from his coffee every now and again.

"Are you alright, Farrah Fawcett?" Steve continued looking out the window, but looked over at Jade when Billy hadn't said anything. Billy raised his eyebrows at the Farrah Fawcett realisation, but still focused his attention on staring at the menu, already knowing full and well that he was going to order what he was waiting for.

"I'm just worried about the kids 's all."

"You mean the thing that I'm supposed to see them for, but I'm not because I don't want to put my shit out in front of them?"

"Yep, that's the thing." Steve started bobbing his knee up and down, causing the table to slightly shake, which he was oblivious to.

"Cut it out," Billy warned, without looking up from his menu. The waitress came back around and gave them all refills of their coffees and took Billy's order along with flirting with him for a good five minutes and planning a date. Jade rolled her eyes when the waitress left and Billy was still biting his lip. She started feeling around the inside of his jacket for his cigarettes but to no avail. "Hey, I'm trying to score, d' ya mind," she immediately stopped and he realised what he said.

"You're an asshole, ya know that," she said before standing up in the booth and climbing over the back.

"Jade, I-"

"Save it, asshole!" She stuck up her middle fingers and stormed out of the diner, not knowing where she was going, only that she was leaving.

She walked into the first store she came across that sold clothes- she couldn't wait for the new mall coming to Hawkins- and she stole a decent outfit, but paid for a pack of cigarettes and a box of matches. The obliviousness of the clerk amazed her. She lit a cigarette when she stepped out of the store and started walking.

Her feet seemed to take over and she just allowed them to take her somewhere, and that somewhere ended up being her favourite place. The sounds of machines whirring and clicking filled her ears. Neon lights and blue lights were the only thing lighting up the room. Her fingers brushed over the plastic as the feeling screamed for her to bring the finger spasms back and relieve the memory, no matter how painful she felt afterwards.

It was one of her many escapes, she felt it was the only way to survive; that and shutting everybody out. The fact that she trusted Billy on her first night of them being in a relationship shocked her, but, for some reason, she didn't regret it. She continued walking and drifting her fingers over the plastic until she reached one that she couldn't walk past.