Keep me Closer - Billy Hargrove - Stranger Things

5: Hargrove

As I walked past Billy and his usual parking spot
while he did the usual smoking cigarettes while looking upset at the world.

" Hey Byers, I have a question." He said walking closer to me.

" Mhm?"

" Why do you always walk to school? Your brother drives here, can he not take you?"

" No, he can, I just choose to walk. It's some of the only alone time I get. "

" You don't get a lot at home?"

" I live with 4 other people, and a dog. I share a room with my little brother. The only time I'm alone is when I take walks."

" Oh, so you would say no to me driving you to school?" He asked

"I- probably." I let out a small laugh.

" Okay, well good to know."

" Okay." I said and started to walk away and a uncontrollable smile tried to force its way into my life but I held it off you till after I got inside.

" Hey, wait." He stopped me.

" Yeah?"

" What are you doing later tonight?"

"What time?"

" Anytime."

" Well Umm.. I'm not aloud to be out at night. "

"Oh but yesterday you were?"

"Meet me at the park from last night at 11. No earlier." I rolled my eyes and my smile forced its way out.

" Deal." He smirked. I smiled and walked past him and I saw Jonathan glaring at me. The smile dropped off my face and I just walked in the school avoiding eye contact with anyone.

" Hey Quinn." Nancy came up to me.

" Hey Nanc."

" I saw you talking to Billy, Umm just wondering umm, do you like him..? Or something?"

"What? No no no, we just talk sometimes. Not even a lot. I've only talked to him like 4 times.. ever. Why?" I rambled making her suspicious.

"Well it's just, I want only the absolute best for you, of corse, and well he seems like a... well like a jerk. I mean he seemed nicer to you. But maybe he just wants to get in your pants."

" What? Ew. No. Nancy don't even worry about that. Ev-even if that was the case, I wouldn't let him."

"That's what I said." She said before walking off, leaving me speechless and alone.

***

After school I usually stayed a while after if I had a lot of homework to do. Which conveniently, I do. I usually stay cause there is so many distractions at home. I went to the Gym where the boys were playing Shirts and Skins basketball. I was actually accomplishing a lot more then I expected to since I was doing home work where I was. I usually do it in here but this time Billy was in here. He was actually a jerk when I saw him around other kids. Maybe Nancy was right. Every other shot he would make he would glance at me and I would pretend not to see. I think he knew I was pretending because he would sometimes laugh. He acted like if he made a shot I'd some how be more impressed by it than anything I've ever seen in my life and just drop at his feet and worship him like many of the girls here do.

**

After I was done with my homework, which didn't take any longer then usual. I started to walk out of the Gymnasium and I heard Billy call a time out as the door closed behind me. A few moments later he ran out the door and grabbed my wrist. I pulled my wrist away from him. I was not fond of men touching me. I got scared of men in the lab. It took a long time for me to be able to even be in the same room as Jonathan without being uncomfortable or just all around have a mental breakdown. Now I'm okay with being in the presence of a man. But a man literally grabbing me can be adifferent story.

" Yes Billy?" I asked and swallowed. I knew he wouldn't hurt me. But my anxiety couldn't help but think, maybe he would.

" We are still on for 11 tonight?" He asked unphased by my actions.

" Oh umm, yeahhh yeah, sure."

" You alright Byers?"

" Huh? Oh yeah I'm fine. You just scared me. I-I didn't hear you come out." I said with out making eye contact.

He shook his head a little bit. " Okay see you later." He said looking me up and down with a slight hint of curiosity.

*** 11:00***

" Hargrove, wow, right on time." I smiled and twisted the swing to look at him.

" Byers, a little early."

"Actually a lot early. I got here a while ago just to think for a little while."

" Whatcha thinking about this time?" He asked and bent down to sit on the swing next to me.

" Oh just, life I guess."

" Anything new?" He asked while lighting a cigarette.

"Mm.. not really. You?"

"Besides the new family, house, and school? No not really."

"Do you like it here?"

" No." He said blankly.

" Do you like your step mom and sister?" I asked.

He didn't reply. He just rolled his eyes and continued smoking which told me all I needed to know. " Max seems sweet." I said trying to lighten his mood.

" Well she's not alright? She's a prick. Anymore family questions to grill me too vet?" He said lashing out.

'Okay.. touchy subject. Don't mention them again.' I thought

" Sorry." I said staring at the ground. He just sighed. And it happened again. Everything around me glitched into the UpsideDown. And I saw something in the distance. " Billy? Billy do you see tha-" I asked and turned my head and no one was there. I swallowed and my eyes widened. This weird dark smoke shadow creature turned around and looked at me moving towards me. "Oh sh*t" I jumped off my swing and started running. " BILLY?! BILLY WHERE ARE YOU?! WHERE ARE YOU?! Oh my god!" I cried and I kept running. And then I bumped into something and fell to the ground and I phased back into reality and saw Billy talking to me standing above me. I tried to crawl away, still in shock. My legs acting faster then my brain. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to him and held me for second trying to calm me down. But it didn't help being that a man was forcing me to stand next to him against my will, which was a fear of mine actually. A fear of man I guess. Or just people. Fear of people or something.

" I'm right here Quinn. Hey, hey hey. Stop squirming. It's me, it's just me, I'm here." He said and I started to slowly calm down. He sat me down on the nearest bench and waited for me to stop shaking to ask me the basic, " Are you okay? What the hell just happened? What's wrong?"

I took a few deep breaths and I looked at him and my voice shakily said, "When I got lost last year.. I- I- I didn't just get lost I- was kidnapped by these really... bad people and I tried to escape but I ended up.. um.. uhh..getting stuck somewhere even worse. I- I don't know. It's weird. I just- I still get these- these memories of something. But it's not memories it's like- like I see things like what if I was still there. Like PTSD, I guess. But it's not always flashbacks, it's like sometimes I'll get these flashbacks, and sometimes I'll get these.. these like now-memories. Like what's happening right now. But- but I don't see it always. Only- only sometimes. Randomly like just then or- or when I'm at school, or in the car, or anything. It all happens so fast I-I'm just sorry you had to see that." I told him probably saying way to much. More then I'm allowed but, it's not like I told him I had powers or I was stuck in another dimension with aliens.

" I-I don't really know what to say Byers. But I'm sorry all that happened to you." He said acting decently sincere. I couldn't help but think of what Nancy said to me today. That maybe he just wanted to get in my pants. But the way he was looking at me right now, it felt sincere like he was actually sorry.