Keep me Closer - Billy Hargrove - Stranger Things

7: Alone

" Oh so you're all alone?" He asked walking up to me on the bleachers.

" Yep, guess so." I said continuing to eat my sandwich.

" So we are both going for that goth look today, huh?" Billy said with a hint of a laugh. We were both wearing mostly black.

" Oh yeah, I guess so." I half smiled and continued eating.

" Wow you're talkative today."

" I am eating." I said looking at him with a smile exhale from my nose to signal a laugh.

"Well still, you seem a little off, you alright?"

" Yeah I'm okay, just tired I guess."

"Long night?"

"Kinda, I just couldn't fall asleep I guess. A lot on my mind." I said softly

"Me too." He replied.

"What's a guy like you have to worry about?" I teased.

"You'd be surprised."

" I'll bet you on that." I laughed

"Plans tonight?" He asked

" Nope." I said taking a bite of my sandwich.

" Usual time and place?"

" Sure." I smiled with a shrug.

" Hey Qui-" I heard Nancy start. " Oh, hey  Billy. " She said.

"Hey Nanc." I smiled and hugged her.

" See you later Byers." Billy said and stood up and started to walk away.

" O-h, okay, bye." I smiled.

" You really have to like him, don't you?"

" W-wha- I- what? I just- no. "

She rolled her eyes. " Wow okay. Great cover up." She laughed.

"I don't know." I nervously laughed clearing my throat. " I don't know." I said again.

" Well I do know. If you really like him and you don't think its just for him to g-"

" Okay Nancy, hold on. I said the exact same thing to you about Steve. And look at Steve. You guys are happy. So just... wait.. no. Not that I'm trying to sa- not that I want to- it's- its not."

Nancy laughed. "I've never seen you like this before. I actually don't think I've seen you smile this much at school before." She smiled back. I uncontrollably smiled and shrugged my shoulders.

* 11 O'clock at night *

"Hey Hargrove, you're here early." I smiled walking up to the swing. He didn't say anything he just smoked his cigarette. "You okay?" I asked and sat down and looked over to his face.

" I don't know, Byers you tell me." He said and looked at me. He had a big bruise on his cheek bone and a cut on his lip.

" Oh my god." I stood up off the swing and walked in front of him. He was already standing. I put my thumb under the bruise and caressed his cheek bone in sympathy. " I'm so sorry." I frowned. I didn't even notice what I was doing. I took my hand away and back up a little bit and looked at the ground. "What happened?" I asked looking back up at him.

"My sister stayed out past her curfew. My dad wasn't pleased." He said continuing smoking his cigarette and not making eye contact with me.

I hugged him. It was weird. I haven't hugged a guy I wasn't related to in a long time. He was hesitant to hug back. He kinda just patted my arm in awkward appreciation. So all around it was an awkward hug. I was awkward. He was awkward. I don't know why I even did it.

" I'm sorry." I said looking in his eyes.

" It's whatever. Used to being treated like that with him. " He mumbled.

"We don't have to talk about it, but it's not whatever." I said innocently with a frown. He glanced down at me.

" You know what Byers, its kinda weird talking to you."

"What do you mean?"  I asked anxiously.

"Well it's just different I mean because you don't... well I don't know it's just different."

" Is that good or bad?" I awkwardly laughed.

"You tell me." He said exhaling smoke out of his mouth.

" I don't think I would be the best judge of myself, considering I don't like myself very much."

"Why?"

" Let's change the subject." I nervously smiled tucking hair behind my ear. I heard something faint to the side of me. I looked to see nothing but what appeared to be another glimpse of the UpsideDown.

"You okay?" I heard his voice echo. I looked where he was standing but I didn't see him.

Behind me I heard lighting and saw red flashes and intense wind. That same shadow thing was turned around facing me.

"Quinn?" He asked again pulling me out of my weird vision or whatever you would call it.

" What?" I asked turning around. And he was right there and I slightly bumped into him still a little out of it. " Oh sorry." I said with my eyes wide and looking at the ground.

" Hey you okay?"

"Huh? Oh yeah. Yeah I'm okay."

"Wow, we both have sh**ty lives don't we."

" Oh yeah we are just pitiful. People should cry for us." I teasingly mocked.

" Yeah yeah yeah. You know what I mean." He rolled his eyes jokingly.

We sat back on the swings and just talked for a while. It was the usual, him asking me questions and me answering. Him asking why I don't ask him any thing and then not answering the questions fully that I ask but instead he would dance around the question and answer my questions with more questions so he wouldn't have to talk about himself.

" Okay well it's getting late." I said standing up.

" Okay, I'll drive you home." He offered.

"Okay." I smiled.

We walked to his car. It was once again a silent car ride. But that's okay.

Once we got to my house, usually he just drops me off and drives away but this time he got out of the car. We made eye contact and I walked over to him and frowned at his bruises. My hand wanted to comfort him by touching him but it was awkward last time. And I'm not his girlfriend and that's something a girlfriend would do.

"I had a nice time with you Byers." He said blankly.

" Me too." I said quietly and nervously.

" There's not school tomorrow, you doing anything?"

" Oh, um.. probably not." I said looking sideways avoiding too long of eye contact.

"Okay, then meet me at the usual spot at 5 this time?"

" Okay, sure." I smiled. He got back in his car and drove off. I very quietly tried walking back in my house and my mom was awake and angrily tapping her foot and a really sorry look filled Wills face. I sighed and closed the door.