Hell is for Children

Boardwalk Angel

Diana Lister pushed her feet deep into the cool sand on the Santa Cruz shore and inhaled deeply. She felt a smile cross her face as she looked out into the water and saw Billy Hargrove catch a wave. She tugged her wide brimmed sunhat tight to her head as she got up off of her beach towel and walked towards the water. 

Behind her she could hear the cheerful screams and laughs of children on the Boardwalk's roller coaster. She waded into the water up to her knees and smiled as Billy grabbed his surfboard and sauntered out of the water towards her. 

"I didnt know you were THAT good at surfing" she smiled up at him as he planted a kiss on her lips, the water from his hair dripping into her face. 

"Babe. Im from California" he said matter of factly as they walked back towards Diana's beach chair. 

"Im so glad we decided to do this, I love being able to see where your from" Diana said. 

Billy sat in the sand beside her a put on his aviator sunglasses. 

"Yeah. Its nice to be home. Its a shame we have to leave it again tomorrow" he said, a twinge of sadness in his voice. 

Diana rested a hand on the back of his neck and played with his long, curly hair. 

"You know...maybe we could move back here some time soon" she offered. 

Billy smiled up at her from behind his glasses. "Yeah, Red. I mean maybe we could work on your tan a bit". 

She swatted him as they gathered up their things, heading back to the Camaro. 

"Hey, Billy? Do you think we can come back here tonight when its all lit up? Id love to see it one more time before we have to head back to Hawkins" Diana asked. 

Billy nodded. "Of course, Red. Whatever makes you happy" he smiled his cheeky grin and she couldnt help but feel butterflies in her stomach. 

They had left for Santa Cruz the day they graduated Hawkins High School. It had taken them a full day of driving and multiple sight seeing stops along the way, but they had made it. With Diana's help, Billy was able to pull up his grades and graduate without having to repeat another year. Diana had plans to hopefully pursue a career in music, but had landed a job at the new Starcourt Mall for the summer. 

Diana was excited for what this summer had in store. She and her sister, El or Eleven as they sometimes called her, had plans to have girls night as soon as she returned home, which Diana thought would be an excellent way to kick off the start of summer. For now though, she was all Billy's. 

As they returned to the hotel room, Diana popped one of her antibiotics, which she had been  prescribed  for stepping on a rusty nail right before they left for California. 

"Does that thing still hurt?" Asked Billy as he removed his shirt and tossed it into the open faced suitcase. 

"A little, but the Doctor said I have to take them all or I'll die" she replied, smiling. 

Billy laughed as he took her into his arms. "That so?" 

"Mhmm" she replied as she pressed her lips against his. 

"Red, I dont know about you but I think we should take advantage of the little bit of remaining alone time we have" Billy said as he ran his hand up Diana's back underneath her shirt. 

She felt goosebumps cross her entire body as she looked up into his ocean blue eyes. 

"We do have a little time until it gets dark..." 

Diana didnt even finish her sentence before Billy had her pressed up against the hotel room wall, his hard body weighing on hers. He slid her skirt down to the floor and picked her up so she could wrap her legs around his middle. He laid her down on the bed as he kissed her passionately. As they made love she couldnt help but realize just how much she truly loved the man in front of her.  She never wanted this trip to end.