Dream Boat ▷ Billy Hargrove

Early Morming Snowflakes (12)

Billy and I spend an hour and a half laying on the carpet, talking about everything and anything.
The clock hits 6:30 when I hear Collin's car pull into the driveway. An hour ago I made sure to park Billy's car down the street so Collin wouldn't see it and suspect anything.
I sit up, my heart beating a million miles a minute.
"Here," I pull a few comic books from my bookshelf and toss them to Billy. "Read these while you hide."
He nods and goes into the hiding spot which isn't visible from the door.
"I'll bring you whatever food Collin makes when he isn't paying attention, okay?" I tell him.
He gives me a thumbs up.
I get up and leave my room, making sure to close my door behind me.
I sit on the couch and pretend to be watching TV when Collin and Charlie walk in.
"Whitley, you'll never believe what happened." Charlie jumps on the couch. "I kissed Elizabeth!"
"You did?" He's only in middle school and he has his first kiss the same day I have mine?
What is up with this day? "Wow. Congratulations, I guess."
"You're not as cool as I am, Charlie. I had my first kiss in the first grade." Collin says proudly from the kitchen as he starts dinner.
"Oh, shut up, Collin!" Charlie and I say in unison.
Collin laughs.
"What are we doing tomorrow? Are we going to open up presents?" Charlie asks.
"Well, that's what Christmas is all about, isn't it?" Collin says from the kitchen.
"It's actually more about Jesus Christ than it is the presents." I roll my eyes.
"No way." Collin snorts sarcastically. "Anyways, back to your question, Char, the Byers invited us over for Christmas dinner at their house."
"They did?" I ask. "Can I... bring a friend?"
Collin peeps his head out of the kitchen. "Who?"
"...Someone."
He raises an eyebrow. When I look over at Charlie, he's doing he same.
"It's not a boy, is it?" Collin narrows his eyes at me.
"Why does that matter?" I question.
"It... doesn't." He lies.
"Well that's a whole ass lie."
"Language," says Collin. "Who's the boy? Is it that guy with the hair... what's his name... Steve Harrington?"
"No, and it doesn't matter." I say with a roll of my eyes.
"What ever happened to Steve?" Collin asks as he finishes fixing dinner which is macaroni and cheese. "I thought you two were... y'know."
"We're just friends, Collin."
"Even after that whole day you two spent together babysitting Dustin?"
Why am I being interrogated right now?
"We weren't babysitting Dustin, we were helping him find his cat." The cat part is a complete lie.
"Did you ever find it?" He separates the pasta into three bowls.
"Nope."
"That's too bad," He says. "Alright, dinner's ready. I know it's not exactly a normal Christmas Eve dinner, but I'm too tired to make anything better than this."
I laugh. "It's fine. Are you gonna crash early tonight?"
"Probably. Especially if I go into a food coma after devouring all of this mac and cheese." He says and starts to eat.
Before I sit down I put the leftovers in a container and hide it in the microwave so I can heat it up for Billy after Collin goes to sleep.
Collin eats quickly, and he also becomes full quickly.
Instead of going to bed he starts to do the dishes. Great. Now I have to wait even more.
"Are you not hungry?" Charlie asks me, noticing how slowly I'm eating to pass the time.
"I am, I'm just thinking." I say.
Charlie clears his plate and goes off to his room to play on his Atari.
Finally, after twenty minutes of waiting, Collin finishes washing and drying the dishes and I finish eating my dinner.
"Alright. I'm gonna crash. Can you put the presents under the tree for me? They're in the garage." He says.
"Yep." I say. "I'll do that right now. Goodnight."
"Night."
In a hurry, I carry the presents from the garage and put them under the tree. Ten minutes later I'm finished.
I re-heat the macaroni and cheese in the microwave and grab a glass of water along with a fork.
I walk to my room with my hands full. I open the door with my elbow.
With my back, I push my door closed.
"Hey, it's me." I put the dinner in my desk. I then go back to lock the door.
He stands up and into view. "Your brother's asleep?"
"Yeah." I nod. "I uh, brought you dinner." I gesture to my desk.
"Thanks." He sits at the desk and begins to eat.
In no time, he finishes.
"I'm gonna change into my pajamas," I tell him. "So if you could..."
He smirks. "Aw, I'm not allowed to watch the show?"
"Oh, shut up, Hargrove."
He chuckles and then turns around so he can't see me.
I slip into my red pajama pants, and then I pull my current shirt off to change into a white t-shirt.
When I turn around, Billy's turned around and smirking at me.
"Billy!" I hiss, trying not to be to loud. "Were you looking?"
His signature smirk remains plastered on his face. "I couldn't help myself, Princess."
I'm blushing like crazy. "You're insanely annoying."
"Oh yeah?" He moves over to me. "How come you haven't kicked me out yet?"
"You know why," I grumble and climb into bed.
"I don't, actually." He smirks again. "Could you enlighten me?"
I try to act stubborn by not saying anything.
He then climbs into bed with me and wraps his arms around my waist. He rests his face in the crook of my neck.
"I don't remember telling you that you could sleep up here with me." I tease.
"You were gonna make me sleep on the floor like a dog?" He teases back.
I laugh. "Yep."
He snuggles closer to me. "Well," He says. "I think this is much better than sleeping on the floor."
"Definitely," I breathe.
He kisses my cheek and says, "Night, Princess."
I reach over to turn off my lamp. "Goodnight."

I wake up with Billy's arms still wrapped around my waist.
I look over my shoulder at him and he's still fast asleep.
He looks so peaceful when he's asleep.
I crawl out of his arms as slowly as I can, trying not to wake him up.
I look out my window.
It's snowing. Merry Christmas.
I go into the kitchen and make two cups of steaming hot cocoa so when Billy wakes up it will be warm.
When I get back to my room, he's sitting up in the bed, wide awake.
"Oh, good morning." I smile. "I mean... Merry Christmas!"
I set the mugs on my desk to cool down and climb back into bed with him.
"Oh. Right. It's Christmas." He says. "Do you already know what Saint Nicks got for you this year? Maybe a cute pair of short shorts?" He smirks at me.
"Oh, quit it!" I playfully push him. "And no. I don't even think anyone's awake, yet."
"Huh. Usually kids wake up at the crack of dawn to see if Santa ate the cookies."
My eyes widen. "Aw, shit. We forgot to make cookies this year."
"Does your little brother still believe in Santa?" He raises an eyebrow.
"I... don't think so." I crack a smile. "Maybe."
"I never believed in Santa." Billy says.
I frown. "Why?"
"Because I always got coal. And I knew it wasn't because of my behavior. I was a decent kid, then. Later I found out it was just because my dad didn't want to waste any money to get me something that might brighten my day even a little bit." He says, glaring down at his hands.
I rest my head against his shoulders. "What a piece of shit."
He snorts. "Damn straight."
"I'll get you a present," I say out of the blue. "It'll be a little late, because I think all of the shops are closed today, but I'll get you something."
"You don't have to." He says. "I didn't tell you that for you to get me something out of pity."
"It's not going to be a pity gift, it's going to be just a gift gift." I tell him.
"Well now I have to get you something." He grunts.
"No you don't."
"Well, I'll feel guilty if I don't."
I shrug. "Alright." Then I ask, "How's your eye?"
"Hurts like a bitch." Billy replies.
"Maybe..." I climb out of bed to grab the hot chocolate. "Some hot cocoa will help?"
"Let's find out."