Keep me Closer - Billy Hargrove - Stranger Things

13: Just Friends

I woke up and I looked over to my left to see a still sleeping Billy. I smiled at him. While I waited on him to wake up I could hear people in the kitchen. It must have been his dad and step mom because it sounded like an older man and woman. And I don't know who else would really be here. His father shouted something which woke Billy up. His eyes squinted at the light and took a second to adjust. He looked at me and then looked at the clock then rested his head in his pillow for a moment before getting up. He groaned and stretched his arms and whipped the tiredness out of his eyes.

"My mom is probably worried out of her mind." I said and sighed feeling bad. "When you're awake enough, could you take me home?" I asked and he looked at me through his mirror while he was picking out clothes to wear. He took off his shirt and changed it.

"Sure." He said. " I'll be right back. Just uh... don't.. go out here." He said before walking out of his room.

***

Billy dropped me off home. He didn't want to go home to an already angry father so I told him to just go around back and I'd let him in through my window if he agreed to be very quiet.

I came in through the door trying to sneak through the house but my mom immediately caught me and gave me an entire speech about respect and obedience. She rambled on for like 7 minutes. The longer she talked the longer I started to notice all the drawings all over the wall.

" Where's Will?" I asked not seeing him in the living room.

" What?" My mom asked confused.

" Where is Will?" I asked again.

My mom called him and he came in the room.

" Yes?" He asked drenched in sweat. And Mike followed behind Will.

" Can all of you leave for just a second I need to talk to Will. Alone." I said and everyone just stared at me. "Guys!"

They all left except Will.

" What are you doing?" I asked Will.

" What?" He asked a little scared.

"What, is he doing?" I asked looking around the room at all the drawings that I somehow didn't notice when I came back in earlier.

Will just looked at me for a second. "I keep, I keep seeing... I keep seeing these- now memories. Like I see w-what he sees."

"Why are you sweating so much?"

"Earlier today, something happened to him. Something.. something hurt him." He said looking at me with anger in his eyes." He didn't like that." His pupils dilated as he kept looking at me.

" Will, you cant let him take control of you." I said.

"He didn't like that Quinn." Wills eyes started to water. "He's mad at you." Will said taking a step closer to me.

"Well I'm mad at him." I said taking a step closer to Will. Will blinked his eyes a couple time snapping out of whatever he was feeling. And all the sudden he just broke down crying. I caught him and wiped his tears away. "We will get him out of you. I promise."

***

After a while it was just me and Billy in my room talking while Mike, Will and my mom were in the other room.

" I'm really sorry." I whispered.

" About what?"

" About all the secrecy."

" It's okay Byers."

" Maybe when all this is over we can go on a real date."

" Yeah maybe." He smirked.

" Look Billy, my family.. isn't normal, and being with me, hanging out with me, you get a lot of this. And I really don't want you to be dragged into this mess."

He looked down at my hand holding his. "Look, I'm not one to want a relationship or anything. But I like you Byers."

I smiled at him. "People are wrong about you."

"What?"

" Everyone thinks you're a jerk." I said

" I know."

" I don't." I shrugged with a polite smile.

"Good." He returned a very small smile.

" Why do you let people think you're a jerk."

"Cause I can be."

" Not with me." I frowned.

" Right, I don't know why, I just have patience with you I guess. I tend to lash out before I even hear what someone has to say. I guess I like you or something I don't know." He teased and rolled his eyes playfully and I smiled. I kissed him and he kissed me back.

" You're cute you know." I smiled and leaned my head on him.

"You too Byers."  He let out a small exhale of a laugh.

" Oh yeah I can really imagine being 'cute' when blood is dripping from my nose again." I said whipping my blood away.

" I think it's kinda cool." He shrugged.

" Yeah well, it kinda is." - " I'm probably the coolest person you know." I teased.

"Actually, yeah." He said and kissed me again.

" You know Hargrove. I think your problem is people misunderstanding you. I think you're actually a interesting complex person and people just see you as some douche bag who probably sleeps with the teachers to get good grades and graduate high school."

"We are still on that?" He asked wish a sigh.

" We don't have to be. I just care too much about what people think. It's what I do best." I said and he laid down and I laid my head back on his chest. "So about this moving away after high school, where should we go?" I asked.

" Hmm.." He thought and pulled out a cigarette. "Chicago isn't far."

" We are on a summer job budget remember." I said with a small smile.

"Hmm.. then I don't know."

"We could travel. Maybe if we don't settle down in one spot the rest of our lives, our problems will have a hard time keeping up."

" We are on a summer budget, remember." He said and Ilet out a small laugh and sighed.

" Well that's true bu-" I started and I heard someone walking to my room so I sat up and so did he. I was scared out of my mind that my mom would open the door to see some random boy in my room.

Mike opened the door and looked at us grossed out and I nervously laughed. And he rolled his eyes and said, "Are you guys like... dating now?"

"I-I" I stuttered.

"Just friends." Billy said clearing his throat and Mike looked at us again and rolled his eyes again to the back of his head.

"Bob is here, he's gonna help us find out what's Wills drawings mean. And to help us find Hopper."

" Hopper? What's wrong with Hopper?" I asked.

Mike looked at me then Billy. " Why is he even here?" Mike asked. I glared at him. " Just come on." Mike said and walked away rolling his eyes.

" O-oh okay." I said.

" Well I uh I better head home." Billy said and I frowned.

" Okay. Umm, see you tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah. See you tomorrow Byers."

" Bye Hargrove." I whispered and he was about to kiss me when my mom called my name.

I sighed. " COMING!" I yelled and I pulled Billy's shirt down to my height and kissed him. "Just friends huh?"

"You tell me?" He smirked.

" Well, I hope you will keep me closer then that."- "See you tomorrow Hargrove." I smiled back.