mary. [ BILLY HARGROVE ]

xvii. CHAPTER FIFTEEN

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warning: strong language, abuse
One Month Later

     The Monday morning after everything had happened was easy once Mary leaned that Eleven had closed the gate. She'd met up with Steve Sunday night to check up on his face, and to have a movie night with him. She'd told him about what happened once Billy woke up. 

     Then for a month, it was radio silence. Mary had been going to class and school, but Billy wasn't there. He always skipped first period, didn't pay attention to her in third, and always ignored her in sixth. Mary was still angry with Billy, and he was definitely still angry with her. She'd told Steve about what happened, and he just shrugged it off saying that maybe this was a chance for her to get with someone better. 

     But, one night in November, just days before the snowball dance and they were well into Christmas time, Mary was walking around her room decorating. The Elvis Christmas Album was playing on vinyl, Mary humming along to it slowly. She knew her brother was in the room next door with Lucas and Max, discussing presents for each other and other members of their party.

     There was a sudden, small, few taps on Mary's window, the girl furrowing her eyebrows in confusion. She set down the ornament she had for her smaller tree, then turned and walked to the window. She pulled the blinds up slowly to see Billy standing in the snow, his eyes seemingly tearful, and his nose bleeding. Mary pushed the window up, staring at the boy for a moment. He looked at her, tears still streaming down his face. 

     "Can I come in?" he asked quietly. Mary took a second, eyes narrowing at him angrily. "Look, I-I'm sorry about what I said. I am, I really fucking am. Can I please come in?" Mary just nodded in response, stepping back from the window. Billy climbed into the room, turning and shutting the window to keep the cold and snow out. He walked to the middle of the room as Mary seemed to be angry with him still. 

      "I'll be right back," Mary said, walking to her door. He watched as she left, turning to the vinyl collection on the floor. I'll Be Home For Christmas was currently playing, and the slow tune made a smile form on Billy's face. He went through all of the other records until he heard the door sliding open again. 

     Mary came back to the room with a warm rag and some ice, Billy not looking to her. His head only dropped in shame, Mary bringing it back up slightly to see the blood still trickling out of his nose a bit. She cleaned off all the fresh blood, along with the dried blood. Billy was quiet the whole time as he listened to the music swell the room. 

     "Are you gonna tell me what happened, or...?" Mary rose an eyebrow at Billy. He didn't answer her, the tears coming back to his eyes as he thought to what his father had told him. 

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warning: abuse and violence ahead

     The rock music floated around the air as Billy was reading through one of the magazines he kept on his bedside table. He flipped the page, a knock ringing on his door. 

     "Yeah?" Billy asked. 

     "Is that how you respond to me?"  Billy's head snapped up from the magazine, and he quickly scrambled off his bed. The magazine slipped from his hands and to the floor. Billy stopped in front of the door and opened it to see his father and Max's mom standing there. 

     "Yes, sir?" 

     "Where's your sister?" Neil asked harshly. 

      "She should be at the Henderson's," Billy answered. 

     "Should be? Is she there or somewhere else?" Neil asked, taking steps into Billy's room. 

     "She said she would be at Dustin's house," Billy told him, backing up into the wall to avoid from getting hit at all that night.