Emmeline Hale. (Billy Hargrove)

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Emmeline's POV.

November 2nd.

I helped the group of friends look for Dart again, but I was mostly there for Max. When they went into the AV room and ditched her, I got upset, but I couldn't do anything since I had to go to class.

"I'll see you after school." I kiss her head before running to my school.

"Hey freak, you're riding home with me today." Tommy growled out.

I didn't respond and just went to class and paid as much attention as I could. Billy kept trying to talk to me, but I didn't want to talk to him right now. I kept thinking over Dart and Dustin, and what the little slimy creature could be. I also thought about how Max was treated by the dark haired boy, Mike. Max said that he talked to her about another girl in their party called El, and I got the feeling Mike and her were really close. That must be why he's so... mean to Max. He doesnt want another girl replacing her in their party.

After the last bell rings, I grab my things from my last class and put them into my locker before closing it. I knew Tommy was going to take a few minutes before going out to his car, so I planned on just waiting by the passenger door for him. Billy had other plans though, as he grabbed my arm and took me to an empty classroom.

"What are you doing? I have to go meet Tommy." I try to get away.

"What are you doing?! You've practically been avoiding me and ignoring me!" Billy yells angrily. He wasn't wrong, I've been running to and from school since yesterday. "What happened?"

"Nothing. You shouldn't worry about me, Billy." I tell him honestly.

"Bullshit! I've been worried about you since I met you! What's wrong?!"

"What's wrong?! What's wrong is that you– you just..." Before I can yell and scream at him, I lose my confidence. I can't yell at my imprint, and I have nothing to even justify why I was 'mad' at him. I can't tell him. "I'm sorry Billy, I really need to go, I can't get Tommy mad again."

"Tommy can wait!" Billy says as he closes the door before I could open it enough for me to leave. "I want to know why you've been avoiding me."

"Billy, you wouldn't understand." I shake my head as I walk deeper into the classroom, knowing I couldn't get out until he wanted me to.

"Wouldn't understand what?! Huh?! You're so confusing! One second you're really cool and amazing to be around, the next you're avoiding me and acting like a bitch!"

"And what about you?! One moment I actually think you might be interested in me, the next you're taking one of you one night stands home!"

"What are you talking about?" Billy asks, eyebrows furrowing.

"The girl from yesterday? I'm not stupid okay? I know why you were 'giving her a ride home'. I'm not naive." I growl out. I check the time and see I'm late. "Tommy is going to kill me, I need to go Billy. Now."

"I said Tommy can wait, and he will." Billy said angrily, slamming a fist into the desk right beside me. I jump in fear and almost begin to shake.

"Billy... I have to go... he's going to be really pissed if I don't go now."

"I'll just give you a ride home." Billy scoffs before seeing my trembles.

"That won't help... he'll be waiting for me at home..." I whisper softly.

"Em? What... why are you trembling?" He asks softly. He raises a hand to my arm and I involuntarily flinch away from him.

"I really have to go Billy... please..." I stay looking at the floor in fear.

"Does... does Tommy hurt you if you make him mad?" He asks slowly. I don't answer, and he gets upset a bit. I see it and nod quickly.

"Y-Yeah... but it's fine. It's... normal..." I look away, knowing that it wasn't normal and it wasn't fine. I see him walk closer and jump over the desks and run out the doors before running to Tommy's car, finding it already gone. "Oh no... please, please let him forget..."

"I'll give you a ride." Billy says before leading me to his car. I sit in the back as we wait for Max, Billy waiting by the passenger door and watching her interact with Lucas. I wince as I hear her say he still stinks.

I ignore what Billy asks her and what he tells her until she raises a hand, and he grabs her wrist. I could tell he was mad and he was hurting her.

"Billy. Let. Her. Go." I growl out darkly and he does, shocked. I grab her arm and pull it between the seats. "You okay, MadMax?"

"Yeah... Thanks Emmy..." she whispers softly, blinking back the tears in her eyes as I rub her wrist gently. I give it a kiss before letting it go so she can hold it to her and look out the windows. I look at Billy.

"Don't touch Max like that." I say calmly before he speeds down the roads and to his house. "What are you doing Billy? I need to go home."

"You're spending the night here. Just say you're tutoring Max or something." He says as he gets out of the car, slamming his door.

"I brought my textbooks home today, so it should work." She shrugs.

"I can't stay, I have to go home." I tell her worriedly. "Tommy will be mad."

"It'll just be one night, it'll be okay." Max smiles brightly. "Please?"

"Okay..." I hesitate, getting out of the back of the car. "One night."

"Great." She hands me the textbooks from her bag and leads me inside, where her parents were. She gives them both kisses on the cheeks, but I could tell she was wary of giving her dad one. "Mom, Dad, this is Emma."

"H-hello..." I wave slightly as they look at me. "I'm Emmeline Hale, I'm here to... tutor Max..." I say softly, getting intimidated by the man.

"I'm Neil Hargrove, and this is my wife Susan." The man says. His voice is deep and doesn't sound like it can have more than one emotion. Anger.

"It's nice to meet you, Emma." Susan smiles welcomingly.

"As it's nice to meet you as well, Mr. and Mrs. Hargrove." I say politely.

"Heh, could you tutor my idiot son in manners? God knows he needs to learn some." Neil says. I can tell he didn't get along with Billy.

"We're going to go to my room and study, if that's okay?" Max offers.

"Go on ahead you two." Susan smiles at her daughter who looks just like her. So she's Billy's step mom, and he's Billy's dad.