Stigma--Billy Hargrove

Amber Tells All

very angsty chapter. Just put the warning there in case anyone is affected by the mentioning of those two subjects. Also in this book, Billy will take a long time to come around, I haven't read any other Billy fics so if the majority of them move fast, expect this one to move slower. Just with all of Billy's trauma and Ambers.

Warning: mentions of death/ drunk driver

Hope you enjoy this chapter!

not edited!

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Amber leaned against one of the many pine trees lining whosever house she was at. The world was spinning and she definitely was never going to drink again. Ever.

"Hey, Keg Queen," an unsettling familiar voice said from behind her, "if it comes back up, I take back the crown."

Amber looked out of the corner of her eye to see Billy now standing next to her, a smirk on his face as he watched her struggle. "Go away, I don't care about the damn title anymore," she said clutching her stomach.

Billy laughed, it was not a kind one though, "oh Henderson, you've gotten yourself in quite a predicament."

She rolled her eyes, clearly unamused, "you know what, Billy you're kind of an asshole. Like a really big asshole. Seriously, would it kill you to be nice for once?"

Billy clenched his jaw, "Shut the hell up."

"No, I mean how did you just hit someone with your car and think that it was okay. That I was okay? I broke my arm and you wanted me to pay for your car." She shook her head, looking him directly in the eyes, "you have no idea how that affected me," she slurred, "you wanted to know where I got this scar? I got it-"

"Amber, stop," Billy said, his eyes cold, "just stop."

Amber shut her mouth, her bottom lip starting to tremble. "Where's Charlie? I want to go home."

Billy sighed, "C' mon," he grabbed her shoulder and led her back to the house. The party was starting to die now, people were stumbling out of the house, some were passed out on the lawn. She saw Charlie counseling a very upset Steve on the porch steps, and she raised an eyebrow wondering what happened to Steve. Suddenly, the flash of red, white, and blue appeared on the street. Some parent probably called the cops.

"Shit," Billy said, his hand tightening around Amber's upper arm.

"Oh my gosh, Oh my gosh," Amber said starting to panic, "I cannot get arrested, Hopper would kill me. I would be fired. My aunt would probably die of a heart attack, oh gosh-"

"Shut up," Billy hissed pulling her away from the house, looking for an opening to get to his car.

"What about Charlie and Steve, we can't leave them!" Amber replied, very loudly.

Billy slapped his hand over her mouth and practically pulled her to his car once the coast was clear. He opened the passenger door and roughly pushed her in and got into the driver's side. Billy grumbled to himself as he turned the car on and booked it away from the house.

Amber pressed her hands against the window hoping to see Charlie and Steve somewhere. She didn't, she looked over at Billy and raised her eyebrows, "wait, wait, stop."

"Henderson if you puke in my car I will throw you out, I swear to god," he snapped, slowing the car down once they were a safe distance away from the police.

She shook her head, "no I'm not going to puke, dingus, but why are you driving? You shouldn't be driving, Billy you're drunk," she wiggled the door handle, "let me out."

"You can't walk home in the state you're in, plus I'm not drunk," he replied, rolling his eyes. She was really starting to get on his nerves.

"Billy, let me out," she said seriously. Panic starting to rise in her chest as the accident flashed before her eyes again.

Billy looked extremely confused and frustrated but unlocked her door. He watched Amber stumble out, nearly on the verge of a panic attack. The girl in front of him confused him to hell. Amber sat down on the curb her head in her hands, eyes tightly shut as she tried to control her breathing, unaware of Billy's presence now in front of her.

Billy could have easily driven off and let her fend for herself, and he would have until the words she spoke to him only twenty minutes prior echoed in his head. If he left her here, that wouldn't be okay. For the first time in a long time, he felt compelled to do something right. "Are you," he struggled to say the next word, swallowing thickly, "okay?"

Amber shook her head, unable to say anything still.

Billy sat down in front of her and ran a hand through his hair, inhaling sharply. Amber was so emotional all the time, he honestly didn't know how she could do it. "Look, Henderson-"

"My parents were killed in a car accident about four months ago. Our car got pushed into the lake, I held my breath for two minutes before I was able to get out. I got the scar on my neck from pushing myself through the back window. I later found out the guy who hit us was drunk," Amber sighed and looked up at him, feeling like a huge weight was taken off her shoulders. She hadn't told anyone yet, at least not willingly. Honestly, she didn't know why she told Billy out of all people, geez, but for some reason, she had a gut feeling that he would sort of get her.

Billy furrowed his eyebrows, definitely not expecting her to say that out of all things, but he did feel a bit shitty for hitting her with his car now. He averted his gaze from her and looked at his shoes, not really knowing what to say. Should he apologize? "Uh, I'm," his mouth went dry and he searched for his next words.

"It's okay, you don't need to apologize. That's all anyone tells me," she said, a little bitter.

Billy nodded. He understood that everyone always took pity on him after his mom left him when he was younger. He hated that, hated it.

Both Amber and Billy looked at each other and shared a small smile, understanding that they both had a chip on their shoulders and not the best outlook on life. They had shared trauma of sorts.

"We should probably get you home," Billy said, standing up and brushing his jeans off. He stuck a hand out to Amber, offering to help her.

Amber lightly grabbed his hand and he pulled her up. She smiled, "thank you."

"You're welcome."