Keep me Closer - Billy Hargrove - Stranger Things

25: Lights

It was nice just to be stupid teenagers for a while. Just to see what it's like to be on our own. Be on our own with out worrying about his dad catching us or something.

We walked along the streets of Chicago goofing off. Or actually it was him daring me to do stupid stuff and laughing when I actually did it. When I was with him, it was kinda like everything in my life didn't matter. I know I know I know. Believe me I know how cliché it is. I know. But that doesn't mean it's not true. When I was with him I would forget that when I was 15 I was abducted and brainwashed and given the ability to destroy, open, close, and kill dimensions. Or at least that's what they wanted me to do. I would forget that I was tortured while my brother was stuck in the very dimension they tried to get me to destroy. I would forget I saw my brother being eaten alive and then later possessed by a nightmares nightmare.

With him, I was just a stupid teenager in love with another depressed idiot -  like me also forgetting his own torture.

We went to one of very few buildings that will let you up onto the roof for free. We looked over the building and saw the whole city lit up. It was actually very pretty. I'd say beautiful if it didn't cause so much light pollution.

"Hargrove?"

"Yeah Byers?"

"I think my moms gonna sell the house." I finally told without looking at him. I just kept my eyes focused on the city. He looked at me.

"Really?"

"Yeah, she told me. She wanted to move out of Hawkins. I'd be mad but.. didn't we want the same thing?"

He just looked at me for a few moments and then back at the city.

"Do you know where?" He asked softly.

"No." I replied.

"Do you know when?" He asked lighting a cigarette.

I cleared my throat. "No.."

"Well then let's just forget about it for a while." He said and rested his arms on the ledge of the roof top and I did the same.

"It just sucks cause we were so close." I shook my head exhaling an annoyed laugh. "But that's life, right?" I said and his silence agreed with me. "Well, at least we got a while. Maybe a few months? A couple months for someone to buy our house and maybe another month or so to find a house or something. So the next couple months,  we have together. We will find a way to make it work. We wanted to move anyways. Maybe you can come with us?" I smiled with hope.

"Yeah maybe." He smirked back.

***

It was midnight and we finally decided to go back to the hotel. I got in my pjs and got in bed and laid my head on his shoulder and pulled the covers over us. His fingers played in my hair and I smiled with my eyes closed and my hand resting on his chest. He lifted my chin with his index finger and kissed me. Mint and Cigarettes. That's what he tasted like. Mints because he was always eating mints. I don't know why. Maybe for me? I don't know. And also... because he just brushed his teeth.

"Strawberry's." He said randomly.

"What?" I laughed.

"You told me a while ago I tasted like cigarettes."

"Okay?"

"You taste like.. strawberry's."

"I have strawberry mint toothpaste."

"That's kinda weird."

"I got it from the dentist." I shrugged. "You taste minty too. Like a minty cigarette. Weird combo. I suggest you loose the cigarettes." He just exhaled a laugh. "You'll wish you listened when you have cancer and your lungs are burning and crying for help and you're teeth rot out of your mouth."