Just a friend (Billy Hargrove)

Chapter Five

Aleah Johnson

My first day at Melvald's started off great. Joyce helped me figure out where to stack everything and I managed to do all of my jobs, which meant I could help her at the front counter. I got to know more about her, she has two sons, one of them is my age and is actually in my English class. I also found out that her and my mum were friends in middle school, but parted ways in high school.

She's really cool talking to, we spent most of my first day just chatting while I unboxed items and stuck price tags onto various products. Donald let me finish up early, which was great, but Billy doesn't finish working until three, which meant I had to wait around for him. I decide that it's better to go see him in his work environment than waiting outside on the bench for an hour.

When I walk into the record store, rock music is blaring from the speakers, and I instantly know that it's Billy's doing. I look around in admiration at all of the posters hung up on the walls. My hands skim the brand new vinyls sitting tightly in the boxes on display. I'd consider buying some but I'd need to buy a record player first. No one seems to be in the store, to be fair it is going to be closing in an hour.

With the heavy electric guitars blasting from the speakers, it's hard to hear the sound coming from the staff room at the back. But once I approach the front desk, my ears start to pick up the moans and screams coming through the door.

"Holy fuck Billy!" I hear a girl yell out. The sound of his grunts and what seems to be a desk slamming against the wall is enough for me to turn on my heel and make my way out of the store.

He always has to sleep with every girl he meets, I swear to god. I can't help but groan in frustration as I make my way to the bench outside of the store. I didn't care if I looked strange, I pulled off my jacket and balled it up before I laid my head down on it and looked up at the sky.

His eyes were watery as he faced me. I was standing on the stairs watching as he was preparing to leave through the front door with his suitcase in his hand. He promised me he wasn't going to leave, yet here I am, standing in my pajamas watching him try to sneak off in the middle of the night.

"I'm sorry"

"Shit. How long have you been out here for?" Billy says, and once I hear the sound of the door shut behind him, I'm pulled out of the faint memory.

"Not long. Are you done sleeping with your boss?" I question him as I pick up my jacket and pull it back on. Billy grins at me as he pulls out a cigarette and nods.

"Pretty much" He says as we start to walk back to his car.

I'm quiet on the car ride home, my thoughts consume me while my eyes are focused on the trees surrounding the car. I can tell my absence is bothering Billy, he turned down his music so it was barely audible after five minutes of me not saying anything.

"Are you mad at me for having sex with my boss?" Billy questions, breaking the silence. I mean I'm not delighted knowing my crush is sleeping with a woman who just employed him last week, but that's not why I'm feeling this way.

"No. It's just- it's my dad's birthday today" I blurt out, my eyes shifting from my window to the front of the car. Billy doesn't know how to respond at first, I don't blame him. What do you say to your friend who's just mentioned that it's her deadbeat dad's birthday.

"Do you miss him?" Billy asks me, and I shrug.

"Sometimes" I mumble.

"On days like this I just remember when our family was whole. But then I remember the day he left, and I just wanna erase all of those memories" I continue, my voice just above a whisper. I feel Billy place his hand on my knee and he squeezes it reassuringly.