Forever - Billy Hargrove Story

Boys Suck

Splashing Max I shrieked loudly as El jumped on my back and dunked me under the water both girls laughing loudly as I broke the surface sputtering for air. "I'm getting kind of hungry" Eleven mentioned making me smile "Alright, let's head out" I nodded pushing myself out of the pool and to my feet to grab our things, turning around to see Karen Wheeler running a finger down Billy's chest as the man gave her a heart stopping smile. Clenching my jaw I pulled both girls over and stopped at my boyfriend's side with a fake smile "Hi Mrs. Wheeler, how's your husband these days?" I questioned taking great pride in the way the woman's mouth opened and closed like a fish. "Is this what you've been doing every time you say you're too busy to see me?" I asked quietly refusing to look up at Billy "What? No Piper I would never" he stopped and took a deep breath "What are you even doing here? Don't you work?" he asked lowly making me grind my teeth "I have a couple days off because one of the other girls needs extra hours before she leaves for college so I figured the girls and I would go for a swim. Why? Not expecting to get caught?" I questioned back finally looking up into empty blue eyes. I could feel tears swimming in mine and pulled back just the slightest as he reached towards me "Piper, I can assure you nothing has happened between Billy and I" Mrs. Wheeler finally piped up the smile on her lips making me roll my eyes "You're a shit liar Mrs. Wheeler, I can't believe you'd do this to Nancy, Mike, Holly, me" I commented taking a deep breath and looking at Billy once again. "I'll see you whenever" I mumbled pushing past him, Max and Eleven right behind me. "Wait I forgot something" Max claimed suddenly only to turn around and with a big shove sent both Billy and Mrs. Wheeler into the pool. "Okay we can go now" She smiled looping her arm through my free one and dragging us out, the squealing of Mrs. Wheeler and the swearing of Billy Hargrove following us out littered with our giggles.

"Let's stop at the grocery store" I stated pulling my clothes and shoes on before stepping onto my skateboard waiting for Max to lead the way on her bike. I left my skateboard leaned against Max's bike as we walked inside and headed for the snack aisle. "We should get ice cream" Eleven suggested as we loaded our arms with chips, candy and pop. "Oh that's a good idea" Max agreed excitedly leading us towards the coolers in the back. "Okay, let's stop" I laughed crouching slightly so they could balance the two tubs of ice cream on top of my already full arms. "We won't be able to get home if we get any more" I giggled heading for the check out, paying and carrying the bags outside as the two younger girls tittered excitedly about our sleepover. "You asked your mom and Neil right?" I questioned hanging the bags on the handlebars of the bike once it was upright. "Yeah, this morning at breakfast. They both thought it was a great idea" Max assured smiling happily as we took off for the cabin. Walking inside we dumped our snacks on the counter putting one of the tubs of ice cream in the freezer and the leftover pop in the fridge before bringing the rest into Eleven's bedroom with us. "I have spoons" I grinned pulling two spoons out of my pocket and dropping them on the bedspread beside the ice cream before I climbed onto the bed sitting cross legged across from the two younger girls. "Do you really think Billy is cheating on you with Mike's mom?" Eleven asked quietly, I sniffled and shrugged "I didn't think he'd cheat but after avoiding me the past few weeks I don't know what else to think" I admitted feeling a tear streak down my face. "Look Billy can be a real asshole but I don't think he'd cheat on you" Max offered up leaning forward to squeeze my hand. Pulling away I opened the tub of ice cream and took a large bite deciding I would eat my feelings until I got a stomach ache.

"Look, boys suck. Every single boy ever just sucks. They all lie and no matter how cute or smart or funny they are" I paused and hiccupped "No matter how safe and happy and beautiful they make you feel they suck." I shrugged sitting at the foot of Eleven's bed while her and Max sat shoulder to shoulder against the headboard. My eyes were puffy and red and the girls had either sympathy cried or finally let themselves realize they had broken up with their boyfriends the day before because they had matching red eyes. Taking another bite of the Rocky Road ice cream we had picked up on our way home I sighed heavily. "Except Will I don't think he could lie to save his life" I decided with a small shrug shrieking as the door slammed open to reveal a drunk Hopper. "You...there's no boys" he stumbled looking between the three of us with wide eyes "We are having a sleepover" Max informed with a small shrug "Is that okay? Max already asked her mom and she said yes" El added quietly a smile breaking across Hopper's face "Yeah, yeah that's great" he nodded backing out of the room and closing the door again. "I'm going to go check on him, I'll be back" I sighed passing Max the ice cream and spoon before crawling off the bed and wandering out into the living room to see Hopper sitting on the couch. He had a bottle of wine dangling carelessly in his fingers as he stared blankly at the black screen of the TV. "I heard this episode is a real cliff hanger" I commented sitting beside him happy I could get a smile from the man. "Where were you all night? And why are you drunk?" I asked quietly looking down at our feet as he sighed heavily. "I asked Joyce out on a date" he paused taking a long drag off the bottle "And she stood me up" he finished my gasp escaping before I could stop it. "Are you sure something wasn't wrong? That doesn't sound like something Joyce would do" I sighed chewing on my lower lip honestly not sure if the woman would do that or not since her dating history hasn't been the best. "I honestly don't know. I tried calling her house and Will said she was out" he shrugged making me sigh.

"Relationships suck" I muttered resting my chin in my hands as I sat beside him. "You were crying" he mentioned making me snort "Max and El broke up with the boys yesterday." I informed chewing on my lip "Do you think Billy would cheat on me" I asked quietly flinching slightly at the man's deep inhale "Only if he's made his peace with dying" he replied seriously making me smile. "You should go to bed Hop, you smell like a liquor store exploded" I laughed leaning over and hugging him before I got to my feet. "Goodnight Hopper" I whispered heading back into Eleven's room to see the girls flipping through a magazine. I closed the door behind me and settled onto the bed falling into easy conversation with the girls, laughing, crying and snacking off and on all night. All worries pushed to the back of my mind as we had a true girls night.

OTHER POV

"Is Billy home" Hopper questioned as a redheaded woman that looked identical to Max answered the door. "Oh no, he's been staying the night at a house he bought just outside of town" she explained slowly "I'll get you the address, I have it here somewhere" she whispered the last part digging in her purse and finally coming up with a scrap of paper. "Here, he should be there" she smiled closing the door softly as the big man walked back to his truck and drove out of town to the house. Walking up to the door he didn't see anything out of place, it was just the telltale blue Camaro, some music and a couple lights on. Slamming his fist against the door he almost felt bad as the boy answered dark circles accentuating his wide eyes. "Look I can explain" he started already knowing why the man would be knocking on his door this late at night. "Great so start explaining" Hopper growled pushing the boy back into the house and closing the door behind himself. "I'm not cheating on her. I know I've been an ass and abandoned her. I know her nightmares are back and worse, she's spiraling. I'm trying to hurry up" he rattled off returning to where he was patching holes in one of the spare bedrooms. "Who told you about that?" Hopper asked more concerned about how he knew about the nightmares than anything else. "Will did. Him, Lucas and Mike were over helping me with the kitchen the other day" Billy answered wiping his forehead with the towel before moving on to the next hole. "Doesn't surprise me, they have a weird sixth sense about each other" Hopper nodded finally looking around to take in the destroyed room. "This is" he started trying to find the right word "Take this and imagine it in every single room of the house and on the porch" Billy sighed laying his tools down and walking the man out to the kitchen. "Whoever lived here destroyed it and then stopped making the mortgage payments. I got it incredibly cheap because of it." He informed pulling out the folder with the before photos and handing it to the Chief of Police.

"Does Piper know?" Hopper asked beginning to understand the boy's scarceness. "No, I didn't want her to know about it until it was in better condition" Billy sighed pulling two beers out of the fridge and handing one to Hopper smirking at the exasperated sigh he got for drinking under age. "You've done great work. How much is left?" Hopper asked popping the top and swallowing half the can in one go. "Two of the three bedrooms and the back section of the porch." The teen answered following behind as the older male looked over all of the rooms. "Let's get to work then. If I have to walk in the cabin to see her crying and eating ice cream again I'm going to kill you" Hopper smirked setting his beer down and picking up the spackle and scraper to pick up where Billy had left off. "I feel like shit and really hope this is worth how hurt she is" Billy mumbled picking up a paint brush and the can of paint, starting on the wall that was already prepped. "She'll forgive you and be ecstatic, I saw the front of the porch, I'm sure the back is even better" Hopper commented lowly "Not to mention you're one of two people she would do anything for" he sighed both of them going silent as they worked, finishing the painting and replacing the molding as the clock hit 1 am. "I should get home, I don't feel comfortable leaving all three girls alone all night" Hopper said dropping the hammer on the floor and getting to his feet walking to the front door with Billy. "I'm going to start patching up the last bedroom and then get started on the porch in the back" he informed "By the time I get home from the shop tomorrow night I should be able to paint and stain. Be moved in and set up by the weekend" he added running a hand over his sweaty head. "Thank you for not shooting me first Hopper. I owe you one" he waved goodbye as the father figure of his future wife drove off, the velvet box coming out of his pocket. He flipped it open and looked at the stacked band a smile sliding on his lips as he snapped it shut and shoved it back in his pocket a renewed vigor to his movements as he got to work again not having any time to waste.