Four Letter Word..

Chapter Forty Three

I laid on my back, wrapping the sheets around me as Billy slipped his boxers back on before lying back down. I laid my head on his chest as he wrapped one arm around me "So...Come on. What are you doing here?" I asked him
"You can thank your Dad" I turned to look at him
"My Dad?" Billy nodded
"Some how he found the boarding school I was at. Called and pretended to be my Dad.. Told them I was needed home. He came and picked me up from Montana" I widened my eyes. I'd told Dad Billy was at boarding school in Montana. Had he really managed to find Billy for me? "Anyway. I'm not going back to Boarding School. I'm living at your Dad's at the minute"
"Really?" Billy nodded
"Your Dad's incredible Kat.. You should feel really lucky" I smiled and pressed my lips to his softly "Anyway. What have I missed?" he asked me wrapping his arms around me again
"Not a lot..." I thought back to what had happened with his Dad. There was no way I could tell him about that. Not tonight anyway. "Oh come on? Hawkins is crazy something must have happened?"
"I got Jason expelled..." I spoke
"Jason?" I nodded
"Yeah. He hit Jenn. Got really violent and I snapped and knocked him out" Billy laughed and I looked up at him "I bought some drugs off of Tommy and hid them in his locker. Got Jonathan Byers to tell the head he'd seen Jason put narcotics in his locker. He got expelled for it"
"Damn Kat..." I looked up at him
"I just did what I had to Billy. He was already making Jenn's life a living hell. Her Black eye has only just healed" Billy sighed "I have some good news too though.. Mom's out"
"I know she is" I narrowed my eyes and sat up to look at him
"How?"
"Because I was at your place this morning whilst you were at School. I came down here with your Dad"
"Seriously? My Mom knew about this as well?" I asked him
"Yeah.." I looked down at him "You know, you look so beautiful right now Kat" I rolled my eyes at him "Shut it Hargrove" I laid back down beside him and pressed my lips to his shoulder as he pulled me into his side.

()()()()()()()

I woke up the next morning wrapped up in Billy's arms. I smiled contently not wanting to move ever again. His arms tightened around me and he pressed a light kiss to my shoulder before he got out of the bed and headed for the Bathroom. I heard the shower turn on and I sat up stretching and looking at the time on the bedside clock. It was nearing eleven and I sighed realising we were all supposed to be meeting for post prom brunch at Benny's diner. I walked around the bed and opened the Bathroom door stepping into the steamy room. I pulled the shower curtain back and watched Billy as he washed his hair for a moment before stepping in. I wrapped my arms around his back and he jumped slightly "Hey baby"
"Hi" I kissed him softly "I'm supposed to be meeting Stacey and the rest for Brunch in an hour... Is that ok?" I asked "You can totally come" he smiled at me
"Sure babe. I was going to take you out for Breakfast anyway" he handed me the shampoo and let me step under the stream of water whilst he let the conditioner he'd just put in his hair work it's magic. I washed my hair and then stepped out and dried myself. I realised I didn't have any clothes here "We're going to have to head home. I need to get changed" I called to Billy as I slipped into my dress that had been discarded on the floor last night "Yeah, no problem" he called back.

At home my Dad was the only one in, Mom was at a counselling session this morning "You kids have a good night?" My Dad asked from the kitchen door
"Yeah, it was great" I walked over to him "But you should know, usually I hate surprises" I gave him a hug "I don't know how you did it, but thank you" He kissed the top of my head and I headed upstairs to my room to get changed into a pair of high waisted jeans and a clean t-shirt before cleaning my teeth and doing my hair and makeup. Billy was holding his jean jacket out to me when he noticed a Manilla envelope sticking out of the pocket. I watched him pull it out and read the front Katrina Carter evidence against Neil Hargrove I swallowed "It's nothing Billy" I told him as I tried to snatch the envelope from him. I'd forgotten about the envelope I'd shoved in the inside pocket that day outside of the police station. He lifted it above his head so I couldn't reach it and then turned away from me as he opened it up and slid out the A4 photos of the injuries his Father had inflicted on me "What the fuck is this Katrina?" he asked not turning back to look at me. I didn't reply knowing he already knew what the photos represented. I shrugged the jean jacket on and walked around Billy so that I was facing him. His jaw was clenched as well as the fist that wasn't holding the papers. I wrapped my arms around him and placed my head on his chest but he shrugged me off "He's fucking dead" I swallowed as Billy charged out of the bedroom "Dad!" I called "Dad, stop him!" My Dad was already blocking the front door by the time I got down the stairs "Mr Carter. Please. Move out of the way" Billy asked him as politely as he could with the mood he was in "What's the matter kid? What's going on?" Billy's hand was clenching still against his side "Did you know about this?" he shoved the papers into my Dad's chest and my Dad looked at them "Kat... Are these of you? Who did this to you?" Billy suddenly looked embarrassed. Like admitting that his own Father had almost choked his Girlfriend to death was embarrassing for him "Neil.... Billy's Dad" I hopped off of the stairs and stood beside Billy. His eyes were glazed over. I slipped my hand into his as my Dad continued to look at the photographs "I know you want to go and give your Dad what for Billy. I'd love for you to but, maybe Kat's right. Let's talk this out before we make any rash decisions" I squeezed Billy's hand and he looked down at me. I was glad Mom wasn't in the house at the moment. Explaining what had happened to Dad was one thing... But Mom was a whole different story. Especially with the abuse we'd suffered at the hands of Chris. We sat in the living room and Billy put his head in his hands, his elbows resting on his knees "Kat, what happened?" My Dad asked and I told them both the story of why Billy's Father had attacked me "I called him a piece of shit... Got him mad. I knew what Neil was like so I'm not sure why I thought it was a good idea to rile him up like that.." Billy looked up at me and laughed slightly "You called my Dad a piece of shit?" I nodded
"I was angry. It just came out and then he threw me against the wall and strangled me. If Steve hadn't shown up when he did. I don't know what would have happened"
"Harrington?" Billy questioned
"He hit your Dad over the head with a baseball bat" Billy smirked slightly but it faded just as quickly as it appeared "I can't believe he touched you..." his jaw was moving from side to side "I couldn't protect you, just like I couldn't protect my Mom from him" I swallowed and wrapped an arm around Billy's waist to comfort him"Did you report this to the police?" My Dad asked
"Yeah, that's where the photos came from. I didn't file anything against him though" Billy looked at me "Why the hell not? That asshole deserves to go down for abusing you" I sighed
"It doesn't matter anymore Billy... It's over" I looked at the clock on the wall. It was nearing 12.30... we'd missed the post prom brunch not that it really mattered. I took the photos from my Dad and started ripping them up. Billy grabbed my wrist "Come on Kat... You really don't want to get him done for this?"
"No. I don't care." I told him, continuing to rip up the photos. Billy stood up
"We should get going Kat if we want to make this Breakfast" I looked up at him from the couch
"You still want to go? After this?" he nodded, his eyes clear of anger now
"I mean I'm not finished with this conversation, but it can wait till later" Billy outstretched his hand and I took it standing up "We're going to Benny's Dad... I'll see you later on" We headed out to Billy's camaro "I thought you were banned from driving for three years?" I asked Billy as he started the engine "Only if I get caught.. I'm banned from driving in Indiana not California"
"It's not like everyone in Hawkins owns a Blue Camaro. You're bound to get pulled over if Hopper is about" Billy just smiled in response
"I've got to head back to California tonight" I looked across at him
"Why? I thought you were staying here?"
"I've got an interview for a job on Monday and it'll take me a day or so to drive back to California"
"So you won't be here for graduation?"
"No sorry babe, but it's only for a week and then you'll be moving" Billy pulled up into the lot next to Steve's car. At least they were still here "What do you mean? I don't start college until September?"
"Your Dad wants you to move in as soon as you graduate" I undid my seatbelt
"I can't do that... Mom only just got out of rehab. She doesn't have anyone here. I wanted to make sure she was ok before I moved"
"Kat, she'll be fine. She has loads of people here, Penny and Stacey" he told me over the roof of the car "You can't keep putting your life on hold for other people. Nina will understand" Billy followed me into the Diner and I spotted our group in a booth at the front "Why can't you just stay here for the Summer?" I asked him as we walked over to the booth
"Because if my Dad sees me here shit will hit the fan"
"Billy, you were just about to go over there and kill him..." He looked at me
"That motherfucker hurt you. He would have deserved it" we got to the booth
"About time!" Stacey announced
"Sorry, we got held up" we slid into the booth. Billy next to Steve and me on the end
"You have some explaining to do" Jenn stated looking at Billy
"My Dad tracked him down and pretended to be his Dad. Told them Billy needed to come home immediately" Jenn laughed
"Jesus. Your Dad's insane.. He could get into trouble for that you know?" I shrugged as I looked at Billy who was looking at a table across the Diner. I followed his gaze to see his Sister Max sat there with her friends. Max looked over and her face dropped at the site of her older Brother. Billy stood up and headed over to her. I stayed seated and turned to my friends, sliding across so I was now next to Steve "So how did the rest of last night go?" I asked them, keeping one eye on Billy across the room "It was amazing!" Stacey announced "I got Prom Queen and Josh got Prom King" I smiled
"Congratulations both" They looked at each other and I thought I saw Stacey blush slightly. I raised my eyebrows at her and she looked away. Billy returned and sat down "Ok?" I asked him
"Yeah, I told her to keep her mouth shut and gave her your Dad's LA number in case she needs me" I smiled
"So,what did you two get up to last night?" Josh asked raising his eyebrows
"Wouldn't you like to know" Billy replied wrapping an arm around my waist. The waitress arrived with some food "You guys want anything?" she asked looking at me and Billy
"Could I get some Pancakes please? With blueberries and maple syrup" I asked her, she noted it down "and for you?"
"The same but with bacon and no blueberries"
"Sure"