Harrington 3

Back in Business

Eventually, Hopper and I have to part ways, and I tell him to drop me off at Max's on the drive back.

Dustin gets back today, and she lives closer to his house than I do, so I told her I would stay with her until it was time to go to surprise him.

I bid my farewells to the cop, shutting the passenger door and trudging up the grass to her front door. I'm earlier than I told her I would be, but I'm sure she'll just be in her room.

I don't bother knocking on the door, as I've been in their house enough times to be certified as almost family, but part of me wishes I had, because yelling immediately reaches my ears.

"You think you can just work at the pool and that's your life?!" Mr Hargrove is shouting from around the corner, where the living room is.

I go to close the door, assuming it's just some feud on where Billy's life is going.

"You're a worthless piece of shit, you know that? God! How are you my son?"

Those words make me stop in my tracks and frown. Those words aren't just a simple feud. Those words I've heard come out of my father's mouth before.

"I'm gonna go to college, I'm just taking a year off." Billy doesn't sound as firm and confident as he usually does around anyone else. He sounds small, and helpless. I feel a wave of understanding as the argument gets more heated.

"A year off turns into five years, and then you're screwed!" His dad shouts at him as I press my back against the wall, "I should've left you in California! I knew I should've left you."

"You don't mean that," Billy says angrily.

"Like hell I mean it! I should've left you when I had the damn chance because I knew ever since you were growing up that you were gonna be useless!" Mr Hargrove had always been a stern father, but I never suspected this, "Just like your mother!"

"Don't you fucking talk about mom!"

There's a crash and a thud, and I clench my eyes shut in fear at what might've happened, holding my breath.

"Watch your language with me, son." Mr Hargrove's voice is low and laced with a promising threat, "Remember that she left you. She left us. She's a trifling bitch that was just as worthless as you apparently are."

"You're worthless!" Billy shouts, "She left because of you! It's your damn fault!"

"What did you just say to me?"

I can tell what's gonna happen as the words that left my father's mouth three months ago leave Billy's father's in this moment. I can tell when someone is gonna attack, and it provokes an unexplainable urge that I can't ignore.

I slam the door loudly and walk into the house fully, kicking off my shoes and making as much noise as possible before entering the living room.

"Hey Mr Hargrove," I say, assessing the scene in a split second, "Hiya Billiam."

The boy is leaning on the bookshelves, trying to hold the side of his face in a way that looks natural, and it might've if I hadn't heard the entire conversation. Mr Hargrove had hit him; it's obvious.

The man acted as if everything was all right, standing a foot away from Billy and smiling at me, "Hey, Liz. Max should be home any minute, she was just at the grocer's with her mother."

And he throws me a polite smile, walking past me and patting my shoulder on the way. I lean against the doorframe in thought, watching Billy as he avoids my eye contact and continues to hold his face.

"You should ice that." I nod at him, and his eyes snap to mine.

"Ice what?" His tone is harsh again, but I see through it.