HERO ↠ ( BILLY BATSON )

ten

LAINEY FELT HER HEART JUMP WHEN THE DOOR OPENED. There stood a rather tall woman, who was almost a complete replica of Lainey – with her long brown hair and light green eyes. She wore a red sweater with black leggings and her earrings were a shiny silver. All Lainey could think was about how beautiful the woman was. How beautiful her mother was.

The woman smiled at the younger girl, her eyes sparkling from the hallway's light. "Hello," she greeted the two teenagers. But then, instead of her heart jumping again, it almost felt like it had dropped. She probably didn't remember her.

"Hi," replied Lainey, "is your name Cassidy Willow?"

She furrowed her eyebrows slightly, but Lainey couldn't blame her. She would also be confused if someone just knocked on her door and asked them such questions, "Yes. Who's asking?"

"I'm – My name is Lainey," stammered the teenager, digging her nails into her palms as the anxiety rushed over her once more.

Cassidy's eyes widened the moment the girl said her name.

"I know it's a weird time but—"

Cassidy cut her off with a hug, and Lainey immediately melted into her embrace. The smell of lavenders filled her nose, bringing back those very faint memories of being with her mother when she was younger. "I'm sorry," she whispered in Lainey's ear as she sobbed into her jacket, "I'm such a horrible mother."

"You're not a horrible mother," began Lainey, letting the woman's tears stain her jacket, "it just wasn't the right time and I get it."

"I shouldn't have let them take you," said Cassidy as she released the teenager from the hug and cupped the girl's face in her own hands, "he came back, Lainey. Only a day after they took you away, he came back."

"Who came back?" Her mother looked at her with the biggest smile ever, before proceeding to turn around and point at something.

There was nothing there.

Lainey squinted her eyes and, soon enough, Billy began to do so too. Squinting and standing on their tippy toes, thinking that maybe they weren't seeing this person correctly. But either way, there was nothing there besides a small vase on a wooden stool.

She laughed awkwardly, scratching the back of her neck, "I don't see anyone, Mommy."

"What are you talking about, silly! He's right there and he's waiting for you to give him a big hug! He missed you, ya know." There still wasn't anyone there. Billy began to grow worried, his palms beginning to sweat and his breath starting to hitch. Lainey wasn't doing any better either. Although a small smile still remained on her face, Billy knew she was panicking in the inside.

Lainey shook her head, however. If there wasn't anyone there, then that was that. No one was there so she couldn't do anything about that, "Sorry, but I don't see anyone," and then it hit her.

It all came back at once – the men dressed in the white coats taking her away, the sobbing yet ever-so frightening look on her mother's face as Lainey was pulled away from her, her father leaving. It wasn't because her mother simply didn't love her or couldn't balance between school and taking care of a child.

It was because her mother was mentally ill and needed immediate care.

"Billy," muttered Lainey, thankfully loud enough for the boy to hear. She shot her head towards him and at that moment he knew what was going on. Her face said it all. It was written in fear and shock. Almost as if she was pleading for him to save her from some sort of monster. In this case, her mother was the monster and Lainey happened to be the victim.

He furrowed his eyebrows in worry. "Yeah? Are you okay, Lainey?"

"I want to go home. Please, take me home," there was a brief pause. "NOW!"

Billy was taken aback, but who wouldn't be? A few minutes ago, the brunette was dying to finally see her mother after so many years. Now, she was begging the boy to take her away from this woman.

Nonetheless, Billy grabbed Lainey's hand and pushed her away from the woman that was about to grab onto her. No longer was Cassidy smiling, she now had a big frown on her face while her eyebrows had started to furrow in pure anger and fury, "Lainey! Get your ugly ass back here, you bitch!"

As the two finally reached the elevator and got in, Lainey felt dizzy. She felt sick in the stomach, as if she were about to puke, but she wasn't going to. Instead, she swallowed back the feeling and let her body slump onto the floor of the small and stuffy elevator.

And all Billy could do was watch, silently praying this nightmare would all be over soon.

Cassidy Willow was fucking delusional, and now they both knew that.

Fucking delusional.

★・・・・・・★・・・・・・★

[AUTHOR'S NOTE]
No kidding, I had to write this chapter eight different times. This chapter was kinda angsty, but oh well! Don't worry, the next chapter's gonna be more fluffy!

Stay safe!
Love, RIV.