Not Your Baby ║ Billy Hargrove

Chapter Fourteen

Sunday always had a particular routine to it. Mom would make her signature Hendersen quiche with ham and no spinach as she would get aggravated watching Dustin pull it out and move it to my plate. Dad would take the Chevelle "for a Sunday spin" while mom did Jazzercise in the basement. Dustin would head to Mike's house for the day and I would dedicate half the day homework and the other half to working with Steve at Mini Golf Kingdom. While we hated dealing with renting out mini golf clubs to middle schoolers, it got us by as we waited for the long-anticipated Hawkins Mall to open. Thankfully, neither one of us had to work this weekend due to the first week of class. Not only was I free for the night, but I was also in the clear of having to tell Steve that I was going to the drive-in with his arch nemesis.

The afternoon flew by as I occupied myself with AP English and AP U.S History homework for the week. The sun began to slowly set as I wrapped up the last few assignments and double checked the clock. 5:40. Perfect... I felt nerves rush through my body like a shot of liquor as I ran to the bathroom to take a quick shower. I let the water rinse over as I began to devise my game plan for sneaking out of the house. Mom and dad were planning on going out for a date night tonight, meaning they'd be leaving in the next half hour. Dustin, thankfully, was already at Mike's house and had plans to stay the night with the Wheelers. I turned the knob to the right and patted dry with a towel before sauntering back down the hall to my room.

My room became a disaster in the span of minutes. Clothes were everywhere and shoes had flung themselves all the way to the bedroom door. I dug through my closet to find something that one would wear to a platonic, drive-in rendezvous. I settled on a pair black leggings, a basic tank top and my favorite blue flannel before tying my hair up into a slick ponytail. Scrambling for jewelry that screamed "this isn't a date", I came across Billy's black biker jacket that I stuffed under the hidden pile of clothes by my bed. I knelt down and slid it out from the pile, giving it a good shake before holding it up to examine it for the first time.

"He probably wants this back." I spoke as I went to give the cloth inside a whiff before instantly gagging from the smell of cheap beer and sweat. I threw it on top of my wooden desk chair and looked back once more at the time. 6:57 PM... I took a deep breath, adjusted my scrunchie holding my ponytail together and applied one last layer of cherry red lipstick.

"This isn't a date. This isn't a date." I repeated to myself as I looked once more in the mirror.

With a long exhale of confidence and determination to sneak out without notice, I gingerly closed my bedroom door and created a makeshift body out of pillows under my bedsheets. I caressed the window lock with my fingers and gave it a good tug, opening the window with a loud creak. The September sun streamed through, illuminating orange and red tones throughout my room. My eyes formed slits as I heard an all-too familiar car blaring through the block. He's here... I crouched through the window and closed it once more, stealthily using my mom's tomato vine pallet to hop down to the driveway in front of the garage. Upon looking up, I saw Billy's blue Camaro pull into the driveway; music blared as he emerged from the car.

He wore a blue button down with, what seemed to be a common trait of his, half of the buttons undone. His blue denim jeans with his shirt clashed with his hair in the setting sun, making his curls seem more red than yesterday. His face etched itself into a smile as he made his way towards me.

"My god!" Billy roared in excitement. "You look like an angel." As he came closer I met his baby blue eyes with mine. I gave a little smile as I felt my body get hot with embarrassment.

"It's the sunlight." I pointed towards the sun creating warm glows throughout the trees as Billy got closer to where I stood.

"I don't think so." He breathed, his face inches from mine. I could feel the heat of his words evaporate on my cheeks as I watched him look at my lips and trace my face back up to my eyes with his own. Thinking of a way out, I quickly tightened my grip on his leather jacket in my hand the thrust it into his abdomen.

"Here," I quickly spoke. "this is yours." I watched as he confusingly unraveled the black lump to find that it was his jacket from the night before. His look of irritation transformed into pleasure as he chuckled and shook the jacket out.

"Actually," he turned his head "it looks better on you." Billy replied nonchalantly as he walked behind me and softly draped the arms over my shoulders. My heart was racing a mile a minute as I stood, frozen with nerves. This is not a date, this is not a date... those words circled around my head as I adjusted the arms of his biker jacket with my hands. "Let's go or we'll be late." Billy motioned with his head to hop in the car.

We cruised through the streets of Hawkins as we made our way to the drive-in. With Rock You like a Hurricane blaring through both windows, I stuck my hand out the window to feel the cool air rush through my hand. I lifted my fingers up and down and watched as the wind played with their direction. Feeling like someone was staring, I adverted my attention to Billy. Catching him mid-stare, I shook my head and adjusted in the cool leather seats.

"You're a looker, huh?" I commented as I watched him shift his gaze back to the road. Billy twirled a toothpick in his mouth as a half-grin appeared on his face.

"And you're a talker... Huh?" he teased, mocking my question.

"I'll give you that." I laughed as I acknowledged his good comeback. "I've got to know," I ran my fingers through my ponytail as I propped my arm on the passenger side door. "out of literally everyone in Hawkins high, why are you set on me?" I cocked my head and awaited a response. Billy put one hand on the top of the wheel while the other rested on the shift knob. He gave a short chuckle, exposing his straight smile.

"Well, Penelope." He exaggerated. "You were the only girl who didn't lunge herself at me the moment I got to school." I sighed, not knowing that I was about to hear a speech on how everyone wants to be with him. Sensing my annoyance, his hand went from the shift knob to my leg. My body jolted with electricity; butterflies erupted in my gut like a volcano. His hands were big enough to fit over my entire lower thigh, with warmth that sent my skin into overdrive. "I mean," he started over. "you don't need me. And that turns me on. Confidence, I like that shit." His grip strengthened on my leg as I was too frozen in nerves to fidget. My brain worked like a horse in a racetrack to think of something to say back.

"I'm glad you think confidence is attractive." I replied calmly despite wanting to nervously scream.

"I've got a long list of things I find attractive about you." He shot me a look and gave a quick wink before turning into the drive- . I practically melted in my seat.

This is definitely a date, and the man in the driver's seat is rapidly growing on me.