𝑺𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒎 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒖𝒅𝒔 • 𝑩𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝑯𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒓𝒐𝒗𝒆 [2]

17•

I parked my car outside of Heather's house and turned in my seat so I could face the girls. It was still lashing down and now thunder and lightning had started to roll in, as if trying to make us more scared than we already were by what we could possibly find inside.

"Is this it?" Max asked as she glanced out the window towards the house, which still remained stubbornly dark despite the lights from inside.

"Red door." El mumbled before unclipping her seat belt. The three of us got out of the car and hurtled towards the front door in an attempt to avoid getting drenched. "Maybe we should knock first..." I let the end of my sentence trail away as the door slowly swung open and as El wiped the blood from her nose. The two girls entered the house and I sighed, breaking in was definitely a good way to start this off. "Or not."

I finally entered the house and walked along a small corridor. "Max, El?" I whispered as I glanced at a few family portraits that adorned the wall. Cautiously, I rounded a corner and walked towards the two girls, who were staring at the dining table, which seated Heather's parents and... Billy?

"I'm sorry," Mr. Holloway began, "now who are these girls dripping all over my living room?"

I quickly plastered on a smile and opened my mouth to speak, but before I could get any words out, Billy did. "I'm sorry," Billy chuckled as he dropped his fork to his plate. Chuckling? My boyfriend was chuckling with the parents of a work colleague as they all had dinner together, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. Today just keeps getting better and fucking better. "Janet, Tom... This is my sister Maxine and my...good friend, Evelyn."

I felt my eyes widen at Billy's words. Friend? Evelyn? What the fuck was going on here?

"Oh." Janet let out, a bright smile on her face. Billy quickly rose from his seat and stood in front of us.

"What on earth are you doing here?" he asked. I felt the knot in my stomach grow tighter and I didn't know whether to be sick, or just flat out punch Billy in the face. "Is something wrong?"

"We just wanted to make sure everything was okay" Max cut in. Billy furrowed his eyebrows before looking at me.

"Okay?" he questioned with a sickly sweet smile, "Why wouldn't it be okay."

"Well," I began, "you just seemed a little off the last time we spoke, you know? And I- we just wanted to check in." I reached out to place a hand on his arm, only for Billy to take a step back. My brows furrowed as I lowered my hand, but Billy's smile never left his face.

"Well I'm just fine Evelyn. No need to worry."

"Billy." I imploringly whispered as I continued to look into his eyes, and for a brief moment, his facade softened to a look of dejection and I could tell that he was finally listening.

"Where is she?" El suddenly spoke up, causing Billy's eyes to snap to her and for any trace of the real him to disappear. It also occurred to me in this moment that Billy had never actually met El before. He didn't know who she was.

"I'm sorry," Billy said, "where is who?"

"Well they're a little burnt, I'm sorry." Our attention was now drawn to the new voice and I watched in shock as Heather came into view. She was holding a tray of freshly baked cookies and she stopped in her tracks once she saw us.

"Heather, this is my sister Maxine," Billy announced, "and I'm sure you remember Evelyn." If he refers to me as Evelyn one more time I am going to fucking scream. "Oh and I'm sorry," Billy reverted his attention back to El, "but I did not quite catch your name."

I watched as El glared up at him. "El."

"El." He repeated, his tone sending a shiver down my spine. "Now, what was it you were saying, El? You were looking for somebody?"

El turned to Heather. "I saw... I saw you-"

"Your manager,"Max cut in, "he said you guys didn't come into work today so we got worried. Especially Evie."

Billy glanced at me before looking away. "Look, Heather wasn't feeling so hot today, so we thought we'd take the day off to nurse her back to health. But you're feeling just fine right now, aren't you Heather?"

"I'm feeling so much better." Heather smiled. Billy turned away from Heather and directed his gaze towards me. In all honesty, I don't know if I wanted to laugh or cry at how rediculous this whole situation is. "Would you girls like a cookie?"

"We really should be going," I glared, my patience finally running out as I placed a hand on both Max and El's shoulders, "so sorry to have interrupted your meal Mr. and Mrs. Holloway."

"Oh don't worry about it." Mr. Holloway smiled as he dabbed his face with a napkin.

"I'll see you out." Billy stated as he led the girls and I back to the front door.

"Go on, I'll catch up." I told Max and El once the door was opened. I stood there with Billy and watched the both of them run outside and climb into the car before I turned to him. "I'd really like an explanation." I said quietly, sadness laced in my words.

"As to what?" Billy replied, the sickly smile still on his face.

"As to why you were having dinner with Heather Holloway and her fucking family." I whisper shouted.

"I thought we cleared this up already Evelyn, she-"

"Billy stop it." I snapped, cutting him off. I quickly ran a hand over my face and took a deep breath. "Listen, I don't want to fight with you okay? I love you Billy and I just want to help you because everything about this just seems wrong, please."

He continued to stare at me before blinking a few times, his facade softened for a brief moment and he slowly reached out his hand and placed it against my cheek. "You need to go, Evie."

Not one second later, he whipped his hand from my cheek as if I had burned him and stepped backwards inside, closing the door. I quickly turned and jogged to my car, not daring to turn back around, because I knew if I did then I wouldn't have the strength to leave him. Not again.