dark red- max mayfield

viii. how to grieve

He pushed Josh up against the wall harder, making the boys back ache as it came into sharp contact with the edge of the cabinet. "Stay away from her! You hear me?"

Josh grabbed his shoulders. "Didn't I tell you to get off of me?"

He kneed Billy in between the legs, making him back up and groan in pain, bending over. When he got up. He looked angrier than ever. "You are so dead, Newby! You hear me? You're dead!"

Steve came out of nowhere, shoving Billy aside. "No. You are."

He punched Billy right across the face, sending him to the ground. Dustin laughed excitedly as Josh limped back over to where they were standing. Lucas was the first one to pull him into a tight embrace with the group, but Josh hardly knew they were hugging. His head was spinning. Maybe he had a concussion from that goddamn china falling on him.

All he could really hear was Billy laughing derisively as he faced off against Steve. When Josh finally focused again, he saw Steve lightly push Billy away. Billy sent a punch towards Steve's head, but Steve dodged it. Steve hit Billy square in the face, sending him to the table.

"Kick his ass, Steve!" yelled Dustin.

"Get him!" yelled Josh dizzily, squinting towards Steve's figure.

"Go, Steve!" cheered Lucas, putting a fist in the air as Steve beat Billy up.

"Let's go, Harrington!" cheered Cassie, still holding onto Dustin.

Steve punched him over and over until Billy grabbed a plate from behind him, smashing it over Steve.

"Shit!" screamed Dustin, covering his mouth with his hand in shock. Steve's momentum was completely gone— he had been so stunned by the hit to the head.

Billy punched Steve again, sending him into the living room and grabbing him by the shirt. "No one tells me what to do."

He hit Steve in the head with his own head, knocking unconscious as Steve hit the ground. Billy kneeled down in front of him.

"You're gonna kill him!"

Billy punched Steve continuously as the boys screamed at him. There was nothing they could do. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Max storm over to Billy, stabbing one of the syringes they'd used on Will into his neck.

Billy stood up, shaking, as he pulled the needle out of his neck, examining it before he looked up. He walked to Max menacingly. "The hell is this? You little shit, what did you do?"

He fell backwards to the ground, laughing. Max grabbed Steve's bat from where it was leaned up against the wall. She held it over her head.

"From here on out, you leave me and my friends alone. Do you understand?"

"Screw you." muttered Billy. She slammed the bat into the ground, right in between Billy's legs. He looked down at it. She pulled it out of the floor.

"Say it!" she screamed. "Say you understand! Say it! Say it!"

"I understand." Billy replied weakly, his head lolling from one side to the other.

"What?" snapped Max, wanting Billy to say it more clearly. She needed confirmation. She needed to feel in charge of the situation.