THE GOLD | b. hargrove

chapter nineteen

Billy scoffed at the sight of Harriet stood in the entrance of the Byers home, an abashed look washing over her face as he shook his head at her. She stepped forward to try and block him from coming further into the house, and his eyes bore down at her small frame in front of him. "'Course you're here, you and your pussy boyfriend hanging out with a bunch of kids now?"

"Billy, it's not like that." Harriet felt herself stumbling over her words, glancing back towards the living room, where she knew the kids were all huddled together in fearful anticipation.

"Look at you, all flustered. What you trying to hide?" He gripped her chin with his thumb and forefinger, forcing her to keep her gaze focused on him. His tone dripped with sarcastic concern, and he could see in her eyes how it was effecting her, panic flashing across her irises.

Harriet rutted her chin up to writhe it out of his grasp, taking a small step backwards once his hand was no longer on her face. "You really gotta go, Billy. You can't be here right now. Please, just-"

"Cut the shit Harriet." He bit, cutting her off mid sentence and shoving his way past her with his shoulder, knocking her back as he did. He stormed through the small house to where he'd seen the group of kids peering through the window, them now all stood huddled together like a pack of prey animals hiding from their predator. "Lucas Sinclair, what a surprise." His stature towered over the kids who all silently looked up at him, afraid to even breathe too loud. "I thought I told you to stay away from him Max." His attention turned away from the young boy to his stepsister, stepping up to her as she stood up straight, trying to match his energy and stand her ground.

Harriet could see Steve now Billy had passed her, still clutching his stomach on the floor outside though slowly moving with the intention of getting to his feet. She rushed out to her friend, holding a hand out to him which he grabbed with the hand that wasn't currently on his abdomen. "Are you okay?" She breathed, putting all her strength into helping her friend off of the cold floor.

"Just great." Steve winced as he finally stood up fully, the air was finally returning to his lungs after it was forcefully removed by Billy's heavy boot.

The sudden uproar of voices inside the house drew Harriet's attention away from her wounded friend, flashing him an anxious look before quickly making her way back inside. She rushed through, standing besides the three kids who were watching as Billy had Lucas pinned against a cabinet.

"You stay away from her." Billy was holding the boy up by the fabric of his jacket, slamming his body back against the shelves behind him again to emphasise his point. "Stay away from her! You hear me?"

"Billy stop it, he's just a kid!" Harriet went to try and split up the pair, but Max's hand wrapped tightly around her wrist stopped her in her tracks. The redhead shook her head at the girl, the look on her face acting as a warning to keep her distance.

"I said get off me!" Lucas spat back, raising his knee to hit Billy in the crotch and causing him to release his vice grip as he buckled over from the impact.

"You're so dead, Sinclair! You're dead." Billy seethed, his voice low and laced with anger. If violence could be captured by a tone, Billy definitely had it down to a T.

In the midst of the aggression, Steve had collected himself and stormed back into the house. He passed the teenage bystanders, pulling Billy's shoulder to drag his attention away from Lucas who was readying himself for whatever Billy would lay on him next. "No, you are." And with that he swung, his fist connecting with Billy's face with a crunch.