Blondie Wannabe: A Billy Hargrove Fanfic

A Brief, Abrupt Reunion

Fresh air never tasted so good, but I didn't enjoy it for more than a minute before I decided to ruin it with a cigarette. I did my best to ignore the couple making out a dozen feet to my right- the boy sitting on a fire hydrant, his girlfriend straddling his waist- but the slurping sounds pushed their way into my brain. I distracted myself by examining the apartment buildings surrounding me, but that proved even more depressing. It was hard to believe my family could live the way they did while people nearby slept in slums. How could I have grown up in Hawkins unaware of the more decrepit neighborhoods?

"Can I bum one of your cigarettes?" I whipped around at the familiar voice. Billy approached me slowly, smirking infuriatingly. "Please? I've loaned you loads." 

"These aren't Virginia Slims; hope they aren't too big for your hands."

I waited for him to blow up, cuss me out, reaffirm why I wanted us to split up in the first place, but he only chuckled, taking a cig out of my open pack and putting it between his teeth. "I think I'll be fine." He slapped his chest then the front of his jeans, checking each of his pockets. "Do you have a light?"

"Yeah." I held out my lighter, trying to keep my distance, but, with the wind picking up, I needed to shield the flame to keep it from going out. His face was so close to mine, I could see the silver flecks in his eyes. "What are you doing here?"

"The party." He looked at me like I'd gotten hit in the head. "That's why everyone's here."

"Right."

We smoked in silence for a moment, the temperature dropping lower and lower as it got closer to the New Year. When I started to reach for another cigarette, Billy asked, "Are you planning on going back inside?"

"No."

"You get into a fight with your cousin?"

"He's not my-" I took a deep breath; I wasn't going to let him work me up, not when he had such a self-assured smirk on his lips. "Yeah, we did, and now I don't have a ride home."

With a sweeping arm motion, he gestured to his blue Camaro parked just down the street. "I could give you a ride."

"That's not a good idea."

"Please, I know I fucked up in Colorado, I just want a chance to make it up to you." Billy looked up at me through his golden lashes, all boyish innocence, but I remained guarded. He knew how to make me melt, but that didn't mean that anything had changed- it didn't mean we've changed. 

Whatever his motivations, I was freezing and Sal was an asshole, so I followed him to his car, let him open the passenger door for me. "Do you mind if we listen to some music?"

"Yeah- I mean no, I don't mind." He anxiously stuffed a cassette tape into the player, making me giggle despite myself. 

The first song started playing, and I recognized it instantly. "Is this- is this Elvis Costello."

"The only Elvis I tolerate."

"Did you ask around about me?"

"What do you mean?"

"This is one of my favorite albums," I said slowly. "Did someone tell you I liked it?"

Billy snorted at the suggestion. "Who would I talk to if I wanted to find out want music you like? Steve? Maybe you should just admit we have more in common than you'd like to admit."

I kept silent, staring out the window, counting the streetlights till we reached my house. Billy had it all screwy; I knew we had plenty of things in common and I had no problem admitting it, that wasn't the issue. We both liked art and kinky sex and hated our families- he was more like me than Craig or Derek were, but I didn't need someone like me, I needed someone intellectual and cool-headed and rational, someone to balance me out. I wanted a boy to tie me up and bite my inner thighs, not beat me whenever he got mad at his father. 

"This is it," I said, pointing to my street.

"Yeah, I remember." When we arrived, Billy parked the car, but didn't unlock the door. When I tried to unlock it manually, he grabbed my wrist. "Wait."

"What is it?"

"I've missed you. Have you missed me?"

"No," I lied.

He didn't let go of my wrist, instead turning it over, exposing the blue veins running like rivers down into the meaty flesh of my palm. "I'm trying to be better, but I need your help. Why won't you give me a second chance?"

"Because I don't want to, Billy." I pulled the metal door-lock and shoved open the door, slamming it shut behind me.

"Whatever, I don't need you anyway," he shouted through his rolled-down window. "Your whole family can go to hell!"

Flipping me off, he peeled off down the street, leaving tire track marks on the pavement. When I turned back around, I saw the door was already open, Steve standing in the open doorway, barefoot despite the cold, arms folded across his chest. "Why did Billy Hargrove drive you home?" 

"Long story, don't worry about it." I threw my coat on the floor, head pounding.

"Sal's called four times in the past half hour. He's really worried about you."

"Well, he shouldn't have forced me to go to his stupid New Year's Eve party. If he calls again, let him know I'm home safe."

I started up the stairs, ready to go to sleep, but Steve's voice stopped me. "Have you seen Mom's pills, she can't seem to find them, claims they disappeared right out of her medicine cabinet."

I turned around, swallowing thickly. "I haven't, but that's Mom, always misplacing things."

"Yeah," he said slowly, unconvinced. "See you in the New Year."