Dream Boat ▷ Billy Hargrove

Charming Charlie (13)

Thirty minutes had gone by after we drank the hot chocolate. Billy was fast asleep again. Either he doesn't get enough sleep on a daily basis or he needs the extra sleep to heal.
I sit in bed next to him reading a Captain America comic book.
Every now and then I glance at Billy to check if he's still asleep.
I'm on my third comic book when I hear the door to Charlie's room open
His quick footsteps make his way to my door.
Wait. Did I lock the door after I got the hot cocoas?
With no time to react my door swings open and there stands Charlie in his Spider-Man pajamas.
His mouth drops in shock when he spots Billy in my bed.
"What the hell?" Charlie says a little too loudly.
Billy wakes and sits up in bed. When he notices Charlie standing in the doorway, he grumbles, "The fuck?"
"Charlie, get in here and lock the damn door behind you." I command.
He gives me a stubborn look but does as he's told.
"So, you wanna tell me why is Max's brother in your bed?" Charlie folds his arms, trying to act tough in front of Billy.
"He needed a place to crash." I simply reply.
"I don't care. Why is he in your bed?" Charlie demands. "We have extra blankets and stuff."
"Listen, kid, we don't have to answer to you." Billy snaps.
"Maybe not, but if you don't, I could just go tell Collin what you're doing in our house." Charlie smirks challengingly.
I stand up and approach my little brother.
"Listen, Charlie, I don't know what's got your panties in a twist all of the sudden, but you need to stop acting like a complete ass. And if you tell Collin I'll return all of your Christmas presents to where I got them. Even if it's a week from now and they're already used. Understood?"
Billy chuckles from behind me.
Charlie glares at me. "Fine." He leaves my room.
I glance back at Billy. "That was lovely."
"I should probably get going." Billy climbs out of my bed.
I sigh. "Okay." I caress his cheek. "If anything happens, I'll be here. Just sneak through my window. I'll leave it unlocked."
Billy nods. "Thanks." He pauses as he's halfway out of my window. "Bye, Whitley."
Then he's gone without a trace.

"Where are you going?" Collin asks me as I'm leaving the house.
It's an hour before we're supposed to be at the Byers' house for Christmas dinner.
"To get my friend. They'll drive me to the Byers' house, so I'll just meet you and Charlie there." I slip my snow boots on.
Collin blocks me from leaving the house. "No. I don't even know who this friend is."
I raise an eyebrow and fold my arms across my chest. "You'll meet them at dinner." I then push him out of the way with my powers. "See ya!"
I walk on the snowy sidewalk to Billy's. He doesn't know that I'm even coming. He better accept to come with me.
I arrive 30 minutes later after nearly freezing to death out in the cold.
I knock on the front door and wait with my hands in the pockets of my fluffy jacket.
The door opens and before me stands a kind looking woman with the same red hair as Max.
"Oh! Hello! Can I help you?" She warmly smiles.
"Uh, Yeah! Is Billy home?" I didn't need to ask her that. I already saw his car in the driveway.
She nods. "Yes, I believe he is. Come on in! My daughter Maxine is making cookies."
This must be Max's mother, Susan.
"Are you sure? I wouldn't want to impose." I say.
"Oh, don't worry about it! Please, come in." She ushers me inside the warm house.
"Maxine, could you go get Billy? A lovely young lady is here to see him." She tells Max.
Max walks over to us and raises her eyebrows when she sees me. Probably in surprise because I came back after what happened yesterday.
"Whitley, hey. Longtime no see." She snorts then runs back to get Billy.
"You know Maxine too?" Susan asks.
I nod. "Yeah, I met her through my friend Dustin."
"Susan? Who's here?" A booming voice calls and the next thing I know Billy's father is standing in front of me.
"Surprise, surprise." He says, eyeing me. "It's the girlfriend. What's your name again?"
"It's- It's Whitley. And I'm not dating Billy, sir." I stammer.
"Right."
Max and Billy walk into the living room. Billy looked nervous.
"What are you doing here?" He asks me in a low voice.
"I wanted to see if you would come to the Byers' Christmas dinner with me." I say. "I-If your family is okay with it."
I glance at his father who glared at Billy.
"I don't see why not," Susan smiles to ease the tenseness. "Right, honey?" She looks up at Billy's dad.
He doesn't look back at her. Instead, his eyes remained on Billy.
Through gritted teeth, he replies,"It's fine with me."
"We should get going then." I try to smile.
Billy quickly puts on his shoes and a jacket.
"Let's go." He grabs my wrist and pulls me out the door before I can say anything else.
We get in his car and he pulls out of the driveway right as I shut the door.
"Hey." I say after a moment of silence.
"Hi." He answers dryly.
"Is... everything okay?" I ask softly.
His grip on the wheel turns his knuckles white.
"No." Billy growls. "Look, things weren't exactly rainbows and sunshine when I got home today. He thinks that we snuck off to go fuck somewhere and so he gave me this."
He takes his hands off of the wheel for a short second to lift up his sleeve.
On his bicep was a horrible burn mark.
"Oh my god, Billy." I gasp when I see how bad it is.
"He burned me repeatedly with his cigarette." Billy states without taking his eyes off of the road.
"Jesus." I breathe.
"Yeah."