Dating Billy Hargrove was the biggest mistake of my life. He constantly tore me down in between checking out other girls. The only reason he was with me was because he thought it was hot when I acted like "a good girl he couldn't corrupt".
He loved when I stopped our makeout session before it could get too heavy. He loved when I refused to kiss in public. He loved when I got mad at him for grabbing my ass at school.
I was about 90% sure he was cheating on me, but it wasn't until I caught him sleeping with two girls in the back of his car that I ended things. He tried to get me back but it took shoving my school lunch in his face in front of everyone in the cafeteria for him to leave me alone.
Two months later, I got paired up with Steve Harrington on our history project. He and I worked after school every day. We either met at my house or his but mostly mine.
I ended up breaking up with Billy around the same time Nancy and Steve broke up. When we started our project, things were a little awkward between us. It could've been because of our breakups or because we've never spoken to each other. And we've definitely never been alone in the same room.
We were finishing our project and I noticed Steve wasn't helping me as much as usual.
"Is everything okay?" I asked.
"I don't want our project to be over," he admitted. "I like spending time with you and. . . I don't want that to end."
"It doesn't have to."
We looked at each other, both of our faces slowly turning red. Steve was the first to break the tension.
"What are you doing Saturday night?"
"Nothing," I said, my voice soft.
"Not anymore."
"What are you talking about?" I chuckled.
"Tomorrow night you and I are having dinner."
"Like a date?" I stuttered.
"Exactly like a date."
* * * * *
After that Saturday night, Steve and I started dating. Our original plan was to keep our relationship to ourselves, but the second we walked into school the Monday after our date everyone already knew.
Surprisingly, no one said anything about us. Well if they did, Steve made sure no one said anything to me. And he wouldn't tell me if someone had said anything to him.
Steve has been an amazing boyfriend. He's sweet, gentle, funny, caring, and extremely protective. As amazing as he's been, I couldn't help but feel insecure. He was popular. He should be with someone who fits into his group. I clearly didn't.
"Hey, can you pass me the. . ."
When Steve reached for the bowl of popcorn that was on his coffee table, I instinctively flinched. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I didn't want to see the look on his face when he saw what I did.
"Y/N," Steve said slowly. "Did you just flinch?"
Tears started streaming down my face as I nodded. Steve scooted closer to me and gently grabbed my hands.
"Baby, look at me," he whispered. When I looked up at him, he let go of my hand and caught a tear with his thumb.
"I would never hurt you," he said gently.
I smiled as I snuggled into his chest as we turned our attention back to the movie. A little while later, Steve broke the silence.
"I'm sorry," he sighed, "but I have to know. Is Billy the reason you flinched?"
"Steve," I stuttered as I sat up out of his embrace.
"Y/N, please," he cut me off with a sigh. "I know how Billy treated you."
"How did you. . ."
"Because every day I saw you and him together, it made me so unbelievably angry. I saw how he would grab your wrist when you did something wrong in his eyes. I'd see the bruises the next day and it would. . ."
I reached over and put my hand on his knee when his anger was building.
"I'm sorry," he sighed as he put his hand over mine. "Please tell me the truth."
"It only happened every once in a while," I whispered. "If he had more than five beers and smoked more than a pack of cigarettes, he wouldn't be able to hold back when he got angry. If I angered him he'd grab me and push me against the wall. But he'd snap out of it and apologize."
"Would he promise not to do it again?" Steve asked through his teeth.
"Maybe," I said slowly.
"And did he?"
"Maybe," I repeated.
"If he ever hurts you again," he said through his teeth, "I'll kill him."
I leaned over, interrupting him before he could continue his threat, and pressed my lips to his. I felt him smile as he started kissing me back. I slowly broke the kiss and leaned my forehead against his.
"I really like you, Steve," I whispered.
"Good," he chuckled. "I really like you too."
* * * * *
The movie had just ended and we were cleaning up when there was a loud knock on Steve's front door. We shared a look, Steve instantly going into his Protective Boyfriend Mode.
"Stay here," he instructed.
"Steve. . ."
He walked over and gently grabbed my hand. Steve leaned in and pressed his lips delicately to mine. He broke the kiss with a soft smile on his face.
"It's probably nothing."
Right as he said that, the person pounded on the front door again. He started to walk away but I quickly grabbed his hand. He sent me a reassuring smile as he squeezed my hand.
When he walked away, I sat on his couch and clutched a pillow to my chest. I listened as Steve answered his front door.
"What are you doing here?" Steve said through his teeth.
"I know she's here."
My breath got stuck in my throat when I instantly recognized that drunk voice.
"You need to leave," Steve warned. "Now."
"No," Billy scoffed. "Not until I bring her home."
"Home?" Steve scoffed. "She's not your girlfriend anymore, Hargrove. She's mine."
"Yeah right," he grunted. "You don't deserve her."
"And you do?" I could picture Steve rolling his eyes. "Come on, Billy. I know how you treated her. She deserves better. A lot better than you and probably better than me."
"You're an asshole, Harrington."
"I was," Steve corrected. "I was an asshole until I met Y/N. She made me a better person."
"I want to talk to Y/N," Billy slurred. "I know she's here."
"Go home, Billy."
"Not without Y/N."
"You had your chance," Steve said. "You had your chance and you blew it. This is my chance and I'm not going to blow it because we are meant for each other!"
I gasped and ran into the room when I heard Steve grunt. When I got there, Steve was on the ground. I ran over and knelt next to him.
"Are you okay?" I said gently.
"There you are!" Billy grunted. Steve instantly jumped up and stood between Billy and me.
"Stay the hell away from her," Steve warned.
"I just want to talk."
"And I want you to leave," I said, slowly standing up.
I looked up at Billy's angry glare and hid behind Steve. He instinctively pushed me more behind him. Billy took a step towards us, but Steve stopped him. Steve pushed on Billy's chest, pushing him away.
"Get out."
Steve saw it coming before I did. In what felt like the blink of an eye, he pushed me out of the way, dodged Billy's punch, and connected his fist with Billy's jaw.
"I said get out," Steve said oddly calm.
"Steve," I whispered as I stepped behind him.
"It's okay," he said, looking over his shoulder at me before quickly looking back down at Billy still struggling to stand up. "I can handle him."
"But he's drunk," I said, my voice getting caught in my throat. "He fights the hardest when he's drunk."
Steve turned towards me and gently cupped my face in his hand. He rubbed my cheek as he whispered, "Go call Hopper."
I quickly ran to Steve's kitchen and called Hopper on the landline. I wasn't sure how but when I walked back to Steve, he was forcing Billy out of the house.
"Did you call him?" Steve asked as he shut the door.
Instead of answering, I closed the gap between us and wrapped my arms tightly around him. He let out a small chuckle as he wrapped his arms around me.
My eyes filled with tears when I felt how tightly Steve was holding me. It felt different being with a guy who was protective of me. I don't think I've ever felt this safe in someone's arms before. I could only think of one thing to say to him.
"Thank you for protecting me, Steve."
"I'll always protect you."