Never would you expect Billy Hargrove to be the one who would do anything to see a girl smile, especially if that girl was Adrienne.
I watched her smile at the lit boardwalk as her eyes were mesmerized by all the pretty colors and lights lit by the pier shops and restaurants. Oh, how enamored he was. The butterflies that fluttered in his chest every time she squeezed his arm tighter, the way her nose scrunched each time she smiled at him, the way her cheeks turned a rosy pink each time he made her flustered with compliments.
"Told you I could be romantic" Billy smirked, his chest puffed out in confidence while Adrienne clung onto his arm, her brown eyes rolling.
"Are you? Then I expect this every Friday night." Adrienne teased leaning her head on his shoulder as they walked along the pier, a stuffed oversized elephant wrapped around her arm.
"Every?" Billy questioned her, nudging her with his arm as they continued to walk.
"Okay, every other Friday." Adrienne giggled as he stopped their walking, pulling Adrienne's arm to spin her back into his chest, his arms wrapping around her to practically bear hug her as they walked, evolving into sharing a laugh.
The words he wished he was able to FIRST almost spilled from his lips. Not that he didn't love her, which he did. But he was afraid.
He's always been afraid to say "I love you" first to say the least.
It wasn't his fault, he knew that. It was his fucked up childhood and abandonment issues fault.
Adrienne understood, of course, how could she not? But there are times when she wishes he can simply say it to her.
"I love you." Adrienne sighed in the comfort of her boyfriend's arms, the chilled wind of salty sea air flowing through their blonde hair, the tightness of their chests growing as their heartbeats began to beat as a whole.
"I love you too my love," Billy whispered, kissing his girlfriend's forehead, eyes brimming with tears that Adrienne couldn't see, grateful for just...HER.
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After walking and saying his goodnights to Adrienne at her dorm, which wasn't a far walk since his dorm was right down the hall, he entered his dorm room expecting it to be empty, but instead presented with his now dormant who hadn't even met looked his eyes with him.
"Billy. Hargrove." His tongue ran through the crevasse of his bottom lip, his apparent demeanor of his "Tough Guy" persona he had. The "Bad-Boy, Pretty-Boy". All high and mighty. That never once changed. We all knew that, but whenever he had Adrienne it was the typical "I hate everyone, but you" persona.
"Hargrove? Holy shit man, it's been what? A year since you moved? It's me, Kevin."
"Kevin...?"
"Anderson."
Oh.
OH.
Billy's lips turned into a curl, his teeth exposed as nostalgia surrounded Billy.
His sidekick followed him around, just like how Tommy Hagan did for Steve AND Billy. Rebellious and Popularity surrounded them, but when Billy left...Kevin swore to him he'd watch over his throne. His California throne.
"The King's back." Kevin sounded so in awe of his presence, Billy knew that.
Billy stuck out his hand, Kevin rushing to him. To BOW to him. Firmly gripping each other's fists that brought them to a pat on the back.
"How've you been man? How was that year at that hick town?" Kevin scoffed pushing himself off Billy. Billy's smile dropped slightly, his remembrance at the growth he made as a person since moving, especially the one thing that no one would ever seem to imagine, Adrienne.
He wasn't the person he used to be.
He used to be that "Pretty Bad Boy", the boy who got whatever, whoever, he wanted. The boy who was never gonna settle down, the boy who only cared for being liked with a reputation everyone either hated or loved him for it. The asshole who cared to be feared but also cared to be feared of him.
He still wasn't perfect...whatever...but Adrienne helped that.
His mind rambled as his palms grew sweaty, his heart falling into the pit of his stomach. He brought his tongue to quickly run over his lips, then pushed his tongue into his cheek. His anxiety shadowing over him.
"I've been good man. Hick Town wasn't so bad. People loved me there too, don't get me wrong. But uh, the town grew on me a little bit." Billy scoffed.
"Seriously, what could..."
"Bills?" The sweet, sweet, voice that sent him into a trance every time it whispered from Adrienne's lips.
Billy turned his head, his eyes meeting with the golden brown siren eyes of Adrienne. His eyes trailed down her figure as his mouth watered at the sight of her in HIS white muscle t-shirt that fit over her like a dress, hardly any shorts of her spandex showing, instead her golden brown legs made their appearance. Her long golden waves outgrown to fall to her lower back, the same color as Billy's now shorter golden waves, to match him.
She was leaning against the door frame at the entrance of his dorm, his brown leather jacket in her arms as she pouted and smiled her lips at him. Billy kissed his teeth at the sight of her, his focus returning to his friend who was in awe of her presence, Kevin's dark brown eyes focusing on Billy's girl, making Billy's lips curl wide.
"That." Billy huffed to his friend before disregarding him to focus on his Adrienne. She was quick to wrap her arms around his neck, Billy's large hands resting on her waist as she placed a kiss on his lips, Billy gripping her firmly as sneaked his tongue to explore with hers. Before she could pull herself away, Billy took the liberty of pulling her waist so she could feel him tight against his jeans, he growled in his throat when she pulled away with a flustered smile on her face.
"King's got a "Queen" now huh," Kevin asked, dumbfounded at his friend who used to never settle down, his eyes shifting between Billy and Adrienne.
"Adrienne, Baby, this is my friend Kevin. Someone I knew here before moving out of here." Billy dropped his hands-free of her waist, her focus going back and forth between Billy and his friend.
Adrienne opened her mouth to speak but was already interrupted by Kevin himself.
"Tell me, Adrienne, how did you get the King all soft?" Kevin snickered, Adrienne already scrunching her nose, eyebrows furrowing as she cringed.
"Soft? Are we talking about the same person?" Adrienne scoffed already irritated with this so-called "Kevin" Billy could tell, that was his girlfriend, he knew her every emotion. He opened his mouth to come to her defense but was shot down when she spat at his friend. "Since you asked, we hated each other but used each other for our benefits, then that went to shit when feelings got involved and now we're here."
Kevin gave her a Chesire grin before making his eye connection with Billy, who was standing guard over his girlfriend, features hard, lips tight into a straight line.
"I can see why he likes you," Kevin responded to Adrienne, eyes still focused on Billy who snuck his arm to cling onto Adrienne's waist to pull her close into him.
"Can you?" Adrienne smartly remarked before Billy interrupted.
"Shut it, Anderson." Billy sighed, making the brunette run his fingers through his layered faux hair.
"You got it," Kevin smirked devilishly one last time before trailing his eyes back to Adrienne who was already glaring deep into him. "See you round, Adri."
"You hope so." Adrienne spat before Billy smirked at her remarks, walking her back out now towards her dorm. She fell silent, biting her inner cheek as she walked with Billy. She was angry.
"What's wrong?" Billy asked, but failing when she remained quiet. He halted in his place, causing him to pull on Adrienne's hand as she turned to him confused before pulling her into him to face him. "Answer me, baby."
"I don't like him. He's another Tommy Hagan and I really don't need something like THAT to happen again." Adrienne sighed as Billy placed a kiss on the temple of her forehead.
"You're sexy when you're angry," Billy smirked, Adrienne, rolling her eyes as they reached her dorm room once again. "Everything's gonna be fine, you don't need to worry about anything." Billy sighed pulling her more into his chest, she easily wrapped her small arms around his back.
"Promise?" Adrienne asked muffled in between his chest, Billy planting a kiss on the top of her head.
His mind and nerves kept poking at him, afraid of the possibility of what could happen now this his old friend was back. The temptations he can fall into of his old habits that were locked and hidden away. He hated how those habits wanted to be free when he reminisced of Junior and half of his Senior year in California. He wasn't that same person anymore...right?
"Promise," Billy whispered as his thoughts suddenly vanished from his mind and once again, ended his night with his girlfriend.
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A/N: IM HERE HELLLLLLO
Hi mis amores, sorry it's been a while.
Adulting is crazy for a 19 year old fr
ANYWAYS, I procrastinated and suffered a bit of writer's block bc tbh I couldn't find the right plot line to get everything started. I don't plan my books, the ideas come to me as I write or when I'm doing something where I'm unable to write anything down, but I watched "Elemental" on Disney+ and suddenly the inspos back, and I'm excited to continue this book along with another, just be patient bc I'm a liar and a chronic procrastinator LMAO
Love you all amores <3