Knee Socks | Billy Hargrove AU

7

The rest of the day went by painfully slow, but not a second went by where I didn't have butterflies thinking about Billy driving me home. No guy has ever offered to give me a ride home, especially not one like Billy. 

The bell rings, indicating that the day has ended. I gather up my math book and head to my locker, feeling rather giddy at the thought of seeing Billy. 

As I'm putting away my books, I overhear a conversation close by, "Yeah, she slept with Steve Harrington apparently...and then the next day she was all over the new guy today. Kind of slutty if you ask me." 

I freeze. Are they talking about me? There's no way... I certainly never slept with Steve, and I wasn't all over Billy. There's no one else they could be talking about, and knowing their harsh words were about me instantly ruin my decent mood. 

I slam my locker shut, hoping to gain their attention and make them feel guilty for speaking so rudely about me. 

I head towards the boys locker room, my blood starting to boil at the absurd rumors. People really believe that I slept with Steve? 

I don't even notice that I've passed the boys locker room until I feel a hand grip my wrist and pull me back. 

"Where do you think you're going, princess?" Billy's voice soothes me and I hate it. I hardly know him and he already has too much power over my moods. 

I look up at his flawless grin and realize that I'm okay now. "I'm sorry, I was just thinking. How was your day?" I ask, wanting to completely forget about the words I heard just a few seconds earlier. 

He latches his arm around my shoulder like he did earlier and walks with me towards the school parking lot. 

"It would've been better if I saw you more. How was the rest of yours?" He asks as he flings his car keys around his finger. The small action was somehow so attractive. 

"It was okay..." I debate on telling him the rumors I heard, and something inside of me wants to tell him so badly but he always reacts badly to those things.

"It looks like you're trying not to tell me something" he states, and I'm surprised at his ability to read me so well. 

We've reached the parking lot quickly, the warm air hitting my skin felt amazing. Billy takes his arm off my shoulders, reaches into his backpack, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. 

I furrow my eyebrows at this action, disapproving of his need to smoke. He licks his lips before placing a cigarette into his lips, effortlessly, lighting and taking a drag. I hated smoking, but watching Billy do it was mesmerizing. 

"Give me your bag," He requests as we reach his car. He goes to the passenger side, opening up the door and letting me get in. I hand him my bag, like I did earlier, and get into the car. He closes the door after me and jogs over to his side. 

He puts my bag in the backseat and gets into the car, the cigarette laying still in his lips. 

"Why do you smoke?" I ask him, genuine curiosity lacing my tone. 

"I'll tell you that when you tell me what you didn't tell me earlier" he retorts, putting the keys into the ignition and giving me a look. 

I dodge his stare, knowing that if I looked at him directly I would tell him the rumors going around about me. 

To my surprise, he latches a gentle finger around my chin, turning my head to make eye contact with him. Mission failed. I basically melt into his touch, and his gaze. 

"What happened, Lacey?"

"Well, I just overheard some people talking about me. I mean, I think it was about me I'm not one-hundred percent sure but it seemed like-"