Sunflower Girl [2]

Dig Dug

It was almost 11 p.m. when I finally entered my bedroom.

Steve was already in his room probably asleep as well as Max who I sent to bed.
Even though it was a friday night she seemed to really need some sleep.

I shut my door and took a deep breath.
My eyes were closed and I leaned against my bedroom door.

"Is everything okay?",I heard someone ask and immediately opened my eyes.

There he was.

Leaning against my bookshelf, that was near my window, smoking a cigarette.

Billy Hargrove looked incredibly good despite anything that had happened just hours ago.

"Y-Yeah, I'm just a bit tired.",I mumbled. "I'm fine, Billy."

"Where is Max?",he questioned and threw his cigarette out of my window.

"I took her to bed. She looked really exhausted and fell asleep immediately.",I told the boy. "I feel so sorry for her. She shouldn't have seen that. Max's way too young for that shit."

"She is.",Billy muttered and closed his eyes for a moment.
He looked tired and drained.

"Has this happened before, Billy?",I asked him and sat down on the edge of my bed.

He hesitated for a moment but then nodded.

"At least once a week.",he mumbled. "He would freak out over the tiniest shit and beat the shit out of me."

"I'm sorry, Billy. I truly am.",I whispered and closed my eyes to hide the pain inside of them.

Knowing that he had to live in this kind of environment explained a lot but also broke my heart.

"Why didn't you say anything?",I asked him after a few seconds had passed. "I could've helped you or made sure you would've had a safe place to sleep. We could've told Hopper. You can trust him, you know?"

"I can't tell him, Emma. Besides, you offering Max and me a place to stay is more than enough help.",Billy argued. "More than anyone has ever done."

"I'm doing what everyone in my situation would do.",I mumbled.

Billy laughed. It didn't sound like a real, genuine laughter though. It sounded bitter.

"You see, and there is your problem," he said. "No one would've gotten us out of there. Don't you think our neighbors didn't hear the screaming? Or have seen how aggressive my father can be? They did, but they simply decided to not give a single shit."

I sighed. "I just don't want you to get hurt again or risk that your father hurt Max as well. I'm not always there to interrupt his abusive behavior."

"I don't want to talk about it anymore, Princess.",the boy mumbled and got up. "I'm gonna take a shower."