Apocalypse, Steve Harrington

Chapter Twenty-Two. Billy's Broken Nose

TWENTY-TWO
— billy's broken nose

GOSSIP COULD BE fun— especially when she wasn't the one involved. It was a guilty pleasure, sitting and listening (eavesdropping) on the little conversations that surrounded her. Was there really any harm, if she wasn't going to turn it around and tell someone else? She wasn't a gossip spreader, just... a listener. It was the day after Halloween, and she was in second period PE, her back pressed firmly to the bleachers, fingers tangled in a loose string on her shorts. With Riley beside her, the two girls were listening in on the conversation behind them— Amy Barrett and Louise Cameron were proving all the gossip they needed.

So far, they had learned two things. One— Lizzy Hughes, a sophomore, had called the cops on Tina's party last night. Suddenly, Lucy was grateful she left to speak with Steve; she wasn't there to witness that mess. Two— Amy had been caught smoking in the bathroom, and she was probably going to face suspension. Interesting enough.

    Then, Louise started on a new topic. "That's her— right there," she whispered. "Lucy Hopper."

    Her brow furrowed when she heard her name. She snapped her eyes towards Riley, who's ears were perked, and mouthed a small 'what?'. Trying her hardest to make it seem like she wasn't eavesdropping, Lucy's focus drifted towards the basketball game occurring a few feet away.

"Doesn't she have a thing with Harrington?" Amy murmured in return. "I mean— I don't know, have you seen how he looks at her?"

    It was enough to make her internally gag. With a scrunched nose, she shared a look with Riley, and felt herself shudder.

Louise hummed. "No, no," she shook her head. "She's Nancy Wheelers best friend."

    She cringed. Her shoulders tensed, and she slowly lifted herself off the bleachers— the thought of Nancy, and what happened last night, it was like a weight on her chest.

The red haired girl continued. "Okay, but that's not the point," Louise waved a hand in the air. "I heard, she made out with Billy Hargrove at Tina's."

Her eyes went deer-wide. Riley raised a brow, and Lucy shot her head back, brown hair flying into her face. "Whoa, what?" she squinted, jaw loose. "You heard what?"

Amy's looked the girl up and down— she was clearly humored. "What, are you saying it's not true?"

Scoffing, the brunette shook her head. "Who told you that?" the girl held herself up with her arms, ears burning red. "Louise, hello?"

The ginger huffed, sending her a slight eye roll. "Billy told Tommy, Tommy told Jenny, and Jenny told me," she spoke, causing Lucy to grit her teeth in annoyance. Kissing her teeth, she shrugged. "Was it good, at least?"

    Before she could speak, the PE teacher blew his earsplitting whistle. "Ladies on the bleachers, I need you active!" he called, hands cupped around his mouth. "Bring the volleyballs out."

    As the group of boys continued playing basketball on one side of the gym, Lucy was ready to strangle Billy Hargrove with her bare hands. She rolled off the bleachers, converse squeaking against the shiny ground. Riley didn't like the look in her eyes— she was angry, and determined. "Lucy!" she whispered, between her teeth. "Don't kill him!"