SAD DRIVERS (b. hargrove, book two)

ACT 2 INTERMISSION

ACT 2 INNTERMISSION: Memory Lane

"HOW ABOUT THAT RIDE, BABE?" Mallory was looking at herself. A brunette, younger version of herself. One dressed up in a risqué Halloween costume, with only one heel.

"It's you," El stated, intrigued.

"This is the first time he helped me," Mallory said, a bit breathless.

Mallory watched, practically frozen, as Billy slung her over his shoulder and tossed her in his car. She knew what would happen next.

She knew exactly when she and Billy would swap spots. And she was, of course, right. As the two drove off, the memory changed.

She was in the bedroom of her childhood home. El walked around casually, not concerned about what this memory could be. Mallory watched intently, though.

Mostly because, even though the past version of her sat on the bed, she was asleep. It was the night Billy snuck into her room, just to listen to her complain.

The brunette teen was asleep, halfway drooling on his chest. He played lightly with her hair before whispering in her ear, "I won't let anything hurt you. I promise."

Dust swirled, getting a bit rougher and changing the scene again. This time, they were in the Hawkins High School locker room. Old Mallory was nowhere to be found.

"Who is that?" Eleven asked, point to the blonde getting up in Billy's face.

Mallory looked to see Chad, her ex, a vein nearly popping out of his forehead. She chuckled dryly, "My ex-boyfriend."

"If you even think that you're going over to her house tonight, pretty boy, you're gonna regret it!"

"Chill, poser. It's a school thing," Billy replied, agitated. Mallory put it together. This was around the time Billy and her were paired up for that project. The one Billy flaked on.

"Hargrove, I'll make sure you never see her again," The tone Chad used was sinister.

Billy slammed his locker, spinning around to face Chad, "You couldn't if you tried."

Chad suddenly punched Billy. Before Billy could return fire, his classmates pulled the boys away from each other. As Chad was dragged away he shouted, "She'll get that, and worse, if you go anywhere near her!"

The message clearly struck Billy, and he lightly banged his head against the locker door. Once more, the dust swirled.

Mallory and Eleven were now in a hospital room. There was a blonde, slightly emaciated Mallory laying motionless on the hospital bed. Billy clutched her hand, holding it to his mouth as tears came down his face.

"I love you so much. Please, don't leave," He whispered, knee bouncing anxiously.

Mallory, the one not stuck in a coma, let out a sob. The tears she had been holding were let loose and she fell to her knees with a wail.

All at once, she realized just how much of Billy she had lost. His charm, his wit, his sarcasm, his love. That monster took all of it from him. From her.

"Mallory," El stated, "It's time to go."

"No," Mallory protested, "I don't want to go!"

More memories flashed by as Eleven tugged on Mallory's shirt. Ones of them dancing outside the snowball, ones of them at Lover's Lake, ones of them driving around town in his Camaro. Ones of them, together, happy.

Finally, Mallory got up, still crying. She let Eleven lead her to a memory of headlights. She could already hear Billy shouting out to no one in particular.

words: 573
date finished: 11/15/22
a/n: lmk if y'all are sad cuz not to be mean but that's the point of this chapter lmao