Love me •|Billy Hargrove|•

•|8|•

The boys are talking about Dart, but I'm not listening.

"I think Eleven is mad at me," I tell Billy as we walk slightly behind the group.

"Why do you say that?" Billy asks, throwing a casual arm around my shoulder.

"It's just... she's been so distant. I haven't seen her door open in awhile. I-I don't want her to be mad at me," tears sting my eyes, but I blink them back.

"Wait a cat? Dart ate a cat?" Lucas yells, stopping the group.

"No. What? No," Dustin stammers.

"What are you talking about he ate Mews," Steve says as if it were obvious.

"Yeah. He ate your moms cat yesterday," Billy chimes in.

"See! I knew it you kept him!" Lucas yells again.

"No!" Dustin yells back. "No. No. No. I-... well he missed me."

"Bullshit!" Lucas screams in Dustin's face.

"I didn't know he was a demogorgan," Dustin reasons.

"You're lying. I told you," my voice rises too.

"Well sometimes you don't know what you're talking about," Dustin screams.

"You little brat! I have been dropping everything for you the second you want me too," my tone is accusing and mean. Billy drops his arm.

"You put the party in jeopardy," Lucas accuses. "You broke the rule of law."

"Yes you did," I chime in, crossing my arms.

"So did you two!" Dustin screams at us. "You told two strangers the truth!"

"Hey," Billy starts, but I grab his hand and send him a look.

"Strangers?" Max's voice is hurt and angry.

The boys start to argue about Max but I'm so mad my ears are ringing.

"Hey," Billy says softly returning his arm to my shoulder. "Breathe."

I take a deep breath like he said to.

"Hey guys," Steve starts, wandering slowly away from us. "Guys!"

Everyone stops talking and whips their heads in his direction.

There's a strange noise. Billy drops his arm, and I step forward towards Steve, listening. Everyone starts to jog in that direction.

"Guys. Hey, why are you running towards the sound?" Max asks. I ignore her, breaking into a run to keep up.

We come into a field, slowing to a walk.

Lucas lifts his binoculars. "It's the lab."

My heart drops. I grab onto Billy's arm. I don't know why but I do.

"They were going back home," Lucas says as he lowers his binoculars.

We take off down the hill towards the lab. When we get close, I hear people talking.

"Hello?" A male voice yells. "Whose there?"

"Steve?" Nancy and Jonathan ask in disbelief. I step out of the tree line. Standing by Steve.

"Cassie?" Jonathon asks. Billy stands beside me. "Billy?" Nancy's voice has more disbelief then before.

"Nancy?" Steve asks, stepping forward.

"Jonathan?" Dustin asks.

What are you doing here?" Nancy questions as we all go closer to them.

"What are you two doing here?" I reply.