When The Truth Comes Out

Chapter 6

September 1995; The Macher House

I sat alone in my bedroom, pondering.

Billy and Stu had just left in quite a hurry, without telling me why, which was strange to me.

The tension between Billy and I grew since he got with Sidney. He told me it was just a plan to hurt her in the end. I thought he meant playing with her feelings. I'd later find out, in the hardest way, that I was wrong.

Still, seeing him with her really hurt. He knew this, but he didn't seem to care. He didn't care about anything anymore.

Billy became a ticking time bomb since his mother left. Before then, seeing him angry was a rare occurrence. Now, it was more often than not.

Still, he never lost his patience with me.

The house was too quiet without the boys. Stu and I's parents were gone again, and Leslie was still living with her current boyfriend.

It was just me.

I took the alone time to do some self-care. After cleansing my face, I smeared a clay face mask across my skin as hot water filled my jetted bathtub. I poured some of the lavender-scented bubble bath into the tub, then stripped out of my robe.

I'd be sixteen in almost a month, and I was beyond excited for the party that would come with it.

I sighed as I submerged myself in the hot water. It relaxed my too-tense muscles. Everything had me stressed right now.

School, parents, friends, Billy.

The only plus side was meeting my new best friend, Tiffany. She had long, raven-black hair, and was just as tall as Billy. We instantly clicked when we met this year, and have been almost inseparable since.

I contemplated getting out of the tub and calling her, but decided against it since it was so late.

Once the water grew colder, I decided it was time to get out. I pulled the drain plug out after carefully stepping out, then wrapped my towel around me.

My skin felt much smoother after washing the dried mask off of it, and the feeling gave me the slightest bit of happiness. That happiness was quickly washed away as I heard the boys walk back in, clearly arguing over something.

"Y/N, you still here?" Stu yelled from downstairs.

"In my room!" I shouted back, still in my towel. Stu was used to me walking around in my towel, so him barging in wouldn't have been awkward. But I wasn't expecting it to be Billy that walked in.

"Hey, can we-" he shut up as soon as he saw me, "oh shit! Sorry!"

"What happened to you?" I took in his disheveled state. His hair was all over the place, face drenched in sweat, and knuckles bruised. I didn't care about being in only a towel; I was more worried about him.

"Got in a fight." He lied. I could tell he was lying, but I said nothing. Pushing him would only cause a fight.

"Go get a shower, I'll get you some ice." I ordered as I observed his hand once more. He didn't pull away as I looked it over. Instead, he seemed to relax.

"I'm sorry for how I've been acting lately." He sighed, looking down at his injured hand in my delicate ones.

"I understand, Billy. You're going through a lot." I muttered.

"No, Y/N, you're not getting it. I'm hurting you. Don't tell me I'm not because I know you better than that. I can see it in your eyes every time you look at me and I hate it!" He nearly shouted. I looked up at him with cold, watery eyes.