𝕕𝕒𝕞𝕒𝕘𝕖𝕕 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕𝕤: 𝕒 𝕓𝕚𝕝𝕝𝕪 𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕘𝕣𝕠𝕧𝕖 𝕗𝕒𝕟𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕥𝕚𝕠𝕟

ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝟠: 𝕋𝕙𝕖 ℍ𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕜 ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖 𝕠𝕗 ℍ𝕒𝕨𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕤

After an unnecessary reprimand about partying and staying out late from Neil, Billy climbed into his Camaro, starting his engine. He'd planned on driving to the auto garage for maintenance on his car until his stepsister stood in front of the Camaro.

"Let me in!"

Billy groaned. "Just skateboard to wherever the hell you're going, Max."

"Let me in before I tell Neil!"

Billy grumbled and cursed under his breath before letting Max sit in the passenger seat. Another reprimand from Neil was the last thing he needed today. "Where to?"

"The arcade."

Billy revved the engine of his Camaro before pulling out of the driveway and onto the streets. Soon, he stopped at an intersection and turned up the rock music blasting from the radio, waiting for the light to turn green. Just as he pressed the gas pedal, a red Mustang flew in front of him, cutting him off before he could turn.

Billy slammed on the brakes. Unfortunately, the red Mustang appeared to be heading in the same direction. Billy sped up, just short of tailgating the Mustang.

"What are you doing?!" Max exclaimed.

Annoyed, Billy pulled into the parking lot of the arcade. "Out. Now."

Max had barely exited the Camaro and closed the door behind her before Billy sped away, parking across the street from the grocery store. The red Mustang was parked in front of the store. Furious, Billy stepped out of his car, lighting up a cigarette and striding towards the Mustang.

"Hey! Yeah, you in the Mustang!"

The driver of the Mustang stepped out of the car and tossed her hair over the shoulder, chewing on a lollipop. Billy froze at the sight of Darcy, unbothered.

Darcy broke off a piece of her heart-shaped lollipop, chewing it nonchalantly. "What, lifeguard?"

Billy quickly regained his composure, leaning against a nearby car and gesturing to the red Mustang with his cigarette. "That your Mustang?"

Darcy nodded, crossing her arms. "Yeah. Got a problem with it?"

Billy took a long drag from his cigarette. "Well, it cut me off."

"Well, that's what 143 horsepower gets you."

The nerve of her. "Well, it also gives me a migraine. I had the right of way."

"Have you ever heard of 'ladies first'?"

Billy threw his finished cigarette to the ground, stomping it out with his boot. "Yeah, but you're no lady, from what I've seen."

Darcy raised a brow as if to challenge him. "Oh? Then what am I, Billy?"

Billy smirked, despite his earlier annoyance. "Keg Queen."

Darcy snorted. "Please, you're still hung up over me stealing your title?"

"I prefer 'impressed'."

"Ah, so I've managed to impress The Heartbreak Prince of Hawkins?"

Billy huffed out a laugh. "Is that what they call me around here?"

"Only the heartbroken." Darcy finished off the last of her lollipop, tossing it into the trash, studying Billy with an unreadable expression.

Billy ran his tongue over his teeth, smiling. "Listen, can I interest you in dinner for the trouble I've caused you?"

Darcy arched a brow, the corner of her lip curling. "And join the heartbroken so soon?"

"What makes you so sure you'll end up heartbroken?"

Darcy smiled wryly. "I think with the proper calculations, it's a high probability." She began to head into the grocery store before turning around again, looking Billy up and down. "You just want to know if I had anything to do with Tommy's disappearance, don't you?"

Billy blinked. "Darcy, that's not true."

"Well, people in this town would think otherwise." Darcy glared at Billy, crossing her arms before lowering her voice. "I wish I could give you a definite answer, but I genuinely don't remember."

"Detective Hopper questioned you too?"

She nodded. "He questioned you too, didn't he?"

And I gave him the tip-off. "Yeah, I did."

"Figures." Darcy turned, slamming the door to the grocery store behind her. Billy swore, climbing back into his Camaro and driving off to his maintenance appointment as he originally planned.

He was thirteen minutes late.