pretty boy like you // harringrove

05.

Steve wallowed for days without talking to Billy. There was a very noticeable difference in his demeanour, as well as Billy's. They were both miserable. The people who noticed most were Dustin and Chloe.

The only person Steve asked for advice was Dustin. Steve was driving him to Will's house, and Dustin asked him what was wrong.

"I know you got in a fight with Billy. Max called, said he's been moping around the house for like a week, being more pissy than usual. You two are best friends. You need to get over whatever this is, for Max's sake. And your own. You've been no fun lately."

Steve put his head on the steering wheel. "I fucked up. Pretty big. What do I do, man?"

"Apologize, asshole. Duh. Are you stupid?"

"Right. Yeah." With that, Dustin got out of the car and left Steve alone to brainstorm an apology.

The next person to confront him was Chloe. They were at Steve's house, laying on his bed. She was holding a teddy bear she had found tucked in the corner of his room, and she was frustrated. He had barely talked, except to ask how her day was and talk about the weather.

"Steve, just talk to him. Literally right now. I swear to god I'll fucking drive you if you want, but if I have to see you mope for one more second I'm going to blow my fucking brains out." She said, sitting up. "Please."

"You mean now?" He looked confused.

"Yes, now. I can walk myself home."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't like seeing you sad. Go. Figure this out."

And so he went. He drove to Billy's in a daze, trying to think of the right words. He rang the doorbell, and Max answered. "Ugh, thank God you're here. He's been sad for days. All he does is drink and blast Metallica. It's obnoxious."

"Max? Who's there?" He heard Billy yell from the kitchen.

"Steve!"

Billy came over to him. He had a bruise on his upper arm. Steve reached out to touch it.

"Pretty boy, I'm fine. Let's go for a drive." He grabbed Steve's arm, dragging him to the car. Once they got it, Billy started to drive. "Alright, Steve. TALK. What the fuck is up with you? The Steve I knew a month ago would never say something like that. The Steve I knew wouldn't have dated a girl he didn't care about. What was Nancy trying to help you with?"

"I can't tell you, Billy. I can't."

"Why not, Princess? You know you can trust me." Billy looked hurt. Their fight was completely forgotten.

"Of course I know. You're my best friend. Just, not this. Anything but this. I didn't even tell Nance, she guessed."

"Of course she did. She knows you so well." Billy said sarcastically.

"I like boys."

☆☆☆☆☆

"You... what?"

"I like boys. I'm bisexual. So is Nance. That's what she was talking about."

"That's no big deal, pretty boy." Billy laughed. He actually laughed. "I thought you were dying, or something. You like boys? Sure. Better than cancer, right?"

"You're okay with it?"

"Steve? No, I don't care."

"You don't?"

"Fucking obviously."

"OH. Um. Cool! That's... really cool." Steve was screaming inside. He still doubted that Billy, the most angelic, kind person he'd ever met, the one person he cared about more than anything, could truly care about him, at least in the same way. But gave him hope. It felt good.

"Yeah, princess. It is cool. Are you... interested in any guys?" Billy looked like he had been kicked in the balls, but Steve was probably just projecting.

"Yeah, I am. I think I need to break up with Chloe."

"Yeah."

"Do you have a smoke?"

"Yeah." He lit a cig and handed it to Steve.

"Are you... okay?"

"Yeah."

☆☆☆☆☆

Steve was falling harder for Billy every day. Billy would do things, little things, that had Steve weak at the knees. When they were alone, their hands would get precariously close. They would never, ever touch, Steve wouldn't even let himself hope for that. But they were so close. So close.

He couldn't tell if Billy was doing it on purpose, or if it was even something he noticed. All he knew was that it made him feel like he was going to combust, and he was happy with it. Billy Hargrove was going to be the absolute death of him.

When he finally realized that yes, he actually was in love with Billy, he decided to break up with Chloe.

☆☆☆☆☆

"Clo? We need to talk." Steve said. They were at her locker, and Steve was sweating. His palms were itching, and his face was blotchy. He was a proper mess.

"Oh. Is this the breakup talk?" Chloe looked like she had been expecting this.

"I... yes."

"Look, it's okay. I saw this coming, everyone did. I get it. I was a second choice." She smiled, not unkindly.

"I'm sorry. You're really amazing, honestly. If this other person wasn't here... They don't even have feelings for me. It's just not fair to you." Steve ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "I really do like you."

"I really like you too, Steve. I hope we can be friends. Maybe I can even help you with Billy." She put a hand on his shoulder. "Call me anytime. Whatever you need."

What the fuck.

"Chloe, how did you know about Billy?" Steve asked, worried.

"That was a hunch, man. Billy calls you 'Princess' or 'pretty boy' every other word, and you blush down to your toes. And when we went on that double date with him & whatever the fuck her name was, you two were suspiciously close together, and you talked to him the whole time. It was comical."

"I'm so sorry. I don't... I was trying to prove to myself I didn't love him. I didn't want this. I wanted to like you like I like him." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"I know, Steve. I know. It's not your fault. You know that, right? I'm not mad at you."

"You're not?"

"No. I can't be mad at you for something you can't do anything about. My unrequited feelings are my issue, not yours. I want to see you happy. You couldn't be. Not with me. With him." She squeezed his hand and walked away.

He left to find Billy the second she left. He leaned up against his locker. "I have a proposition."

"Which is?" Billy raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I just dumped Chloe. Wanna skip? I have beer in the garage at home.""Whatever you want, pretty boy." Steve tried not to blush, and failed miserably.