You're Just As Troubled• Billy Hargrove

~Chapter Thirty Seven~

I stayed home from school on today. I had convinced my dad and Joyce that I just wasn't feeling up to it but honestly I was afraid of going back.

I hated Monday's already and after what occurred last night I wanted to stay far away from Ethan and Tucker. Which was impossible since they were in my classes, so skipping was the only way to avoid them.

I laid on my bed and shifted through the photos Max had left behind for me to look at. Billy and I seemed so happy, why would I be with a guy who choked me.

A knock came from the front door.

"Steve?"

"Hey I don't have work until later and figured maybe you'd want to go grab some lunch or something" he said with a shrug.

"Let me grab a jacket" I said running back up to my room, grabbing the jean jacket that was lying on my bed.

"So what's good around here?" I asked, Steve chuckled.

"Benny's use to be good but they haven't been open for a while. Hot dog on a stick is okay" Steve said.

"Benny's? I know Benny's, my mom and dad had their first date there" I said recalling my parents talking about.

"We can get burgers at the local diner" Steve suggested.

"That sounds nice" I said.

"So fire away" Steve said. I raised an eyebrow confused. "I know you're dying to ask probably like a million questions. I don't know why Nancy and Jonathan shelter you as much as they do. You deserve to know"

"Well what happened on 4th of July. Max said it was a mall fire but I can tell she and Joyce were holding back when talking about it"

Steve let out a chuckle. "That is one thing I probably can't explain. It's one of those you had to see it to believe type things"

"Ok... did I like Hawkins?"

"I would say so, I think both you and Billy hated it in the beginning. I remember meeting you for the first time. Nancy and I were still dating-"

"You and Nancy?"

"Oh sorry forgot. Yeah prior to her and Jonathan, it was me and Nancy. I asked you why you moved here. You said something about a fresh start and that you were originally born here. I congratulated you on being the one of the rare ones. You know for like leaving Hawkins" Steve said but I honestly was lost.

"Come on I'm starving" Steve said as he placed the car in park and walked inside. We were seated at a booth in the corner.

"You wanna share fries?" Steve asked.

Fries and Milkshakes were on the table.

"I think we need to end our little thing" Billy stated.

"Fine by me" I said

Billy threw some money down on the table for the bill and we walked out.

"Yeah fries are fine" I said.

"You okay?" Steve asked.

"Yeah just zoned out for a minute" I explained before looking out the window. Steve and I ate in quiet, talking about school and his new job at the video store.

As we got up I handed him some money to put towards the bill.

"No it's on me" Steve said placing a $10 bill on the table.

"Thanks Phoebe see you again next week?" A redhead woman asked. I shook my head yes as she handed me a 10 dollar bill.

"Bye Max" I called out as I walked outside.

"Thanks" I said flashing a smile to Steve as we walked out. He dropped me back off at home before heading to work.

The blue car across the street had caught my attention. I crossed the street and began to slowly walk around the car. Inside was my favorite lip gloss seated next to a pack of cigarettes in the cup holder.

"You like what you see?" Billy asked all charming. I jumped at the sound of his voice.

"Sorry I just saw this car in photos and wanted to look at it in person" I said rubbing my hand up and down my arm. I was nervous around him.

"It's fine you can look...so how's the memories coming along?" Billy asked

"Nothing" I lied, I wasn't about to tell a violent person I remembered being choked. It was better off he didn't know.

"I, uh, have your things in a box up in my room. I think it's time you take them back" Billy said with what I couldn't tell was either sadness or hurt in his voice. "C'mon" he said waving me in through the front door.

I followed him into the house slowly, hesitant but then I remembered I had to pretend like I didn't remember anything about him.

I walked in to see that his room was the room in my memory where I was choked.

"In the box is some of your clothes, a hairbrush and some makeup you left lying around my room" he said.

"Thank you, I don't know if I have anything of yours"

"If you do just keep it" Billy said. I grabbed the box and walked out chills were crawling down my back.