Anonymous •Billy Hargrove•

•Chapter Twelve•

Elena could feel in every inch of her bones that the high she had felt while being with Billy wouldn't last long. And she wasn't wrong.

She was sitting on top of the hood of Billy's Camaro with a cigarette in between her lips when Billy's and Elena's conversation was interrupted by the principal. Of course the first thing she did was put out her cigarette, it was the first thought going through her mind.

"Mrs. Pedrović? Can you please come the office with me?" God what did she do? Everything she has done in the last weeks ran through her mind as she followed the principle back into his office. He sighed as he sat down onto the seat, offering Elena a cigarette while lighting one up for himself. With hesitation she took it, raising an eyebrow. "We just received a phone call from the hospital. It's about your father, this is why I'm letting you sign out now. We haven't informed your sister yet, we'll leave it to you." Elena choked on the smoke of her cigarette before she put the cigarette out, running through the hallway.

She stopped in front of Billy, panting. „I really need your car keys, please." She said hurriedly as Billy searched his pockets for his keys. „Whats going on Elena?" Emilija said, already starting to panic as she saw the distressed face of Elena. „I'll explain later but I need to go now, I'll be back when school's over." She said as she waited inpatient for Billy to finally get his keys. „Thank you, I'll see you later, I love you." She said in a rush as she pressed a kiss on his lips, getting in his car and driving off with the loudest drift, leaving everyone in shock.

„Did she say she loved you?" „And since when are you dating?!" Steve and Nancy bombarded the blonde one with questions but he didn't answer. This was the first time Elena had told him that she loved him and he didn't except it in a situation like that.

Elena sped down to the hospital, not even parking properly as she got out of the car, locking it before she jogged inside, stopping at the reception. „Hey, I got a call about my father in school, Darko Pedrović?" Elena said, anxiously playing with her fingers as she looked at the brunette older woman behind the reception. „Ah right, please sit down a doctor will be there soon." Elena sighed in frustration as she sat down in one of the plastic chairs, picking her nails.

"You're here for Mr. Pedrović?" A doctor asked as she came her way. "Yes, I'm his daughter." Elena said, almost jumping out of her seat. "Let's go somewhere quieter, Alright?" She said, sympathy in her eyes and Elena already knew what would come. She followed the doctor quietly until they found a quiet room. "I'm sorry to inform you that your father passed away today at 11:52am. We got a call from one of your neighbors, she had found your father laying in front of his house, bleeding out of his mouth. Your father had varicosities, which are open wounds in the esophagus and the stomach. He was bleeding for quite a long time without noticing and when he came here, his heart has stopped due to the blood loss. My condolences." Elena had stopped listening to the doctor, falling into a trance.

Her father was dead. The only person she had beside her little sister. "I— Thank you, I'm calling the funeral service to pick him up." She said, before she left the room. She felt like she wasn't in her body anymore, like she was watching herself from above.

She couldn't remember how she made it back to school. And she didn't know how she managed not to crash the car. She was in so much shock, just sitting in the blue Camaro, staring in front of her.

Elena got out of the car, sitting on her usual spot on the hood of the car. She lit up a cigarette, her eyes brimming with tears. She didn't know what to think. How'd she manage to tell that her little sister, that adored her dad despite him being abusive? How is she gonna bring food on the table? How is she going to manage to work and go to school?

She didn't even realize that the bell had rung until she realized that her boyfriend stood in front of her, behind him the group of 13 year olds and Steve, Nancy and Jonathan. "Did you listen to me?" Billy asked, cupping her face with his hands, a worried expression covering his face as he looked at her. She just shook her head, as realization finally hit her.

"I—" She tried to speak, her voice breaking as the tears finally had made their way down her face and she got cut off by her own sobbing. "Baby, c'mere." Billy sighed sadly as she pressed the girl against his chest, her body shaking violently, her fingers grounded in his shirt as if she was holding on for dear life. It broke his heart how his girlfriend clutched at him as if he was her life support, he has seen her broken and hurt but not like this, not crying in front of everybody.

"On je Mrtav!" Elena cried into his chest and he didn't understand a word, but someone surely did.

Elena let go of her boyfriend, looking at her sister, as her own tears overflowed her face. "On je mrtav." She repeated, now clutching her little sister against her chest as she started to bawl her eyes out. He's dead.

"I'm so sorry baby, I'm so sorry." Elena repeated, getting her shit together now. She couldn't let her sister see her like this. Now she had to be strong, now Elena was the only one Emilija could look up to. And Elena wasn't gonna be broken, she had to be strong, not only for herself but for Emilija.