Empathy (Billy Hargrove)

1.2 - FRIEND OR FOE?

Jackie's second and third period classes flew by, much to her relief. As she stopped by her locker to put her books away and grab her camera, she noticed the area was occupied. Billy had a group of people hanging around him and his tan arm was thrown around the shoulders of a pretty girl that Jackie knew as one of Carol's friends.

"Excuse me," Jackie said loudly, but making sure to keep her attitude out of her words.

The entire group of teenagers turned to look at her as she tried to get to her locker. The strawberry blonde that Billy had his arm around, was blocking her locker though sizing Jackie up with a sneer on her face.

"Well look who it is," a familiar voice rang out, "Hawkins's Whore!" Tommy H. slithered an arm around Jackie's tiny waist. When she tried to squirm out of it, he just grabbed her tighter, squeezing one of the areas she had been punched the previous night.

"Don't touch me," she spat out and tried to push the boy away.

"Yeah, Tommy. Maybe you shouldn't touch her. You don't know what kinds of diseases you might get," the strawberry blonde jeered. The group of teenagers laughed and Jackie felt her face heat up as she looked down at her chucks.

"Billy, meet Hawkins's very own slut, Jackie Johnson" Tommy said as he shoved her in Billy's direction. Jackie failed to catch her balance and she fell into Billy's chest. He automatically put his available arm around her to steady her, but as soon as she regained her balance, she distanced herself from him. "If she hasn't already tried to get to you, she will soon enough. Comes into school all the time with hickies littering her neck." The teens laughed again and she snuck a glance up at Billy. He wasn't laughing like the rest, but a smirk rested upon his face.  A smirk that she so badly wanted to slap off.

Jackie tore her hazel eyes away and assessed her surroundings. The group of teens formed a half-circle around her, trapping her between them and the lockers. The strawberry-blonde was still leaning on Jackie's locker, eliciting a heavy sigh from the raven-haired girl. All she wanted in that moment was to go to her photography class, but no. Life had to go and shit on her like it always did.

Billy took his arm back from the girl's shoulders and moved to stand in the half-circle in front of Jackie. He began to slowly walk around her, looking her up and down with narrowed eyes as he did so. Jackie stuck her ground and kept her eyes on the boy at all times. She wanted Billy to know she wasn't scared of or intimidated by anyone, especially not him. He stopped circling her and wore a wide smirk on his handsome face. Jackie turned her body to face his completely, her back to the lockers.

"Hmm, you want know what I think of Hawkins's Whore?" Billy asked the group. Hollers and jeers could be heard as a response. More students gathered in the hallway, pausing on the way to their classes to see what would happen between the ex-queen and the new guy. Billy slowly stepped toward Jackie, his cerulean eyes trained on her face. "I think," he said loudly for everyone to hear, "that she'll be a fun time." More hoots sounded in response to that.

Billy was now close enough to Jackie that she could reach out her hand and place it on his chest, but she still didn't budge. It was once he positioned himself right in front of her, their chests touching, that she had to take a slight step back to catch her balance. Jackie's neck cracked as she had to look up at Billy, not dropping his gaze once. She hadn't realized how tall he was, and with him this close, she could feel the heat radiating off his body.

He took another step towards her, even though there was no visible space. Her arms went up to his chest to try to put distance between them and one of his hands went to her hip. Unlike Tommy H. though, Billy didn't squeeze, just rested his hand there. Jackie was forced to step back and then another, until her back met a hard surface.

The cold metal of the lockers seeped through the layers of her clothing, causing a chill to run up raven-haired girl's spine. Billy's smirk grew wider, if possible, and he placed both hands on either side of her head, causing Jackie to be caged in. She shot him her meanest look and he chuckled softly. She couldn't help but admit how handsome he was up close, even if she hated his guts right now. His lashes were thick and long, and a ring of gold around his pupil could be seen as their faces were mere inches away.

His head dipped forward and Jackie internally panicked, trying to push back on his chest. "We're two to zero now, sweetheart," Billy whispered into the girl's ear, making it seem like he was threatening or antagonizing her. Her brow scrunched in confusion. She was trying to make sense of his words, but having him this close was seriously messing with her body, much to her distaste and protest.

"What?" she breathed out, causing some of the curls resting against his neck to move slightly. Billy took a sharp breath in and chuckled lowly.  Jackie hated how her body reacted to the sound of his throaty laugh – her stomach erupted with butterflies and heat pooled in her lower abdomen.  Damn teenage hormones.

"You seem smart, you should piece it together in a moment. Now, what're you going to do to repay me? Maybe a kiss?" Billy pulled away from her ear and got in her face.

"Go to hell, Hargrove," Jackie spat, but it only made the Hargrove boy's fox-like grin grow. Billy stood back up and turned back to the group, Jackie was suddenly left feeling cold with the absence of his body heat. It took her a few moments to comprehend that the group was leaving, sending sneers and snide remarks her way, but thankfully leaving. And the strawberry-blonde? She was no longer against Jackie's locker, but had seemingly moved away when Billy had back the hazel-eyed girl into the lockers – Her locker in particular.

The gears in her brain were spinning and she didn't want to believe this boy was actually smart or kind enough to secretly help her like that, but as she looked to the retreating group, Billy's arm was around another girl's shoulders, but his eyes were locked on Jackie. His face was serious for once as he looked at the girl, but when their eyes met – hazel against ocean blue – Billy sent a wink her way. Jackie knew he was going to be trouble, but what kind exactly?

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Stranger Things, only my character Jaqueline and her plot line.

A/N: Here's chapter 2! Please vote, comment, and add my story to your lists! If you have any feedback too, constructive criticism is always appreciated :)