Anonymous •Billy Hargrove•

•Chapter Seventeen•

(A/N at the end)

Elena was anxious. More than anxious. Terrified.

Maybe Elena wasn't entirely honest with Billy. And she cursed herself in her mind that she hadn't told him earlier, because this could potentially break them up and now they were living together. And she didn't want him to move back to his father. He seemed so happy and relaxed with her.

"Bye, I'll see you tomorrow!" Elena smiled at her coworker before she left the bar. Yes, she had a job now, somehow she had to manage school and a job by her side at the same time. Because someone has to bring food on the table, luckily she didn't have to worry about rent because her father had bought the house when they came here. But it was still though, with work and school but Billy and Elena would manage, besides that they had Joyce and Hopper who would always help them if they needed something.

She drove home, her hand anxiously tapping against the steering wheel as she drove. She had to talk to Billy before it gets even deeper. And she dreaded this talk. It wouldn't be the first time someone had broken up with her about it. And each time it broke her even more. Because she knew it was weird and not normal. And she hated herself for it.

"Hey baby." Billy greeted with a smile when Elena entered the home, seeing her boyfriend with Max' head sleeping in his lap and her sister sleeping with her head on Max' thigh. Elena had to smile. Billy was a good man, and she knew this when she saw him the first time and the way he acted with her and his family only proved her point.

Billy carefully replaced his thigh with a pillow before he stood up. He followed her into the kitchen where she fell into a chair, clearly exhausted. It made him frown. He knew it was wearing her out, having two teenagers in her home trying to take care of them and having to work and have school. "I love you." Billy smiled as he bent down, pressing a kiss onto her lips before warming up the food he had made. "I love you too." Elena muttered.

Billy had a half time job, while Elena had a full time job at night as a bartender. Because someone had to make the girls dinner and pick them up from school, driving them somewhere and basically not neglect them. And somehow the stereotypical gender roles have switched between them but honestly neither of them cared.

"What's wrong?" Billy sighed as he put a plate of food down in front of her, sitting down across of her, his hand finding his way on her thigh, squeezing it slightly. Elena sighed, shaking her head and started eating. "You're an amazing cook, you know that, Right?" Elena said as she looked at Billy and she could see a faint blush on his tan face, which made her smile.

She loved this boy so much. And she was terrified of losing him over that. But what was she supposed to do? Pretending that everything was normal, making her feel like shit and not enjoy this relationship?

Once again her eyes teared up and Billy noticed. He knew that something was wrong with her. "You can talk to me if something's wrong, Elena. I'm your boyfriend." Billy said softly, while looking at her. "I know, it's just stupid." Elena sniffled, wiping away the tears that had escaped her eyes. "It's not stupid if it makes you cry." He sighed as he stood up, walking behind her chair and wrapping his arms around her shoulders, nuzzling his face into her neck. "It's not stupid if it makes you cry Elena, and if you don't want to talk about that's fine too, just tell me a name and I'll take care of it." Elena had to laugh. God, this boy could always make her laugh in the saddest moments.

After Elena had finished eating and Billy carried the girls back to their room, he returned to Elena. "You know, Max was really sad today. She missed her mom. She was crying and I felt so bad so I carried her out of her room in a burrito blanket and laid on the couch with her, trying to comfort her. And it actually worked! And the we ended up as three people, laughing at some stupid cartoon." Billy smiled brightly as he thought back. If someone had told him 4 months ago that he'd be this close to his sister he would've laughed and then punched him.