Same Drugs (Billy Hargrove)

the extra mile

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After the party died down, people went home, and everything was quiet, Oliver decided it was time for him to get home. "It was really nice meeting you, Jamie," He said before giving me a quick hug and leaving my room with me. There were some stragglers downstairs from the party that were either passed out or very close to it. It had been a few hours, and when I walked Oliver to the door, I began waking people up as we passed them. Oliver went to his car and drove off, and Steve and I were left to get the rest of the party-goers out of our house.

When everyone was gone, Steve and I began picking up red cups and throwing them in black trash bags. "So, that was fun," Steve said with a smile. "Yeah, even if I spent most of my time upstairs," I chuckled in response. Steve was still clearly a little drunk, so I told him to go up to bed, which he did immediately. Once I finished cleaning up the house, I walked up to my room and saw Decker sitting against the wall, looking towards a sleeping Libby. "Are you okay?" I asked, wondering what he was doing still awake. "Just observing. She was wasted out of her mind twenty minutes ago, then she passed out," He said. I chuckled and looked at Libby. She looked so peaceful asleep. She put up a tough front at school, that was for sure. She was never one to back down from an argument, which showed moxie, but she had a soft side. It was rarely revealed, but Decker and I knew it well. She was kind and calm around us sometimes, but thick-skinned around everyone else.

You can't blame her though, she had been through a lot. She was a sexual abuse victim as a child, so right off the bat, she was bound to develop trust issues. She was also severely picked on in our early years of high school because she's gay. Decker even beat up a guy who looked at her the wrong way one time. Decker, though, was a sweetheart. He always seemed like the "cool guy", but he really had the biggest heart out of anyone I had ever met. He cares so deeply for his loved ones, and since his family is kind of broken up, he fell back on us for a while, and we were his safe haven.

Libby began to wake up and stretch out her arms. "Guess what?" She said sleepily, snapping me out of my trance. "What, drunkie?" I asked, chuckling. "I met someone really cool tonight," She told us. "Really?" "Yeah, when I was in the kitchen getting a drink. She wasn't really much of a party girl but told me she came because of one of her friends," She explained. I smiled at her words. Libby needed someone to fawn over, it was something she so rarely did. "Does she go to our school?" I asked, and Libby's face fell. "I don't remember," She said sullenly. I frowned slightly, bummed that she didn't get any information from the girl. "Do you even remember her name?" I asked, but she shook her head. I groaned and rolled my head back so far that it hit the wall. Decker made himself a bed on the floor soon and I curled up on my bed with Libby, falling into a deep sleep.

***

When school started up again after the holidays, I walked into my homeroom class. I saw Billy, unfortunately, but I also saw Oliver. I smiled at him, walking over and sitting down next to him. "Long time, no see," I chirped with a genuine smile on my face. I was glad to have someone familiar in class with me this morning. Libby and Decker had a different homeroom than me, and I especially didn't want to deal with Billy alone today of all days. It would be too awkward after what happened at the party. Oliver looked up and smiled back at me, "Well, would you look at what the cat dragged in." I chuckled at his wit and took out my planner, writing things down that I had to do for the day, which had clearly intrigued the boy on my left side. He leaned over my desk, looking at what I was writing, "Meticulous," He said, and I shrugged. "I like to keep at least one aspect of my life organized," I told him. He nodded and looked closer at what I was transferring from pen to paper, actually reading the words this time.

"Well, folks, it looks like for Jamie today, it's gonna be a busy one. First up, she's got homeroom with her new favorite class hunk: Oliver Walsh. Then, the busy bee has Physics homework due, she's got to transfer notes after that, and during her free period..." He started, squinting slightly at my small cursive-like handwriting, "...she's got a thesis paper to start!" I laughed at his funny way of looking at my borderline obsessive planning habit. An obnoxious scoff was heard behind me, and I looked over my shoulder to see who it was. Of course, Billy was sitting smugly: Arms crossed, legs splayed out, and a smirk on his face. "Do you need something?" I asked, trying not to sound as irritated at I was beginning to get. "No. Nothing. Continue on... lovebirds," He said, mumbling the last bit. "Oh god, you're mature," I said with a groan of annoyance. I turned back around and saw Oliver rolling his eyes, something I found funny.

He began mouthing something at me, so I faced him and tried to read his lips. 'Did you guys date?' I shook my head, laughing slightly, and then shook my head harder. 'Never in a million years,' I mouthed back. 'Are you sure?' He mouthed, and I rolled my eyes back with a broad smile, "I'm one hundred percent serious! If you were a girl, for instance: Olivia Walsh," I started, granting a chuckle from Oliver, ", would you date him?" I felt Billy kick the back of my chair quickly and I whipped around, "What?" I snapped. "Talking about me? At least tell me what about," He teased and I audibly groaned. "Go smoke something," I said before turning back around a final time before the bell rang, telling everyone to go to their first official class.