mary. [ BILLY HARGROVE ]

xxvii. CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

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     Valentine's Day was always a hated holiday by Billy Hargrove. He always thought that it was too sappy, and hated the fact that men used it as an excuse to show extra affection to their significant others. Needless to say, he found it to be a stupid holiday. And he let Mary know that. 

     "I just don't see the point in showing you extra affection for one day instead of just giving you my all the entire year," Billy argued, leaning back in the seat at the diner. 

     "I get where you're coming from, believe me I kind of like it, but... You aren't going to do anything?" Mary asked, raising an eyebrow at him. 

     "We're having dinner!" Billy said, motioning around them. "And -" He dipped one of his fries into his milkshake, "I have a surprise for later." 

     "Ooh, what kind of surprise?" Mary asked, leaning forward with a smile. 

     "It's a surprise. I'm not going to give it away," Billy said with a small shrug. 

     "Yeah, but I'm your girlfriend and have a right to now," Mary persisted, tapping his wrist lightly with two fingers. 

     "Okay, I'll tell you the surprise when the time comes," Billy said with a smile. He watched as Mary fumbled with his jacket sleeve, his cheeks flushing at her small action. 

     "You know, I could just torture it out of you," Mary said, shrugging at him. She looked up giving Billy a wide grin. 

     "Hm, how so?" he asked, beginning to lean towards her.  Mary traced the lines on Billy's palm, shrugging at him again. 

     "Haven't thought about it yet, but there are ways to make you talk, Hargrove," she said, a grin breaking out on her face as she continued to trace his hand. Billy took her hand, lacing their fingers together. He brought Mary's hand towards him, kissing the back of it softly. 

     "Come on," Billy said, pulling Mary out of the booth. He disconnected their hands, pulling his wallet out and placing down however much money they needed to pay. 

     "Is it surprise time?" Mary asked, beginning to pull her jacket on. 

     "Close," Billy said, the two beginning to walk out of the diner. They both got in his Camaro, Billy turning the radio on. A Song For You by Donny Hathaway was on, a smile growing across Mary's face as it was the beginning of the song. She slowly began to sing along with it, Billy smiling as he glanced at her every so often. At some points, she'd actually put effort into singing, and at other parts she would just scream the words. Mary sang one of the words, and leaned over to Billy while leaning her head against his shoulder. 

     "I love you in a place. Where there's no space or time!" Mary screamed along to the song. Her voice quieted as she the next lyrics seriously. "I love you for my life." She smiled, kissing his cheek lightly, and continued to sing on. Billy smiled, heart pounding as he took in the words carefully. Mary's singing filled his ears over the song, and he could only think about how much he'd grown to love her. He hadn't told her yet, but he wanted to so bad. Hearing her sing that just then made him feel something he didn't think he was capable of feeling. It was like a drug that he couldn't get enough of, and needed to hear her say it again. 

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     The Camaro stopped in the park, Mary and Billy getting out and beginning to walk to the basketball courts. 

     "The surprise is the basketball courts?" Mary asked as Billy pulled a basketball from the backseat of his car. 

     "It's the first surprise. There's two," Billy said pointing to her. He bounced the ball on the court, then threw it to Mary. She caught the ball, narrowing her eyes at him.