Fallout || Stranger Things [2]

two || pancakes and pain

Billy Hargrove didn't sleep well, but he rarely had a peaceful night anymore.

His dreams had been plagued with the thought of his father discovering his mother in town and all of the ways it could have gone wrong, dreams that also reverted to Victoria's face turning into Tatum's, calling out for his help as Neil hit her mercilessly.

     Was she calling out for him or was he just losing his mind?

And when the sun flashed through his curtains, the day was welcomed.

For the first time since July, his dreams were worse than his reality.

Billy dressed quickly, choosing a simple combo of jeans and a Metallica t-shirt for a comfortable car ride to Bloomington. He only took a brief moment to fiddle with his curls, stopping when the memory of Tatum's hands playing with them sent a chill down his spine.

The house was eerily quiet as he moved the rest of his packed boxes into the camaro, his room growing ever emptier as the character of the space left with each box.

Billy sighed as he deposited the last box in the passenger's seat of the car, returning for the lone duffle bag sitting in the middle of a stark white room. It was best if he took all of his belongings before Neil decided to throw them out after he was gone.

"Max?" he called, carrying the duffle out into the hall. He stopped outside of his sister's closed bedroom door, rapping a knuckle against it twice before cracking it open. "Max?"

The redhead was nowhere to be found.

Billy sighed softly to himself, leaving the house behind and taking a lasting look before hopping into his car.

Was she really not going to say goodbye to him?

He kicked his car to life, significantly cramped as he pulled away from the curb and headed for the Rivers house to meet up with Jordan and Victoria before their trek across the state. The radio remained off, the short trip done in silence while his thoughts ran rampant.

Billy rolled up outside of the towering house, swinging his keys around his finger as he climbed out. He raised a hand in greeting as Ben met him in the front yard, thankful for a warm face in the morning.

"We've got breakfast inside for you," Ben told him, running a hand through short curls. "I'll move the rest of your boxes over to the U-Haul."

Billy's brows quirked. "Are you sure? I can help."

Ben waved over his shoulder. "Don't be mad. Go have something to eat before the drive."

Although he handed his keys off hesitantly, the low growl in his stomach sent him inside. He slid the front door open, stretching his arms before stopping just short of the kitchen.

A cheer broke out inside the house, the room littered with teens donning bright faces. A banner was strung up in the otherwise undecorated space, wishing him luck while party blowers went off in unison.

Billy couldn't help but laugh as Max wrapped her arms around him, squeezing her tight. "What are you guys all doing here?" he asked, exchanging a short handshake with Steve.

"They said breakfast and I live next door," Steve replied with a shrug and a smile.

"You didn't think you were just going to leave for college without saying goodbye to us, did you?" asked Dustin, the only one who hadn't waited for Billy's arrival to start eating a mound of pancakes.

Elena ushered Billy to a seat at the table, both it and the breakfast bar set with plates of food. "And we couldn't let you leave on an empty stomach." She squeezed his shoulder. "Jordan is picking up your mum from her hotel. They'll be here shortly."