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-'ˏ Margo's Pov ˎ'-

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Margaret Henderson's House

Friday , 11:00 p.m

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Laying down on my bed later that night I heard Billy's car pull into his driveway two doors down from mine. Ever since he moved here he annoyed everyone with his loud car and music. Thankfully he turned off the music and took it elsewhere tonight because I was not in the mood for any more bullshit to be thrown my way. But what was worse than the music was the yelling. Always every day at 7 when, who I presumed was Billy's dad, got home the fighting commenced. Sometimes it was a short terse argument and other times it was huge screaming matches that always ended with an audible bang that no one could figure out what it was. The fights usually happened between Billy and his dad but sometimes it was with a lighter female voice, and when that happened a young red headed girl always ran out the door with a skateboard in hand as fast as she could. Sometimes she turned left and escaped the neighborhood completely and other times she'd lightly knock on our door asking if Dustin was home. When all was quiet again she'd make her way back home, silently slipping in through a window and by the next day everyone seemed to forget or at least ignore the ordeal.

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After the longest math class of my life I skipped through the halls towards Nancy's car, excited to go home.

"Hey Nancy!" I exclaimed while waving to her from across the lot. Of course my favorite person Billy Hargrove was leaning against his car watching me approach her from two parking spaces over. Right as I walked up, so did Steve.

"Hey Harrington.." I said suspiciously as they both giggled at each other. "So what's up?" I asked hesitantly pointing at Steve.

"Oh uh nothing." Nancy giggled.

"But I uh-" Steve started.

"You uh what?"

"We had a- you know Margaret."

"A thing!" Nancy chimes in.

"Oh.. like what kind of thing?" I said confused as I clutched my backpack to my chest.

"A school thing, a paper. Like uh AHA a project. We have a science project!" Steve boasted nervously.

"So I'll see you later Margo?" Nancy said smiling nervously at me.

"I guess.." I said knowing she was ditching me and I'd have to walk home alone.

"Cool!" She said smiling from ear to ear. "Love you!" Nancy called out leaving me in the middle of Hawkins High parking lot alone and looking dumb.

"You've got to be kidding me." I grumbled to myself. "Thank you for asking Nancy I'll be fine walking home alone!" I tell myself sarcastically as I begin to walk.

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I was halfway home when I hear a familiar sound. Billy. Billy Hargrove and his stupid loud ass car and crappy rock music went zipping past me. Thankful he didn't try to bother me I let out a sigh of relief. Then he slammed on his brakes and starting backing up. You've got to be fucking kidding me right?

"Hey sunshine." He called out smiling. "Want a ride?"

"No thanks." I scoff at him. I kept on walking and he kept on slowly driving next to me.

"That's gonna take you a while."

"I don't mind." I retorted in frustration.

"Alright well I have time sweet pea." He muttered as he kept up with me.

"What the fuck do you want?" I exclaimed while exasperatedly throwing my hands in the air.

"You."

"Find a new dream then."

"I'm not leaving until you get in."

"You are unbelievable." I said stopping with my hands on my hips. He just gave me a real bright smile and leaned over to open the passenger side door. I couldn't lie to myself. He was extremely good looking but I wasn't falling for it. As his arm stretched over I could see his muscles ripple under his thin shirt.

"Just get in." He chuckled at me as he caught me staring.

"If it'll make you shut up." I mumbled embarrassed that he had caught me staring.

He rolled his eyes and pushed the door open causing his head to tilt to the side. I noticed he had a black eye that wasn't there yesterday when I happened to see him. I slowly got in the car and placed my backpack on the floor.

"Woah what happened to your face?"

"Nothing mind your fucking business." He said gritting his teeth defensively.

"Okay." I said sitting there dumbfounded. He went from flirty to angry in .5 seconds.

"Okay then." He mocked me trying to relieve the tension in the car.

"You clearly took a beating. School fight?" I stated nonchalantly.

"Mind your fucking business or you can walk it Henderson."

I sat there silently as he drove. He angled his face away from me and he had his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white.

"I'm not dumb." I stated to him after an awkward dead silence.

"No one said you were." He replied scoffing at me and most likely my audacity as well.

"I live two doors down Billy. I hear things." I told him trying to suggest that I hear the arguments that go on as he zipped quickly down the road we live on.

"Okay and?" He asked while playing stupid with me.

"Billy-" I started to say before he roughly turned into his driveway.

"Get out." He simply stated as he slammed his car door shut and walked into his house.

Clearly I wasn't getting anywhere with him. I frustratedly slammed the door as hard as I could and speed walked home, slinging my backpack over my shoulder as I went.

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7 o'clock rolled around and once again the yelling commenced. This time around there were four voices screaming. A sudden shriek of breaking glass rung out and then a door slammed shut. A few moments later a sniffling Max knocked on our door.

I opened the door for her and gave her a small smile. She wiped her nose and tears on her jacket sleeve looking embarrassed.

"H-hey." She croaked out looking miserable. While she often came over as the screaming started I've never seen her be affected by it.

"Dustin is upstairs. Worse than usual?"

She nodded slowly in response.

"You and your brother okay?"

"Stepbrother." She corrects. Then she mutters "No. It was really bad this time around."

I nodded and stepped out of the way of the doorframe so she could find Dustin. I peered out the front door just to be nosy and found nothing. It was too dead silent for only five minutes of arguing so I slipped on my shoes and stepped outside into the cool night air. I didn't know what I was looking for or what I expected to find but never did I ever think I'd catch the one and only Billy Hargrove leaned against a broken street light crying in the dark.