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-'ˏ Margo's Pov ˎ'-

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Billy Hargrove's House

Thursday , 8:01 p.m

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Billy reached out to turn the water temperature up again and I quickly smacked his hand away.

"Margo." Billy said through his teeth "It's barely warm water still."

"I don't care." I replied leaning my head back on his chest absolutely exhausted.

He drew his hand back and placed it over my clenched fist. He ran his thumb over my knuckles lightly before attempting to gently unclench it. After seeing how tense my body was he finally gave up and agreed that I was at least warm enough to "not die".

After gently sitting us up he reached for the towel he put on the edge of the sink and slowly stood up. He wrapped the towel around me like you would with a toddler.

"Are you not gonna dry off?" I asked him awkwardly as I noticed he was standing there soaking wet in his boxers, staring at me with a concerned gaze.

"Yeah yeah" He replied as he quickly snatched up another towel and exited the bathroom.

I took a minute to breathe and try to stop the pounding headache I had before stepping out into his room.

As I moved to sit on the edge of his bed I noticed that he had already changed into a pair of shorts and was digging around in his closet for something. I had already found my own shorts and shirt from when I was at his house last that he had conveniently thrown in the washer. However Billy eventually reemerged with a bright red hoodie labeled "Hawkins Pool" across the front.

He walked over to me and signaled for me to put my hands up over my head. I shook my head being difficult because I could put clothes on by myself nor did I want an extra layer of clothing to suffocate me. He let out a quick sigh before sitting next to me on the bed. Without any warning he pulled me up and over him so that I was straddling him. I began to protest as he quickly pulled the hoodie over my head before I made a scene. Billy gently pulled my hair out from under the hoodie and let it rest on my shoulders.

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-'ˏ Billy's Pov ˎ'-

My heart was pounding in my chest as I nervously smiled at her. When Margo showed up in my driveway, ice cold and crying, I found myself almost frozen with fear. I refuse to lose someone else important to me. Especially if I could prevent it. I gently tried picking up her small and delicate frame into my arms before quickly throwing my hoodie over her before she had the chance to protest. Her cute face popped back into view as I wiggled the hoodie over her head before gently trying to pull her hair out from under the hood it was tucked into. I brushed the back of my hand against her cheek simply to see if her body temperature was back to normal. I sighed when it wasn't and her body slumped against mine tiredly. My first instinct was to wrap my arms fully around her but I knew she wouldn't want that. Not after what had happened at the party.

I gently unclenched her small fists from around me and untangled her body from mine as I stood up. Quickly turning and reaching over her to fold back the sheets on my bed, leaving a nice spot for her to crawl into. Without argument she sat back down and wrapped herself under the blankets clearly exhausted. Usually she was full of energy and questions but her lack of fight and willingness to peacefully sleep almost threw me off guard. I had expected an argument where she wanted to go home and I wouldn't have let her go.

Stepping back and away from the bed I leaned against the wall just looking at her peaceful face. A small button nose peeking out from under the sheets she had wrapped herself in. I could tell she was asleep by the slight rise and fall of the blankets. Content that she was safe and sound I made my way to the chair in the corner of my room. Gently sitting down to avoid it from creaking I simply sat and waited for morning to come.

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-'ˏ Margo's Pov ˎ'-

I woke up yet again to a familiar but unfamiliar room. Quickly sitting up I scanned the room looking for some sense of normality. Billys room, I concluded. My hand quickly darted out without any thought to feel the other side of the bed for a body and upon finding nothing I began to look around. There Billy was tucked in the corner on a chair much too small for him. His jeans and shirt still on but halfway unbuttoned with his legs spread out splayed over the chair in an odd position. Boots still completely on with his arms gently crossed. It appeared that his intent was to stay awake and that he had failed. A smile spread across my face at the sight before recalling the prior nights events.

Crawling to the end of the bed I swung my legs over to plop myself feet first onto the floor. I wasn't sure what my intent was as I walked over to bother Billy but by the time I had gotten there I found myself crawling into his lap. I sat facing him on his lap before tucking myself under his crossed arms. He let out a deep breath of air as I settled in. He tightened his arms around me in an unconscious movement. Gently laying my head down on his chest I closed my eyes and hoped to fall back asleep. My movement caused Billy to stiffen as he woke up. I felt his head dip to look down at me before his body relaxed. He gently ran his finger in a soothing pattern on an exposed piece of skin from where the hoodie had ridden up.

But as all good things do, it ended quickly as heavy and terse sounding steps resounded through the hallway, quickly walking towards Billys room. His body tensed and I quickly looked up to see his facial expression that was paralyzed with fear.

"You didn't lock the door?" I quickly whispered to him as I knew it wouldn't be long until Neil had reached the door.

"The lock is on the outside." He tersely whispered.