𝚂𝚘 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚋𝚢,

𝚄𝚗𝚕𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚖𝚎𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚝.

𝙳𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚝𝚎𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚗𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚖𝚎,

𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘𝚗'𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝚒𝚝.

𝚂𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚝 𝚖𝚎 𝚔𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚞𝚝𝚑.

𝙱𝚎𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝙸 𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞.

𝚈𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚊 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚢.

𝙸 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚛𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚛𝚕𝚍,

𝚃𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎'𝚜 𝚗𝚘 𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚛 𝚐𝚒𝚛𝚕 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞,

𝙽𝚘 𝚘𝚗𝚎,

𝚆𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚑𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢?

𝙳𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚢 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚙𝚎𝚘𝚙𝚕𝚎 𝚘𝚗?

𝙲𝚊𝚞𝚜𝚎 𝙸 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘.

Billy arrived at the house to pick Max up around six. When he came to the front door smelling strongly of citrus, cinnamon, and patchouli, Lennon couldn't help but notice how he also cleaned up nicely after school.

"Hello," Lennon smiled kindly, shivering as the cold wafted inside.

"Hi, darling," Billy smirked, tilting his head in a manner that seemed flirtatious.

"Please, come in before you freeze to the doorstep," she stepped aside and let the man in.

He let out a chuffed chuckle as his eyes went up to the high ceilings. Billy scanned his new surroundings and rubbed his hands together to warm them up.

Max had gotten to her feet, seeing as Billy entered and moved for Lennon's room to put her shoes back on and grab her bag so the humble friend of hers could have some time to herself.

"This is a lovely home you have," Billy grinned lustfully.

"It's not mine. It's my brother's," she informed him.

Billy seemed a little weary now that she ignored his compliment but he didn't let her see it.

"Can I get you anything to drink? Water? Energy drink? Coke?"

"Uh," Billy took a moment to collect his thoughts. "No. That's alright. Thanks though."

He didn't understand why she was acting so nonchalant and friendly when he was trying to get her to talk more deeply to him. She was easily a charming person who found flattery enjoyable. It didn't take him long to see that. But it was like she was a completely different person now with completely different motives.

"If I may ask, how does your brother own a house this big on the lake?" Billy asked, thinking if he could get her talking she would be more easily persuaded to reciprocate the adulation.

Lennon had walked into the living room, leading Billy through the short hallway, past the kitchen doorway, and into the main living quarters to turn the TV off.

"His mom moved in with her husband when they got married a while back," Lennon informed him casually, straightening up and folding the blanket she and Max used to distract herself from seeming like a liar; which she wasn't, but she felt like one after only telling half-truths.

"My brothers and I used to spend every summer here so it's always felt like home," she continued, throwing the blanket over the side of one of the recliners before folding her arms over her chest and facing Billy. "Only since August has it actually become one though..." she trailed off.

"So, you have more than one brother?" Billy drew out curiously, taking a step closer as he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets.

"Uh..." she scratched at the back of her head in discomfort. "Mmhm," she hummed, not wanting to admit that one of them was dead now and the reason Brontë could afford to keep the place they lived in was because of their father's inheritance.

"I wish I had brothers..." Billy sighed. "I was cursed with a little red-headed demon instead," he leered at something down the hall to the right which caused Lennon's eyes to move towards Max who had her bag slung over her shoulder and a glint of anger resting behind her shining blue eyes.

"You know Brontë doesn't say shit like that to his sister, you prick," Max curled her lip and earned herself a glare from Billy in return.

"Well, it's a good thing you aren't my sister then."

Billy's words were aimed at Max but she refused to let him see how hurtful they were.

"Maybe if your mother slept with her father and married him instead, Brontë could feed you and drive you to and from school and I'd be free," Billy rancidly shot back.

"Dick."

"Bitch."

"He probably would have if he had the chance," Lennon interrupted their bickering.

Max and Billy both looked over at her curiously. They didn't understand what she was talking about and Lennon realized how blunt it must have seemed without context.

"Dear old Dad was a prime man-slut in his golden days," Lennon led the way to the door. "That's one thing Brontë took after him. Consider yourself lucky you have a brother at all, Max. Trust me," she took the girl by the shoulder and left Billy to follow behind them uncomfortably.

He wasn't used to being ignored like this by beautiful women, especially women who kiss him and look after his sister. But Lennon was different and he couldn't even be mad about it. It almost made her more desirable.

"If you want to hang out anytime, it would be a pleasure, Max," Lennon smiled softly before opening the front door for her guests.

The smaller girl smiled and wrapped Lennon in a quick hug before thanking her and disappearing into the flurries of snow and the darkness of night. Billy then approached and stopped in the doorway to stare down at Lennon was had her back against the door to keep it open.

Max had gone to the car but Billy clung to Lennon for a while longer.

"Thanks for watching Max," he glowered with a playful smirk. "You two seem to have gotten on good terms."

Lennon smiled warmly. "She's a pleasure. You shouldn't be so mean to her sometimes... She's a good kid," she met his eyes and gained confidence in them.

Billy hummed disinterestedly but he still managed to look inclined and pleasantly playful. "Just wait. You spend enough time with her, you'll see she isn't the perfect little rebel you think she is," Billy's eyes went out to the road where his car was parked but he didn't want to leave. He wanted to stay and learn more about this mysterious woman who treated him kindly and still gave him the cold shoulder simultaneously.

"I think we all have a little devil inside us somewhere," Lennon hugged herself closer to her oversized sweater and tilted her head slightly as her sportive eyes danced with his lascivious ones. "The only difference resides in how willing we are to let people see him," her voice turned darker but she hadn't meant for it to.

She got caught up in the attention of his eyes. He was overtly flirting with her and it was easy with him. It was almost expectant to be playful and leading with him. It was fun and effortless. Billy was attractive and encouraging and he was an extremely good kisser.

But he wasn't very nice. He was cruel to Max and she was Lennon's friend. One of the only friends she had, actually. One of the only true ones. She and Nancy. That's all she had. And he was very vain. He was quite the show-off and he was a performer to the people at school. He played with girls' heartstrings and left them astray like it was easier than breathing.

He was mean and self-indulgent, conceited, and he didn't have nice brown eyes or pretty brown hair, he didn't have skilled fingers or full lips, he didn't like metal or D&D, he didn't make her laugh or drive an old van, he wasn't in a band and he didn't live in a room that smelled like cigarettes and cologne; he didn't make her feel endangered but he didn't make her feel safe either. Billy wasn't him.

"And your little devil..." Billy sucked on his bottom lip as his eyes trailed down to her lips. "Where is he?"

Lennon's eyes ran across the expanse of Billy's face and as she sensed him moving forward slightly, Lennon took a deep breath and looked down at her feet. "He is cold," she giggled uncomfortably, turning away and taking a step inside.

Billy reeled back and fell back in step, turning towards her as his feet landed outside.

"Right," he muttered, shoving his hands into his pockets again and looking slightly agitated and slightly let down when Lennon's skittish eyes found his again. "Of course."

Lennon curled a lock of chestnut hair behind her ear and smiled weakly at Billy, offering him an apologetic set of eyes as she took the door and leaned against the doorframe to keep him company.

"I'm sorry..." she admitted sorrowfully. "I uhm... I still owe you..." she reminded him.

"It's fine," Billy waved her off. "Have a good night, Lennon," he turned his back on her and quickly walked through the soft snow on the porch until he made it to the snow-covered grass, leaving shoe prints in the soft flurries on the ground as he approached his car.

"Billy," she groaned, calling out to him loudly, but he didn't turn. He just kept walking like he hadn't heard her. Lennon sighed and waited to see them drive off at an alarming rate before making her way back inside.

When Billy sat down in the driver's seat, Max was in a bawling fit of laughter after having seen him be rejected by one of the most charismatic girls in the school.

"What are you laughing at?" Billy grumbled irritably.

Max stifled her humor and wiped at her eyes. "Oh..." Max sighed a sigh of relief. "She is not into you," she laughed, tossing her head back and scooting as far right as she could go to escape his physical protest.

"Shut up," he leered, turning the key in the ignition and speeding down the street. "You don't know shit, Maxine," he growled.

"I think I know plenty," she continued to tease. "Why don't you just accept the fact that some women; more tasteful women, just aren't into you?"

That time, Billy did strike her across the arm with the back of his hand. It wasn't enough to bruise but it still stung.

"You should've seen your face..." Max continued to egg him on, unable to resist getting her revenge for the 'joke' he made about her mother. "God, and I have front row seats to this sorry tragedy!"

"I can see it already," Max smiled as she presented an imaginary front headliner in the air. "The Fool, starring William Hargrove!" Max giggled, causing Billy to shove his elbow into her ar. Only then did she stop, knowing if she provoked him again, blood might be drawn.