A/N: Hi all, so I'm excited to get this out there as it's been on my mind for a while. I haven't written a story in years, as you can tell by my profile. So, naturally, my writing is a bit rusty and I apologise for that in advance. I really wanted to write a story for Billy in which he meets a girl that is good for him and not some one night stand. Someone who can give him the love he actually deserves. Anyways, thank you so much for reading!

Chapter One: Pretty Eyes

October 1984

In my head, I'm confident and think quickly on my feet. The insults and cruel taunts from my peers reverberate off of me, my ego intact. In mirrors my reflection pleases me, my flaws non-existent and my skin crystal clear. Everyone wants to be me, cool kids want to date me.

In reality, I'm anxious and draw blanks when I'm singled out. The nasty words hurt me, destroying what little confidence I have. And as I stare at my reflection in the bathroom mirror, I sigh at the sight of the always present baggy eyes and a zit that's beginning to form on my chin. My curly brown hair tied up in a bun because it's the only hairstyle that I get right every time. Nobody wants to be me, no one has ever dated me.

And I care about these things, maybe a little too much.

As I'm standing there by the sink, Natalie and Jemma enter the bathroom, flipping their bleached blonde hair over their shoulders, heads held high. The most popular girls in my grade, they exude confidence and their dolled up faces make them look like mannequins; too pretty to be real, but lacking human emotion.

Coming to stand next to me, they give me a once over through the mirror and snicker. "You might want to pop that zit on your chin, Eve, or you might just be a virgin for life."

"Have you ever tried being nice, even once?" I say as my cheeks begin to flush.

They both share a look before bursting out laughing. I take that as my cue to leave; they had already done enough damage for one morning. How did they know I was a virgin? Did I look like one? Do all virgins give off a vibe the same way straight people claim homosexuals give off 'gay vibes'?

I hurriedly make my way to the cafeteria, head down, the humiliation eating away at me. Every time this happens I envision myself standing up to them, destroying them completely with some wicked comeback. But it's only a fantasy; I will never have the balls to defend myself.

"Hey Evie, you okay?"

Startled, I look up and find Wayne standing by the entrance. His brown eyes are kind and I thank my lucky stars I have a friend like him. "Hey! Yeah, you know me, I was just thinking... as usual." I brush him off. "How was your weekend?"

"Sick. I managed to get us into Tina's Halloween party. You, me, Annie, we're in."

I can't hide my disappointment; I had never wanted to go. "Oh, that's great Wayne. I just don't know if I'll be able to make it."

He narrows his eyes at me. "Eve, we talked about this. Screw everyone, we'll have so much fun and get so fucking drunk we won't even care. You've got to go! Plus, Brian will be there, your future husband."

I roll my eyes but manage a smile. "Wayne, I... I'll feel really out of place, I'm not cool enough for that party, plus I don't even have a costume."

"Oh my god, how old are you? Ninety? We'll figure something out, I'm sure Annie has some costumes at hers. Don't you want to have fun? Maybe get chatted up by some hot guy and be french kissed, but also not remember any of it the following morning? Come on Evie, please."

With a heavy sigh, I nod. "Fine, but you owe me!"

He drops to one knee in front of me. "I am at your service."

I extend my hand to him and he takes it in his, planting a kiss on it. "I could get used to this," I say, chuckling.

We both head for our usual table and find Annie already seated, waiting for us with a mischievous smile on her face. I climb onto the seat facing her and quirk my eyebrow. "Spit it out."

"I bumped into that really hot British guy again."

Annie had never stopped talking about this guy from the moment she'd met him during our summer vacation. He had an uncle living in Hawkins, Mr. Farrington, and just as the lucky stars would have it, Annie lived next door.

I lean forward. "Oh my gosh, what happened? Did he ask you on a date?"

She blushes. "You bet he did, we're going out this Friday. I really like him, he's not like the guys around here, he's more... open minded, if you get me? But that's to be expected, I mean he's from London, way more going on over there."

Annie was my second best friend. She was a beautiful blonde with eyes the colour of a rainforest but with the warmth of a mid-summers day, kind and gentle, sad but hopeful. A fine specimen of a woman, she'd had her fair share of boyfriends, so this wasn't exactly news to me. But I was happy for her, she deserved something long lasting, I just hoped this was it.

"What exactly do you mean by that, Annie? Are you saying we are not open minded enough for you?" Wayne responds mockingly, nudging her with his shoulder. "I don't see anything wrong with a small town kinda guy like me."

I laugh. "Wayne, you're the exception."

"He couldn't be that good looking, surely? I think it's the accent that you like more than anything," he teases. "All this 'he's so open minded' is such bullshit. You want to jump his bones, that's all."

She hits him across the arm playfully. "The last part is true, but I'm actually serious guys. He's a sweetheart."

"Well, maybe you could introduce us to him at... Tina's Halloween Bash! I got us in!"

"You didn't!" she exclaims, her eyes growing wide. "That's fucking sick, Wayne! Evie, you better not bail on us last second."

"I won't..." I mutter, dreading it already.

"Look at me," she orders in good ol' Annie fashion. "You are going as a sexy nurse. I have a costume you can borrow."

"I am not! I'm not doing sexy, I'll just... go as myself or something."

Annie and Wayne both titter at my response. "You poor thing, we'll convince you somehow. We've got, what? three weeks?"

"Five o'clock," Wayne says abruptly, straightening up in his seat.

Annie and I turn our heads, spotting Jemma Kelly seating herself down at a table with her clique. Ugh. They disgusted me; I had no idea why the guys were so obsessed with them after all of their antics. Beauty only ran skin deep.

"Seriously, Wayne? She's such a fucking bitch." Annie rolls her eyes. "Plus, you don't stand a chance. She doesn't date normal people, only douchebags and jocks."

"Thanks for the encouragement, Annie." He stands up. "I'm gonna go grab some lunch, perhaps I'll blow her away with one of my famous pick-up lines? Can't give up hope."

Once Wayne is out of ear shot, Annie shakes her head. "Does he not realise she's just not into guys like him? It's embarrassing."

"He's in denial..." I trail off distracted, my gaze falling on a face I hadn't seen before. Sat on the edge of a table several yards away, clad in a pair of jeans and a leather jacket, his eyes meet mine for a brief second. From the distance, I can't make out what colour they are, but his lips are full and inviting. His dirty blonde mullet frames his strong, angular face and I would've stared a little longer had his gaze not made me uncomfortable.

Flushing upon the realisation that I'd been caught gawking at him, I ask Annie if she knows who he is.

She looks over her shoulder and thankfully he's no longer interested. "Oh he's the new guy, heard he's from Cali and moved over here last week. He's really hot, all the girls have a thing for him. Bit of a jerk though, likes throwing his weight around."

"What's his name?" I'm intrigued at this point. How did I not hear about a new arrival until now?

"I can't remember, something like, um, Joey? I'm not sure?" she takes a sip of her water, uninterested. "So, what should I wear Friday? Do you wanna come over and help me get ready? I want Alan salivating when he sees me."

"Of course, where you guys going? The movies?" I ask, the only place I can think of.

She smirks. "Almost right, the drive-in. It's opening tonight, they're showing Greece on Friday!"

"Your favourite, what a coincidence." I laugh. "I've never been to a drive-in before."

"Well you're gonna have to find a boyfriend soon so you can experience one, plus we can go on double dates. How cool would that be? Honestly, this is your year girl, I can feel it."

I roll my eyes. "Yeah... no."

"I swear Evie, you're seventeen now, this is the year of your life. I bet you anything, by the end of this year, you and Brian will be wearing the faces off each other." She giggles, giving me a wink. "He definitely likes you, I just think with him being such a player, he's afraid of commitment, but he'll come around."

Brian was my current crush, six months and counting. He was tall, dark and handsome, his eyes the colour of sweet caramel, intoxicating and addictive. He hijacked my thoughts and my fantasies at night and every morning when he'd say hello, it'd send shivers down my spine, his voice reminding me of all the sweet nothings he'd whisper to me in my dreams.

"Somehow, I doubt that," I mumble, knowing I hadn't got a chance with a guy that good looking. "All of these super cute guys date the cute girls, you know, like Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler. They're practically made for each other."

She waves me off. "Eve, your lack of confidence is the only thing keeping you single. You are drop dead gorgeous and if you let me go shopping with you, even once, I can make you any boy's wet dream."

"I might just take you up on that offer; I'm due a little pampering. Starcourt trip next week?"

"Count me in." the devilish glint in Annie's eyes says it all.

Maybe I really could be pretty enough for Brian Crowe.

There's a cool chill as I enter the house and a faint smell of smoke. Shrugging off my jacket, I head into the kitchen but my mom is nowhere to be seen. What I do spot is a pot of burned rice which explains the foul smell lingering in the air.

Concerned, I run up the stairs to her room and knock gently. "Mom? You in there?"

"Come in honey."

I open the door and find her lying in bed, a glass of wine sitting on the bedside locker. She looks terrible. "Are you okay? I see you burned the rice. Was that... dinner?"

She nods, her black hair a raggy mess and eyes bloodshot as they meet mine. "I'm sorry honey, I dozed off and by the time I woke up, it was too late. I know, I need to get my shit together, honey..." she sighs. "I'm ashamed of myself, you know that right? I keep letting you down, I'm such a fuckup."

This wasn't the first time this happened, nor would it be the last.

Ever since my father Jeffrey left us, my mom hasn't been the same. It's been six years now and she still hasn't picked herself up. Sometimes I'm led to believe that she's doing better, I'll come home and the dinner is cooking, the laundry is done and she's sober. But then it happens, completely out of the blue, and she's passed out on the couch with an empty bottle of wine. As the only child, I'm left to pick up the pieces and help her get back on her feet again, but lately it's been worse and she shows no signs of improving, no matter what I do or say.

She's broken my heart so many times now that I've lost track. I hate seeing her like this and it's the one thing I dread when I'm on my way home from school. Sometimes I'm afraid I'll lose her forever.

"Mom, it's okay." I sit down on the edge of the bed and take her cold hand in mine. "I'll fix us up something, but no more wine. Okay?"

"God no." she groans, squeezing her eyes shut. "I don't know what I'd do without you honey, lord knows I wouldn't make it this far."

My stomach twists. "Please don't say that mom."

"It's true, you're the only thing keeping me going. I almost didn't get up for work this morning, I hate that place."

She worked at the local launderette, from eight to two. It was a boring job, I understood that, but it was paying our bills and keeping food on our plates. Without that job, she'd be far worse off.

"It can't be that bad, mom. Plus, it's good for you to get out, you'd hate sitting in a lot more."

"You're right." She shifts so that her head is resting against the headboard. "Oh yeah, I was speaking to a very nice lady today and she's looking for someone to babysit her daughter this Friday and every following Saturday starting tomorrow. I said you'd be there."

"Mom!" I can't believe this, she hadn't even consulted me.

"You said you wanted a part-time job! I can't turn her down now; she and her husband have plans. Don't be upset," she pleads.

I stand up, crossing my arms. "Who exactly is this? Where do they live? I... uh, I just... okay, fine."

"I don't remember the name, you'll find a note in my handbag with the details and address, but they're new here, came all the way from California. Isn't that crazy?"

The following evening after calling Annie to let her know I wouldn't make it to hers before her date, I pull up outside the Hargroves' home in my mom's Ford Sierra. I switch off the ignition and take a deep breath, his would be my first babysitting job and I honestly didn't know how I was going to handle it. According to the note from Susan, Max is thirteen years old and whether this would prove to be a good age or not, I've yet to find out.

I'd found out her brother's name was Billy through Wayne and apparently he was indeed a complete asshole. This didn't help matters for me as I wondered how the hell I was going to handle any awkward situations.

With a final inspection of myself in the rear-view mirror, I step out of the car and make my way up the pathway to the front door. The stairs creak beneath my feet, signalling my arrival and I wince in response.

I raise my fist to the door and knock three times.

The door is pulled open and an auburn haired lady stands there. "Eve, nice to meet you, come in." She steps aside and smiles at me as I enter, shutting the door behind me. "I see you drove over yourself, that's good to know. I always worry about babysitters walking home in the dark, it's not safe out there at night."

"Yeah, I borrowed my mom's car. But honestly, Hawkins is actually pretty safe, I don't even remember the last time something bad happened." I cross my arms over my chest and bite my lip. "This is my first time babysitting, just thought I'd let you know."

She waves me off. "That's absolutely fine, Max is a really good kid, she won't cause you any trouble. Myself and Neil are going to a friend's tonight, we usually have Billy babysit but he's... he's not the best with kids and he's more into girls and cars and... you know, like all men are."

I nod in understanding. "Yeah, they're all the same. Boys will be boys."

"Why don't you take a seat and I'll have Max come down and introduce herself." She gestures to the bright yellow sofa in the corner of the room. "I'll only be a minute."

As I wait, I shrug off my denim jacket and watch the TV. Greece is playing and I chuckle to myself, thinking of Annie and her hot date tonight. It was almost comical how I ended up babysitting some kid while she was making out with a cute guy in the back of his car. Wayne was right, I really did need to let loose and be a teenager, but neither he or Annie had pressing matters at home like I did. Someday my day would come, perhaps my prince too.

"Max, this is Eve, she'll be looking after you tonight," Susan says to the young redhead as they enter the room.

"Hey, Max, nice to meet you." I smile, sticking my hand out for her to shake.

She eyes me warily before accepting. "Hi."

Heavy footsteps make their way from the kitchen into the living Room. Mr. Hargrove. "Max, no trouble alright?" he warns, shrugging into his jacket, completely ignoring me. "There's leftover pizza in the fridge if you're hungry."

Max turns to her father, shoulders hunched. "Okay dad."

He nods once before turning to the door, Susan following closely behind. "See you later girls," she mumbles.

When the door closes behind them, Max's posture relaxes and she turns back around to face me. "Um, do you want me to show you around?"

Max shows me around the house but trying to get her to open up was difficult. She was very reserved and seemed to be on her guard. I put this down to her strict upbringing and hoped that I could help her relax a little, thirteen wasn't an easy age.

We're in her bedroom when she speaks. "That's my stepbrother."

I pick up the picture frame, studying it. A family portrait. "Oh, you're not blood related? I didn't realise."

"No." She sits down on the edge of her bed. "My mom met Neil two years ago, they got married in July and decided to move out here to Hawkins, where he grew up."

"Where were you before?" I ask, pretending I didn't know the answer.

"California, I miss it so much."

I frown, coming to sit next to her. "How come you guys left?"

"Well," she starts with a heavy sigh. "My mom wanted to get away from my dad, he was causing problems and stuff. So Neil got his job relocated to Hawkins and here we are. It sucks."

"Sounds rough. But you'll make friends and honestly, friends are everything. Sometimes they make a place, no matter how bad it is."

"I don't know, all I can think about is my best friends and the beach, it's just not the same around here. Feels like we're in the middle of nowhere."

I chuckle at that. "You have a point, we are in the middle of nowhere. But, there's this really cool candy store about five minutes away and a Rent a Movie next door, we could go over and buy some candy and pick out a film?"

She perks up at that, a tiny smile tugging at the corners of her lips, her blue eyes brighter. "Really? Awesome!"

When we arrive back at the house we've got popcorn, fizzy sweets, tortilla chips and pepsi. Max picked out the movie Star Wars, because it's her favourite and apparently she's watched it twenty times but wants to watch it again because it's been a while. She makes me laugh and seeing her happy made me relax a little. Maybe I was actually good at this.

As the door clicks shut behind us, Max freezes and as I'm about to ask her what the matter is, I hear it. Paranoid by Black Sabbath is on full blast in Billy's room.

"Shit. I didn't think he'd be back so early," she says, rolling her eyes. "He's such an asshole. If he was on babysitting duty he'd want to be as far away from me as possible. Ugh."

"You know what, he probably won't even know we're here," I reassure her, heading for the living room. "I'll grab a bowl for the popcorn and you can set up the movie, yeah?"

She nods and I head for the kitchen.

Twenty minutes into the movie and my bladder is about to explode. I'd been putting off going because I didn't want to bump into Billy, but my time had finally run out, I couldn't hold it any longer.

Excusing myself, I head for the bathroom and I'm assaulted by a strong smell of cigarette smoke. I cough, knowing that he can't hear me with the music turned up so loud and scurry inside.

As I'm washing my hands, the handle of the door turns. I freeze, knowing it could only be Billy and wait for him to walk away. There's a minute of silence and as I reach for the towel to dry my hands, I hear the music being switched off. Heavy footsteps follow and then there's pounding on the door. "Max! Get out!"

I walk up to the door and pause, dreading the thought of facing him. He slams his fist on the door again and I quickly open up, my gaze meeting eyes the colour of the ocean, framed by long, thick lashes. His cheeks are flushed red and a sheen of sweat coats his forehead, full lips parted, his words catching in his throat.

Struck by his beauty, I stand there and I allow my gaze to fall, taking in his glistening bare chest. I had never been so close to a half naked man and I can't pull my eyes away from his erect nipples, the musky smell of his body invading my senses, clogging up my brain.

"And what have we got here?" he drawls, voice low. I snap out of my reverie and I look up into his face, a grin playing on his lips. "Are you lost, darlin'?"

"I'm b-babysitting Max," I stutter, my heartbeat picking up its pace.

"First I heard." His jaw clenches, visibly annoyed by this revelation. "Funny, I didn't see you when I got in."

"We went to the store."

He leans against the door-frame, narrowing his eyes at me. "Yeah? which store?"

"Bobby's Candy Store."

"Billy?" we're interrupted by an annoying whiny voice and I see a blonde girl standing by his bedroom door, her dignity covered only by a grey bed sheet. "Can I use it now?"

I realise it was her who had tried to enter the bathroom. The whole situation was extremely awkward for me and her lack of clothing had me squeezing past Billy and heading for the living room before I missed the opportunity. "Sorry," I mutter as I pass her by.

"Loser," I hear her say as I'm about to enter the living room.

I shut the door behind me and Max looks up, frowning. "What's wrong?" As I fill Max in on the encounter, she cringes. "Gross! He takes girls back here when my mom and Neil are out. It's so annoying!"

"Does this happen every weekend?" I ask, grabbing the bowl of popcorn off the coffee table and slump onto the sofa next to her.

"Not every weekend, but most." She rolls her eyes. "He's such a pain in the ass."

"Maybe next time he's around I'll take you to the cinema or something?" I suggest, feeling such sorrow for a child to be dealing with situations like these. "I'll ask your parents, we could go to Burger King after or Scoops Ahoy."

She smiles brightly at me. "You'd do that?"

"Sure, I... dealt with some bad stuff when I was your age and I wish someone had taken me away for a few hours, you know? So I'd like to do that for you. Maybe you could ask a friend to join us if you like?"

"Oh my gosh, yes! totally!" She leans in to give me a quick hug and I chuckle. "You're the best!"

Max's spirit had lifted and halfway through the movie, she nods off to sleep, her head on my shoulder.

There was no reappearance from Billy or the blonde and I assumed they had snuck back out before Susan and Neil returned. Probably through his bedroom window or something cliche like that.

As hard as it was to admit to myself, Billy was incredibly good looking.

It was such a shame his beauty only ran skin deep.