A/N: Alright so it turns out writing about Billy having feelings other than angst is pretty tough. But you know, we're finally making progress on the romance front. Enjoy

xxx

Teddi ended up chickening out over calling about the apartment. It had been about a week or so since Hopper had come into the video store, and the idea of living off on her own was still constantly on her mind. If only she could just make herself call. Instead she could only trace the phone number that she had written on the back of one of her notebooks. She hadn't brought it up with Billy either. He would've been supportive of the idea, Teddi knew he would. She didn't have any siblings to worry about like he did. No strings tying her to her family. And she could already practically hear him joking about her apartment being the new party spot. Like she'd let that happen. But there was this part of her that worried that he might think the whole thing was stupid. That he might tell her she was running from her problems or being a baby. So for now she would keep it to herself.

Now Teddi was in the library during her free period, mindlessly tracing that same phone number as she chewed on her lip. Initially she'd decided to use her free period to finish up on some homework before she had to go to work, but her mind was much, much too busy to focus on any math homework she had. In fact, she was so spaced out that she didn't even notice that someone was walking up behind her.

"What's that?" Teddi jumped at the sound of Steve's voice.

She held a hand to her chest, glaring up at him as he pulled the seat across from her out and plopped down. "It's nothing." she said a little too quickly.

Steve raised an eyebrow. "...That definitely doesn't sound suspicious," he grinned. "Come on, Ted. It's me, Steve, you can tell me. You got a boyfriend you're keeping a secret or something?"

Teddi rolled her eyes. "Nothing so scandalous," she joked. She supposed there was no real harm in telling Steve. He was a much more impartial party compared to Billy. "...You know that apartment building you told me about at the New Year's party? The one out by the steel mill? I've kinda been thinking of moving there. Like getting out on my own and all." she eyed Steve nervously while she waited for his reaction.

"Pfft, I sure wish I could move out," was all he said. "My old man's constantly down my neck about what I'm gonna do after school. Like I'm supposed to have any idea." he scoffed.

Teddi let out a small breath of relief and smiled. "You don't have any colleges lined up?"

"Uh, well I was trying to pick out a few to apply to...but then I couldn't really decide on any...and then I kinda missed all the deadlines to apply," he nodded, flashing a sheepish grin. "What about you? I mean, you've gotta have schools trying to kick down your door, right?"

College. That was another subject that Teddi wanted to avoid. She'd been busting her ass working two jobs and making sure her grades were nothing short of amazing so that she could make sure to get into a good school...but there wasn't really anything she dreaded more. And she was completely aware that it didn't make a lick of sense. "Well, actually I got into NYU which was like...my dream school...but I don't really know if I'm gonna go if I'm completely honest."

Steve's eyebrows shot upwards and he grinned. "Wait, what? Teddi, that's amazing! Why wouldn't you want to go there? I'm pretty sure Johnathan Byers would kill you just to take your place."

Teddi let out a snort before shrugging. "I don't know...I know it sounds dumb. Trust me. I've just been wondering lately if I actually want to go to college or if I'm just doing it because it's what people our age are supposed to do, you know? Or if it's just like an excuse for me to get out on my own. And I feel like I finally have actual friends here now and I'm up and leaving. It kinda bums me out." there was also the added fact that she had absolutely no idea what she would major in. She didn't like admitting to people that her life wasn't as put together as they might think.

Steve shot Teddi a knowing look before leaning forwards. "Please tell me this isn't about Billy Hargrove."

Teddi scoffed, sinking down in her seat. "Oh please, Steve." sure Billy was part of it. Of course he was part of it. Teddi was as close with Billy as she was with Steve, maybe even more so now. Which was ironic since they had been sort of mortal enemies, but it wasn't solely about him.

"What's the deal with him anyways? You can't honestly be falling for this whole 'nice guy' act he's been pulling lately, can you?" Teddi could definitely understand Steve's skepticism. After all, he was the guy that Billy had beaten unconscious just four months ago. At the same time though Teddi had a hard time imagining that the Billy she knew now could ever do something like that.

"Look, I know that he's not exactly Mr. Rogers," Teddi said. Steve let out a snort. "But he's really a lot different now. It's like a 180...well, maybe more like a 150. We're not completely there yet. I think if you two can get over your weird alpha male thing you have going you could probably even be friends," Steve only shot her a disbelieving look. "If I can be friends with him then so can you. You're friends with Johnathan Byers now, aren't you?"

Steve held up his hands. "Yeah, yeah. Look, I'll take your word for it. I mean I don't think me and him are gonna be hanging out any time soon...I just want you to be careful. If Billy really is trying to not be such a shit head then great. But just...keep an eye out."

Teddi would be lying if she said she didn't have her own reservations about Billy's behavior. There was this tiny part of her that wondered if maybe it was all some sort of an act. Like Billy might be pretending to be a genuinely nice guy to get in her pants. But she always brushed it off. She wanted to have more faith in him than that. And she definitely wasn't going to voice her paranoia out loud. "Yes, mother hen." was all she said instead, grinning at Steve.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Cute. Really cute. Hey, do you have the notes from history?"

"You mean you didn't take any?" Teddi asked with a smile as she started to search through her backpack for her notes.

"...Oh, totally. I just wanted to compare them with mine."

Teddi let out a snort. "Uh-huh...shit. I don't have my binder. I think I left it in my gym locker. I'll be right back, okay?" Steve threw her a thumbs up before Teddi rushed out of the library.

xxx

Billy usually liked to spend his free period in the gym. It always got quiet after gym class ended, and maybe aside from a few girls that liked to sit on the bleachers while he practiced his free throws no one really bothered him. Teddi had asked if he wanted to join her in the library while she finished up some homework. He'd said that he'd rather chew off his own foot than voluntarily step foot in the school library.

There was also the fact that there was something that was bothering her and she actually seemed to think she could hide it from him. Teddi was somewhat of a shitty liar. Or at least he was really good at seeing through it when she lied. He wasn't really sure which it was. Probably the latter. The bigger issue was that he had asked if there was something going on and she kept lying. So he had dropped the issue. But he also definitely didn't want to sit around for a whole hour while she dodged his questions and acted like everything was perfect and told him to stop being so pouty.

"Billy!" someone called just as he gracefully tossed the basketball into the basket. Billy turned, trying his very hardest not to roll his eyes when he spotted Cheryl leaning up against the bleachers. The small group of girls sitting a few feet away didn't bother to hide the dirty looks they were shooting in her direction.

He had been trying to avoid her for the last week or so. Teddi had been right; Cheryl Burns made him downright miserable. But ignoring a girl like Cheryl was proving to be pretty difficult. She didn't really like to take no for an answer. Which he found pretty annoying. Just two days ago he had turned her down for a night out at the drive in, and yet there she was wagging those long, red nails at him beckoning him over like it had never happened.

Billy let out a soft huff and jogged over to her, nodding once at her. He wasn't going to try and charm her like he did with every other girl he spoke to. It would just give her the wrong idea. Cheryl bit her bottom lip, smiling up at him as she batted her eyelashes at him. "You busy?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. Her hands rested just barely at his sides.

Billy looked at her and back out to the basketball court. "...What does it look like to you, Cheryl?"

She playfully rolled her eyes. "I need to talk to you for a sec." she reached out and took one of Billy's hands in hers and pulled him towards her.

He pulled away. "Can we do this some other time? Like I said, I'm busy."

Cheryl definitely wasn't the sort of girl that got turned down often. Billy wouldn't really be surprised to find out he was the first to do so. There was a moment where the sweet, seductive look Cheryl was giving him turned into one of annoyance and he hoped that it meant she would throw a fit and stomp out of the gym and leave him alone.

He wasn't so lucky. "And I said that I need to talk to you." she nearly spat through her teeth.

Billy rolled his eyes. "Fine. Talk."

The seductive smile was back just as fast as it had disappeared. Cheryl happily took his hand in hers once again and pulled him out of the gym and into the hall. Whatever it was that she had to say, she clearly didn't want to do it in front of an audience. She lead him two doors down to the girl's locker room. Cheryl did a quick scan of the room to make sure they were alone before she spun around, giving Billy a soft shove against a row of one of the lockers and kissing him roughly.

Billy's hands instinctively went to Cheryl's waist before his conscience (which he was annoyed to realize seemed to sound a lot like Teddi's voice) told him to stop. His hands moved to Cheryl's shoulders and he pushed her away gently. He smirked down at her, raising an eyebrow. "I thought you said you wanted to talk?"

Cheryl blinked up at him innocently, or as innocently as a girl like Cheryl could manage, and ran her hands down his bare chest before resting on his stomach. "Did I say that?" she all but giggled. Billy supposed he should have seen this coming. It was definitely a trick he would try to pull. He knew that he needed to get out before he did something he'd regret later. He was pissed at Cheryl. He didn't even like Cheryl. So why was he sticking around? Christ, he thought, don't pull on that thread.

"Cheryl, if you want someone to fool around with how 'bout you go find that moron Brian Jean?" he asked with an expectant look. After Christmas break ended Billy had offered to kick the shit out Brian for ditching Teddi to hook up with Cheryl at David's party. Teddi had practically forbidden him, but that didn't mean Billy wasn't allowed to fuck with him. And he definitely hadn't missed the pleased look on Teddi's face a few days earlier when Billy "accidentally" happened to brush his keys down the entire side of Brian's shitty little Chevette.

Cheryl rolled her eyes. "Are you honestly still mad about that? That was forever ago, Billy. I didn't even think you'd care," Yeah, that's the problem, he thought with a scoff. Cheryl hands snaked around his neck, pulling him down closer to her. "Come on, Billy, let me make it up to you." she purred. Billy liked to think of himself as a strong guy. That he wasn't swayed easily no matter what the situation was. But as annoying as he found Cheryl Burns, there was something about her that seemed to short circuit his brain. The shorter, more simple answer was that it was probably because she looked like the girls in his Playboys.

Everything after that was sort of a blur. He wasn't sure how long he had been there with Cheryl. The bell hadn't rung yet. That was really all he was able to discern. Billy had turned the pair of them around, pushing Cheryl's back up against the lockers. His hands had a firm grip on her ass while her hands were tangled in his hair, her long tails scratching gently at his scalp. He hadn't really thought much of the situation until he heard the locker room door open and a very familiar voice say "Oh, jeez. Sorry. Jeez. Uh I just…my locker…"

Billy spun around. Teddi was standing by the door with a hand over her eyes. He felt his stomach drop. Cheryl scoffed. "Can we help you?" she asked, glaring daggers at Teddi.

"I, uh, gotta get something out of my locker is all...and then go and die from embarrassment." she muttered. Teddi rushed passed Billy and Cheryl and disappeared for a moment. Billy heard her locker open and close before Teddi nearly bolted out of the room. He quickly followed after her, ignoring Cheryl's protests.

"Teddi! Teddi, can you fucking slow down?" he called, jogging to catch up with her quick strides. He grabbed her arm to stop her and spun her around to face him. She refused to make eye contact with him. He wanted to say something. His brain was screaming at him to say something to her. But he couldn't seem to get anything out. "...I'm sorry." was all he could manage.

Teddi still wouldn't look him in the eyes. "Sorry?" she still sounded surprised to hear him use that word. "What's there for you sorry about?"

"I mean…" he turned and gestured back towards the locker room awkwardly. "What just happened. Cheryl said she wanted to talk and then all the sudden-" all the sudden what? He asked himself. Teddi caught you fooling around with the same girl you said you were gonna stop fooling around with? Idiot.

"You really don't have to apologize. Really. I just needed some history notes. I'll see you around, okay?" Billy didn't think he'd ever seen Teddi so frazzled before. Everything about her at that moment was so unlike the Teddi he knew. He was a little surprised she didn't give him an earful about how he needs to stop seeing Cheryl and leading her on. Now it just seemed like she would rather be anywhere that wasn't near him. His jaw set firmly. "Don't do that." he didn't let go of her arm.

"Don't do what?" she asked with a loud sigh.

"Don't act like nothing happened. Where's the lecture?" he asked, leaning down so his eyes would meet hers. "You don't have anything to say to me? No matters of the flesh comments?" he hated how angry he sounded. He was angry with himself, not Teddi.

"Billy…" Teddi's eyes were pleading. He felt bad all over again. He dropped her arm quickly as if it had burned him. "...I'll see you later." she muttered. All he could really do now was helplessly watch as Teddi nearly ran down the hall and away from him and the locker room.

"God, what is taking you so long?" Billy's hands clenched into fists at the sound of Cheryl's voice. He whirled around to see her poking her head out of the locker room. "Are you coming back in here or what?"

"Fuck off, Cheryl." he spat, stomping past her and back to the gym. This whole being nice thing was definitely stressing him out more than he expected it to. He actually felt embarrassed. Embarrassed that he had been caught doing something so completely stupid. Embarrassed that he cared so much about how upset Teddi seemed by the whole thing. And it was definitely embarrassing to admit to himself that he knew why he cared so much. It wasn't a secret that he was into Teddi. He definitely hit on her enough. But it was a little more than that.

He couldn't even say the words in his mind. That he liked Teddi. Something like that seemed so pathetic to say out loud. Not to mention it would get him nowhere. Teddi had turned him down enough times to know he didn't stand a chance with her. Still, the feeling he'd gotten when he saw that she'd walked in on him and Cheryl was that same feeling he'd had when he'd walked into the Palace Arcade before New Year's and saw Teddi talking to Steve.

It made that familiar anger bubble inside of him, but in a different way. He was angry at himself. He felt pathetic. Practically pining over some girl. Maybe that was part of why he kept Cheryl hanging on. She was a way to momentarily forget about any sort of feelings he might have. Which was also pretty pathetic.

There was also the option of just saying something. To stop acting like such a little bitch about it. Yeah, he thought with a scoff, I think I'd rather let Max hit me in the dick with that bat than do that. He shoved the gym door open and grabbed his bag before heading back to the locker room for a shower. At the very least they'd have to talk about this. He completely dreaded the idea. He was sure Teddi was dreading it too. But this whole ignoring each other any time shit got tough thing was getting old.

But he underestimated Teddi. When she didn't want to talk to someone, she meant it. He hadn't seen even a glimpse of her for the rest of the day. He'd even skipped out on his last period early to catch her in the parking lot. When he got there her van was already gone. When he dropped Max off at the arcade he asked Keith if she was around, and he'd said she was off on her break. Billy still wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or covering for her.

He felt a little panicked then. Like finally he had gone and really fucked up. Maybe now Teddi wouldn't want anything to do with him anymore. Maybe he had gone and chased off the one friend he had in Hawkins. To say he was angry with himself was an understatement. He thought about calling, but quickly brushed the idea aside. He'd give her her space. She'd come to him when she was ready to talk. The only problem now was trying not to go absolutely insane while he waited for that to happen.