BAD BOY GONE GOOD - A STRANGER THINGS BILLY+FEMALE OC MIXED FANFIC
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to all those who faved, read, reviewed, and supported me to continue. Without you this fic wouldn't still be going. I appreciate it. :D
I do not own Stranger Things, Billy, or any original character from the show. This fic is purely for entertainment and is making no money and is completely free. The Duffer Brothers own everything and a big thank you to them for inspiring this. :D
Enjoy.
-BAD BOY GONE GOOD-
Chapter 7 - WITHDRAWL - THE LIFEGUARD & HIS DATE
Summary:
Mandy has been ignoring Billy all week. The pool party is coming up and he's getting frustrated with her lack of response to him. He feels he cannot even get a single opening to get closer to her. Today is his first day at the Hawkins Community Pool and being a lifeguard.
The pressure of cracking from having Mandy give him the cold shoulder is mounting. So much so he is being mean again to Max and even arguing with his dad getting in trouble.
Mandy is trying to drive home the point to Billy that she does not want him around her and flirting with her. Why can't he just get the hint already?
Later on after school Nikki calls Mandy and invites her to go swimming at the community pool with her. Neither one of them have any idea that Billy is working there now.
Having a run in with him Mandy panics but stays for her friends trying to have a good time.
He approaches her for a little bit for a talk when changing positions on the tower.
They get into a slight argument, watched by a lot of people at the pool. Eventually things settle down and he calms her. He begs her for a date telling her pick a time and place and he will be there.
Mandy smiles slowly and agrees. She has a very specific thing in mind indeed for their first date...
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For Mandy the next day at school was miserable. Tucker was not at his usual place in the cafeteria inside or outside at the tables. He also didn't show up at the library when Nikki and Alex did. They still had their friendly conversations together during break but it wasn't as lighthearted and happy as usual. Tucker missing made it complicated to really enjoy each other's company. She knew Nikki promised it wouldn't get weird but it definitely got a little more depressing.
They talked about their classes, homework, teachers, and Nikki talked all about her usual favorite subject. Boys, boys, boys. But she didn't mention Billy this time and neither did Mandy much to her relief. She had enough on her plate and was tired of him constantly running through her mind unbidden at the worst of times when she was trying to focus on her classes.
Billy would still eye her whenever they were in the halls together but for some odd reason he held back and wouldn't approach her. He was all stares but seemed to have ceased getting close. Perhaps he sensed the change in her as she picked up more confidance to not be baited by his usual tactics.
When he said flirty things to her in first period she would act as if she heard nothing but the wind. No matter how much he begged for her to turn around and talk to him she refused coldly.
Mandy had hoped he was finally getting the message that she did not want him around her but in first period he would still sometimes try to whisper to her behind her desk and get her attention. She would sit there still as a statue and ignore him which she could hear was making him slightly upset by the way he sighed at her and even seemed to grumble slightly.
His open flirtation with Tina around her picked up pretty heavy sometimes but she wouldn't look or give him the time of day even then so eventually he even began to avoid Tina putting space between them. She guessed maybe he thought to himself if he didn't do that she might come around and like him more but that was not the case. It was just simply a relief not to have to witness it anymore.
Each day throughout the rest of the week she tried her hardest to look as nerdy and out of sorts as she could without causing personal embarrassment to herself. It was a game she was playing. How undesirable could she make herself look to him to switch him off from obssessing on her?
She wore her glasses more and took out her contacts. She wore even baggier and drab boring clothes always hiding her figure from him and dressed rather mismatched and lazily. At her own risk of personal injury she left her shoelaces untied and she even went as far as to put her long beautiful main of dark raven hair up into long pigtails that trailed down her backside. If Mandy had braces she would wear the ugliest headpiece she owned just for him to get her message across.
Yet, no matter how strange she dressed or how she denied him a view of her lovely curves or her long flowing hair, still each day he tried to get her attention while sitting behind her.
Eventually he seemed to back down a bit and would often throw a few glares her way which would make her proud of herself grinning at him in victory then continue walking past him. The more she ignored him the angrier and more frustrated he seemed to get but she also noticed the more he seemed to back off.
He still wouldn't take his eyes off of her though. That she couldn't control. She loved knowing she was getting to him by doing the exact opposite around him than what he expected her to do from her clothing and style choices to her cold indifferent mannerisms and reactions to him, often giving him no reaction whatsoever when he tried to get a rise out of her.
Nikki couldn't help but laugh a few times in class when she saw just how desperate the scene truly was between them. Mandy guessed she still believed there was something there between her and Billy and was absolutely amused at how, in her mind, they were apparently playing hard to get with one another and delaying something inevitable.
Each time Mandy shot Nikki a look she stopped laughing, got a serious look, and mouthed an apology just letting it go. It infuriated her that even with all this effort, he would still sometimes walk slowly behind her as she made her way down the hall between classes and when she would turn to catch him in the act he would turn and look away or go down a different corridor as if he wasn't. It was like having her very own personal stalker and she wasn't too thrilled about it.
Still, her escape from him remained the library as her friends would never out that location to Billy. It was the one place she could feel safe from his blue bedroom eyes and his whispers to try and get her to turn around and pay attention to him.
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Billy was torn in between wanting to approach and not wanting her to unleash an angry tirade at him making her best defense a vicious offense. He had originally thought her the mousey shy type too sweet to be mean. But the cruel side of her was showing and he was unsure what to make of it. It angered him but deep down it made him want her even more.
Opting to back off and be cool about it he had hoped she would come around and maybe approach him for once. But his hopes were dashed to pieces on that when he saw that it had no effect on her and she still maintained her distance from him.
His need to get a reaction out of her was mounting to dangerous levels and he was even tempted to pull her aside in a dark empty classroom to confront her dismissal of him but he didn't want to risk her complaining to faculty about him or risk being too needy. He was not a desperate type of guy when it came to being ignored by a female but her rejection of him was causing a slow burn in his pride and in his opinion of himself.
For days he went without seeing her besides in the hallways and in first period English. She never showed up again at the gym to watch him practice like she did the first day and reality was beginning to set in for him fast.
Mandy Hawkins wanted nothing to do with him. Mandy didn't want him. It was hitting him hard but he did everything in his power not to admit it. Instead he was grouchier than ever with Max during their miserable shared car rides together to the school lot and he was even being angry enough to boldly backtalk his old man.
He got backhanded once because of his lipping off and attitude but he took the pain and swallowed it down along with his bitterness towards Mandy for making him feel this way. For putting him through this unfair torment.
He wanted to tease her. To make her blush. To see that fiery look in her eyes again that she once showed him. It would seem he was stuck getting no further with her in his progression to seduce her. What was he doing wrong?
A few times he had almost been hurt and frustrated enough that he wanted to punch the hard gym shower wall with his bare fist as he rinsed off after P.E. class. He had wanted to put a cracked hole in it to match the cracked hole in his pride.
Why was she doing this to him? Was she enjoying putting him through this? How could she be so cruel as to deny him even the simple sound of her voice talking to him each time he tried to get her attention in class?
He could only wonder as he felt he did nothing wrong to deserve it. He had not done anything different with her than he had ever done to any other girl to try and win their affections and get them to want him in return. But more importantly, why was it bothering him so much? Why did it get to him?
Sometimes he would lay in bed at night thinking about her and get so worked up that he would have to take care of himself due to his intense need for her.
It began to grow slowly over time so much so that even his date nights with other girls were bland and boring leaving him unsatisfied. He couldn't even enjoy another girl's company much to his disappointment without wishing they were Mandy as his hands and lips traveled their soft bodies in the dark of his car.
It was pathetic. He was being pathetic. Finally deciding to try and let it go he began to give Mandy what she seemingly wanted. No interaction with him whatsoever, practically out of spite and anger at her turning him down.
This issue with Mandy was really starting to eat at him and he was wracking his brain trying to come up with ways to get her to play with him like she used to. Try to get her to play his game and excite him with her angsty biting comments or her defiant looks she would give him. He began to realize that the space she used to occupy in his life was feeling slightly like a hole caving in on itself leaving nothing there but an emptiness.
Max had noticed how Billy was angrier and more explosive than usual and felt like she was walking on eggshells or landmines around him instead of being her usual on edge yet sassy self when stuck in the car with him. He would bounce between intense fits of verbal rage and then become eerily silent not wanting to say anything at all, his moods becoming more erratic. Harder to guess or brace herself for and more random day by day. It got to the point where she would be utterly silent around him not even daring to give a mean flippant comment.
After basketball practice Friday Billy hurried to shower sparing no time or effort to taunt Steve giving his usual cocky advice and pointers. Hell, he didn't even talk to Tommy much. They both saw this as unusual for him but neither one commented on it and just let it be considering whatever was going on with him must be rough to change him like that. They would give him glances here and there wondering why his demeaner had seemingly changed somewhat from the usual pompous and antagonistic Billy they were used to him being.
Tommy noticed it most of all and began to talk to Carol about it. Carol in turn would talk to Tina which would result in her trying extra hard to cheer him up by increasing her flirting with him. She even almost let him makeout and get touchy with her one night at the Quarry, something she had not ever let him get close to, while in his Camaro where they parked.
Although he tried to be into it, he just couldn't. It was as if his libido was put on pause which was not normal for him at all. His inner fire doused. Stamped out. He was off and she was picking up on it too and sighing not knowing what to do. So finally she just asked him to take her home and said goodnight to him.
Rinsing himself off head to toe wordlessly without his usual demoralization of Steve and saying a short curt goodbye to Tommy he left the showers to dress and leave. He had to get home and put on his work clothes as his shift would start soon at three thirty.
Neil had warned him not to be late to the job he helped him get and warned him that if he screwed it up there would be dire consequences.
Billy grimaced quickly picturing that blowout fight in his head as he drove home. He was relieved he didn't have to wait around for Max this time since he was working a shift as per him and Neil's agreement.
As tough as he was with anyone else who dared step on his toes or even look at him the wrong way, he feared his father and it made him crawl inside himself with shame, hatred, and repulsion at how weak he was to only one person on the entire face of this pathetic planet.
As a small boy he had cowered in fear of Neil many a night never having the strength to defend himself or strike back. Not even to run or hide. Even now as a much older man that cowering little boy was still buried and embedded deep down within him shuddering each time his father would come at him with violent hate and rage in his eyes for his own son. There was always something he was fucking up that made him want to hit him and verbally degrade him.
When the last of his protection left him all alone with the monster, a stinging betrayal he had never forgotten, he had given up on ever being free of the pain he suffered at the hands of Neil and instead he deflected and channeled it onto others to numb it out of himself. Over his years of growing up from a boy to a teen he had taken his aggression out on kids his own age but often smaller and weaker than him until it wasn't enough.
No longer a challenge to pick on the weaker ones he felt confidant enough to take on the older stronger kids. Because of this he was top dog at his old high school in California and made plenty of wild troubled teens as friends there.
Billy was never one to back down from a fight or lose so it often sickened him to his core about how he could never beat his own father bloody when faced with his wrath and would shrivel down to nothing when facing off with him. He was the one monster in his closet and under his bed he had never truly been able to grow out of or confront.
Billy slammed his locker open and shut while getting his clothes ready. Toweling off his strong fit body, that he daily marvelled was often the victim of his father's abuse no matter how much he pumped iron and strengthened himself, he pushed these thoughts out of his head and snapped himself back into what was most important. Getting to work on time. Finishing changing into his regular clothes for the drive home he slammed his locker door again for good measure and stomped off towards the school lot.
Thankfully he didn't have to pick up and deliver Maxine today from the Hawkins middle school but he still had things he had to do before his shift. He would only have this job for another week or two, even though just acquiring it, since summer was ending. He guessed Neil's short sightedness on that one would still be blamed on him regardless forcing him to seek out new work to replace it.
When Hawkins Community Pool would be shutting down for the coming Fall and Winter seasons, seeing as he was late arriving to Hawkins for the full scope of Summer, he would have to search extra hard for a replacement job to keep his old man from nailing his ass to the wall and that was a literal one not a metaphorical one.
Billy figured as long as he kept working and earning money helping with the finances of the household then Neil would leave him virtually alone to do whatever he wanted on the weekends. The bonus perk, if he were lucky, would be that he would also hit and verbally attack him less. As long as he was busting his ass working himself to the bone while keeping afloat with his grades in school, his father would be pleased with him enough that he would potentially stay off his back. Being at work would also enable him to spend less time at home having to deal with all three of them especially Maxine and her preteen mouthy bullshit.
He often thought of getting a position in the Starcourt Mall laughing at the fact that he would be within the same general vicinity as Harrington. He had heard that the pretty boy was working as an ice cream sales associate at Scoops Ahoy and had to wear the dorkiest of costumes. A male sailor suit and a stupid sailor hat to match. Fitting for a Queen like him despite everyone still calling Steve the "King" of Hawkins High. He would love to get a load of that costume and humiliate him every damn day on lunch and partial breaks just to fuck with him.
The look on Harrington's face would be undeniably golden to see if he came over to get ice cream making Steve bow and scrape to serve Billy impossible flavor combinations and then change his mind making him take them back to make new ones making his job even harder. It could be fun. He just hoped Steve wouldn't actually be dumb enough to spit on his ice cream so he would have to watch him like a hawk while serving it.
With that being part of his inspiration to apply there, he already put in applications in as many of the mall's shopping booths as he could in advance. He took care to avoid the fast food places in the food court however. He was anticipating his short lifeguard duty which would not continue until next Summer rolled around but so far none of them had called him back with a position. Even after positive interviews that went very well where he also was able to work his charm and sexual charisma on the female interviewers. They had drooled all over him absolutely loving him but he guessed maybe he was too attractive to work for them.
The males in charge of the interviews he guessed didn't want him there being afraid he would upstage them at customer service with his good looks. The females most likely feared he would cause too much of a stir on the job distracting other female employees. Maybe they felt he would be a liability or cause a drop in sales and production if the females couldn't focus on their work and focused only him. Sometimes he felt cursed to be this good looking and never once stopped to question how vain he was about it.
Even with Max no longer being a burden during the weekdays before work he would still have to stop by his father's house and dry his hair to fix it up and make himself look good. There was no way he would be in the presence of all the ladies at the pool, young or old married or single, with his hair a wet disheveled mess. He had to style it even if it would all get undone the moment he might have to jump into the pool ruining his hard work just to help save a stupid person from dying on his watch.
He chuckled to himself grinning while driving to the house when he thought of all the desperate horny ladies that would be at the pool and how they would react to him seeing someone like him for the first time. Billy just knew he would thoroughly enjoy strutting his stuff about the pool shirtless and in his red lifeguard trunks enjoying all the attention they would be garnering him with.
Most of the women there would most likely willingly drown themselves any day of the week if it meant getting mouth to mouth from him. If the female he had to do CPR on was really hot he supposed he could enjoy it. Saving a life and getting some action killing two birds with one stone.
He just hoped against all hope it would be anything but having to save a less desirable or another male. He would do it to keep his job but he would hate every minute of it. He hated kids and absolutely loathed morons who couldn't breathe and chew gum at the same time. If a person was a combination of the two, a drowning kid being one of those morons, he would still have to do his job and rescue them.
Before he was to show up for work they put him through basic lifeguard training and taught him the basics of CPR on training dummies. He passed and got certified for the position. He cringed at the thought of having to put his lips all over some stranger just to keep them breathing when the only thing he wanted to use his mouth for was to kiss and pleasure a fine woman.
In his unpopular self centered opinion, if you were too stupid to be safe or actually try to keep yourself alive, then you may as well be at the bottom of a pool with no hope for oxygen turning blue. The weak and stupid died out and were filtered out from the intelligent and strong. Adaptation. That was just nature's way. Natural selection, baby.
After styling his hair and putting on his Hawkins Community Pool lifeguard tank top shirt with a white button up shirt over it he sprayed some of his signature cologne on himself. Grinning into the mirror he admired his preened self and then grabbed his poolside necessities along with his favorite pair of sunglasses for the day under the warm sun.
Who knew how much the heat and bright rays with clear skies would last as they were getting further and further apart replaced with cloudy grey ones and misty foggy mornings. The chill wind was coming more and more as the days passed but he would enjoy it for everything it was worth until then.
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Pulling up to a reserved employee parking spot he grinned when several females took notice of his loud purring Camaro and the handsome stranger sitting in it. He raised his sunglasses on his head over his golden curls and winked at them while getting out and locking up.
They smiled at him some of them through their own sunglasses checked him out in return trying hard to show off for him their lean and amazing bodies in their swimsuits and bikinis. Lowering his sunglasses back down he only looked them up and down once his shades were on so as to not be too obvious about it. Not on his first day. He had to make a solid impression that he was unobtainable to any of them and leave them wanting more.
Seeing their desire for him he was almost feeling back to his old self again and forgetting the offputting behavior of Mandy or the annoyingly clingy personality of Tina. He felt refreshed with new prospects to chase down and it somewhat restored his vigor and appetite to flirt.
Walking up to the gate and opening it he walked over to the first lifeguard he saw to ask where he would be placing his stuff and where he would get his lifesaving accessories.
"Hello. I'm Billy. I'm the new hire for the position. And you are?" He held out his hand to a tall slender female with medium lengthed dark brown hair in a half done up bun.
As soon as she noticed him talking to her she stopped paying attention to the male lifeguard she had been laughing and flirting with. Her jaw almost dropped and she started smacking her gum as she checked him out from head to toe.
"Nice to meet you, Billy. I'm Heather. Heather Holloway." The girl had said her name with an attempt at adding a sexual lilt to her voice and he grinned taking her hand in his and shaking it slowly. He saw her face and how she instantly got excited over the contact when they touched.
"Likewise. Charmed." He smiled at her resisting to do his usual move of kissing her hand to further cement his flirtation with her.
"So... where do I start?" Heather gave him a look that almost allowed him to read her thoughts about where she would just LOVE for him to start. On her.
"Well, first let me tell you about the facilities. The showers are separated by genders left to right. Left is the men's and right is the women's. In the back there are lockers you can use to store your clothes and other small items. The supply closet has pool chemicals but you won't need to worry about that as we have a pool guy who takes care of that for us at least two times a day. Once before the pool opens and then a final time after it closes."
He nodded listening intently while putting on lean finger on his chin and keeping his steady gaze locked onto her while she explained things to him. She stammered a few times seeing his blue eyes focused so steadily on her. She was obviously getting slightly intimidated.
"The lifeguard chairs are at each end of the pool on opposite sides and the general rule is there must be at least one sitting there at all times. We take shifts and switch off turns alternating every ten minutes to help with posture being seated so long in one position like that. Rescue tubes, rings, floaties, and life vests are over there on the rack near the emergency phone which is easy to spot hanging on the wall."
He trailed his intense blue eyes over to the rack and then back to Heather's rack. Getting an eyeful of it she didn't miss a beat of him scoping her cleavage out and tried to continue.
"There's uhhh... there's also plenty of bottled water to keep you cool while sitting there in case you get... hot. Lifeguards are not allowed in the pool unless under dire emergency circumstances to break up horseplay and fights between swimmers. The males usually handle this though. Also you only go into the water to save those who may be at risk of drowning or are presently drowning. Make sure to keep a close eye on everything as much as possible because it only takes just a few seconds to look away and miss something."
God she talked a lot. Did she ever pause for breath? He could easily think of a way to silence her in his fevered imagination of cornering her in the women's shower room. However, this was his place of employment, so he would have to keep his hands to himself and be on his best behavior. That wouldn't stop him from having naughty thoughts or using his words however.
"I assume... you are trained in CPR and how to recognize when someone is drowning?" She asked looking immediately to his wide gorgeous mouth being so very obvious he could hardly contain his amusement. For good measure he licked his lips slowly and bit his lower one at her.
"Oh yes, they trained me well. Not that I needed it, though. I assure you I am very good at giving mouth to mouth." Heather blushed and turned away at his sultry description of the most basic lifesaving technique.
"Uhh... good. So ummm, then you won't be needing any training dummy practice." She said trying to hide her lust over him but poorly. Most likely imagining herself being who he would practice on and not the training dummy.
"Thank you so much for that run down, Heather. I'm sure thankful that I have someone here as knowledgeable as you to help me with my orientation."
He buttered her up putting on a charming smile for her and saw her blush and look down for a moment. The male lifeguard next to her was folding his arms over his chest clearly detecting his bullshit and picking up on his game. He eventually walked away feeling completely jealous and inadequate to fight for her attention knowing he was unable to take it away from Billy.
Some of what he said was honest. He had to hand it to her, she knew her stuff. This was all very vital information any new lifeguard would need.
"Who's he?" Billy nodded smirking arrogantly towards the lifeguard that took off in an angry defeated attitude.
"Oh, that's umm... that's another one of our lifeguards here. His name is Freddy."
"He your boyfriend?" Billy looked into her eyes and teased her doing everything he could to make her rethink it if he was. She laughed lightly touching her throat. Too easy. Her laugh told him everything he needed to know.
"God, no. Just... just a friend."
He grinned as she laughed clearly hiding she did have a budding thing for Freddy until Billy came along.
"I see." He grinned at her and she couldn't stop grinning back while playing with her own whistle nervously.
Yeah, he bet NOW he was 'just a friend', alright. Once she had gotten a load of him there was virtually nothing going to happen between Heather and Freddy anytime soon and he swelled in his ego over that fact.
"So what is the shift like? I understand it's short but the pay is good per hour since what we do is very... hard." Billy smiled at her with that last word knowing she had been checking out his body from his abs and even lower to what he was packing underneath his swim trunks. He had a sparkle in his eye while showing his pearly whites to her.
"Ummm... the shift is easy. It's two shifts split in the middle at three hours and thirty minutes each. We are only open from noon until closing which is sunset at seven. My boss has informed us all that you have school so I know that makes it hard for you to be here for the opening hour. I'm glad he fit you in to work here regardless and giving you the evening shift. Normally he doesn't hire students because he finds them to be rather undependable due to their need of school work and studying."
Yeah, he bet she was glad. She had never seen a guy as fit and sexy as himself, not even in college he bet as a college student which is what he picked up from her, and she was definitely getting a good look at him while explaining things. Hell, she didn't even care he was underage and in high school as her eyes were still all over him.
"So you will be working the evening shift from three thirty to closing with Freddy and I."
She almost pouted at this. Freddy now had competition and she obviously didn't want him getting in the way of her being able to have fun flirting with Billy during their shift together.
"In addition to us on the job we also have Zoe, Katie, and Adam. They will be on the day shift from noon to three thirty leaving as we arrive. We always have three lifeguards on duty at any given time from opening to close as a safety precaution and we mix up male and female lifeguards on each team. Due to legal reasons I suppose."
He nodded giving her full attention as she talked even though it was getting to the point that he just really wanted to leave and go party with his friends. Having a job for money was an absolutely essential thing but he absolutely loathed the tying down of his freedoms. Still he had to keep his baby full on gas somehow and be able to afford his smokes and his party boy habit now that his father would be cutting him off and making him rely on his own wages.
"So yeah, basically everything is all divided by six people from noon to seven, considering this is only a part time job. The shift change brings in the other three lifeguards to let the former ones go home for the day. The pool gets locked up at night after it gets checked on and cleaned and the chemicals cycled and refreshed. They test the chlorine levels and the PH of the water very accurately for safety and health reasons."
Billy noticed she seemed pleased as punch to be on his shift. The mention of two other female lifeguards caught his interest but he didn't reveal that to her. Even with Heather fawning all over him and seeing she was very attractive, his male part of his brain hooked up to his sex drive was curious as to what Katie and Zoe looked like compared to her.
"Sounds like a plan. Well, I better get up there and get started, huh? Thank you for catching me up to speed and letting me know about the showers. It was a real pleasure. I'll see you around, Heather."
He smirked when he saw that the image of him wet in the showers was seeded in her brain making her bite her lower lip as she imagined it. The way he said her name most likely also turned her gears loving the sound of it rolling off of his lips with his deep voice.
It was the same thing he had done to Mandy at gym practice. He knew it was the best way to make a female imagine things about him and he loved doing it to them seeing their faces as they envisioned it in their mind.
All the women surrounding them were gawking, whether in the water, on the pool loungers, or walking by, and Heather definitely noticed just how attractive he was to other women and not just herself. She looked side to side while chewing her gum as if slightly envious of their eyes being all over him. She could already tell he was going to be the new favorite around here even more so than Freddy had been when he first showed up.
"No problem. You're up now so here's your lanyard whistle and your lifeguard safety kit."
She handed him the required items and he kind of frowned at having to wear the kit. It was a red water proof pouch with a white cross on it and the community pool's logo.
"It's a simple pouch you wear around your waist like a fannypack and has almost everything you will need in there. Also, the bottled waters are in the ice chests resting at the base of the towers. Take a bottled water from the ice chest from time to time and drink, trust me you will need one while up there. Oh and... let me know if there is anything you need, Billy. Anytime. Anything at all."
She handed him the plastic red whistle on a red cord to put around his neck and he did so as soon as he recieved it while smiling at her. Her last statement was saturated with lust and flirtation and he grinned looking her up and down.
"Absolutely. I sure will." He said in his signature husky voice causing her to catch her breath slightly before walking away to do her lap walking around the pool keeping an eye on things until he was ready to climb his high tower and onto to his new throne.
He would love the power and authority of working here making sure to keep people in line while blowing his whistle at any punk who got out of line. He would enjoy sitting high up looking down on all the other people below him as the women checked him out with their lustful stares.
He noticed a group of older women all sitting side by side under their shaded umbrellas lounging in the pool chairs. As soon as his eyes went in that direction they almost all looked away in unision and he noticed them turning to each other to squawk and gabble on together most likely about him.
They stole looks his way when they thought he wasn't looking and they swooned each time he had to blow his whistle at a runner or a person rough housing in the pool to shout at them to knock it off or he would ban them for life. His display of dominance and aggression clearly getting them hot under the collar for him. Older women loved a man that took charge, that was a simple understanding he had come by when often flirting with older women.
His threat had been an empty threat, he knew he couldn't do that, but it was effective and they stopped and were listening to him immediately. He grinned lazily and sipped his bottled water thoroughly enjoying this and for once he was thankful to Neil for setting him up with something.
Looking into the crowds of people for the next few hours, both in the water and out of it, he caught himself occasionally looking for and wondering if Mandy ever came here. She was still on his mind even as all the women were gawking at him all wanting a piece of him.
He could imagine how fun it would be to flirt with any one of these desperate females in front of her and see what her reaction would be.
Not too far off from where he sat with his serious eyes scoping the entire pool, the group of older women lounging about in their pool chairs were staring and talking about him.
"Oh my god, where did HE come from? Have you ever seen him before?" Katrina Taylor, a rather youthful attractive mom of two, with long curly blond hair up in a half do bun and sporting a tiger print swimsuit and leopard print sunvisor, asked to her friends as she lowered her shades to get an eyeful. She had been looking in her compact mirror making sure she was looking good for the hot new lifeguard as she spoke.
"No, honey. He's definitely new. I would have remembered a good lookin' piece like that any day. Look how strong his arms are. And those legs, wow! I wouldn't mind wrapping myself around that." Evian Nichols, a dark haired pale skinned thinner and older woman replied while staring along with her friend admiring the view and fanning herself, her dark lipstick a deep contrast to her fair complexion as she smiled flirtatiously and waving to him. He didn't notice one bit and kept his eyes around the pool area causing her to frown in frustration.
"Please, Evian, don't be so crass. He looks like he's just a kid. Most likely a teenager from Hawkins Highschool or something. Way too young for a MARRIED woman such as yourself."
Mrs Wheeler, Nancy, Mike, and Holly Wheeler's mother, said in a catty tone reminding her friend of her slight adultery by the way she was eyeballing him up and down. Karen was making a show of not even looking as she laid back enjoying herself at the poolside respectively.
"Oh, as if you weren't looking yourself. Honestly, Karen, you're no better off than any one of us. How's Ted? Still falling asleep in his chair every night instead of in your shared marriage bed?" Vicki Sanderson shot back with a stronger bite than she usually did.
Karen frowned. She knew how the women who were considered her 'friends' had noticed how unhappy her home life with her husband was since they were often over for dinners and for their club they would get together over on the weekends when the kids were spending time with their own friends.
"Sorry." Vicki replied feeling bad when she noticed the hurt look Karen shot her way over that heartless remark.
"Yes, I know. Ted and I have our... problems but I am still every inch of a faithful wife to him despite our struggles. You know I love my husband and my family."
"Oh, don't listen to her, darlin'. Married life isn't easy or always full of bliss. Every one of us sitting here right now knows that pain." Evian said trying to soothe the hurt between her two friends.
They all nodded in agreement, except for Mrs Wheeler who actually fell into the temptation to look. She couldn't deny he was very handsome. Not her type, even if she were to have an affair. It was immoral and wrong. Deep down she knew that. Although his appearance exuded confidance she could very much tell he was under the age of eighteen easily enough.
"Oh! He's looking this way! Hurry up ladies, positions!" Vicki exclaimed as she propped her full figured self up on her chair and tried to look every inch as slim and lovely as her companions.
All of them straightened up trying to look there best when his eyes seemed to move over in their direction. Karen didn't bother and kept herself natural. She was above these petty games and had no intention of trying to get the attention of some youngster no matter how much of a teen dream heart throb he may appear to be.
Billy definitely noticed the group of women and it took everything he had not to laugh at how desperate they looked as they tried to look good for him. He did however notice one of them in the bunch and lowered his sunglasses partly below his eyes checking the older woman out.
She was wearing an interesting suit that was two tone in color, half pink and half blue. He chewed his gum and got a quick look in before he returned to watching a fat kid run around the edge of the pool which made him blow his whistle loudly and scold him for it.
"Did you see that, Karen? He was totally checking you out!" Evian said excitedly and the other women got a small scowl on their faces for having not been chosen for that experience. Karen smiled shyly but let it go.
I am a faithful mom of three. I am a faithful mom of three. I love my husband. I love my husband...
She said inside her head resisting all temptation and trying to go back to sunbathing ignoring her friends fawning all over the young fresh piece of meat they were slathering and salivating about.
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"So, can you come? You LOVE swimming, Mandy. How could you turn it down?" Nikki said over the phone whining pathetically hoping her friend would agree and change her mind.
"I know I do. I just... I don't know. I don't like going to the pool during the early hours of it's operation. Too many people there. I usually prefer the evening time before closing. That way I don't feel so self conscious."
Mandy sighed feeling stupid for even caring about such things. She wished she had a higher opinion of herself and her figure and wasn't so worried about showing it all the time. Her bathing suit was rather old and didn't even fit her right. It would do but it was a bit snug in the back and the front portions making her feel too exposed of her curves and apex down there.
"Well, you need to let me know if you are coming because my dad says I can only go once I finish my homework first. Ugggh. It's about three thirty right now so I could pick you up at four. You know they close down around just past sunset at seven when it starts getting too dark and dangerous for swimmers. So we would be lucky to get three hours in while there."
Mandy twisted the phone cord in her fingers and sighed. She knew this meant a lot to Nikki and she had made a promise to hang out with her friends more than she did last year.
"Okay. I'll get my suit on and my towel and sunblock ready with a change of clothes. Pick me up as soon as you can when your done."
Nikki screamed into the phone and Mandy had to pull it away from her ear so her eardrums wouldn't risk getting shattered by her friend's excitement. She laughed and Nikki told her she would be right over as soon as she finished her homework before hanging up.
An hour or so later and both Mandy and Nikki were cruising down the road heading to the community pool listening to music and talking animately. Mandy felt a whole lot better to no longer have to deal with Billy's unwanted affections and with less run ins she was glad she finally solved at least ONE of her problems.
Now if she could only get Tommy to stop harassing her every chance he got and find a way to patch things up with Tucker she could literally die the happiest person on Earth.
"Mandy, please tell me you will throw that old thing out after this and accept the bikini I picked out for you. You badly need to update your gear. I still want to go shopping with you at Starcourt as soon as possible."
Her friend looked at her down her sunglasses as they drove to their destination and she smirked at her.
"If I do, will you stop talking about it?" She joked making Nikki stick her tongue out at her.
They both giggled as they pulled up at the pool. Mandy's heart sunk when she noticed the unmistakable blue Camaro parked not more than a few spaces over.
"Nikki... no. How could you? Did you?" She started but Nikki looked just as shocked as she was to see it. Mandy believed her because she looked honestly surprised.
"No. I swear. I had no idea about this. Do you want to go home? I'll understand if you do." Nikki frowned with the car still running and the stereo still playing music.
Before she could answer, Nancy startled them when she approached Nikki's side of the car and greeted them happily. They both jumped.
"Wow... what's up with you two? You look like you've seen a ghost. Is something wrong?"
Nikki pointed to the blue Camaro with her hand covering her mouth so Mandy wouldn't see and mouthed Billy's name then nodded in Mandy's direction.
"Nikki I can see you." Mandy sighed and Nikki made an 'oh shit' face. Nancy looked confused.
"Billy Hargrove? Yeah he's here. I saw him not too long ago. Why? Is everything okay?"
Nikki sighed allowing Mandy to explain it if she wanted to. Mandy paused and looked down at the floor of the car in front of her. She stared straight ahead and spilled it much against her will to make it public.
"I'm just not very fond of him. I don't like being around him or having him near me. But I guess I have no choice because I can't back down now." Nikki looked sad feeling as if she had ruined their swim time unintentionally.
"I'm sorry, Mandy. I didn't know." Nikki said feeling very guilty.
"Well, if it makes you feel better, you can just hang out with Steve and I. I bet Hargrove won't come near you then he doesn't like Steve at all and hasn't been hounding him as he usually does instead avoiding him."
Nancy said with a reassuring smile. Mandy brightened up a little bit at the idea and nodded giving a gentle smile.
"Alright! We got ourselves and anti-Billy plan! Let's do this!" Nikki said super excited that their day wouldn't be ruined after all.
Getting out of the car Nikki locked it up and they all walked in together. Mandy's eyes darted nervously around hoping not to land on Billy. When she saw the area looked clear of him she breathed a sigh of relief and continued to walk with her friends as Nancy lead the way to where Steve was reclining lazily in the pool lounger. He had sunblock smeared all over him, most likely put on by Nancy and he looked like a fat lazy contented house cat.
As soon as he opened his eyes and noticed them approaching he got a wide smile on his face and greeted them, pulling Nancy onto the lounger with him making room for her.
"Heeeeey. Hello, ladies! To what do I owe the dubious pleasure of a visit from you on this fine summer day?" Nikki grinned and took the lounger next to them all smiles asking to borrow some of their sunblock as she forgot her own.
"Oh, nothing much. Still owning the pool, Harrington?" Mandy teased. He laughed feeling like a millionair with his own private pool acting as if he truly did own it.
"You know it! Hi, Mandy. How have you been? You excited for my party?" When she looked at him he gave her a sympathetic knowing smile and was trying to be kind to her. Mandy guessed what Tucker said about Billy spreading rumors was true and even Steve knew about it.
"I've been good. Yeah, I'm great. Totally excited." She lied through her teeth but he didn't let on if he had noticed she wasn't being honest with him or not. He simply smiled at her and was being very friendly.
"It's gonna be wild. I can't wait. You guys are going to love it. I have everything planned out. So you just relax and let Steve here roll out the red carpet for you when you arrive this weekend. I know you guys will have a lot of fun."
He grinned and leaned in to kiss Nancy on her cheek and she snuggled into him happily. Mandy adored their sweetness with one another and smiled nodding.
"Hey, Mandy, do you want anything from the concession stand? I don't know about you but I am STARVING." Nikki smirked and rubbed her stomach as a visual to her hunger pains.
"You know me, I'm all about the chicken strips and fries they have here." She replied and reached into her bag to get her cash ready. Nikki pushed her hand back into her bag gently.
"No, no. On me. My treat, darlin'. Come on, let's go get our snackage on. I'm so glad I don't cramp up when I eat before swimming."
She said laughing and Mandy stood up asking if Nancy or Steve wanted anything but they were so lost in each other she let them be shaking her head grinning. They were just such a cute couple together.
"Wait up, Nikki!" Mandy exclaimed as she did her best to catch up to her friend who was headed full force in the direction of the snack bar. As they were walking she noticed Nancy's mom was here too and was relaxing with her own friends. They both waved at her and she waved back smiling at them.
"Okay so... what to drink though? They have Sprite, Coke, Pepsi, and Root Beer. Hmmm... decisions decisions."
Nikki put her hand on her chin thoughtfully earning a giggle from Mandy. So far so good. It looked like everything was going to be just fine with no sight of Hargrove anywhere. It made her curious as to why his car was here if he wasn't even present but she thanked her lucky stars he wasn't anyway.
"Root Beer. It's so good. They have the Mug kind. I love that stuff." Nikki nodded at her decision and began to order.
Mandy was looking around at all the happy faces of people swimming, playing in the water, talking, and even a couple tossing a beach ball around back and forth. The sun was strong today shining on her skin making her body feel warm and relaxed. She could feel it even through her long white T-shirt that she had put over her suit but unfortunately it wasn't long enough to cover her legs from her knees down, which she heavily regretted.
As she looked around she noticed the lifeguards sitting and doing their thing watching over people and ocasionally blowing their whistle if someone got out of line.
As they were headed back to the chairs where Steve and Nancy were laughing and kissing Mandy noticed one of the lifeguards. A female with brownish dark hair climb down off the tower.
"Looks like the changing of the guard." Nikki said playfully handing the cardboard basket of Mandy's food to her. She took it happily and sat down with her friends.
No more than a few minutes later, all of Mandy's happiness and piece of mind shattered. She watched as in slow motion as one of the back shower room doors opened up and frowning in a fit of anxeity, Billy Hargrove walked out looking almost as he did that day in the gym during his practice.
Only this time instead of the Hawkins green gym shorts, he had a pair of red lifeguard swimtrunks on with the Hawkins pool logo on it. He had a white and red tank top on with the same matching logo, the inside white and the borders red. It barely contained his muscles which could be easily seen both underneath as well as where his arms were exposing his strong biceps. His shades sat low over the bridge of his nose with his eyes barely peeking out over the tops of them.
Mandy's throat went dry and when Nikki and Nancy noticed where she was staring they both stared at her with a worried look on her face.
"Mandy? Mandy, it's okay. You're with us. Nothing will happen. I promise." Nikki tried to console her shaking her out of her deadlock stare of sheer panic that was glued to Billy as he walked out with his usual confidant gait.
He was surveiling the entire pool area and changing places with the female lifeguard that got down from the tower chair. He picked himself up a bottled water from an ice chest and smiled stopping to talk to her before climbing his way up to the top to sit. His powerful legs easily scaling the tower steps with no trouble at all.
Turning around he got comfortable in his seat, a King on his throne, and for good measure at all the ladies that were looking his way he slowly removed his white top and showed off his entire torso from the hips up fully knowing how he looked sitting up there.
Nancy looked mortified when she noticed even her own mother along with her friends looking up at him.
"Ew." Was all she said but she let it go not even wanting to know or hold onto it.
"Dayyyummmmn." Nikki said as she was also staring at how good he looked sitting atop the lifeguard chair and slowly began munching absentmindedly on a french fry.
Mandy tried to look away. Especially after his gaze seemed to almost land on her where she sat. He grinned and for a moment she thought he had spotted her but when he looked away it was clear he didn't. Perhaps he didn't recognize her just yet in her swimsuit and white shirt.
"Still going in the water?" Nikki turned finishing off a few of her fries trying to change the subject.
"Ummm... I don't know." Mandy hesitated and saw Steve hadn't even noticed because he was sunbathing and lounging again with his eyes closed behind his shades.
"Oh, come on, Mandy, forget him! Don't let him ruin your day at the pool. Besides, he has to be stuck up there on that chair for at least another fifteen minutes or so before his next change out. So you have plenty of time to have fun in the water and get out before he does to sit with us. Just ignore him, sweetie."
Nikki made a good point. He couldn't approach her from where he sat so it was relatively safe. She doubted he could even get in the water while on duty. If she had known he worked here she would have NEVER agreed to come here.
"Why the hell is he here?..." Mandy heard herself stupidly say. Nikki and Nancy looked at her as if saying 'do you really want us to answer that?' and Mandy blushed realizing her goof up.
"I guess he must have picked this job up to make some cash before the summer was over." Nancy said almost mesmerised by his physique as he sat there.
As much as Nancy didn't like him even she couldn't deny he looked good. She hid it from Steve though not wanting to cause a fight or hurt his feelings and looked away to lean down and kiss his cheek.
"Steve, I'm going to join my friends in the pool, okay?" He lifted up and smiled nodding going back to his lazy rest in the chair. It was obvious he was good where he was.
"Alright, let's go, ladies. We have a date with a pool." Nikki grinned and took Mandy's hand helping her up and setting down her food basket before she even had a chance to finish her chicken strip which earned a small grumble from her.
They all walked to the edge of the pool by the steps in the shallow end. Nancy took her time getting in slowly to adjust to the temperature. Mandy just sat on the edge sticking her legs and feet in and dangling them there hoping to God Billy would not notice her.
She avoided him as if completely mentally blocking him out where he sat and wouldn't dare look up at him. Because of this she had no idea if he was looking at her or not and it made her feel really uncomfortable.
Nikki went to the deep end and got it over with taking a jump to canonball into the pool. She made a medium splash and swam over to the shallow end meeting up with Nancy.
They both turned to look at Mandy getting on her slightly for just sitting there.
"Oh, come on. You're not getting in?" Mandy shook her head looking down at the sparkling water.
"If I get in the water will make my T-shirt stick to my body. It's... I'm good here."
Nancy and Nikki exchanged glances with one another eye rolling slightly and looked up at Billy for her knowing the cause of her hesitation.
"He's not even looking, Mandy. Come on. Enjoy yourself. Live a little!" This slightly boosted her confidance and so she nodded and slowly dipped herself in at the pools edge giving a small cry when she felt her warm body trying to adjust to the cool temperatures of the water. They both tugged her in the rest of the way playfully and she went under allowing her long hair to get soaked from her scalp to her ends and when she came up she brushed it out of her face.
"Okay. Shit. He's looking." Was all she heard Nancy say.
Struggling to get the water out of her eyes and see clearly again, she looked up on impulse and saw Billy staring down at her directly. He slowly began to remove his shades and stuck one end of them in his mouth slowly chewing on the end of it as he watched her. Her stomach fluttered and burned inside.
She had tried so hard to not feel that while seeing him in school the past few days but catching her off of her usual game of ignoring him and looking as toned and gorgeous as he did had reminded her of all the reasons why she was trying to push him away in the first place.
He made a fire burn in her stomach for him and it set her on edge making her gasp and slightly lose her breath. It was too late now. He knew she was here. He would most likely spend his entire watch up on that chair sneaking glances at her while doing his job. As soon as they switched lifeguards again she just knew he would be gunning for her.
She grabbed her chest with her hands and arms covering them, self conscious of the white shirt sticking to her curves and showing off the roundness of her breasts to his smoldering stare.
She saw him run his tongue over his shades slightly at the end of it and then slip them back on. Mandy wanted to drown right there in the water but then that would mean he would just dive in and have an excuse to touch her.
Damnit. Why? Every single damn time. I just cannot escape him!
She thought miserably, hiding half her face in the water and still trying to cover herself from his piercing stare. He finally turned his head away to look somewhere else most likely remembering he had a job to do and had to look all around to be alert.
Taking his whistle in his hands he twirled it a few times and leaned back in his chair showing off his abs and chest to anyone who wanted to see, including Mandy.
"I'm sorry, Mandy. Just ignore him, okay? Swim and have fun. It doesn't matter what he thinks or does. If he comes over to you just do what you've been doing in school." Nikki tried to pep talk her so she wouldn't flee and try to leave but stay and have fun with them.
Nancy nodded in agreement and they both swam over to her to provide her with cover and support. Taking a deep breath Mandy nodded and decided that was exactly what she would do. She stopped caring about his stares and how he tried to show his body off to her. She swam around in the pool splashing and having fun with her best girl friends and didn't give it another thought.
Once they were done getting their fill of cooling down they got out at the steps in the shallow end and walked over grabbing their towels to dry their hair a bit. Mandy finished munching on her chicken strips and decided to lay out on the pool lounger once finished and take in some sun. She closed her eyes and relaxed.
If Billy wanted to play that game she could too. Suddenly she was vicious with her body allowing him a good look of her sprawling out on her back and lifting one leg. She put both arms behind her head and lay there peacefully. All thoughts of Billy purged from her mind as her friends sat talking about random subjects nearbye.
Billy had been looking around when he noticed Mandy Hawkins at the pool edge with her friends. He grinned thinking of the luck he had of seeing her here. He was hopeful for it but he never fully expected it to happen. It was a one in a million chance meeting as he had no idea she came to this pool. Too bad he would only be working here for another two weeks and he was almost positive that after seeing him here she most likely wouldn't come back.
He had to try and approach her while on his break and see if he could get her to talk to him. He was tired of her silly games of ignoring him and needed to know if she still had that look in her eyes for him or if her body would still respond to him as it had before.
When his shift change was up he got down off the tower and Heather tried to talk to him while getting up but he just handed her a bottle of water and kept walking, leaving her confused in his wake behind him and looking put out.
As he walked along the pool's edge he froze. Her friends were there and he wasn't sure if they would allow him to approach her so closely. When he saw Nancy and Steve along with Mandy's little blonde friend get up to head over to the snack bar he grinned seeing now was his chance. So there was a God of fortune after all and it was smiling on him.
Mandy was laid out on the lounger her eyes closed completely unaware of his approach. Each time he tried to walk towards her he kept stopping himself, walking back the way he came, and then turning around to walk even closer to her. This was definitely not like him.
Why was he so nervous to walk up to her? He noticed the older women staring longingly at him but he paid it no mind as he passed them up and then sat down in a chair that was beside her by a few feet. How badly he wanted a smoke for his nerves right now but due to company policy he couldn't smoke in the pool area. He would have to go out to his car to do it.
Cursing himself for having nothing to calm his nerves he ran his fingers through his curly blond hair and just sat for a minute looking down at her not wanting to say anything. He did... but he didn't want to. He wanted to admire her form stretched out in the pool chair but he wanted to announce his presence to her hoping she would be responsive to him.
"Nice sunny day out." He said and immediately regretted his first choice of words. She startled and sat up noticing him there and flattened herself against the lounger in complete surprise.
Real smooth, Hargrove. What the fuck is wrong with you?
He scolded himself closing his eyes wondering where all his charm and charisma had gone to that he had full control over earlier. Mandy was like a blackhole that just sucked it all out of him leaving him at a loss of how to operate around her.
The older women just a few feet away, except for Mrs Wheeler, were all scowling jealously as he talked to her but tried to not pay any attention or at least seemed like they weren't. He softly laughed at their distaste for the one he chose to put his attention on and not them.
Mandy immediately grabbed her towel once she was no longer paralyzed and Billy looked over at the snack bar seeing just how little time he had to talk to her before Steve and her two friends would return. He could pretty much guess at her request they would drive him off.
"Hi. I didn't know you came here to swim. I work here as a lifeguard."
He pointed to his red whistle on his lanyard and tugged on it playfully. He said it proudly as if he wasn't overstating the obvious. He could kick himself for talking like such an idiot and babbling. He just wished she would say something to him. Anything. Give him a sign that she was still flustered in his presence and still curious about him.
"No way. I had no idea. Imagine that. Well, I DID come here. That might change now..." Mandy said in her familiar light soft voice dripping full of sarcasm and biting at him angrily.
It made him grin. He saw her being feisty with him again, that look in her eyes, and it was like a breath of fresh air to him in a strange way he couldn't explain. It almost relieved him in hearing how nasty she was talking to him after making him go almost a whole week without any words from her at all. Almost made his heart thud even harder in his chest.
"Don't be like that. If you come here you'll be in perfectly good hands because if anything happens to you... I can dive in and make sure you are safe."
He said the cheesiest line to her she had ever heard and it was obvious he was none to happy with himself about it either. She rolled her eyes and he groaned at himself for not coming up with something better.
"Oh, be still, my beating heart. How noble of you." She snapped at him with a sickly sweet smile and covered up more with her towel closing her eyes and turning suddenly on her side trying to ignore him.
"I thought so. Anyway, do you have any plans for tonight? I'm off work at sunset and I was just wondering if..." Before he could finish she turned to him once more and looked absolutely beside herself with anger at him.
It took him aback at the level of hostility for him in her eyes now. Glaring she got up out of the chair and walked off leaving him to get up and follow her. He trailed behind her calling her name trying to get her to stop and just talk to him.
A lot of the people around the pool, especially females that were interested in him, had their eyes on them as she practically degraded him in public. She was being her old fiery self with him alright. He got his wish and then some. He looked around with a slight chuckle being put on the spot when she whirled on him putting her finger towards his bare chest to drive home her words to him.
"Billy? I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you. I am not interested. What will it take to get you to see that?!"
He looked around laughing nervously at her sudden explosion and used his hands to try and tell her to simmer it down a little bit placing his fingers to his lips in attempts to get her to calm down and not yell.
She said it while folding her arms over her chest not sparing him any dignity as she puffed up in anger at him not really caring who saw. She was at her last straw with him and was obviously tired of him making attempts to speak to her let alone be near her.
In that moment he got sort of angry, his pride taking a hit at her shredding him in front of people. Heather, the ladies, everyone who was watching. He shot back with the only thing he could think of.
"What will it take for YOU to get it that I AM interested in you, Mandy? Don't be like this. Please just let me take you out sometime. That's all I want. To show you a good time. Is that so wrong?"
Now his smoothness was coming back. He would make her see his side of things with simple logic and an appeal to emotions. But a part of him meant it too.
His words hit her sharply and for the life of her she couldn't contest them or think of a single reason why it would be wrong. Especially when he made it sound so simple and innocent the way he did. She had no answer for that. Her reply caught in her throat and lingered on the tip of her tongue as she stood there stunned making eye contact with him unable to tear away.
His blue eyes searched her sparkling green ones out of desperation. She could see it in his eyes and read it all over his body language. He desperately wanted to go out on a date with her. It really was that simple. At least, that's what he was saying.
"Please don't humiliate me in front of everyone at my place of work. Just talk to me, Mandy. I've been trying for a week to get you to respond and you've been giving me the cold shoulder. I don't understand you at all."
More truth, despite him not wanting to admit to it. Her eyes just sort of forced it out of him. Still, he was grinding it out through his teeth softly as a part warning to her and a part plead for her to just level with him.
"Well, good. Maybe I don't want you to." She replied to him still firm but a little bit softer now in her volume level.
Most of the heads were turning away now minding their own business and forgetting about them. He breathed a sigh of relief but caught Heather still staring. She looked very crushed.
He thought it was funny that she might be looking at the two of them thinking they were a couple having a fight. He tried to stop himself from laughing out loud at this because that is exactly what it looked like. Almost felt like it too.
But hearing Mandy say that to him, that's when he finally understood it. She was intentionally clamming up on him and blocking him out. Keeping him away from her and running away from him. She did not want to let him in. Just as he suspected all along. But why?
"Why?" He asked, echoing his thoughts out loud, his eyes looking deep and longingly into hers wanting an answer to the mystery of her constant disconnect from him.
She stopped about to open her mouth but he caught her on that one. When she recovered, he waited patiently.
"Because... because..." she tried to spit it out but couldn't seem to finish her sentence.
"Because?..." Billy trailed off standing there but scooting a little closer to her.
At this point he didn't care who was watching them, oddly enough. He tried to get closer to her and she backed up slightly when he could feel the warmth of their bodies about to collide. His dry warm muscular frame against her soft supple much cooler one. Like fire and ice.
"I don't know why. Just because. Okay? Because." Her eyes said she wasn't being fully honest with him.
There was something there preventing her from enjoying him and his company. Was he truly that bad of a person to repel her in such a way? He just had to figure it out!
She said this throwing her hands up in the air and sighing which made him softly begin to grin at her wickedly. This was the Mandy he knew. The edgy sarcastic cloistered and defiant girl.
He was enjoying and basking in the scene she was making now out of frustration of him simply being so close to her. She didn't like that he was trying to get inside her armor to weaken it. He was getting to her and it was much better for her to react like this than for her to coldly ignore him. The curl of the edge of his lips rising and playing about his mouth making her blush at him and try to look elsewhere besides his face.
Maybe she wasn't lying. Maybe she really had no idea why she didn't like him or why she didn't want them to get close to one another.
He looked her up and down helplessly, unable to stop his eyes from looking at her body in the semi hidden bathing suit beneath her drying t-shirt that covered her. Even in swimwear at the pool she attempted layers. It hugged her form incredibly and the wet spots of her shirt showing portions of her curves where it rested heavy against her made his eyes take it all in hungrily.
She noticed him tracing his eyes over her body and put her arms back over her chest and stomach beginning to tap her foot at him. Looking over to the snack shack he noticed that her friends were now beginning to return. He had to ask her fast, which left him no time to be smooth about it.
"Mandy. Please. Go out on a date with me. Just one date. I promise you will have a great time." He looked at her with practically puppy dog eyes and slightly sticking out his lower lip to appear semi sadly desperate. He was inching closer.
"And by a great time do you mean you putting your hands all over my body without my consent? I know how you are, Hargrove. I'm not stupid. I've watched you with other girls around school. Including Tina."
Mandy replied barely able to breath as he was practically towering right over her with his face tilted down towards her now. So close he could reach out and wrap her in his strong arms.
He shut his eyes at the mention of the mistake that was Tina. He was only using her to get to Mandy but now he couldn't shake her off and Mandy wouldn't let it go. He wasn't interested in her but he kept her around almost as if to soothe his shattered ego at the cruel hands of Mandy breaking it apart. Making him want what he could not have. But Tina wasn't Mandy and never would be. That was obvious when she was all over him and his thoughts were elsewhere besides on her.
"No. I can keep my hands to myself... if you really want me to." What a lie he told himself.
He knew he wouldn't be able to keep his hands off of her. He wanted so bad to touch her it made him wish he had never laid eyes on her in the first place. It had been all he was thinking about all week long. And even more so when alone in his room at night.
But he would have to struggle to in order to get her to trust him. To take things slow and steady and not scare her off. To work her up to allowing him to touch her.
Mandy was a good girl and fragile. And standing as close as he was to her, he could smell the sweetness of her sunblock on her warm skin and the pool water in her hair mixed with her own scent of shampoo. It made him want to groan and place his hands in her hair and lean in to take all of her scent in up close.
His breath was gentle, warm, and it carressed her softly over her face. His beautiful curls spilling over his forehead, neck, shoulders, and ears, lit up radiantly by the sunshine. His eyes were two icy deep pools of blue that practically paraylzed her in the spot she was standing in. His half naked torso barely registered to her this time as she focused more on his face and less on the rest of him. She swallowed hard.
She only had the energy and resistence to give a soft snort in response.
"I swear. Pick a time and place. Anywhere. Anytime. I will pick you up and take you. I will show you that even a bad boy like me can be oh so good. So good to you, Mandy."
He licked his lips gently and barely letting his tongue come out to play about the soft seam that parted them. She couldn't help but notice it and it made her shudder in places she dared not think about.
His mouth was so beautiful she couldn't deny that. Sometimes when she was weakened by him she wondered what it would be like to feel his wide lovely mouth and his warm soft lips pressed against hers. Her stomach was raging with butterflies as he stood there begging her to go with him.
"I don't know. If I say no, you won't stop until I say yes. If I say yes, you'll just tell everyone more horrible things about me. You can't seem to keep your mouth shut about how you feel about me, right Hargrove?"
She turned to walk away from him and he gently grabbed her wrist but held her softly not being forceful. She spun back around.
"I didn't say anything about you to anyone, Mandy. I truly don't know what you're talking about."
God, what a liar. Such a good one too.
"Yeah? Well I have a friend who has told me otherwise. Got any plans to 'ruin me' on this date? Hmm?"
He still looked at her confused. She watched him closely. It was as if he truly had no idea what she was talking about. Was his face as good a liar as his mouth was?
Billy tried to connect the dots on this. That did certainly seem like a sentence he would use and lord knows he had thought about it in his head many times. But he had never said anything of the sort out loud to anyone about any female, least of all Mandy. He had used it in the past around Tommy and Carol but never when talking directly about someone from school and definitely not Mandy.
He knew better than to gloat about plans before they were fully carried out at the risk of being shut down before he could even achieve them. Surely, he was smarter than that. On top of that a good golden rule, one of which he was actually strict in following almost as much as his father Neil's house rules, was that you didn't talk openly about the person you wanted to sleep with or had slept with. It was in bad taste.
Tommy? Carol maybe? Tina upset at him asking her about Mandy? Did any one of them begin using his familiar language to start these rumors in order to make it get back around to her as if he were the one that said them? He looked her in the eyes and moved his hand sliding it down from her wrist to hold her hand instead to show his sincerity at least on this one thing.
"Mandy, you have my word. I did not talk bad about you to anyone. I swear it."
She stayed and he let go of her hand eventually. Her look softened once more towards him. To her he most likely looked very upset at her statement as well as concerned.
Mandy pondered this. Maybe Tucker was lying? Or maybe he got some bad information? Who would start rumors like these about them? And why?
"Okay... so maybe you didn't spread things around about me that were degrading. Still, give me one good reason why I should." She lifted her chin showing her bold and daring spirit to him once more and he smiled. Genuinely smiled at her.
"Because. Because. I don't know why. Just because. Okay?" He used the same thing she said earlier to him and sent it right back at her. His face was serene and lost all arrogance on it as if he were being real with her.
She couldn't help but slowly smile in response to his playfulness and her anger subsided allowing him to see through to her softer side, another part of her he liked, the shy gentle part of her that she showed when he cornered her.
Billy backed off slowly getting a small grin on his face and giving her some room. Her armor was down. Now to arrange a time and place.
"Give me a time, Mandy. I'll be at your door."
She paused and looked at the ground.
"If I do this you have to agree to it being on my terms." She said slyly and he couldn't help but see that her regular smile turned into a mischevious one.
"Okay..." he trailed off.
"You said I could pick the time and place, correct?" He nodded slowly and bit his lower lip almost getting a feeling in his gut that he would regret choosing his words so poorly out of his desperation to be alone with her.
"My place. Tonight. Come over after you get off work. We'll have that great time you want so badly. We can hang out in the living room on the couch, make some popcorn, and watch something together."
Friday night was perfect for this. She shyly put a finger to her mouth, as if nibbling on it gently while swaying side to side baiting him, her long soft black hair falling all over her pale neck and shoulders. Seeing him watch her do it she knew it had worked.
As Billy looked at her doing this his stomach twisted in knots. She was the very picture of innocence and playfulness, shy and soft, and he practically groaned with a pang of lust burning him inside at her words. He stifled it as hard as he could when he looked at her sweet tender face.
His need for her had ripped through him when he thought of being alone with her on the couch and putting his arms around her. Moving his hands slowly, ever so slowly, until she would allow him to touch her almost anywhere he wanted. He could practically hear her soft noises he imagined she would make as he did so. He would not be focused on anything that was on the television, that was for sure.
Closing his eyes for a moment he opened them and nodded with a stupidly happy wide smile stretched across his lips.
"I'll be there. Count on it. See you soon, Mandy." His voice was low, deep, switched on for her. She tried hard to keep her composure through it.
He stepped back over to her to raise her hand and kiss it softly before he jogged slowly back over to his tower looking behind at Mandy a few times being careless around the pool. Heather had been pointing angrily to her watch and he saw it was time for him to switch positions between them.
When he was gone, Mandy's friends returned with their snacks and had noticed that Billy was over here talking to her. They didn't at first but when they did they made their way over as fast as they could.
"Is he bothering you, Mandy?" Steve asked glaring but not fully able to look so menacing with a glob of ketchup stained on the corner of his mouth from his hotdog.
Nikki and Nancy laughed and one of them handed him a napkin indicating where his mess was on his face with their own. He wiped it sheepishly.
"No, I'm fine. Really." She said keeping the delicious secret and deal between them all to herself. She could tell no one or it would ruin everything she had planned for her and Billy.
"What did he want?" Nancy asked taking a bite out of her nachos and sitting down on the lounger.
"Oh, just to be his usual charming self. I handled it. It's alright." Mandy said looking over at Billy who was at the top of his tower smirking at her through his shades. He was clearly excited for tonight and in a great mood.
"Okay, well, as long as you're alright and still having fun. Glad he didn't ruin your time being here with us."
Nikki said happily handing Mandy a small cup of ice cream which she absentmindedly accepted.
"If he tries anything, I'll talk to him." Steve said trying to comfort her while also trying to show off. Nancy hugged him close not wanting him to as she knew how bad Billy had antagonized him in the gym and what he was capable of.
Mandy tried to ignore him but often found her eyes always going back to looking him over as she lounged in the pool chair not wanting to go back into the water.
She was still watching him and caught him staring at her often in return. She could try and fight it all she wanted to but she was still unable to take her eyes off of Billy. Still unable to think of anything else other than what she had just done and offered to him. Mandy only hoped she wouldn't regret this and that he would behave himself as he often promised he would. She highly doubted it but hoped for it all the same.
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