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 9 - AHOY, LADIES! - THE STARCOURT EXPERIENCE

Summary:

Nikki finally gets Mandy to go shopping with her like they used to. Mandy missed out on Summer back to school shopping with Nikki so she feels obligated to make it up to her. Nikki takes her for her first time to Starcourt Mall. They go shopping for clothes as Nikki pressures her to get outfits for parties she might want to take her to.

While there they visit Steve at his new job and also have some fun talking with Robin his new co-worker and friend.

Billy gets woken up by Susan asking him to take Max to meet her new friends at the Starcourt Mall. Much to his distaste in driving her around he is forced into it knowing Neil will be pissed if he doesn't.

Max mouths off to Billy angry at him direspecting her new friends by taunting him stating him he let some very private things slip to his step sister about the neighbor girl and how he feels about her. She informs him he accidentally did this through a means that was beyond his control but uses it anyway to upset him.

Realizing if all of this got out, especially to Mandy, it would make it harder for him to play his favorite game with her or get to last base. He has to make her keep her silence somehow, but chooses poorly in how he does it, although it was very effective.

Once that issue is solved he wants to go into the mall and harass Steve for a little bit and then maybe hang out with Tommy and Carol before the party.

Instead he runs into Mandy and Nikki and begins asking Mandy why she wouldn't answer his calls and is seemingly avoiding and ignoring him on purpose. She blows up at him and refuses to spend more time with him until he can change his ways and apologize. He refuses and she storms off. Max overhears this and puts the pieces together that Billy really likes Mandy. As like, more than just a girl to sleep with. She meets up with her friends, The Party, and meets El for the first time. They are going to the arcade. :P

NOTE: Another big chapter with a lot going on. Sorry about that. Credit Card shennanigans! Weeee! I don't know how they work or how they did in the 80's. Sorry. Just go with it. *shrugs*

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The Starcourt Mall was packed today and out of control. After an hour on the phone with Nikki she finally wore her down convincing her to do a little bit of clothes shopping before Steve's big party. Nikki swung by her house at noon giving her enough time to have breakfast and alert her parents that their stranger of a daughter would be having an outing with her friend today much to their surprise and happiness.

When they arrived Nikki parked as close as she could to the front and got angry when some inconsiderate driver cut her off in the lot to take the spot she originally wanted.

"Can you believe this? People go to the mall on the weekend and suddenly forget how to drive?"

She honked her horn a few times at him while sticking her tongue out of the corner of her mouth glaring and he basically waved her off with his middle finger. Huffing in anger she passed him finding another spot eventually to park.

"Jerk. I'd like to know what Cracker Jack box he got his prize of a license from and how long he had to dig for it. Honestly, who is working at the local Hawkins DMV passing out licenses like candy to people like this? "

Mandy laughed at her friend's angry joke made at the rude driver's expense and shook her head.

"They approved you, didn't they?" She shot playfully at Nikki earning her making a face at her in response but she knew it was true. Nikki could be just as much of a diva on the streets herself.

"Touche. Even on my good days I drive like I own the whole road. I'm so full of myself I think I should change my name to Noel so every Christmas I can see my own name in lights."

They both laughed at this figuring it was a very 'Nikki' thing to do and stepped out of her car. Locking it up and making their way to approach the front entrance to the massive two story shopping center they walked arm in arm pointing to the building excitedly.

For once Mandy was happy to have a distraction and some space to help keep her away from Billy, which also helped remove all anchored thoughts of him as well. It was much needed to help her get some time to breathe freely unlike whenever he was around her. Although she gave him her number last night before he left, she would not be there to answer if he called, and resolved not to be at the door if he came knocking. It was cruel but she needed time away from him to clear her thoughts and what better way to do that then to go shopping with Nikki and explore the new mall?

"Just wait until you get a load of this place, Mandy, you are just going to die!" Nikki said interrupting her thoughts with a big grin on her face super stoked to have finally talked her into coming to Starcourt with her.

Mandy had never before set foot in it until now despite how hard Nikki had tried to get her to come along with her whenever she went on her shopping sprees with her mother's credit cards. How Nikki got away with it she had no idea but she managed.

Once inside Mandy truly was in awe of how well they had built it and mapped out the place. The layout was impressive. The shopping mall was technically still new and had just opened a week or two before school started. It gave the entire town a chance to shop for the new school year barely broken in by the public so it smelled very clean and shined beautifully.

The top floor ledges were lined with sturdy thick safety railing and the first floor was connected to the second utilizing two glass door elevators and a total of at least four escalators with each set on the opposite side of the building. The center of the first floor had lush green plants almost tropical in design surrounding a medium sized fountain pool that had wooden benches nearbye all around for seating. The sounds of the fountain were relaxing for any shopper to sit by as they took a break since the mall was so big it would definitely be needed.

It had taken them a total of two years to build it even though most locals protested it out of fear of its construction putting the mom and pop stores out of business. Mayor Kline was getting a lot of heat for it but ignoring them all the same. They had been picketing his office for months ever since learning of the plan to build Starcourt and seeing the project unfolding but he tried to quell them by stating it would create a massive amount of job openings for people and would be good for the economy of the small town.

The mall upon it's completion was now filled with at least fourty or more stores including the food court locations below in the main central hub. There was a small six screen cinema still under construction and plenty of furniture, clothing, and shoe stores such as a JCPenney's, Claire's, and The Gap. One of the clothing stores put in last was most notable and controversial for it's time, Lovelace, a racy Lingerie store that Nikki tried way too hard to drag Mandy into. There were many others to choose from as well and Nikki wanted to hit ALL of them.

It was wild how many hair and nail salons were present. There were numerous book stores galore which definitely caught Mandy's interest, much to Nikki's disappointment, who tried to keep her out of them but in vain. In addition to all of this there were plenty of new brand name shops to buy trinkets and memorabilia from. They even had a Spencer's Gifts, Radio Shack, and so much more. If it existed it was practically here.

As far as food options it had an Orange Julius, Hot Dog On a Stick, Burger King, Taco Bell, and some sort of new pizza place. Vending machines were everywhere strategically placed to get a thirsty shopper's attention. The number one food court spot, however, was Scoops Ahoy! It was a brand spankin' new nautical themed ice cream parlor with a lot of tasty mix and match flavors and delicious frozen treats and it was fast becoming extremely popular.

Nikki had told Mandy that Harrington was now working weekends there but on the early shift still giving him plenty of time in the evenings to hangout and party with his friends. When she told Mandy about his getup he was forced to wear for the job, and the fun little co worker he had semi bonded with, Mandy simply had to see it for herself and it was partially the reason she decided to come with.

Nikki had at least six different bags by the time she agreed to rest. Three in one hand and three more slung over her shoulder. She was ever the picture of bliss and energy even when lugging the weight of her purchases along while she excitedly jabbered away to Mandy who carried far less. Her bookbag now proudly held three new novels for her to enjoy all selected thoughtfully on her behalf.

In all the clothing stores they visited, all she got was one cute black two piece dress for the party that had an off the shoulder top and a lazy bottom skirt, some black thigh highs to match it, and a pair of dress shoes. She had tried it on and picked it behind Nikki's back as her friend was occupied looking at the clothing racks seeking outfits for Mandy. She paid for it quickly afraid of her friends shopping criticism that would make them take hours to find something more along the lines of her fashion crazy friend's tastes about what she thought Mandy should wear. Nikki wasn't really trying to control everything she just wanted her to look her very best. She couldn't deny that Nikki knew her stuff when it came to outfits and accessorizing. Especially with makeup and hairstyles that were all the rage in today's pop teen culture.

Going from store to store for a few hours Mandy was getting a bit exhausted so she pleaded with Nikki for a break and to get something to eat. Eventually, her friend gave in and slowed their roll to make a pit stop at the food court. They decided to make use of their rest break to pay Steve a visit at Scoops to not only get ice cream but get a load of his sailor outfit. Mandy could already envision the embarrassed look on his face he would get once they dropped by.

On the way there Nikki gushed to her about a random good looking older guy she saw in one of the stores they were in.

"Mandy, I swear, that guy we saw in Sears looked just like John Cusack only a little bit older. He was so dreamy! I almost wanted to ask him for his autograph just to make conversation with him and get his number."

She laughed a light titter while Mandy smirked at her not quite agreeing to the statement of his looks. As for his age she was quite accurate. He was older. Way older.

"Nikki, he looked more like a little thing called 'way too old for you'. You're in high school. Remember?"

Mandy shot at her friend teasingly. She knew Nikki liked high school boys but every now and then she had a severe attraction to older men and it sometimes worried her. Last year her obsession, she corrected her often - her 'crush', over a substitute teacher was quite dire. She pined for him for weeks blabbing Mandy's ear off over how cute he was and being brave enough to dare flirting lightly with him in class.

If high school boys weren't bad enough, older men could be even more treacherous. Mandy knew the score and wasn't as naive as Nikki was in this area. It was well known that they sometimes cheated on their wives and chased younger girls breaking hearts as much as the teenage boys did if not more, almost rivaling Billy in that department.

"Only for another couple of months! Then I'm turning eighteen so it wouldn't matter, right? He wouldn't have to know that. I can dress very adult for my age and with the right makeup all bets are off. He would be eating out of the palm of my hand, girl! Trust me on this!"

Nikki said playfully and nudging Mandy while sticking her tongue out between her teeth then puckering her mouth. She was attempting to make smoldering eyes batting her eyelashes and doing her best to look like a sultry older woman while pouting her lips out.

"He could be married. He could have a wife." Mandy retorted giving her friend crap over it just for kicks. Nikki froze in her pout face then sighed rolling her eyes at Mandy's unwillingness to go along with it or laugh at her joke.

"I didn't see no ring on that finger." Nikki said grinning deviously. Mandy sighed and smirked at her friend always finding a way to rationalize things away to her advantage. She had the sharpest eye for attention to detail out of everyone she knew.

Mandy rolled her own sea green eyes looking up at the ceiling of the mall habitually while Nikki was still talking about the cute gentleman as they finally made it to the escalator. Somehow Nikki managed to not hit anyone with her large packed shopping bags in the process as she swung them lightly out of pure joy of spending time with Mandy. She was still talking her ear off as they were going down the escalator to the bottom floor to head to Scoops Ahoy!

The hustle and bustle of all the people shopping for things they needed or wanted surrounded Nikki and Mandy as they made their way from fast food booths enjoying the soft glow of the neon signs and lights. They gave a colorful atmosphere to the ground floor and foodcourt area. Families everywhere were jamming up the lines eager to get snacks and drinks taking breaks at the booths and tables to rest their weary legs.

They cheerfully walked over to the Scoops ice cream parlor and Nikki appeared to be rehearsing in her mind just what she would say to tease Steve once he came out in his outfit. When they approached the main counter inside, located beyond all the tables and chairs, Mandy saw a lithe girl with sandy brown almost dirty blonde hair with streaks in it that was cut short to the base of her neck. Her face was fair and thin with a light peppering of freckles across it and she was dressed in the iconic required work attire.

Her ears were pierced and she wore a lot of black jewelry on her fingers and wrists. Mandy guessed her to be a bit punk rock when out of the usual work clothes and could see her dressing like a skater chick for some odd reason. She was almost tomboyish despite the feminine outfit she appeared to hate wearing.

It was a blue and white striped feminine sailor outfit. The top was striped while the bottom that looked like a mix of a skirt and pair of shorts was solid blue with white stripes on the bottom and lining the pockets. She wore a blue vest layered over the striped top. On the vest was the picture of an icecream cone and the entire top was fitted with a collar that ended in a red bowtie. Pinned to her vest was a red plastic namebadge that had a little white anchor symbol on it next to her name.

The seaworthy ensemble was complete with a white sailor hat that read 'Ahoy' in fancy navy blue lettering. Based on this Mandy could only imagine what Steve's outfit would look like only most likely a more male version of it without the blue knee length skirt.

The girl named Robin, according to her work badge, was leaning over the counter with her face in the palm of her hand looking extremely bored. She was listlessly staring off in front of her at no one and nothing in particular, most likely counting down the hours to the end of her shift.

Behind her mounted above her head was a beige and brown sign with all the flavors and prices they offered. Mandy noticed the flavor of the month was Salted Caramel and she scrunched her nose up at that, not really one of her favorites by any means.

Nikki walked up and waited for her to say something but seeing she was in outer space she opted for ringing the service bell a few times to get her attention. On the third or fourth ring the freckle faced girl turned to her slowly, her head still rested on her chin, and looked at her sarcastically.

"I'm not deaf, I'm just ignoring you." She didn't look in Nikki's direction and kept staring out towards the benches and fountain. Nikki ramped up her use of the bell in response while grinning. Finally, Robin turned to face her with an angsty expression.

"Thank you for checking that the bell isn't broken, Nikki. If not for you, I guess we would never get any business here without knowing for sure that it was in proper working condition."

She had said it as if she were irritated with her but there was a hint of familiarity in her tone laced with her irritable response. Nikki beamed up at her tapping the bell rapidly a few more times for good measure and Robin glared at her for a moment as a slow smile began to spread on her face. She came around the corner of the counter pulling her into a big hug.

"Ahoy, there sailor girl!" Nikki said to her making Robin roll her eyes at the cliche greeting letting go of their embrace.

"How are you sweetie!? Oh my gosh, I haven't seen you since... twenty four hours ago! Still getting hit on in that sexy little number of yours daily? Hmm?" She said to Robin looking over her sailor suit and giving her a friendly wink.

Laughing softly Robin nodded doing a mock curtsy and then gagging herself with her finger. It was obvious she too hated the required outfit. She walked back behind the counter and leaned on it grinning at Nikki giving a short sigh.

Mandy saw their exchange and smiled at the two of them as the girl laughed heartily with her best friend. She had a somewhat breathy gentle laugh that matched her low relaxed voice but it was still a feminine voice all the same. Her deep blue eyes were lighting up and her smile was wide and humerous with her feintly applied dark reddish pink lipstick that really accented the whiteness of her teeth.

They seemed to be closely aquainted with one another, which really was no surprise, seeing as how Nikki practically didn't go a day without stopping by Starcourt whether shopping or for other reasons. Her friend also had a great winning personality that was easy for anyone to fall in love with and she just about knew everyone in Hawkins High. So knowing Robin shouldn't shock her at all.

"Yeah, except no one of my preferred taste as you know, Nikki. My flavor is a very specific one and seemingly hard to find in Hawkins. But on the upside, I get a decent amount of tip action around here. Unlike Steve, I don't suck." She pointed to a dry erase board behind her which seemed to show a tally of all the times Steve either sucked or didn't suck and there were more marks on the negative side than the positive one.

"And... I don't need hair care products or good looks to think outside the box."

She then pointed to the round plastic tip jar next to the sprinkles container that had a sign on it that read "Pirate ship fund." They looked at it then to eachother as if mildly impressed. When returning their gaze to Robin sitfling a giggle she pointed to herself to claim credit for the fun little sign.

"But... you're a sailor. Not a pirate." Nikki laughed pointing it out as Robin shrugged.

"Close enough. Different time period but all still ocean and sailing related. Besides, people LOVE pirates a lot more than they do sailors." She gave a smug grin at making her point and neither Nikki nor Mandy could argue with that.

"Well, then for Halloween, if you two are working here that day, you two should totally dress up as pirates! That would be so awesome!" Nikki exclaimed excitedly but Robin shook her head after thinking about it.

"Nope, I'm afraid my boss won't let me ditch my sailor suit when on the clock. I'm apparently one of "Captain Petey's" seafaring crew now and he runs a tight ship around here taking his role as Captain of Scoops rather seriously. There are rules. Life hates me by enforcing them."

Robin sighed and rung herself up a milkshake at the register paying for it out of her tips and was preparing it as she continued lamenting her existence.

"I really just should have taken the job at Lovelace next door. Even that would be less humiliating than this. At least there they wouldn't make me dress up in a corny costume just to work there."

Robin took a small sip of her vanilla milkshake with whipped cream and a few cherries and set it down before she leaned on the parlor counter once more with her elbows. Putting her face in her hands covering it she groaned softly at her life choices.

Both Nikki and Mandy couldn't help but break out in soft fresh giggles over this trying so hard not to upset Robin any more than she clearly already was. Peeking out from between her fingers at them she raised up again and she just stood there taking it patiently while waiting for them to recover with a dry look on her face.

"Haha. Yes. It's hilarious. Save that for Steve, though. He looks even more ridiculous than I do." Her sarcasm was flat at first with a mildly irritated expression so they both stopped and gave apologetic looks to her. She eventually waved it off laughing at her own self and with them giving in to the hilarity of the situation.

"So what can I get you? Just a heads up, don't ask for the cookie dough. Steve's been pinching it with his scooper when he thinks I'm not looking. That guy is worse than a room mate who drinks from your milk carton."

Mandy and Nikki looked grossed out a bit while smirking to one another but then Mandy laughed picturing that in her head fully able to see Steve doing that.

They both told her what flavors they wanted, each on a waffle cone, and chose their toppings. She served it up to them rather quickly and took the credit card Nikki handed her placing it into a huge bulky looking device. Pulling on the handle it made a loud clacking noise as it copied the card information on the carbon copy paper. Since the charge was small Robin didn't bother to call the credit card company to okay the amount much to Nikki's relief.

So far, no one had caught her using it yet, or even bothered to ask for I.D. She had practiced her mother's signature almost every day for weeks trying to perfect it. The places she shopped at she was well known, so as long as she had the money to spend, they didn't seem to care or ask questions.

When the bills came in her parents didn't pay attention to them too much as her father made more than enough money able to afford not worrying over clothes and ice cream being purchased. All the same, Nikki used her mother's card as a rebellious teen statement over how strict they were with her sometimes, her father more than her mother in all honesty.

She was almost out of the park home free but as Nikki was signing her copy of the slip, Robin caught on that her forged signature didn't quite match the official signature on the card perfectly. Robin was very observant and it seemed it was hard to pull a fast one on her. She got an impish look on her face while letting Nikki finish signing for the ice cream.

"Speaking of pirates. Did you swipe your parent's card or something? You are so going to get busted one of these days. Don't ask me to come serve you your Sherbet in person when you're sitting in a prison cell. I won't be the only one wearing stripes then."

Robin grinned handing the card back to her and Nikki winked looking every bit as guilty for it but not really seeming to care.

"If I'm going to keep my silence on that one... ahem!"

Robin continued with another smug look while shaking the tip jar and clearing her throat. Nikki sighed but nodded and pulled out a few dollar bills from her purse. Robin cleared her throat again and she pulled out a few more than before and put it all in the jar making the sailor turned pirate smile sweetly from the successful extortion.

"You see? Out of the box thinking. My sales have never been higher and the boss is loving me right now. Which is more than I can say for Steve, anyway. He is floundering so hard when it comes to his flirtatious attempts at getting tips from the ladies."

"Poor Steve." Nikki echoed while licking her ice cream and grinning.

Robin gave a soft low laugh at his misfortune enjoying ripping on him while the girls enjoyed their treat still standing at the counter with her. Robin suddenly stopped and looked over in Mandy's direction only fully noticing her now unlike before and being curious over the new face.

"I never caught your name. I don't think we've officially met. Hi, I'm Robin!" The girl tapped her nametag as she said this then put out her hand to boldly shake Mandy's who lifted hers rather shyly to her in response. Locking eyes for a moment Robin seemed as if she were taking in all of her in a way that made her slightly blush and Mandy didn't even know why.

"I'm ummm... Mandy. A mutual friend of Steve's. Nice to meet you, Robin."

Nikki finished off her ice cream and cone rather quickly while watching the two of them interact as she licked her fingers rather noisily. She grabbed a napkin and wiped her face and hands off slightly groaning at the exchange. She tried to catch Robin's attention with her eyes and shaking her head.

For a moment Steve's co worker studied Mandy, but catching Nikki signaling to her she turned slowly to her with a somewhat hopeful and questioning look. Nikki shook her head 'no' while making a square with her hands in return to her. It was as if it had been communicated in some sort of code language that only the two of them understood.

Robin hung her head for a minute sighing in what seemed to be disappointment or defeat perhaps but then brightened up again despite this answer that Mandy didn't comprehend. Mandy looked over to Nikki but she made a face as if nothing was going on.

"Pleasure's all mine, Mandy. Any friend of Nikki's is also mine." Mandy noticed how she phrased it as well as how she left Steve out of that equation.

"Any favorite flavors besides the one you just ordered? My personal favorite is the Mint Chocolate Chip."

Mandy smiled with her eyes lighting up at this. Nikki made a face at the mention of the ice cream flavor having a severe dislike of it as much as Mandy hated Caramel.

"Awesome, that's my favorite too. You have similar tastes as me then. I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who actually likes it."

Mandy replied softly grinning at finally meeting someone else for once who shared her love of the same flavor. Cherries Jubilee was good but it in no way compared to mint which was at the top of her list. It was right up there with the Cookie Dough, now ruined by Steve, and Cake Batter otherwise known as Birthday Cake.

"Oh, I should be so lucky for us to have the same tastes. It's just a shame that it's only when it comes to ice cream."

Robin responded craftily and rather enigmatically while softly smirking at Mandy lifting one eyebrow. Mandy nodded but then looked slightly confused thinking on this for a minute.

Nikki knew what she meant. Robin was clearly and shamelessly flirting with Mandy and she wasn't even picking up on it being the innocent girl she was. Nikki facepalmed at the sad hopeless scene before her. She was looking at Robin as if to tell her with her eyes to ease up and that her friend wasn't on the same page as her when it came to her specific 'flavor'.

When Mandy looked to Nikki she stopped nodding her head to the side towards her clearly talking to Robin in their code language again. Nikki looked away pretending to be not paying any attention to them as if she hadn't been motioning towards Robin about anything at all.

"Anyways, about Steve. Not to be rude to you or anything, sweetie, we love spending time with you too. But we came to see Steve as well. Is he here? He's in the back room isn't he? Oh, please, please, Robin, could you call him out here for us? I simply have to see him in that uniform! It will be the absolute highlight of my Starcourt experience!"

Nikki begged sweetly and Robin grinned mischieviously while opening the glass window behind her.

"If he's not too busy stuffing his face with the bananas, sure. Works for me. Let him take the heat off of me for a little bit. I must warn you, I look better in it than he does. Feast your eyes, ladies."

Once it was open she stood in front of it with her arms crossed smirking. She tilted her head up while calling to him. Suddenly her voice was loud and powerful, a change from the soft dry breathy display of it earlier.

"Oh, Dingus! We need those two ice cream buckets up front, pronto! Stop eating the supply and get out here! We're all out and the customer's aren't too happy about it. Get a move on, sailor, hustle, hustle, hustle!"

She called out to him clapping her hands towards the back store room where shelves held extra supplies. It most likely also had a deep freezer storage for more ice cream to restock throughout the day during slow periods. She stuck her tongue out between her teeth and Nikki gave her a thumbs up sign.

Giving it a few minutes she lowered her head and had a dry lopsided smirk on her face as she waited. Her eyebrows were arched up in amusement so she was obviously enjoying calling him a dingus knowing it would get to him and get his attention. Before he came out she leaned in crooking her finger for them to come closer to her and whispered to them both.

"Don't mention the hat. He's a little sensitive about it. Company policy. Thinks it takes away the mystical super powers of his hair or something."

Robin was covering her mouth sideways with her hand as both of them laughed at her comment. The glass windows behind her were still open so they saw him pass by and he evidently heard a part of their conversation while making his way out to them. About a minute later he came out from the back pushing the door open while hauling two big containers full of ice cream one under each arm.

"What about my hat? I wash it everyday, just like my uniform, just like my hair, so don't even start with me on that one again or I'll leave you to clean that nasty milkshake machine all by yourself when shift is over. I swear it's like no one else cleans it but us two, that thing is nas-"

He said clearly agitated as he grunted while lifting the full plastic tubs, not even noticing they had company yet, and carried them over to the lineup of all the flavors in the front display freezer.

"-ty." He finished his sentence seeing Nikki and Mandy for the first time as they grinned at him. He lit up instantly when he recognized them forgetting all about his outfit or Robin taunting him.

Setting the tubs of ice cream down on the floor he let out a huge sigh from the heavy lifting while smiling at them making a show of it as he wiped his brow. He was apparently going to switch out the flavor buckets on the ice cream that had been fast sellers and were running dangerously low. It appeared to be the Rocky Road and Chocolate Peanut Butter. He forgot all about it as he grinned happy to see them. Mandy guessed Robin was good company but he needed a break from her cutting into him from time to time.

When he recovered from carrying the heavy tubs he walked over to them from behind the counter to greet them more personally. Showing off to them he flipped his scooper and put it in his shorts pocket.

"Ahoy, Captain Steve. Nice threads. I bet Nancy enjoys them too, huh?"

Nikki looked him up and down grinning at him. His smiling face turned to a soft look of shame at realizing they were seeing him in all his glory of wearing the ridiculous sailor outfit. He quickly took the white sailor hat off his head and ran his fingers through his hair trying to comb and perfect it then stuffed it into his other pocket blushing slightly.

"Hey, ladies." He smiled recovering quickly and was doing his best to put on his usual charm despite the regulated uniform cramping his style. Even with the ditched hat and his hair on full display he seemed like half his usual cocky and confident self. When he saw the shared amusement on all three of their faces at his cover he sighed and almost seemed to pout.

"Don't look at me like that. I either wear it or I'm out of a job and my dad will ride me for it."

Nikki and Mandy took one look at Robin's face with her pinching her mouth shut hiding her peals of soft laughter and all three of them couldn't help but lose it together. Mandy's laugh was softer than the others while trying hard not to rip into his pride. She covered her mouth with her hand and stopped long before the others did feeling bad for him.

"Steve, don't you just look ADORABLE!?" Nikki squealed out barely able to hide her giggles as she said it. He gave her a sarcastic but somewhat annoyed look and nodded at her assessment of him, his feathery hair bouncing a bit over his forehead. No matter what, Mandy couldn't deny he had lovely hair, no matter what mood or life change he was going through.

"Laugh it up, yeah, it's really funny. Thank you for mocking my pain. Go head, keep it comin'." He had his hands on his hips with a full on pout and turned glaring at Robin for setting him up for this one as she joined in with Nikki's laughing fit.

When their laughter finally died down and they all got serious. Nikki and Mandy decided to let him off the hook and just hang out with him for a little bit to cheer him up. Robin looked disappointed in them for letting him off so easy but shook her head and took care of the customers giving him a break.

She sometimes narrowed her eyes at him in between speaking to the customers in a monotonous voice serving them their orders halfheartedly and ringing them up while he sat in the diner and chatted with them. Looking over to the counter Mandy saw Robin angrily changing out the ice cream bins and replacing them with the ones Steve brought out before they would melt and be wasted. She was sort of angry while struggling to lift the full ones back into the display freezer and staring Steve down once she finally managed.

Nikki was first to break the long silence between them at the table. She had went back to Robin ordering another cone for herself and was now cozy with Steve ready for conversation while digging into it.

"So what's happening with your plans for Purdue? Are you going to get in or what?"

They were now sitting at one of the dining tables and Steve twirled his hat playing with it nervously as his future was being picked apart, questioned, and assessed by Nikki. He obviously did not want to be reminded of it but he gave them the inside scoop at Scoops Ahoy!

"Well, my grade point avarage is decent enough for it thanks to Nancy helping me. But the issue is getting the student loans. So I had a long talk with my dad and he told me I need to earn a working man's wage and get some life experience before I go to college. He said I should work hard and save up enough money until graduation rolls around put it into my savings. If I put it to good use like getting my own car, for example, and have some saved up towards my college books, then he said he would help me with tuition. In forcing me to do this, he also wants me to show him I'm serious about being a mature responsible adult and going to college before he thinks about helping me cover the cost of it. "

Steve made air quotes over the "mature responsible adult" portion of his words and sighed. Nikki stopped eating her ice cream and listened intently to him. Mandy did too feeling bad about her friend being so low about life right now. The teen years were rough, especially when it came to trying to figure out ones future, and how to survive once out on your own no longer living at home with your family. They were all growing up. A part of her was glad she wasn't alone in this.

"Apparently, he wants me to learn how difficult life can be without a proper education and career to afford needful things and surviving barely on bottom feeder wages. I swear, everything is a lesson with him and my mom just goes right along with it. I'd have been in law school as a newborn if he had it his way. I don't want to be a lawyer. I don't even know what I want to be but I definitely don't want to be him or do what he does. He HATES that."

Mandy gave him a sympathetic look. She honestly didn't know what it was like to be so controlled by a parent like Steve was. Her parents trusted her to make her own life decisions and to make her own way in the world and would be happy with whatever she chose if it made her happy. But all the same, she felt bad for Steve imagining how hard it could be to have rich parents who expected so highly of him not allowing him to make mistakes and learn or grow from them.

"Are your wages at least good?" Nikki asked, eating her second ice cream cone while getting into his story.

"Not really. Unless you consider three bucks an hour 'good'. Not even my tips can make up for what I'm lacking in pay of this crap job."

He looked so depressed at having to work there with the degrading low pay. Even if it was just to prove to his father he would take the furthering of his education to heart and earn the tuition for it from him to be able to go.

He suddenly flattened his Scoops hat against the table with his hand in frustration and put his chin in his hand looking out over the mall being miles away and mentally checking out. Mandy frowned feeling bad for him wishing there was something she could do to help. Some way to encourage him.

"Well, if it makes you feel any better Steve, I'm not going to a fancy college. I can't afford that either. I plan to go to one of the smaller community colleges right here in Hawkins."

He looked back at her and softly smiled appreciating her trying to cheer him up.

"I'm not even going." Nikki shrugged and confessed licking her ice cream and making a face as if she didn't care.

They both looked at her shocked at this sudden admission.

"What? Why not? Won't your dad disown you if you don't?" Steve asked incredulously and put his hat back on seeing Robin wave at him and put her hands on her hips as if to tell him he needed to get back over there and help at the counter.

"He doesn't know yet. When I graduate I'm packing my bags shortly after and heading out to New York City. I'm going to waitress out there or find some kind of job and work on finding a little apartment or something to call my own. My plan is to work a few jobs long enough to keep afloat while I try and become a movie star or on Broadway. I'll take audtions, get a portfolio and headshot together, and even pay for an agent. That's my dream. You should follow yours Steve."

She said smiling and Mandy was in awe of her bold decision.

"I always knew you wanted your name in those lights, Nikki. Promise me you will at least write to me or call okay? New York is so far away."

Mandy frowned and Steve high fived Nikki before excusing himself to go back to the counter saying he would catch them later at the party and had to get back to work.

"Bye, Steve. See you in a few hours, Captain." He glared back at her for that one but smiled regardless and went back behind the counter. Turning to Mandy she took both her hands in her own promising her.

"I will. Don't worry, Mandy. You'll always be my best friend no matter where we go or the miles between us. Don't tell Alex or Tucker yet. I haven't told them but I plan to when the time is right."

Mandy nodded. As they sat there watching Steve and Robin attempt to work together but sometimes getting on each other's nerves, bumping into one another and making messes, seeing the two of them going back and forth, Nikki and Mandy smiled at one another over how comical and sweet it was.

Even in their mild hostility towards one another, they seemed to have fun poking at each other and irritating one another, even sharing a laugh sometimes together. It would seem that if Steve and Nancy weren't so happily in love and loyal to one another, Steve and Robin would make a cute couple too.

When Mandy asked about their obvious energy together Nikki laughed so hard she almost fell out of her chair.

"What? What's so funny?" Mandy asked not getting why she was laughing so hard at her observation and question.

"Oh, God, Mandy. Okay. So... Robin is..." She trailed off trying to put this in the best way she could that Mandy would understand.

"Robin is different. She's playing for the other team. She's... all her friends are guy friends. She doesn't date boys." The more Nikki tried to explain the more Mandy didn't understand. Putting her hands up still unsure of what Nikki was trying to say, she finally just blurted it out knowing it was okay becuase Robin wasn't in the closet and didn't care really who knew.

"Robin likes girls. There. Plain and simple. She's into her own gender." Nikki went back to eating her ice cream but watching Mandy's face as it slowly dawned on her. When Mandy looked back up to Robin who smiled at her in between taking an order she suddenly got it now. The code language. The facial expressions between her and Nikki.

"Oh. Oh! Umm... okay. Well, that's... cool. No judgement." Mandy smiled softly and waved to Robin to let her know everything was fine and Robin looked confused but waved back.

"Don't worry. I told her you don't play for that same team. She'll be cool about it." Nikki said winking to Mandy and her face got flushed at the idea that Robin would like her in that way. It wasn't something she had ever thought about, experienced, or knew how to properly map out in her mind when it came to love, dating, and romance.

She looked back to see Steve with her and could almost pick up on the fact that he did truly like Robin himself and felt a bit of sadness for him in knowing Robin would never like him back, even if Nancy was out of the picture, which she could not see happening. Being a good guy, Steve out of respect for Nancy, kept his distance and remained his usual friendly yet antagonistically playful self around her not crossing any boundaries.

"Does Steve know?" Mandy asked and Nikki shrugged. They sat there for a while going over the items in their bags and resting for a bit before they would continue their shopping and then go home.

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The sun was doing its best to shine through one of Billy's windows and the half light had made him begin to stir out of sleep. Last night he had forgotten to drape his thick blanket fully over it like he usually did to keep it dark in his room. It was hanging open by a corner with streaks of daylight being let in and causing him to pull his thick covers over his head groaning and struggling to stay asleep.

Even if he had blocked the sunlight from getting in, it wasn't long before he heard a soft knocking at his door bringing him slowly to consciousness. Neil never knocked softly so he reasoned while half asleep that it was either Susan or Max, neither of which he really wanted to talk to or deal with. Still, it was better than having his father at his door so he welcomed the small mercies in life he was granted.

"Billy? I'm sorry to wake you. Are you up?"

Susan's soft timid voice called to him somewhat muffled by the thick wooded space between them on the other side of his door. She never liked to be the one to knock in order to ask him for favors or to disturb him. Usually it was Neil pounding on his door being much more demanding or Max having to get his attention because her father in law told her to. He could hear the weakness and fear in her voice and it made him cringe at the sound of it.

"I am now, Susan. What do you need?"

He said sighing and attempting to put on his best polite well mannered voice even while not being fully awake as he claimed he was. If he was impolite to Susan it usually got back to his old man who then had to teach him manners in ways he cared not to learn.

He began pulling the covers off of himself while looking at his alarm clock and grumbling into his pillow. It was a weekend and only ten in the morning. Usually on weekends he would try to sleep in until noon before being asked to chauffeur Max around to whatever damn location she desired. As if he were a servant to her and she was Queen of his car and his free time.

"Well, there is this new mall that just opened up. The umm. The... the Star... what's the name of that new shopping mall? Do you know it? I can't for the life of me remember the name. How silly of me, I knew it. I just..."

Susan stammered deep in thought asking him while grasping to recall the official name of the location. He was getting more and more irritated by the minute when she couldn't spit it out.

He sat on the edge of his bed now in nothing but his boxers and bent over slightly with his face in his hands trying to block out as much of her as he could while still getting the point from all of her droning on. Her voice was gentle but it was still getting on his nerves due to still being out of it and wanting to just curl back up in bed rolling over to get more sleep.

"The Starcourt Mall. Yes, I know the one."

Billy corrected Neil's ditzy wife with the right name so she would finish telling him the full details of what Neil wanted him to do for today. He knew it involved Max, it always did. He just needed to know what time to take her and what time to bring her back.

"Okay great. I'm glad I don't have to give you directions because I honestly haven't been out there just yet myself..."

She got quiet again. He was sighing while pinching the space between his eyes wishing she would get to the point and finish asking. He rubbed the sleep out of the corner of his eyes groaning trying to fully wake himself. He was trying hard not to let his exasperated and impatient tone with her become so transparent in his voice.

The Starcourt Mall. He knew about it but never bothered to go. Although he wasn't here when they started working on it, he heard about it in passing from Tommy, Carol, and Tina because the movie theatre that was being built inside of it was all they would talk about for almost half a day when the subject had been brought up.

They had told him the Hawkins Regional Cineplex was old and didn't have as many theatre rooms and that the quality of their screens and projectors were terrible often messing up during the shows. Even sometimes unable to be fixed with tickets being refunded to people. The place often smelled like stale popcorn, spilled food long stained into the carpets, and baby diapers.

It was pretty run down, and according to Tina and Carol, this town was due for a newer, bigger, better movie theatre. They also told him the most clean areas, in fact the only ones of the entire building of the Cineplex, were the restrooms themselves due to intense inspections from corporate and the health and safety board. They had been called on account of the wellbeing of the patrons who had complained and the owners of the movie theatre had been threatened to be shut down numerous times over them not maintaining the rest areas well enough.

He was surprised he even bothered to listen as he barely cared for going to the movies. He liked horror films but preferred to watch them at home alone in the dark with a willing girl scared shitless to help him score. Not in some stuffy cramped movie theatre or their uncomfortable chairs where he couldn't get close enough to a chick to get any action.

In fact, of all their mind numbingly boring dribble back and forth, the only thing that piqued his interest was the mention of Lovelace by Tommy. It was a new cutting edge Lingerie fashion store that catered to rather... adult tastes never before heard of being so public. It could almost rival Victoria's Secret but had way more loud and outlandish sultry garments for sale and he was dying to check it out if only for the ladies that might be there shopping.

He could imagine some pretty kinky women would buy from that store and he could always pretend he was looking just for a friend if he got questioned by one of them. Maybe he could pick up on a decently attractive loose girl there to help him get his mind off of Mandy and get him out of his funk of not even bothering with Tina as he had originally intended.

Susan's voice once more brought him back to the discussion at hand and he grumbled low in his throat still wanting more sleep.

"Right. So, yes, the Starcourt. Thank you, Billy, for helping me get the name right. Anyways, I was hoping you could take Maxine out a little earlier than usual today. She wants to meet up with her new friends from school at the new mall."

She paused still beating around the bush and he was at his limit wondering when she would tell him what time and simply leave going back to whatever it was she had been doing before bothering him.

New friends? Who the hell would want to hang out with a prissy little snot like Max? Probably more snot nosed brats just like herself, he could bet.

"I would take her myself but I have to stay here and straighten up the house before your father comes home and I have errands to run. I have too much to do today, unfortunately."

Her voice sounded extremely nervous on that note. She obviously did not want to displease Neil by having him come home to a less than perfect household. In addition, here came the excuses for being a useless mom too busy for her own kid but a loyal housewife under her husband's bootheel.

"I understand. No problem." His responses were getting shorter with her.

Billy was normally extremely cranky first thing in the morning, especially when woken up from having such a nice wet dream, or just woken up in general by someone before he was ready to get up.

He sat there trying to remember the dream but only able to recall slowly that it had been about Mandy, of all girls, and this puzzled him greatly. Until he remembered their kiss the night before and cuddling her on the couch nuzzling into her neck smelling how good she smelled. He slowly ran his tongue over his lower lip as if he could taste her mouth again on his.

Billy couldn't understand why his heart had been pounding so hard last night. He had kissed many girls in his lifetime, all of them the same to him, and none of them took him by surprise or made him so exciteable as Mandy had that night.

His nice charade with Susan was faltering fast as he was thinking of Mandy and all her toying with him which was only making it build even more. He wanted her out of his head already. The kiss he got wasn't enough and he wanted more but she wouldn't let him get past it.

He did however manage to get her to give him her number telling him she had her own private line in her room. That must have meant something... right?

Suddenly now he was picturing Mandy in one of those sexy little Lingerie numbers and it was working him up even more. He wished he had never heard of Lovelace at this point. It took all he had to snap his attention back to Susan once he remembered they were having a conversation.

"Are you sure it's okay? I don't know your plans but I know you usually like to go out on the weekends. Only take her if... if it's alright with you. I just hope it's not an inconvenience for you. I know you tend to need your freedoms too."

Like she cared about his freedoms or plans. Neither her nor Neil did. She had to do whatever his father decided would be done. Her voice was even more anxious now at the mention of Neil. She was trying to make it sound as if it were a favor they were simply asking of him. They both knew it wasn't a choice or option for Billy but rather a command of what was going to happen regardless of how he might protest. Neil's word was law in this house.

If Max asked for it, his father would make Billy make it happen for her if he couldn't himself and often because what pleased Max pleased Susan. She was the favorite, had been since their first meeting as children with the union of their families. Everything was about her in order to make Susan happy. Even at the expense of his own happiness, his plans be damned, put on the back burner.

"Don't worry about it. I've got time." He said his patience thinning by the minute.

"Okay, good. Neil and I really appreciate you taking her for us."

Another moment of silence as he waited for clarification on when he should take her and pick her up. Billy guessed he would have to say it out loud and be the one to ask. She was giving him a headache.

"What... time?" He said practically growling it out trying to control himself as he stared at the door almost as if he could see her standing there wringing her hands in fear of talking to him.

"Oh, a time frame. Right. Ummm... so just drop her off at the mall in an hour or so? And please just pick her up before supper time tonight by seven?

In his head he was shouting for her to piss off but he had to control his mouth or it would be his ass later tonight.

"Yup. I'll take her there in an hour. Just let me shower, wake up, and have some breakfast first before we leave. Is that all, Susan?"

He just wanted her to go away. He wanted all of them to go away. He was tired of the gross ignorance and dysfunction between all of them and couldn't wait to graduate and get out of there. The moment he packed his things and left they truly would no longer be his "family" or responsibility ever again. Especially Maxine.

Why couldn't she just skate to the Mall? They weren't that far from town it wouldn't be hard at all for her. Still, if he didn't comply then Susan would somehow let it slip out to Neil, even if just in passing during light conversation, and in turn he would get another huge lecture and possibly some welts to match it as a strict reminder of Billy's best interests to obey his father.

"Yes, that's all I wanted to ask. Alright. I have some eggs, toast, and bacon already made up in the kitchen. Feel free to help yourself to some when you're ready."

Susan was trying to sound bright, happy, chipper, almost motherly to him. She would never be his mother. She could never hide her true dislike of him and often wondered if she wished he was out of the picture as if he were a thorn in her new family's side. A rip in the tapestry of their lives.

Even with all the stress and darkness in this house she still tried to be the ever loving happy home maker trophy wife. She would put on a smile that was often forced and try to make believe everything was just dandy as if they were the fucking Brady Bunch. Billy often wondered just what the hell Susan was thinking when she got involved with and decided to marry his old man.

"Yup. Goodbye, Susan."

His dismissive farewell to her silenced her and she softly walked away having completed her task of recruiting him for his job for today. Billy said it flatly, devoid of any emotion, just wanting her to go away and leave him alone to get ready with his usual routine so he could take Max and get this shit over with.

He had to prepare for tonight's pool party at Harrington's. He had already dropped off the party favors to him so things seemed to still be in good standing on their agreement. Still, he guessed one good thing would come of going to Starcourt. "King" Steve was most likely working his shift today so if he used Max as an excuse to go inside he could stop by and give him a little bit of hell over his dorky work uniform and maybe get some good laughs about it.

Getting up he walked over to his nightstand and first thing he did was to light up his morning cigarette as if it were a regular school day and took a long drag of it checking himself in the mirror. He had work to do. Waking up for him was always on the wrong side of the bed and he never looked like his usual handsome well groomed self. All the same he headed to the bathroom with his towel and change of clothes but Max had evidently beat him there.

He stood in front of the door waiting for about five minutes before knocking on it to tell her to stop hogging it if she wanted to get to the mall so badly, him being her only ride there.

"Max, let's go! If you're not out of there in the next two minutes I'm going back to bed and you can forget your little outing with the shitheads at the mall."

That got to her and she opened the door scowling up at him and pushed past him ducking under his arm that was hanging over the door frame while casually leaning on it. Coming out she opted to go finish getting ready in her room instead. Before she shut her own door she got mouthy with him which only made him grin at how easy it was to set her off. He would get to her any way he could in return for making him her personal nanny practically every weekend.

"They're not shitheads. They're my friends. Something you wouldn't know anything about, Billy, I'm sure." She snapped at him and stood there for a minute wanting to see anger in his face but found none.

"Oh, Max. Stop. You're hurting my feelings. I might cry." He said mockingly at her with a fake pout and then simply looked stone faced at her while puffing on his cigarette. He blew some of it into her face and she waved it away with her hand glaring at him.

"Be ready in five or I'm leaving you here. I won't warn you again." His tone was ice cold and stern with her. She hadn't upset him one bit but he was making himself clear he wouldn't wait around for her much longer than necessary.

Max spun angrily and slammed her door not having any more words to waste on him. He just shrugged not giving a damn about her tantrum and went into the bathroom to fix himself up.

After dropping her off at the mall he thought perhaps he might consider calling up Tommy and Carol to see what they were up to before going to the party. Maybe they would meet at the Quarry and kill a few beers to loosen up before heading to Harrington's place.

As he showered enjoying the hot water on his bare muscled body, it suddenly came to him why he liked Mandy so much. The brief altercation he had with his step sister had somehow helped to make him see things more clearly and confirm it.

Max feared him and when he ruled over her she did what he told her to out of that fear. She may give attitude but she always bent to his will and obeyed. Mandy didn't. If she didn't want to do what he told her to or asked of her she would fight him and do the exact opposite. The only time he was able to even slightly bend her to his will was if he drove her crazy with his hands or mouth or whispering certain things in her ear and even then it wasn't a sure thing.

She always found a way to resist him. Maybe that's why he was dreaming of her now all the time and still chasing after something he deep down felt he would never be able to obtain. He wanted her and there was no more denying that.

He would call her and see what she was up to while Max got ready. If she picked up he would do his best to talk her into meeting up with him at Starcourt and they could have some fun. Maybe he could talk her into going to Lovelace with him so he could see her lovely blushing face and tease her just how he liked to. He was getting turned on just thinking about it.

After his shower he dressed and groomed himself up nicely just in case she picked up and he dialed the number on the piece of paper she wrote it on. He tried calling her but the line kept ringing endlessly and she didn't pick up. He tried again several more times but no answer. He couldn't deny he felt pissed and disappointed with each time he called only to be met with the sound of her line ringing and never hearing her voice.

Maybe she was avoiding him because of the kiss last night? Maybe he had scared her off by being too forward in asking for it? Fuck. What did he do wrong now? He honestly thought she enjoyed it so why give her number if she was going to ignore his calls?

Sighing with frustration and giving up on his little fantasy over Lovelace or seeing Mandy, he went into the kitchen and took what he wanted of the breakfast on a plate and ate it rather quickly. When he was done he hollared for Max and she came out of her room also grabbing some before they left.

They both walked outside to his car with Max following behind him putting a decent space between them angrily. He was just shocked she was actually ready to go for once and on schedule.

"Don't fucking slam it this time, ginger."

He said as he walked over to his side of the Camaro. The look on her face when he called her that was priceless, but most likely now she would. Her face changed from disgust with him to suddenly rather smug as she began to speak with a high handed attitude while heading to the passenger side and waiting for him to open it so she could get in.

"Hey Billy, how was your date last night? Did you get far? Oh, that's right, I forgot. Our neighbor, Mandy, has more common sense than the usual stupid bimbos you go out with and shut you down after one kiss. Too bad, so sad. Guess you won't be getting what you want out of her. She's smart to avoid you like the walking disease you are."

Billy's face was unreadable but he was clearly confused as to what brought this on or why she was feeling bold enough to speak to him like this.

He unlocked the door and leaned over the top of his car from his side pointing his keys at her along with his finger giving her only one stern warning. He was glaring at her now for even daring to put Mandy's name in her smartass mouth or make any mention of what he did with girls he was seeing. Even more confusing, how did she know he only got as far as a kiss? Was the little shit spying on him now and hiding out somewhere in the bushes watching?

"Mind your own business, shitbird. You don't know fuck all about dating or what I did last night. What I do any night with any girl, even her. That isn't any concern of yours so just keep your ignorant mouth shut, got it? Stick to what you know. Arcade games, skateboarding, and being a complete loser along with your loser group you hang out with."

They both got in and this time Billy was the one to slam his door right along with her. He buckled himself in and stared at the windshield, the keys already in the ignition and the car running, waiting for her to put her seatbelt on. As soon as Max buckled up he was already flooring it and pressing on the gas pedal speeding down the back road towards town and to the Starcourt Mall.

There was an eerie silence between them and obviously it was getting to him as much as it was her. He was about to drown her out with his loud tunes reaching for the volume on the stereo when she spoke up quickly wanting to bait him even more.

She wanted to get as much time to do it as she possibly could before they arrived and before he could no longer hear her over his foul obnoxious noise he called music. She had no idea why she was feeling so brave today to antagonize him like this.

Maybe it was because he had insulted her friends earlier calling them shitheads. Maybe it was because she had finally had enough of his shit and how he treated her. Or maybe she just wanted to just to see what he would do or if she could get to him so much he would just stop being a jerk all the time tiring himself out. She knew it was a slim chance but maybe if she pushed him enough he would not want to do this hostility crap anymore between them.

"Oh, but I do know about it. I know all about what you two did last night. See, sometimes when you're asleep, Billy, and having your stupid little dreams... I can hear you talking next door in your room. The walls are pretty thin. I AM right next door to you after all, unlike mom and dad, unfortunately for me."

His breath caught in his throat and he made a soft choking sound but held it back trying to ignore her. He wouldn't dare look at her or let her know just how much what she said was worrying him. He kept his eyes on the road and driving.

"So I heard you talking about what you did with her and what you wanted to do with her. I gotta say, what you actually did together and what you want to do don't weigh up evenly according to those little night time confessions you blurt out. Keep dreaming. Also, newsflash? You're gross. Flat out disgusting. It's more than I ever wanted to know about you. TMI thanks. So please do us both a favor and just stop sleeptalking."

His hands were gripping the steering wheel in a slow burning anger almost going completely white in his knuckles. He had nothing to say back to that in return. Nothing at all. His jaw was clenching and moving as he grit his teeth in pure anger over what she had revealed to him.

She folded her arms over her chest grinning victoriously seeing that she had successfully gotten to him and that he feared what things she might possibly know about him now. It was evidenced by the absolutely livid look all over his reddening face. His nostrils were slightly flaring and his mouth was in his usual angry pout, his lips pushed out menacingly as he looked ahead at nothing but the road in front of them. Finally, he found his voice and challenged her.

"Bullshit. You're fucking lying. The walls can't be that thin. And I don't talk in my sleep that crap is for kids. Like wetting the fucking bed or hiding under the covers from the boogeyman. Nice try, shitbird."

The pure denial of it was fueling him to simply not accept what Max was saying about him. He was tense as he tried to call her on what she had accused him of and was trying hard to invalidate every word of it in pure disbelief. He simply couldn't accept that he talked about personal things in his sleep or said things he wouldn't want anyone to know so easily and openly. Deny it all he wanted, how the hell would he know if he did it or not if he was asleep while doing it?

Could she really have heard? Or was the more logical explanation simply that she had been physically spying on them that night near the front porch of Mandy's house and listened in on them with nothing better to do on a Friday night?

Max threw her hands up in the air rolling her eyes and saw that he would need proof so she would simply have to tell him some of the things he had said. She would take great pleasure in it knowing it would tear into him while also clearing her name of being a liar.

"Mandy, can I kiss you? Just one kiss? Oh, Mandy, you're lips are so soft! I had hoped to be alone with you on our date tonight. Come closer, Mandy, just let me hold you. I'll behave. Don't say no, I promise you won't regret it. I'm dying to have you in my bed because I wanna rock your world all night long, baby! Ohhhh, Mandy!"

Again, his breath caught in his throat and he swallowed hard beginning to sweat a little. It was true, then. Max had heard things she wasn't suppose to hear. That sounded every inch of the kinds of thoughts and communications he had with Mandy whether in his head or in person with her.

"Seriously? Ew. Like I said, gross. Told you I heard you."

Max began mocking him making kissy noises and puckering out her lips. She had only repeated some of the more tame things he had murmured in his sleep proving she had heard them and that she knew things about the two of them and their "date" night. She laughed at all of it which only served to make him even more angry as he sat in silence too mad to comment.

Feeling the intensity of that silence she suddenly went quiet herself letting her laughter fizzle out nervously. Sitting there gripping onto the car trying not to be jostled around as he sped down the road, she thought on other things she heard him moan out in his bedroom late at night. She was not going to even dare repeat those things not wanting to go any deeper or say the more disgusting rated R rated stuff he came up with. Things she didn't feel right saying out loud.

Her skin crawled just thinking about the perverted phrases she had heard him declare rather loudly while his bed made random noises. She had hoped the noises were from him moving around as he tossed and turned in his sleep and not from something else he might have been doing. Her stomach lurched at the thought of it and she quickly put that out of her mind before she hurled.

It had kept her awake most of the night. She was more pissed about her sleep being disturbed with his pillowtalk while having to use her own to cover her face and ears just to finally fall back asleep through it all and not so much the things he had said about Mandy Hawkins.

Still, she felt bad for her neighbor now being a new target of his. She seemed like a sweet friendly girl and Max pitied her. She didn't deserve someone like her asshole stepbrother hounding her trying to get in her pants and use her. It was almost enough to make her have the courage to walk over there one day and warn her away from him.

Perhaps it was unnecessary after all, judging by how he wasn't getting anything out of her, according to what he said in his sleep. Mandy most likely already knew and was taking precautions protecting herself. It would seem she had a good head on her shoulders after all and wouldn't be set up by him only to be knocked down.

Max imagined that it was Mandy bothering Billy a great deal, most likely over her spurning his attentions towards her, and that was why he was dreaming about it and pining over her. Either he wanted something he couldn't get due to his stubborne nature not wanting to admit defeat over anything, or he truly liked Mandy deep down and it was upsetting him.

She most likely believed it to be the former explanation and not the latter. Billy didn't fall in love. Billy didn't long term date and didn't care about relationships or maintaining them. He only lived for the moment and that included girls.

From what Max had seen of Mandy so far, she wasn't his usual typing at all. She was soft, shy, sweet, and awkward. Even clumsy a bit and didn't dress like the stuck up girls Max had met that rode in the car with Billy sometimes. She was the total opposite. So why would he go for her? It was strange.

Looking over to see the effect she had on him by outing him on all of this, she saw he was pushing harder on the gas pedal and his only response was to crank his rock music up signaling she had thoroughly devastated and embarrassed him with what she had said. With the new knowledge that she could hear him talking in his sleep while dreaming he was clearly on edge about it.

All his secrets and fantasies spilling out to her, especially the ones about Mandy. Private things she had no business knowing. Deep things she imagined even he didn't want to know he knew but had forgotten only to remember them in his nocturnal ramblings. If she told him the rest of what he said sometimes that had nothing to do with their new neighbor, he would most likely have even more of a vicious breakdown.

So she didn't talk about those darker secrets or push it. The more abstract painful things that he kept locked within himself. Things about Neil and his painful past and growing up. Pieces of his upbringing that showed his bullying and hateful personality was used to mask the deep hurt he had within himself. Maxine saw how Neil treated him. Had grown up with him knowing. But there was nothing she could do to stop it and still couldn't. She knew Billy better than anyone else and yet she was still always so angry with him because of how he treated her.

Taking out that pain on her when she knew the real person he wanted to hurt, hit, or explode on was his own father. So she put up with it despite her hating all of it. Max was his verbal punching bag that seemed to help him release a bit of that pain but it wasn't helping much anymore. Over the years it was getting worse the older he got. He was getting more unhinged and she feared him doing something crazy or irreversible. Something he could never take back. Like hitting her. Or her mother. Or maybe going full on psycho and killing someone while getting in a brutal fight with them, perhaps his own dad if he pushed him enough and he broke completely. Where would it end? How would it stop? Was it too late for Billy to change?

Billy glared quietly over at Max as she sat there apparently in deep thought, all of her vindictive laughter at a ceasefire , and he saw she was afraid. Whether of him, or for Mandy since she now knew his intentions towards her and how he felt about her, he couldn't quite tell. She was most likely reflecting deeply on how she had outed his deep feelings and personal thoughts to himself while also outing herself for eavesdropping unintentionally in on him when he was at his most vulnerable state.

He knew if she ever said anything to anyone, especially to Mandy the object of his dreams, which were now laid bare and open before his pissant of a step sister, he would find a way to get even with her and would use their parents to do it. Maybe even find a way to get her grounded so she couldn't have her little outings anymore with her shithead "friends".

Suddenly he came up with a plan to keep her from telling anyone else what she now knew, some of his most private thoughts and feelings. Something to silence her so she wouldn't ever out anything to anyone. It wasn't a plan to get her grounded so much as to get her to think about her delusion that she had ANY kind of upper hand over him and make her back down knowing her place.

Max noticed he slowed down and turned the music down to a softer decible. Obviously, he had something he wanted to say to her. She tensed waiting for it never knowing just what he might be capable of and realizing she must have gone way too far. Pushing him over the edge he was dangerous and now she feared for her safety being in the explosive death trap she was stuck in with him.

"How much do you like your shiny new friends, Max?" He said slowly, his voice low but clearly angry and menacing. Threatening even as soft as it was with a firmness that was not deceptive to the underlying danger and animosity beneath it.

"Do you really like them a lot? Do you care about them? You seem to like seeing them everyday in school and now love going out with them places on the weekend while making me take you there all the time like I'm your damn chaperone and personal driver?"

She looked out the window away from him hiding her frightened expression at his cruel tone of voice. She could feel him building up to something really nasty and now she regretted telling him she heard him last night or teasing him about it.

When Billy saw she wouldn't face him or answer, he reached over and grabbed her wrist firmly making her face him. Looking into his vicious and terrible blue eyes her softened fearful ones were no match for him. His were cool and icy showing no other emotion to give him away. Hers were betraying her inner most fear of him exposing it. He glowered at her darkly as he held her wrist getting her full attention now, looking back and forth from time to time between her and the road so as not to have a wreck or wind up with the Camaro in a ditch. His mouth eventually set in a hard thin line with his lips pursed tight together before finishing what he was saying.

"Well... how would you like it if I made it to where they weren't around anymore? What if I made it so you weren't able to see them ever again? Don't believe I can do that, Maxine? Call my bluff, I dare you. Because I know people and I assure you I can. See, I do have friends Max, despite what you think you know about me. My friends unlike yours are bigger, meaner, and stronger, almost up to my level. I've gotten to know some very dangerous people in my crew already since moving here. People I run with in certain circles that are far above anything you could imagine in your worst nightmares."

She was trembling in his grip and he could feel it. His message most effective. The threat beginning to be percieved by her undeniably.

"And WE can MAKE things happen, Max. So I suggest that if you like your little friends being... around... for you to spend time with them, that you never repeat to another living soul ANYTHING you hear in my room or otherwise about me. Not to your friends. Not to our parents. And especially not to Mandy Hawkins. Understand? Have I made myself undeniably clear to you?"

His tongue darted out from his mouth only showing the tip as he looked back to her with his fierce eyes enjoying how terrified she was at his simple and effective threat. He knew deep down he wasn't planning anything. Wouldn't do anything. He didn't know anyone that would hurt a kid the way he implied. But he had to make her believe he could. To truly believe he did know such people. It was the only way to get her to keep her big fat mouth closed.

"Stop listening in on me at night or any other time of day for that matter. Stop trying to get into my personal business from now on. Or your friends will be in a world of pain. Got it?"

All she could do was nod as tears began to well up inside of her eyes. He finally let her go and she snapped her wrist back to her side of the car and cradled it defensively. It didn't hurt, he somehow managed to hold her tight without the risk of putting any marks or bruises on her, but it had scared her all the same.

"One last thing. Stop. Slamming. My. Car. Door."

Pulling away from her he put his eyes back on the road and back to fully concentrating on driving. Turning the knob he turned his music up as loud as they both could stand it as he ignored her the rest of the way enjoying her silence and putting her in check.

When they arrived at the mall she was completely mute as she climbed out of his car and even shut his door ever so gently without slamming it. Finally she was learning not to get out of line with him and recognizing who was in charge between the two of them. He had finally found his leverage, as wrong as it had been to use, to make her listen more effectively.

A part of himself actually felt guilty for doing that to her but he crushed it down just like everything else. If Neil could verbally and emotionally threaten and keep his ass in line, Maxine could benefit from the same treatment from him. She was out of control in her own way and spoiled rotten thinking she could run over anyone she damn well pleased to get what she wanted.

Still, he could not help but feel maybe he pushed those thoughts home a little too much into her mind and somewhere deep down inside he actually hated himself for doing it. He actually felt bad. He fought the urge to rage or to tear up when he felt his eyes begin to prickle slightly. This had never happened to him before so the strangeness of it all really bothered him making it even harder not to give into it and lose his mask and self control.

Why should he care? She had no right to know all his deepest innermost secrets, desires, plans, or what he did. Just exactly what else had she heard? How much did she really know about him now? How much of it from his past or from other things outside of Mandy?

She had clearly overstepped her boundaries with him on that one. She could hate him, she could fear him, she could do whatever she pleased, he didn't care. As long as she knew better than to mess with him spreading things around about him to her friends or whoever else.

Whatever worked to make her keep her silence. Nothing was going to jeapordize him seeing and or being with Mandy. Not even a stupid thirteen year old little girl with a big mouth not knowing when to keep it shut who liked to stick her freckled nose into other people's business just to stir up shit.

He parked the Camaro and lit up a cigarette calming himself before he stepped inside the Starcourt for the first time determined he would head to the Scoops Ahoy! ice cream parlor looking for Sailor Steve. He needed a little comic relief but would have to watch it and not go too far or the booze he bought him for his party would mean nothing anymore as a bargaining chip.

Walking through one of the five glass front doors Billy got quite a few stares from female admirer's as he made his way to the center of the first floor. He figured out by the large neon signs he was in the food court area so he knew he was in the right place.

Glancing over he saw Max sitting by herself at a wooden bench near a rather large fountain. She was sitting there in a pissy mood no doubt still simmering over his threat in the car while waiting on her friends to arrive. She looked around the mall with her arms folded over her chest. Mayber her stupid little "friends" had abandoned her and wouldn't show up after all. Then they could both just go home and he could concentrate on trying to ring up Mandy again.

Billy was reading all the signs around him until he finally found the Scoops Ahoy! parlor sign and with a confident smirk on his face he strutted over there. He had no idea Mandy and her blonde chatty friend Nikki were within the same vicinity and walked right past them distracted and determined to flirt up the girl behind the counter while taking satisfactory chunks out of Steve's ego.

He stood behind a short line of customers with his hands resting in his pockets while waiting to torment Steve for a bit. He tried not to laugh already just seeing the ridiculous sailor outfit he was stuck wearing. Looking up at the menu at the prices he thought about getting a little something seeing how bad Steve was at making things at the counter.

Turning to the display freezer he saw the blond girl, evidently Steve's co worker in her own uniform, was busy restocking napkins, ice cream toppings, and other needful things while Harrington took orders making what the patrons wanted and serving them. She had to keep stopping what she was doing periodically to talk him through it and sometimes having to show him how to operate the register or how to make certain selections from the menu but he couldn't seem to keep up. He was really bad at it and a few of the kids took their cones from him then cried or whined while parents complained about his miserable attempts at preparing their food.

He apologized timidly to them over and over and was getting overwhelmed merely trying to hand them back the proper change even dropping some of it while making nervous small talk. He had to remake some of the orders entirely from scratch with the girls help just to calm the kids and their angry families who were saying they wanted to speak to management. Eventually they were satisfied and left the parlor shaking their heads and taking their seats in the dining area or going on with their day at the mall.

Billy was putting his hand to his mouth as in a thoughtful pose and grinning behind his fingers with his eyebrow up watching Steve crash and burn at his job.

At the far end of the parlor Mandy was just finishing up her second mint chocolate chip this time in a paper Scoops cup and not on a waffle cone. She was licking her spoon absentmindedly like a little kid not really paying attention to anything in particular. Nikki watched as Mandy cleaned her spoon up then put it in the cup finally meeting her eyes.

"What? Do I have some ice cream on my face?" She began wiping at her mouth and nose just in case but didn't feel anything sticky or see any on her hands.

"What?" She repeated again and Nikki cracked up smiling at her.

"Mandy, are you sure you still have your V-card? The way you were workin' that spoon you might give some poor old guy a heart attack while watching you."

Nikki laughed as Mandy blushed furiously at her comment not liking her to say such a personal thing like that about her out loud around other people that could hear.

"Nikki! God, please don't say that out loud! It's embarrassing, okay?"

"There's nothing embarrassing about being a... virgin... or being great with ones mouth, Mandy darling. Trust me, I would know. Used to know." She corrected herself because she lost hers a long time ago and had told Mandy all about it one night during their sleepover. She had been somewhat grossed out by it but fascinated all the same and decided she could wait her turn on it really not being in any rush to go through that.

Nikki laughed lightly again at how shy Mandy was being but nodded promising to stop saying the V word out loud from now on. She winked at her and began digging through her bags checking out some of the perfumes and body sprays she had purchased asking Mandy's opinion on which one she thought would be best for tonight.

"Okay... so which one do you think I should wear? Here, check this one out."

She spritzed a light spray of it in the air for her to smell and she began coughing.

"No... not that one. Oh, wow. That is strong." Mandy's eyes were watering a little bit and Nikki waved it away as best as she could while apologizing.

"Alrighty. So, not the Lavender Lotus. Check. Okay, how about this one?"

She sprayed another one above their heads and Mandy gave it a sniff and nodded.

"Yeah, that one's really nice. What's it called?" Nikki handed her the bottle.

"Warm Vanilla and Honey. It's actually one of my favorites. You can borrow it sometime if you would like. I have plenty others to choose from and I basically got the vanilla for you. It suits you perfectly, considering."

She grinned nodding making a crack at her innocence with the term 'vanilla' and Mandy had no idea what she meant by that but she graciously accepted and put it in her book bag. She really did like how it smelled but she would put a lighter spraying of it on herself so it wasn't so overpowering.

As she was tucking it away she happened to glance over to see if Steve and Robin were busy so they could say goodbye and end their break to go back to shopping. That's when she ducked her head down behind her bag and noticing her reaction Nikki turned to look.

"What the heck is Billy doing here? With a body like that, practically not an ounce of fat on him, you'd think he wouldn't come to an ice cream place let alone eat any of it." Nikki pondered on this and noticed Mandy cowering trying to hide.

"Oh, Mandy, really. Sweetie, just straighten up and ignore him. You're going to have to try and get a thicker skin around him, especially if you both wind up at the party tonight. I'm almost positive he is going to be there. Might as well start practicing now. I can't believe you gave him your phone number. Why did you do that if you're so adamant about not wanting anything to do with him?"

"I don't know, Nikki. I don't know what I was thinking. I wasn't thinking. I mean he was just so sweet last night and when he asked it just kind of happened."

"Did you kiss him yet? Did he kiss you? Anything?" Nikki asked watching her pathetically continue to hide from him while she was asking her to keep her voice down so as not to draw attention to them sitting there.

Mandy wouldn't answer directly. She just looked down and blushed. Nikki made a shocked face and suddenly got excited.

"Oh my god. You did, didn't you? Mandy, was that your first kiss?"

"Be quiet, Nikki. Okay, let's just sneak out of here and go home. I don't want him to see me. And I swear if you tell anyone about this I will never forgive you."

Nikki wasn't paying attention anymore. She was far too busy checking out Billy's fine butt in his dark blue jeans and eyeing him up and down. Mandy couldn't help but peek from behind the bag and look either.

His broad strong shoulders, torso, and his biceps looked amazing in his white muscle shirt. He wasn't wearing any jacket today at all to evidently show his body off even more. She noticed a lot of girls looking and not just Nikki.

Mandy looked back to her friend who was almost drooling zoning out over it and began rolling her eyes at her and sighing. Did Billy even own any loose clothes that fit him a little better or wear any other pants besides tight denim?

Nikki snapped back to her friend seeing she was irritated that she wasn't paying attention due to watching Billy.

"Yeah, I'm looking at it. So sue me." Her friend said playfully and before anything more could be said they both noticed that Billy wasn't just here for ice cream. He was here for Steve and his main goal was to pick on him.

They watched as Billy took his turn at the front of the line and leaned up against the counter talking to him. They saw the annoyed look on their Steve's face and the clueless one on Robin's.

"What are you doing here, amigo?" Steve said to him glaring slightly. He removed the hat and chucked it behind him not wanting to give Billy the full effect of seeing him in his work uniform.

"I would ask the same thing about you but I already knew you would be here. Word got around you were working here. I just thought I'd come stop by and check it out for myself and give a friendly little hello."

"I know you. Friendly isn't in your dictionary. What do you want?"

It was obvious what he wanted. He wanted to mock his outfit and shame him. Billy ignored his question and grinned at Robin giving her a wink. She didn't react at all and simply stood there hoping she didn't have to break up a fight between them.

"A little too early for Halloween, isn't it Harrington? What are you supposed to be anyway, the Pillsbury Doughboy?"

Billy fired at him giving a slight chuckle. Steve looked a little red in the face and was glaring at him with Robin looking between the two of them back and forth.

Despite Robin clearly picking up on the fact that they were enemies, that broke her a little bit, and although she tried hard not to laugh she gave a small breathy giggle. Billy was flicking the bowtie on Steve's collar as he said it adding to the effect. Steve looked at Robin as if she had stabbed him in the back and she instantly stopped and mouthed an apology to him.

"You gonna buy something or not? Keep pushing me Hargrove and you'll get nada. Company policy says I can reserve the right to refuse service to dickheads."

Robin made a face like she was impressed with Steve standing up for himself but she noticed Billy's intimidating irritated face. She decided then and there she didn't like the guy one bit.

"Okay, children, how about we just simmer down now. Order something and I'll make it."

She shoved Steve to the side and told him to go in the back and get more items to restock while she handled this. Steve eyed Billy sizing him up as he smirked at him and hesitantly did as he was told going into the back room. Robin turned back to Billy and was all business.

"I guess you need a woman to fight your battles for you, Harrington. Maybe next time then. See you at the party, King Steve!"

Steve flipped him off before going through the door to do what Robin requested glad to be rid of him. He laughed knowing he was still in because they still had a deal. All that beer and liquor he brought over to his house for tonight was still his ticket in and Steve wouldn't back down or he would risk being counted as dishonorable should he and his group spread that around the school. Unlike Billy, Steve seemed to be a guy of his word.

"Party?" Robin lifted one brow.

"Wanna come, darlin'?" Billy winked at her playfully.

"Oh, the party at Steve's? No. He already invited me but I turned it down. Not my scene."

"That's too bad. I bet you and I could have a lot of fun. You look like the kind of girl who's uptight until she gets a few drinks in her and then lets the wild cat out of the bag."

Robin was not amused but she stood there and took his order. He was still trying to flirt with her but it bounced off of her effortlessly and it was clear Billy had a hard time understanding why. After he got his order, he hollared goodbye to "Sailor Steve" and began walking out of the parlor tossing the paid for but useless ice cream in the trash can.

Before he turned around walking in their direction, Mandy had convinced Nikki to leave with her while he was distracted at the counter. They were trying to walk away when suddenly he noticed for the first time that she was there.

His blood began to get fired up due to not fully being over her ignoring his calls. Yet here she was, shopping with a friend at the mall, the very mall he had wanted to take her to. Somewhat angry he jogged up beside them walking with Mandy and trying to get her to stop and talk to him.

"Mandy! Wait up. I tried to call you today but your line just kept ringing off the hook. Are you avoiding me?"

There was almost hurt in his voice and in his eyes as she turned around to look into them. She lowered her eyes sighing not really wanting to deal with this right now.

"I... uhh. Umm. I was busy. I'm sorry." Mandy kept staring at the floor not meeting his eyes anymore as she made up excuses. She knew she was actively dodging him again.

"I don't buy that. I called at least five or six times. I was hoping we could hang out today and maybe even spend some time here. Tommy and Carol told me about the place and I had to bring Maxine here anyway so I figured you could ride with us."

Thinking back on his discussion with Max in the car he was rather thankful that didn't happen.

"Kind of funny that I wind up running into you here anyway. Doesn't seem like you're so busy at all. I'll ask again. Are you purposefully avoiding me?"

His voice was a bit more firm and he was trying to take her chin in his hand to lift her face gently to him so she would look him in his eyes. He wanted a straight answer.

Mandy dodged his touch and looked at him on her own. She got upset at this badgering even when knowing he was right. She wasn't busy she was with a friend trying to forget about him and the kiss they had shared. To put him out of her mind for today and have fun.

And hearing the way he was ripping Steve apart at the counter back there absolutely confirmed her suspicions that he was merely putting on a nice guy act with her last night in front of her parents and outside when saying goodnight to her. He was being an ass again and still up to his old ways. Billy Hargrove was not going to change. Not for himself. Not for her. Not for anyone.

Nikki waved to him when he mentioned her but when Mandy shot her a look for doing it she decided to walk ahead and let them be to hash it out. Mandy was clearly pissed off at him and put on the spot.

Turning back to Billy she had a stern defiant look on her face. He saw that lovely fire in her eyes and it stirred him making him think of their night together and how it felt to hold her and press his lips to her neck. How it felt to graze her lips softly with his own. How dizzy her lovely smell had made him. And he also noticed how she smelled like a mix of lavender and vanilla right now. She smelled so sweet although the scent was a little strong.

He tried to move closer to her but she wouldn't let him approach.

"You're mad at me. Why?" He searched her lovely green eyes and waited for her to answer.

"Why? Because you are acting like a complete jerk, Hargrove. Yeah, I'm mad at you. Mad that everytime you come around and show you can be sweet and gentle and real, you backslide into your old ways and become an ass again. I heard how you were treating Steve up there at the Scoops counter. You were ripping on him for being a man, having a job, making money, and being responsible. You have no idea how hard he is trying."

"He's a little rich boy with wealthy parents. How hard could he possibly have to try for anything?" Billy shot back and she glared at him.

"Rich people have problems too, Billy. And he's not rich... his parents are. His parents are barely there for him and even if they have money, they are making him find his own way in this world. You can't always judge someone by their wealth or appearances, okay?"

He somewhat scoffed at that. People judged him constantly by his appearances. He wasn't saying they were wrong just that they assumed. But no one invited him over to their house like Mandy did. No one asked him to spend time getting to know them or their family. It was Mandy who apparently saw something more in him and he had no idea why.

He liked to fight and get into trouble. He liked to act out and let loose going wild once in a while and to party. But Mandy made him feel as if there was more to him than all that. Still, Billy stepped back a bit and listened to her let it all out. He was quiet taking it all in.

"You have a job, Billy, so you know what it's like. You have to wear a specific uniform to work there too. But just because his isn't like yours and is a little bit..."

"Stupid? Dorky?" Billy smirked at her trying to win her over with humor and trying to get her to lighten up. He got a serious face again when she didn't laugh or smile and he sighed.

"I was going to say different or eccentric. Unique even, maybe unconventional? But there you go again. This is exactly what I am talking about. You're better than this. So why do you act like this?"

She shook her head and turned from him walking towards the fountain. She didn't see that Max was sitting there. As soon as Max saw them talking she got wide eyed and ran around to hide behind one of the tropical bushes and trees near the benches and watched listening in while hidden. She had hoped neither one of them noticed her sitting there just moments before. She breathed a sigh of relief that they were so wrapped up in arguing with one another they hadn't.

"What? Are you telling me you don't find it a little funny yourself. You were there in the diner and obviously got ice cream so surely you saw him. You telling me you didn't laugh?"

He grinned a little bit at her and she knew he had a point. She couldn't deny that her, Nikki, and Robin had all been making fun of him a little bit for it.

"No, I'm not denying it. I admit we laughed and teased him a little. But... that's different. Steve is our friend. He knows us. And he knows we don't mean anything by it and that we are just playing with him. But you..." She trailed off and couldn't finish her sentence.

"But me, what? I'm not allowed to consider him a friend? What if I do? In my own little way. Sort of. Okay, no, you're right, Harrington and I are not friends. We don't really like one another. To be honest, I could have said or done worse to him. I was just playing around too."

Billy was being defensive but getting more frustrated with her by the second while trying to maintain and argue for his innocence. Mandy sighed but stood there with her hand on her hip.

Billy groaned. This conversation was a waste of time. He wanted to talk about their kiss and about taking her out to the party. Not sitting here discussing pretty boy's feelings.

Mandy huffed when he was trying to relate his actions with her and her friend's actions. Clearly she thought he was a real piece of shit for having a little bit of fun with Harrington when they both had done the same. It was slightly hypocritical.

"Look, it doesn't matter. I'm sorry, alright? But you still haven't answered my question. Were you avoiding me? And if so... when will you stop avoiding me so I can finally just take you out? Just the two of us? I don't think that's too much to ask, is it?"

He once more moved in close and took her hands in his this time not asking or offering but simply grabbing them gently and holding them there. She looked up into his blue eyes feeling herself begin to get lost in them again like last night.

"A you kidding me? You insult my friend Steve, talk me into giving you my first kiss, hound me day and night almost since the beginning of school, flirt with and hit on Robin, who just so happens to be into girls by the way, and you want me to go with you on a date?"

Out of all of that, Billy heard the comment about Robin stand out the most. It clicked in his head and suddenly he understood why she had looked at him funny and didn't jump on his offer or flirt back. It made total sense now. Just his luck to hit on a lesbian. And if not a lesbian, than just his luck to want the one girl he seemingly couldn't have, which had nothing to do with her gender preference at all.

"I thought it was weird when she wasn't so responsive to me. Oh well. Not like I really meant anything by it. Just me having fun and trying to recruit more people for Harrington's party. Is that so wrong?"

He shrugged and she was beside herself at how he could be so two faced and make excuses for everything he did or said not feeling wrong or even the least bit bad about it.

Mandy sighed still looking at him but she didn't say no or pull her hands away. Clearly she was still considering it so Billy waited patiently for her anger to die down a little bit.

"Look, I honestly wasn't planning on sleeping with her, Mandy, and since she's gay I doubt it would have happened anyway. I was just having my fun, that's all. I haven't changed my mind about wanting to spend time with you, Mandy.

"You act the same way about Tina. You don't care who's heart you break so long as you have your fun with them. Another reason I've been trying to get you to leave me alone and stay away from you."

He grimaced at her bringing up Tina. Now she would most likely tack Robin onto reasons why she was upset with him in addition to her.

Nikki was amused hearing all of this while standing a little ways off from where they were. She was seated at one of the wooden benches and patiently waiting for their lover's quarrel to be over with and resolved. She was smirking but not saying a word letting Mandy handle this.

Max was still listening in as well from her hiding spot and had to stop herself from making any noise while cupping her mouth. She almost laughed because of the comical way Mandy was tearing Billy a new one over his bad behaviors.

She really was starting to like Mandy more and more and for the first time ever she was seeing just how she was able to miraculously keep him in line, even making him apologize which is something he NEVER did. Not for anyone. She waited to see how this would end.

"So then you have been avoiding me."

Billy sighed getting his answer finally. She was pushing him away and he could admit some of it had been his fault. But yet, a lot of it was also hers too. If she would just open up to him and stop running away...

"Yes." She said softly.

"Why?" He said equally just as softly to her.

"I don't know. I just don't feel like I can trust you. For one, you hit on everything that walks and is female. For another you switch moods on a dime. One moment you're sweet and gentle and the next you're angry and cruel. What if I go out with you and you suddenly shift your mood on me? It's not something I want to risk. And furthermore, it's not me you should be apologizing to. You should march back over there and say sorry to Steve."

His jaw almost dropped when she told him that. He was in shock and obviously not too keen on the idea. Before he could interrupt and say anything she continued holding up her hand to him pointing one finger.

"Do this, and I might consider it. You could at least make it up to him considering how you treated him on the court in gym class. You were terrible to him and you need to understand he is my friend. I won't accept you being like that to him or any of my other friends."

Billy gave her a stone cold stare. She wanted him to apologize? To Harrington? Just to take her out on a date? Fuck.

"I don't see that happening, princess. In fact, I know it won't. I said it to you. Can't you just be satisfied with that?"

"No. Then I don't see our date happening. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go home and get ready for my friend's pool party. You know, the one you insulted? I wouldn't be surprised if he won't even let you go now that you've humiliated him twice. Goodbye, Billy."

With that she tore her hands away from his rather angrily and spun on her heels telling Nikki it was time for them to go. Nikki stood up grabbing her bags and walked out with her shooting Billy a strange but sad look.

Billy grumbled behind her but made no effort to follow her outside. He was far too angry at her shooting him down and still reeling from her rejection. He was pissed off about the ridiculous stipulation she tried to put on him. He wouldn't admit it but he was crushed at her words and her denial of him over someone like Steve Harrington.

All he wanted to do was show her a good time and she was blocking him at every turn. Did it really mean that much to her to give a stupid apology to Steve that she would not allow him to take her out on a date over it?

Growling low in his throat he lifted his hands in the air for a moment and then stormed off. He got no satisfaction out of today or their meeting and wasn't in the mood anymore to hangout with her or Tommy and Carol. He would just go home and try to think of some way to get her trust back. To convince her to spend time with him.

He had to try and get her to warm up to him and he resolved that he should no longer piss off Steve or antagonize him until she could get over it and stop being so sore about it. It was the only way short of having to apologize to Harrington that he could see to make it up to her.

Hopefully she would cool off in the next few hours because he still wanted her to go with him and he would do his very best to be the nice guy she wanted him to be just so she would. He wasn't going to give up just yet.

As for Tina and Robin, well he could easily leave Robin alone. But Tina would have to be dealt with eventually and he wasn't sure how to let her down and tell her he was moving on without hurting her. She was a popular girl. That could potentially cause waves in the group he was fitting in with.

He would think of something but for now he would put it on the bottom of the list he was mentally making notes of. A long checklist of ways to please Mandy so she would stop running from him and would just let him get closer to her. He hoped she was worth all of this trouble. Deep down he knew she was. She had to be.

He went out to the lot to sit and wait out the few hours that Max would be in the mall with her friends. Hopefully she was already with them getting shit done so they could leave long before seven and supper time at Neil's. He needed time to get ready for the party and to confront Mandy trying to patch things up and smoothe things over with her

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Once Billy, Mandy, and the other girl left, Max came out of hiding from behind the bushes. She had listened to the entire exchange and suddenly Billy's talking in his sleep about her was making more and more sense the more she thought about it. The pieces were falling into place. Billy could hide it from Mandy and others but he couldn't hide from Max that he truly liked this girl. He wanted to be around her and take her places. He was even willing to put up with her being angry with him.

When he apologized to her Max's jaw almost hit the floor. It wasn't like him at all. When she thought about all the pining he did in his sleep over her and how often he had been saying her name it was clear that this was more than just being about him wanting to sleep with her like he did all the other girls. He actually had feelings for her.

Mandy was changing him and making him realize that he couldn't just treat people however he wanted to and get away with it. That there were consequences to his actions. It was something he never learned because neither Neil nor anyone else had ever really checkmated him and made him step back to realize all the horrible things he was saying and doing.

Mandy had this way of shining a spotlight on him and making him hold himself accountable. She wasn't stupid either and was not letting him run all over her. She admired her and hoped that Billy would listen and learn from her. Maybe take a hint and stop being such a jerk seeing it would get him no where with her.

She wasn't rooting for Billy so much as she was for Mandy possibly helping to make Billy see he needed to make some changes in his life. She knew the deep dark roots he came from and about a lot of his painful past. Even his painful present because of Neil. But those were excuses and he needed to rise above them. He needed to grow the hell up. It was clear Mandy was trying to get him to see that.

Max frowned really hoping that The Party kids would bother to show up today. Because today was supposed to be the day she would meet El for the first time and her friends would come up with the verdict on whether or not she was to join their group permanently and become an official Party Member. They had been going back and forth about it for weeks now and it was getting on her nerves that they couldn't seem to make up their mind. They had said they wanted to wait for El to meet Max and cast in her vote.

"Max! Hey, Max! We're over here!" Suddenly the sound of her friends calling to her snapped her out of her thoughts and she turned in the direction of their voices.

"Madmax! Come meet El! Come on, we have to get to the arcade!" She grinned seeing Dustin, Lucas, Mike, Will, and the new girl that was with them, apparently El, all standing over by the escelators.

She waved to them and grabbed her skateboard running over to them and held out her hand to shake with El.

"Hi, El. I'm Madmax but you can call me Max. Nice to meet you. I've heard so much about you."

El looked at her hand for a moment with a small bit of uncertainty in her eyes. But she shyly put her own hand out and took Max's shaking it.

"Hi. Nice to meet you, Max." Her speech was slow and soft but she was kind and gave Max a gentle smile.

"We're going to be great friends too, El. I just know it. Alright, stalkers. Where is this new arcade? I'm dying to bust out some high scores."

Max grinned at El and winked and then El returned the wink. They hooked their arms together and followed the boys of The Party as they lead the way chattering excitedly towards the huge new Arcade, even bigger and better than the Plaza Arcade and three times as big.

"I didn't get much of a haul this time, guys." Dustin said with his slight lisp clearly agitated that he didn't get enough quarters.

"That's okay, you can share mine with me." Will Byers offered politely and Dustin smiled, his eyes crinkling up happily, as he put his arm around Will's shoulders.

"Sweet, dude, thanks for having my back. I owe you one."

"More like you owe him five bucks worth. He split with you last time." Mike teased and Lucas laughed at this.

"Yeah, Dustin, you should just get a job and work hard earning a real man's wages. Like I do. I mow lawns for Old Man Humphrey and a lot of people on my block and I make bank over it. Way more than any puny haul you could get from your mom's couch cushions."

Lucas beamed and Max looked impressed at the fact that he had a job at his age.

Dustin looked at him wide eyed not wanting him to out him for that in front of Max, whom he clearly had a crush on since the first day she arrived in their class at school.

"Sonofabitch, Lucas, I told you not to mention that. Come on, man, you're embarrassing me."

He tried to grin at Max to smooth over what she heard and she simply turned to laugh with El as the boys competed over who had more quarters while going up the escalator.

"It's hard work but it beats stealing from your sister like Mike did to Nancy."

"I didn't steal it! For the last time, I BORROWED it. I'm going to pay her back, I swear!"

Mike said defensively and the entire group responded with a long drawn out "sure" as a response.

Their debate raged on the entire walk to the arcade but beating them at their high scores and earning her keep with them would be worth it. She wanted to prove herself to them and join their group. Hopefully they would deem her worthy and make a decision before the day was over.

She never wanted it to end because despite her knowing Billy was slowly learning and changing, he was going to be a miserable ass to deal with in the car since he was shot down by Mandy in the mall today.

She frowned remembering his threat and looking to all her close friends. She could never let him or his bully friends hurt any of them. She wanted to help and tell Mandy the truth but to do so would be to break her word to her step brother and risk her friend's safety.

The two of them would just have to figure it out on their own and hopefully soon so all this back and forth moody crap between them could die down. It was annoying and whenever he was upset over Mandy he tended to take it out on her more often. She hoped they could fix things and finally be able to just admit their feelings for one another to spare herself and her friend's the misery.

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