0 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-
GROUND RULES - THE ARRANGEMENT
(STEVE'S POOL PARTY PART 1)
Summary:
While mentally preparing herself for Steve's pool party, Mandy tries to think of ways to get out of it. She really does not want to run into Billy there. If he were to flirt with her, it would break Tina's heart who has her sights set on him. Why does he keep stringing her along if he has an interest in her? It's a terrible thing to do...
After speaking with Nikki about pickup arrangements, Mandy recieves an unexpected visitor wanting to make an deal with her. Will she take the deal? If she does, ground rules must be set or the deal is off.
NOTE: This is a rather long part of the story so I may need to break up the pool party chapter into a 3 or 4 parter. Sorry there is just so much going on.
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Mandy had thought about a million different reasons and excuses to try and get out of going to the pool party. It would really upset Nikki, Alex, and Tucker if she went back on her word. But she had a terrible feeling that if she went, she would just run into Mr Ego, surnamed "His Royal Hotness", and be unmercifully subjected to his unbidden attention.
Laying in her bed looking at her ceiling all she could think of was how dangerously close and blatantly comfortable Billy was getting with her. Way too familiar for her own peace of mind. He literally had no respect for the opposite sex when it came to unwanted touching, nuzzling, and putting his eyes and hands all over them, despite how they might try to fight him off. If they even wanted to, that is.
To be fair she did cuddle into him on the couch but she thought that was all that would happen. She had been stupid and naive. Lord knows she had tried to push him away many times and only managed to get away from him very few of those times. At her locker. In the gym. And now the night before on her very own couch to the point where he finally wore her down so bad with his eyes and mouth that he got her to consent to kissing him before he left. How could she have let that happen?
Other girls loved his attention on them falling over themselves stupidly for him as if they didn't have any common sense. Girls like Tina and Carol and his new lifeguard co worker, whoever she was.
Even Nancy Wheeler's mom and the ladies at the pool that were her friends and that was just super gross in a way she didn't want to think about. She shared Nancy's freaked out reaction to that and felt bad for her as well. Thankfully her own mother was not making bedroom eyes back at him despite him clearly charming her.
He even had her best friend Nikki drooling over him. It shocked Mandy that even Nikki was sprung over him even if she never dared approach him to flirt with him or try to hook up with him. She acted as if Billy was Mandy's territory constantly pushing her to approach or talk to him.
Seeing how the other girls wanted him she felt like the exception to this for some strange reason. She absolutely hated him coming around her and did everything she could to show him that but he still didn't back down. He didn't take the hint. Or maybe he just didn't want to. That upset her even more about him.
The way he followed her at the pool made her more than fed up enough with his persistance and yet he still managed to convince her to invite him over for a "date". She thought she was playing it smart but evidently not. She gave her first kiss to him and although she had swooned in her room after it was quickly replaced with fear of him. She would give him NO MORE handouts of herself to him no matter what from now on.
She was powerless when cornered by Billy or froze completely when he loomed over her locking her in his sights. She was often unable to resist his charming behavior no matter how perverted or out of line they could be to the point she wanted to beg her parents to allow her to change schools just to get away from him.
He wasn't all bad boy though. That was his cover. She saw more to him than meets the eye not too long ago and it confused the hell out of her. She saw how good he was to Calvin. How gentle he was on the couch with her.
Thinking back on their night together once her parents went to bed, Mandy had seen a gentler and more easygoing side of him that night as they talked about the Romeo and Juliet film. He brought up amazing points and had thoroughly enjoyed the films they watched together.
He had even kept his gaze respectful but she chalked that up to her father putting him in his place. But when they were alone even then all he did was attempt to kiss her and nuzzle into her neck. She would be lying if she said it hadn't felt good. That he didn't smell wonderful. That the feel of his hand on her arm and wrapped around her shoulder didn't make her feel so comfortable and safe with him. And that was EXACTLY the problem.
Sighing and messing with the edges of her newest romance novel she picked up at the bookstore in the Starcourt Mall earlier, she suddenly had recalled the way his fingertips and his mouth on her skin had felt the night before.
Recalled his husky breathing and low gravelly voice in her ear when he moaned softly most likely just to mess with her while they were so close in the livingroom. It made her struggle to catch her breath while trying to focus right now on her book as if he were right next to her and still doing it.
Flashes of those memories ran through her head. She couldn't decide if the breathy way he talked to her during the movies and the sounds he made in her ear while grazing his lips along her neck was out of his instinctual need and desire for her or if he was playing with her just to wind her up. Was his touch and interest genuine or just a ploy to be her undoing and then tell all his friends about it to make fun of her? Had he actually spread those horrible disgusting things about her and lied about it?
What about her hesitation she felt at him touching her face holding her chin? Had she really wanted him to stop? Did she really mean to consent to that kiss? She couldn't tell anymore. The lines were blurring but she half heartedly almost wanted to get to know him more from what she saw of him last night. Meaning his mind, his heart, his feelings, not his body, as beautiful as it was.
His words and actions with her at school had angered her along with his disrespect for her boundaries earning him a week of the silent treatment. But his body, hands, and mouth had spoken volumes in a language easily recognizeable that called to her in a strangely heated way. He had made her own body answer to him against her will and he barely did anything to her at all. It could have been worse. Could have gone further...
It had been intense between them every time he looked at her in the hallway or tried to trap her up against her locker. Because he seemed to only focus on one thing at first: practicing his familiarity of every inch of her body with his dangerous blue eyes if he couldn't use his hands.
He had stared at her all over in such a way that it made her want to scream for him to turn his eyeballs inside out and stop looking at her. Picturing that made her give a small giggle but she stopped herself and frowned thinking about the power behind those eyes of his.
He knew what those baby blues did to her and he used them like hormonal manipulative headlights illuminating her all over and lighting her up from the inside. She imagined those eyes got him in and out of all kinds of trouble off and on in his life.
Who knew that he could turn a seemingly innocent and harmless movie night gathering into an excuse to fanagle a kiss out of her, no matter how soft and gentle it had been? Give him enough time and she was sure his kisses would get more urgent. More forceful perhaps.
Without realizing it she was fanning herself with her book and getting mad at the reaction he caused simply over her thinking of him she put it down on her bed.
She thought of how he walked down the hall every time he grinned at her having tried to get a rise out of her. With the way he moved it was clear he was confident in his sex appeal and skills in the area of seducing a girl.
His downfall was he was entirely too focused on her and all her weak points and less so the his own English class. If he wasn't careful he would fall behind and start getting bad marks. Then it wouldn't matter if he was good at Basketball or set for college with it.
The night they cuddled on the couch he was trying so hard to push his mouth to hers even desperate enough to settle for kissing along her throat. But once she put her foot down, had asserted herself a little bit although weakly with a little help from her dad being a nosy spy on them, he had finally backed off and went back to enjoying the movie with her. Mandy couldn't believe he even had a notion of restraint.
She could also tell he was slightly frustrated about it, too. He had so much pent up sexual desire towards her that she could feel it from across every room he entered that she happened to also be in. Could feel it burning hot behind her as he sat in his desk trying to whisper flirtations to her asking her out on dates with him. Everyday he came up with a new location he could take her in order to tempt her into going with him but she had resisted proudly and stayed silent.
He had this quiet intensity to him even when he wasn't snappy in class, cursing like a sailor around campus and in the hallways, or picking fights with people on the school grounds and putting his fists up to challenge whomever he was pissed off with at the time for whatever reason.
She saw his cruelty to Steve Harrington on the court. It really had pissed her off to see him mocking and harrassing him again even in his own workplace and all because of a work uniform! And when he refused to apologize to him for it, that had been the LAST straw helping her decide to not give him the time of day.
He should have apologized. He should have cared. But she guessed deep down he really didn't. Everyone was a potential joke to him and no one's feelings counted for anything. Mandy had even seen him make fun of some students in their shared class making the other kids laugh about it and feeling proud of himself for it.
And yet he never dared lip off to his father Neil. That seemed to be his limit. Neil was like a bigger version of Billy and it seemed it was a line that he would not cross. She noticed it the night of the welcome dinner when he had tried to belittle him in front of her family and his although pretty discreetly and calmly. Billy didn't say a word. He didn't defend himself. He just sat and took it and ignored it. Why?
Mandy was angry and pent up too but always at him for teasing her, stalking her, making her feel small and weak and preyed upon by his eyes all over her anatomy. She wasn't herself around him, more flighty and mousey than usual, and felt completely strange in her reactions to him or how she carried herself when he was near her.
And when he had put his mouth on her throat last night that was definitely a frightening experience. Her breath was sucked out of her when the feel of his lips and tongue traced along her pulse.
It made her skin ripple with pleasureful defiant goosebumps and set her on edge with an insane desire she had never thought could well up inside of her for anyone. It was strange fire... and she was playing with it. She invited him. She had brought that on. He was igniting that flame, and despite her knowing better, she was letting him and adding fuel to it. If she didn't stop it would consume them both and more mistakes would be made that she would regret for the rest of her life.
Deep in thought, the phone rang in her room and she rolled over to pick it up. It was Nikki asking her if she was still going to the party. Her voice was eager in wanting to confirm that Mandy wasn't backing out on the plan, Billy being present or not.
God, please, if you can spare me, don't let him be there. Let him go out with Tina somewhere and not show up.
She begged silently in her head, her last prayer she would ever ask of God if He would just help her maintain her dignity and be free of Hargrove for ONE night. A whole week of him stalking her had been enough. She was getting worn thin over it.
"So... Mandy... the pool party? Want me to come pick you up at around six?"
Nikki practically shouted it over the phone in her excitement. Mandy gave a helpless sigh while smirking at her friend over the line. How could she say no to that and break her poor friend's heart? A promise was a promise.
"Six is fine, Nikki. Is Alex going to be there?"
She twirled the phone cord around her fingers and smiled moving over to her window sitting on the ledge and looking out at the sun setting in the sky through the blinds. Her eyes wandered across the street, she tried so hard to stop them, but they rested on the blue Camaro and scanned to see if he was outside.
He wasn't but he was most likely home doing whatever it is he did at home or watching the small redheaded girl. Maybe until his parents came home to possibly allow him his freedom for the night so he could go party and fool around with girls. Like Tina. Mandy rolled her eyes at constantly thinking about them together. Why did it matter?
Well, Mandy... it matters because he kissed you while seeing her, stupid! That means either he cheated on her with you and you're the other woman... or she is the Mistress and you are the stupid girl that actually cares for him!
She fought that thought and grumbled at the very idea. She was NOT jealous. She did NOT care.
Still looking out to their driveway she saw his father's Ford truck wasn't in the driveway but Susan's car was. It was officially the weekend so most likely Neil wasn't at work just out with his wife Susan somewhere she guessed unless she was home too.
What are you spying on them now? You got nothing better to do, Hawkins? Are you that messed up inside that you are becoming a complete peeping tom now?
She made herself mad just scolding herself about it. Looking away from their house closing her blinds all the way she sat down on her bed trying to pay better attention to her friend instead of getting sidetracked.
"Yeah, totally. I'm giving Alex a lift too so I will swing by and get him before I get you."
She could hear her chewing her gum even over the phone and gave a soft laugh. Nikki always had things so well planned out. Everything on schedule everything to the minute detail.
"Okay that sounds good. So I guess I will see you soon then? I'll go ahead and get ready."
She heard Nikki shout at her little brothers in the background.
"Is... is Tucker going to be there?" She couldn't help but ask. He had been on her mind since their big argument in her room. The big argument that Billy even had a hand in causing. If he had just stayed away from her and not talked bad about her to all the boys in school, making it get around to Tucker, that whole thing most likely could have been avoided or handled better.
Mandy tried hard to stop thinking about the two boys tormenting her but it was practically impossible.
"Yeah, he will be too. But not riding with me. Tucker has his own car so he said he will drive over himself. I gave him the directions."
The mention of Tucker's name made Mandy's heart ache. All she remembered was his pain, his tears welling up in his eyes, and his hurt and anger when he put himself out to her and she had denied him not feeling the same.
Tucker could NEVER find out Mandy kissed Billy. It would KILL him. If Billy talked about last night whether at the party or in school, even so much as breathing a single word of it to anyone, she would hunt him down herself and most likely die while attempting to knock him out with her own bare fists.
Frowning she wondered how she would be able to talk to Tucker tonight. If he ignored her at the party she wouldn't blame him. Their friendship had been rocky ever since he had climbed through her window that night to confess his feelings for her and bite back his anger at Billy constantly being all over her in school.
It didn't matter that she had explained to Tucker that she wanted nothing to do with Hargrove and was trying to get him to leave her alone. He was still jealous. He was in pain. He couldn't have her and it killed a part of him inside, as well as a part of their friendship. And now that she had invited Billy over and shared something intimate with him she never intended to, her guilt was eating her alive over it each time she replayed it in her head.
Even more infuriating than Billy stalking her at school was the fact that Tucker had told her that he had been talking about her with the guys in gym and how he had plans to "ruin her" her and take her out eventually to have his way with her. Had Billy really said those horrible things about her to all the guys as Tucker had claimed he did?
He was so convincing at the Hawkins pool that he didn't but now she was second guessing it. He had tried to make his move on her last night on the couch and wound up succeeding a kiss before the night was over anyway. Even making her rethink allowing him to take her out on an official date. Why was she allowing this to happen?
Fat chance, Billy. Never in a million years. You had your kiss now you can piss off.
Mandy hated his arrogant nature and how cocky he was. The fact that he was even talking about taking her out to do things with her on assumption that she would say yes and go along with it was humiliating enough and very presumptous of him.
She rolled her eyes at imagining him talking her into going ANYWHERE with someone like him where he could get more than just a kiss. Let him talk and run his mouth. The important thing would be that SHE would know it never happened or that it never would.
Damn me. I really need to just stay away from him. That's it. No more!
She would simply go right back to ignoring him just like she did all week starting with the pool party at Steve's and shut him out completely again. If he came to her house she would slam the door in his face. If he tried to approach her she would run away like she did all the other boys and hide from him. Enough was enough.
As if reading her thoughts Nikki talked about the very person plagueing her own.
"Mandy, I have no idea if Billy will be there tonight but the rumor is he will be and so will Tina if he is. I just wanted to give you a heads up. Are you sure you are okay with this? You never did tell me what happened last night between you two, well besides the first kiss, but I assumed if you didn't want to talk about it then it was pretty bad so I didn't push. Today at the mall you made it very clear you were pissed with him. Did he do something bad last night?"
Nikki said considerately to her over the line with a soft and concerned voice. She was wanting to know more but was being soft and gentle about it.
"Nothing more happened. It's not a big deal. Just a kiss and I'm over it. Really."
Another lie. Jesus, couldn't she stop lying? She was NOT over him and she knew it. And she failed to tell Nikki about her even going so far as to say she would consider going on a date with him if he was nice to her. Eventually lying like this was going to catch up with her and maybe even work it's way around to Tucker.
When did she become such a bad person? Lying? Letting a boy kiss her? Having very unclean thoughts and getting hot under her collar over someone? If this was growing up then her body could just take it right back because she didn't want it!
"Well... I mean, it's Billy Hargrove. Of course he's good at getting girls to give up something to him. Don't feel bad, you really couldn't help yourself around a flirty dog like him. He's a real wildcard, that one."
Nikki sighed over the phone about him as if swooning imagining him getting her to kiss him but caught herself feeling bad for Mandy.
"Still, I'm sorry you got your heart slightly toyed with. At least it didn't go further than a kiss, right? RIGHT?"
"Right. No, I swear Nikki. Just a kiss. Nothing else."
"Okay, good. Whew. I mean I support you losing your V-card and all but... you know, you need to make sure you are ready for that and who you want it to be with. Billy is just way too intense for that for you, I think. No offense. He's the advanced course and you need beginners, love. Just ignore him and let Tina deal with him and his fickle horny ways."
Mandy nodded agreeing there, even if it was said under false pretenses because of her not being fully honest. A part of her did like Billy. A part of her did want to go on a date with him and have him kiss her again. But that part of her she needed to kill off completely. No good would come of it. The point Nikki made was still valid and matched his ego perfectly.
It was painfully obvious Nikki thought Billy's confidant swagger and macho presence around Hawkins High and at parties was hot. Mandy found it annoying and immature as well as extremely telling of what kind of guy he was. He may as well be walking around with a lit up sign hung around his neck that read "CAUTION. KEEP OUT" or "BIOHAZARDOUS MATERIAL INSIDE. TOXIC."
He was like a house that was whitewashed and brand new in appearance on the outside but falling apart and dilapidated on the inside filled with broken furniture and cobwebs. It was a perfect metaphor for him.
But the broken parts inside that house were undeniably there and she had seen it. When he was angry, hostile, cold, or distant she could see in his eyes that there was also pain there too. She could admit it made her curious as to why he was the way he was.
Attempting to dig through that mess would be like trying to fully restore that condemned house which simply needed to be knocked down and rebuilt anew from the ground up. It would take a lot of work to do that but who was she to undertake that task? It wasn't her problem.
She switched back to worrying over how to deal with the Tucker situation. Would he be warm and greet her when she got there or would he go as cold as ice on her as she was doing to Billy in school?
"It's okay Nikki I wasn't expecting fireworks or a happily ever after. Or a house with marriage and kids. He's not the type to settle for that. I really don't care if he likes or wants me or not. I just gave him the damn kiss so he could crow about getting something from me no matter how small and then leave me alone. I thought it would work, maybe? That with a kiss he would be satisfied and stop pestering me. I was wrong I guess. So wrong."
The more she lied the easier it became to do it. What the hell was that all about?
"It's okay, sweetie. You just did what came natural to you and it sounded reasonable to you at the time. Don't sweat it." Nikki pitied her over the phone with her voice but tried to comfort her all the same.
"Okay. So...Tucker is going too." Mandy said flatly, feeling her heart sink. It was more a statement than a question.
"Yeah, of course. Mandy, you really need to just talk to him. Try and reason with him and just be there for him. His heart got crushed and you guys need to get your friendship back on track. He moans and whines around me and Alex all the time and I've even caught him crying a little bit. It's terrible. It's pitiful. It's... like the end of his world."
Nikki's usually playful happy voice dropped and sounded sad for both Mandy and Tucker and the situation they had found themselves in. It must be awkward for the entire group not just her.
"I know. I will. I will try and be there for him as much as I can. He's just too sore about it sometimes whenever I try. I don't know how to get him to understand or listen. If he's around and I go to him he takes off. And surely you've noticed how he won't sit with our group anymore if I'm there..."
Nikki understood. She knew how jealous and sensitive boys could be over crushes and young puppy love. She also had tried talking with him but he would close up on her if she even got close to helping him see the light and come around.
He wanted to talk to Mandy and yet he kept her at arms length and avoided her almost as much as she had been avoiding Billy. Everytime the Hargrove boy was looking at her and Tucker caught it he would get visibly angry and storm off. He even called Billy her "new boyfriend" once which was totally low and unfair of him.
"Well... you'll get that chance tonight. I will call him and soften him up for you so you can get through to him a little easier. Okay?"
Mandy ruminated on if wearing that bikini Nikki mentioned would be such a great idea if Tucker was going to be there. It would be like pouring salt and lemon juice over the wound and grinding it down into it.
Nikki tried to console her offering a plan with a sympathetic and caring voice and then yelled at her siblings for being too noisy in the background and telling them to settle down. Mandy laughed. Her little brothers were often in her hair and always up to crazy stuff, especially when her friends were over or on the line with her.
"I gotta go, girl. It's the Thunderdome over here ever since my parents bought them foam toy weapons. Uggggh, my brothers are such nerds. No offense, Mandy darling. I will see you soon, my precious."
Nikki gave her a friendly kiss over the line and Mandy smiled saying goodbye to her friend while hearing her yell one last time at her brothers before hanging up the phone.
She sigh a melancholy noise escaping her and plopped down on her bed wondering what she would wear. She really did not want to wear the bathing suit Nikki was bringing over but she told her she would so no backing out of it now.
All her thoughts kept bouncing back and forth between Tucker and Billy. Always settling last on Billy as his beautiful eyes burned into her brain and his soft kissable lips he dangled in front of her like catnip to a feline whenever he got her alone stuck with her. And now she knew exactly what they felt like on hers and it was so cruel to constantly remember. Her hand instinctively moved over her lips as if she could feel them there again. After kissing her, her mouth had tingled all over and then the rest of her body followed suit.
She had hoped against all hope that Billy and Steve were sore enough enemies that he wouldn't dare set foot at his place to come to the party. Steve would be her only barrier and she supposed she could call him and ask him to not let him stay if he did show up. But how would Steve stop it if Tommy and Carol brought him along anyway? It was an uncomfortable mess between the four of them.
Since they were friends with Steve for three years now maybe longer, she could imagine them finding a way to squeeze Billy in past the gate to the party even if it pissed Steve off and he did not want him there. So there went that hope for salvation.
According to Nikki, who had a direct line to the rumor mill of Hawkins, Tommy and Carol weren't doing so hot lately. They were in their own rocky throes of their relationship over the 'seeing new people' phase that had been brought up and they had apparently been fighting a lot more lately because of Tommy's wandering eyes to other girls. Mandy knew all about that. Tommy had done that to her more times than she cared to admit but thankfully it never went very far.
Mandy guessed that was more than likely the Hargrove boy's arrival and influence on him more than anything else. Billy was such a notorious playboy and Tommy was massively impressionable and clearly it was rubbing off on him. Tommy used to be Steve's loyal muscle and now it seemed he was Billy's new lap dog. They were like a pair of wild dogs together.
Carol seemed upset but as flighty as she was, even making eyes at Billy, Mandy didn't see her settling down with Tommy marrying and having kids with him anyway. So it would seem she let him go and decided to move on. Even through her obvious crush, she still had respect for Billy as Top Dog in their pack.
Billy was Alpha and Tommy was practically his male Beta wingman so whatever Billy did and said, Tommy would try to emulate that out of some sort of sick twisted flattery. Tommy was a monster but he was also a sheep and a kiss ass. He would follow the biggest and baddest dude around the school and it was like he linked up with them in thought pattern. The guy had no original thoughts in his head at all, he just went with whatever his ring leader told him to do, being a mouth piece.
That used to be Steve as ring leader, but now Billy had taken that loyalty away from him and brought Tommy to his side of things. Carol followed because, well, it was Tommy... so why not?
But Tommy's animosity and behavior was different from Billy's. Where Billy had shown restraint and stopped when she had made it clear where they stood after a few attempts, Tommy wouldn't stop during all the times he had tormented and harassed her even when she told him to back off.
He had smacked her books out of her hands, tripped her, pinned her against her locker making even more crude and demanding advancements on her than Billy ever did. He made rude sexual gestures towards her often trying to grab her in places his hands shouldn't have been when the teachers and faculty weren't looking in the hallways.
He was more ruthless with the word 'no' and 'stop' being an alien dialect to him only further spurring him on in his chaotic tendencies. Unlike Tommy, Billy had complete control of himself when it came to the ladies he prowled for as well as having control over Tommy. He also had Tommy's total allegiance too. If Tommy got too wild, Billy would often reign him in, most likely out of him not wanting Tommy to outmatch him and steal his thunder. Keeping him under his thumb.
Shifting around on her bed not being able to find a comfortable position or to keep her place in her book, she found herself going back and re reading the same paragraph not really letting any of it sink in. Thinking about all of this she tried hard to maintain what she was reading but could not concentrate on it at all to save her life.
All she could do was keep on thinking about what might happen at the party, a nervous habit really, which she guessed was like a way of preparing herself for the worst. Leaving the comfort of her little world always had this effect on her.
She would take all things going on in her life currently and try to be three steps ahead of whatever it was while thinking what COULD happen. It was a little game she played with herself and she attributed it most likely to a survival skill at best and being flat out paranoid at worst.
Mandy thought about all the rumors going around finally putting down the book and giving up. Some were rumors and some were true. She had seen how Billy had outmatched and bested Steve on the basketball court during gym class within the first few days of joining the team and had replaced him as the lead and VIP as well as becoming the coach's new favorite player.
There had been talk of Billy Hargrove attempting to take over Steve's spot as King of Hawkins High and she hadn't really had time to have a proper sit down with him and ask him what was going on with that. He seemed pissed off and stressed a whole lote more lately when on school grounds but she had chalked that up to problems between him and Nancy.
Last year, Steve had thrown a more private little party just between Tommy, Carol, Nancy, and Barb. He was after Nancy as a girlfriend and used that moment to get closer to her.
Come to think of it, when she compared the two of them, Steve was just nicer and less of an ass than Billy in how they did things when it came to chasing after girls or being popular. Steve had a good heart and wore it on his sleeve. His tough act had been a cover at Hawkins High to maintain his reputation, but deep down it wasn't really who he was. He couldn't be an ass without the guilt that came with it.
Where Billy would dispose of a girl after using her for one night, Steve had actually wanted to keep Nancy by his side even after they had gotten together that night. Also, Steve and Nancy were getting to know one another before seriously dating.
The word was that it had been at that fateful private party where Nancy had lost her innocence to Steve. It got around fast although Steve swore up and down he told no one and wouldn't do that to her. Mandy and Nikki had no doubt that it was Tommy and Carol's doing as they loved to spread things around the school to damage other people's reputation and peace of mind. Those two were just two evil peas in the same evil pod.
Thinking back to Nancy, Mandy could see the haunted pain in her eyes. There was trauma deep down inside mixed with intense guilt. She constantly blamed herself over Barb going missing possibly being kidnapped or murdered and Steve just didn't even want to talk about it let alone think about it. He just wanted to forget and let it go.
It was a damaging slow progressing form of PTSD she was going through and it was on top of the pain of sometimes being at his house. Mostly when having to be anywhere near that pool which is the last place Nancy had ever seen Barb alive. But she wasn't going to stop Steve from hosting his parties there. She just wanted no part in it. However, intel dictated she would be there tonight, most likely to try to move past it, however impossible it seemed.
Nikki and Mandy felt very badly for Nancy and had comforted and consoled her over it. Her constant guilt of feeling she had been too distracted with Steve eventually sleeping with him and losing Barb due to her carelessness of her friend, although it didn't help much.
She still hated herself because at the party she had forsook Barb and told her to go home, all alone, and leave so she could stay with Steve in his bedroom. They had been her last words to her. She felt she had directly yet indirectly had a hand in the disappearence of one of her oldest and closest friends.
That wound had never healed for her despite even King Steve's attempts to smooth things over and try to make her forget. She could only imagine the struggles Nancy was dealing with while striving to keep her and Steve's relationship alive and so it was no small wonder she was hesitant to attend tonights pool party.
Mandy was almost afraid herself to go but for different reasons although both related to boy troubles. It seemed that whenever parties were involved in Hawkins, drastic changes and traumatic incidents happened in this small town to some of the best and worst people.
Nikki had told her Tina declared she wouldn't show up unless Billy was going to be there. Good. She could perhaps distract him and help keep him away from her if he showed up. The more women the merrier and the greater her chances of giving him the slip and dodging him all night.
In a scramble of desperation for people to show, and to keep on top of things to outdo Billy, Steve had made this party more inclusive open to all who wanted to come. It would be more of a rager than last time, she supposed to spite his parents also for their negligence. Which most likely meant there would be louder music, more booze, more friends and a legion of random people from Hawkins High School.
It would be bigger than his last party for sure almost rivaling Tina's bashes and it was a big 'F you' to his parents who were gone on their own personal vacation before they would return to 'be there' for Steve's graduation. If they even bothered to show.
The way he talked they were never home. Mandy got the impression they were simply rich parents who wanted nothing really to do with their son and seemingly always away from home leaving him to his own devices. It seemed they truly did not care what he did so long as the house was in perfect condition as it was before they left home.
Mandy imagined Steve was a very lonely guy despite all his popularity and his relationship with Nancy whom he spoke of very highly as the love of his life. She could see that every time they looked at one another or cuddled. Mandy was truly happy Steve at least found her and had Nance in his life.
She simply couldn't imagine her parents not being there for her or never being around like his how his parents treated him. It must be awful. Another portion of guilt driving her to going to tonight's party because he needed socialization almost as bad as she did.
Steve was a strange breed of high school boy. He was decent and warm openly now with people he cared about the most. Before that he would barely be sweet unless no one was looking. He would even deny his true self at times.
Steve could still be a dick sometimes if angered enough but he was nothing like Billy who was a total control freak who liked to boss people around. Or Tommy who got off to tormenting people as if he also had a thing for hurting innocent animals. There was a somewhat serial killer like personality being fostered within Tommy and Mandy feared him even more than Hargrove.
She bet the kiss from last night was on Billy's mind as much as it was on hers. He definitely would NOT let it go. It would be this thing forever fatally stitching them together and he would most likely use it against her to torment her now, if not attempt to come around for more. Give him an inch and he'll take the whole open road for himself bypassing the mile.
She had no doubt that he would use it each time he would try to approach and tease her every chance he got in school. That whole week he had kept asking her to go with him and she kept ignoring him and walking away. But could she walk away from him if he tried to catch her lips again the way he did last night?
Mandy scolded herself out loud for once again letting all her thoughts roam from one random thought and somehow morph into a way of thinking of Billy. It was like that game people played called 'six degrees of Kevin Bacon' in which there were at least six legit connections between seemingly random things or people or films that all led back to the famous actor.
That was how Mandy felt her brain was working about this distracting and egotistical boy. He had embedded himself into EVERYTHING, random or not, in her life and somehow wound up tied back to her. It was enough to make her wish she could just skip first period all together and never have to look at his stupid, horrible, cute grinning face ever again.
Mandy rolled over on her stomach and hugged one of her plushies while trying to kick him out of her brain with very minimal success. Nikki and the gang would be over in just a few hours and she hadn't even picked out anything to wear yet because of her distracted and stressed out thought processes.
She groaned inwardly and wished she had an alternative to the bikini Nikki was bringing but all she had was her pathetic horrible bathing suit she had worn around Billy at the community pool. She noticed that even then when it was old and ugly he had...
NO. Not again. Stop it!
Oh well, she guessed she would just have to go with it, suck it up and deal. But she would just die if he was there to see it. Like she needed to show off any more of her body for him than she already had at the pool. His eyes needed to take a break from being all over her all the time and...
Damnit.
Okay then she wouldn't get in the water. She would just cheat and wrap a large towel around herself and sit on a pool lounger or something. Or make excuses to keep going to the bathroom. Maybe lock herself in there as often as she could until it was all over.
Or she could just leave her regular clothes on over it and sit in the chair and read a book. On second thought, that would be rude of her to Steve and her other friends. Why was teenage life so complicated?
One more year of this and she had hoped things would get better once she turned eighteen and was in college, but a lot of older girls that Nancy and Nikki knew had told her college was just stage two of high school only with more freedom when it came to classes, attendance, and studying, so that really disappointed her.
Oh joy of joys. More "Billy Hargrove's" to look forward to.
Damnit again.
Her thoughts and her cycles of constantly going back to thinking about Hargrove were interrupted when she heard the doorbell ring downstairs. It was the kind of doorbell that was loud enough the entire house could hear it. Her door was open so she imagined that also helped.
Who would be ringing their doorbell at this time in the evening when most people were sitting down to dinner with their families? Nikki wasn't even due until another hour or so. It couldn't be her already, could it? Or maybe... Tucker come to make peace with her?
Her heart leaped at that hopeful thought. Still she imagined it was something else entirely because her life couldn't possibly work out that well. Fate loved to mess with her when it came to having a life that made sense. It was most likely something less exciting.
Mormons?
She sighed not meaning to be disrespectful of any person's religion or beliefs. It was just that it happened so much it kind of got irritating after a while. It was a common thing around here. They had been making their rounds lately and had become much more assertive and persistant.
Or maybe a salesman?
They were ruthless enough to interrupt a time they knew to be family time just to ensure making a sale.
Her mother had hollared that it was for her and she practically jumped up from her bed nearly falling down while doing it. Her eyes grew wide and she dusted herself off then raced down the stairs hoping it would be Nikki to come rescue her from the sea of thoughts over Billy that were drowning her mercilessly more and more with each one.
Calvin and her parents were in the living room watching one of their favorite shows while eating together forsaking the kitchen tonight for comfort over practicality. Mandy had already eaten so she wasn't too hungry and had declined their offer to join earlier so she could simply mope and think in her room before the party.
She had gotten their permission to go when she talked with her father about it around the middle of the week but she still had to sit through a half hour of her dad laying down ground rules and worrying over her a bit for wanting to go.
She wished he would make up his mind. Either she stayed home too much and needed to go out more. Or she needed to be home safe and avoid social gatherings over the threat of peer pressure and boys. The Starcourt Mall just wasn't that fun anymore after having walked through it dozens of times.
Making it to the stairs landing she walked over to the front door with a look that matched her mother's one of surprise who had answered it then called her. She looked shocked but with a smile on her face and Mandy couldn't fathom why.
"Sweetie, there's someone here to see you." She grinned and looked weirdly happy stepping aside to let her go to the door. Mandy approached cautiously.
"Practically put the doorbell out of commission while attacking it repeatedly." Her father said in a grumpy gruff tone obviously mad their family time being interrupted.
Katherine laughed while returning to her place at her husbands side to get Calvin to eat his vegetables. Her father shot an annoyed look at this caller's constant ringing of the bell but settled back in with her mom once more.
When her mother had sat back down she had a strange looking euphoric smile on her face and it almost seemed as if someone had just given her a bouquet full of roses or something. She looked to her mom quizzically at first as if to ask her what was up with her but she quickly realized there was only one person that could make a full grown woman blush like that.
It hit her even before her mother began to point at the door that was slightly ajar with the person on the other side waiting motioning for her to just answer it. She was comfortable again snuggling back up to her dad who put his arm around her.
Uh oh. No... please, no. NO. This is what she got for mocking the Mormons. God was punishing her right now.
Mandy caught her mom whispering to her father who suddenly shot a partial glare of concern back at the door considering to get up and approach. He decided against it when their mother grabbed his shoulder asking him to stay seated and let Mandy answer it.
Mandy walked to the door slowly pulling it the rest of the way while wishing her suspicion was wrong and that it was actually Nikki. It definitely wasn't Tucker standing there so she could hug him and make him laugh like he used to with her. She didn't want him to be angry with her anymore.
Her heart was pounding as the door opened the rest of the way and it almost stopped dead immediately when the person on the other side came into full view. What she was hoping for was shattered the instant she recognized him.
Instead of Tucker standing on her front porch was the last person she wanted to see. Looking just as handsome and sure of himself as ever was none other than Billy Hargrove. He was looking off to the side with his hands on his hips all denim clad and looking sharp. When he looked at her he had his familiar wide grin on his face that made her want to punch it off of him.
Mandy's eyes opened wide and before her father could get up to come see what the fuss was about she turned back quickly to Billy who was glowing at seeing her. Obviously her telling him off at the mall earlier today didn't phase him in the slighest much to her dismay.
Shutting the door behind her not wasting a second, she stepped outside to confront him hoping her father wouldn't follow. When a minute passed and he didn't she guessed her mom once more restrained him from interrupting keeping him where he was.
So stalking her around school and practically everywhere she went wasn't enough, was it? Now he was being bold enough to make housecalls on her whenever he felt like it even when uninvited? She was starting to regret inviting him to her house Friday night from the pool like she did. It clearly went to his head a little too much making him think he could just show up whenever he wanted to.
Billy looked her up and down and clearly he was admiring her lazy pajama lounge clothes. The Felix the Cat character all over them with crescent moons and Z's symbolizing sleep seemed to tickle him for some reason. She wore them to bed sure, but she also wore them whenever she felt like relaxing. Until Billy came along that is, now she regretted her choice in apparel for hanging around the house if he was just going to show up at random.
They were loose fitting pajama bottoms but they rolled and cinched up along the waist band around the circumferance of her hips and hugged them slightly while exposing her mid section and belly button to his steady gaze. The top was even worse. A short but matching tank top showing off her shoulders, arms, a little bit of her chest and her cleavage allowing his wandering instrusive eyes to wander over every inch of her exposed skin and curves.
"WHAT... are YOU... doing here?!" Her face was NOT amused.
But he was sure as hell pleased with himself at inciting such a reaction out of her. Didn't he get enough of her last night? Didn't he get it from the way that she didn't answer him on the phone all last night and this morning and even blew him off at Starcourt Mall angrily while out with Nikki for a reason?
She demanded to know trying to be fierce while keeping her voice down in a whisper. She had her hand still gripping the door handle and trying to keep her dad shut in from opening it and joining them outside in case he tried to. With a death grip on it she heard her mother tell her father to leave it alone, mind his business, and come back to the couch and finish eating.
Mandy shuffled her feet nervously as Billy looked at her from head to toe taking in the sight of her in her night clothes.
"Nice jammies, rabbit. Felix the Cat. Cute."
God, I wish he would STOP calling me that! She fumed internally to the point someone could fry an egg on her head.
He made like he was going to pick one out and poke it with his finger and she quickly reacted twisting away from his reach which only made him laugh at her in his usual teasing manner.
"I asked you a question, Billy. What are you doing at my house right now? It's rude to come over without an invitation and I didn't particularly want to see you after today. You could have just called."
"Would you have answered?" He shot back at her with quick wit using her denial of phone communication with him earlier today to make his point.
She crossed her arms and tried her best to look indignant but her dignity was quickly being shredded by him seeing her like this. She tried to cover her belly with her hands and arms. She was thankful she wasn't in her usual nightie that was much more silky and covered even less of her not leaving much to the imagination. But even this was pushing things too far.
Her face felt hot as she stood there incredulously at the fact that he was standing right here on her porch.
"My bad, I thought I was welcome here still. You're mother doesn't seem to mind. Am I a vampire or something?" He grinned and it upset her to have him talk about her mother at all over anything for any reason.
"Might as well be because you suck the peace out of my life constantly. Also, leave her out of it. She's highly susceptible to you but that's not her fault it's yours. I'll ask again. Why are you here?"
She again demanded with that familiar scowl on her face and he sighed at her his grin faltering for a moment then returning.
"Well, I heard through the grapevine there was a pool party at Harringfen's place. You may have already heard that I will be attending. I know your friends love to talk a lot and spread things around just as much as mine do."
She noticed he had said Steve's last name wrong.
He was digging at his nails pretending not to notice her anger and the flashing glare she was giving him while she tried to cover her chest and as much as her body she could. But he was definitely peeking glances once in a while looking and noticing, his stupid smirk making her want to sink down into the door mat. It said welcome. Maybe she should burn it.
"You mean Harrington. You harass him you can at least get his last name right. And I fail to see how such a thing would have you come all the way over here and knock on my door. But, okay? What about it?" She was losing her patience and fast. She had told him off in Starcourt yet here he was at it again and still trying.
She cut him off and he grinned while placing a piece of mint gum in his mouth and getting a bit closer. She had guessed he had just had a smoke not too long ago and she could smell it on his clothes but his breath remained fresh as ever and his teeth just as clean.
"Has anyone ever told you that you have a bad habit of interrupting people? Tsk tsk, rabbit. And here you are trying to teach me about manners."
He wagged his finger at her and his laugh made her go even more red in the face as he nitpicked on a flaw of hers. She began tapping her foot making a small sigh escape his lips and he shrugged continuing his explanation.
"Okay, so, as I was saying, a party tonight at King Steve's. Now, as you know, he and I don't get along so well. You've seen it in person many times and I know that's why you're pissed at me. We're not going to be wearing matching 'best friends' necklaces anytime soon so don't get your hopes up. However, I was wanting to make a proposition with you. That is, if you would be so kind as to consider it."
He was the one refusing to not get along with Steve, not the other way around. She bet Steve would give him a chance to be friends if he wasn't such a jerk to him all the time and stopped bullying him.
Billy was a bully, she knew his type, and she loathed it about him. Still, there were other things she liked about him and that was the hard confusing part. He was a little bit of good mixed with a lot of bad and it killed her that he couldn't let the good come out more than the bad. As he stood there she couldn't help but feel that his smile felt genuine and it even looked convincing. However, this gentleman act wasn't flying with her as he had tried it before and she was stupid enough then to fall for it . Not this time.
There was something he wanted and that much was obvious. When Billy wanted something he would use whatever asset he had to assure his means of getting it, at whatever the cost. Just like he did last night trying to be cute and sweet with her to get her to kiss him. What would be her part in this and what would she get out of it?
"A proposition... such as?"
She eyed him suspiciously not letting her guard down for a moment, internally yelling at herself for even humoring him and asking. After how he treated Steve so far she wasn't really feeling inclined to be generous doing him any favors or making any deals with him. A small part of her was curious though. She just didn't want to admit it.
"Well, you see, Harringturn has this... imaginary stick stuck up his ass about me. It's been there for a while, in fact, ever since I arrived."
He waved his hand shaking it while looking agitated as he said this. He scrunched up his face slightly showing his blatant distaste for Steve. Mispronounced again. His hatred of Steve was showing intensely.
"Imagine that." Mandy said flatly and dryly earning a chuckle out of him.
"Well, I also happen to be the new hotshot on the court in gym and I've apparently stolen the love and admiration of his team and his coach."
He gave a cocky laugh. If his laugh had a face she would punch that too. She recalled the day in the gym and pushed the images out of her head not wanting to. Not only because she felt so bad for Steve getting knocked over so much by him but also because she didn't want to think about him in his gym shorts, socks, sneakers, and nothing else.
"That's the real reason why we go back and forth. He's sour that I'm better on the court than him. It doesn't matter who started it just that I can finish it. Anyways, I'll get to the point."
She crossed her arms over her chest and slowly began to tap her foot. He noticed and got to the part where she came in.
"It's obvious you're a close friend of his and while I could ask Tommy or Carol, I thought I would ask you instead You have a better pull and vibe with King Steve the Sailor Boy. You could possibly help me with him. So... here I am. Asking you."
He leaned forward and put one hand on the doorframe bringing his body closer to her. His eyes were now gazing down into hers putting on a come hither stare. His manipulative dark eyebrows made him look so innocent as he did this that she almost felt lost in his icy blue stare.
With him being so close, she could smell the hairspray in his golden curls and the mint gum on his breath as well as his strong earthy and spicey cologne. He was reaching out a hand to wrap his fingers in strands of her thick dark hair and curl it around them. Mandy dodged his move just in time and this illicited another chuckle out of him.
He was losing patience too underneath his cool exterior but was doing well trying to maintain his charm. The way he was staring at her was making her stomach churn and she wished she had thrown her robe over herself before coming down to answer the door. Her mother should have given her a more proper warning.
"Don't call him that. Ask me... what exactly?" She was now narrowing her eyes at him suspiciously and her tone cautious as he scooted even closer to her.
He was working up to that part. He had to go slow and make a strong case knowing she would just flat out refuse him if he asked her outright. Clearly, she was still upset from their little disagreement in the mall earlier and hadn't cooled down yet.
Billy knew he didn't need her to get in. Steve already agreed to him being there despite his taunting of him that much was solid and good to go. But if he could make her think that it wasn't and put on his usual charm maybe she would come around and allow him to give her a ride in his Camaro and maybe let him get close to her again at the party.
"I'm asking you to go out with me tonight to the pool party. Only this isn't just a date it's more than that. It's more like a you scratch my back I'll scratch yours kind of deal. I'm hoping you will stay close to your friend Steve in case I need you as a buffer between us to keep this party chill."
There was the catch. The thing he needed that he would say and do anything to get. He wanted her to keep Steve in line so there wouldn't be any explosive fighting between them and so Steve would let him maintain his presence there to drink and have himself a good time.
"As for asking your friends instead of you, I don't know your friends like I know you, Mandy. I don't have their numbers either. Not like I have yours."
The grin on his face when he said that made her stiffen up. She should never have given it to him.
"Besides, you're just across the street from me, Mandy. Judging from the way you invited me over so warmly to meet your family that day, I knew I could come over and ask for a neighborly favor from you, what with you being so very sweet and thoughtful and all. Cup of sugar bit of milk kind of thing?"
Neighborly favors. Was kissing your neighbor while nuzzling into her and moaning blatantly in her ear getting her all tied up in knots how one showed neighborly hospitality? She was getting a bit flushed over the way he would make such complicated serious things sound so simple as if they had no weight or meaning behind them.
She gave a sarcastic laugh at that.
"This is nothing like that and doesn't even compare. I'd gladly give you your sugar and milk but something like this is asking a bit much and you know exactly why."
He tried hard not to get an angry look on his face about that and instead licked his lips slowly reminding her how he got both that kiss and her phone number from her in one night. He was using his good looks and his distracting mouth trying to cloud her thoughts up so she couldn't possibly deny him. It was semi working. His body heat and powerful frame was crowding her even though there was tons of space on her front porch.
"Move another inch and I'll say no right now and slam the door in your face, Hargrove." Her threat took him aback slightly but he was still all smiles calling her bluff on it being an empty one.
"Awww, c'mon, rabbit. After that lovely close bonding experience we shared last night? Even your little brother seems to like me more than you do. Don't you trust me?"
He smiled curling his lips up at her and despite her grounding herself in reality it made her heart flutter slightly. He winked and waited for her to calm down a bit before he continued his proposition.
"He's six. As for me, about as far as I could throw you and I would imagine that wouldn't be very far." She retorted giving a small snort at him and crossing her arms.
He laughed at that one nodding in agreement. He was pretty hard to lift especially for someone like her.
Why was she being so mean? It just wasn't like her. She wasn't usually this snappy with anyone, even if Billy had pissed her off because of his bad behaviors and hurting her friend, and it was making her feel very weird. Despite her not liking him, he had a point, he had shown her he could restrain himself around her and be sweet and gentle.
They had a great time by the end of night after watching the movie together before he went home. But something about him and the way he acted towards her still rubbed her raw and set her teeth on edge. Perhaps it was because of how manipulative he could be at getting her to loosen up and do even the smallest things with him. Holding his hand. Cuddling. Letting him press close to her. Talking her into spending time with him and inviting him over. Kissing him...
Jesus. That was a big mistake. I'm so stupid.
"Fair enough. I do work out a lot. Still, I'm here taking the chance and asking you to go with me. I'm hoping you will say yes. Think about it, we will both benefit from it. You will gain a little notereity and turn some heads for being with me. I will gain Harrison, or whatever the hell his name is..."
"Harrington." Mandy practically ground out his correct last name with her teeth sick of him saying it wrong repeatedly. He had said Steve's name wrong multiple times on purpose just to be an ass.
"Yeah, whatever... Harringstan."
She rolled her eyes at him doing it again. She was beginning to tap her foot harder now. A nervous and angsty tick whenever she was truly mad at someone.
"I gain Harrington leaving me alone to have my fun and letting me stay. Unless... of course, that's too much for you to handle. Wouldn't want you to lose your pretty little head or anything over being with me even for just one full night. We both know how much you melt over the thought of kissing me. I recall a particularly fun movie night in which you absolutely loved my lips being glued to yours."
His wide grin let her know he absolutely loved it as well and would want it again from her. No way in hell was she letting him kiss her again.
She blushed angrily at him reminding her of making the mistake of giving him her first kiss. He had tricked her into it by being completely sweet on her all night and then clouding up her thoughts to have his way with her after. He had asked and she had consented but he knew he had worked his flirty magic on her making her surrender to it rather unfairly. That was HIS fault not hers and she would never admit to it. She refused to be held culpable. Standing there with his gaze penetrating her every emotion, she could still recall the feel of his warm mouth and was memorizing the shape and contour of her own and she wanted to forget how he had made her feel when it happened. But she couldn't.
Billy made up his mind he wouldn't mention to her there was already a slight arrangement made between Steve and himself by buying the alcohol for his party as previously agreed upon. He had already delivered the payload last night after being with Mandy so it was all set in motion now. He liked this excuse in order to take her out and try to see how far he could go with her this time around.
He was thinking back to that kiss as well. He knew he wanted much more than a kiss from her eventually. Her lips had trembled against his and she had admitted earlier in the mall to it being her first kiss ever. He knew she wasn't lying about that judging by how slow and timid she was when their lips touched. The idea of that had driven him on all night long as he lay in bed thinking about it. There were a lot of firsts he wanted with her and more than what she had already given.
That kiss was constantly on his mind and he needed to finish what he started. He enjoyed their little games but eventually it would have to come to an end. She could only deny him for so long. Just how long could she honestly last?
A knowing smile spread slowly over Mandy's face that made him think for a moment she was truly considering this. She was smiling only because she was learning his game. There it was. There was that arrogant tone again. When he enjoyed her smile she suddenly pursed her lips tight. He simply kept smiling wide seeing how he was winding her up. He liked it.
"Go with you to the pool party. Keeping tabs on Steve for you? Are you joking? What makes you think I would say yes to that? He's not the problem, you are. I know I stated it very clearly to you that no apology to Steve means no dates or hanging out with you. Or did you miss that part?"
She couldn't stop herself from spitting venom at him. He looked like he was hurt for a moment looking down at his boots but he was clearly just acting the part.
"No, I didn't miss that and yes, I do know. But to be fair I did apologize to you for it and I'm still hoping you will at least accept that. It's the best I could do for now. Maybe I can apologize to him when we arrive at the party together tonight? Would that work for you?"
Man, he was slick. He really would say anything. And he still couldn't see that apologizing to her instead of Steve was not the same thing at all, not even close. Mandy knew he wouldn't follow through on that one. She was almost sure once he got a ton of alcohol in his system he would just forget about it or be busy hanging out with his bully brigade all night. She frowned and he almost did too but kept his cheerful playful tone of voice going.
"I think you would have a great time with me. We've practically established that. It would be my honor to escort you to this party. If you'll have me, Miss Hawkins."
He took a slight bow towards her, the laughter in his blue eyes, while addressing her formally using her name respectfully for a change yet still making a soft joke out of it.
"How do I know this isn't a setup? Some kind of running joke or prank from you, Tommy, and Carol? Are they in on it too? I am not amused."
She accused him point blank not willing to be fooled but biting back her full seething anger in case she set off his temper or pushed too hard.
Billy was not known for patience or having to repeat himself to people when asking or demanding for something. But to her surprise he just gave a soft deep laugh and then looked her straight in her eyes with all sincerity.
"No. Nothing of the sort. I wouldn't dream of doing that to you, sweets. What we do is none of their business. I would just like you to go with me for the ride there and back and make sure Steve sees us together so he will back off. No strings attached, of course. But if you're feeling generous, I wouldn't mind another one of those delicious kisses from you."
We. He had said we. As if they were both a thing now.
Her? Kiss him again? Hah. No. Never again.
She doubted very much that he wouldn't make sport of her to his friends. The rumors were still circulating and she still wasn't sure if he was innocent of it or not just yet.
He replied cooly to her and reached towards her pale soft hands with his tanned strong ones and holding his position there he was waiting for her to recieve them until she unfolded her arms and accepted the gesture.
Billy took her hands in his and smoothed them over with his strong fingers. Looking down into her green eyes he was searching to see if he could get even closer to her like he did that night. He dared to step closer but stopped suddenly as if being cautious. He was testing the space left between them to see just how much she would let him approach and was trying to read her reaction to him.
She stood there and stared up at him, her hands held still and being warmed by his, but her face must have softened because he smiled and got a few inches closer to her. He licked his lips and she couldn't help but notice it. Her head was screaming to say no and run back into the house.
Her motivation to do so came when she recalled Tina in the hallway exchanging numbers with him on their hands. Recalled how she had flirted and giggled with him at her locker. Remembered how she had been in the gym to watch him play ball and followed him helplessly around school in between classes.
She pulled her hands away trying hard to mask whatever it was she was feeling. She had spent a whole week successfully ignoring him and now it was all falling apart over one tender night with him and a sappy stupid kiss. She could not let this happen. As for Tina...
"Thought you were taking Tina? And why me? Just go ask Tommy and Carol to get you into Steve's place. I'm sure they could talk him into it. You don't need me..."
Jealousy? Was she jealous? No way, why would she be? It was no competition with her and Tina. None was clearly the better choice for him. So why waste his time on her?
She looked down at the ground starting to back away and he felt her trembling slightly before she had removed her hands from his. He was looking down at her when she looked away and he suddenly and slowly moved his hand to lift her chin before she could leave so she would look him once more in the eyes. Her breathing was getting more and more labored just by him touching her but she tried to hide it from him.
"Tommy and Carol won't because Steve would be very upset with them. Tina's not really my type but she refuses to leave my side and I don't want to be rude to her blowing her off. She's just someone I tend to mess with from time to time out of fun but we aren't dating one another we're just friends. But, you Mandy, I would be absolutely thrilled to have you with me at this party tonight."
What a two timing... double dealing... did he really think she would believe this crap? He wanted his cake (Tina) and to eat it (Mandy) too!
She tried hard not to visualize that, his mouth roaming all over her body as if she were a delectable pastry, and shook at the thought of it. Even so, she doubted very much he had a type and was as picky as he claimed to be. Every type was his type so long as it had breasts, a cute face, and walked on two legs. So that was ANY girl willing to allow him to take her out.
His heartbreaking smile mixed with the way he was holding her chin up so gently was almost making her unable to deny him the longer they stood there. He was wearing her down. Just like that night on her porch before he seized her trembling mouth with his experienced one. She was almost going to give in but she wasn't ready to give him that satisfaction.
"I can't. I'm going with Nikki and Alex and Tucker will be there too tonight. They should be here any moment to pick me up."
She moved her chin out of his hand and backed up slowly. He was moving with her and she was flattened against the door slightly. He moved his eyes up and down as he gazed into hers reading her face to see if she was being honest with him. Dissecting her every move and every expression to see if there was a hint somewhere there. The slightest giveaway that she was sincerely not interested in him. She could have fooled him last night by the way she settled in against him and then kissed his cheek and neck.
"Please, rabbit. It would mean so much to me. I promise to behave. Won't you reconsider? You would really make my night if you would say yes."
What was his definition of 'behaving'? Because she clearly knew that it wasn't his partcular forte to 'behave' with her at all.
His lips were gaining on her own and she felt her heart pounding. She gulped when he came so close that his face was mere inches from hers once more just like after their night of watching Romeo and Juliet. She no doubt knew that movie had filled his head with the stupid idea to beg a kiss from her when her guard was down.
His sweet minted breath was now caressing her lips and washing over them. His blond curls spilling over his shoulders, his ears, and one loose curl had cascaded down his forehead. He was making her feel so small just being this near to her as he pressed on to try and convince her.
"I don't know. Is this really about Steve or are you just trying to push me into doing things with you and dating? I don't want to be used by you, Billy, I know how you make the girls at school cry over you. I won't be one of them. Besides, don't people like you just crash parties and get in anyway?"
He looked insulted for a moment but it quickly passed. He was getting slightly angry, she could tell by his posture and his eyes, but he strived hard to still talk softly to her and be smooth in his response.
"Me? Use you? Never. Dating? I wouldn't mind. I just think we could have a lot of fun. In fact, I know we would. Look, you don't even have to call it a date or even consider it to be one. I'm still waiting on that from you but this outing doesn't have to be it. Nothing serious I promise. Just us arriving together, you keeping Steve in line, and then me bringing you home. That's all. You have my word."
He was tickling her hand with his fingertips and messaging her palms and it made her brain feel rusty like the gears couldn't turn and she couldn't even think straight. She sighed softly and when she looked calmer and more receptive to him he smiled down at her.
He knew he almost had her right where he wanted her. He was very good at making people feel special while getting his way with them, that much was certain. The practiced art of manipulation was a tool he used quite effectively on people and she was no exception to that rule. She just wanted him to leave and it was most likely he wouldn't until she agreed.
Damnit. Fine! Whatever will get him to go away and leave my front porch!
"Okay. Fine. But I have some conditions that must be met before I agree to let you bring me there with you. I will keep Steve off your back but you have to promise me a few things."
He looked at her sideways. He knew how crafty she was. He would have to be careful what he agreed to with her from here on out. Making a deal with her was like making one with the Devil himself and she would come to collect come hell or high water.
Billy looked like he was about to lose it at feeling so controlled and constrained by someone with a penchant for stipilations but he kept his face polite and nodded as he listened. He was not used to letting someone else make the rules or tell him what to do.
He closed his eyes for a moment weighing how badly he wanted this. How badly he wanted her to go with him. Licking his lips told her he wanted it very badly. Wanted to taste that sweet soft amazing mouth of hers again.
"Name it." He said after a moment in a breathy whisper and it stirred her stomach with the intensity that he was gazing into her eyes as he responded with his compliance.
"You don't fight with Steve or upset him. If you won't apologize to him you can at least do that for him from now on. Keep your distance from him and don't antagonize him. In fact, you don't antagonize or fight with ANY guy there. Especially my two friends that will be there with me."
This first one already got under his skin. Steve he could leave alone because he wouldn't be much of a challenge anyway and it would violate their private deal. But to not fight with someone else? There's nothing more he liked than drinking and fighting. Drunken scrapping was fun for him. Like moshing in the pit of a rock concert. Or taking care of business for himself when in the dark of his room with his imagination going wild.
He cared not to recount all the times he was thinking of Mandy when he did that sometimes. She could never understand just what she did to him and how badly he wanted her. He imagined she wouldn't be very happy to know that, as it might be too soon and freak her out. He was a lustful creature of habit though and had no shame in it. It was perfectly natural for a guy to fantasize. As long as it was never forced on someone outside of the fantasy. That's where he drew the line.
He deliberated on this for a moment which made her hesitate and want to back out of this. She could see he was struggling to accept this part of the deal. Forcing a smile, he nodded in agreement, although his eyes told her all and that he was itching to rebel.
"Agreed. Next?" He said still keeping his gaze steady on her. He must really want this because he was not backing down or walking away.
"Also, you don't hit on my friends. I'm very protective of them and they are of me as well. You can socialize with them but don't mess with them, alright? No matter how they may follow you around or flirt. And by friends I specifically mean Nikki and Nancy."
He removed his hand from hers to cross his heart making a sign that he promised.
"Agreed."
This one was easy. He wasn't interested in them anyway so that part was simple to accept and promise.
"Anything else?" He asked, his patience wearing thin and his breathing getting tense, but his smile was still there to put on the facade that he was okay with all of this.
"One last thing. You keep your hands off of me starting from the moment you come to get me at my door to go with you to the party all the way to dropping me off at my door tonight. No more kissing. No hands on activity. I'm not saying we can't speak to one another or hang out but you need to learn to respect my personal boundaries. I'm not going to have you pawing at me all night or suffocating me with your mouth. It makes me feel... I just don't want to. That last stunt you pulled after our movie night by tempting me into consenting for a kiss? It can't happen again. I mean it."
This one made his smile falter. He looked like she had just shot him in his chest. He had thought she WANTED him to kiss her. She had nodded and agreed when he asked her if he could. Why was she making it out like he had forced her into that?
He thought this over and this was equally hard for him to agree to. She could see something that registered as hurt or emotional confusion on his face. But after a few seconds he recovered attempting to nod in agreement.
He wouldn't say it with his words that he agreed like he did the other two. His stance and posture shifted from confident to confused and slightly unraveled but she didn't understand why his mood shifted so suddenly. He almost looked deeply upset by this last one. As if he did not want to hold to it.
"Well, without contact... it isn't much of a date anyways, is it? So why are you worried over it being called a date?"
He said trying to force a laugh but it wasn't as smooth or practiced as it was before. He seemed put off by this last condition. The laugh he tried to give her was a weak one covered with something else hiding underneath it that was not easily identifiable.
"Because it's NOT a date, Billy. It's me doing you a favor so you can party and have fun and you in return promising to behave yourself around me for the night. That's the deal. Take it or leave it."
Her chin was strong and resolute not giving an inch on this. He admired her tenacity and the guts she had to speak to him this way. No other girl had ever dared other than Max but she didn't count.
Although it made him angry it also fired him up in a strange satisfying kind of way. She was shorter than him but she looked so much taller, stronger, and her confident fire was in her eyes burning passionately again. It made him want to give her anything she wanted. He was impressed with how she was holding him to this.
He grinned at her lowering his head then kissed her hand in response, but he felt like she could see through him despite his honest efforts to hide his feelings. To Mandy it seemed like he was enjoying how bold and outspoken she was being with him. Direct and up front. No games. She was obviously less timid than she had been before with him and this seemed to spark an even bigger interest in her that wasn't really there before when she was being shy or impervious to him.
"I'll take it, rabbit. But I request permission to at least try and give you another kiss. Just for good measure to make sure you truly don't like it when I KNOW you do. Our movie date kiss was plenty proof of that. If you react and kiss me back then it's settled that you like it. If you don't then I won't ask for another one again."
She frowned with him still insisting they had been on one last night and that she truly wanted and enjoyed that first kiss they shared.
"One more kiss. At a time of my choosing. If this is a deal we're making I am doing an awful lot for you on your side. Where's my gratification in exchange other than taking you out with me?"
He said it so smoothly and she eyed him for a moment. Her face looked distressed by his request at a compromise but she didn't say no or protest. If she didn't say no then that meant she technically agreed, right? He took that as a sign she was okay with it and would allow him to do it one last time. He better make every second of it count and really wow her with his lips so she had no choice but to react to it. He had a gut feeling she wanted him to kiss her again anyway judging by how she fully kissed him back last night right where they were now standing. Next time it would be much more passionate and less gentle than before. He would make her feel how badly he wanted her with his mouth and make sure she could not resist him while doing it.
He moved in like he was going to take it then and there and she shut her eyes breathing hard. He laughed softly his lips just inches from hers but to her surprise he lifted her hand instead to his eager warm mouth. Before kissing it his lips curled with a sultry smile. He pressed his smooth lips to her even softer hand and kissed it slowly taking his time.
Her heart began to race and he closed his eyes while doing this showing his lovely long dark lashes while leaving warm wet kisses all over her hand. He did it slowly, seductively, and she let him without flinching or pulling away. Did he mean that kiss to be a kiss on her hand or did he mean her mouth later on? Did this one count?
She gave a small smile at him not really wanting to but his lips relaxed her and the feeling made her feel light and dizzy. She tried to hide it from him but he saw it and returned it to her looking into her eyes while stopping mid kiss.
She was worried her dad would come barging out any moment and catch him so she pulled away when he tried to resume doing it again. He saw the nervous look on her face and gave another laugh thinking it was mostly because of what he was doing to her. Oh if he only knew, he would never let her live it down. She would never tell him. Never let him know. It was hers alone to keep forever inside.
"Alright. Well, I will leave you be to get ready and call your friends to tell them the change in your plans. I will return here in a half an hour to pick you up. See you soon. Oh, and by the way... that one didn't count. I'll still claim my kiss later but you'll never see it coming, rabbit. What fun would it be if you did?"
He grinned licking his lips slowly and then taunting her by biting his lower one. He looked longingly at her for a moment and then turned to walk away down the path. He jogged across the street back to his house practically kicking his heels up happily.
She would be a liar if she said she didn't love his wide perfectly shaped mouth or admire his form with how his jeans fit him perfectly at all angles while watching him run off to his house. She could easily see his excitement to be around her again. But this time it wouldn't be in the safety of her house with her parents around. It would be her being alone with him in his car. She swallowed dryly and was extremely nervous at the thought of it.
She watched him enter his house and shut the door behind him. Before going back inside she pressed her back against the front door trying to control her breathing. The reality hit her hard. She had made the deal with him, like some archaic demon wanting it written in blood, and now feared she risked losing her soul to him. But she resolved never to give her body or her heart to him no matter what he said or did.
This is insane. What am I thinking?
Looking at the blue Camaro parked in the driveway she realized this would be the first time she had ever ridden in it with him. She had seen how fast he drove it along the back roads to school when she was walking.
He had stalked her in his car offering her rides during her week of ignoring him but she had turned her nose up at him and tried hard to give him the silent treatment as if he wasn't there. He would just laugh sometimes while other days he would look angrily at her and drive off without her. Hopefully he wouldn't drive at breakneck speed and freak her out. She should have made that one of her rules and cursed herself for not mentioning it.
What the hell just happened? She was now on a date, that was NOT a date, with Billy Hargrove? And to make things worse she consented to him kissing her again whenever he chose to do it? Oh God, what would she do when he came to collect? She now had a new headache to deal with as she could practically hear Nikki squealing at her if she told her.
A pang of guilt hit her when she suddenly could also picture Tucker's crushed look on his face. Both he and Billy would be there. He better not do it at the party, she would just die. Although she would love to try and explain it, he would never understand, she couldn't even explain it to herself. Even if she did, he just bet that he would never forgive her either.
Tucker HATED Billy Hargrove and had accused her not too long ago of wanting Billy over him, which was so far from the truth it stung her badly it made them have a falling out. She had just got him back enough as a friend to talk to her at school from time to time and be willing to go to this party with all of their friends tonight knowing she would be attending. How would he react to this? She could imagine. And what would happen if Billy didn't keep his word and got touchy feely with her?
She groaned and pinched her nose once she realized she would also have to bring Billy to her father once more when he came to pick her up. This wasn't a movie night. This was him riding around in a car with her and being at a friends house at a party unsupervised. Her father was NOT going to be happy. He would definitely wind up giving Billy "the talk".
Yeah... that was going to go over real smoothly. She could picture her father taking down his rifle in front of Billy even loading it and making his usual threats while telling him to respect his daughter. She could hear her mother's nervous laughter trying to ease the tension while also trying to offer him baked goods to stop her husband from embarressing their little girl. She should have just told Billy she would meet him at his place but it was too late for that now.
Turning to go back inside the house with the look of a woman on death row resigned to her fate she tried to put her best smile on for her parents so they wouldn't think anything was wrong. She slowly opened the door she pushed it and both her parents gave her a questioning look but went back to pretending like they were focusing on the movie and hadn't been listening in on her and Billy through the door.
"Mom? Dad? There's something I need to tell you guys. Please don't freak out and let me finish, okay, before you cut in?"
They both exchanged curious glances with one another and then looked back at her expectantly as if to beg her to spill it and fast.
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