I put all of my books away in my locker and then headed to detention. Day two of three. Our times were lowered each day, so today would only be an hour and tomorrow thirty minutes. I sat at one of the desks in the front. Mr. Haines stood by the door waiting for Billy to come in. He occasionally checked his watch impatiently. He wanted to be anywhere but here with us. I looked at the clock and noticed it was five minutes after time we were supposed to be here.

"You're late Mr. Hargrove." Mr Haines said as Billy finally walked in.

"Sorry had to take care of something." He said and sat down.

"Alright look. You guys know the drill. Stay in the room." He said less than enthused and shut the door behind him.

Billy put his feet up on the desk.

"Billy, what happened last night?" I asked and he scoffed.

"Well you don't waste time huh? Hi Billy, how're you. I'm doing great thank you." It was a statement more than a question. "I told you what happened."

"We have an hour, Hargrove. Spill. You've been keeping me on the hook long enough." I said impatiently.

I stood up and leaned against the wall with my arms crossed. I felt too nervous to sit.

"After we had talked, I could see you were upset about whatever Tommy had said and you drank a lot."

"So you were watching me?" I asked.

"More looking out for you."

"Where was Jess?" I asked.

"She left with that guy at some point." He said and lit a cigarette.

"You know smoking is really bad for you." I said and he gave me an expression that showed me he could care less. "So then you took me home?"

"After a lot of convincing. Yeah I did."

"How did you even know where I live? Did I tell you? Was I even coherent enough?" I asked.

"Jess told me. I asked her if I could try to take you home when I was helping her bring her crap to her car. Didn't expect her to leave you completely until we knew though." He answered as he took another drag.

I paced a bit as I shook my head. "Okay so... You asked Jess if you could take me home. That shit happens with Tommy. She leaves the party. I got really drunk. Then you convinced me to let you take me home?"

"More of picking you up and putting you in my car,but yeah sounds about right."

"So you kidnapped me!" I exclaimed.

"Oh come on Eli. That's a little dramatic." He responded standing up.

"So you kidnap me and then you're taking me home and what? You claim we didn't do anything so how did I end up in your shirt and jacket?" I asked arms crossed over my chest.

He walked over toward me and sat on top of the desk closest to the wall by me.

"I was driving you home and you started talking about Tommy being a complete asshole and not really making sense..."

"Oh God..." I muttered under my breath starting to pace more.

"Then you started talking about how you were gonna be in trouble cause you weren't there for dinner with Brad and your mom. Apparently you really really do not like Brad." He continued.

"No... no..." Lose lips sink ships. I felt the embarrassment creeping up.

"You then started to get sick so I pulled over."

I stopped pacing and instantly facing him with a mortified look on my face. "I didn't puke in your car did I?!"

"What?" He asked confused, but slightly laughing about being concerned about that.

"Your car. I didn't throw up in it did I? Oh my God. My dad would be mortified if he knew I threw up in a '79 Camaro."

His faced shifted slightly to uncomfortable when I mentioned my dad. "You didn't. You threw the door open as I was driving saying you were going to be sick. I pulled over and you got out and puked all over your costume and the ground. So I had my other jacket and my shirt in there and gave it to you to change into." He continued to explain.

I groaned at how much I had embarrassed myself. "Did you..."

"I stayed outside while you changed in the car. You insisted I keep my back turned." He interrupted me. "You changed and I took you home."

"How'd you get inside?" I asked.

"Your door was unlocked. I just brought you upstairs quietly and left." He replied as he put out his cigarette.

"So you kidnapped me and then broke into my house." I crossed my arms. I gave a small smirk showing I was joking.

"Not really kidnapping if I bring you home and I don't think you can count it as breaking in if you don't lock your door." He joked back with me.

I chuckled and agreed with him as we fell silent.

"How did you not wake my mom? She's like the lightest sleeper in the world."

"I've had to sneak out of a lot of houses." I rolled my eyes at his cocky attitude.

"Thank you for taking me home." I spoke softly.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" He tilted his head slightly so his ear was more toward me.

I rolled my eyes playfully as I sighed. He stepped closer and closer to me until I had to look up at him.

"Seriously. I'm sure the last thing you wanted to deal with was a pathetic drunk girl when you could've been with someone way more interesting.. and sober..."

He chuckled. "Yeah. You've proven to be quite the... handful."

He looked me up and down and my questioning of his statement being sexual or not was quickly answered.

"Why me?" I asked and he raised an eyebrow at me. "You clearly could get any girl. Why waste your time on me?"

"Are you still trying to convince yourself that you're not interested?"

"Your arrogance knows no bounds I see."

I had backed up without realizing and my back was pressed against the wall as his chest came close to mine.

"Go out with me."

"No." I chuckled as I declined. "I'm not a prize for you to win, Billy Hargrove, and then toss me aside when you're bored." I whispered sensually.

His hand cupped the side of my face and my heart began to beat faster.

"Then let me prove it to you." He spoke softly. His eyes were determined and confident.

"How?" I asked hesitantly.

He moved his face closer to mine and his lips grazed my cheek as he went to whisper in my ear. "Let me show you how a man treats a woman."

I heard the echo in the halls of the office door shut and jumped almost head butting Billy in the nose. I rushed to my seat and put my head down into my arms to keep from showing my face being flushed. The door opened momentarily and then it closed shortly after. I slowly looked up to see Mr. Haines walking away. I looked at Billy who was leaning against the wall with an amused look on his face. I burst into laughter as the feelings of anxiety went away and exhilaration took its place...

I still didn't trust him, but maybe, just maybe, it would be worth it to give him a shot... I just couldn't let my guard down completely.


Billy's POV (The night of the party)

She turned the radio down and I looked over at her.

"I'm not easy." She slurred slightly as she kept her head rested on the passenger door.

"I'm well aware of that. You've been nothing but difficult." I replied as the radio played low.

"That's probably the sweetest thing you've ever said to me."

She sat up in the seat. "Tommy is an asshole. I can't believe I thought I loved him. He told me that he did and then got me to sleep with him. Then he told the entire school lies about me. Maybe it was the truth... I don't know. That's guys though. Just all a bunch of assholes. Just like BRAD."

"Who is Brad?" I asked instantly regretting it.

"Brad is my mom's new boyfriend. She has been super self conscious ever since we ran from my alcoholic dad. We moved here a few years ago and ever since then shes just been hopping from guy to guy claiming he is the one. He's such an asshole though. He is already trying to fill that father role. Tells me what I should or shouldn't do. My mom sides with him. Oh fuck! The dinner was tonight! I can't go home. My mom is going to kill me for missing dinner with Brad again. She's got a thing for young guys though. Who knows, maybe she'll hit on you next..."

I raised an eyebrow at her statement and considered it momentarily. She rambled on and on. She sounded like she was spitting out something disgusting every time she said his name. I remembered why I didn't like being around people who couldn't handle their alcohol. On the plus side, she wasn't the worst I had ever encounter.

"The trees are going by really fast... I think I'm gonna be sick."

"What?!" I exclaimed and I looked over at her to find her putting her head out the side as she opened the door. I pulled over quickly and she jumped out. I jumped to the other side and held her hair as she threw everything up.

"Is your car okay?" She asked and I chuckled at her concern for the car.

"Yeah it's fine. Are you okay?" I asked and she nodded.

I looked at her costume and saw it covered. "We should get you out of those."

"Billy... Hargrove." She hiccuped in between my name. "I just told you. I'm not easy. I'm not gonna be another girl..."

"You threw up all over your costume." I said slightly irritated.

I could've been getting laid right now. Girls had been throwing themselves on me all night, yet here I was taking care of the most stubborn girl I had ever met. I grabbed my jean jacket and a shirt I had sitting in the back.

"Shit..." She muttered.

"Here. Get changed in the back." I said handing them to her.

"Wait... You're telling me you had a shirt, yet you went to the party shirtless." She rolled her eyes. "Could you be looking for attention any harder?"

"Will you just change." I said growing impatient.

"Fine, but you turn around! Stay turned around too! I mean it!"

I growled as I turned around and she shut the door. I leaned on the car having a smoke as she changed in the back.

"Alright I'm good." She said as she crawled back into the front seat.

I flicked my cigarette and got back into the car. It roared to life as I turned the ignition in the car.

"You feeling alright?" I asked as I glanced over at her occasionally.

"Yeah, I think I'll be alright." She said softly.

I sighed heavily.

"I lied."

"About what?" I asked her.

"That I was an only child." She said very quiet. I looked at her saddened face. "I had a little brother. He was younger than Max."

"What happened to him?"

She shook her head softly and exhaled deeply. "I don't know." She whispered. "He just went missing and we never found him."


Her house was dark as I pulled up in front and turned off the car. I looked over at her and she had passed out on the way here. I walked over to the passenger side and picked her up. She wrapped her arms around my neck and nuzzled her face into my neck as I carried her to the house. Despite the fact that she had just thrown up, she still had the faint smell of her sweet perfume.

"Please be unlocked..." I muttered to myself as I got to the door.

I tried the handle and it twisted in my hand. I nudged it opened with my other shoulder and then closed it gently with my boot to close it. I had no idea which room was hers, but I figured upstairs was a good start. I walked quietly up each step and looked into a few rooms before finding her bedroom. I laid her in bed and pulled the covers over her. I threw her costume on the ground by her bed. I looked back over to her and she snuggled more into her bed. I pushed the hair gently out of her face.

I shook my head as I sighed heavily and headed out the front door and locked it behind me.

I started my car up and headed for home to sneak into my own house.


A/N: Thank you guys again so much for all the favs and follows! I think there was a few reviews and thank you for those as well! I hope you enjoyed!