Jess was late.

I tapped my fingernails impatiently on the counter as I used my other hand to rest my head on.

"Did you want me to call?" My mother asked and I looked at the clock again.

"It's okay Ma. I'm just gonna walk."

"Are you sure? It's kind of chilly out there." She replied.

"I have my jacket. I'll be fine." I smiled. "Besides, it's not that far. I did it before I knew Jess."

"Alright." I headed toward the hallway to the door. "Oh Elizabeth!"

I turned toward her and she looked reluctant to speak.

"Brad is coming over tonight for dinner." She spoke softly. "I'd really like it if you would be there."

I bit the inside of my lip trying to keep myself from sighing. I knew this meant a lot to her. Even if I didn't want to be around him, he made her happy. I took a deep breath in and nodded a few times.

"I'll make sure to be home in time." I said and she smiled wide.

"Thank you."


The wind knocked leaves off the tree branches with each small and big gust. It was unusual for Jess to not show up. I knew she obviously got sick, but she never missed multiple days of school. Maybe she had just overslept and I would see her at school. I hoped that was the case at least. I heard the familiar sound of a roaring engine whipping around. I looked behind me toward the car and saw that beautiful blue Camaro.

The roar turned into a purr as it began to slow down. I hadn't realized I stopped until the car pulled up next to me. Max smiled softly at me from the passenger seat as Billy leaned over.

"Why the hell are you walking?" Billy asked as I heard Ted Nugent pour out of the passenger window.

"Jess never showed up." I shrugged.

"Get in." He said to me and then hit Max on the shoulder and signaled her to move to the back.

Max jumped to the back before I could protest that I would walk there. He pushed open the door and I grabbed it as I sat in the seat.

"Thanks." I said as I buckled my seat belt.

"No problem."

I felt myself push back into the seat a bit by the force as he gassed it forward. I looked back at Max and she shook her head with a small smile as she mouthed "Every time."

"So is Jess still sick?" Billy asked glancing over at me.

"I don't know. This is really unlike her." I said concerned.

"I'm sure she is alright." He spoke trying to reassure me as I looked out the window.

"Yeah... I'm sure she is..." I wasn't as convinced. Something felt off.


We pulled into the school parking lot and I let Max out so she could ride off to her classes.

"Eli..." Billy called out to me as I headed toward the school. I turned around as he shut his car door, cigarette sitting in his mouth, and headed toward me. I looked up at him as he stood in front of me. "Try not to panic yet, alright?"

He sounded genuinely concerned that I was nervous about Jess. He wasn't being cocky or teasing. His face was genuine. He blew the smoke out to the side, after taking a drag, so it wouldn't hit my face.

"Alright?" He asked again tilting his face slightly to look at me.

I nodded and he gave a nod in return. "I'll see you later."

"Yeah." I said softly and watched as he walked off.

"Two days in a row..." Lisa said in her teasing voice as she and Margaret walked up to me.

"So are you guys a thing now... or?" Mar added into the teasing.

"No!" I exclaimed and scoffed. "We're just..." I continued to watch him walk away and glanced at his ass much longer than intended.

"Mhmmmm..." I looked over at them as they gave me smirks.

I sighed deeply. "Jess didn't show up today."

"Wait what?" Mar asked concerned.

"I'm starting to get worried now guys." I replied.

"She probably drank a lot at the party. You know how she gets whenever she parties that hard." Lisa said trying to calm me.

"It is really weird for her to not show up to school though..." Mar said voiced concerned as well.

"She goes off with Keith and now hasn't been to school in two days?"

"I'll talk to Keith when I see him in class if it makes you feel better." Lisa offered with a smile.

"Would you?" I asked and she nodded.

"Now, Let's talk about Billy!" They both linked their arms with mine as we walked into school as I groaned.


I could barely focus in class. I still hadn't seen Jess and I was worried. Maybe I was freaking out for nothing? I just couldn't escape the nervous feeling that something was indeed wrong.

The bell rang signaling class was over. Everyone stood up, denying the protests of Mrs. Adler, and continued into the hall as she sighed. I collected all of my books and headed toward my locker. An arm reached over my shoulders and I looked toward the hand and saw the jean jacket before looking to Billy's face.

"What are you doing?" I asked as I continued walking.

"Walking you to your locker?" Billy smirked moving his toothpick with his tongue.

"And you need your arm around me?" I asked with a raised eyebrow. "Whatever will Melissa say. She might even be jealous."

"Yeah, shes jealous anyways." He said as he moved his arm and leaned on the locker next to mine as I worked on the combination.

"Why?" I asked as I glanced at him and opened my locker.

"Haven't you heard the rumors?" Billy licked his lips. His cocky demeanor was back. I put my books away and grabbed the next books I needed.

"I tend to ignore the rumors and not listen to people." I said as I slammed my locker door shut to make sure it closed.

"People have... noticed us together." He said.

"So people think we're..."

"Is that so bad?" He asked raising his eyebrow and smirking.

I took a breath as I stopped before speaking. I didn't know what to say.

"I could be the new King of Hawkins with you as my Queen." He said sensually as he got close enough to me. I felt his hand slide to my hip and my breath caught in my throat. "Think about it."

"Okay..." I choked out trying to be confident.

He winked as he slipped away from me and headed down the hall. My gaze followed him. I looked around and some people in the hall took notice and whispered. My cheeks flushed and I quickly rushed to my next class. Did I really want to be Billy Hargrove's Queen?


I walked into the gym after changing and Jess was still no where in sight. The boys continued their basketball game from yesterday. I watched as Billy and Steve continued to duke it out for who was the top dog. I sighed feeling bad for Steve. Everyone had been talking about his break up with Nancy and I knew it was effecting him.

"Alright! Alright alright..." I looked toward Billy as his taunting voice rang around the gym. I stopped in place and crossed my arms as I watched the game. "King Steve! King Steve everyone! I like it. Playing tough today!"

"Jeez do you ever stop talking man?! C'mon!" Steve retorted as he gestured for him to keep playing.

Billy laughed at his response. "What? You afraid that the coach is gonna bench you now that I'm here?"

I winced in pain as he rammed his shoulder into Steve's chest and made the basket for points for his team. He extended his hand toward Steve to help him up. I saw his mouth moving, but I couldn't make out the words. He pushed him back into the floor and walked off. I grit my teeth angrily as I looked at Steve on the floor. I didn't even know what I was doing. My feet were moving toward Billy, but I couldn't stop them. I grabbed his arm and pulled. He turned toward me and his faced turned amused as he didn't expect to see me.

"Lay off him. Stop being an asshole." I walked away before he could say anything back to me.

If he wanted a Queen. He would get one, but not in the way he wanted.

The girls looked at me shocked. Mar was laughing.

"Oh my God..." Mar laughed. "His face when he saw it was you. Went from fight mode to uhhh what?!"

"That was probably a bad idea." Lisa said as she looked over.

I turned around as I saw Steve sent to the floor again. I sighed and angrily connected eyes with Billy. He had a look in his eye showing he couldn't be tamed as he smirked. He was determined to be the alpha and no one would stop him.

"I'll talk to him later..." I said as I sat down with them and began stretching.

"Think he is going to listen? He doesn't seem the type..." Mar asked.

"He wants me to be his Queen then he can play by my rules too."

"He what?!" They exclaimed with big smiles on their faces.

"Have you guys been hearing rumors about us?" I asked and they looked to each other. Mar looked to the floor as her lips turned into a line. Lisa sighed. "Oh no... What?!"

"I heard people saying that you guys are shacking up in detention..."

"What?!" I exclaimed.

"And his car after detention..."

"I even heard some say you guys are together like officially, but that you're not enough for him because he keeps flirting with the other girls too."

"Mostly Melissa is trying to spread that one around."

My face turned hot out of anger. "We aren't even together... He can flirt with whoever he wants."

I could see Mar and Lisa looked at each other as I watched the basketball game.

"You know there is nothing wrong with you liking him..." Lisa said hesitantly.

"I don't know what I'm feeling."

"Jealousy." They said at the same times and I sighed.

"On a different topic..." Lisa said. "Keith wasn't in class today. I didn't really notice yesterday, because I don't pay attention to him much, but when I asked someone about him they said he hasn't been in either.

"So they are both missing?" I asked confused.

My heart dropped into my stomach.

"They might not be missing. Maybe they are both sick?" Mar spoke.

"Or..."

I looked up at Lisa. "They ran off together."

"Do you really think that they would though?" I asked unsure.

"I mean... She's done it before. Not with a guy, but she ran away before." Mar responded.

"I mean Nancy ran off with Jonathan... Maybe something is in the air." Lisa said as a matter of a fact.

"Wait... Seriously?" I asked.

They both nodded. "Yeah, some time yesterday. Literally right after their break up."

I looked back at Steve. "Poor guy..."


I had changed and headed toward my last day of detention. I turned the corner and saw Steve at his locker. We had some classes together last year. We weren't the best of friends, but we still got along and even hung out at parties sometimes. We talked less when he was with Nancy, which was fine. I bit my lip slightly and decided to go check on him.

"Hey Steve..." I said hesitantly as I walked up beside his locker.

He looked up and barely smiled. I could tell his mind was all over the place. "Oh hey Liz."

I grabbed my backpack straps with both hands. "How are you doing?"

He gave a soft chuckle. "I've uh... definitely been better."

"Yeah I imagine..." I said softly and nodded.

I stood awkward at the silence as he continued to put his stuff away.

"I uh... I just wasn't to say that I'm sorry about everything. You don't deserve that and um.. I'm sorry about Billy being an asshole."

He closed his locker and turned to me. "Are you with him?"

"That's a complicated question... No? I don't know..." I replied.

Steve sighed and shook his head slightly. "You can do better than Billy Hargrove, Liz. Ultimately it's your decision bu-"

I felt an arm slide around my shoulders again and being pulled into their body as I looked up toward Billy.

"You ready?" He asked me with a smirk. He looked toward Steve. "Harrington."

Steve scoffed. He looked toward me as he put his backpack on his shoulder. "Just think about what I said."

I watched him walk off and sighed.

"What was that about?" Billy asked.

"Nothing... Just talking." I answered as we walked to detention.


A/N: Thank you for all of the continued support! I've been getting all the notifications and felt so bad that I haven't been able to update! Might get into some deep stuff within the next few chapters! I'm glad you guys have been liking the story and hope it continues to be enjoyable!