Chapter 10: The Heroic Lifeguard?
BILLY Hargrove watched the bikini-clad Jean from his lifeguard post, smoke dancing in front of his face as he smirked at her through his dark shades.
The air surrounding the Hawkins Community Pool was filled with laughter and bright radio pop music.
After the time he flirted with Jean in his household, Billy never took her up on her offer to listen if he needed it. In fact, the boy had completely distanced himself from Jean from fear at what had happened. She looked him straight in the eye exactly how wanted to be looked at, she told him the things that he exactly needed to hear.
It freaked him out.
How she figured what he was going through was beyond him, Billy had suspected that his stepsister had opened her mouth and said something that suggested at his home situation. But when he confronted Max, she denied his accusations, saying that she never even spoken about him with Jean. And even if Max did tell her -which was untrue- when the redhead comforted him, she didn't gaze at him with pity, no, that would've driven him mad.
She was looking at him like she could see through his facade, as if she knew and seen exactly what he's gone through.
And little did he know, she did.
So as he stared at her from afar, he couldn't help but want to solve the mystery that was Jean Grey. And yet he didn't want anything to do with her all the same.
Jean had invaded his mind, every sleeping and waking moment of Billy's was spent thinking about her. He'd kept himself busy; working out, his job as a lifeguard, even doubled his action with the ladies thanks to his shirtless form at the pool. But through it all, she'd intrude his thoughts, unwelcome and unwilling to leave.
Billy was getting agitated about this.
Never in his life has he spent so much time brooding over some girl. He needed to do something about it, and quick.
Then, Billy realized; Jean was different than the other girls he's been with because he's never actually been with her -and not due to lack of trying.
Yes, that's what he needed. For her to get out of his thoughts and into his bed.
One good screw, and he'd get her out of his system.
He hoped.
Hawkins, Indiana was growing hotter and hotter by the day as the month of July approached, the redhead found. Babysitting Erica Sinclar, the occasional mall and pool visits is what seemed to take up all of Jean's time.
Lounging across a chair in the summer heat, Jean tuned out the cheerful screams and laughter of the Hawkins pool.
Erica seemed to be careless with what the redhead was up to as long as she didn't boss her around.
Purple pair of sunglasses covering her eyes, Jean allowed her eyes to travel to the tall, umbrella covered, lifeguard chair upon which Billy was seated. Although she'd been frequenting the pool for a while now for Erica's sake, she didn't speak with him since the time she'd seen his memories.
She was still amazed at what she'd done. It seemed there were still unexplored aspects of her ability that she still didn't fathom.
She had no idea.
It was partly frustrating for the redhead. Being allowed to relive others memories while no matter how she tried, she was blocked from her own. It was safe to say that Jean was beginning to accept that her own mind was fighting her. And if she were to pressure it, then she would only feel worse.
So she just had to wait for it to comply. Try to live her life normally, and that is what she's been doing for the summer.
Even though Billy Hargrove barely spoke to her, still, Jean had her fair share of boys hitting on her at the pool. She knew she looked good in her two piece swimming suit, but she wasn't cocky about it. And yet, she couldn't withstand the strange males approaching her and attempting to flirt with her. Heck, there was another lifeguard at the pool who proved to be almost as persistent as Billy once was with her. He wouldn't stop bothering her with his flirtatious attempts, so, that was why she was grateful for the Hargrove boy's change in shifts. And she began seeing more of Billy and less of that dark haired lifeguard.
Her mind back on Billy, Jean realized that due to the psychic link she formed with him, she didn't pity him, she empathized with him. Which was why she understood why he kept his distance. He didn't accept help easily, too stubborn and hard edged. She also thought that from his point of view, he must've felt exposed and nothing but shocked at what she'd said.
They saw each almost every other day, and never talked to one another, but Jean always felt his eyes on her. She wasn't sure what to make of those lingering stares, and he didn't seem to even have the decency to look away when she noticed.
Now, to her surprise, Billy's head turned and his eyes met with hers. The blonde dedicated a flirty smirk in her way, and Jean impulsively looked away from the stun of being caught staring at the him.
The redhead suddenly became hyperaware of the stink-eyes a number of the adult women were sending her.
She didn't know that they glared at her from the sheer jealousy of Billy's unbridled attention on her all summer.
Being curled up underneath the large blue umbrella had proven too suffocating for the telepath in this heat and the harsh glares she's been receiving. So she got up from the plastic chair and approached the poolside.
Jean laughed as she saw Erica and her friends jumping in the pool, splashing droplets of chlorinated water on her legs.
With a soft splash, Jean entered the water. She exhaled and felt herself relax. She looked around the public area, watching children swimming around and adults watching and talking.
The red haired teen held her breath and dived inside the the water, her arms legs were gently moving as she swam around the deep pool.
With her translucent green eyes open, Jean felt a moment of clarity encasing her.
The serene blue of the water was somehow began reminding her of... someone.
'I'm not leaving you. Not until I know you're gonna be okay.' A soft voice rang across Jean's head. And an ache began to set in behind her temple.
'Something's... happening to me.' Jean could hear her own voice saying, speaking to someone, her own voice trembling from panic and worry.
Then, as she looked around her, the world began to fade away. It faded into something she'd never seen before- but was so, so real she couldn't deny it happening before her eyes.
'So, come home. Let me take care of you.' A silhouette of a blue? woman, her features blurred like a mosaic approached her.'No, you can't. You can't, you don't... You don't... know what it's like.' Jean could feel the words leaving her lips without even trying, it was like she was detached from her body as she watched the scene unfold.'Then tell me.''Cause when it comes... people get hurt.''I'm not afraid of you, Jean. Look at me. Focus on my voice.' The woman soothed, trying to calm Jean.Jean just watched her. She was frozen, face stricken and hands clenched by her sides. Her breaths were shallow. She could feel her eyebrows quivering between neutral and and furrowed, and lips trembling.'We're going to get through this together. I'm not giving up on you, Jean. This is what family does. We take care of each other. You're my family, Jean.'The scene in front of her seemed to both move in a blur and so slowly she could see everything.'Can't... breathe.' Jean choked out.'I love you, Jean. It's gonna be okay.' The woman reassured, her tone fluttering with benevolence.'Stay away from me. Stop, stop, stop, stop!'
Just then, Jean felt nothing but cold. Her extremities frozen, her lungs were incompliant in her attempts to catch a breath.
She felt all alone in a never ending darkness.
After what seemed like an eternity. A reassuring thing happened.
An immeasurable amount of relief washed over Jean when she felt a warmth consuming her body, seeping into her all -especially, her lips.
"Jean! Jean!"
"Are you with me?!" Billy yelled out, his voice breaking in frustration.
The Community Pool of Hawkins had turned grimly quiet when one of its frequent visitors went under the water and never made it out on their own.
Onlookers gathered in circles around the unconscious eighteen year old, whispering in wonder how this could have happened.
Billy heeded no mind to the people surrounding him as he performed CPR on the red haired girl, desperate to resuscitate her. The lifeguard was getting anxious by the second, ever since noticing she'd been missing from the surface for too long, he jumped right in and pulled her unmoving body out.
His breathing was picking up as he finished the compressions, his golden blonde hair dripping wet as his shoulders rose with each inhalation. Billy's pale blue eyes glossed over in fear of her being a goner.
The girl just wouldn't wake up.
But to his relief and everyone else's at the Hawkins pool, Jean Grey came back to the land of the living with a powerful cough, her lungs expelling all the water she had inhaled.
"Jesus Christ, thank god!" He breathed out. Words couldn't express the lifeguard's relief. He wasn't the religious type, but that was all he could mutter in response to his gratitude that she didn't die on him.
Even though her eyelids were fluttering open, Billy found that she was still unresponsive to her surroundings. "Jean, are you okay?"
'I thought I lost you.''I know. But I came back to you. I'll always come back to you.'
Opening her eyes, Jean wasn't sure where she was anymore; because the sight before her eyes was a blurry silhouette of a boy crouching over her, his tone showcasing his desperation and fear.
"Scott."
The blonde teenager visibly tensed. At first, Billy thought that he heard wrong because the girl stated it more like a tentative question than an actual statement. "What? No, it's Billy."
The boy looked up from Jean who was still lying flat to Heather who was crouching down beside him. "Did she hit her head?" He asked, wondering why she looked so confused.
Heather Holloway shook her head in response. Come to think of it, the redhead had no good reason to drown, she didn't fall in unintentionally, nor did she hit her head. She just..stopped moving out of nowhere. "I don't think so..."
Looking between the two lifeguards, Jean tried to calm her breathing, everything became hazy as she tried to recall what happened after she went into the pool. "What's going on?" She asked, sitting up, then Billy and Heather rushed to help her to her feet.
Looking around the disrupted ambiance of the pool, the people surrounding them halting all activities, Billy suggested to his coworker. "Heather, why don't you take her inside and patch her up."
"Got it." Said girl nodded, wrapping a supportive hand around Jean's shoulders.
As the two girls headed inside, Jean could hear Billy's howling, telling people to settle down and to get on with their activities.
After arriving inside the staff's resting room, Heather leaded Jean to sit on a chair and she sat beside her.
"What happened?" Jean voiced out her confusion, her mind was jumbled with all that went down.
The Holloway girl continued to check the redhead for any external wounds, making use of the first aid courses she took. She furrowed her dark brows, surprised at the rescued girl's inability to recall the events. "You were in the pool, drowning..."
The teenage telepath nodded for her to continue, although she had no clue as to why she drowned in the first place.
"Then Billy jumped in and rescued you."
It was all so heroic, Heather thought. The way he ran and dived in so frantically, getting out of the water carrying Jean bridal style... It made her want to receive the very same treatment from the attractive boy.
A stun flashed across Jean's face. "He did?"
"Yeah." The curly haired girl smiled comfortingly. "You really gave us a scare, not moving or breathing."
"Thank you." Jean returned the expression, her grin more of that to show her gratitude.
"No problem."
"Stay here, I'll go get your stuff for you." Heather said, jumping to get feet and heading out.
After she returned, she brought Jean's bag that had her clothes back for her and left her to change. Then, realization hit Jean like a truck.
Erica.
In a hurried rush Jean Grey shimmed into her denim jeans and threw on her top.
I'm the worst sitter in the world, Jean thought as she sprinted outside. The cement was hot against her feet and she looked around to find Erica while wading into the pool.
She wasn't there.
Trying not to panic, the amnesic female thought to look inside the locker rooms. The sound of screaming children echoed through the empty, tiled, pool changing rooms. Avoiding the gross parts of the floor, Jean made a mental note to mention general pool cleanliness to one of the staff as she made her way inside.
As she navigated through the place, the redhead ended up in a different room but one that looked similar in design to the changing rooms. Lockers were to her left as she walked around, eyes darting in different directions.
"Erica?" Her voice echoed, hearing light footsteps coming her way, Jean sincerely hoped it was the ten year old.
Looking up through her lashes, she saw Billy walking out of what she supposed was the shower with his hair dripping wet and a towel covering only his waist.
Her eyes may have lingered slightly too long on his extremely toned chest before she moved her head up and focused on his smirking face. "Like what you see?" Chuckling, Billy teased as he sauntered towards her. He was pleasantly surprised to see her here.
"What are you doing here, doll?" Her cheeks were on fire after she was caught practically ogling his muscles.
As she got a better look at him, she understood why the girls at the pool were always gushing about him. They weren't wrong about his looks. He was incredibly attractive. Curly, dirty blonde hair that framed his face well. Jean had never liked the idea of a mullet but damn, he made it look good. He had the most beautiful eyes, blue like the sea. Eyelashes that any girl would be jealous of.
"I was.. Looking for Erica." Gulping, Jean muttered. For some reason, unlike before, she found difficulty speaking with the blonde. Maybe it was because he was half naked, or maybe because he just saved her life. She didn't know.
"That brat you're babysitting? Her mom came and picked her up."
Billy's statement was what prompted the huge sigh of relief that escaped her mouth. "Oh, thank god."
"Thanks." Tearing her eyes away from Billy Hargrove, Jean looked down to the tiled floors, her fingers fumbling. "For what you did."
With a smirk, Billy walked passed Jean, making his way his locker. "It's my job, babe. Don't worry about it." Billy shrugged off her grateful words, as if it was no big deal. In all honesty, he felt panic washing over him when he saw Jean's lifeless body floating around in the water earlier, his body moved before he could think.
He was sure he wouldn't have been this frantic if it was someone else, even if it was part of his job. Why was he that worried? No answer came to his head.
After noticing that Jean was about to leave, he decided to ask a question that's been gnawing at the back of her head for a while. "Who's Scott?" He bit out, clenching his teeth in jealousy.
"Huh?" His question made her abruptly stop in her footsteps.
"Scott. You said his name first thing when you woke up."
Jean flinched, she tried to go through her head, attempting to find someone with that extremely familiar name. But she got nothing. "I don't know a Scott."
Billy chuckled, almost bitterly. "You sure about that?"
"Umm.. Yeah." Jean mumbled, paying no mind to his tone. Why did she sound so unsure herself?
Billy's locker opened with a thud, snapping Jean out of her thoughts. The guy looked at her expectantly, seeing that she wasn't making any move to leave. "What, you wanna help me get dressed? You know I won't mind."
"You're unbelievable." Flustered at his flirty offer, Jean left in a flurry of blushed cheeks.
"And you're a handful, Grey." Billy mused.
A swell formed in her abdomen from Billy's voice calling out for her as she made her way out of the the locker rooms. Her breath had gotten stuck on her throat and her knees wanted to buckle.
She wouldn't have wanted him to save her life if that's the sort of reaction she would be getting around him from then on.
A/N:-You guysssss DID YOU SEE THE SEASON 4 TEASER TRAILER?!!!! I'M SO HYPED OMFG"We're not in Hawkins anymore."OMG IT FITS PERFECTLY WITH WHAT I HAVE IN STORE FOR JEAN