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With a face flushed red from running she made it to the top of the driveway. But the driveway was empty, except for the garbage can. She threw her head back in exasperation.
It had all been for nothing. Dustin's mom had already taken off.
Diane Dobler, the professional babysitter who couldn't even show up on time. She hoped Dustin's mom wasn't too disappointed. Next time she was definitely bringing a treat for Mews.
The lights were on all over the house, except most of the blinds were pulled down which was unusual. She rang on the doorbell. When Dustin didn't answer she tried again, feeling a rise of concern. He always answered the door on the first try, skidding to the front of the door. Where was he?
Finally he came into view, walking hurriedly. She began to feel suspicion at the look on his face.
He opened the door a fraction and looked through it with an eyeball. "Oh, uhh hey Dee. So I know you're supposed to babysit and all, but maybe we can just postpone until next week?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Dustin, I know I'm late and I'm sorry"
"Forgiven! So if you could come back next week?" He asked hopefully.
"No. This is me showing up for babysitting, not me missing a dentists appointing and you're not a secretary. Now open the door. I'll make popcorn to make up for it?" She asked.
"Let me distract you with these pearly whites." He said and then made a purring sound, Grrrrr
Before she could reply he shut the door on her face.
She was so shocked she didn't react for a moment. What had just happened? Had he purred? Dustin began back towards his room.
Oh no he didn't. She yelled his name again as she skirted round the house. Diane banged on the balcony window. Ah! She couldn't see him, he had pulled the blinds shut there too. What in the hell was that kid doing tonight?
She banged on the window with both hands. "Dustin! I will take babysitting to a literal level if you don't open the door!"
He peaked out between the blinds. "I don't think sitting on me is a very babysitter-ly thing to do."
Placing her hands on her hips she closed her eyes to gather herself. "Dustin, can you please just open the door?"
"I really can't Dee, sorry. I promise I'll tell my mom you were here and that you had the best night of babysitting you had experienced."
"She has to see me to pay me. That means I have to be there to take the money."
"I'll let her know you left a minute before she could home and I'll bring the money into school tomorrow." Then he looked behind him. "Sorry Dee, gotta go!"
"What? Dustin! Hey!" She banged on the window. But he was gone.
She looked up at the stars, hoping they would tell her the answers to some things that were more complicated than the universe: kids. Specifically Dustin and his friends. She had decided to give up last year. They all ran off with the same urgency as if they had the world to save. When she had tried to inquire they had come with so many stories she had simply backed away.
She trudged around the house on last time, banging on another window. Dustin came back.
"Kid, can you at least tell me if you're in trouble?"
"Uhhhhhhhh . . . no, nope, absolutely not. I have never been safer."
"Why do I not believe you?"
"I don't know why you wouldn't, have I ever let your trust down? Have these pearly whites ever let you down?" He asked, before purring again. A second later he shut the blinds.
"Oh my god! I am going to make your next babysitting session suck so bad." She yelled.
He didn't return.
Besides acting like a brat who was hiding something he didn't look like he was in any danger, and why would he be? He was probably just acting out. Maybe it was a win-win situation.
Still, she went around the house to try the doors anyway. But they were all locked.
Biting her lip she considered staying outside until Dustin's mom came home. But it was getting chilly out and she didn't want to spend the next few hours on the stoop in the cold, bored out of her mind. Plus, while she really did need to babysit him, she also trusted him. He was a responsible, if not infuriating, kid. His charm wasn't going to let him off the hook this time though.
Oh was he going to get it tomorrow at school. She'd trudge over to the elementary school and reprimand him during recess.
Diane hitched her bag onto her bag again and made her way down the driveway. The leaves kicked up around her feet as she walked down the empty road.
After a while walking in silence she heard the familiar roaring of a car and rolled her eyes. This was not what she wanted or needed.
The car screeched to a halt again, right next to her. She kept walking, and the Camero kept up with ease.
"And what are you doing, walking all alone?" He asked with his usual drawl.
Diane hiked the backpack up, refusing to look anyway but straight ahead. "Enjoying the fall weather."
"I got a proposal that's right up your alley, Dobler. How about that assignment?"
"Now?" She stopped walking.
"No, next year. Yes, now. Get in." He tapped the passengers door.
Diane looked down the street. Another two miles and she could be home with a mug of hot cocoa, Billy Hargrove the furthest thing from her mind.
But she also need to finish that assignment. Then she'd never see him again.
With a heavy she got in, slamming the door shut after.
"We're going to the library, right?" She asked warily.
He took a deep drag from the cigarette. "Where else we'd go?"
He turned up the volume of the radio until it nearly vibrated her bones. Rock song after rock song blasted through the speakers until they sped into the empty parking and coming to a jerking halt that sent her forwards in her seats, giving her whiplash.
"Look Dobler, it's home sweet home."
She rolled her eyes and got out of the metal deathtrap quickly.
The lot was mostly empty, and the sun was nearly down. Who else would be spending time in the library so later besides her? And Billy, apparently and unfortunately.
Mrs. Wentz waved to her and Diane greeted her right back. Billy sent the old lady a wink that made her blush. Diane stared at the both of them. How? How? How was it they all found him so desirable? He was a terrible, selfish human being.
They sat in the back, hidden from view. Towards the front where a few dozen of people still here, mulling over the readings.
Without a word spoken between each other both of them sat down. Diane opened up several books and a calculator, Billy played with his lighter. She wished he would do some work. It wasn't as if she hadn't already spent a night up far too late compensating for him doing nothing.
The hours passed quickly as Diane made detailed notes after notes.
Billy appeared to have fallen asleep. She looked at him with disdain. It was October and he acted like they were still in sunny California.
"You can touch it you know." He said as he caught her staring at his chest, open an eye.
"Just wondering if I can help fix your shirt, it seems to be missing a button or ten." She muttered.
"Dobler, you can barely hide your lust. You have a change of panties in that oversized back of yours?"
She was speechless at his audacity.
"Just . . . pretend to do some work, alright? And stop talking to me."
"Hit a nerve?"
"I'm not talking to you." She said as she finished a page of calculations.
Billy shook his head and leaned back in his seat, lighting another cigarette. He dropped them on the floor after he was finished.
If she tried to scold him it would just begin an endless conversation going nowhere. And he wouldn't bother finding an ashtray. Smoking wasn't even allowed in the library. At least the smell would diffuse faster than if they were in the librarians front office.
Billy gave a heavy sigh, playing with his lighter.
He continued like this for ten minutes, and Diane stared at the pages even harder, hoping she would eventually block him out.
It didn't work.
Billy leaned forwards, whipping the lighter shut. "See, I have a date later. You wouldn't mind if i just left you to the boring stuff while I went and had a life, would you?"
Diane placed her hands on the books and looked up in disdain. She was sure her idea of a date and Billy's idea were quite different. "Actually I do mind. We wouldn't be here in the first place if you hadn't plagiarised."
Leaning forwards he revealed his row of perfect white teeth. His tongue swept over them. "No, we wouldn't be in this situation if you had just done as you were supposed to."
"Be like the other girls in this school and do what you say? No thanks."
"Bet you think you're real smart." He threw himself back in the chair. "You're not all wrong. For a small town girl in a small town world, you're smart. That doesn't say much about the real world, does it? Enjoy it while it lasts, Dobler."
With a heavy sigh she went back to reading over the stupid chemistry book. She hated him and she hated working with him.
She smiled to herself as she finally finished a part of the assignment. The math had been painstakingly difficult. And she had done it all without him.
"Try to contain yourself, I know this is the funnest thing you got going on here, but don't drag me down." He drawled.
"We might not be in California, but we actually do have fun here." Diane said.
He snorted. "Yeah, and what's real entertainment here then? Cow tipping?"
"Pumpkin rolling actually." She replied absent-mindedly as she wrote down more notes.
Ignoring him was more difficult than planned.
She struggled to finish another section. Looking over the directions again she bit her lip. Great, she needed a book that wasn't here. And she was pretty sure it wasn't in the section it was supposed to be in, unless someone put it back. Standing up she wandered over the sciences section, and all the way down in the chemistry section hidden in the way back.
She looked through the row of books again. Diane let out a heavy sigh of exasperation. The one book she needed to finish this part of the assignment was nowhere in site. Still.
"And what are you heavily sighing about?" Billy asked, leaning backwards. He was balanced precariously on the chair, legs on the table to keep balance.
"The last book, Matter and Change, we need to finish this section of the assignment is gone. And I don't want to leave the library without finishing this part."
"Oh yeah that book, huh? Saw it in the font office."
"Really?" She asked, eyebrows flashing upwards into her hairline.
"Sure. That secretary or whatever had it."
She looked at him curiously, gauging to see if he was bullshitting. She couldn't tell. But why would he lie about a stupid chemistry book?
"Alright, I'll go get it then." She said.
Billy sauntered after her.
Why did he have to follow in the first place. Wasn't he busy with his lighter?
As they walked through the library she couldn't help but take notice of how eerily quiet it was. Looking around she couldn't see anyone sitting around and studying anymore. They must've all gone home.
And why was it so dark in the library? Barely any of the lights were on.
Diane knocked on the office door, but when no one answered it she found an empty room with the lights off. Odd. Where was Mrs. Wentz and her colleague? She always stayed until closing hours. The library was practically her first home.
Billy flipped the switch and Diane proceeded to have a look for the missing chemistry book on the cluttered desk. The quicker she found it the quicker she could take notes the quicker she was done working with Billy for the day.
She began rummaging around the desk, careful to put everything back just as she had found it. "Are you sure you saw the book in here?"
"Yeah it's here somewhere." He drawled.
Oh, she shouldn't be doing this. It was wrong. But she didn't know where else the book could possible be, and she really wanted that stupid book so she could go home. She opened the first drawer and began rummaging around it.
Billy lit a cigarette with complete disregard for respect or the laws that prevented him from smoking in the office.
Diane turned her head around.
"What are you doing?" She hissed.
Billy shrugged. "See, I figure if you were going to do break the rules, so would I."
She stilled. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, Dobler. Did you wonder why the building is so dark? We're out after curfew. As it stands," he turned around in a lazy manner, "We're breaking and entering now."
Diane stared in disbelief. Then raised a finger. "No, no we are not. The time is only-" she looked down at her watch. "Oh no."
"Oh, yes." Billy replied with a shit-eating grin.
"You knew." She accused.
"You need more risk in your life, Dobler. I'm helping to make sure you don't turn into an old crone before you're twenty. Thank me." He exhaled smoke whimsically into the air. "Now you'll be able to tell your small-town grandchildren that one time you were in the librarian after hours."
They were past curfew. They weren't allowed in the building. Both of them had to get out now. Quickly Diane closed the drawer and started towards the door.
"I'm sorry Officer," Billy said under his breath as he acted out their capture, "You know how Dobler is. I couldn't control her."
"Oh shut up!" She whispered.
"Did you just tell me to shut up?" He raised his voice. Why was he raising his voice?!
"Hey! Who's there?" The security guard yelled.
Oh, no. Diane knew that voice. Joe Moore was going to take them down to the station as soon as he got a hold of them. She looked at Billy with dread. What if this got put on her permanent record? What if she got jailed? What if she was in jail for the rest of her life? No university would take her in then.
She would end up here forever. Maybe she could get a job in Joyce Beyers store of all conveniences and settle down in a small house somewhere with some boy from high school and spend her nights making meatloaf. The thought of staying here made her recoil instantly.
"We have to go." She said with urgency, grabbing the book and hurrying towards the door.
"Lead the way." He gestured to the hallway, not at all alarmed by the prospect of getting caught.
They walked hurriedly through the building. As Diane turned a corner she instantly back-pedalled, slamming into Billy's chest. She whirled around and pushed him back. "Get back, get back, get back!"
He threw her a look of annoyance but let her push him just around the corner.
"Did I just see someone? Show yourself!" Mr. Moore yelled, seeing shadows.
Looking frantically around for a place to hide she threw herself into a room, which turned out to be nothing bigger than a custodians closet.
Billy followed and closed the door. Unlike Diane's face twisted in dread, Billy seemed to be enjoying the situation, like the thrill of being caught was the greatest thing ever.
Diane dropped to the floor.
"If I had known all it would take to put you on your knees was a broom closet I would've done this days ago." He drawled.
"Just be quiet." She took the bobby pin out of her hair. Quickly, with a small Swiss army knife she began fiddling with the small lock on the doorknob.
"You can't hide." Mr. Moore said, walking down the hallway. He opened every door on the way down, inspecting it, coming closer and closer to the closet.
Diane kept holding up the two items jammed into the lock.
He stopped right outside where Diane and Billy hid.
"The hell?" Mr. Moore said as he rattled the doorknob again. On the other side they heard the jingling of keys. Then the doorknob moved again as he tried a new key to open the door with. Diane jumped, hitting Billy's knees and sending him backwards as Mr. Moore hit the door in aggravation.
Billy's hands flailed as he righted himself. A broom fell forwards and Diane lunged to get it before it made noise.
Both students froze as they saw the doorknob twist. They were going to get caught now. One tug and the door would open.
"Screw it." Mr. Moore muttered, releasing the doorhandles as he gave up instead of giving it a final tug.
As the security guard shuffled away Diane let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding. Billy took the broom out of her hand and she threw him a grateful look. Soon the hallway turned silent. He leaned against it.
"Now why don't you tell me how a little bookworm like you knows how to pick locks?"
Diane tried to stand up but Billy took a step forwards, forcing her to lean against the door or be chest to chest with him.
"Diane?"
"It's none of your business."
A wicked gleam appeared in his eyes and he shrugged. "Alright, then." He reached behind her and swung the door open.
With an oof Diane fell backwards, the broom crashing with her. The was a split second of silence.
"I knew it! Show yourself!" Mr. Moore yelled as his footsteps broke from a shuffle into a run.
Diane stared up at Billy who shot her a smirk. She scrambled upwards. Billy gestured down the hallway, away from Mr. Moore. She didn't need to be told twice.
Breaking into a sprint Billy quickly overtook her and she followed after him without a second thought.
How could he even run in this form fitting jeans?
They looked really, really good on him.
She snapped her jaw shut in agitation. Here she was about to be caught and jailed for life over being in the library after-hours and she was admiring his toned thighs and well-sculpted butt.
Get a grip, Diane.
They burst through the doors and into the cool night air.
The parking lot was absolutely empty with the exception of Billy's car which they both quickly sprinted towards. Billy slid in.
Diane put a hand to her chest as she fought to catch her breath. Oh, exercise was never her strong suit.
Billy lowered the window. "You going to make me wait?"
"Get bent, Billy." She snapped as she righted herself. She tried to calm her breathing. "I'll walk home."
"Don't let the wolves eat you." He drawled, drawing up the window before roaring out the parking lot.
"Stop!" Mr. Moore yelled, his voice carrying across the parking lot.
Looking behind her, she saw him standing at the library's entrance and her eyes widened. Oh, that wasn't good.
Billy's car squealed around the bend and out of sight.
She sprinted out the lot, hoping Mr. Moore didn't give chase.
As she ran down the street she looked behind her, but saw no sign of the security guard.
Diane ran half the way home.
The full moon was high in the sky, lighting up the ground in gentle blue light.
As she saw her house down the road, hidden from the rest of Hawkins in the woods the hair on the back of her neck suddenly raised and unease roiled in her stomach. She picked up her pace. She looks behind her, but saw nothing but the finely paved driveway.
The house was dark.
But that wasn't unusual.
As she got closer she broke into a full sprint, clutching her keys in her pockets. At the doorstep she fumbled with finding the right key and jammed it into the door, whipping her head around to see what was out there.
Quickly she entered and slammed the door shut and locked it.
But there had been nothing but darkness.
Her heart was beating against her ribcage as she leaned against the door.
It was the strangest feeling, like something had been watching her. Stalking her.
Diane breathed in deeply to calm herself. Hawkins had turned strange the past year but she was safe. Nothing was out there.
If she distracted herself she'd be calmer.
The stupid assignment provided the perfect distraction.
She wandered into the kitchen and got herself a cup of tea before going up to her room. "Hi Mom, Hi Dad." She called softly, knowing she'd get no answer.
Sitting down she tried to do the assignment, but her mind kept getting drawn by the Billy Hargrove.
Absent-mindedly she chewed on the end of the pencil, adding a new mismatched row of bite marks. She still had to work with him for two more weeks. Fighting him got her nowhere. With a sigh she got up and looked out the window into the dark forest.
Diane decided to try a new tactic: kindness.