Trigger Warning: This chapter gets a little messy in terms of consent. Nothing happens, but it still could be triggering.
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"Attention Hawkins High, this is your principal, Salem Hadeed, with the morning announcements. In the coming weeks we have begun preparing for our 56th annual prom. Anyone interested in being on the prom committee should report to Ms. Daily's art room, 4A, on the first floor. Tickets will begin selling on the 8th of January, and we expect them to sell out entirely this year, so get them while you can.
In the meantime, before the prom, you better start considering who you'd like to elect as this year's prom king and queen nominees. Elections also begin January 8th.
In the cafeteria, pizza with a side of tots or an apple are today's options, brownie an extra charge.
The Newspaper committee is beginning to request highlights of the year, for the spare room leftover in the yearbook. If there are any photos you'd like to share, please report to the photography club at the end of the day.
Finally, with winter break coming up in the next few days, I'd like to personally wish each and every one of you a happy holidays- to those who celebrate.
Now, with all that excitement abuzz, please rise for our national anthem. Go Tigers!"
I felt myself rise, but I wasn't paying attention. Thoughts swirled around my head- of prom, of what I'd be expected to do this year, of Steve- if he'd be prom king again. And, lastly, of Christmas break. Would my parents even come home this year? I don't know if I wanted them to or not. Steve and I had grown quite used to our situation, our allowance- being left to our own devices. If they came home, they'd probably expect a Christmas present of some sort. I had no reason to indulge that- and if I even wanted to, I had no clue what to give them.
It was at my locker, a couple hours later, where I was shuffling supplies into, that I came face-to-face with Billy Hargrove. I had just taken out my last book, shoving it into my backpack idly. Thoughts of Christmas possibilities, how we'd get the tree down from the attic, and who aside from Steve was getting a gift were fluttering around aimlessly. The locker door slammed, myself and a couple other students nearby jumping at the sound. He was leaning smugly against the wall of lockers, one thumb hooked on his waistband, the other palm pressing my locker firmly closed. He flashed a cocky grin.
"You can't avoid me forever, cupcake." He sang tauntingly.
I turned the opposite way to avoid him. "You clearly don't understand that I actually can- forever."
"Yeah? And how's that- gonna keep running back to big bro, tell on me?" He cooed, joining my side as I paced steadily to my next class. "Last I checked, he lost the last fight."
My eyes flash, and I whip around. Last thing I needed him to do was talk about that night. Especially considering the eyes that were trying and failing to stealthily watch our back-and-forth.
"What do you want from me?" I hiss, hard gaze flickering from one eye to the other. He looked effortlessly casual, as ever. "I'm not interested. How many times do I have to tell you?"
"As many times as it takes for it to not be a lie," He smirks, placing a toothpick between his teeth. His eyes ravage my form unapologetically. "I want what I want. And usually, I get it."
"You're delusional." I snap, "And you're really gross. Get the hell away from me, or next time, Steve won't fucking lose."
He laughs, a scary, humorless laugh. But his expression had darkened as soon as I'd insulted him- called him gross. It was like he'd never been told that before. He truly got whatever the hell he'd wanted- he couldn't comprehend someone finding him repugnant. The hall was clearing at a rapid pace now, a bad omen for what was to come. My confident stance wilted, and I swallowed hard. He flicked his toothpick away- and before I knew what was happening, I was pushed into the lockers, Billy's arms trapping me on both sides of my head. I squirmed, shoving at his chest- but he was sturdy. He was like a rock, with legs. Not my most astute observation, but it was hard to think much more while he had this control.
I slid low to escape beneath his arms, but the one I had tried to duck beneath caught me by the hip, slamming me back into the cold metal. I yelped, freezing on the spot.
"I swear to god, this isn't fucking funny anymore," I blubbered, tears prickling the corners of my angry eyes. "We're in the middle of the damn hallway, what are you gonna even get away with?"
"I dunno, have a little fun," He smirked, nose tickling the side of my neck. I shivered at the touch. His lips hovered above my neck. "Maybe then you'll realize how bad you really want me."
"Oh, she looks like she wants you really bad, man."
The eyes I'd clamped shut fluttered open desperately, to find a certain fuzzy-haired angel to my rescue again. How many times had he done that, now? He seemed to always find me in my lowest moments. I wasn't complaining, though. He was leaning against the same wall of lockers, just a few feet away, expression repulsed. Billy pushed off the wall, and I sucked in air- having been basically holding my breath for the past few minutes. He turned on Eddie, assessing him. Eddie was a lot shorter than Billy, and while his getup was tough, it was clear who had the muscular advantage. It was like Billy did steroids or something- actually, that would make sense. I pushed the note away for later. I'd definitely be telling chatty Patty in 4th period that tidbit later.
"How would you know, freak?" Billy taunted, a look in his eye glimmering- like a predator stalking it's prey. But Eddie didn't even bat an eye. "The whole school thinks you're a deadbeat, like your dad- I bet you never get any action."
Eddie's eyes flicker with rage, and then to mine, then they return to Billy. I can only hope he doesn't take the bait- I can't do anything, I can only watch, wondering how the hell this could pan out. I can only clamp my hands into fists, and shake, for the time being.
Eddie smiles pinched. "I make do."
Billy shoves him in the chest, and Eddie stumbles back. He catches himself easily, standing up straight as if nothing happened. But his eyes give him away. Behind them, he's calculating- quickly- and assessing Billy's every move. But Billy's unpredictable, and he plays dirty. Billy's hands slip into his pockets, and he cracks a smile, like he's realized something.
"You've got a little thing for Lana, don't you?" He taunts, looking between us.
Eddie's expression breaks, and he looks around to adjust his response. The drop in composure is enough to make Billy laugh out loud.
"Oh my god, you do." He claps, "Oh, that's pitiful, Munson. As if she would ever go for someone like you."
The shock of the realization hits me in a different way, and I watch always-confident-Eddie flush red- look defeated. My heart breaks for him.
"She's gonna tell everyone, now." Billy shrugs, a hand dragging through his hair. "That's what the bitch does, you know."
"You're a sick bastard," I hiss.
Billy turns back to glance at me. "Oh, she speaks again. That was probably the longest you've ever kept your mouth shut, huh?"
"Leave him alone," I snap, finally coming back to earth. "You filthy piece of shit."
We're just tipping him over the edge. I know next to nothing about Billy, but I know that he doesn't lose, he doesn't respond to criticism well, and he would punish us for anything we said at this point. But what he did do was overestimate his own abilities. There was always a dent in the armor. Behind him, Eddie was shaking his head, psyching himself up. Getting over the psychological shit Billy had tossed around. And Billy had turned entirely towards me.
"Be careful, babe, you're turning me on," He smirked.
"Yeah?" I laughed, "You like that? You're a good for nothing narcissist with control issues. Am I turning you on, babe?"
I don't know what he was planning to do to me once he reached me. But he spit out his toothpick, took a couple dark steps forward, and had no other time to do anything else- because Eddie had taken the initiative and clocked him right in the ear, rings shifted to that single hand. Billy stumbled down for a second, and Eddie wasted no time in gripping my hand and sprinting down the hallway.
"I guess we're playing hookie," He rushed, voice high with panic.
Behind us, Billy groaned, and then, of all responses- he laughed. I shivered- the guy was so unstable. I was struck with all the possibilities of how our encounter could have gone down- and I had to swallow down bile rising up my throat. Tears prickled my eyes, and I pushed my legs to pump faster.
We reached Eddie's car without a hitch, and he even offered a hand as I clambered in. He rushed to the other side, slamming his door shut and locking it. Then, he revved the engine and we zipped away.