~Billy~

It didn't take a genius to figure out I was something of a womanizer. Even back in Cali, my reputation had preceded itself so much that I needn't introduce myself at parties anymore. But this didn't feel right. Making out with her in my car didn't feel right. She was right in front of me and yet my view was still fixated on the other side of Lover's Lake. The Communion.

Green eyes meeting mine.

Her plump lips, smirking at me.

I wanted to see her.

Her wet skin against mine, dark curls stuck to her face.

Impress me, Nightingale.

"Make it worth my while"

As her lips entangled with mine in this unholy, sloppy mess, my mind revisited those goddamn green eyes twinkling with a coyness I never wanted to forget.

"As long as you make it worth mine, Hargrove"

I felt my body slacken against the chair. Christ, that was good. But the moment her head popped up, the buzz died. She wiped her mouth, flashing me a teasing grin. I'd given her plenty of satisfaction earlier on and it had been reciprocated. But as soon as my gaze met hers, I was reminded of how blunt this entire thing had been. Deal made, mission accomplished. All there was to it.

"Satisfied?" Bryony asked, taking her long, blonde hair out of the ponytail I'd been pulling on.

I sleekly retrieved the cigarette I'd placed behind my pierced ear, a pre-thought before we'd started making out. This kind of cigarette was the best kind. A billow of smoke pushed out of my mouth, surrounding Bryony's face. Bryony making out with me in my car was good. Where my thoughts had been were even better.

"Thanks for a good time, doll" I chuckled and started the engine.

We drove back to hers in near silence. Bryony had been entertaining in one regard, but the way she droned on about cheerleading and idle gossip wasn't exactly what I would call fun. Whilst Queen Bee moved onto how she was pissed over some girl called Tegan stealing her football star crush, I focused on the road ahead. It seemed neverending, much like the amount of useless shit on Bryony's mind. I gave minimal responses, tapping my fingers away at the steering wheel and attempting to suppress the heavy, bored sigh I wanted to let out.

"Fuck Tegan. Fuck Mark too" Bryony declared ceremoniously and straightened up the collar of her hot pink polo shirt. "You'll help me if they show up at Tina's party, right?" I furrowed my brows at her as she took the lit cigarette from my fingers and had a drag. "Right?"

"Depends" I replied and braked harshly at the traffic lights, the red light glaring down on us.

"On what?" she asked.

"If you take my cigarette from me again without asking" I snapped and snatched it back, balancing it on my lower lip.

"Jesus, Billy, you need to chill" Bryony huffed. She allowed a beat to skip before opening up her mouth to speak again. Lord fucking help me. "So, you'll help me?"

"Only if I get something in return" I grumbled and threw the cigarette out of the window, lighting a new one instead. Her lip gloss tasted like apples. I fucking hated apples.

"Of course. It's how this thing works. Although I expect you to do more next time, you know" Again, I braked harshly, sending her body forwards. Was she undermining me? I was frustrated to say the least. I admired how upfront she was about this shit, but there was a reason I couldn't do more with her tonight. I didn't know what to be frustrated at more - Bryony's overall brat attitude or how I had absolutely no desire to have sex with her. Bryony giggled as she jolted forwards and wagged her finger playfully at me. "Save that for next time, baby"

She leaned forwards and pressed her sticky, wet lips against mine. Even if she'd pissed me off, I had an image to maintain. I seized her chin and brought her closer to me, flicking my tongue inside her mouth. It was sloppy and aggressive, but it was enough to let her know who was really in charge here. If she persisted to piss me off, then she wasn't getting shit at Tina's party. If she wanted to make her jock dick of a crush jealous, then she was going to learn her place. From the way her eyes flickered with a yearning for what else I had, I knew she'd enjoyed that. Good, our little deal could continue. Just as long as she didn't take my cigarettes. Bryony gave me a wave as she leapt out of the car, and I waited until the front door of her Tudor styled home closed for me to drive off back to my so-called home. I parked my car close to the intersection like I had earlier, so He wouldn't get all suspicious. Literally, you could hear a pin drop. He'd insisted, thankfully, on going to bed early tonight. Something about getting a cold. Of course, Susan had to follow or she'd be sleeping on the couch.

Cursing to myself as I landed on the floor with a dull thud, I prayed that He hadn't heard. Like a rabbit caught in headlights, I stayed motionless on the floor for a moment until the silence merely continued. The coast was clear. I shrugged off my leather jacket and let it fall to the floor, adding to the messy bundle of clothes waiting to be put away. A glance at the alarm clock at the side of my bed told me it was 11pm. A hell of a lot earlier than I had originally anticipated, but it was what it was.

I'd dropped Sierra off on her street at 7pm and gone straight home to prepare for this date with Bryony. Neither of the dates had eventuated as I thought they would. Instead of getting laid tonight with Bryony, we sat making out in my car like a couple of idiotic high schoolers. It was beneath me and it was driving me goddamn crazy. Until tonight, I had fully anticipated a home run. But I couldn't stop thinking about Sierra. I couldn't get those damn green eyes out of my head for the entirety of the time Bryony was biting my neck and complimenting my hair. I wasn't going to drag Bryony along thinking she was going to get some and call off the entire thing. Nope, not my style at all. I had an image to maintain. No, Bryony was always going to be just a booty call and she not only understood that this was all we were ever going to be, but was perfectly accepting of it. I tried to get into making out with her at Lover's Lake, just the other side of The Communion, but one glimpse of that lake and all I could hear was Sierra's laughter ringing through my mind. I hadn't expected at all to go into such a deep conversation with her, nor was I expecting to see another man replicate His glare. All Bryony went on about was how she was on the cheerleading team and was looking to be promoted to captain of the squad, and how cool it was that I was making out with someone with such an esteemed reputation. As I tried to listen to her arrogant voice drone on, the only thing I thought about was how hours ago I had been talking about something that mattered, something real. Sure, being captain of the cheerleading squad would be an achievement, but how far into her life would it still impact her? I highly doubted that in 5 years time when she was looking for a job fresh out of college that Bryony would succeed with just, " I was captain of the cheerleading squad and made out with Billy Hargrove in his Camaro" . With Sierra, she wanted out of this town, out of whatever situation she was in. We were similar and real people who had to deal with real life issues. So, naturally, I did what I could to make Bryony stop talking and start moaning. Then everything was finished. I could go home and say I still satisfied her, and she could tell all her little cheerleader friends about how Billy Hargrove had made out with her in his car by Lover's Lake like the basic bitch she was.

Oh, shit.

Sierra was a cheerleader.

I did not think that one through. Goddamn it. Why had she gotten into my head like this? She had made me start to think again. About going back to California, what would be waiting there for me. Nothing but memories would be waiting for me. Some friends who would hang on to work just so they could make a living for themselves, perhaps. Mom wouldn't be there. More than a decade had passed since she packed up and left. Leaving me with Him. As a near-adult, I could understand now why she left. It was the same reason I wanted to go, to get the hell away from Him. What I struggled to wrap my head around is why leave me with him? Did she think he wouldn't hurt me, that his sole target was her? Was she really that fucking stupid?

Now I was frustrated.

I gave my head a shake and continued getting undressed for the night, tearing my eyes away from the blank wall.

11:06pm.

I collapsed on the bed with an exaggerated eye roll and stifled groan. I was meant to be getting laid right now, not falling into bed. Might as well get the bunny slippers and hot cocoa out. Seriously, why could I not go through with it? Bryony was more than up for it and it pissed me off that I couldn't just do what I always did and just drown out the thoughts. It was like I was possessed, like my thoughts weren't mine as they drifted leisurely along the haze. I tried to imagine Sierra, what she was doing when I was out with Bryony. If I hadn't seen her dad this evening, I would have thought she'd be curled up on the couch with a book, something normal. But after seeing how terrified she was of him, I dreaded to think. Christ, maybe she had a little booty call of her own. I didn't know her well, so who was to say? Something acidic panged at the inner linings of my stomach.

Great, now I was frustrated, pissed off and jealous.

"As long as you make it worth mine, Hargrove"

I'd probably meet Sierra again in the parking lot before school starts. We had a lot to pick up on. On the ride back home we talked a lot. Twenty questions turned into forty. From mundane questions to philosophical ones. My personal favorite was 'What was the last thing you did for the first time?'. Hers was hiking up a mountain with a friend over summer and mine was cooking lasagne. She threw her head back and laughed as I described how wrong it had all gone. Thank God He wasn't in the house at the time. It was just before we moved up here. He had gone to the new house to get things all set up and left Susan, Max and I alone in complete blissful silence. No screaming matches, no treading on invisible glass as you entered a room. Just peace. Susan was working a night shift, so I cooked. I didn't have money for takeout and figured it wouldn't be too difficult to cook. As Max came downstairs, surprised to see the oven on, she scrutinized the lasagne I had just taken out. Whilst cooking was the last time I did something for the first time, truthfully it was the first and last time Max and I properly laughed together. She was a little shit, but she was family now. Like me, she hadn't asked our parents to hook up. We didn't ask for our parents to be total fuck-ups. It just happened organically, like He was a complete psychopath and Susan would suck any man's toes if it meant keeping them happy.

God fucking damn it.

What was my original point?

Oh yeah. Sierra had seen the rest of my cassettes on the way back as we chatted, and I proposed going for a ride before school tomorrow so we could listen to some. I'd suggested picking her up from hers, but she declined. Now, that piqued my interest. No girl had ever declined me picking them up. We'd still go for that drive though, no matter what.

I switched the light off. Tomorrow I'd make progress with Nightingale. She was going to have the best damn time of her life.

…

The screeching alarm jolted me out of my sleep. With a swift backhand, I tossed it on the floor. God, I seriously did not want to get up today. Mornings were always like this - fucking terrible. It was when things were most clear. No nicotine or booze in my system, everything was fuzzy yet alarmingly clear. I got up, showered and dressed myself in a white shirt, jeans and denim jacket. It took 10 minutes to do my hair before I made my way downstairs where Susan was cooking breakfast. With a big smile, she welcomed me into the room. I acknowledged it with a nod and sat down opposite Him.

"Morning, Billy" He said, flicking through the Hawkins Daily News.

"Morning" I grunted and reached over the table to get the orange juice.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

"Yeah, great thanks" I said. Shit, He was chirpy this morning. What did He have in store for me today? Did He hear me come back last night? I took a slurp of my orange juice and muttered thanks to Susan when she placed the bacon and eggs in front of me, eyeing Him suspiciously as he read the paper like an everyday, happy, hick-town, wood-chopping bastard. I'd go along with it if it meant not getting slapped around. "Anything good in the news?" I asked, chugging back the last of my orange juice.

"Not a lot" He murmured and looked towards Susan. "Apparently the Lindall's cat was found the other night"

"Oh really, hon?" Susan asked in that annoying shrill voice of hers, as if she was actually interested in some missing cat.

"Hmm" He scoured the paper a little before, jabbing his finger into the middle of it and a wide grin creeping up on His face. What got the Fucker all cheery now? The cat was found along with Santa Claus at the end of a rainbow with a pot of gold? Utter Prick. "Aha! Here's the news story I was looking for. Remember I said my boss had something big in the works?" Susan opened her mouth to respond, but He was too quick for her. "Well, here it is! The big announcement! He's gotten a deal to start overlooking the finances of that new mall coming next year"

"Golly!" Susan exclaimed. I bit down on my tongue. Her whole simpleton act really made my blood boil. "Which means - "

"Which means," He interrupted, leaving Susan stranded by the sink of dirty dishes with that fake grin on her lips. I bet she wanted to murder the Bastard. Join the club, Susie-Q. "That promotion is looking promising" He clapped His hands together loudly and sighed, looking happier than a pig in shit.

"Max, have you eaten yet?" I asked, trying to put an end to this entire, nausea-inducing conversation.

Max shook her head in annoyance and waved a breakfast bar at me.

Shit, this was it.

I didn't even need to look at Him to feel the furious disapproval that seethed throughout Him. The rustle of the paper didn't even make me jump as He slammed it down on the table. Staring at her with disdain, He removed his glasses with a frustrated sigh.

"Maxine, you can't just eat that" He stated.

Wordlessly, He pointed at the seat next to me. Stubborn until the end, Max didn't obey the command.

Just sit down, kid.

"I'm not very hungry, Neil" she mumbled.

"I can't hear you, Maxine. Speak up" He asserted.

I looked at Susan who peered down at the frying pan that sizzled in the warm, bubbly sink water, her head buried away as per usual. Holding back the urge to scream for her to defend her own daughter instead of me, I slumped back in my chair and scowled at Max. This was totally unnecessary. All of it was. If she wanted a damn breakfast bar, then just let her have it. She didn't need to eat bacon and eggs. But to Him, this was a family meal and we would goddamn treat it as such like we were a slimmed down version of The Brady Bunch. Max, her eyes flooding with tears, looked at her mom. It was the same look I would give my mom when He would start one of His unreasonable episodes.

A plea for help.

I shoved the plate of bacon and eggs towards Max and gestured with my eyes for her to sit down. Finally knowing what was good for her, she sat down and started eating it. I'd eat the fucking breakfast bar instead. Satisfied that His obsession with the ideal family life had been fulfilled, He picked up the newspaper again, gave it a vigorous and self-affirmed shake and resumed reading.

In an uncomfortable quiet, we all ate until it was time for me to take Max to school. I'd finished the breakfast bar in a matter of feeble seconds. I tapped Max on the shoulder, silently commanding her to get up and out of the house. Once in my car, a quiet fury dominated and we continued the silent treatment until we were far away from the house, going down a secluded road where we could just unleash whatever was on our minds.

"Do you have to make a drama out of everything, Max?" I sighed.

"You didn't have to give me your breakfast," she said. It was then I noticed that she was clutching onto her stomach. "I was happy to eat something small"

"You not feeling well?" I inquired and nodded to her stomach. In response, she shook her head. "Just don't vomit in my car, alright?"

I pulled up outside the school and watched as Max stormed off to the middle school. Lighting a cigarette, the first one of the day, I furrowed my brow as I saw a group of nerdy looking kids also watching her like a hawk from behind a trash can. Oblivious to any of this weird shit, Max went into the building with a stride that only a thunderous energy could create. Chucking my cigarette aside, I walked through the smoke and made my way over to the kids.

"She's gotta be Mad Max, she just has to be" a kid with a seriously dorky bowl cut whispered.

Letting out a hearty laugh, the kid with unruly, light brown curly hair wearing a navy blue Brontosaurus hoody from the Science Museum of Minnesota screamed dramatically. Peering up at me, the kids' eyes bulged from their sockets. I had scared them shitless. For a second, I examined the four of them. Poor Max… she always got the nerds.

"So, you think stalking a girl is a good way to get to know who she is?" I sarcastically asked and lit up another cigarette.

All the kids looked at each other with bemusement combined with anxiety, not sure whether speaking was worth getting socked. Finally, it was the dark haired kid in the middle who stepped forwards an inch. Scrutinizing the kid up and down, I decided I'd call him Frog Boy. The black inked name on his lunchbox meant he was actually called Michael Wheeler. Frog Boy suited him more.

"Um, you're on school grounds" Frog Boy awkwardly declared and gestured to the cigarette balanced in between my fingers.

From the way he had asserted himself first and his somewhat confident stance, I guessed he was the ringleader of the group. If so, it was highly likely he was the one who had planned to watch Max like a lion ready to pounce. Blowing a cloud of smoke to cast over them, the Brontosaurus kid's face went bright red until he released a hacking cough.

"Dude, I've got asthma" he choked and took a hit of his inhaler.

"You wanna know if she's Mad Max?" I questioned with indifference.

Immediately, their faces collectively went from being freaked out to stunned that they were on the verge of receiving intel from an insider. Like ants, they scampered forward to hear what secrets I could divulge.

"Oh, I know she is Mad Max" I revealed and the group grinned at one another. "Want to know how I know that?"

"Yeah, how do you know?" Frog Boy asked excitedly.

Allowing an uneasy silence to fall, the buzz of excitement vanished as quickly as it had come. A sweet but deadly smile pinned itself on my lips. I threw daggers at the boys as I looked at each one with the same amount of venom. I didn't care for sissies who couldn't find the balls to approach a girl and ask for her name. Perhaps this would be a well-earned lesson for them to grow a pair.

"Because I'm her brother," I said. Step by step, I proceeded to advance closer to the boys. Everything about me screamed for them to watch out and I felt that bolt of satisfaction I had whenever someone understood I was someone not to mess with. "And if I see one of you pussies go near her, I will personally ensure your moms will be washing out the shitstains from your Tighty Whities for the rest of your goddamn lives"

I paused, noting their reactions. Just as I had guessed. Borderline crapping their pants.

"Do we have an understanding, shitbirds?"

Nodding their heads so hard that they could pass for being in a mosh pit, I took a final drag from my cigarette and parted my lips to let the smoke flow out of my mouth, pushing it with my tongue so that it could enhance this threatening ambience. After all, kids like this were very intimidated by a cooler man who could perform smoke tricks. Lazily staring down at their open mouths, I knew I didn't need a verbal answer from any of the little shits.

"Good" I concluded.

Spinning around on my heel, I threw back the aflame cigarette. The high-pitched squeal sounded again, virtually breaking the sound barrier, and all I could hear was Brontosaurus Kid screeching about how the cigarette touched him and the others hurrying to stamp it out.

"What an asshole"

Got it in one, Frog Boy. If you consider ensuring Max doesn't get bothered as being an asshole, then you hit it on the nail. Good luck with the other ladies.

He would never approve of her hanging out with any of them. He had certain opinions that were meant to be projected onto us. If you weren't a white, Christian male and if you didn't bow down to Him, then you would never be accepted into this dysfunctional family. Moreover, if they didn't fall into all of these ridiculous categories and persisted in His, or any of His kids, presence then you would land in a heap of trouble. At my last school, He had seen I was hanging out with someone who fell into none of His ideals, a guy I had got along with. Before you knew it, I was in the car being subjected to one of His lectures about how there are just some people in this world I shouldn't hang out with. He needn't have gone any further, I knew exactly what He meant from that sentence alone. But no, He felt it was His divine right to continue with the slurs and ignorance.

It was memories like this that made me want to go back to California, to get away from Him for good. But, it was exactly those memories making me not want to be there ever again. Other than the memory of Mom, I knew I would look at any landmark and something would penetrate my mind until it came close to killing me.

"Do you think you'll go back to California?"

It was such an innocent question, but the answer was far from easy. As I had pondered over whether to tell her that the azure oceans were my safe haven so I had to return or that the Sunshine State was far from bright for me, I ultimately chose not to. The answer was too complex. I was too complex. Every day as I inspected each part of myself in the mirror, ensuring every little detail from the texture of my hair to my physique looked good, I had to shove out the whispers of ' You faggot' and ' You'll never amount to anything'. He just loved to infiltrate my mind, to allow my thoughts to succumb to chaos. The only thing I had was making sure I looked not just good, but fucking incredible.

As I advanced towards the Camaro, I heard the familiar rumble of a new car. Just as I had suspected, the Mustang coasted towards mine and halted with a muffled screech. After a second, Sierra leaped out the car with the grace of one of those movie stars from the '50s. I saw her regard my empty car with a hint of confusion before taking her hair down from her high ponytail, the glossy loose curls cascading down her back until it reached where my eyes had been fixated. God, it was like she was wanting to torture me. She was wearing a short, black leather skirt that emphasized every curve and a long-sleeved red and white polka dot top, black Doc Martens and fishnet tights to complete the outfit. She gave me no choice but to drag myself out of my own mind. Christ, I didn't need to be in my own mind. Nightingale was right there in all her damn seductive glory. Pulling out a mirror from her bag, her fingers hesitated at the latch before deciding to put it back. She didn't need to make sure she looked good. She was on goddamn fire.

"Morning, Nightingale" I called out.

Her hair moved with the sharp twist of her head and she made her way over to meet me, a sweet smile on her lips. Before I had beckoned her, she was doing that thing I had noticed her do quite a lot. Staring into space. She always had an air of calmness mixed with disarray. Someone whose mind was brimming with questions and very little answers. As she greeted me with a merry 'Good morning', Sierra welcomed me into a polite hug. Not being able to help myself, I peeked down at that leather skirt and what was very clearly hiding beneath it. I was definitely an ass over tits guy, that much was for sure.

"How was the rest of your night?" she had asked.

"Pretty boring. MTV had the same old shit on" I could have told her about Bryony. But no, I just said it was pretty boring. I was still pretty certain Bryony was the type to spill the beans over her late night action.

"Hey, have you heard '74 Jailbreak yet?" Sierra asked.

I knew she was talking about the AC/DC EP that had been released about a week ago. Sadly, I had been too busy packing all my stuff so we could move to this shithole and He only liked listening to good ol' classics and the odd bit of polka. How the hell did I share half of His genes? Well, Mom had been a hippy. My moment of silence was enough for Sierra to break out with a shit-eating grin. The thrill of introducing me to music made her promptly lift herself onto her heels and before I knew it, she had clasped onto my arm and was dragging me to her car. Brandishing the AC/DC cassette I had been dying to get my hands on, she placed it into my hand.

"Honestly, have a listen. It's incredible" she enthusiastically said.

"Well, we have 30 minutes until we have to get our asses in that school" I suggestively stated and leaned in towards her. "We could, uh, split for a little while like we talked about"

I had a professional ability to charm girls, but I was really going above expert level for this one. Usually, my end goal was usually to sleep with them. But with her, I just wanted to talk. For the next 30 minutes anyway. I didn't put it past me to have a quickie before school. Hell, she listened to AC/DC! Barely any girl on the cheerleading squad listened to them. She actually wanted to have real talks. Something meaningful that forced you to contemplate a whole host of topics. Sierra didn't need any convincing. Within seconds, she was on the other side of the Camaro. I got in and fired up the engine. Eagerly, she inserted the cassette in and we both found ourselves in the company of the awesome opening to AC/DC's rendition of Baby Please Don't Go . Tapping my hand on the steering wheel to the beat of the drum, I reversed and got the hell away from Hawkins High School. As we both rocked out, I felt this electrified sensation running up my spine. Moving our shoulders and shaking our heads, shouting out the lyrics, I laughed as she did an air guitar and a lively shimmy. One of my favorite things was to connect over music. Peering over at Sierra singing to the song - knowing every single word - and bobbing her head to the tempo, the feeling intensified. The atmosphere was charged with this exhilaration I hadn't experienced in a long time. It felt like a stranger to me now. Yet, she had awoken it somehow. I let out a laugh as the song ended, my lips hurting from how much I had been smiling, but I couldn't stop the laughter that left my throat in bundles. It had been stored there for too long. An aching relief. Just as the song appeared to be coming to an end, Sierra threw up a finger at me in an indication to wait.

"Wait for it!" she said.

I waited in anticipation, our smiles rising in unison as all of a sudden, the beat of a drum started up again. She gave me a wild, ecstatic look and began clapping along with a loud, happy whoop. Biting my lower lip, I chuckled at her and accelerated as the singer screamed out "Baby, please don't go. No, no, no, no!" , joining Sierra who was doing the exact same thing, her wild tresses moving along with her headbanging as the song reached its climax before its sudden ending. Breathless from all the dancing, I decelerated as we fell back into our seats. Jesus, I was sweating.

"So, what's your verdict?" she questioned.

I looked over to her as she sat there, beaming at me with her chest rapidly rising and falling from all the headbanging she'd been doing. At this point, I would usually take an inconspicuous peek at her boobs. However, and not for the first time, I set my eyes on her green eyes sparkling away with excitement. Blinking a little, she fluttered her long, dark eyelashes. I had been with quite a few girls, but I could honestly say - hand on heart - that she was the most beautiful girl I had ever laid eyes on. I could kiss her right here and now. What the hell was stopping me?

"Fucking A, Nightingale" I yelled over the blaring You Ain't Got A Hold On Me . "I gotta admit, I didn't have you down for an AC/DC fan"

"Seriously?" she gasped, almost offended. With a mock insulted scoff, she leaned forward and ogled at me like I had said the worst thing on the planet. "You think cheerleaders can't listen to rock?" It only took a smirk from me to make her burst out laughing. "Because you're right. I'm the one of the two abnormalities of the group"

"Or, you're just not afraid to show everyone that you're different" I rebutted playfully.

"Believe me, I've been trying to make the captain of the squad and her bestie let us do a routine to Live Wire since we came to high school" she revealed, a half-suppressed laugh escaping accidentally.

I felt an inkling of some foreign feeling stab at my chest. I had nearly had some action with Bryony yesterday had it not been for my last minute decision to bail. Now, Sierra was sitting where Bryony had been, listening to one of my favorite bands and showing me a real good time.

"Now, that would be a sight to see" I coolly replied and winked at her.

"I had a feeling you would say that" she smoothly retorted.

Oh, she was a fast learner. Those rosy cheeks were in the past now, she had figured out that I liked it when she reacted to me teasing her.

"You been on the squad for a long time?" I asked.

"Pretty much since the end of middle school" she replied. "It's okay, just some of the girls can be very…" she inhaled, contemplating how she could phrase what most of the cheerleaders were in reality "fake".

"I noticed you don't hang with them out on the bleachers at lunch" I remarked.

I had seen her quite a few times with the girl who sat with her in English. Nancy, I think? Her and whoever her boyfriend was. I had overheard him being called the former King Steve. Tommy, a guy who I had met at basketball practice, and his girlfriend Carol had informed me that the only reason he was entitled the 'former King' was because he had started dating Nancy who they had reasoned was below them in the ranks of high school popularity. I had merely nodded and uttered an unenthused 'Hm' .

"Oh, you've been watching me?" she chuckled and winked. Looks like the pupil has become the teacher! "Not really, I don't usually hang out with them outside of school to be honest. I hang out with Nancy, who you met in English, and her boyfriend who I've pretty much been friends with since we started talking" She stopped for a brief moment to take a sip of the can of cola she had brought with her. "But other than that, there's Pepsi who is the other 'abnormality' I was talking about"

"She the Marilyn Monroe one?" I asked incredulously. It wasn't everyday you saw someone actively trying to emulate her. "And her name is Pepsi?"

With a laugh, Sierra nodded.

"It's not her real name. Pepsi's sweet though. We usually go for ice cream on Saturday evenings when she finishes work" she told me.

"What a wild life you lead, Nightingale" I sarcastically responded with a snicker and wink.

"Why, what do you usually do on Saturday's?" she asked, interest glowing in those gorgeous eyes.

Saturday nights were a routine for me now. Get punched in the face, storm out the house and drive around. Back in California, there was at least a party for me to go to where I could drink, smoke and snort coke until I was annihilated enough for His voice to become a blur. I had a set of friends who just saw me as the guy who could hold his beer and do cool, fun shit without knowing what happened in the background. The occasional black eye was just me showing an asshole who ran this town. In reality, it was Him who had that position. Unless someone passed my way and disagreed with me. But I never emerged from those types of fights injured.

"Well, this town still has to show me things," I sighed. "There's this party at Tina's house on Halloween. You coming?"

Lighting up a cigarette, I passed it to Sierra who accepted it gratefully. She smoked it the same way I did after leaving the house. Like it was well needed. I wondered how Sierra's father was in the morning with her. Did he force her to eat like He did with Max so we could have the facade of the perfect family? Or did he leave her hiding bruises like He did with me? The perfect family. Only on the outside though. Once those doors closed, we could be real again.

"Are you going?" she asked. I could tell there was uncertainty in her tone, like she wasn't fully up to it.

"Got to do something on the weekend" I replied, tapping ash on the window.

"My brother is away, so I'm free" she said, her voice far away.

Catching her gaze out the window, I recognized that expression of her being deep in thought again.

"Do you do a lot of babysitting duty?" I inquired.

Her short, forced laugh came out. Another thing I had noticed followed when she was leaving her thoughts alone after being asked a semi-serious question.

"You could call it that," she chuckled. "So, you'll come along?"

"Well, I gotta show these Yuppies how to hold their beer, so yeah, sure" I responded with indifference. I'd already said yes to picking Bryony up. Oh, this was going to be interesting.

To be honest, I was looking forward to a good party. Some time to get away from home and my own babysitting duties for a 13-year-old who was perfectly capable of looking after herself. Before we could move onto another conversation, I had pulled into the parking lot. Next to Sierra's car were Nancy and who I could only presume was the Former King Steve I had heard so much about. I casually regarded him leaning against her car like he owned it and discreetly furrowed my brow. So, here was King Steve. Hair similar to mine but in that popular, preppy fashion. Varsity jacket asserting his status - or, former one I should say - I instantly wanted to knock his lights out. However, I gave a dutiful wave. Whether I liked it or not, he was Sierra's friend. From what she had told me, a very trusted friend too.

Sierra got out of the car and greeted her friends, and immediately went to introduce me to Steve. Extending our hands out, I gave his a firm shake and nodded.

"Cool car, man" he remarked.

I thanked him and said a quick hello to Nancy. She smiled sweetly at me and then gave Sierra a half-concealed excited smile with wide eyes. Also known as code for, ' Spill the deets about why you're in Billy Hargrove's car'. It was a look most girls who had been in that car had received from their prying girlfriends. We started walking in, Nancy linking her arm with Sierra's. Steve made small talk to me about basketball and the girls chatted about their respective nights. Nancy kept alluding to mine and Sierra's night at The Communion in a succession of comments like, " I bet you had an interesting night". We entered the building just as the bell for first period sounded.

"Well, it was good meeting you, man. See you at practice next week" Steve said. I returned the sentiment and watched as he threw an arm around Nancy.

"I'll catch up to you guys" Sierra quipped and smiled as Steve raised an eyebrow before ultimately shrugging his shoulders and deciding to head off with Nancy in tow. Turning to me, she continued to smile, but it was different. This one was more genuine and less pressured. "I need to leave early today, so I probably won't catch you. I was going to ask if you're free tomorrow?"

I went over what was planned tomorrow. No plans with Him and Susan, probably just driving Max to the arcade.

"And if you are," she continued "if you'd like to hang out?"

"What have you got planned?" I inquired, gently biting my bottom lip.

"Well, you want to see what this place has to offer, right?" she teasingly asked and returned the small smirk I was giving her. "I think I could show you"

Just when I thought she was learning, that familiar rouge flooded her lightly freckled cheeks and she shyly glanced down at her feet. Huskily chuckling, I leaned against the lockers and clicked my tongue.

"Now that's an offer I can't refuse, Nightingale"