May 1985

~Billy~

It was the end of an era.

The start of something new, the end of something good, or whatever corny fucking label you want to put on it. Either way, the championship game was the beginning of the end. Next was prom, then graduation, then it was the end of my time in this goddamn hell hole and the start of the unknown. If you'd asked me what lay in store for me after graduation back in October, I would've told you I was getting the fuck out of this cow-shit-stinking hick town. I would've told you my plan was to go back to where I could actually get a tan and some decent coke.

Back to good ol' Cali. Home.

But then, I met a girl who I fell deep for and made friends who I actually trusted. To top it all off, I was stuck within the secret we all knew and kept chained to our minds. In turn, I was chained to Hawkins. God, Spring Break was awesome. Sierra and I went surfing every day. Well, I say we both went surfing, Sierra mostly screamed when her feet couldn't touch the surface anymore and paddled off back to shore, leaving me cackling away with the waves crashing into my back as she threw me a defiant middle finger. Fuck, that was funny. California was a good time. There was one thing - one person - that lingered in my mind.

The twang of her old guitar.

"Go on, Billy! You got this!"

The sloshing of the waves above me.

7 feet.

"I'm so proud of you, my angel"

It was 7 feet.

And She was the only person who knew.

"You alright, Hargrove?" Harrington's voice brought me crashing back down to Earth. Suddenly, I was no longer underneath the water. No longer on the beach. She was nowhere to be seen, nowhere to be heard. Just stuck, timelessly, in that old, stinking bar with the guitar as Her only companion. I blinked a couple of times, getting used to my surroundings again. "You alright, man? You were on another planet"

"Yeah, yeah. Fine" I sighed and closed my locker door. It was the Championship game tonight. I was in Hawkins. California and She were long gone now.

"I'm so pumped for this game, man. Honestly, I think we have a real chance this time" Harrington beamed as we walked out of the locker room. The guy must have been smoking some good shit because this was the goddamn happiest I'd seen the bastard. We'd just finished our final practice before the big game tonight. Everyone was gonna be there. Even the press. Something was just in the air that made everyone think we were going to get lucky this time round. "Just gotta keep our A-game on and we'll be fine"

Hawkins Basketball Team well and truly sucked ass. Everyone knew that. No matter how many times those little cheerleaders in their short skirts cheered us on with their fake chants, it would never remove the fact that we'd not won a single championship game since the '60s. Fuck, if it wasn't for Harrington and me, they'd be screwed. That goddamn Jason Carver better keep his eye on the game and not on my girl, or they were facing more than losing tonight. Seriously, the motherfucker had the gall to harass her even after our last 'little chat'. I had no qualms taking the bastard outside and showing him how to do a right hook. Just with him as the fucking target practice.

"Yup, just watch your feet and we'll be alright" I said.

"And you watch your temper" he warned in a low voice. I scoffed contemptuously at him and rolled my eyes. Watch my fucking temper…

"Just as long as you watch your tongue, Harrington" I snapped. This wasn't us fighting. Nah, I'd socked Harrington way too much when I first moved here. This was friendly in comparison.

"I mean it, Billy, I know how pissed you get when you see Carver look at Sierra" Harrington said in a low voice, bringing us to a stop by the door to English.

Through heavy lidded eyes, I just stared at him. A polite beckon for him to continue. But nothing else followed. Harrington was getting good at this whole 'speaking with your eyes' bullshit Pepsi had shown him.

"Well, Harrington," I started nonchalantly, clicking my tongue "if Carver watches where his eyes go, you watch where your feet land, then I'll watch my fucking temper, alright?"

"Billy…" Harrington groaned and rolled his eyes as we started to walk towards the cafeteria. He knew I wouldn't cause a scene. I'd win us the game first and then teach Carver a lesson in Respect 101. "Your folks coming to the game?"

"Old man and his wife" I corrected, earning me another roll of the eyes. The guy was like a fucking preteen, but he was my closest friend in this entire joint so I'd let him have it. "Nope. Not got a clue about me even being on the team. Yours?"

"Nah, away on business. Is Max coming?" he asked.

"Yeah, she is" I said, a small smile growing on my lips. We were pretty good now, Max and I. She showed up to my games quite a lot with Lucas. Those two, Sierra and Pepsi were the only ones who were truly enthusiastic and hopeful for a win. They had faith in me, more than I had in myself. "Heard about Nancy coming along with the pervert?"

"Shit, Billy, he's called - "

"The asswipe who stole your girl?" I twisted around, looking Harrington real directly in the eye. I wasn't going to prance around like everyone else and pretend to like the guy. Nope, no sir. Ain't a fucking snowball's chance in hell. Harrington pinched his nose and groaned loudly. Poor bastard still wished Nancy was his. "I'll stick to pervert" I said in a low voice and started walking away.

"Hargrove, c'mon, we gotta be mature about this" Harrington said as he jogged to keep up with me.

"I am being mature, Harrington. If I wasn't, I would've filled his teeth in by now" I replied. I smoked with the guy every now and then. Not by choice, I should add. Eddie Munson had a real interesting choice in friends. "Not for anyone else, just you"

"Gee, thanks, but no thanks" Harrington droned. "Look, just 'cause I told you about my six nugget dream doesn't mean you have to fill people in and get all protective. Now, cut the talk. The girls are waiting" And cut the talk I would. After all, any talk of this around Sierra was going to result in me getting an ear full later.

Sierra was wearing that summer dress - red with white polka dots, a lettuce trim around the sleeves - she'd worn most days on our trip to California. Fuck, I wanted to go back to those days lazing under the sun again. Every time I got lost in the haze of my own daydreams, I'd find myself drifting back to those moments where we just relaxed, laughed together. We'd been official for seven months now.

Seven months.

Seven months of living in this shithole I both despised and adored calling home. It wasn't my true home though and the faster the clock moved towards graduation, the more harrowing the thoughts of what was next became. What was going to become of the Keg King of Hawkins High? He wouldn't be at said-Hawkins High anymore. The swarms of little followers who were all giddy over their SAT scores would go, and Sierra would follow. She'd gotten into Brown and UCLA to study Literature. Harrington, Nancy, Byers, Pepsi, and I had thrown a surprise party for her as a congratulations. Her Nana baked her a cake and decorated it in homemade icing spelling out, 'Congratulations, our smart woman!'. The most unexpected of all, her bastard of a father bought her a new car. She sold it, and nothing had infuriated me more. Fuck, I loved this girl but the privilege clung onto her like a shadow on a bright day - the grades, the money, the shitty father who thought he could buy her affection, the unconditional college offers. She didn't want to go, didn't want to accept the offers because of Zack. I wanted to fucking scream at her, wanted to yell, "Look at what the world offers you because of what you have and you're about to turn it down?!". Kind, so goddamn kind, and yet so careless when it came to how important these chances were for her. Most of all, she flippantly waved it off and said the chances would always be there How could she turn down fucking Brown and UCLA? But of course, Sierra was intelligent. More importantly, she was fucking rich. If her dad died right now, she'd inherit over a million big smackeroos. I only knew because she'd once brought it up when it was all on the news about the cocksucker building the new mall. "He thinks because he has it in writing that when he dies, I get $5million that he owns me. Well, he's fucking wrong". I'd comforted her, embraced her when she finally cooled down. I hated myself for thinking that $5 million could change a life. She could build a life with that money, live in security. She could buy her way right into college. She could afford to wait. Each and every time these trains of thought came back like an annoying elastic band, the same goddamn question entered my mind: What the fuck was she doing with a working class asshole like me? I was trailer trash in comparison, that guy jiggling a little can with a few cents in under her feet.

The closer we got to that day where 'Class of '85' would be a stinging reminder that everything comes to an end in the form of over-the-top glitter banners, the more the question came back with a vengeance. The more whatever this seething feeling would pop up and spit out of my mouth when Sierra mentioned college.

"You should just go" followed by going outside to be further interrogated about my tone.

My tone? My tone was one of fucking anger. Why was she turning down such a big opportunity?

"I can't leave Zack" which was always followed by "What about you?"

What about fucking me? One offer from a technical college with a basketball scholarship. A potential job with the local mechanic. No progression in my current job. No idea what the hell I was going to do. She had a plan - look after Zack, stay with me, go to college when Zack was old enough. Maybe do some writing for the Hawkins newspaper in the meantime, get experience. My plan? Get out of this hick town. But I couldn't. I wanted so badly to leave, but I wanted her. I wanted to stay. Christ, I could use a smoke.

"Billy, are you okay?" Her gentle voice beckoned me back to the land of the living who were buzzed on the countdown to the Championship game. Sierra's fingers were gingerly curled around my shoulder.

Effortlessly, I slipped the mask on. It was making a comeback.

It was all I had.

"Yeah, just a little dazed. Had a smoke this morning with Munson" I saw Sierra's nose curl up a little. Everyone was silent. Sure, judge the fucking smoker here. We all knew Byers did it too. Oh wait, he had no fucking prospects either. "Jesus, maybe I should get you some too"

Through my heavy lidded eyes, I felt like a third person watching everything again. Just a mere observer to my own destructive path. Steve glanced nervously at Pepsi who in return pinned on a sunny smile and elbowed Sierra to get her attention. Sierra, after staring up at me with a mixture of confusion and disdain, landed her eyes on Pepsi. The girl of my dreams in that summer dress. Both the one person I loved so fucking much and who felt worlds apart from me.

"Sierra, we gotta write that book report for Simpson's class. Let's pull" Pepsi, in all her bubbly glory, turned to me and smiled slightly. "See ya later, Hargrove. Good luck for tonight!"

I gave Sierra a kiss on her forehead and told her I'd see her tonight. Something in me was screaming, "What the fuck are you doing?" as she mumbled a goodbye and smiled sweetly. We were doing so well, yet I felt the riptide. The riptide was me. I watched that red dress as it swayed with my girl's quick step. It had been real in California. California - our laughs, the whispers in each other's ears of how good the future looked for us - had all been real. Happiness in its purest form. A dream. We were still real, still those people. But I was waiting to wake up at any moment now.

"Billy, what the hell is going on, man?" Harrington snapped. His sharp tone was distinctly different from his face. Eyes etched with concern, bemusement. Yet mine were the opposite of the constant screaming of the chained Hargrove inside of me.

"Chill, Harrington" I drawled and felt my feet float towards doors leading to the parking lot.

I'd be skipping the last period today. Instead, I was getting into my Camaro and pissing off to Munson's. He owed me a joint.

~Sierra~

An hour to go until the buzzer rang for the last time we'd see a Hawkins Championship Game. A collective thought would float across the entire auditorium for every person due to graduate next week.

What comes next?

Would we score? Would we win?

Is college going to be okay?

Am I going to be okay?

I'd firmly made my mind up about what came next for me. There was no debate on it. I was staying in Hawkins to help my grandparents raise Zack. After Billy and I arrived back from our time in California, I learned that Grandpa had to be rushed to hospital for an emergency operation on his heart. The once upbeat man who always had a determined and proud stride in his step now carried his tail between his legs as he scuttled around the house, wheezing and desperately clinging onto the forgone confidence of his youth. Time was running out for him. Whether it be a good five years or five months, it shattered any illusion that I could go and heed my grandparents' words that all would be okay. What the fuck had I been thinking in the first place? That I could swan off, get my degree and come back? No, it was never going to happen. Zack and I were family. Sure, my grandparents were family too. Zack enjoyed baking cookies with Nana, liked sitting on Grandpa's lap to read a story. Billy taught him how to play baseball and gave his hair a ruffle whenever he scored. But when there were tears, those small arms reached out only to me. If he was upset, Zack would cry out only one name. If he was mad, Zack stomped away and screamed at one person. If he needed something, Zack would tug on one person's shirt. When he was choosing what to pick for his show and tell, he came to one person for advice. Each and every time, I was that person. I was the constant in his life. No one else.

College could wait, a fact Billy loathed. It seemed pretty straightforward to me. Raise Zack, go to college or do it part time when Zack was older, build a life for us. But every time I attempted to explain this to Billy, he didn't want to hear it. He'd avoid the conversation entirely and go out for a smoke. He'd come back in, we'd cuddle and watch a TV show. The conversation wouldn't be addressed again until the next day. It was a real problem for him that I was waiting to go to college. He wouldn't say why. I didn't want to speculate out of fear I'd sound like a spoiled rich brat, but his actions screamed insecurity over money. The difference a month could make was startling. Going back to California had changed Billy. We'd had the time of our lives out there. Perhaps going back to his hometown had made him reflect. Since that night in the bar, I hadn't received so much as a glimpse into what was going on in his mind. No talk about the Upside Down, no talk about plans after graduation. He was happy at the pool which in turn made me happy. It was nice to see he'd found a sense of belonging outside of our circle. But now, he had a circle entirely consisting of himself and his mind, and he wouldn't let me in no matter how many times I knocked. I felt like a stupid pick-me kid. He deserved his own space. I didn't want to remove any sense of autonomy where he could keep thoughts to himself. But, fuck, I just wished that he would budge an inch. It worried me that he'd started putting the mask back on. Everyone could see it. He was more abrasive at times, more removed from the Billy Hargrove I had grown to love. Billy Hargrove's mask had intrigued me, but it wasn't what made me love him. The Hargrove I loved danced around a fire pit with me under the Californian stars, questioned me that day in The Communion as to why I couldn't leave Hawkins, the guy whose tears ran freely when he professed his love for me in the Hawkins Middle School parking lot. That Billy Hargrove, for whatever reason, was fading, and it was fucking heartwrenching.

I could get him back, I knew I could. He was still in there somewhere. Somewhere between serenity and chaos hid Billy Hargrove. I'd just have to wait for which one he'd choose.

A quick glance at my alarm clock told me it was nearly time to leave. Rain hammered on the bedroom window. Summertime wasn't quite yet on the horizon. I finished off my mascara and ran downstairs where Nana was washing the leftover dishes. She turned around and flashed me the same sunny smile I'd seen every morning, noon and night since moving. I felt so guilty. She shouldn't have to be the one giving me this smile. But if it wasn't her, then who else? Mom was long gone, Dad too lost in his rage. But as much as I wanted to love this smile, I couldn't help but wish I didn't have to see it. Fuck, I was a shitty human.

My lips curled upwards slightly in an attempt to return the warmth from the woman who made it no secret she adored her grandkids. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I just couldn't goddamn do it. As soon as the smile plastered itself on my face, it wavered. Those fucking dishes. I should be doing those. I left them on the goddamn side. Christ, isn't this what I always wanted? To be a teenager?

"Give Billy my love, sweetheart" Nana called. Behind me, a hacking cough signaled Grandpa's presence. "Oh, darling, please take some of that cough syrup I got for you!"

"Dorothy, you and that goddamn cough syrup!" Grandpa chided sharply. Words like 'goddamn' were a regular part of my vocabulary, but Grandpa was one of those who only swore when incandescent with rage. I'd only heard him swear or blaspheme on a sporadic amount of occasions in my whole life, but since getting ill, he'd been consumed by an fury only a man angry at his own mortality could have. "I'm just coughing!"

I twisted back round to see Nana nervously twiddle with a dish, persisting with a mission to clean and dry it despite being dry as a bone. She turned back around, burying her own misgivings with a cheery hum. When I turned around to see Grandpa, his eyes were sunk into his skull and fixated on the ground, lost in thought.

"Have a good time at the game, honey" Grandpa said, his tone a complete change. It was like I was seeing a different man, the man I knew as opposed to the cross stranger.

Giving me a small smile, I returned it and went to get my black Docs on as quickly as I could. The silence in this house was suffocating. Even more suffocating was the grief consuming me. I'd known this from the start.

Everything was temporary.

God, I'd never seen anything like it. Excitement pervaded the entire auditorium. People were giddy with hope, buzzing with a sense of animation reminiscent of opening birthday presents as a kid. This was the first time the Hawkins Tigers had reached the Championship since my Dad's heyday back in the '60s. Not to be biased, but I knew a lot of this excitement was because of Billy. He'd proved himself to be a vital part of the basketball team and the crowd alike. He was a crowd favourite. The thing with Billy was he made up his own rules in life. Basketball wasn't exempt from this. Steve had told me that the guys on the team didn't know whether his approach was a blessing or a curse. It got them points, but also got them losses. He'd been sent off a few times and reprimanded. As per, Billy would roll his eyes, smirk and come back with a bang. He was buzzing on the atmosphere felt by everyone else tonight too. He was a part of something, an important part. Even the band was lit tonight! They were playing fucking Celebration by Kool and The Gang! After wishing Steve and Billy good luck, Pepsi, Nancy, Max and I joined the rest of the school in the stands.

"Ugh, they're doing our routine!" Pepsi groaned, flinging her arm dramatically towards the cheerleaders who were performing a sleek routine of jumps and low-V's. Yup, those bitches had definitely stolen it from us. "Seriously, if they do the tumble and roll I am seriously going to flip"

"Hey, maybe that can be your next move, Peps!" Max laughed which earned her a playful shove from Pepsi.

"Alright, Sass Queen, maybe you can show them a few too" Pepsi giggled.

"I'd rather shit in my hands and clap" Max rolled her eyes and laughed.

"That would make a great stunt! Hey, Sierra, maybe we can get Bryony to do it!" Pepsi did in that theatrical whisper of hers everyone would hear. Barely concealing my smirk, I pressed a finger to my lips in a gesture for Peps to shush. "But, girl, how good would it be?"

"So good, but you're hated by the cheerleaders enough. They still flinch when they see you buy anything bottled at lunch" I snickered. God, it was so amusing to see the dread on their faces. Especially when Peps pretend to trip when we got near their table. Her little antics had them ridiculously traumatized.

"Hey, look! They're coming out!" Nancy shrieked and we all joined the applauding audience, whooping Steve and Billy's names, as the Hawkins Tigers filed in.

However, our cheers died down when Tommy took to the microphone standing ceremoniously in the middle of the auditorium. A smug, lopsided grin on his face, the room waited on bated breath for the head of the basketball team to speak. The room fell to a silence and Tommy goddamn thrived from all the attention. I couldn't help but smirk when I saw Billy roll his eyes.

"Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Tommy asked brazenly into the microphone, receiving a load of ear-piercing feedback. God, just strike me the fuck down now. Everyone else was still standing when Pepsi loudly sighed and sat back down. Jesus, I really admired how much she did not give two shits. "You know what I realized tonight, Hawkins?" Nope, but I had a funny feeling he was going to let us know anyway! "We haven't won a single game since the '60s" Oh my God, seriously, Hagen? It took you your entire high school life to realize a well known fact? I sucked my lips inwards, catching Billy's eye as he pressed a finger to his lips and winked. "But all that is going to change - and it's going to change tonight. Right here, right now!" he proceeded to shout, clutching at the microphone. From the look on his face, Billy and I were thinking the exact same thing: what a goddamn cliche. "You hear that, Hawkins? Say it with me - right here, right now!" And with his loyal followers just as pumped up as he was, Tommy dramatically pulled the microphone from the stand and threw it on the floor, walking nonchalantly away to aggressively slap his teammates on the back in some show of masculine determination.

Oh, he'd definitely done a line or two before this.

Steve, with the seriousness of a businessman entering a million-dollar deal glazed on his face, slapped Billy's shoulder and they got to work. This was a big deal for Steve. In his eyes, this was all he had. This was his reputation. He couldn't get the grades, he couldn't have the girl he wanted, or the life he had before the Upside Down where he didn't have to sleep with a pistol in his drawer. But basketball? Basketball was his life, his getaway. It wasn't just some game for him tonight. His parents were here to watch, as were all the parents of the Hawkins Tigers. Like the players, they had been dreaming of this moment. The only one who stuck out was Billy. Max was here for him, but Neil and Susan hadn't shown. As to whether they knew, that was a different story. But we were here, the ones who cared. And that's all that mattered.

~Billy~

I was getting way too pissed off. The chants from the crowd were beginning to belt me across the face and seeing that fucking scoreboard… well, that was another story. We were always one behind. The coach kept chastising me for playing a little too unfairly. He called it unfair, I called it kicking some fucking ass. These bunch of bastards from Rogersville County thought they could beat us and give us shit? They had another goddamn thing coming. Sweat beaded on my forehead, my curls stuck to it. I wasn't going to lose in front of Max and my girl. No way, not happening. Nor was I going to let these stuck up Yuppy kids think they were better than us. Let's be honest, Hagen and I were the only ones playing with the same agenda. If we couldn't beat their asses on the court, we'd beat them outside. Harrington was alright, playing to the book as usual. As much as I hated to say it, Carver wasn't doing too bad. But if he looked at my girl one more time, he'd been joining the pussies from Rogersville when their teeth met the kerb.

"Shame your girl couldn't join the cheerleaders tonight, Hargrove" Carver said, wiping sweat from his forehead. My fists clenched. I couldn't do shit in front of an audience. I grabbed the plastic water bottle he offered me, feeling it crunch in my tightened grip. My seething eyes didn't leave his once.

"Hey, keep your eyes on the game, Carver" Harrington interjected, forcefully moving Carver to where he should fucking be - away from me. Harrington returned, his pointed finger prodding my chest. "Yours too, Hargrove. I mean it"

"I mean it" I mocked in a shrill voice before turning around and running to join him. I was stuck with the bastard and I knew he was right whether I liked it or not.

Two minutes to go. We were going to win. The coach told us to sting like a bee. No, I was a fucking hornet and these bastards were my prey. I looked over at Harrington as the whistle pierced the silence and we jolted into action. Sometimes you can tell a lot by the look on one person's face. A lot was at stake for him. His reputation, his life, his image of himself. As the seconds flew by, the more Harrington began to think. I slamdunked the ball, the crowd screaming my name. Without another moment, we sprung back into action and Harrington and I darted to our end of the court again.

He was cornered.

"Hargrove!" he yelled and suddenly the ball was in my hand.

30 seconds.

Sweat dripped down my forehead. Drop by drop.

I had a choice here.

I could score. Be the King.

Cling onto the fame.

My name was on their lips.

What else would I have after this?

15 seconds.

I sprinted with the ball. I had to think fast.

But I caught Harrington's eyes.

My time in Hawkins could end.

I wanted California, had a girl who I wanted to build my life with.

Harrington wanted the six nuggets who he could tell his stories.

Ah, fuck.

I guess I better let the bastard have this one.

"Harrington!" I barked.

Suddenly finding the ball in his hands, Harrington peered up at me, starstruck.

"Plant your fucking feet!"

And as he threw that ball, I knew those words would be the ending he'd retell over and over again. Just without the 'fuck' part.

The buzzer sounded and the crowd went wild.

For the first time in over 20 years, Hawkins High had won the Championship Game. And it was Harrington who had made the winning shot in the final seconds. Christ, now that was a cliche.

Harrington suddenly found himself flanked by the entire team, and when we found each other amongst the sweat and yells, he nodded at me and locked his hand with mine, pressing down on it tight.

"For your six nuggets, Harrington" I called over the crowd who'd gone absolutely crazy.

"You sentimental bastard, Hargrove" Harrington chuckled and threw an arm over my shoulders. Despite the cheers, despite the shouts for his name, I could hear Harrington sniff.

"This is a fucking night to remember, Hawkins!" Hagan screamed and suddenly, Harrington was lifted into the air, carried by the other players.

"The King himself!" I shouted out, clapping along with everyone else. A smile crawled on my lips. I was a part of this moment. Harrington would tell those six damn nuggets of his about this night and in my mind, there was a hope. One last taste of fame. One taste of normality after all we had seen.

But right now, there was only one thing I wanted. As the crowd filled the court, joining the masses of people carrying Harrington, there was only one person I wanted to see. The moment I laid eyes on her, I grabbed her hand and pulled her through the doorway the crowd had managed to partially block, and we ran laughing into the pouring rain outside. Rain drenched us, a cool relief to the sweaty hoard in there.

"Billy! Don't you want to be with the others?" Sierra asked as I bundled her in my arms.

"That's Harrington's moment" I breathed, brushing loose ringlets out of her glowing green eyes.

Harrington would gather his kids around a fireplace and recall this moment with such glory, but I wanted to gather mine and tell them how I took their mother's hand and kissed her in the rain. I'd been an asshole this last month. Perhaps it was how we all knew this winning game would live on through our voices in years to come. It was a sense of belonging I hadn't felt before. I still didn't give a shit about class or graduation, but it was good to actually be a part of someone else's story. Jesus, Harrington was right about me being a sentimental old bastard.

"I suppose it's nice to be rained on with you" Sierra giggled. "I'm really proud of you for giving Harrington his moment to shine"

"I'm just glad he didn't miss the shot" I chuckled and bit my lip as I looked up at her, feeling the warmth of her overjoyed gaze.

"He told you about the six nuggets, didn't he?" I nodded and we both laughed together. I kinda liked that word, nugget. "Honestly, the guy is a total mom"

"It's sorta cute" I laughed. Six little Harringtons. Hawkins truly was fucked if they came into existence.

"Holy shit, did you, the Billy Hargrove, use the word 'cute'?" Sierra gasped theatrically and playfully swatted me on the arm.

"Alright, alright, have your moment" I laughed and rocked gently from one foot to the other. I'd spent an entire month trying to keep the mask on, but it could slip in an instant in front of her. She just knew the right words, the right way to keep the real Hargrove around. She laced her fingers with mine and smiled warmly up at me. "I call you cute all the time, remember, Princess?"

"But to call the spawn of Harrington 'cute' is another thing entirely"

"Fucking 'spawn'? Hanging around Henderson a bit too much, Nightingale?"

"Ooh, that's a new low, Hargrove"

I moved my thumb to meet her plump bottom lip, brushing it over the soft pink skin.

"Just shut up and kiss me, Princess" I breathed, leaning down as I brought her lips to mine. "I love you" I murmured between kisses, my fingers getting lost in her ringlets as I deepened the kiss.

Our lips slow danced together and what I knew to be true really started to feel like it. I could hear the crashing waves, feel the sun beat down on us, see the giggling boy and girl run down a little pathway lined by lavender bushes into the house I desperately wanted to call home. It was her, it was me, it was us. Our futures, our lives. One day, I hoped, our family. That's what I wanted after graduation - to take care of us, Zack. I wanted to ensure Sierra could go to college, help her to raise Zack, get my own place. It would take time, but in this moment with the electricity coursing through our kiss, the knowledge we could survive anything, I was certain I could make this come as real as we were right now.

"Sorry to interrupt…"

But with that one voice, the once gentle waves contorted into a tsunami. The lavender bushes set alight. Our boy and girl lost to the smoke. He would always remind me that the house was on fire.

And it would never stop burning.

I lifted my head from Sierra's and felt a cold chill run down my spine as his warning from months ago barked in my mind.

"That Sierra is to stay a friend only"

I remembered His glare, the way His nostrils had been flaring.

But as He leaned against the doorway, His arms crossed over His chest, a completely different look took place of the fury.

It was one of amusement. One of those, 'Well look'ee here' expressions. He was smirking. The fucking Bastard was smirking. I stood up straight and suppressed a defeated sigh, awaiting whatever punishment lay ahead of me for defying His words. I placed my hand on the small of Sierra's back, stroking my thumb against her wet back.

"Good to see you again, Miss Nightingale" He called over and began walking towards us, His hands behind His back. "Well done on winning, son. Good game" God, it fucking killed Him to congratulate me. But like me, He had His own mask. The Family Man. The Good Guy. The Man Least Suspected. Shit, when did He even show up? I hadn't noticed Him at all in the crowd. "Billy, you never told us you were courting Miss Nightingale"

"Really, Mr Hargrove, you can call me Sierra" Sierra said with a smile everyone else would perceive as kind, but to me, I knew it was forced from the way her entire body froze.

"Well, Sierra, I won't take up too much of your time. Just wanted to congratulate my son" Almost hesitantly, He patted my shoulder. "I'm sure we'll talk later, William"

We wouldn't talk. No, no words would come before the first punch. Then He would talk. I would stay silent. Another punch would come. Blood would run, I would go to bed and the final nail in the coffin of that Californian dream would come down.

He still worked for Anthony Nightingale. Got that promotion after all. Bought a new car and an oven for Susan. Max got a new skateboard and I got a cheap lighter from the garage and a pack of Marlborough Reds. He knew I smoked, found the evidence when he'd punched my arm one time I wore a tank top after coming back from practice three minutes too late.

"Just not in my house, William" He'd growled. Bastard.

The hand I held Sierra's back with shook, forming into a fist to kill the weakness.

How much had He heard?

"Well, if you don't mind, Mr Hargrove, Billy and I were going to head out with Max and some of our friends to celebrate at the diner" she said sweetly, holding my fist with her hand and soothingly rubbing a thumb against my skin. "Billy could stay at mine so we don't wake - "

"Ah, so that's where you've been most nights for seven months!" He laughed, throwing His head back. Goddamn fucking bastard. What the fuck was He up to? "Of course, Sierra! That's swell. Here, have a drink on me, son. You've earned it"

And with that, He took a $10 note and pushed it into my free hand, slapped my shoulder and gave it a tight squeeze, His eyes locked onto mine.

"See you real soon, kiddo" He said before walking away.

The moment I knew the coast was clear, I heaved out an exhale, slacking slightly and pinched the bridge of my nose. The Family Man. The Good Guy. The Asshole with a trick up His sleeve. No one would guess He'd knock me about. No, now He was The Doting Father who gave his son $10 to buy a milkshake.

"We should head back inside" I murmured.

"Billy - "

"Come on"

"Billy - "

"Not now" I snapped. With a sigh, I shook my head and ran fingers through my curls. One moment I had been winning and the next, I had been defeated yet again by Him. "Sorry. Let's get inside, Princess. Don't want you catching a cold"

I laced my fingers with Sierra's hand and we walked back inside the auditorium to find Harrington back on the floor. My eyes scoured the room to find a sullen Max next to Him and Susan who were talking to Harrington's parents. The only consolation was I didn't have to hide that I was with Sierra now. We joined Harrington who slapped me on the back and drew both Sierra and I in for a hug.

"We fucking did it!" he yelled, swaying us from side to side.

The guy was hyped up on the knowledge in years to come, he could look back at this moment. Whatever life threw at him, he knew he had this moment to reflect on. His parents showing up meant he could feel like a hero in their eyes. Taking back the championship his father had failed to do 20 years prior. But with me, I knew I'd made my girl at risk. I never wanted to expose her to Him. They hadn't laid eyes on one another since that tense meeting at my house seven months ago. And now, He was going to do whatever it took to ruin this. I wouldn't let him. I'd do whatever it took to ensure He didn't.

"Hey, Earth to Hargrove!" I blinked several times and adjusted myself back to reality. Harrington was shaking my shoulders. "We fucking won, man! The nuggets are gonna know!"

"If you don't name one after me, I'm gonna tell them I took the winning shot" I winked at Sierra who started laughing.

"Not the nuggets, man, come on!" Harrington jokingly groaned, flinging an arm around Pepsi who had joined us. She brandished a flask and Harrington secretly poured down the contents down his throat. "Good whiskey. You know me well, Peps!"

"Hey, if you don't get your ass up there to get the trophy then I really will get the nuggets" And yes, I definitely meant his balls.

With that, Harrington spun on his heel and was lifted by the crowd to collect the newest property of Hawkins High from the sulking losers. The shining trophy gleamed under the auditorium lights and I let a soft smile form on my lips. I'd never seen Harrington so goddamn happy in my life.

"Ooh, Byers is here with the camera!" Pepsi squealed and dragged both Sierra and I to be next to Harrington who'd finally been put back on the floor.

Harrington swung the trophy up in the air, ready for the camera. All of the families were in the bleachers, looking so proud of their kids. Harrington gave a thumbs up to his dad who returned it with the gusto of a proud Yuppy father whose kid had finally made it. He'd love to boast at the office. And so would He. No matter what was going to come my way, I wouldn't let Him ruin this moment. I had my friends surrounding me, Sierra around my arm and the knowledge that if life ever failed me, I could ironically look back to today before cursing myself for letting myself be that fucker who looked back fondly on the ol' high school days. I peered down at Sierra whose reassuring green eyes were looking at me already I readjusted my arm around her shoulders and pulled her to me, kissing her forehead.

"You know I've got your back, right?" she whispered among the cheers.

"Since Day One, Princess" I whispered back and to the joy of the crowd, kissed her right there and then. The crowd went wild. Jesus, these guys really needed to get some action if a kiss was going to drive them crazy.

"The Keg King has his Queen!" some guy shouted from the bleachers. I lifted my head from hers and we laughed together, rolling our eyes at these cringeworthy motherfuckers.

"Get a room, guys!" Pepsi jokingly chided and swatted my arm.

"Don't get those panties of yours in a twist, Peps!" I laughed back and threw an arm around her shoulder, hauling her in.

"Right, get ready for the photo!" Nancy shouted and motioned a countdown.

"Whatcha say, Pepsi? Be my Marilyn to JFK for tonight?" Hagan cackled, snagging Pepsi over.

Pepsi, with a roll of the eyes, made her own history that night and pushed an unsuspecting Tommy Hagan quite literally off his high horse just as the camera flashed. Now forever, Hagan would have a place in Hawkins High as the guy screaming his ass off as he tumbled over a knelt down Bryony. As Bryony glared up, Pepsi shrugged and boisterously slapped mine and Harrington's backs.

"Hey, who fancies a strawberry milkshake?" she ceremoniously asked. I'd never seen Bryony's ass move so damn quickly. "God, cheerleaders are so touchy!"

As we all threw our heads back laughing, my eyes suddenly latched onto His. He was watching me. Watching us.

We may have won the Championship tonight.

But now, I had another game on my hands.

And this time, I would take the winning shot.