Resolutions Part I

A/N: For you MorganaV :)

A large amount of Billy's anger had subsided, but it was plain to see something was still there. His previously curled lip, locked in a perpetual snarl, had now fallen back into that bored, uninterested expression. If anything, it resembled resolve. His fists weren't clenched like he was ready to punch something or someone, but instead shoved into his pockets as though that would help fight the urge to do so. And his eyes…they no longer looked fueled by fire but instead lacked any light at all…any fight. It had bled out of him. His bruises had turned from vibrant purple and blue to a lighter brown and yellowing hue. And the swelling had subsided to the point that he finally looked somewhat normal again. Whatever that meant for Billy.

It had been an uneventful day. As promised, her mom only had a half day at work, so she spent the rest of her day watching TV with Neil, relaxing, or doing miscellaneous work. Max only knew this for the seldom times she had to leave her room to either use the bathroom or get something to eat. Otherwise, she'd retreat back to her safe haven. She could feel their eyes on her from time to time, although they never really said anything. At one point she heard them talking about her mom's work party again, and Max was flooded again with the memory of Neil pushing the idea of going out and having Billy take her.

Even though Neil said she and Billy could go to the downtown fireworks show, she wasn't completely sure they were going, or if Billy even wanted to. She wasn't sure if she wanted to. Sure, it was an opportunity to get out of the house, but Neil had decided to go with her mom to her office party, so Max would at least get some time to be at peace with him out of the house. Even if only for a couple of hours. Would Billy feel the same way?

Max wondered if she should ask him about it. See if he felt up to it, or even wanted to. It was hard to imagine Billy enjoying fireworks, especially if it seemed forced. She hadn't seen him leave his room to get lunch when her mom said it was ready, and it was a shock that Neil didn't lash out when Billy didn't bother to respond or even leave his room. Then again, lunch wasn't one of those moments where Neil felt the need for a family gathering, so maybe that was why. Still, it was starting to feel like Billy was avoiding them all. Perhaps that was because being around Neil, or her, would make him angry all over again?

Max had only gotten one glimpse of Billy when he'd finally emerged to slip into the bathroom. His footsteps were light, so much so that she almost missed it. It was like he'd also been trying to fly under the radar. She waited until the click of the door signaled he was headed back to his room and peeked her head through the crack in her door. The look on his face had almost made her rear back in shock, followed by an immediate flood of discomfort in her chest. He was somber Billy, which was an unpredictable one. His lips were downturned and the furrow was so deeply etched into his brow that she almost mistook it for another scratch she'd missed. As though he sensed her there he glanced up, but their eyes never met. She opened her mouth to speak, but he only brushed past her and slipped back into his room.

So he's still upset with me then? she thought as a frown of her own took form. Or maybe he was still upset about Neil pretending like he hadn't lost control? He'd just be angry if that was it, right? She thought about their conversation in the car. Is he upset about me saying he doesn't have to be like his dad, or…? She pursed her lips in thought as she sunk back to her bed. Could it be Billy was still mad because she had brought up his mom the last time they spoke?

Shut up, Max, or I'm gonna lose it.

She remembered the sinister warning. Even now, the memory of that cryptic tone sent a chill through her body.

Max sighed. Why was it so difficult to tell what was going through Billy's head? Trying to pinpoint the exact thing eating at him when it seemed like everything was… Yeah, that was an impossible task. Of course, she knew she could very well be one of the things, but that slightly bored glance that was over before she knew it? It held no real malice towards her, not like before. So, it didn't really seem like he was still angry with her now that she thought about it. Sure he wasn't exactly talking to her, but that was just Billy. He hadn't exactly come out and said he'd forgiven her either, not that she really expected him to. She'd likely be a little shocked to hear the words if he had. He hadn't verbally done it that time after the night on the road either. He'd just given her the $20, which was probably as close as he'd ever get.

She couldn't help but wonder if giving him the tickets might pull him the rest of the way out of his mood. Not that she particularly loved snarky, prankster Billy, but anything would be better than this. She could wait until her mom and Neil were away at the work party and catch him in the hallway again. Maybe just hand him the box or toss it to him with a shouted, "Think fast!" like she originally planned. But that little voice inside her head told her it might also make it worse. What if he hated them? Blamed her more and thought they weren't important enough to warrant her risk?

She rubbed her hands over her face and slumped into the pillow in defeat. Her divided mind told her plainly that Billy needed more time to get past everything–that she needed to wait just a bit longer before taking that risk. She had plenty of time after all, seeing as the concert wasn't until February.

Max sighed again, deciding to just give him the needed space. He might be healing outwardly, but inside? She knew things were still too fresh.

. . .

Distracting herself for the rest of the day had proven to be a harder task than Max had thought it would be. Billy hadn't come back out of his room but one more time, and even when the doubt lingered in her mind, she stuck true to her decision and left him alone.

Space, Max. Give him some space.

When 9 o'clock rolled around—Max with her face pressed into her comics, desperate for some comedic relief—her mom popped her head into her room with a bright smile on her face.

"Max, honey, can you come help me choose a dress for the party? I can't decide, and Neil says they both look fine."

"Sure, mom. Although I'm not sure I would be the best judge of what makes a good dress." She said, giving a small attempt at a laugh.

"Well, I'm sure you will be able to tell me which looks better. It's better than hearing 'fine,'" Her mom said, patting her arm.

Max shrugged as she followed after her mom. She slipped from her room only to see Billy standing in the bathroom, the door wide open, and Neil taking up the space. His back was turned, so she couldn't see the look on his face that he might be giving. Billy seemed attentive, if not also bored as he usually managed to do. His blinking was slow and his lips were set in a flat line that failed to reflect any emotion at all.

To successfully look that uninterested yet aware… It must be a talent, she thought.

Her feet slowed on their own accord as she wondered what Neil could be telling him so…calmly. His voice was muted, which ruled out anger at least. Was he talking to him about the fireworks show, or was he giving an order like before to take her somewhere even though she'd said she didn't want to? Was he talking about the car? Truly there were so many things she could think of regarding the subject matter that it was impossible to settle on just one.

Max watched as Neil shifted his arm like he was reaching toward Billy. Billy didn't flinch, just glanced down at whatever Neil was doing before giving a nod. She watched his lips as he murmured something but she couldn't make it out without needing to step closer. She didn't want to risk drawing Neil's attention for being a bit nosy so she looked away and continued down the hall to where her mom slipped into her bedroom.

Max peered over her shoulder just to see if Neil was following her. When she didn't see him, she pushed their bedroom door open and stepped inside. She didn't bother to look around, already hating the fact that she was in there at all, especially with Neil so close. The place felt taboo, off limits. The uneasy feeling in her chest grew so thick, that she crossed her arms for a sense of security and stayed near the door. Knowing Neil was just down the hall, so close, made her feel as though she was being compressed into a tight ball of rubber bands, ready to snap.

Her eyes focused on her mom as she pushed the door closed, earning her attention. Susan wore the bright orange dress that Neil had gifted her for Christmas. It fit a bit awkwardly, draping against her frame so that it brought attention to her figure, making everything seem so… sharp. Her hips and the way they stuck out, her arms when she lifted them up to the fabric to smooth out any non-existent wrinkles. It sucked all the color from her face, and compared to her hair it was just too much orange altogether.

"Well, honey, what do you think?"

Max cleared her throat as she tried to find the words. Her mom was the kind of person that would wear a gift to show her appreciation for it even if it wasn't her style. To Max, it was more clear than ever that Neil chose something at random as her gift.

Max offered her a smile. "It needs some balance. Maybe that green shawl from grandma, or a necklace and matching heels? Something."

"Great idea," Susan said as she turned towards her jewelry box. Just as she pulled something out for Max's approval, the phone rang, its long shrill echoing through the room. Max jumped, feeling her heart sink into the bottom of her stomach. It was as if she had expected Neil to come barging through the door, and she huffed out an impatient noise at her own overreaction. Her mom, still trying to fasten the necklace around her neck, peered at her over her arm when it rang again.

"Can you get that, sweetheart? I think Neil might be out warming up the car or something…"

Max gave a nod and stepped towards the nightstand just as the third ring cut off. She held the receiver to her ear, ready to greet the caller when Neil's stern, hard voice cut across the line. It was nothing short of menacing, catapulting Max right back to the other night when that tone was directed right at her. She bit down on her lip hard to stifle any noises and the urge to wince even as her hand shook where it held the phone to her ear.

"I'm only going to say this one. more. time. Do not call this house again."

The other person on the line didn't speak.

Neil's heavy breathing was backed by a string of muted curses, followed by a mumbled, "...the nerve to call my fucking house..."

The phone slammed.

Max quickly pulled the receiver from her ear from the abrupt noise. Whoever was on the other line must have said something to really piss him off.

Just as Max went to hang up, she heard a crackle through the phone.

Are they still on?

Slowly, she raised it to her ear.

The person on the other end gave a heavy, frustrated sigh, but they didn't speak. Only a soft 'click' alerted Max that they hung up. Then, the dial tone filled the silence.

Max blinked, frozen for a moment. She wished she had answered sooner so she could have found out who it was. Something about the tone in Neil's voice—the one that still had her stuck in position—didn't seem like the kind he would take with simple prank callers.

Just as she unlocked her stiff arm to bring the phone back to the receiver, the well-known stomps sounded outside the door. It swung open, just inches from slamming against the wall. Neil's eyes snapped to her as she set the phone down, and his eyes hardened. They moved from the phone to her face, penetrating and lethal. He took a step into the room, and her mother turned to face them both.

"Who was on the phone?" she said.

Max opened her mouth, but once again her voice was lost in the sudden dryness that sucked away every bit of wetness on her tongue. She swallowed and glanced back at Neil.

"Prank callers again," he growled. "I made sure they knew their place though. Getting sick and tired of repeating myself."

"That's good, hun... Can you help me with my necklace? I don't think I like this one," Susan asked Neil, drawing his eyes off Max.

Max took the moment to move back towards the door, skirting around to keep from brushing shoulders with Neil. She wanted to flee the room as fast as possible, so much so that her hand was sweaty from the building nerves. He'd seen her on the phone…Did that mean he'd come to ask her about it soon? And what about what he'd said about them knowing their place? Was he directing that at her? No way that wasn't about her. Right?

Deep breaths, Max. Don't panic yet.

"Thanks for your help, sweetheart!" her mom yelled as Max let the door close behind her. She could hear her heart thumping loudly in her ears like a drum. It made her head heavy, and for a moment she thought she might pass out. She hadn't paid any attention to where she was going as she practically sprinted down the hall, but once she reached the bedroom door, she twisted the handle and pushed inside, slamming the door closed a little too hard. She slid down to the floor, leaning against the closest soft surface, and wrapped her arms as tight around her knees as she could. Only when her arms began to ache did she start to calm and relax.

Please let them leave soon, she thought. She knew she wouldn't move until Neil's pounding steps passed by and the front door opened and closed again. Surely he wouldn't come looking for her when the party was starting soon. Her mom wouldn't want to be late.

She sucked in a breath and pushed on her eyes until little stars formed, but was snapped from her moment when the door opened and Billy entered the room. His hair was still dripping, but the towel draped around his neck seemed to stop the water from hitting the floor. His sleeveless shirt looked even more stretched than before and, for a moment, it looked as though he was somewhat relaxed. It was short lived though.

He kicked the door closed with his bare foot and took a step towards his bed when he glanced out of the corner of his eye, catching Max there on the floor by his sofa. He jumped. "Jesus!" he cried, taking two steps back with wide eyes as he processed what he was seeing. "What the hell are you doing in my room?!"

Max scrambled to find words. She didn't know why her legs led her here. "I-I…well..."

"Get out, Max." Billy groaned, tossing his towel onto the bed. "Why the hell would you just come in here like you own the place?"

"I… just didn't want to be in my room," she said, staring down at the tops of her knees.

"Yeah, and I don't want to be hosting surprise guests. Now get out!" he said, his frustration plain as day.

Max's shoulders slumped. She hesitated for a moment before softly admitting, "I don't want to be by myself right now."

Billy was silent for a moment, but she could feel him watching her, trying to see behind the meaning of her words. He sighed and turned to face her. She looked up just as he began to march towards her. Max tensed, waiting for him to snatch her up and drag her out, but instead, he waved his hand for her to move.

"Get off of the floor, Max."

She bit her bottom lip to keep it from wobbling, wishing he could see that she just wanted to sit there. She wouldn't even speak if it meant he wouldn't kick her out.

She stood on shaking legs and expected to have him escort her out, but instead, he began to swipe and pile all of the dirty clothes from the couch. He tossed them onto the floor instead and nodded toward the empty space.

"You can stay," he said, his voice only slightly less harsh. "But only until they go to that party. Then, you get the hell out."

Max blinked. She tried to get her tongue working again so she could thank him, but it wouldn't come unstuck from the roof of her mouth. She hadn't expected him to actually let her stay without putting up any real fight. As she kept her eyes on him, she slowly took a seat, sinking into the old sofa. She wanted to draw her knees up again, but instead, she just twiddled her thumbs and watched as Billy snatched the towel back up and plopped down onto his bed.

Max hadn't anticipated how dry the silence between them would be. It was stiff as though the air between them was pulled taut and any little prick to the center would cause it to explode. She wasn't sure if she should try talking because she didn't want to do anything to make him kick her out sooner. She picked at an invisible nothing on her pants when he cast her an annoyed glance. He roughly dragged the towel through his head, which only created a mess of his already wild curls. It gave his disapproving look a more 'creature backed into a corner' look.

Max felt herself ease as she watched him, noticing the way his shoulder went from tense and tight to slightly drooped and relaxed. He didn't glance in her direction again but reached down to pluck a shirt from the pile he'd tossed onto the floor. He dug into the pocket of his pants and pulled out a small pocket knife, flipping it open.

She knew she was staring, but she still tried to make it look like the small hole in her pants was more important than what he was doing. But it was hard not to watch when she'd always wondered what he did in his spare time shut up in his room. She furrowed her brow as he held open the sleeve of a shirt and stabbed the knife through.

Her eyes went from the jagged edges he was gouging into the shirt to the cut-off he was currently wearing, and it suddenly made sense. He was making another shirt. Max flattened her lips to keep from snorting at the incredibly difficult way he was going about making his cut. The knife was dull at best so if anything it just tore and shredded the material instead of cutting it. Given the state of his room, Max couldn't help but think he probably had a pair of scissors nearby that would make it much easier, but Billy was so focused on his task, she didn't want to break it by making him annoyed again with a suggestion.

Max's eyes landed on the car keys that had seemingly been tossed onto his nightstand. Neil must have given them to him earlier when she'd seen them talking. They looked abandoned sprawled out there. Usually, Billy would keep it in his coat pocket or some secure place. She wondered if he'd tossed them down because having them back was still so temporary. He couldn't really enjoy it.

Her mind wandered to the fireworks show again because why else would Neil have given him the keys? He'd be tasked with watching her again while they were gone, so it wasn't like Billy would be allowed to go anywhere else. She looked back up at him to see him finally detach one sleeve and toss it toward the small pile of trash near the door. It missed by a long shot.

"So…um are we still going to the fireworks show downtown?" Max finally asked.

Billy snorted and looked over at Max as though she'd just asked if the sky was blue. "Not like I have a damn choice." He started in on the second sleeve, ripping his knife through the fabric so quickly it made a harsh tearing noise. She winced for the sake of the old shirt and pursed her lips in thought as she stared at the way his jaw clenched and unclenched.

Not like I have a damn choice.

Max's mind played over the words, and she stared at the cast-aside keys once more. She had to wonder if Billy felt like getting handed the keys was an order like yesterday when he had to drive her to the arcade. Neil had suggested she go out to the fireworks show, and "taking Billy with her" meant he was automatically required to escort her. Although, when he'd suggested she go, she couldn't decide if that was an order in itself or if he was merely trying to save face after the last incident. It was hard to tell a command from a suggestion because typical Niel never actually made them. Then again, he wasn't really acting like himself recently either.

His words hadn't originally been "to the fireworks show" but that if she didn't see her friends, Billy could take her "somewhere." Didn't that imply a suggestion if there ever was one? Maybe it meant they could just stay home, or do something else as long as they stayed together? But even that assumption felt risky because when it came to Neil, assuming something wasn't a command was a bad idea.

"Well, Neil did say we would go out for New Years. So why not take the opportunity to go out so you're not so…crammed in this room?" she said.

"Go out? You fuckin' serious, Max?" He shook his head and tossed the other sleeve to the side before pocketing his knife and stretching the new arm holes so that they were almost five times as wide as before. "You know as well as I do that he will damn well twist those words and find another fucking excuse to punish me again.

She knew he wasn't wrong. Her mind went back to earlier when she'd answered the phone and how Neil looked at her when he caught her on it. He might have been acting strange, but to put his newfound patience to the test would be like poking an angry bear. She shuddered and sucked in a shaky breath before letting the silent pause hover between them for a moment longer.

"We don't have to go. I mean… we could just tell them we plan to stay here. We could just stay home and do something you want," Max said, thinking it the safer option if fireworks were out. It held the least amount of risk because how could Neil be angry at them for staying home? Surely he couldn't find a way to twist that into something bad.

Billy tossed the shirt before standing and placed his hands on his hips as he looked around like he was searching for something. He shook his head once and then again.

"'What I want' she says. Nah, that's a load of crap, Max. What I want is to be left alone, but when the hell do I ever get to do what I want, huh?" He glared at her for a moment then sat back down with a scoff. Max stared, stunned. She looked down as he cast another glance at her, his voice softening as he added, "What I want doesn't really matter." She watched as his face changed back into that distant expression, as though he was retreating into his own mind again.

Billy looked at the clock briefly, then at his door before grabbing a pair of jeans to start scratching the blade against one of the holes as though he was trying to make it bigger. She frowned at his technique and shifted in the seat uncomfortably. It was clear things had progressed back into the tense silence again, but she wanted to keep him talking. It helped distract her from the fact that her mom and Neil hadn't left yet.

"What about New Year's resolutions?"

"What?"

"Your New Year's resolutions. What are they?"

He looked up at her with a raised brow. "What am I, a dolt? Those are for losers who want to feel better about themselves only to give up when shit gets tough and go right back to being losers again." He stared at her, and when he realized she was serious, he smirked and rolled his eyes. "Let me guess, you have some? Wrote them down in a little notebook somewhere so you could check them off one by one? Fucking typical."

She lowered her eyes into slits and pursed her lips before shaking her head. "There's nothing wrong with setting goals. That's what they are anyway. And, for your information, I do have a couple. I'd like to get out more, and I'd like to actually befriend someone who's given me the cold shoulder."

He shot her a glare and mumbled, "Not like you don't get out enough as is…." then sighed. "Why do you want to be friends with someone who doesn't like you?"

The words stung a little, but she shrugged. "Everyone else likes her. There must be a reason for that." Plus she has superpowers, she thought.

"Gotta join the bandwagon, huh? Conform like all the rest?" he snorted, "Pathetic."

She ignored him and instead raised a brow. "What about you? Don't you want to make friends, Mr. Suavy Lone Wolf?"

Bill rolled his eyes. "We've already had this conversation. There's no point." But he wasn't looking at her, but at the clock again. It had hardly been fifteen minutes since he'd found her in his room. Could he really be counting down the time before kicking her out for real? She couldn't even blame him if that was the case–not wanting her in the room. Or around him at all. What if every time he looked at her, all he could think about was the way Neil had brought the belt down across his back? What if Billy was right in that Neil would always find a way to twist his words and use them against him?

Her chest tightened again and this time she raised her hand to rub at it. Even when she tried not to get him into trouble, she managed to do the opposite. All she wanted this time was to do what he wanted.

"So what did he do this time?" Billy asked, pulling her from her spiral. She swallowed roughly at the abrupt question and from the seriousness in his tone. She instantly knew he was talking about Neil. He looked directly at her–expectantly and she glanced at the door while she tried to find the best way to tell him without sounding ridiculous.

"Well… it might sound stupid but… we picked up the phone at the same time when it rang earlier. He walked in as I was hanging up and… the look he gave me… it was like he thought I was trying to–I don't know… eavesdrop or something. I felt cornered… and then he said he put the pranksters in their place and it felt like he was referring to me…"

Her voice cracked at the end. She quickly glanced at Billy before throwing her eyes back to the floor. "It's dumb, I know…" She dug her nails into the palms of her hands before drawing her legs up again. Her eyes stung and she blinked rapidly to try and clear the tears. The last thing she wanted was to cry in front of Billy again.

"It's not dumb," was all he said in response and she was glad he didn't press for more. She was still staring at her knees when he spoke again.

"So, what I can't wrap my head around is why the hell you like skateboarding so much."

Her head reared back, and her mouth parted, not having expected such a shift in topic at all. He was smirking down at the Car Craft magazine he just picked up and glanced at her when she mumbled, "What?"

"Skateboarding. I can't understand why you like it so much considering you hate sports. Doesn't make any sense to me." He chuckled, "Besides, how can anyone think it looks cool to flip a board a mere four inches off the ground."

Max crinkled her forehead in confusion, but her expression morphed into an annoyed sneer at the clear provocation. "It's not always about being cool, Billy. Unlike some people, I like doing meaningful things that don't involve hangovers or pregnancy scares. Sure skateboarding started out as just a hobby, but I quickly fell in love with it. I'd seriously do it every day if I could. In fact, it's what I want to do when I'm older–be a professional boarder." She shrugged, "There's a freedom to it. It just makes sense."

He nodded. "Sounds peachy…"

She frowned, waiting for him to question more but he slumped against his pillow, flipping through the magazine. He dog-eared one of the pages and kept going. He turned it to show her a random picture of a fast food ad. "Never has a burger ever looked like that coming from that place. Scams… every one of them."

Max sat there, puzzled, her irritation fading as her thoughts still swirled. But as she continued to watch Billy's strange efforts to point out faults in the magazine, it slowly dawned on her. His seemingly random commentary, his casual effort to shift the focus—it was all meant to pull her away from any thoughts of Neil that had threatened to consume her. It clicked for her then too that Billy trying, in his own strange way, to distract her from the topic of Neil, also meant he'd noticed her almost tears.

She felt a lump in her throat, touched by his unspoken understanding. Her chest softened at the revelation, and a small, appreciative smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She released her knees to sit up a bit straighter.

As she pondered on what she could say, Max's eyes roamed to the car magazine in Billy's hands. A baseball bat was leaning against a sleek sports car. It sparked an idea. He had mentioned baseball during their game of HORSE a while back, hadn't he? So perhaps that could be a safe topic.

"What was it that drew you to baseball? Did you actually like it?" she asked, welcoming the lighter conversation.

At first, he continued flipping the pages in silence, leaving her to think their conversation was done. She sat back, resigned to getting no more out of him. However, he finally reached the end of his magazine and nonchalantly tossed it toward the end of his bed. He hadn't looked at her yet but he clicked his tongue in contemplation. "I didn't really want to join at first. It was new and at the time, new was scary." He sat up and swung his legs over the side of the bed and looked at her directly. "I actually knew this kid who'd gotten his arm broken by a rogue ball. Somehow I thought that would happen to me too.

"Fuck, there was this one time too where I got decked right in the damn face. I was up to bat for the first pitch and that very first ball smacked me right in the nose. I'd never seen so much blood gush before, and from my own body. Jersey was completely drenched." He chuckled, "I didn't even want to bat after that, but when I did, I actually hit it. Just only enough to slide into first base." A small smile filled his face and Max couldn't help but mirror it.

He shrugged and made a mock pose like he was swinging a bat at a ball. "After that I got the hang of it. Kind of actually started to like it."

Max stared in awe. It was rare to get a personal story from him, just as rare as seeing him actually smile for something good. But what struck her even more was the way he spoke about it; it was different—no hint of bragging, just an honest account of a time he'd actually flopped. It was all so new to her, and she was determined not to let that joy–that smile–slip away.

Max scooted to the edge of the couch cushion and leaned forward. "You know, there was this one time when I was skateboarding. I went to a skatepark for the first time with my mom–I know," Max said when Billy quickly raised his eyebrows and rolled his eyes as if to say, Here we go. "It was a miracle she even let me go because she thought it was so dangerous. Even there, she wouldn't let me use a majority of the ramps.

"Anyway, there's this thing called a bowl–you know, those things that look like empty swimming pools? I was so desperate to try it at least once while I was there, but mom had it guarded like a freakin'... warden, you know?

"Then suddenly, a group of guys just started cheering. One of them landed an ollie or something, I don't know. But everyone turned to see what all the fuss was about, including my mom. So as soon as she turned her back, I made a dash for the bowl." Max paused, watching Billy's focused gaze, honed in as if to say, Keep going. She did. "I threw down my skateboard, tried dropping into it, and–" she used both hands to make a cutting motion across her neck "—completely. Wiped. Out. The board slipped from under my feet, and I fell in and flattened like a complete ragdoll! Seriously thought I broke my nose."

Max chuckled. Billy curled in his lips to keep from laughing. But she could see he wanted to.

"But that wasn't all. Turns out, my mom saw the whole thing. You should have seen her when I fell in. She pushed a skater kid aside and dove right into the pit and slipped–slid down like she stumbled on a slip-n-slide. Funniest thing! I almost forgot I was in pain, I was laughing so hard." She laughed. "She wouldn't let me skateboard for weeks!"

Finally, Billy snorted and let out a sharp laugh. "Aw hell! I'll bet that was the funniest thing to see. You landing on your face. Wanna reenact it for me? That way I get the real picture?"

She rolled her eyes and flipped him off. "I can handle a bowl just fine now."

"I'd bet anything Susan would still chase you in there, so worried her little baby would get a boo-boo. 'Maxine, honey, don't go in there! It's not safe!'"

She gaped at the impression and looked for something to throw at him. Her eyes settled on a shirt. She wadded it up into a ball and chucked it at him. He dodged it easily and laughed even harder, clutching at his side. "Your boarding skills might have gotten better, but your aim still sucks just as bad as your throws!" he teased. She opened her mouth to give him an earful when her mom's voice cut through the laughter, severing the moment.

"Bye, kids! Have fun and be safe! Enjoy the fireworks!"

The door slammed, and Max frowned slightly at Billy's blank look at the door, his smile like a faded ghost. This was it—he was going to kick her out just as he promised. But she didn't make a move, hoping he might go back to the conversation. Instead, he turned to the clock again. After a moment, an engine roared to life outside. Max knew it was the sound of Neil's truck. None of them moved or said a word.

Even with Billy's silence, there was still a lightness in the air. Like the echo of their laughter still lingered. It really seemed like his mood had improved. So much so that her mind circled back to the tickets… If she gave them to him right then, maybe it would smooth things over the rest of the way. The urge was on the tip of her tongue and she sucked in a breath.

"Hey, Billy–"

Billy suddenly hopped up, pushed his blanket curtain aside, and looked out the window through his blinds. Max watched him curiously. She heard the truck drive away until it was silent again. Billy quickly pulled back from the window and started moving fast, grabbing whatever clothes he saw in sight.

Max watched, feeling even more confused. She wanted to ask what he was in such a hurry for, but he was like a tornado whipping back and forth across the room. It was like he'd snapped out of some kind of stupor. Maybe he already had plans she didn't know about? Why else would he be tugging on clothes and looking ready to flee the room?

He glanced up when he pulled some semi-clean-looking socks from a pile. Then did a double take as though he'd forgotten Max hadn't been sitting there on that sofa for the past thirty minutes–like he'd expected her to already be moving, but for what she didn't know.

"Hurry up and get dressed," he sputtered impatiently.

"What? Are we actually going to watch fireworks? It seemed like you–"

"Change of plans."

"Billy, I don't really—Wait, what kind of change? You shouldn't do something unless you want to…" She protested, trying to find the words to convince him. Surely he wouldn't be this in a hurry for a fireworks show that neither of them really wanted to go to?

Billy gave her an exasperated expression before looking down at her. "Look, you're the one who said I should get out since I'm crammed up in here. After all, you did suggest that I make more friends."

"Well yeah but…" Knowing Billy, making more friends meant meeting new girls. "Can't I just—I don't know—stay here or hang with the others then? I don't really need to tag along for that…"

"No, you're coming with me. I have to watch you but there is no way in hell I'm missing this."

Instant confusion and curiosity swept over her. She frowned and narrowed her eyes, trying to seek out the answers in his determined face. "Missing what?"

Billy turned to her and stared, unmoved, for a brief moment. Then slowly, like a fox eyeing a henhouse, he gave her a mischievous smile. Max's stomach dropped like an elevator in freefall. Not only did Billy's smile promise something that could only end badly, but the excited and determined glint in his eyes told her there was no way in hell she was getting out of it.

This can't be good.

To be continued…