Resolution Part II
A/N: Guys, if you haven't noticed yet, this chapter is HECKA long! I thought about splitting it into two parts but was advised not to, so… Enjoy! :D
It didn't click at first when Max started hearing the music from a block away. A thumping bass boomed so loud it seemed to vibrate up from the wheels of the Camero as it rolled across the pavement. Even her knees rattled, and her hands tingled where she propped her elbow on the door. She searched out the window for the source of the noise, but it wasn't until Billy turned the corner that her mouth fell open in shock. A large house sat in front of them with rows upon rows of cars squeezed into the yard, littering the street in front. Masses of screaming teenagers with their heads thrown back, mouths opened wide as they laughed and celebrated. Some were half-dressed, their bodies drenched in sweat as they seemed to congregate in groups of more than three. Others were dressed for winter, coming and going from the house with drinks in hand and equally thrilled smiles on their faces. But one thing was clear amongst them all: they were drunk.
The music blared so loud that Max fought the urge to cover her ears. When the electric guitar solo made her want to burst at the seams, she turned her half-shocked, half-horrified gaze to Billy.
She should have known.
"A party!" she yelled angrily when she took in the glimmer in his eyes, the anticipation that had him tapping the steering wheel as he bobbed his head to the music. His eyes scanned the groups of people like he was looking for someone. At her screech, he frowned and looked over at her.
He simply shrugged, shutting off the car. "You said we could do what I want."
"I said stay HOME and do something you want." She scoffed. "In case it wasn't painfully obvious, Billy, this isn't HOME."
"Maaax, lighten up. Heard these two rat bastards running their chops at work about this thing. You think I'm gonna miss a party like this? Fuck no." He waved a hand at a dude running around the house in only some bright red boxers. "These people are having the times of their damn lives right now. Who could say no?"
"I could." She sniffed. "We both could if we just turn around and go back. Seriously, we could find something else to do that's… not this."
"Don't bullshit me. There's nothing at home that could compare. Not even fucking close," he snapped, emphasizing the word 'home' like it was something foul. Max didn't exactly want to be crammed inside there either, but this had 'bad idea' written ALL over it.
She groaned and slumped her head against the seat. "You just hounded me about sneaking off and then you go and do this?"
"Unlike you, I actually have permission to do this."
Max scoffed. "Oh really?"
"Neil said we could go downtown to a fireworks show. Well, this happens to be downtown, and they have fireworks."
"Yeah, I'm pretty sure this isn't what Neil had in mind." If anything she was almost certain this was the farthest thing he had in mind when he suggested they go out. Hell, it was the last thing she would have thought of too. The whole thing was making her head spin, and all she could do was stare between him and the occasional drunken teenager who ran from the house to the yard like beer was their lifeline.
"'Why don't you want to make friends, Billy?''' he mocked. "Isn't that what you asked me not even an hour ago? You said I should take the opportunity to get out instead of being crammed inside, so that's why we're here! Relax!"
"This isn't what I meant!" she yelled, flailing her hands towards the new congregating cluster of people. The sound of 'chug, chug, chug, chug!' rang through the air. She groaned and shook her head before looking at him frantically.
Billy ignored her and unbuckled his seatbelt. The song changed over to "You Shook Me All Night Long", and a few people screamed happily. Someone threw a beer bottle into the air, causing it to crash onto the pavement and shatter. Max sucked in a breath and turned to him once more with pleading eyes. "Are you seriously going to go into all that and drink with those crazies? I mean look at them, Billy! Besides… you have to be able to get us out of here… sober!"
"Don't waste your breath. I was already lectured on that once tonight," he growled. "Fucking hypocrite trying to teach me the importance of not driving drunk like he has any room to open his damn mouth." He looked at her for a long moment when her worried expression remained unchanged. "Ugh, I'm not gonna drink…"
Max pursed her lips, unsure if she should believe him. After all that's happened?
She remembered seeing Neil linger in the bathroom doorway talking to Billy earlier that night, his words muted but firm sounding. So that's what they were talking about. He was giving Billy the rundown. It made sense–the downtown fireworks show would cater to kids as well as adults, so the event would likely have beer or other alcoholic beverages. It wouldn't be too hard to believe that Billy could easily sneak his way into snagging a few. But like Billy said, it was hypocritical for Neil to lecture him on something like that… especially after what happened…
Max came out of her thoughts, startled when Billy let out an exasperated huff. "Seriously, what's with the look, Max?"
She hadn't realized she was still staring.
He grumbled again. "You and Neil are really starting to piss me off with all of your damn lectures. It's like you two are on a mission to list out everything I should and shouldn't do."
She furrowed her brows. "List out? What do you mean? Did he say something else?"
Billy paused for a split second. He took his keys from the ignition. "Nothing. Just…"
He stopped and glanced at her. She narrowed her eyes at him and waited for him to continue, but he didn't. Instead, he stared out the windshield for a moment like something caught his attention.
Confused, Max looked out the window. When she saw nothing–aside from the usual rowdy dunk– she turned back to Billy and pressed on. "Juuust?"
"Just what?" he asked as if they weren't just in the middle of a conversation where he abruptly cut off speaking.
Max cocked her head and shot him a look that said, "Really?"
"He just–" Billy shrugged. "Just went on about making sure I put the damn keys back in his room like I'm some kind of idiot. Like I don't know to do that..." he muttered, his voice trailing off. It was a halfhearted response. He flashed a quick glance at her, then quickly looked away.
Max raised a brow, noticing the lightning-fast glance. Obviously, he was withholding some details. So again, she waited, but he said nothing. He continued to stare off into the crowd of teens, craning his neck as though he'd miss out on something important.
She blew out an impatient breath, "Aaaand?"
"And what?" he asked, a little more annoyed.
Max rolled her eyes, feeling like a locksmith trying to decode and pry every word from his mouth with force. "And? What else did he say?"
Billy simply gave an indifferent shrug. "Nothing," he said, but Max's eyes remained unswayed.
"Noth– Billy, what aren't you telling me?"
"What does it matter? Can't you just drop it? God, you're always focused on the smallest, most unimportant things!" he snapped, his patience wearing thin.
"No, I can't just drop it because it's not just a small thing. Nothing Neil says is, now what did he say?!"
"Fine!" he blurted. "He said we weren't allowed to go anywhere other than the firework show, happy?!"
Max froze in utter shock.
"What the hell, Billy? Are you serious?! Then why are we here?!" she yelled, making him wince and glare at her before sighing dramatically, like she was being unreasonable. He had literally thrown the biggest fuss about her getting him in trouble and breaking their deal not even a day ago, so much so she feared he'd be cross with her forever. And now he decided to go and do this?! Something that could get himself in trouble?! She had no idea where any of this was coming from. What on earth had gotten into him? It was as though reasonable Billy, or at least rational Billy, had fled the car before they ever got into it in the first place.
He growled. "Ugh look. I have been stuck in that house only leaving to do what you want or run errands for Neil. Now it's my turn to do what I want. Just want one night where I don't have to worry about him. For one night, can I just have a little fun? Is that too much to ask?!"
Max softened, her face somber. "But Billy, Neil just…"
She didn't even have to finish for him to know; the beating.
His voice softened. "We'll be back before they get home."
"Billy, this is serious."
"It's not… because we'll be back before they get home, Max."
"But what if we don't? Billy, what if you get in trouble again?"
"I won't. Susan's party is going to last past midnight after the fireworks. It's a New Year's party after all. I'll go inside and make my rounds, maybe have like… a sip and–"
"Wha–But you just said–!"
"Just. a. sip," he quickly interrupted, ending "sip" with a popping 'p' sound. "You know, just to be social. Then I'll come back out and we go home. Simple."
"Wait, that's not–!"
"Simple, Max. Don't make a big deal out of it. I'll be in and out before you know it."
Max stared at him still, waiting to see the lump on his head where he must have fallen in the shower and knocked all semblance of sense out of his brain. It was bad enough he tried to hide Neil telling them not to stray from the firework show—hell, it was bad enough that he brought them to the party in the first place, but to drink?! He had literally just said he wouldn't drink not even two minutes ago! But what did she expect from Billy really?
Still, it didn't shake the way it felt like something was building in her stomach–something a lot like the dread she hated so much. Drinking was yet another thing Neil told him not to do that he seemed determined to do anyway. Why was he being so careless? So reckless, even? Especially after a merciless beating. She had the urge to throw something at him to see if it would make him see reason, maybe shake him until he changed his mind. That look in his eye and the way his attention kept going back to the house told her that she wouldn't be able to talk him out of it even if she begged him not to go in.
Finally, Max scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Like that'll happen," she mumbled.
"Fine, if you don't believe me, come get me in one—two hours tops. No sooner, got it?" Billy said pointing a finger at her. She slumped and crossed her arms, glaring at the house and the teens as though they were to blame for the entire situation.
"There's no way I'm going in there," she growled, not even bothering to look at him anymore.
He shrugged. "Suit yourself."
Billy flung the door open, his boots scraping the pavement. He straightened his leather jacket before turning back to her. "Stay in the car."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Hey!" He slapped his hand on the door and pointed, his voice stern. "I mean it."
She flicked her hands up. "Where am I gonna go?"
"You'd find somewhere."
With that, he slammed the door shut, pocketed his keys, and made his way inside.
Max huffed and threw herself back. What the hell am I supposed to do in the car for two hours? Just stay stuck in here waiting for him to be done with this stupid party, she thought. Gonna bore myself to tears, maybe claw my eyes out if I hear one more girly drunken cackle.
The crowd began to cheer. Max squinted to see what they were pointing at only to feel her heart bottom out in her stomach at the sight of a shirtless boy standing on the roof. The house was two stories, a very tall two stories, and it was below freezing. She curled her nose as the girls giggled and waved at him like his stupidity was somehow attractive.
"He's going to break his damn neck," Max mumbled to herself, yet she was unable to look away. More people congregated and cheered him on, using their cups, beer cans, and bottles to salute him from down below. Given that the reckless thrill-seeker was down to his damn underwear, Max figured there was a pool off to the side she couldn't see. Because no one in their right mind would jump off a roof into nothing, right?
With a warrior-like roar, the kid jumped, tucking his knees into his chest for a cannonball. Then he was gone from sight. She didn't hear anything over the thumping music but based on the cheers that came from the masses in front, she assumed it ended fine. It was a scene of utter chaos.
Max shivered, pulling herself in tight to try and create some kind of extra warmth. She glanced toward the ignition and sighed when she realized Billy hadn't even bothered to leave her the keys so she wouldn't freeze to death while waiting on his ass. Her ability to keep warm probably never crossed his mind considering how focused he was on just convincing her it would be a quick thing. She knew better though.
Max scowled at the house and the drunken idiots as though they were to blame for looking like a shiny toy that Billy couldn't resist. For looking like freedom.
She chewed her lip to keep her teeth from rattling. I wished I brought my comics, she thought. Although, she'd have had to know where they were headed to prepare for something like that, and Billy would have had to drag her from the house if that were the case. She thought back to how she was so close to telling him about the concert tickets, and in some ways wished she had blurted it out just to see his expression. Would that have changed how the night played out? Kept her from sitting in a cold ass car while Billy got up to who knows what inside the house of doom?
Max decided to busy herself by blowing on the window until a small patch of fog appeared where she would write over and over "Billy sucks!" and "Parties are STUPID! And "I'm HELLA cold!". After a while, curled into a ball, she didn't feel as cold and her eyes grew heavy. With nothing else to do, she didn't bother to keep them open.
. . .
It was a slam that woke her first, followed by the violent shaking of the car that caused her head to jolt against the cold window. She groaned and blinked, rubbing at her eyes while trying to remember where she was.
Right… the party…
A yelp, followed by a roar of laughter caused her to look up just in time to see a shirtless teen run past her window, followed by another wearing… was that underwear on his head? But it was the sight of Billy chasing after them with a reddened face and a raised fist that made her groan again and squint after them.
The hell is happening right now?
Max blinked through bleary eyes, trying to make sense of what she was seeing. She wanted to call out to him, but when she tried, a feeble, "Billy?" was all that came out. Boy's and their antics… always so damn obsessed with cars, she thought, laying her head back on the window. Maybe it meant that Billy was coming back and they'd go home. Bed sounded really appealing to her right then. Warm blankets, no more drunken fools…
The bang was so loud it rumbled through her chest, making Max bolt upright in the seat of the car and almost fall face-first into the dashboard.
"Who the heck?" she mumbled, blinking and looking around. What time is it?
There was an outline on the window where her face had stopped the cold from freezing over. She reached up to rub at her cheek, feeling the moisture on her skin. Just as she started to breathe normally again, another bang sounded, shaking the entire car. Max yelped before the fizzling sound catapulted her back into reality, and she realized what it was.
Fireworks. It was midnight.
She glanced over at the driver's seat. Given the small layer of fog on the driver's side window, it was clear Billy hadn't come back. She looked towards the house, seeing only small groups of people looking up towards the sky, giving whoops and hollers as they raised their cups in the air while shouting "Happy New Year!" The music wasn't as loud as before. Or maybe Max had just gotten used to it. She looked at their faces, hoping to spot the only one that would get her back home, but she didn't see it. Billy must still be inside the house.
Suddenly, a whistle sounded in the sky. Then a bang. The sky sparkled with a sprinkle of colors–like confetti made of lights and explosions. Max craned her neck to try and see the whole thing but decided to just get out of the car to watch the rest of them. It was cold, and the frosty air bit at her nose and cheeks as she shoved her hands into her coat pockets and tilted her face to the sky. Another beam of light parted the dissipating smoke only for it to explode just the same, crackling and shooting off into a myriad of directions before fizzling out.
The show hardly lasted a few seconds before fading away like it hadn't even been in the sky at all. She crossed her arms and leaned against the car, thinking back to California when her mom and dad would take her to beach fireworks shows that seemed to last forever. Her small body would be trapped between them as they laughed and pointed at the shapes in the sky. How did they manage to make one that took the form of a smiling face? She never figured it out.
Those shows were more extravagant than this one with muted colors and no unique shapes. But the crack of thunder-like sounds and sharp whistles still made it similar enough.
Eventually, like everything, they came to an end.
Max waited for a moment, staring at the house, willing Billy to come out all on his own. But even as another minute ticked by, and another, she knew it wasn't going to happen. He's been in there long enough. If they didn't leave soon, they might not make it home before her mom and Neil.
She surveyed the gang of rowdy teens blocking the entrance and let out a dramatic sigh, fully aware that she would have to trudge into what appeared to be the pits of hell just to find Billy. Max took another deep breath of the frigid air, then released it in a prolonged exhale. "Here goes nothing," she muttered, her determination battling with her dread.
With gritted teeth, she marched across the frozen grass, then quickly stopped, narrowly dodging a guy who slipped and fell near her. He let out a pained grunt when his face played whack-a-mole with the bits of ice on the ground. Max's eye fell on the streamer wrapped around his head like a makeshift bandana. When he looked up at her, he grinned, and she saw what she hoped was dirt lodged between his teeth. Then, he face-planted back into the ground and stayed there.
Trying to disregard what just happened, Max approached the entrance, and the group begrudgingly parted, though just barely enough for her to slip through. She mumbled her "Excuse me" as if it had magical powers to transform the tipsy degenerates into polite angels. She fought the urge to shove them out of her way, but as tempting as it was, she knew five against one wasn't ideal. All she really wanted was to find Billy and go home.
"What are you doing in a place like this, little girl?" a girl in a cheap red wig sneered before she hiccupped and giggled. She stumbled into the dude next to her, who threw his arm over her shoulder before laughing.
"Yeah, pipsqueak. Need someone to call your mommy?"
She tried to ignore them as she finally broke through to the other side where the short steps up led into the house. The music was louder from where she stood, and she could barely distinguish the rowdy cheers and chants coming from inside. The strong stench of sweat and booze hung in the air. It reminded her of Neil's breath. Max stifled a shudder at the memory.
"Hey, where are you going, little girl? Shouldn't go in there… Isn't it past your bedtime?" another guy called. His voice was much closer than she liked, so she hurried inside even as their calls grew louder, but they were instantly drowned out by the noises of the party.
The moment Max was engulfed in the chaos of the house, she leaped back just in time to miss getting tackled to the ground. She pressed her back firmly against the wall, her eyes fixed on the spectacle before her. Two burly guys, each the size of linebackers, grappled on the floor. One clung tightly to something under his arm, while the other made frenzied attempts to wrest it free. The room's furniture had been pushed against the long wall to the right, with the couch serving as a makeshift barricade for other pieces like end tables, a sizable chair, and a few lamps. She wondered if it was to protect them from the dangers they might suffer from the wild brawl, but a quick scan of the room showed it was to make the giant dancefloor where partygoers jumped up and down, some gyrating against one another. It was a sea of grinding chaos–so many hands over bodies and hips meeting hips. Max curled her nose and looked away, hoping that, for her sake, Billy wasn't among them.
Max peeled herself from the safety of the wall and pushed through, glad that no one else seemed to pay her any mind. She scanned the room, her eyes seeking out the familiar sight of a cut-off shirt and unruly hair, perhaps him wearing that bored expression while clutching a beer...
Where are you, Billy?
Shuffling through the crowd, she felt a tad overwhelmed. It was like navigating through a forest of towering giants, but instead of axes and armor, they wielded red plastic cups and questionable dance moves. Max muttered to herself, "This is either the party of the century or a secret audition for 'Clumsiest Dancer of the Decade.'" Better find Billy before he wins that title.
Max came to an abrupt halt, her cheeks instantly flushing at the unexpected sight. The first topless woman she spotted made her stomach drop, and she gasped, instinctively covering her eyes in shock. However, as she tentatively peeked through her fingers, she realized with growing astonishment that there were more... and it seemed entirely intentional.
These women engaged in a risqué dance-off to the side, drawing their own fascinated crowds. Max couldn't fathom how she had ended up witnessing such a display. Not once did she actually think boobs would be on display during a New Year's party. But there they were, bouncing and flapping with little cups and tassels attached to their nipples. The urge to gouge out her eyes to escape the bizarre sight was strong, or at the very least, she wished she could wash her mind clean of the seared image by vigorously scrubbing it with soap.
She backed away, heading in the other direction towards what looked like the kitchen and dining area. A giant table with mountains of alcohol and drinks lined a wall. Right next to it was a couple in their own world making out so wildly, it looked like they were trying to suck the skin from each other's faces.
Max was about to turn back around when a sudden blur of pale skin zipped in front of her. She blinked, completely stunned, only to see a giant bare-assed dude wearing nothing but a pair of snow boots and a bright pink scarf run back in the other direction. Her gaze inevitably drifted lower, and it quickly became evident that his legs weren't the only thing flapping in the wind. Max's jaw dropped, her eyes widening in shock as her hand instinctively shot up to keep the urge to gag inside her mouth.
Is he….did I just see his–
"Come on, Hargrove! Be a man and take the shot!" a voice called. Max spun, searching the kitchen for the one person she was looking for, the only one who would have that name. Finally, she spotted him dead in the center of the endless sea of party animals. Reckless. Unhinged. And… with a giant smile on his face.
What's that blue stuff on his cheeks? And why is his face wet like that? she thought, trying to make her way closer. But the congregating crowd of watchers was bigger than her. For every person she slipped past, there seemed to be more. So many more. She growled in frustration before jumping to try and see over them.
When she caught a better glimpse of him, Max rolled her eyes. At some point during his partying, he had evidently removed his cut-off, opting to solely wear his leather jacket. What is with him and missing shirts?
"Billy!" she called, trying to catch his attention over the blaring music, chants and cheers. "BILLY!" Max continued to push her way through, calling for Billy, which was pointless among the noise. She could barely hear herself.
Finally spotting an opening, Max lunged forward but stopped, caught between two guys trying to see the spectacle. Stuck, she was forced to watch as Billy landed on his knees with open arms as though a sacrifice was to be made and opened his mouth wide. The man who called his name held a giant plastic syringe with a gel-like substance the size of a baseball bat. He pressed down on the pump and poured the gel into Billy's mouth. It almost looked like the berry jello her mom made in the summer.
The crowd went wild, making Max flinch in an attempt to cover her ears as they all began to shout as one, "SHOT, SHOT, SHOT, SHOT, SHOT!"
Billy clamped his mouth shut, cheeks bulging like a chipmunk one second, then normal the next. Afterwards, the crowd's cheer elevated, as he hit his chest like a warrior and was lifted off the ground. Billy gave a fierce war cry that somehow rang louder than all around. The partiers pumped their fists in the air, shouting, "Bil-ly! Bil-ly! Bil-ly!" Billy returned whoops and hollers, giving low flexes as he was swallowed back into the crowd.
"Wait, Billy!" Max called, shoving at the body in front of her, which surprisingly moved out of the way. She ducked under a swinging arm and ran past a few more bodies preparing to take their own shots. She could hardly hear her own voice as she called for him, but she kept trying, screaming his name in the hope that somehow he or someone else would hear.
"Hargrove! Toss me a beer too!" a deep voice boomed.
Max veered right, following the call in the same direction, ducking under yet another flailing arm before it swung out. She shot a sharp look at the guy responsible, but he seemed completely oblivious to her. Brushing it off, Max took that moment to step up onto the base of the stairs that led to the second floor. Just a foot away stood Billy with a beer can tilted all the way up and a guy next to him doing the same, both chugging their beers as if racing to a finish line.
Is this what 'just a sip' is? Does he think I'm an idiot?
"Chug, chug, chug, chug!" The cacophony of the crowd had risen to a deafening level. Max, unable to bear it any longer, clamped her hands firmly over her ears to muffle the noise. With frustration and determination, she shot an impatient elbow into the side of a giant beast of a guy, nudging him aside. She maneuvered through the sea of people until, finally, she found herself standing directly in front of Billy. But he didn't see her.
Billy crushed the beer can to his forehead, making Max gape in astonishment. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and released a thunderous belch. When he turned away from her, Max's gut churned in frustration. She stomped forward with a huff. "Billy!"
She grabbed his arm and he finally turned. Up close, she was enveloped in an overwhelming cloud of alcohol fumes that practically singed her nose. At first, Billy looked above her, but then, his gaze drifted down. His cheered expression dimmed the instant he saw her.
"Hey brat, I thought I told you to wait in the car?"
She narrowed her eyes at the name-call and the slight slur in his speech. "It's been over two hours. I waited until then like you said. You told me to get you at this time."
Billy threw his head back, the motion almost making him stumble, but she tightened her grip on his arm. "Uuuugh. Buzzkill. Hey, listen! My little stepsis is a buzzkill!" he called out.
In unison, as if they'd rehearsed it beforehand, the crowd erupted into jeers and booed at her. Some without even looking in her direction just joined in with the roar of noise while they drank and danced. But it was the giant she'd nudged earlier, the one that had been standing beside Billy, that made her want to recoil more than she already had. The blare of his voice and the heat of his breath made her instinctively pull away even further, inching closer to Billy despite his own potent smell. The giant towered over her, his sloppy dark hair clinging to his face littered with freckles. He leaned in close just to boo in her face. Max scrunched her nose—she could see the stains on his teeth and the moisture of his top lip.
Max felt a brush along her back. She spun and saw Billy move behind her, his grin wide as he tried to slip away from her again, stumbling over his own two feet and dropping the crushed can. She rolled her eyes and cut off his path, causing him to bumble to a halt. He leaned against the wall with an arm for support, frowning as he stared down at her. She looked closely, seeing the red tint to his eyes and the unfocused way they bounced between her own.
"Billy… You're drunk," she said, blinking in surprise.
"Yeah, no shit."
He pushed her out of the way, only to stumble into a corner table without the wall to stabilize him any further. He went on to slowly work his way back up, but his legs seemed to have turned to rubber as he wobbled precariously all the way back into the kitchen. He grabbed onto the countertop, sending empty bottles flying to the ground. Max wasn't sure where he was headed until she spotted the open cooler he stopped at, digging his hand in as though looking for treasure.
Oh god, he's totally wasted.
It was clear in his tone the first time he opened his mouth that he was drunk. However, she couldn't tell how drunk he was until now. The red eyes, the uncoordinated sway… In less than a minute of interacting with the guy, it was clear that Billy was drunker than a one-legged flamingo on roller skates, and it made her want to shake him all over again.
He said he wouldn't… just a sip….
Billy pulled a can free with a smirk of victory on his face. He spun so he could rest against the counter as he cracked the tab, throwing Max a glance before taking a long swig. She huffed and moved to face him, standing almost at the same height because of how much he was slumped over. His eyes had a glazed look, and she wondered if he was seeing double yet.
"How are we supposed to get home?" she said, contemplating snatching the can from his hand.
"With the car, dumbass," he said before taking another long sip. "Ever heard of driving? I got my keys."
He checked himself, patting himself down as he struggled to stand straight. Then he yanked them out of a side pocket and jiggled them.
"Yep. There they go. Stupid bastards running with them…" The keys slipped from his fingers. "Shit." Billy leaned over and picked them up, looking off balance like a giraffe trying to graze grass–his arm flailed as he swatted at them once, and then twice before finally making contact. He scooped them back up, and little drops of beer began to drip from the haphazard way he held the can. Glaring at it as though it were the can's fault, he chugged the remainder of his beer, crushed it just like before, and tossed it aside. "Ok let's go."
Billy tossed his keys into the air and somehow managed to catch them as he turned away, moving back into the crowd, seemingly unconcerned about whether or not Max trailed behind. She scrambled to keep up, trying to stay as close as possible so that she didn't need to shove through any more doughy bodies. One of the guys who had given Billy the jello-like shot caught him in his gaze and frowned, nudging a friend beside him who looked just as drunk as Billy, if not more so.
"Aww, Hargrove. Don't ditch the party now!"
"Yeah, don't… don't end the partying so soon, man!" the other slurred.
Billy pointed a thumb behind him in Max's general direction. "Tell that to the little rugrat!"
They gave her a few more boos. Max did her best to ignore it, mostly just too focused on trying to keep up with Billy. He stopped again, and she almost ran into his back, making him shoot her an annoyed glare. When he idly twirled his keys again, a sudden realization hit her—he planned to drive them home.
Billy continued forward.
"Wait, Billy, wait. You can't drive," Max said, struggling to match his pace and not be swept away by the crowd as he moved to push through again, deciding the dance floor was the best choice of exit. The smell of sweat and beer tickled Max's nose, and she wondered if those dancing were covered in one, the other, or both. She winced when someone spun and a drop of wetness landed on her forehead. Billy finally glanced back at her with the contorted expression of a confused cat watching a magic trick.
"Sure I can. I've got a license, don't I?
Max imagined his crazy turns being much worse with him behind the wheel now. He'd run them straight off the road and into a tree. Not to mention the speeding. With those giraffe-like tendencies and rubber legs of his? It would be like pedal to the metal, and they'd never stand a chance.
And they did not need to be in another car wreck. Especially for the wreck they'd get into at home if Neil saw him this drunk. She would almost rather face the danger of actually being in the car with him than face the catastrophe that would ensue should Neil catch him like this… and for him to learn he'd driven home drunk with her in the car…
This is bad, she thought. The last time Billy was drunk, he called Neil by name to his face. There was no telling what he'd do now. Billy seemed so much more hammered now compared to back then.
As they passed one of the topless dancers again, Billy's whole body seemed to slow. His footsteps continued, but his head turned in the direction she moved. Max felt herself cringe when Billy and the dancer made eye contact. She gave him a little wave before falling back into the crowd. Judging by Billy's flirty grin and turning body, it looked as though he wanted to follow, so Max gave him another tiny shove in the hope that it would knock him back into reality. Another guy came up to bump fists with Billy, and it was like the girl didn't exist. He was merely floating on his drunk high like he had no care in the world. If Billy couldn't even focus on something in front of him for more than five seconds, how would he be able to stare at the road long enough to drive back? He couldn't, she decided with a sigh.
Max considered their options. They could walk but they would most definitely be late home again. The bus? Of course not. They weren't running this late and it was a holiday. Actually have Billy drive and count her luck? No way in hell.
Eventually, she settled on the one option she'd hoped she wouldn't have to do.
She drove his car once, she could do it again.
Max's shoulders slumped in relief as they finally emerged from the last of the dancing crowd, the front door now finally within sight. She wanted to run ahead and wait for Billy outside, but she couldn't risk losing him at this point.
Billy gave someone one last wave and nod of his head before he stumbled down the few steps to the lawn, clutching at the railing at just the last second to keep from falling forward onto his face. He grumbled something under his breath, but Max was too focused on breathing in the crisp, cold air that welcomed her.
If I ever step into another party again, I'll need therapy.
And just as she had expected, Billy was making his way towards the driver's side of the Camaro, tripping over the uneven grass twice before dropping his keys again and having to bend down to snatch them once more. Max tried to wrack her brain fast for a way to get him to stop. When he placed a hand on the door handle, she blurted the first thing that came to her mind.
"Wait! You can't drive yet, because… uh… because I… I need something… from the trunk."
Billy crinkled the side of his nose, his mouth open like she was an alien speaking a foreign language. He couldn't seem to process what she was talking about. When he continued to just stand there, Max rolled her eyes, frustrated by his lack of response, and moved to the trunk herself, hoping he would have something she could use to help her reach the pedals.
He suddenly released the door handle and rushed over to her faster than she thought his drunken legs could, forcefully pushing her away from it. Then, he positioned himself in front of the trunk, blocking her way.
"Woah woah, stay… stay out of my trunk. You'll, you'll... I don't know. Chip the paint or something. Fuck."
Max blinked at him in confusion. Chip the paint? Really? She sighed and shook her head before waving a hand for him to continue. But when Billy motioned for her to back up, and then back up some more so that she was over five feet away, she frowned again, even more confused. He jimmied the trunk open and spared her a glance as though he was making sure she hadn't inched closer again.
Is he hiding something in there?
Billy stared into the trunk for a second like staring into an abyss, rapidly blinking. Then, he turned to her. "W-what did you need?"
"I uh… Do you have anything… uh square or block-shaped? Not too big, but… maybe enough to step on?"
He stared, swaying slightly. "Why d'you need a block, Max?"
"Not a block, Billy. Something block-shaped. And I need it to… to step on." She didn't want to make it obvious that she was planning on stealing the driver's seat the first chance she got.
He gave her a blank stare. "Wh-Why?"
Max gave a frustrated sigh. "I just… I just need it to step on, OK."
Billy slowly nodded, still staring. "To step on?"
Exasperated. "Yes, Billy! I just told you."
He paused, slowly nodding. Then stopped. "Wait… Why d'ya need a block again?"
When he just continued to stare, Max threw up her hands. "Ugh! Just forget it. I'll get it myself!"
She marched forward but stopped as soon as Billy quickly held up a hand for her to stay. "Stop. I'll get it, I'll get your… stupid block. Fuck."
She watched as he turned back to the trunk and stared into it for another second before reaching in to dig around. She could hear noises as he rummaged through. When he finally pulled his hand back out, he carelessly tossed her something. Max jerked forward to catch it, fumbling the object until it was secure in her grip. But as soon as she looked down, she did a double-take.
Max stared at it, mouth agape. "A box of condoms? Seriously?!"
"Eh, you take what you get," he said, slamming the trunk shut.
She huffed. "What the heck do you even need a bulk box for? This thing is half the size of my head! Are you seriously trying to convince that many girls in Hawkins to get with you?"
"What the hell do you know about my use of rubbers? And how do you know any of that stuff anyway? None of your bratty business…" he mumbled.
Max rolled her eyes again, but she didn't miss the way his keys dangled from only one finger, nor the way he was likely only seconds from dropping them again. With his back turned and his drunken brain already focused on one task, she saw this as her only moment. She jumped forward and yanked the keys from his hand. He looked at the ground first as if he'd dropped them, then moved slowly to look in her direction, which gave her the perfect amount of time to dart towards the driver's side.
Billy cursed and slid on the slippery asphalt as he tried to get his legs to move and catch her. She slammed the door shut and punched the lock just as he rammed into the door, and banged on the window with his hands. His face flushed crimson, his jaw clenched tightly, and he shot her a furious glare as he forcefully exhaled, causing the window to fog up slightly.
"Max," he called, his voice a low threat. "Get out of the car, or I'm gonna yank you out by your mouthy lip!"
When Max ignored him, he banged on the window again. She cringed at the way it rattled but refused to look at him again. He yanked on the handle and started to groan and complain about it being stuck, making her roll her eyes because he definitely heard her lock it.
"Billy, just hurry up and get in the car!" she yelled.
He struggled a second more with the handle before slipping and falling with a yelp. She covered her mouth and tried not to laugh given the situation and the fact that they were running low on time to get home. He scrambled up just as fast and shoved his hands into his coat pockets so he could wrap it around his abdomen. She made a mental note to ask him later about his missing shirt.
Max expected him to climb into the back, but he walked all the way around to the front before climbing in on the passenger side.
"What the hell, brat stick? I didn't say you could drive my damn car," he snapped, glaring daggers into her as though it was going to remove her from the driver's seat.
"Well had I let you drive, we'd never make it home because we'd probably DIE. So just shut up already," she growled, clicking her seat belt into place. She waited for him to do the same but he just sat there. Max pointed to it. At first, he looked on the ground, searching for whatever he thought she was pointing to. After another fierce jab of her finger while sharply saying, "Seat belt," he groaned loudly before clawing at it aggressively and yanking it around him. His fingers flailed and fumbled around the latch, resembling a contestant in a wild rodeo trying to tame a particularly unruly bull as he wrestled with his seatbelt buckle. His fumbling fingers danced around the clasp, missing it by a country mile, and at one point, he even tried to buckle the wrong side. Max raised a somewhat amused but impatient brow as she watched his antics.
Just when it seemed like she would have to intervene, Billy miraculously managed to align the buckle with the slot. When it clicked into place, she gave a nod and he rolled his eyes.
"Happy now?" he grumbled at her before leaning forward to dig into his shoe. He pulled out a lighter, and Max blinked in surprise.
Why the heck does he have a lighter stashed in his shoe? she thought before looking at his face, noticing the grimace as he dug in his coat pocket. His hand got wedged, and he growled in frustration before forcefully yanking out the crumpled cigarette pack.
He can't be for real right now, right?
Billy managed to place a cigarette between his lips, but backward, and when the tobacco touched his tongue, he spat it out, and it fell into his lap. He snatched it up and scrutinized it closely before trying again, this time succeeding. However, when he tried to flip the lighter, it went flying and bounced onto the floorboard. Leaning down to retrieve it, he narrowly missed bashing his head against the dashboard. Max tensed, bracing for the impact, but she breathed a sigh of relief when he came back up unharmed.
As Billy settled back into the seat, she exhaled slowly and shook her head. But just as he tried to light the cigarette a second time, he dropped the lighter onto his stomach and screeched.
"Ow, fuck!"
With an annoyed sigh, Max reached over and snagged it before it could slip into the gap between the seat and the console, saving some time and hassle before Billy went digging for it. She really didn't feel like becoming a human torch or having to put out a fire in the car, not to mention having to explain a giant burn mark to Neil later on.
"Hey! Give that back, you little shit!" he yelled with the unlit cigarette still hanging limply from his mouth. She tucked it into her own pocket on the left side and he thumped back to the seat and crossed his arm. She couldn't believe that Billy of all people had resorted to pouting when normally he'd probably wrestle the damn thing away from her.
Sometimes it was hard to believe that they were only four years apart, and right now was one of those times. She thought back for a moment to the last time she saw him this drunk, this out of control. Actually, it was the first time he came home drunk really, from a party she figured was a lot like the one she was just sucked into. They had just moved to Hawkins and Billy had stumbled his way into the house. The whole thing with Neil afterward and how it took him until morning to get up wasn't something she wanted to deal with again. Especially not so soon after a beating as bad as the other day.
Max reached down to adjust the stupid box of condoms against the gas pedal so her foot could rest on it properly. Deciding that they had already wasted enough time, Max turned the key in the ignition. The car roared to life, and the music blared, making her jump and flail to cover her ears. Billy, already quick to enter a headbanging session, paid no attention to her distress. Slapping her hand out at the dash, she shut it off and breathed a sigh of relief even though her ears were still ringing.
Billy whirled around, aghast. "Hey, I was listening to that!"
"Yeah, well I'd actually like to keep my hearing after tonight, thank you," she snapped. Mostly she wanted all of her focus so she didn't drive them into a ditch or worse, another car. Billy was already being a huge distraction and music would just make it all go to hell in a matter of seconds.
Gripping the steering wheel like her life depended on it, Max slowly pulled away from the curb, trying not to hit the drunken pedestrians who seemed to suffer the same rubber legs problem that Billy was. She raised up every few seconds to make sure the front bumper wasn't at risk of taking someone's legs out. She wished she'd have also asked for a box or something to sit on as well so she could at least see over the hood a bit better.
Once on the road, Max kept the car moving slowly, both hands locked into place and her head forward so she could keep her eyes directly on the road. Her shoulders were tense; she was hyper-aware of every little thing, hoping no cops were out lurking in the area just waiting for someone to pull over.
The car was dimly lit, the flickering streetlights casting eerie shadows across their faces. Max spared the smallest glance at Billy, whose head lolled against the window, rocking side to side with every bump and groove on the road. At one point it even slammed into it a little, but he didn't make a peep. Max shook her head at just how little could affect him sometimes.
Just when she felt she had the hang of things, his head popped up and he looked at her like he'd just remembered something.
"Wait…You drive…" he said. It was a statement.
"Yeah, I told you before, remember?"
Billy squinted, trying to rack his brain. Then, he raised his brows and slowly nodded.
"Hey," Billy slurred. "Who, who taught you how to drive again?"
He slouched so that he was leaning horizontally, with his head over the console and spilling into her seat. She leaned away from him with a huff and it only caused him to press into her arm more. He toyed with the ring on his finger, peering at it like he was trying to see his reflection in it. When he flared his nostrils and tilted his head up to get a better look inside them, she gagged and elbowed him off.
"My dad," she said.
"That fugly-looking dude?"
Max's mouth fell open in shock, but then her eyes narrowed as she squinted at him, trying to figure out, one, where he got off insulting her dad, and two, how he'd known what he looked like at all. Then it clicked. He'd seen the pictures of him on the table from before. She remembered those pictures like the back of her hand. Her dad wasn't conventionally attractive, not like some supermodel or something like that, but he wasn't 'fugly', or even ugly when she thought about it.
Billy was still half-leaning on the console. He gave her arm a poke as his face morphed into a sarcastic, lopsided grin. Even his smiles seemed drunk. "Your little tattered memory book sure is something. Who knew you were such a little softy for family moments, huh? Little Maxie-Poo loves mommy and daddy."
She curled her nose at his mock tone and flicked her hand at him when he tried to poke her again. It took her brain a moment to process what he meant by 'tattered memory book', but when she realized, she shot him a glare hard enough that he recoiled into his own seat. "You went through my scrapbook?!" She tried to hold her glare but was too scared to look away from the road for very long.
"Shh! God! Shut your damn trap and stop fucking yelling at me," he groaned, rubbing at his temples before returning her glare with a cross-eyed attempt of his own.
"When?!"
"Ugh. Right now, Max! I'm not trying to go fucking deaf," he growled, poking at his ear and moving his jaw as though she was making his ears ring.
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. "No, when did you go through my scrapbook?"
"Pfft. That was ages ago," he said, reclining the seat and crossing his arms as though he didn't just admit to snooping through her things.
"Are you kidding me, Billy? If that had been the other way around you'd have lost it. Stay out of my stuff. You have no business looking through my personal things like that!" she snapped, reaching over to shove his arm so he would look at her again. "Seriously. Don't. Touch. My stuff."
"Why don't you make me?"
Max paused.
Dejavu.
Where had she heard that before? It was almost like if she closed her eyes, she would be able to pinpoint a time when he'd said that exact thing to her, but it was foggy at best.
She furrowed her brow as his words trailed off into ramblings. He continued to mess with his ring, staring at it and moving it around on his finger. Billy let out a long burp that rivaled a trombone solo and then groaned. Max sighed. She really hoped those burps didn't turn into gagging… or turn into him spewing chunks across the dash. That was the very last thing she could handle right now on top of driving.
"Damn," he said, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. "That tasted like jelly beans… This guy from the party… Mark or Spark or something stupid… he put fucking jelly beans in the vodka bottles… Almost choked taking a shot the first time. Swallowed a few I think."
Max wrinkled her brows. "Billy… what–"
"Oh, and did you see that girl with the little things on her nippl—"
"BILLY!"
"What?"
"How could you go in there and be that irresponsible? You told me you would have a sip—one sip at most, and I watched you take jello shots and chug two beers. You are totally wasted right now!"
"Ugh god, now you're lecturing me? You… your… you're annoying sometimes, you know that? It pisses me off," he huffed, sounding like a petulant child. "Not sure if I hate it as much as you giving me attitude though… trying to buck up to me like a little snotty brat.."
"Yeah yeah. I know. I'm a horrible brat that makes your life miserable," she said, waving him off so she could focus on the road. "Scared of a little girl yelling at you," she mumbled.
"Yeah!" he said with an enthusiastic chuckle while nodding. "But… but that time you stood up to me… threatened me… that night with the bat…" he started giving an airy laugh. Almost a wheeze as he leaned forward just to throw himself back. "That was priceless. Thought I'd shit my pants."
Max's eyes flared wide with shock, because no way did he actually mean that. Not once had she remembered him actually looking scared of her… then again, she really had been prepared to use that bat…
Max startled when Billy burst into laughter. And not a normal one that she'd ever heard before, but a full-body, gut-clenching laugh. The kind that someone does that—even if you don't know what they are laughing at—makes you join in because the act itself is such a show. It was contagious, and even though Max wanted to smile, she couldn't help but feel the little nag of worry in the back of her mind. This wasn't like the serious drunk she'd seen him as before… this one was untroubled… like he didn't care at all.
"Billy, this is serious. What if Neil finds out? You could get in serious trouble."
His laugh stopped. As he licked his lips, he stared blankly ahead. For a moment, he almost seemed sober. Then, he humorlessly chuckled. "I'm always in trouble. Perks of being his screwup." He chuckled again softer, but it trailed off in a way that made her look over at him. Even in the brief glance, she could see the downturned expression of his eyes, the frown taking away his smile as he stared at nothing. "I just needed to forget… for a while."
Just want one night where I don't have to worry about him.
Max remembered his words from before. The look of longing on his face, even if brief, as he'd admitted it. She hadn't pieced it together then, but it wasn't just a night where Neil was gone or Billy was left alone in his room. It was this.
Slowly, Billy's reckless antics the entire night finally becoming clear, she realized this was his way of drawing out his sorrows. His anger. This destructive behavior of his.
"Fuck Neil."
The words were so abrupt, so harsh it yanked Max from her thoughts and took her eyes from the road. She stared at him in both shock and awe, wondering if she'd imagined the words altogether. But his face was hard, stuck in a scowl. A glint of glazed anger in his eyes. And it told her she hadn't.
Seconds went by, and she finally shook herself, remembering she needed to actually look at the road. When she turned back, Max let out a sharp gasp and fumbled her foot for the break, slamming onto it with both feet to narrowly miss the blur of fur as it fled across the road.
Billy lurched forward and slammed into the dash, only just catching himself with his hands in time but still taking quite the hit. She didn't even know how considering his seatbelt was still on. But when she looked down, she realized it was unlatched.
When the hell did he do that?
Billy groaned and pushed himself back up, rubbing at his forehead before looking at her. "What the hell? There wasn't a stop sign there! Are you blind or something or just don't know what the brake pedal is?"
Max's heart was still beating frantically. She sucked in another breath before stretching out her sore knuckles from where they had gripped the wheel so tight. "Sorry."
She sighed and stared at the edge of the road where the animal had stopped. It took her a second of blinking and letting her eyes adjust to the headlights to realize it was just a deer. She'd seen so many 'Deer Crossing' signs since they'd moved to Hawkins, but not once had she ever seen one. Its black beady eyes stared towards them for a moment before it finally turned and leaped into the brush.
"Earth to Max! You actually have to use the gas to move. God, this is why girls can't drive… have to tell them how to every step of the way."
"I said I was sorry," she mumbled.
Seeing that the deer wasn't likely to come back, Max slowly began to accelerate, driving past the gap in the trees where it disappeared and moving on down the road. She ignored the way Billy continued to mumble about girls and their lack of driving skills because her mind trailed back to what he'd said about Neil.
His words had seemed so sad, but like he'd actually believed it. That he was Neil's screw-up. It wasn't the first time he had said something like that before, and each time it was like he was admitting to the world a truth he didn't want to admit. It was clear that it made him angry, and that all that anger was being bottled up inside of him with nowhere to go. At least to Max, it felt that way when he'd yelled out his 'Fuck Neil'. It made sense to her why he would want a night of freedom. Maybe what she'd said about being caged inside was truer than she'd expected. Maybe Billy felt trapped and this was his one chance at release. She glanced over at him with sadness in her chest; it was hard to feel frustrated at his drunkenness when she felt so bad for him.
After a few minutes, Billy went quiet. When Max looked over at him, his eyes were closing and his head began to loll again. Suddenly, his eyes rolled back, and a wave of panic made her stomach twist and her heart skip a beat.
"No, no. Billy. Wake up." She smacked his cheek lightly, just enough to see his eyes flutter closed. Her mind raced towards all the possibilities of what could be wrong. She tried to spare glances to get a read on his face.
Is he pale? No… not that pale…
Could it be alcohol poisoning? she thought, recalling the stern warnings from health class about binge drinking. She trembled at the thought as she reached out to shake him awake, fearing the worst. She didn't actually see how much he'd managed to drink. He was drunk but not catatonic… so maybe that was it. Did he actually smack his head that hard in the dash when she slammed on the breaks?
Billy suddenly let out a long snore, before smacking his lips. Relief washed over Max and she sighed, only relaxing a bit. So he wasn't on the brink of alcohol poisoning; he was just tired and snoring like a freight train, a loud testament to his drunkenness. She never thought she'd be happy to hear such an atrocious sound.
Max let out another relieved breath and turned back to the road. She let him sleep, deciding that it would be the best way for her to stay focused the rest of the way home.
. . .
When the house came into sight, Max's heart sped up. She parked in front of the house, screeching onto the curb because there was no way she was dragging him up those back steps. It was a race against the clock, no knowing of how much time she had until their parents got home, so she had to get him inside and fast. Max swung her door open, making a mental note to park in the garage later.
The garage! Please don't be here. Please don't be here…
She couldn't be relieved yet. Couldn't relax until she checked all the places to make sure Neil hadn't come home early. She prayed over and over in her mind for him to not be home. She moved quickly on her feet to check the driveway, and the garage from the side door. But it wasn't enough. She even looked up and down the street twice before she felt it was safe to move on to the hard part. She rushed back to the car, trying to quickly pry open the door just in case the noise attracted the attention of anyone who might report to Neil or her mom.
Max opened the passenger door, taking in the spectacle of the drunken mess lying there. Billy was passed out, limbs flopping loose and mouth open. When the chilly breeze rushed past he stirred enough to snore and make a face like he'd tasted something bad and she cleared her throat.
"Billy, wake up… Billy…" When he didn't move, Max groaned. "There is no way I can carry you." Thinking fast, she grabbed his ankle and tried to drag him by the feet, yanking hard enough until his shoes started to loosen, but it was impossible to lift him at all—he was dead weight. Still, she tried again, tugging on his ankle until his boot slid from his foot, causing Max to stumble back.
"Ugh!" Frustrated, Max threw down the boot and stomped up to Billy, leaned into the car, and started patting his cheek. "Billy, wake. Up. Billy!" She patted harder, but nothing fazed him. With a final exasperation, she yelled, "Wake up!" and hit him one good time. He jolted, startled awake.
"Ow, fuck!" he said, covering his face and rolling in his seat slowly as though writhing in pain. She couldn't tell if he was seriously hurt or if he was being dramatic. She didn't want to hit him on his bruises and tried to avoid them, but she could have miscalculated. Max pressed her lips into a flat line and hesitated on what to do next. Should she ask him if he's okay?
Billy uncovered his face, his eyes watery. From sleep or pain, she wasn't sure, but she felt guilty either way. She opened her mouth to speak, but he beat her to it.
"Max…" he blubbered. "You're hits… are weak as fuck! Was I hit by a feather?" What seemed like crying turned to laughter, as he wheezed and clutched at his stomach. "What happened to that strong arm of yours? It's so disappointing." He sucked in a breath and then cackled more, pointing at her. "I mean… your aim was disappointing to begin with… but that? Wow… sad attempt."
The guilt quickly turned into irritation, and she didn't feel as bad anymore. She glared at him when he continued to chuckle and balled her fist before sending it into his shoulder. He choked on the next wheeze and clutched at it in surprise, his mouth popping open in a mix of shock and pain.
"Ow!"
"Get. out."
He rubbed his shoulder. "Tsk. Who made you boss? Damn."
"Go!"
"I'm going, I'm going. Hold your horses, Mad Max."
He moved slowly, groaning as he sat up with a grunt. He looked down, then his eyes darted along the grass. "Hey… hey, where's my shoe?" He stood. "Where's my—"
All of a sudden, Billy flew forward. He tripped and slammed on the pavement, letting out a hoarse yelp. Stunned, Max looked to see that his foot was caught in the seatbelt. She rolled her eyes and shook her head. For a moment, she waited to see if he would dislodge on his own, but he flailed–only shaking his foot in a pathetic attempt to knock the belt loose. Max reached in to untwist the strap and watched him stumble and claw at the pavement as he tried to pull himself back up onto two feet. He began to lean, as though top-heavy, and she tried to balance him, awkwardly grabbing at an arm to hold him up. He started to rant, which was only a half mumble, half babble of words she couldn't make out. As he staggered forward, he saw Max pick up his boot.
"First my car now my shoe you little thief…"
He stumbled and half fell to the ground, but quickly picked himself up, stumbling to the front door, not even bothering to grab his shoe from her. Billy, in his alcohol-fueled coordination, attempted to ascend a single step to the house with all the grace of a duck trying to waltz. After a bit of wobble, he cleared it. But then he fell right in front of the door. And stayed there. His breathing was even, and his eyes closed as though he'd just decided to go right to sleep after hitting the ground.
Damn it!
Max grabbed Billy by the upper arm and tried to pull him up to no avail. "Huuuunnngh. Why are you so damn heavy?!"
All that weight-lifting, and maybe even the beer…
She pulled and lost her grip, slipping and falling to the floor. God, she hoped her nosy neighbor Mrs. Parker wasn't watching. Even though she drove slow to make the engine as quiet as possible, the car engine was loud enough to wake an entire block.
Max crawled over to Billy, looking down at his seemingly comatose face. "Billy, please get up. I need help. I can't carry you."
"Go away, shit bird. I'm tired."
She hadn't heard him call her that in a while. Or any of the other names he happily dished out tonight. It was like the drunken him had even more of a mouth on him than usual. At this point, it didn't matter; he could call her a 'bitchy clueless troublemaking rugrat for all she cared, as long as she could get him inside. And as long as they weren't caught by Neil, then she would let it all bounce off her and worry about it later. Anything was better than the disaster that would occur if she didn't convince him to get up.
"Wouldn't it be better to sleep in your bed?" she tried to reason, doing her best to hide the growing impatience in her voice.
He said nothing.
"Come on . . . Please?"
Nothing.
Max tried to think of something that would be convincing, something that might buy his cooperation. She glanced at the road again to make sure no one was coming before she turned back and sighed, "If you get up, I promise I won't ask to go to the arcade again for the rest of the break. Not once, Billy."
Billy opened one eye and turned slightly to look up at her. Then closed it again. Eventually, after a few more attempts at begging, Billy groaned and stood. His legs wobbled like a newborn calf, making him lean on the side of the house for support. She tried to hold his arm again like before, but he grumbled.
"Stop pulling at me… you're not helping me, dammit," he barked, shooing her away when she tried to maintain her hold. He pushed off the wall and walked through the door, only to collapse onto his hands and knees just over the threshold. He tried to move again, but slipped and bumped one of the tables, forcing Max to dive forward and save the brand-new lamp from crashing to the ground.
What followed was a match of pull and tug as Max grabbed onto his arm again and helped as Billy half-crawled to his room. His feet held no traction and could no longer support his weight fully, and what resulted was an army crawl fueled only by Max's willpower. By the time she had him climbing onto the bed where he fell face-first into the pillow, her heart was racing and she was out of breath. She tossed Billy's boot somewhere in his room. For a moment, she just stood there, bracing her arms on her hips while she breathed.
Max decided to take off his other shoe at least, and tossed them to the side without care, her own energy quickly fading into nothing. She debated on the clothes for a split second before scrunching her nose. Stripping him down was where she drew the line; she was plenty traumatized from all the things she'd witnessed at the party. Instead, she yanked on the blankets and covered him as best she could. Billy instantly grumbled and kicked them off.
"Stop, I'm hot," he whined, swiping a hand at her but missing entirely.
She tried again, considering he was missing a shirt and out in the cold. Besides, she didn't want to risk him getting sick on top of being hungover. Not to mention having Neil see him dressed—or half-dressed in this case—if he happened to walk in. But with another swipe, he tossed it off again.
"I said I'm hot!" he roared. He fell back on the bed. After a pause, he chuckled. "This room is pretty hot too." Billy laughed louder at his own joke before burping. Max rolled her eyes, watching him flip and flop on the bed.
What a narcissist.
Suddenly Billy sprang up. He tried to get back up out of bed but Max shoved him down. But Billy was stubborn, and tried again, shoving her back as he raised up. She growled and pushed at his chest roughly, digging her fingers in a bit until he gave her a wild look.
"Dammit, Billy! You have to stay in bed. What if Neil comes and sees you like this?" She indicated to the entirety of him, the sweaty drunken mess that was flopping like a fish in the bed. He groaned and slammed his head back against the pillow in frustration.
"Fuck Neil!" Billy said, again. Just as forceful as the last time, but it seemed to echo off the walls louder than it did in the car. Max winced, as though Neil were just outside the room and could hear. She knew he wasn't, but somehow it felt like him saying the words in the house would alert Neil to the discretion. That somehow trouble would find them just from Billy saying it.
She grimaced when he flipped off nothing but air and started to repeat it over and over, chanting it as loud as his voice would let him, "FUCK NEIL! FUCK NEIL, FUCK NEIL!"
"Shhh! Billy, what the heck! Stop that!" She blanched, trying to find some way to make his mouth shut and his words stop.
Why won't he just go back to sleep?!
"Shh, blah, blah! Quiet Billy, don't wanna get in trouble-wubble. Look at me. I'm goody two shoes, Max… I don't like getting into trouble, but I'll sure get others into it!" he mocked, glaring at her and swiping out again when she pushed him back down onto the bed.
She was surprised that she was able to keep pushing him back down, and what ensued was a match of ping pong, but Billy was the stubborn ball that didn't want to stay where she sent it. After the fourth push, he slumped and began to mumble something about nipples again, which made her retreat back another step and rub at her tired face. She tried to rack her brain on what to do about him, how to keep the truth from getting out. She didn't want to explain how they got home, especially with him being drunk and all… and with his new vocal distaste for Neil always at the tip of his tongue.
But if he didn't go to sleep, their parents would for sure make it back and find him this way… and she'd have to come up with something… something they'd both buy… but it was clear to anyone with a brain that Billy was a slurred mess.
"What am I gonna do if Neil sees you like this," she whispered to herself.
Billy turned to her and blinked a few times as though clearing his vision. He was suddenly serious and his voice was low.
"You like horror films, right Max?" he asked.
Max was taken aback by the question, and that he even knew that about her, but Billy didn't wait for an answer.
"I hate the boogeyman," Billy said, his voice shockingly even. "The way he towers over you with looks of such… hatred. Always thinking he's bigger and better… more powerful. Like… like a demon…"
"Yeah, yeah, the boogyman's a nightmare," Max said with a dismissive wave of her hand.
Billy simply nodded. "Yeah," he said, sucking in a deep breath before continuing. "He just seemed . . . possessed. The blows wouldn't stop… they just wouldn't stop…" His voice fell into a whisper as he stared blankly at the ceiling. Max, taken aback, watched him. There was a certain look in his eyes. And she suddenly realized what he was talking about.
Neil.
Max's heart felt heavy, each of his words adding more weight that made it sink further and further inside of her. She rubbed at her chest and swallowed roughly when he turned to look at her.
"Does the boogyman scare you?" she asked.
He was quiet for a moment, the pause hanging heavily in the air. "No…" he said, turning away, his eyes scanning the ceiling. Finally, he licked his dry lips and admitted, "He terrifies me."
Silence.
Max didn't know what to say to that. Couldn't find the words when all she could do was agree with him inside of her head. She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. However, Billy wasn't done. He raised up again on one arm, his eyes boring into her.
"I don't want to be afraid of him anymore. How's that for a resolution?" He slowly nodded to himself as though that were confirmation. "Fuck Neil… And fuck you too."
Taken aback again, Max reared back, feeling her heart finally reaching the bottom of the drop. "What did I do?" she whispered. Was he talking about her breaking the deal? Taking him from the party?
Billy blinked slowly and then slumped back down. He stared at the ceiling as his eyes began to flutter closed. "You make it so difficult to look after you," he said so quietly she almost didn't hear it. He sniffed and kept his eyes closed as he kept going.
"You fight back… he hates that." He chuckled, although it lacked actual humor. "My mom fought back too. Threw a plate at his head." He went to touch his head, but the movement was uncoordinated. "And the way you cussed Neil out–ha! Priceless… you probably reminded him of her." Then, he frowned. "Sometimes I wonder if you have more balls than I do."
Max slightly lowered her gaze. I was right… Neil had been talking about Billy's mom that night… it makes so much sense now. But him to think I'm braver than him… She pursed her lips. She wasn't the one that had to live with Neil all her life. And the way he took that beating for her… if that wasn't brave, what was?
He looked at her again, his eyes hooded with sleep, but the faintest of smiles pulled at his lips. "You're not nice like her… or as pretty." He smirked when Max scoffed, but she didn't interrupt. "But you fight back, Max. Like her."
Billy played with his necklace, catching her eye. It was something Max noticed he always did when talking about his mother.
"Billy, why do you always wear that necklace? I never see you without it."
He shrugged. "Mom gave it to me. Said it'd protect me. Load a crap that's been."
"Then why do you still wear it?"
He frowned. "It's all she left me with."
Left him with?
Max frowned at that, wondering what he could mean. She went to ask but he mumbled at last, "I couldn't protect her."
Max's heart grew even heavier. She could hear the admiration in his voice, the love he had for his mother. It was as plain as the adorning glint in his eyes. She wondered what happened to her but decided not to ask. She already felt a little ashamed for letting him talk so long, especially since he probably wouldn't have said any of the things he told her tonight when sober. Especially things about his mother.
"You're so talkative when you're drunk," she said at last, deciding not to press her luck by probing him for details.
Billy scoffed. "You should talk, miss twenty questions."
Max raised a brow and fought the urge to smile at that. "I only do that because you wouldn't tell me anything otherwise."
"Yeah, well if you could just resist sticking your nose where it doesn't belong, things would be fine," he grumbled.
"You make it sound worse than it actually is, I'm sure. Like it's just so hard on you… for me to want to know things about you."
Billy frowned, his words slightly slurred. "That's because it's exhausting with you as a stupid, nosy and mouthy sister."
Max jerked her head, shocked. Did she hear that right? Were her ears deceiving her or had Billy just called her his sister? Her thoughts ran wild. She wanted it to be true. She saw him as a brother and couldn't deny that at this point–not after everything. But she kept from saying so because she didn't think he considered it, didn't consider himself her brother. But then why did he just say it? Why did he call her "sister"? Could it be the alcohol talking?
Max frowned. Yeah, that must be it.
After all the times he'd said, "She's not my sister," it had to be. Billy said it so much, she couldn't help but repeat it now.
"I'm not your sister… remember?" she said, dejected.
Billy lifted his head and shot her a disbelieving look, his expression silently asking if she had lost her mind. "You're so annoying…"
"Yeah yeah, I know–"
"You're annoying!" he said again, louder, slower, and more prominent, letting the words linger for a split second. "And it seems like you only exist to annoy me. You're annoying, a pain in the ass, always bothering me, always getting me in trouble, and always pushing every single one of my damn buttons! You're the definition of a sister. So fuck you, Max." And he held her gaze to cement the words.
Max was shocked.
Grumbling, "Fuckin' brat," he finally fell back, waving both middle fingers high. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, little shit." His hands fell limply on his chest. His words gradually quieted as he still chanted "fuck yous" like it was his lullaby. Max didn't react, didn't even move as his words eventually trailed off and his breathing went even again. When he released a soft snore, she knew he was finally asleep.
With a sigh, she put the blanket over him and stood back. There was a lightness in her chest from his words. Though there was still some lingering doubt about him calling her his sister, she chose to look past that for once, or at least hold on to the possibility that he could mean it. Even if minimally.
Max knew it was only a matter of time before Neil and her mom returned. And she knew, from newfound experience, that drunks were always so unpredictable. And after her night, she wasn't sure if Billy would wake up as a mean drunk vs. actually being drunk still. She wasn't looking forward to finding out. Especially with the risk of him shouting his 'Fuck Neil' for the whole world to hear. She couldn't let it happen at all.
So after parking the car into the garage—the last piece to hide what had happened—Max slipped back into Billy's room and turned out the light, deciding to sit on the couch right there beside him, just to watch over him.
That was the least she could do.
To be continued…