MELANCHOLY [S.T. B. Hargrove]

17

I spent the next twenty minutes wiping Billy's face and chest with a cold washcloth in an attempt to wake him up.

Then, I remembered that liquid that Hopper was using to wake Will up. Was there more left? I put the rag on Billy's head and hurry outside to the shed where Will was being held earlier.

It felt weird- creeping around Joyce's house when no one else was there. But, it isn't like Max gave me much of a choice. She knocked Billy out and took his car.

I don't find the bottle. But, there was a cloth that was being used on Will. Maybe the scent was still strong enough. I take it and hurry back inside. When I walk in the backdoor, Billy was sitting upright, rubbing his head.

"Hey," I call, rushing to kneel beside him. "Take it easy, B."

"What the hell was that?" he asks.

I pick the cloth up from where it had fallen on his lap and cup his cheek, wiping his face again. He was too tired to push me away.

What do I say?

Thoughts of Joyce and Bob pop into my head. How she wished she never told Bob the truth because it led to Bob's death.

"Byers had this like.. freak meltdown," I decide.

Billy shakes his head and forces himself to look straight at me. I try to block the walls to the best of my ability so he didn't pay attention to the drawings all over the place.

"Come on," I urge. "Let's get you home."

I help Billy stand. His legs were still wobbly and weak. I duck under his arm, letting him lean his weight on me as we walk out of the house. 

"Where's my car?" he slurs.

Shit.

I go to say Max, but.. they still had to live together after this. Maybe, just for now, it was best if the anger was directed at Steve.

"Steve took it," I blame. "Kids went with him."

"Prick," he spits.

He groans in pain as we ease down the steps and onto uneven ground. When we make it to the road, he has another question.

"Thanks for standing me up," he scoffs. "What did they do to you? Why were you locked in the bathroom?"

"Because I heard your car," I tell the truth. "They were trying to stop me from seeing you."

Billy tugs me closer and tucks my head under his chin. "'m sorry, Roc."

I wasn't sure how my chest felt hollow and full of weight at the same time. But, here I was.

Nancy is the next one in my head. Her telling me about how she and Jonathan were.

I argued that I didn't feel that way to Billy.

Then, Neil reminded me why we could never be anything more.

But.. here.. in Billy's arms.. 

My lifelong best friend.

God, I loved Billy.

"Shit," the word slips from my mouth.

"What?" Billy asks. "Are you all right? Did they hurt you?"

Hurt. Max's concern.

"No, I'm all right," I promise. "Just.. crazy day, you know?"

Weakly, Billy's hand rubs the back of my head as we walk. It only makes me feel worse.

I feel like I betrayed someone. Myself, maybe. Billy, most definitely. 

How dare I fall for him? He was my best friend. My safe place. My..