You're Just As Troubled• Billy Hargrove

~Chapter Forty Two~

September 3rd, 1989

I wheeled my luggage straight to the car without looking back. Billy and I have hit rock bottom since I found out I was pregnant.

In the beginning it was nice, but as it furthered along we became distanced. My fear of becoming a mother and his fear of becoming a father caused a strain in our relationship.

I was now headed back to Hawkins, Indiana to live with my dad and Joyce until I figured out my next move in life.

I sighed as I rested my head in my hands, Hawkins wasn't my first choice but California was beginning to become toxic to me and Hawkins was the only solution.

I hurried through security and to my gate, boarding at the very last second. "Am I making a mistake?" I kept asking myself. Billy and I haven't tried to work things out but it seems impossible when neither one of us wants to talk about it.

"We are ready for take off" the pilot announced. "Well no turning back now" I thought.

Four hours later and I was back in Indiana. I gathered my luggage and headed towards the pick up location where my dad was waiting. He along with Joyce, Will and El stood there with a handmade sign which read Phoebe Miller.

"I missed you guys" I said as I individually hugged each of them, my dad being last.

"I'll kill when I see him" my dad whispered into my ear. I flashed a quick smile hoping it was a joke.

"You look great, you can't even tell yet" Joyce exclaimed.

"Please I look like I binged fast food for a week. So excited for senior year?" I asked Will and El. Will was now the same height as Jonathan and El slightly taller than me.

"Yeah looking forward to it" El said. We walked back to the car, Will and my dad carrying my luggage.

We pulled up the house and I could see Max anxiously awaiting my arrival. She sprints off the porch and to the car.

"Phoebe"

"Max.... acting like we didn't just spend a whole two weeks together I see" I joked. Max had spent the whole month of July in California, two weeks with her dad and two weeks with Billy and I.

"I missed you. Two weeks just wasn't enough" she exclaimed. "Where's Billy?" She asked. I nor Billy had explained to her during her stay that we were having issues. We thought it would be best not to worry her or force her to have to pick sides.

"Uh, can we talk later?" I asked, she shook her head with a confused look on her face.

We continued into the house. El and Will had converted the once shared rooms into their own.

"We made the basement a guest bedroom" Joyce explained as she showed me the rooms that were once Jonathan and mine's.

"Thank you, for everything" I said. Joyce smiled. I headed downstairs to the basement to unpack.

As I began take out my clothes I heard the stairs creek. I looked up to see Max hesitantly walk down them.

"Hey" she said

"Hi"

"So what happened?" She asked. Clearly she was catching on.

"We just aren't talking at the moment" I said sitting on the bed.

"You guys seemed fine in July" Max questioned.

"Yeah, it's been getting worse, we also didn't want you not to have a good time" I explained.

"So are you staying permanently?" Max asked

"I don't know, I have to figure some things out" I said while twiddling with my thumbs.

"Well the baby is going to have the best aunt in the world to support it" Max said. I smiled giving her hug before she sprinted back upstairs.