GONE GIRL » Billy Hargrove

0.1 » billy

The sound of a car pulling up in front of the house made me snap out of my trance, which I had fallen into after staring at the wooden floor for long enough; I quickly picked up my backpack and locked the door behind me.

Jonathan Byers, one of my few friends, greeted me with a genuine but visibly tired smile and I mumbled a quick "Good morning." while buckling up. I didn't have a car myself, so for the whole past year Jonathan had been kind enough to pick me up every morning, since my house was on the way to school anyway.

I leaned my head against the window, looking at the last few leaves which were falling to the ground, covering everything in a sea of color. Just a couple days and everything would be drenched in Grey and not the most beautiful shades of Orange, Red, and Brown we could see right now.

"Hey, Lucy. You still with me?" Jonathan asked and I sighed. "Yeah, sorry i-" - "...wandered off? Yeah you always do that. Anyway I was asking if you've noticed anything odd lately?" I tilted my head slightly. "Not really, no. Why? Is something going on? With Will maybe?"

I had helped them out quite a bit when Will was stuck in the Upside Down last year, which brought all of us even closer together. He was getting regular check-ups at the Lab which was now being lead by some other guy who claimed to be on the good side; I wasn't one to judge but I just hoped they really were trying to make things better.

"Ah it's nothing. Just thought I'd ask." He fixed his gaze onto the road after obviously trying to brush off the topic. Knowing I wouldn't really get any further information out of him unless I could shapeshift into Nancy Wheeler right on the spot, I let it be and resumed staring at the trees fleeting by.

Soon enough we pulled up to the school's parking lot - Jonathan's little brother Will was usually taken to school by his mother ever since the incidents of last year.
I could make out the usual suspects in the parking area - the bullies standing around near the trash bins to the side of the building, as well as Carol and her Entourage leaning on the side of a car.

Without a word both of us got out and slammed the doors simultaneously, I let out a chuckle, then proceeded with a rather unimpressed look on my face. It was easier like that and over the past two years I figured out, that in a shithole like this with equally as shitty people a mask was the easiest to go with. I didn't speak a lot, and if I did it was with Jonathan or Steve, and before she was taken away also Barb.

"Well that's a nice car," One of the douchebags near the entrance whistled and almost everyone turned around to look at the unfamiliar blue Camaro with a California license plate.

A short ginger girl got out and skated off towards the Middle School immediately. Shortly after a guy got out on the drivers side, looked around like he owned the place and smirked towards some of the girls who were already busy drooling.

"I don't think I'll ever understand the whole denim on denim thing," I murmured and pulled Jonathan into the hallway after me.

"He does have a nice car though," He chuckled and I raised an eyebrow. "Wanna bet that's the only nice thing about him? Did you see that awfully cocky smirk? Gross." I opened my locker, threw my bag in there and grabbed the History book and a binder.

When I turned around my friend had already vanished into thin air without a single word and I let out a sigh, heading towards the classroom after having closed my locker again.

∞

Throwing my leather jacket over the back of the chair I placed the book and binder on the table before sitting down, staring out of the window. On the first day of school of each year so far I had made sure to be at school early enough to save myself one of the seats in the back. I didn't really know whether it was because the back of the room was closer to the wall, thus nobody could really creep up on me, or just so I could have an overview over the entire room whenever I wanted. Either way it surely was some way to calm my temporary paranoia that I got every once in a while, even more so since the incidents of last year.

"Well then, I would like to introduce a new student to you!" I jumped a little at the sudden yell our teacher let out to capture everyone's attention.

I'd zoned out again. Great.

Readjusting myself to a more acceptable sitting position I looked to the side and noticed the guy from earlier this morning standing there. Again, he had this smirk on his face, very well aware that most of the girls present were already fawning over him and his mullet again.

"Name's Billy Hargrove. Moved here from California. Pleased to meet you."
I almost gagged at the face Carol on the other side of the room made, the new guy was told to sit down and Mr Brown began talking. I opened the binder and started to doodle on the pages whilst occasionally noting down some of the things he emphasized at least seven times. Those were usually the facts he'd ask for in a test.

"Hey Lucy," Someone next to me hissed and I looked up. "Can you give that to Billy?" I was handed a folded piece of paper and raised my eyebrows. This was like sixth grade all over again, but much more annoying.

Without a word I took the note and threw it over his shoulder onto his table, since he was conveniently sitting right in front of me. Great. I should start asking for money right away.

I heard the girl next to me giggle, shook my head and resumed my sketch, until Billy turned around and placed the note on my desk. Without looking up I tossed it to the side, somehow did not miss the table, and added the second ear to the tigerhead I was currently drawing.

∞

The bell rang and cut off Mr Brown, who was just in the process to add yet another topic to the next test, but people stormed out of the room faster than he could open his mouth again to stop them.

Stretching a little bit I grabbed my stuff and walked back to my locker, where I found Jonathan and Nancy talking.

"What's going on?" I asked after seeing Jonathan's distraught look. "She wants me to go to this Halloween Party tomorrow," He explained and pointed towards Nancy, who just shrugged and began talking again.

"You see, you could actually end up having a really good time. You don't even have to drink or anything. Lucy could come too, maybe it could be some sort of Double Date?" - "No," Jonathan and me said in unison, and I couldn't help but notice a certain relief in Nancy's expression.

"My cousin's gonna come back from college today for a little break, I'm afraid my evenings are already booked," I quickly explained, switching History with the English book. Actually I was quite positive my cousin would already know about the party and plan on going there, so I would have to come pick him up in the middle of the night, but they didn't need to know that just yet. I didn't like parties at all, especially if the main purpose was to get completely wasted. Really, not my image of a nice evening.

"Look, what are you gonna do with Will anyway? You'll be home by 8 and then?"

I quickly waved, giving Jonathan an apologetic smile before retreating to the English classroom, almost being run over by Steve in the process. He caught a glimpse of his girlfriend talking to Jon and groaned, before coming back into the almost empty room a few minutes later.

"Good morning to you too Stevie," I smiled after having sat down and he rolled his eyes. "I told you not to call me that." - "Yeah well I never said I'd listen." - "Shut up, Lockwood," He spat before ruffling my hair, and sitting down next to me.

"Hey you definitely do need to relax a little. The party tomorrow sounds good, doesn't it?" - "Says the one who doesn't even go to parties." Steve stuck out his tongue, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Real grown up, Harrington."