4

RAYA

I was trying to find a good outfit to wear on my date with Billy when everything went cold and goosebumps raised on my entire body.

I instantly felt trapped but somehow I knew it was Will. He felt stuck as dark tendrils attacked him.

I took a deep breath and called the Wheeler's.

Ted picked up after a minute. "Wheeler residence."

"Is Nancy there and if she is, is Jonathan there-"

"Karen!" He yelled. "Is Nancy here?"

"No, haven't see her." I heard Karen in the background.

I hung and began to panic. I needed to help him. So the only thing I could do was wait for them to come home.

When I heard Mom's car pull into the driveway, I hopped up and watched them come inside. I instantly hurried to Will and pulled him into a hug.

His thin arms wrapped around me. Then him and Mom walked off to his room.

I sighed and walked to my room. I collapsed on the bed and pushed my hair from my face. And I just closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up and headed to the kitchen. Jonathan was coming back from Will's room.

He gave me a hug. "Mom and Will are asleep in there. And you should go back to bed."

"What are you doing?" I demanded.

"Nothing."

I sighed and hurried back to my room, I was right about to open the door when I heard some shuffling from inside the room.

I grabbed a book from my mom's room and then opened my door quickly to see Billy trying to get out of his jacket.

"What are you doing?" I demanded. "Are you drunk?"

"Pftt, noooo."

I sighed but then stopped when I seen the bruises and blood on his body.

"What happened?" I asked, putting down the hardcover book and approaching him.

"My dad." He said, "Nice pajamas."

I blushed. I was wearing shorts and a tube top that raised my cleavage.

"Be quiet and follow me." I ordered.

I led him to the bathroom and he sat down on the toilet lid. I went to move his hair from his face and he flinched.

"I'm sorry." I swallowed. "I didn't mean to scare you."

He didn't say anything. He just stared at his hands as I began to wash the blood off of him. I tried not to overthink and blush too much as we stayed in close proximity.

"You shouldn't bruise too bad." I informed him.

He didn't say a word. I took my hand and placed it under his chin, forcing him to look at me. I could see the tears in his eyes.

"Oh, Billy." I took his hands and knelt in front of him. "I'm so sorry-"

"I hate him." He muttered. "He's shit, he made me into a piece of shit-"

"You're not a piece of shit."

"Yeah, I am!" He snapped. "You know how I treat people. I treated girls like they were just a pair of tits, guys like garbage, and I'm even mean to my own family!"

"Am I just a pair of tits?" I asked, amused.

"No, but yours are very nice." He responded.

I laughed and stood up. I led him back to my room and locked the door. He sat on the bed and looked at me. I sat beside him and he leaned on my shoulder.

"I'm so sick of Neil, I wanna kill him."

"My dad is horrible too." I informed him.

"How?"

"Well when my mom and dad got divorced, he decided to take me. Being separated from my twin Jonathan was rough for me. When we moved, my dad Lonnie, got some shitty home and he brought a different woman home every night. Made me be nice to them. At school I got hit on and I did not enjoy getting harassed by boys who wanted to get in my pants."

Billy cuddled closer to me, his head on my chest and his arms wrapped around my abdomen. I put my hand in his hair and began to play with it. He let out a groan that made me clench my thighs together. But I kept going.

"There were some things that happened but I'd rather not say... And then when Will went missing, Jonathan came to us and told us and eventually Lonnie and I had come down. Then I went missing. And when they found me, Lonnie had left and never spoke to me again. He only sent all my stuff to me through the mail and that was that."

Billy nodded. "Thank you, Raya."

"No problem."

🔷️

When I awoke Billy was nowhere to be seen. I lumbered into the kitchen. Joyce kept calling Hopper but he didn't pick up. Mom didn't seem so mad at me now.

She gave me a kiss before letting me leave for school. I walked all the way there, loving the cool weather we were getting.

I ran into Billy in the high school parking lot and he gave me a smile.

"Hello, Byers."

"Hi."

"Thank you for last night."

"No problem."

I looked at his face. You could barely see the bruise.

"That stuff you put on it really worked miracles. And a little bit of makeup powder too."

I chuckled and looked around to see a ton of girls glaring at me with so much jealousy.

I crossed my arms and sighed. Billy must of noticed it too because he put his arm on my shoulder and led me into the school, flipping them the bird.

"What are you doing?" I hissed.

"They won't mess with you now." He kissed the side of my head.

I looked at him, my heart pounding. "Okay."

I saw Steve at gym class when him and Billy were on opposite teams playing basketball. I sat on the bleachers with the rest of the girls.

I could see Billy taunting him and Steve trying to focus. No Shirts team won and Billy shot me a wink before jogging into the boys locker room.

I gathered my stuff and left the gym. I waited at Billy's car. Only ten minutes later, Billy spotted me and hurried to me. I had to remember to give him back his jacket.

BILLY

She was so perfect.

"Did you have to be mean?" Raya inquired.

"Yes."

"So I'll see you at six, right?" She asked.

"Yes, Babydoll."

"Will you tell me where we're going?"

"Nope."

"Fine." She groaned. "I'll see you later, Steve's taking me home."

"Bye, Princess."

I watched her leave before turning back to the middle school.

I could see Max and a boy her age arguing. I narrowed my eyes. Max gets on her skateboard and rolls down to me. I watch her and the boy with brown skin and a mad expression. I stood up and turned to head to the car.

"That boy you were talking to, who is he?"

"He's no one." Max responded.

"No one?" I repeated.

"This kid from my class." Max responded, quickly.

We got in my vehicle and I lit a cigarette. I took a drag before resting my hand out the window.

"Why was he talking to you?"

"It was just about a stupid class assignment."

"Then why are you so upset?"

"I'm not!" Max snapped.

"He causing you trouble?"

"Why do you care?" Max snapped.

"Because, Max, you're a piece of shit but we're family now whether we like it or not meaning I'm stuck looking out for you."

It was the closest I could get to saying I care.

"What would I ever do without-" Max started, sarcastically.

I exploded.

"Hey!" I snapped, grabbing her arm she threw up. "This is serious shit, okay? I'm older than you. And something you learn is that there are certain people in this world that you stay away from, and that kid, Max... that kid is one of them."

Max tried to pull away but my grip tightened on her arm. "You stay away from him, you hear me? Stay away."

He let go of her arm and she turned away. I started the car and raced off.

I noticed the tears in her eyes as she looked out the window and wanted to apologize but I didn't know how.

My father had made me into a monster. And nobody but Raya could change me.