By: FireBloodandTruth
The next morning came with the same oppressive heat, the same sticky air, and the same suffocating sense of being trapped. The sky hung low, washed out by the sun, casting a dull, lifeless haze over Hawkins. Billy stood in front of his bathroom mirror, his jaw clenched tight as he dragged a razor over the stubborn shadow on his face. Each stroke was sharp, precise, methodical—just like the rest of his routine. No wasted movements, no hesitation.
Just get it done. Get out. Survive another day.
He wiped his jaw clean and tossed the razor into the sink, his eyes narrowing as he stared at his reflection. There was a hollowness there, a void that had been growing since the day they packed up and left California. His father had called it a new start, but Billy knew better. It wasn't a new start. It was a sentence.
Every morning, he'd look at himself in that mirror and see the same person staring back—the same guy everyone in this town whispered about. The California kid with the perfect hair and the cocky smile. The guy who made girls blush and guys clench their fists in jealousy. He was the outsider, the bad boy. And he played his role well, because that's all it was. A role. An act. One he'd perfected over years of learning how to survive in a world that didn't give a damn about him.
But today, something was different.
Today, there was something more under the surface. Something that had taken root since yesterday when he'd walked away from that picnic table by the pool. It was subtle, like an itch at the back of his mind, a nagging thought that wouldn't let go.
She didn't give him anything.
Billy had spent the whole night going over the encounter in his head, trying to figure out why he couldn't shake it. It wasn't like it was the first time a girl had played hard to get. Hell, he'd seen that move a thousand times. But it was the way she'd done it. The calm, cool dismissal. Like she hadn't even had to try. Like she knew exactly what game they were playing, and she wasn't interested in playing by his rules.
He liked that.
More than he wanted to admit.
Billy shrugged on his denim jacket, ignoring the heat. It didn't matter. Looking good always mattered more. He ran a hand through his hair, the familiar routine calming him as he slicked it back into its usual perfect waves. He gave himself one last look in the mirror—blue eyes sharp, jaw tight, lips curled in a lazy smirk. There he was. Billy Hargrove. The guy everyone wanted, or hated, or both. And he was about to head back to that pool, where he knew she'd be.
Today, he'd make her look at him.
By the time he pulled up to the pool, the lot was already half-full. Moms in sun hats unloaded toddlers from minivans, older kids ran ahead, towels flapping like capes behind them. The sound of splashing and squealing drifted over the chain-link fence, the same cacophony of noise that had greeted him every day since summer started.
He slid out of the car, aviators already in place, and made his way to the entrance. As he passed through the gate, the familiar chorus of giggles started. The girls—high school juniors, maybe seniors, barely out of braces—clustered near the snack bar, whispering behind their hands as they shot him shy glances. Billy gave them a smirk and a lazy wink, knowing full well the effect it would have. The girls practically swooned, one of them clutching her friend's arm as if she might faint on the spot.
Yeah, he still had it. But none of them were the reason he was here.
Billy's eyes scanned the pool deck, searching for her. The mystery girl. He hadn't caught her name yesterday, hadn't needed to. Names didn't matter when the game had just started. What mattered was the chase, the thrill of figuring out how far he could push, how long she could resist.
And then he saw her.
She was standing at the shallow end, her back to him, talking to one of the kids splashing around in the water. She wasn't wearing sunglasses today, which meant he had a clear view of her face when she turned to give the kid a grin. It wasn't a shy smile, or a flirty one. It was the kind of smile that said she didn't have anything to prove, that she was completely at ease with herself.
Billy's smirk faltered for just a second.
He wasn't used to that. Not around here. Not in Hawkins, where everyone was either trying too hard or not trying at all. She didn't fit either category. She was something else. Something…different.
He shook off the thought, reminding himself that this was exactly why he was here. She was different, and that made her worth the effort. Billy Hargrove didn't back down from a challenge, and this girl was about to find that out firsthand.
He strolled over to the lifeguard station, taking his time, making sure to stay just out of her line of sight. He'd wait for the right moment. Timing was everything. But even as he leaned against the railing, pretending to check out the crowd, his eyes kept drifting back to her. She moved with the same lazy grace she had yesterday, like nothing around her really mattered. The heat, the noise, the people—it all slid off her like water. Unbothered. Untouched.
Billy crossed his arms, his mind working through the angles. What was her deal? What was she hiding behind those calm, cool eyes? He'd figure it out. He always did. The chase was part of the fun, after all. And if she thought she could play him, she was in for a surprise.
He watched her for another minute, waiting. But just as he was about to make his move, someone bumped into him from behind.
"Hey, watch it!" Billy growled, spinning around to glare at the offender.
It was one of the kids. Scrawny, probably no older than ten, with sunburned shoulders and a face full of freckles. The kid's eyes went wide as he realized who he'd just run into.
"S-sorry, man," the kid stammered, backing away.
Billy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, whatever. Just stay out of my way."
The kid bolted, practically tripping over his own feet in his rush to get away. Billy shook his head, turning his attention back to the girl by the pool, but she was already on the move again, walking toward the lifeguard chair on the far side. She hadn't even noticed the whole interaction. Or if she had, she hadn't cared.
He gritted his teeth, feeling the frustration bubble up. She wasn't making this easy, and while part of him liked the challenge, another part was getting real tired of being ignored.
No more waiting.
Billy pushed off from the railing and made a beeline toward the lifeguard chair, his steps quick and purposeful. This time, he wasn't going to let her slip away. He could feel the eyes of the other lifeguards and pool-goers on him, but he didn't care. They weren't important. She was the only one who mattered right now.
When he reached the chair, she was just settling in, adjusting the seatbelt around her waist as she perched on the edge of the raised platform. Her back was still to him, but he could see the muscles in her shoulders tense slightly as he approached. She knew he was coming.
Good.
Billy stopped at the base of the chair, crossing his arms and looking up at her with a smirk that he knew would get her attention.
"Hey," he said, his voice low and smooth, the kind of voice that had gotten him into more girls' beds than he could count. "Mind if I join you?"
She didn't turn around. For a second, he thought she was going to ignore him again, like she had yesterday. But then she spoke, her voice calm and even, without even the slightest hint of surprise.
"Lifeguard duties usually don't require partners," she said, her tone dry, almost amused.
Billy's smirk widened. She was good. Real good.
"Yeah, but I figured I'd make an exception," he replied, leaning one arm against the base of the chair. "You know, in case things get...out of hand."
Before she could reply, the sound of laughter caught Billy's attention. He shifted his gaze, and there they were—three of the pool moms, clustered together near the shallow end. They weren't even pretending to hide their interest. All of them had sunglasses perched on their noses, sunhats casting shadows over their faces, but there was no mistaking the way they were looking at him. He could practically feel the heat of their stares crawling up his spine.
The leader of the group, a brunette with carefully curled hair and a swimsuit that seemed a bit too fancy for a public pool, waved in his direction. Her smile was wide, all teeth and expectation. Billy resisted the urge to roll his eyes.
"Looks like your fan club's here," the girl in the lifeguard chair said, her voice laced with amusement.
Billy tore his gaze away from the moms and looked back at her. She was smirking now, a knowing glint in her eyes. She had noticed the attention he was getting and, unlike most girls, didn't seem remotely fazed. If anything, she was entertained by it.
"Yeah, well," Billy started, rubbing the back of his neck. "Not exactly my type."
Before he could continue, the brunette mom made her move. She sauntered over, one hand on her hip, her smile even wider now that she was close. The other two moms stayed behind, watching, waiting for whatever was about to happen.
"Billy, honey," the brunette crooned, stopping just a few feet away from him. "It's so hot out here today. Maybe you could come over and help us cool off?"
Her voice was low, sultry, the kind of voice she probably used when her husband wasn't around. Billy felt the corners of his mouth twitch in irritation. He knew the type—bored housewives with nothing better to do than flirt with the young lifeguard, all while pretending they weren't unhappy in their perfectly manicured lives.
"Sorry, ladies," Billy said, forcing a smile. "I'm on duty."
The brunette pouted, clearly disappointed but not deterred. "Well, if you get a break, we'll be right over there. Don't be a stranger."
She winked before turning back to her friends, the three of them dissolving into a chorus of giggles as they walked away, casting backward glances at Billy over their shoulders.
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. The whole scene was exhausting, but he was used to it by now. Used to being the object of attention, used to the stares, the whispers. What he wasn't used to was how little any of it seemed to matter now that she was watching him.
The girl in the lifeguard chair chuckled, shaking her head slightly. "Looks like you've got your hands full."
Billy leaned against the chair again, trying to play it cool. "They're harmless," he said, but there was an edge to his voice. He didn't like being lumped in with the flirting games those women played, especially not in front of her.
The girl raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Your fans await. Don't worry," she added with a playful smile, "I won't tell their husbands."
Billy's grin faded for a second, caught off guard by her quick wit. He let out a short laugh, crossing his arms again, and shot her a look that was equal parts impressed and intrigued. "You're enjoying this way too much," he said, his voice low.
"Maybe," she replied, adjusting her sunglasses and leaning back in the chair, her body language as relaxed as ever. "Or maybe I just like seeing you squirm."
Billy shook his head, still grinning, but underneath, he felt that same spark of curiosity tugging at him again. She wasn't like anyone he'd met before. She wasn't falling for his charm, wasn't fazed by the attention he got from the moms or the girls around the pool. And that only made him want to know more. Who was she? What was her deal?
He opened his mouth to say something else, maybe tease her back, but before he could, the whistle blew again. Break time was over, and the kids were already lining up at the edge of the pool, eager to jump back in.
The girl didn't give him a second glance as she climbed down from the lifeguard chair and headed back toward the pool. Billy watched her go, a slight frown pulling at his lips. She hadn't given him an inch, hadn't even shown the slightest bit of interest beyond playful teasing.
But that was fine.
Because Billy Hargrove never gave up.
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