Richie had to leave because his parents were having a teacher conference. (Already), so here I was, pacing the room as Bill awkwardly watches me from my couch.

Richie didn't trust leaving me alone. So Bill is staying the night.

Incoherent things slip from my mouth, I'm completely blinded with rage.

"I-I just don't get it, Bill!" I shout, causing him to jump. "What did I do wrong? Am I not pretty enough?"

I kneel in front of him. Tear stains run down my cheeks, and my lipstick is slightly smeared. Bill immediately waves his hands. "N-No! No way, A-Ally!" He insists, despite my disoriented make up. "H-He was j-just being s-stupid, m-maybe he f-felt pressured into it!" He tries, pulling me into a hug.

I climb onto his lap, straddling him in a tight hug. My sobs echo throughout the room, and he desperately tries to calm me down.

My head rests against his shoulder as I hiccup relentlessly. He rubs my back in circles, hushing me softly. But despite all his kind efforts, everything in me hurts. Everything in me desperately needs to forget.

"I need to smoke." I stare removing myself from the stuttering boy and walking towards my cigarettes.

He follows closely behind me, as I walk towards the bathroom, cleaning my face a little. After I'm clean, I walk out onto the porch and light my cigarette. Bill follows with a worried look, watching how quick the cigarette shrinks.

"M-Maybe you sh-should slow down..." he pleads, giving me a sad look. "You have any better ideas?" I question, a bit annoyed as I blow out a cloud of smoke.

A thought zips through my mind, and the rage in my heart encourages it.

"We could– hear me out here– make out, instead." I suggest, throwing the cigarette aside. Bill's eyes widen and he backs up a little. "Y-You don't mean th-that!" He mumbles, stumbling back with every step I take towards him.

"Come on, Bill.." I say, now holding a somewhat desperate look in my eye.

How pathetic.

Bill swallows loudly, looking anywhere but me. "I've o-only ever kissed one girl b-before, don't y-you want someone w-with a little bit more experience?" He questions, neck turning red. I smile lightly at him. "It's alright, I get it. You still like Bev—"

"No!" He cuts me off. "I-I never said th-that.
Y-you know her and B-Ben are together."

I nod lightly.

"Well, I don't really care about experience. Everyone learns somewhere right?" I hum, stepping back into the house. He follows behind me, closing the door.

I don't really expect him to agree, so I pull out another cigarette, bringing my hand up to light it.

"A-Ally, if it really makes y-you feel better about y-yourself then s-sure. B-But we c-can't be anything serious. I c-couldn't do that to
E-Eddie. No matter how m-mad I am at him." Bill complies, causing me to grin lightly in surprise and nod my head.

"Yeah, of course!"

So, then he knows. He knows this is a self esteem thing.

"Y-you lead...I g-guess.." he blushes, sitting on the couch.

Guilt courses through me, until I realize what I saw earlier. The burning image of the boy I love kissing another girl gives me the push I need to kiss Bill.

I lean in without a second thought and plant my lips on his.

He's still at first, as if to prove this means nothing to him. However, the further I take the kiss, the more responsive he becomes. He kisses back with as much force and passion, until I'm straddling his lap once again.

It feels weird, to kiss your friend.

Seems like I've been doing that a lot lately. Seems like I'll be doing that a lot more.

An eye for an eye.

(YOU ALL SAW EDDIE X ALLY COMING.
YOU ALL SAW RICHIE X ALLY COMING.

BUT DID YOU SEE BILL X ALLY COMING?)