Chapter One : MADMAX

chapter twenty-eight , Another shitty year...

a/n : racism is depicted this chapter (yes, that means that Billy Flop makes an appearance, sadly 😭)

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For Sofía, nightmares were common.

She wished they weren't. Because that meant she would have to spend more time at the Lab answering the same tedious questions. Sofía didn't like her life before, but a part of her always dreams of going back to being a lonely orphan that no one noticed. The Lab always brought out the worst in her. She would always end up hurting someone.

"Sofía!!!"

The girl's eyes fly open and she lets out a quiet whine. She blinks her eyes a few times and rubs them. "What is it?"

Tori hops off the top bunk and meets Sofía's eyes. "Gus is here!"

Sofía's eyes widen, "Wait—what time is it?!" She looks at the clock on the wall. "Crap! I'm gonna be late!"

Sofía stumbles out of her bed and runs to her closet. She grabs a pair of hand-me-down jeans and a zip-up purple windbreaker. She slips the jacket on.

"So, where are you guys going this time?" Tori asks.

Sofía looks at her bunkmate. "The arcade."

"You guys never go anywhere else." Tori sighs. "Kinda boring if you ask me."

"I didn't ask you, Tori." Sofía huffs. She runs to the bathroom and changes into her pants. Sofía brushes her teeth and runs back into her room.

"Is Dustin gonna be there?" Tori says in a teasing tone.

"Yeah, he always is." Sofía nods. She grabs her tattered black converse and slips them on.

Tori smiles softly. "Are you actually gonna talk to him this time or just be stuttering and pretending you don't hear him again?"

"That was one time, Tori." Sofía sighs, looking at the girl.

Tori shrugs her shoulders. "It was one time, but it was the most embarrassing time ever."

Sofía hated to admit it, but Tori was right. The young girl knew she had a crush on Dustin, but she didn't know what to do with that. Even though it's almost been a year since she joined the Party, she still felt fairly new. And she didn't want to cause any disruptions with her feelings. So, it was best to keep them hidden.

Tori runs out of the room and looks over the banister to see the short-haired brunette talking to Ms. Gretchen. "Gus is in the building!" She looks back at Sofía.

Sofía presses her lips into a small smile. "Thanks for the update, Tori." She grabs her backpack and slips it onto her shoulders. "I'll see you later tonight."

"Can you get me some candy, if you get the chance?" Tori digs in her pockets and hands Sofía 2 dollars.

Sofía smiles, "Yeah, definitely."

Tori quickly thanks the girl as she runs down the stairs. "Gus!"

The short-haired brunette turns to Sofía, her eyes light up, and a smile spreads across her lips. Gus lets out a dramatic gasp and Sofía rolls her eyes playfully.

"Why, if it isn't, Sofía 'The Enchantress'!" Gus holds her arms out and bows with her right leg in front of her left. "I am so glad you have blessed me with your presence."

"I'm sorry for running late, I must've dozed off while doing my homework," Sofía explains.

Gus straightens her back and lets out a soft chuckle. "No need to give me an explanation, squirt." She ruffles Sofía's hair. "And you don't need to apologize." She looks at Ms. Gretchen.

"So, what time do you want me to have this little ol' orphan back?" Gus tilts her head to the side.

"9:30 should be fine."

Gus gives the woman a nod. "9:30 it is." She turns Sofía's head toward the door and the teen leads the girl to the door.

"Please drive safe, August!"

Gus holds her arms out, "Oh, come on, Ms. G! I'm officially licensed now! I'll be fine." She opens the door and accidentally hits Sofía in the face with the door. Ms. Gretchen lets out a small gasp. Sofia's head snaps back and she groans. "Dude!"

Gus winces, "Shit—I mean, shoot. I'm sorry, Sof." She looks at Sofía's now red forehead. "I'm sure if you rub it really fast. The swelling will go away."

"No, that's not how that works—don't listen to her, Sofía!" Ms. Gretchen calls out as the two girls leave the house.

Gus frowns, "I most definitely am right. Just don't...go to sleep, okay?"

☆

Gus slows to a stop in front of the arcade and Sofía raises her brows. She looks at the teen, who was anxiously waiting for her input. "Better."

Gus' brows raise, "Yeah?"

Sofía nods softly, "Yeah."

Gus lets out a triumphant laugh and beats her hands against the steering wheel. "August for the win!"

Sofía looks over at the entrance to the arcade and sees Dustin, Lucas, and Mike with their bikes. "Okay, I've gotta go!—"

"Halt, young one!"

Sofía stops and looks at the brunette. Gus slightly tilts her chin up. "Remember what Ms. Gretchen said?"

Sofía nods her head, "Yeah—9:30. Got it. Now can I go?"

"If you need anything just call me on your walkie, all right?" Gus raises her brows. "Anything."

Sofía smiles softly, "August, I'm going to be fine. I promise."

Gus exhales through her nose and her body relaxes. "All right." She unlocks the doors. "Get out of here."

"Thank you!" Sofía gets out of the car and runs over to the boys. The girl got there at the same time as Will. Gus chuckles watching the five kids talk excitedly while hurrying into the arcade. She tucks a strand of her fluffy brown hair behind her ear. Her eyes travel around the parking lot, suddenly they stop on the familiar car. Joyce raises her brows, seeing Gus. She hesitantly waves at the girl, wondering what she would decide to do.

Gus hasn't talked to Joyce since the track meet. She hasn't had a conversation with Hopper unless it was a screaming match. Gus was a stubborn girl and right now. She didn't want to forgive anyone anytime soon. Instead of waving back, Gus puts her car in drive and speeds out of the parking lot. Joyce drops her hand with defeat and lets out a breath.

"No! No! No!" Dustin's eyes widen. Sofía slumps her shoulders as Dustin's character turns into a pile of bones.

"I hate this overpriced bullshit!" Dustin hits the screen. "Son of a bitch! Piece of shit!" He kicks the side of the arcade.

"You're just not nimble enough." Lucas shrugs. "But you'll get there one day."

"But until then, Princess Daphne is still mine." Lucas wiggles his brows. Sofía let's out a sharp breath and crosses her arms. "I can't believe you won her from me."

Lucas shrugs, "What can I say? I'm just better."

"You know what? Whatever. I'm still good on Centipede and Dig Dug." Dustin states.

"You sure about that?"

All the kids look at Keith. Sofía wrinkles her nose, seeing the cheese dust staining his fingers.

"Sure about why?" Dustin softly speaks.

Keith eats a cheese puff. Dustin's eyes blow wide, he pushes past everyone. "You're kidding me. No, no, no..." he runs over to the Centipede game with everyone behind him. Dustin's panic rises, seeing his name off the top of the scoreboard. He runs over to Dig Dug and it was the same thing.

"No! No! No!"

Sofía's mouth hangs open. "Holy crap!"

"751,300 points!" Will exclaims.

"That's impossible," Mike speaks.

"Who's MadMax?" Dustin asks Keith.

"Better than you."

Dustin flips Keith off and Sofía chuckles.

"Is it you?" Will inquires.

Keith lets out a scoff, "You know I despise Dig Dug." He it's another cheese puff.

"Yeah, spill it, Keith!" Dustin snaps.

"So much animosity." Sofía softly murmurs.

"I hate this guy." Dustin softly replies.

Sofía smiles, "We all do. Doesn't mean we're gonna be rude."

"You want information then I need something in return," Keith speaks.

All the kids snap their eyes over to the guy, eating his cheese puffs. Simultaneously, all the kids understand what he's saying.

"No, no, no. No way." Mike bites.

"You're not getting a date with Gus!" Dustin snaps.

"Are you out of your fucking mind?!" Sofía snaps.

Lucas moves his head from side to side. "Well, maybe we could discuss—"

"We're not prostituting August!" The kids snap.

"But it's for a good cause." Lucas states. "I'm sure Gus wouldn't mind."

"No, don't get him the date. You know that?" Dustin points at Keith. "He's gonna spread his nasty-ass rash to everyone Gus interacts with."

"Probably gonna ruin her clothes with that Cheeto dust too!" Sofía snaps. "Wipe your hands!"

Keith looks between Dustin and Sofía, his mouth opens and closes. "Acne isn't a rash and it isn't contagious, you prepubescent wastoid—"

"Hey!" Sofía squeaks.

"And you!" Keith points at Sofía and she pulls her face back. "I would wash my hands—"

"No, you wouldn't!" Dustin cuts the boy off. "When have you ever washed your hands!"

"And who are you calling a wastoid?!" Sofía barks. "Dustin is the most awesomest person—"

"Awesomest isn't a word!" Keith snaps.

"It's our word!" Dustin and Sofía snap. The kids all continue to argue with Keith, not letting up anytime soon. Sofía abruptly stops speaking and her stomach turns. She quickly looks around the arcade and pulls her brows together.

"Where's Will?"

Mike looks at the girl, noticing her shaken expression. Sofía's breathing quickens and she starts to walk away from the group. Mike quickly follows after the girl. He knows that Will and Sofía both have different kinds of episodes. Sofía's were more violent than Will's.

"Sof?" Mike softly asks.

"Have you seen Will?" Sofía quickly stops and turns to Mike, her eyes teary. Mike looks around the arcade, knowing that Sofía needed Will by her side. His eyes stop on the door and he spots Will standing on the sidewalk.

"Hey, Sofía? I'm gonna go get Will, okay?" Mike keeps his comforting eyes on Sofía.

Sofía shakily nods her head. She starts to hug herself and presses her back against one of the arcade games. Sofía squeezes her eyes shut, feeling a familiar cold thread shoot down her spine. "One...two...three...four..." Sofía inhales a quivering breath and she slides to the ground with her knees pressed against her chest.

"Sofía!"

The girl's eyes fly open, feeling a soft hand on her shoulder. She grabs the person's arm and gasps for air. "Hey—no! It's just Will and I."

Sofía's eyes focus on the two boys and she lets out a breath of relief. "I-I'm sorry."

"Remember what Dr. Owens said?" Will says, crouching in front of her with a small smile. "We don't have to apologize for not being okay."

Sofía slowly nods her head. "Right, yeah... thank you guys."

Will and Mike hold their hands out to the girl. She manages a small smile before grabbing both of their hands.

☆

The door swings open, revealing the two girls. "Oh, hey guys." Fallon tilts her head to the side. "What's up?"

Gus and Robin look at each other and shrug. "We just wanted to see how you were doing."

Fallon frowns. "Oh. Well, I'm doing fine."

"And your mom?" Robin asks.

Fallon's face falls and her eyelids slightly fall as well. "She says she's fine, but she's a liar."

"Like you?" Gus raises her brows.

Robin nudges the short-haired brunette. Gus quietly grunts and rubs her arm. "I mean—"

"I know what you meant, August." Fallon presses her lips into a small smile. "And I'm serious when I say that I'm okay."

Gus pulls her brows together. "You're...not lying." She then slightly tilts her chin up.

Fallon smiles, "Told ya! I'm okay. I just want to be there for my mom and focus on my future."

Robin couldn't help but feel relief, hearing Fallon say that. Fallon was trying to get her life back to the way it was. She was ready to move on. Robin was glad to see Fallon smiling again.

Fallon slightly opens her mouth. "Do you guys want to come in?"

Gus raises her brows. "I actually have to get back. I'm grounded."

"Jeez, what'd you do this time?" Robin leans against the doorframe.

Gus rolls her eyes, "Nothing!"

Robin and Fallon look at each other before looking back at the fluffy-haired brunette. Gus inhales, "I may have...given Antonio a swirly."

Fallon cranes her neck forward and Robin laugh. "August Castillo—"

"I know, I know—but it wasn't my fault, all right?" Gus holds her hands up. "He pushed past me in the hall. I told him to say excuse me and he said 'make me'." She then folds her arms over her chest.

"Well, did he apologize?" Robin asks.

"Don't encourage her," Fallon whispers to the Buckley girl.

Robin bunches her shoulders. "I have to know."

Gus scratches the back of her head. "Yeah, he apologized. After 20 seconds of drowning in that nasty ass toilet water."

"And it just keeps getting better!" Robin claps.

Fallon runs a hand over her face. Everyone knew that Gus was just acting out, due to her not being able to graduate with her class. Gus felt like she was a failure and she didn't know any other way to express her negative emotions.

"You're going to graduate, y'know?" Fallon raises her brows.

Gus' throat tightens and she looks to the side.

"Yeah! I mean, you won't be graduating with Fallon and Steve, but—"

"Robin, maybe a bit less of those factual statements?" Fallon chuckles nervously. Robin slowly nods her head, "Right, right—okay! At least you'll be graduating with Nancy, Jonathan, and I!"

Fallon presses her lips together. "Yeah..."

Robin and Gus look at the curly-haired girl. "What?"

Fallon looks at the girls. "Jonathan was talking about dropping out of school."

Gus cranes her neck forward, "I'm sorry—can you repeat that?"

"He said—"

"No, you don't actually have to repeat that." Gus waves a hand.

"But you asked her to." Robin pulls her brows together.

"I did, didn't I?" Gus pinches the bridge of her nose. "It was rhetorical. My bad."

"All good."

"Why is he dropping out?" Gus asks. "He's almost done with this shit hole!"

"Well, he says he's got more important things to worry about. Like bills, work, his family." Fallon explains. "He didn't tell you this?"

Gus sighs softly, "No, we haven't talked. Not since—"

"You guys almost had sex?" Robin asks.

Gus nods her head. "Yeah. That..." she covers her face. "He can't drop out—that's for damn sure. I won't let him."

"You can't make him stay—"

"Why not? He made me go to Summer School! Even though I'm still repeating my junior year..." Gus purses her lips. "Still—he encouraged me and now I'm gonna encourage him!" She turns on her heel and walks down the porch. Robin looks at Fallon, "She forgot me."

Fallon nods, "That she did."

Robin keeps her blue eyes on Fallon's brown ones. The chestnut brunette softly smiles. "So, you really are good, right? Because I'm not like Gus. I can't just immediately tell when someone is okay by looking into their eyes—"

Fallon touches Robin's arm. "Rob?"

Robin focuses on the content girl. Fallon gives her a small smile. "I'm okay. And if one day I'm not...I'll call you."

Robin lets out a breath of relief. "Cool—"

"I totally forgot you!" Gus runs back over to the two girls, shutting the moment down. Fallon and Robin internally scream. Gus lets out a laugh, "Let's go, friend!" She loops her arm with Robin's and pulls her down the porch. Robin grunts, "You're so tiny and yet so strong." She says with amazement.

Gus smiles proudly. "I know. I'm awesome!"

☆

"Would you check out that ass?"

Gus' ears perk. She turns her head and follows everyone's eyes. The girl raises her brows, "Damn..."

"I know that damn. Who is it about?"

"New kid."

Fallon follows Gus' eyes and she grabs Gus' arm. "Damn."

Gus raises her brows, "Right?"

Fallon lets out a breath. "And I'm over it."

"I'm not." Gus chuckles softly. She stands there for a few minutes and Fallon rolls her eyes with a smile. She then slumps her shoulders and sighs. "Okay, I'm done."

Fallon and Gus walk toward the school. "So, what's going on with your college choices?"

Fallon slightly opens her mouth. "Oh...nothing..."

Gus pulls her brows together. "Fallon Price. You. Don't have any of your future planned out yet?"

"I mean—I do." Fallon nods their head.

Gus stands in front of Fallon, causing the tall girl to stop in her tracks. The short-haired squints her eyes at her friend. Fallon looks to the side and Gus slightly tilts her chin up. "Do you not want to discuss college because of me?"

Fallon lets out a soft breath. "No!"

Gus arches a brow and Fallon slumps her shoulders. "Yeah." She sighs.

"Fal..."

"I'm sorry—I'm sorry." Fallon bunches her shoulders. "I just. Don't want you to feel sad because we're not gonna be graduating together."

Gus did feel sad about it. She and Fallon had been planning their entire futures together since they met. Now that was all going to be ruined because she couldn't handle her violent tendencies. "Look..." the short-haired brunette shrugs. "...am I sad that we're not graduating together? Yes. That's a given. But I am happy that you are finally going to be loving your dream! Going to your dream college!" She grabs Fallon's hands and shakes them, causing the curly-haired girl to smile.

"And I want to hear all about it!"

Fallon bites the inside of her cheek. "August Castillo-Hopper. I think you're my soulmate."

Gus pulls her face back and chuckles. "You just realized that?"

...

Sofía walks down the halls, as always. With her books close to her chest, her long brown hair over her shoulders, and her eyes trained to the tile floor. The girl then quietly murmurs to herself, as always. Thinking about what she was going to say to Dustin. The Winter Ball was in a couple of months and somehow Lucas, Will, and Mike convinced the girl to ask Dustin. Sofía was completely shocked that they all supported the decision. But apart of her wished they weren't. That would've given her a reason not to ask Dustin out.

But now there was nothing in her way to stop her. The other part of her thought that this was a good thing.

Sofía was so deep in thought that she didn't even notice the person walking toward her until she felt them bump her shoulder. The girl's books drop out of her hands and hit the ground, as always. Sofía lets out a soft breath and crouches to the ground.

"Oh, silly me! Let me help you!" The girl and her groups of friends walk back over to Sofía.

"No, it's fine. I've got it—"

"Don't be so stubborn, Sofía!" The girl grabs all of Sofía's books and stands up. Sofía inhales a deep breath and holds it. She stands up and looks at the girl. "Thanks, Kelly."

"You know my name." Kelly tilts her head.

Sofía presses her lips together. "Yep."

"That's funny because I just figured out your name when you came back from 'running away'." Kelly twirls a strand of her black hair around her finger.

"Can I have my books—"

"I mean, no one even noticed you around." Kelly giggles. "They noticed Will gone. But not. You..." she arches a brow. "Do you know what that means?"

Sofía's throat tightens. "What does it mean, Kelly?"

Kelly giggles once again. "It means you're a nobody." She shrugs her shoulders. "You were forgotten and you should've stayed away."

Sofía gnaws on her lower lip. "Is that right?"

"Yeah." Kelly shoves Sofía's books into her arms. Sofía groans quietly, but she keeps her eyes on Kelly's. "That's right."

Kelly bumps Sofía's shoulder while walking away. Her group looks at Sofía before laughing and following her.

Sofía missed being a nobody.

As soon as the girl got to her class, she sat next to Lucas with a huff. He looks over at the quiet girl, noticing her tired expression. "Sof, you okay?"

Sofía looks at Lucas and she raises her brows. "Oh yeah! I'm good. Just didn't get that much sleep last night."

A crease forms between Lucas' brows. "Did something happen when you were coming to class?"

"What?—"

"Wait, what's going on?" Dustin asks. "Sofía are you okay?"

Just like that, all four of the boys instantly start to ask the girl a million questions. Sofía's eyes glance at each boy with her mouth slightly open. "Guys—guys!"

The boys all fall silent and Sofía softly chuckles. "I'm okay. It's just been a regular day for Sofía Alvarez. No biggie."

The bell rings, but everyone keeps their worried eyes on Sofía. "Hey, you know you can talk to us, right?" Dustin leans closer to her. "About anything."

Sofía's face heats up and her heart starts to beat through her ears. She knew that Dustin was just trying to be a good friend, but him saying that just made things worse for her. Because there were something she couldn't talk to him about because those things were about him.

"Uh—thanks, Dustin. Seriously." Sofía softly smiles.

She looks at her folder and starts to pick at it. Someone nudges her arm and she winces. Sofía looks at Lucas and he motions his head to Dustin. The girl's eyes slightly widen and she shakes her head.

"Do it..." Lucas growls.

"I can't ask him now—"

"If not now, then when?"

Sofía presses her lips into a firm line, knowing Lucas was right. If the girl waited too long, she would end up getting in her own head and backing out of the plan. Sofía inhales a deep breath. "Hey, Dustin?" She quickly turns her head to the boy.

Dustin looks at Sofía with raised brows. "Yeah?"

"I was wondering—I mean, if this isn't okay, I won't be mad at all, but would you like—"

"Ah, this must be our new student."

The class focuses on the student walking into the room.

"Indeed it is. All yours." The principal leaves the class.

Before the redhead could walk to the back of the class, Mr. Clarke speaks. "All right. Hold up. You don't get away that easy." He chuckles. "Come on up. Don't be shy."

"Dustin, drum roll."

Dustin flips his book shut and drums his hands against the hardcover book.

"Class, please welcome, all the way from sunny California, the latest passenger to join us on our curiosity voyage, Maxine!"

Sofía smiles softly at the excitement in Mr. Clarke's voice.

"It's Max."

Sofía raises her brows.

"Sorry?"

"Nobody calls me Maxine. It's Max." The redhead corrects Mr. Clarke.

Lucas and Dustin look at each other. "Mad Max."

Sofía watches as Dustin looks back at the redhead with a certain mesmerizing gaze.

"Well, all aboard, Max."

Max walks to the back of the class and the five kids all look at the girl. She sinks in for her seat with her arms folded. Sofía looks back at Dustin and then back at Max. A feeling of doubt twists into her stomach.

☆

"Holy shit—what's the answer?"

Gus looks at Fallon's paper and purses her lips. "5x."

"What? I got—"

"Oh, I know what you got. But that's not the right answer."

Fallon sighs, "I swear—you should be the one graduating. Not me."

"I know." Gus sighs.

Fallon's mouth hangs open and she lightly kicks Gus' ankle. The short-haired brunette softly laughs.

"Miss Price!"

Fallon and Gus look at the principal. The short-haired brunette pulls her brows together. "What'd you do?"

Fallon raises her brows. "I...don't know."

Gus raises her hand and Principal McKinley sighs. "Yes, Miss Castillo-Hopper?"

"Why are you calling Fallon out?"

"It's none of your concern. Unless you want a week's worth of detention?"

Gus holds her hands out. "I would accuse this of being racially motivated if you were white. But, you aren't, so the only explanation is you hate me." She leans back in her seat.

McKinley inhales a deep breath and looks at Fallon. "Can I see you in the hall?"

Fallon smiles softly, "Yes, ma'am!"

The Principal walks out of the class and glares at the brunette. Gus wiggles her fingers at the principal. "Must you antagonize her?" Fallon places everything in her bag and stands up.

"Hey, she's making me repeat my junior year. This is her punishment." Gus shrugs her shoulders. "Fill me in on what's going on."

Fallon taps Gus' nose, "You know I will."

Gus pulls her face back, "I hate it when you do that." She scratches at her nose.

Fallon chuckles softly and walks out of the class. She stops in her tracks, seeing McKinley and the new kid standing in the hall. "Fallon! This is William Hargrove. The new student."

"Billy."

"Excuse me?"

"My name. It's Billy—I don't go by William."

McKinley nods her head. "My apologies. This is Billy Hargrove. He needs some help with navigating the school and I was thinking that since you are our top student, you could help him out."

Fallon plasters a smile onto her lips. "It would be my pleasure."

The Principal claps her hands. "I will leave you to it." She walks away from the teens.

Fallon looks at Billy, "Hi, I'm Fallon, I know she already said my name. But never hurts to introduce yourself twice, right?" She holds her hand out to the boy.

Billy keeps his eyes on hers, then glances at her hand. He inhales a breath and looks away from her. "This is my schedule." Billy holds the paper in front of her face.

Fallon slightly opens her mouth, then purses her lips together. "All right." She reads the paper. "Huh. Your next class is with my friend, Gus."

"The short Mexican."

Fallon snaps her eyes over to Billy. "Colombian." She corrects. "We should...walk now."

Fallon starts down the hall and lets out a soft breath. "Gus wouldn't like you calling her that, by the way. Maybe you should know her name—"

"Not planning on talking to her. Thanks for the advice." Billy lets out a curt response.

Fallon presses her lips together. "Right—okay..."

"She's hot though. Maybe I won't talk to her, but I will—"

"I'm gonna have to stop you right there, Willy." Fallon stands in front of the blonde boy. "Gus won't go for that either."

Billy raises a brow, "Wanna bet?"

Fallon inhales a deep breath. "Coming to a new school is hard." She continues walking down the hall with the boy. "I get it when I first moved here. I was pretty out of place."

"Oh, I don't think you being new here was why you were out of place." Billy lets out a soft laugh.

Fallon's throat tightens. "Okay, Uh..." she blows air out of her mouth, knowing this was going to be a long day. She didn't have time for Billy's closed-off mindset. Fallon had more important issues to worry about than the new racist kid.

"So, the best student of...the school, huh?" Billy voices.

Fallon softly chuckles. "Uh, I don't know about that...I mean, that's what everyone says—"

"It's so...odd, isn't it?"

Fallon pulls her brows together. "Mmm—I don't know what you mean."

They turn a corner and continue down another hall. "It's just...you a good student—"

"Do you know me?" Fallon turns toward the boy, forcing Billy to stop in his tracks, once again. Billy smirks.

"No—"

"Then why are you making assumptions?" Fallon squints her eyes. "Don't."

Billy takes a step toward the girl. "You. Don't belong here."

Fallon rolls her lips into her mouth and brushes the boy off. Pretending like she doesn't know what he was saying. Her back straightens and she inhales a deep breath. "I don't know what you're talking about." She turns on her heel and continues down the hall. A sudden hand clasps around her wrist and she lets out a gasp filled with pain. Her heart jumps into her throat as she is shoved against the lockers, her head hitting them with a loud thud.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Fallon Price." Billy seethes. He inches his face closer to Fallon's. The curly-haired girl's breathing quickens. The familiar feeling of hatred returned to her. Just like at her old school. A lump forms in her throat.

"L-Let go." Fallon forces out.

Billy frowns, "I don't think I will—"

"I'll scream." Fallon snaps. "I swear..."

"Do you really want that kind of reputation?" Billy raises his brows. "Fallon Price, the instigator."

"What—"

"That's what people will believe," Billy says. "I mean, come on. I'm me and you're you."

Fallon keeps her shaky eyes on Billy's. It was obvious that Fallon was afraid of Billy and she was giving him total satisfaction of that. But the curly-haired girl couldn't breathe. Not with Billy's cigarette-filled breath intoxicating her nose. And especially not with her lungs constricting painfully.

The bell rings and Billy's grip doesn't let up. Fallon clears her throat. "I need to get to class." Her voice was shaky. "I'm sure you can find your own way to your classes."

Billy lets out an amused-filled laugh. But that just made Fallon's stomach twist in a more painful manner. He lightly shoved Fallon back and lets go of her wrist. Billy keeps his eyes on Fallon with such disgust before he continues down the hall. Fallon lets out a sharp breath and she looks down at her shaking red wrist. Her chest tightens in a painful manner and she quickly walks down the hall with her sobs slowly about to rise. Fallon shoves the bathroom door open and sees Carol, Nicole, and Tina.

Fallon looks at the three girls, checking themselves out in the mirror.

"Get out."

Carol stops checking out her newly repaired nose and scoffs. "Excuse—"

"Get the fuck out now! All of you!" Fallon cries.

The three women and a girl from one of the stalls speed out of the bathroom. Fallon locks the bathroom door shut and she keeps her palms against the door. She looks at her wrist that was definitely going to bruise later. A choked sob escapes her lips. Fallon's breathing quickens and her knees give out. She slides to the ground and her knees come into contact with the tiled floor.

Fallon presses her forehead against the door and her cries increase.

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author's note.

I am a proud Billy anti 💪

Words : 5157