Billy's POV

November 30, 1984

As soon as Maddie finished getting dressed, she brushed past me with a light shove of her shoulder before heading toward my Camaro. I followed her, muttering curses under my breath. Not only did I have to take her to the hospital, but now I had to put up with her attitude too. Just great.

We got into the car and drove to the hospital in complete silence. I turned on the radio, letting the music fill the space between us, anything to avoid talking to her.

I had no idea what the hell was wrong with me. Once again, I'd slept with my damn stepsister. There had to be something seriously messed up in my head because Maddie was the last woman on earth I'd want to be with. Even if she were the only one left. I hated her more than I'd ever hated anyone.

And yet...

And yet you're becoming addicted—to her kisses, her touch, her scent, her whispers.

And don't lie to yourself: you don't hate her as much as you claim.

You've been the first to defend her whenever she's been hurt. And deep down, you know that for some time now, you'd give your life to protect her if it came down to it.

We finally arrived at the hospital after one of the longest and most awkward drives of my life. We went straight to the reception desk so Maddie could fill out the emergency form about what had happened and the pain she was experiencing.

We waited for our turn in the waiting room.

Luckily, the emergency department wasn't too busy, so it wasn't long before they called her name and we were led into one of the examination rooms. Inside, the doctor was already seated at a desk on one side of the room.

'Alright, Miss Mayfield. Please have a seat on the examination table,' the doctor said without looking up from the form Maddie had filled out earlier, now in his hands.

"Sure" she replied, dragging out the word lazily.

'And you are?' he asked, finally glancing up at me over the rim of his glasses.

"William Hargrove. I brought her straight from school-she had a nasty fall and hit the ground hard." I replied firmly.

"You did the right thing; it's best to treat these kinds of injuries as soon as possible," the doctor said with a smile before walking over to Maddie. "Let's see what we have here."

"Despite the black discoloration, that's just from the impact, so there's no need to worry, Miss Mayfield," he added, releasing her wrist. "At first glance, it looks like the bone in your wrist is slightly displaced. Nothing serious-we'll just need to immobilize it. Still, we'll take a quick X-ray to make sure everything is alright."

"Alright, thank you," Maddie said with relief, and I let out a quiet breath myself. Thank God it wasn't anything serious—otherwise, my father would have had a field day with me.

"Your boyfriend can wait here while we take the X-ray. It'll just take a moment,"

The doctor's words snapped me out of my thoughts.

"He's not my boyfriend. Gross," Maddie replied, making a face of disgust.

"Even grosser for me that you'd think that, I assure you," I grumbled under my breath. A few minutes ago, she didn't seem so disgusted while we were hooking up in the locker room. "This idiot is my stepsister, not my girlfriend."

"Oh, well... What an unfortunate mix-up," the doctor said, scratching the back of his neck nervously. "Since you look about the same age and your last names are different, I assumed that coming in together meant..."

"Just drop it, Doctor," Maddie interrupted, climbing off the examination table. "Let's just get this damn X-ray done so we can forget about it. I just want to go home and not see him for a few hours."

"Ah, I see you're not exactly the close-knit duo I thought you might be,"

"That's none of your business," I snapped, my irritation growing. "Just hurry up, do your damn job, so we can get out of here."

"Don't bother responding, trust me. Let's just get this X-ray done before my idiot brother screws things up with his big mouth." she declared.

"I can hear you, redhead," I replied angrily.

"Good, that was the point, blondie," she said, glancing at me and winking. My response was to flip her off with a sardonic smile. That woman drives me completely insane, damn it!

I stayed in the office, waiting for them to return from getting the X-ray done. I lit a cigarette and got lost in my thoughts—or rather, my tangled thoughts. On one hand, I hated her, hated her with all my might, and sometimes I felt like killing her—not literally, of course. But on the other hand, all I could think about was hoping that X-ray came out fine and, as the doctor had said, it was nothing serious.

At what point had I gone from simply hating her to hating her a little less and not wanting anything bad to happen to her? I couldn't let her find out, though—she'd definitely laugh at me. So, I had to act as usual around her until my thoughts straightened out and I could go back to hating her like I'd been doing since we were ten years old.

Maddie came back, and I didn't even look at her as I walked over to toss the cigarette butt into the ashtray the doctor had on his desk. The two of us waited in silence for the doctor to return with the results.

"Alright," the doctor finally said. "As I suspected, it's a dislocation. Still, there's a very small fracture from the impact. Nothing that can't heal with a cast for 15 days."

"Great. Damn Tina." Maddie muttered under her breath.

"If you don't get back at her, I will," I said impulsively, leaning closer to whisper those words in her ear.

You're doing great at acting like your usual self, aren't you? She's got you wrapped around her finger—admit it. You're starting to balance your hatred with a bit of affection for her. So, which way are you planning to tip the scale?

"I can take care of myself, thanks," she replied without flinching.

"Shame. I would've liked to give her what she deserves. Though, to be honest, nothing's stopping me," I said, laughing inwardly. And it was true—I wanted to make Tina pay for what she'd done to Maddie. But I was stronger than her, and things could easily get out of hand. I needed to think it through.

"Do whatever you want. You're going to do it anyway," Maddie replied, still indifferent.

The doctor wrapped her arm in a cast and prescribed her some painkillers in case the discomfort got too intense during the first few days of rest. After the doctor's final instructions, we finally left that damn hospital and headed to my car to drive home.

Once again, we got home without exchanging a single word. I had no desire to argue, and it seemed like she didn't either, so I was grateful for the silence. As we arrived, we noticed the front door closing and the porch lights flicking on moments later. Susan and my dad had probably just gotten home.

We both got out of the car and went inside.

The moment we opened the door, I saw Maxine, the kid, looking upset about something, Susan pale as a ghost, and my father...

Damn it. I recognized that bloodshot glare all too well. Shit, shit, shit. I was in for it, and I didn't even know why. I hadn't done anything, but that look meant only one thing: blows and insults were incoming.

"You! You worthless piece of crap!" My father lunged at me before I could even react. He grabbed me by the lapels of my jacket, and I felt my back slam hard against the wall. "How many times do I have to repeat myself?"

"None..." I murmured, mentally bracing myself to take the first blow.

"Seems I wasn't clear enough with you last time," a fiery sting flooded my cheek with the first slap.

My mind began to dissociate to dull the pain, just like it always did whenever I took hits or beatings from my father—ever since I could remember.

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" I heard an enraged shout in the background. It was Maddie. That redhead, she had quite the temper, even daring to stand up to my bastard of a father. And I think... that's what I liked most about her.

"I told you to take care of your sisters like a good brother. What part of that don't you understand?" my father's fury only grew. I clenched my fists because I knew answering him would only make things worse.

"ANSWER ME, YOU PANSY!" another slap. This time, I felt a hot, thick liquid and a slight metallic taste in my mouth. The warmth came from my lip, now split open from the blow.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Neil?! He just brought me back from the hospital, he was taking care of me! LET HIM GO!" I could see over my father's shoulder as Maddie yelled at him again. I could almost swear I saw desperation in her eyes.

"And what about Maxine? Who's looking after Maxine? "You let her come with just anyone when it's your damn responsibility as the older brother!" he added, landing another blow to my cheekbone, dangerously close to my eye. I barely felt it, still trying to process the pain from the previous hit.

"I... I already told you, I came with Steve Harrington. A classmate of Maddie and Billy..."

Maxine stammered, was she trying to defend me too?

"Exactly! Steve is my friend; he's not just anyone. We left Max in good hands. So let go of Billy, damn it!"

Madeleine. Maddie. The redhead. My favorite redhead... I think her shouting at my father was the only thing giving me some semblance of comfort right now. It made me feel, for once, that maybe I wasn't as alone as I'd convinced myself I was my entire life.

Although, unfortunately, those shouts didn't help at all. My father acted as if Madeleine didn't exist and continued berating and hitting me. Senseless blows. What had I done that night besides protect and take care of my sister? But it didn't matter anymore. Deep down, I knew that no matter what I did, my father would find some excuse to hit me.

I could almost swear that bastard enjoyed it.

I closed my eyes and let fate—or whatever it was—take care of everything. Tears of helplessness and pain inevitably began to spill from my eyes. All I wanted was for him to deliver one last blow, hard enough to knock me out, so I wouldn't have to feel anything anymore.

"Stop hitting him, damn it! Steve is my boyfriend!"

My eyes shot open at Maddie's shout. I saw her standing between us, trying to push my father away from me. But now I wasn't sure what hurt more—the blows or... Was she really dating Harrington? Why did hearing that feel like someone was crushing my chest with all their strength?

"What did you say?" At least her words managed to stop him from hitting me.

"Steve is my boyfriend. He's not just anyone," she replied in a calm voice, standing in front of me, shielding me from my father's blows. She was... She was protecting me. "Also, mom knows him. She knows he's a good guy. Say something, mom, please," she added, her voice pleading as she turned to Susan.

What the hell was happening? Why did she care so much about me? Even knowing she was putting herself at risk, she'd chosen to intervene rather than let my father keep beating me. No one had ever done that for me. No one had ever cared.

No one had ever protected me... But she did. Even though she hated me, she did.

"Yeah—-yeah," Susan murmured hesitantly. "I've met Steve a couple of times. Plus, Max speaks highly of him. He's a good guy and always takes care of Maddie and Maxine," she murmured.

"Mhm...fine," my father finally stepped back and calmed down. I closed my eyes and exhaled in relief. "But you'd better not avoid your damn responsibilities again," he warned me, pointing his index finger at me before turning it on Maddie. "And as for you, I want to meet this Harrington and make sure he won't cross any lines with you. Bring him to dinner one night."

"Y... Yes," she stammered.

My father didn't say anything else and headed straight to the kitchen. The sound of a can opening echoed—probably a beer. As usual, after beating me, he acted like nothing had happened and went to watch TV with a beer in hand.

What kind of father did that?

I couldn't stand being there any longer. I brushed past Maddie, shoving her slightly as I stormed off to my room.

I shut the door and grabbed some tissues to wipe the blood from my lip. Dropping onto my bed, I sank into my thoughts. I had shoved Maddie, even after she'd stood up for me. Yeah, I was probably a complete jerk, but I couldn't help it. The only thing consuming my mind was one question: was it true that Harrington was her boyfriend?

After a few minutes, still obsessing over it and plotting how to leave this house for good so I'd never have to see my father again, I heard a soft knock at the door.

"Billy? Are you okay?" Maddie's voice came from the other side.

"I'm fine. Go away," I replied curtly, sitting up and perching on the edge of the bed.

"Can I come in?" she insisted.

"Are you deaf? I said,l go away !" I growled.

"Come on, Billy. It'll just take a moment," damn it, how persistent. I had no choice but to get up if I wanted her to stop pestering me.

"Fine. Come in. You're going to do it anyway," I growled as I opened the door."Come in," I said, touching my lower lip, which stung slightly. It had split open again.

"I'm sorry for all this, Billy, I really..." she began as she stepped inside. I shut the door behind her.

"What do you want, Madeleine?" I muttered tiredly, sitting back down on the edge of the bed. "Look, for once, I don't feel like arguing. So, please, if that's why you're here, you can leave."

I averted my gaze to my finger, now smeared with small drops of blood. Meanwhile, I had a busted lip, and that bastard Neil was probably relaxing with a beer like nothing had happened.

"I'm not here to argue, William," she said, stepping closer. "I just brought this for your black eye and something to clean up the cut." she held out a bag of frozen peas in one hand and set the small first-aid kit from the bathroom next to me with the other.

"Thanks," I replied, trying to feign indifference as I grabbed the bag of peas and pressed it to my right eye. But that wasn't what I really felt. I felt anger—anger at her concern for me. Anger because, damn it, the way she acted made it impossible to hate her. Instead, I... I liked her. I liked her, and I liked the way she treated me. And I hated that I liked her. Damn it.

"Thanks, Maddie," I repeated, this time looking at her. I looked at her in a way I had never looked at anyone before—with tenderness, losing myself in the ocean blue of her eyes.

"May I?" she asked, gesturing toward a small piece of gauze. I nodded and set the bag of peas aside on the bed.

I spread my legs a bit to give her more room to move as she leaned closer to treat my cut.

She poured some alcohol onto the gauze and brought it to my lip to disinfect it. Gently, she brushed back the curls from my forehead. I inhaled sharply, shivering slightly at the soft touch of her hand.

I looked at her again, this time with a hint of uncertainty. I was feeling too much in that moment—things I didn't want to feel.

She placed her hand on my chin, tilting my head back slightly to get a better view of my wound. Her face drew closer as she began cleaning it. The sharp, stinging pain of the alcohol on my split lip made me momentarily forget how close her face was to mine.

I clicked my tongue in discomfort.

"Sorry. Hang in there, it'll just take a second," she apologized softly.

I was staring at her. I couldn't stop staring at her. The care with which she treated my lip, the tenderness in the way she held me—it was mesmerizing. The pain faded, and I became acutely aware of how close we were.

I could smell her sweet perfume. My mind wandered, imagining those hands trailing down my back, tangling in my hair. Her lips crashing against mine. Her bare skin pressed to mine.

My heart pounded violently in my chest. She was tempting. Far too tempting.

I tried to focus and push those damn thoughts out of my mind. But it was hard. Incredibly hard.

I wanted her—it was almost a necessity. Ever since I'd had a taste of her, it felt like I could never get enough.

She tossed the gauze aside and grabbed two pieces of medical tape to secure my lip and help the wound heal properly. Carefully, she applied them.

God help me, I don't think I can resist her—she's too close again.

You can't. You know perfectly well you can't resist her.

I took advantage of our closeness, placing my hands on her waist to pull her closer to me. Without breaking eye contact, I slid my hands beneath her sweater, letting my fingers graze the soft skin of her back.

A wave of heat surged through me as I felt her porcelain-like skin under my fingertips.

She, in turn, let her hands trace over my shoulders, up my neck, and then cupped my face. In that moment, it was as if she forgot about her cast, and I forgot about my bruises.

We looked at each other in complete silence, full of longing once again.

I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and, as quickly as I could, slipped her sweater off, tossing it onto the floor.

I placed my hands on either side of her face, while her hands roamed across my chest. My heartbeat was completely out of control. I had sworn I wouldn't do this again, but I needed to break that promise. One more time.

I leaned in toward her, and then the inevitable happened.

I brushed my lips against hers. This time, I was careful, gentle, barely letting my bottom lip graze hers.

I pulled back slightly to look at her again, studying her face. Only a sliver of space separated us.

So small that I could feel her breath mingling with mine.

The temperature was rising. I knew it. She knew it.

And once again, that short space between us disappeared. The only thing left was a kiss—sweet and warm. I didn't want it to be just physical. Not in that moment.

I wanted to kiss her with a deep, intense warmth—with patience, with... love.

I trembled slightly from the pain of my wound, but I wasn't about to let that stop me. I slid my hands down to the small of her back, pulling our bodies completely together, while her hand got lost in my curls.

The patience and tenderness gave way to a more desperate kiss. Hungry. Lustful.

I bit her lower lip, causing her to part her mouth slightly, and I followed. The kiss grew in intensity, our tongues meeting in the middle, tangling in a slow, sensual rhythm. I explored every corner of her mouth, feeding on her breath.

We panted. We moaned.

"Billy, please..." she pressed her hands against my shoulders, pushing me back slightly. I looked at her, confused. It seemed like she wanted this as much as I did. "We need to talk, seriously. I think this..." she trailed off, her expression conflicted.

"This isn't about Steve, is it?" I interrupted you as soon as I remembered what I had said to my father.

"What? No, of course not. Stop being ridiculous. I'm trying to have an honest, serious conversation with you," she frowned and backed away.

Liar, fucking liar.

"Are you seriously dating Harrington? Of all people? Couldn't you find someone less stupid for your first real relationship?" the anger and fucking jealousy were clouding my reason. I wouldn't admit it, but jealousy invaded me. "Have you been screwing me while dating that moron?"

"I can't believe you, Billy. Are you serious right now?"

"Answer me. I'm not going to be someone's second choice,"

Second choice? Do you even hear yourself, Billy? All you need to do is bring her an orchid, her favorite flower, and confess your love. Just shut up, idiot.

"And you? Did you remember that Sandra's your girlfriend before or after screwing me like a madman? Or was it after kissing me just now like your life depended on it?"

"And you? Have you remembered that Sandra is your girlfriend before or after fucking me like a condemned? Or after you kiss me again right now as if your life is in it?" Now she too was angry. Perhaps she was jealous, too?

"That's not the same!" I exclaimed.

"It's exactly the same, idiot. And for your information, I'm not dating Steve! I only said it because it was tearing me apart to see your father beating you, and I wanted to stop him!"

"No one asked you for help. And I don't want you to be with Harrington!" I kept repeating myself more and more upset. I didn't believe a word she said.

"I'm NOT with him, you moron!" She pushed me in anger. "Though maybe I should be, since all you do is screw things up again and again, you idiot!"

"Maybe I wouldn't screw things up if you didn't keep acting like an idiot trying to make me jealous!" I flashed when I said those words. Either she would take it away from me or I would talk more about the account. "Get out. I'm with Sandra, this won't happen again." I turned my back and yelled. "Just leave!"

"Gladly! And give Sandra my regards—I hope she satisfies you as much as I did! And next time, get Rita the singer to help you!" she shouted and slammed the door shut, causing a loud bang.

As soon as she left, I lay back on the bed and covered my face with my hands to drown out a scream of rage. I was unable to control what I did and said when I was with her. I don't understand what the fuck was happening to me. It was a want and can not continue. I wanted her close but at the same time could not stand her. How could that be?

I got up and saw her sweater on the floor. I thought about picking it up, but after everything we had yelled at each other, it would only add fuel to the fire, so I simply hid it in my closet. I walked over to my radio and put on my favorite Black Sabbath cassette. It helped me relax when I was angry.

After a few long minutes, I managed to calm down. But I thought I would relax even more if I went to find Sandra. So I changed clothes, put on my cologne, and left my room. As I was walking down the hallway, almost reaching the front door, I could hear Maddie talking on the phone.

"Shut up, idiot," she said. "By the way, thanks for taking care of my sister. And Sandra..."

"Maybe, maybe not. I've got plans with Nance tomorrow, remember? She might beat you to it,"

Again she let slept that stupid laugh. I had to do something to cut that conversation. I did not think and walked towards her listening to the last words of the talk.

"I just told you two minutes ago that I'm not—"

Before she could continue to speak, I put my hand in the back pocket of her jeans. There she kept a pack of tobacco and it was a perfect way to get her attention: take away the cigarettes. I looked at her reaction and smiled, falsely. I put on my jacket and headed outside the house.

"Those are mine!" I heard her yelling on the phone.

"Not anymore, redhead."I winked at her from the door frame before stepping outside.

"Dammit, stop being such an idiot! Hold on a second, Steve!" I heard her following my steps, and that name. That damn name...
Harrington. 

"Keep one if you want, but give me the pack!" She pulled on my arm to stop me.

"Just collecting the debt you owe me," I replied, shaking her off roughly.

"Ever since I started hanging out with Eddie, I haven't taken a single one from you, so shut up and give me the pack back," She frowned.

"Does your little boyfriend know you're sneaking around with Munson?" I reluctantly pushed the pack against her chest.

"Seriously? Are you jealous of Eddie now too?" she laughed.

I deserved it because I had sounded jealous. But I wasn't jealous of Munson. I knew that nerd wasn't a threat to me; Maddie would never do anything with him.

"Nah." I said with disdain holding the cigarette between my index finger and heart. "I know your type, and Eddie isn't it. You're just using him because he's got good stuff to smoke. But someone like him? You wouldn't let him in your bed."

"Oh, really? And how do you know that? Maybe he's better in bed than you, and you can't stand the thought of me finding out." she crossed her arms over her chest.

Credulous. She was self-centered and self-righteous.

"Because you wouldn't do that to Harrington. You actually care about him," I raised an eyebrow and the anger ate inside me again as I remembered the phone conversation.

"What?" she looked at me a little stunned.

"Don't act like you're doing this for me. "I heard you on the phone, and the stupid smile you get when you talk to him. So don't give me that crap about doing it for me when it's clear you're with him."

In that moment, I realized she probably didn't care about me as much as I thought. The one she cared about was Harrington, not me. And that pissed me off. It pissed me off way too much.

"And what the hell are you doing eavesdropping on my conversations? It's none of your business who I talk to or what we talk about!" she snapped. "And you? Have I ever asked where you're going? Stop trying to control me, you idiot. We agreed—you don't mess with my life, and I don't mess with yours," she said, shoving me.

"I'm meeting up with Sandra," I let slip, just like that.

If she could have fun with others, then so could I.

"For what? To screw her while thinking about me?"

She tilted her head with an ironic smile.

God, I can't stand her.

"Not even close. You're the last person I want to think about. It disgusts me that I ever touched you again," I said, holding the cigarette between my lips and lighting it, trying to convince myself that what I'd just said was true.

"I doubt that. I'd say you're meeting up with her to try and forget about me." she said, stepping closer.

"Jealous, redhead?" I exhaled the smoke in her face, hoping to make her back off. But it didn't work.

"Not at all. I just feel sorry for the poor girl. You've only been with her for two weeks, and you're already cheating on her," she said, standing on her toes to snatch the cigarette from me. "Say what you want, but you can't stop thinking about me." she whispered, brushing her lips against mine.

Damn, she was too provocative.

"The only jealous one here is you, blondie," she said, taking a drag from the cigarette and exhaling the smoke into my mouth. That sent me into overdrive.

"You're a fucking nightmare, Madeleine," I growled, tightening my hand around her throat. "Don't push me anymore any further, I'm warning you," I muttered.

I stared at her intently; she'd rejected me and was now provoking me. But two could play at this game, and I was about to show her. If she wanted to provoke me, I'd provoke her twice as much. Slowly, I let my tongue glide across her lips, licking her upper lip first and then her lower one in a slow, sensual motion. I heard her stifle a gasp in the back of her throat.

I had her in the palm of my hand in that moment.

But if she was going to leave me high and dry, I'd do the same. I released her throat and, with deliberate roughness, snatched the cigarette from her hand. I took a long drag, fixing her with a piercing glare to make sure she understood—don't play games with me again.

Without another word, I turned on my heel and strode to my Camaro, tearing out of the driveway at full speed, heading for Sandra.

Before I knew it, I arrived at Sandra's house.

I'd driven so recklessly, I barely remembered the drive. Luckily, the streets were mostly empty at this hour. Stepping out of the car, I noticed her parents' car was missing from the driveway. That meant she was home alone. Perfect—just what I needed right now.

I knocked on the door, and Sandra opened it almost instantly. Without thinking, I pushed her inside, closing the door behind us, and crashed my lips onto hers, devouring her. She didn't resist; she kissed me back just as hungrily, which confirmed her parents weren't home.

Between kisses and stumbling steps, we made it to her bedroom. I needed to let off steam, and Sandra was always available for me. I knew I was an asshole for treating her this way. Maddie was right—Sandra was a good girl. But as long as this lasted, I wasn't going to end it. Besides, we hadn't labeled what we had. We just met up and slept together.

We never talked about whether we were exclusive or not.

Whatever the case, I undressed her, and she undressed me. On her bed, I took her with raw intensity. I had too much pent-up frustration, and I had to release it somehow. Sandra let me do as I pleased—she didn't complain. That's something I liked about her. Sex with her was great, but sometimes I wished she'd take a bit more initiative.

"How's your sister doing?" she asked as she began putting her clothes back on.

"She's fine, it wasn't much. Luckily, it's just a small fracture," I replied, finishing getting dressed.

"Good thing, she took a nasty fall. She's lucky," Sandra said with a smile, tying her hair into a ponytail.

"Yeah. Honestly, I'm glad she's okay." What are you saying, William? Have you lost your mind?

"I knew it! Beneath all that tough exterior, you do care about your sister," she teased, leaning in to plant a kiss on my cheek.

"If it makes you happy to think that, I won't burst your bubble. But no, I hate my stepsister," I said, rolling my eyes.

"Whatever you say," she mocked, tossing my jacket at me. "By the way, I made plans with Jack, Louis, and Jenny to go bowling and grab a drink.

"Not the most exciting plan in the world, but it beats going back home. I'm in," I agreed.

"Great!" she exclaimed with a little jump of excitement.

It wasn't that I particularly liked bowling alleys, but I liked the idea of going home and seeing my dad and Maddie even less. On top of that, it was a Friday night, and I was almost 18—what was I supposed to do, stay home?

We finished getting dressed and tidied up enough to look decent. Then we headed to my car and drove to the bowling alley. We were the first to arrive, so we waited outside for the others to show up.

I lit a cigarette, and Sandra took the opportunity to scold me again, saying I shouldn't do that. Like she was my mother or something.

Finally, the others arrived, and we went inside. There weren't too many people, so it seemed like it would be a quiet night. Or so I thought.

As soon as we reached the area with tables for eating and drinking, I spotted Maddie sitting there, reading the latest book she had bought. Despite my reluctance, Sandra insisted we go over to her for a moment. Of all the places to hang out, why the hell did Maddie have to be here too?

"Are you reading The Name of the Rose too?" Sandra asked, catching Maddie's attention. She raised her head to look at Sandra, and I casually draped one of my arms over Sandra's shoulders, just to see Maddie's less-than-thrilled reaction.

"Hi, Sandra," Maddie said with a smile, completely ignoring me. Was she seriously capable of ignoring me after everything?

"Yeah, I love crime, mystery, and murder novels. I've been meaning to read it for a while now," she replied.

"Wow, I didn't know the school's bad girl liked to read. Doesn't suit you. You're more the type to sleep with anything that moves," Jack chimed in, trying to mock her.

It was almost laughable that they still hadn't learned—trying to mess with Maddie was a complete waste of time.

It was almost unbelievable that they still hadn't figured out how pointless it was to try to mess with Maddie.

"Just because I might want to hook up with anything that moves doesn't mean I have to be as brainless as some people," she said, winking at him.

Jack's smug grin vanished as he clenched his jaw and frowned. My eyes met Maddie's, and I couldn't help but stifle a quiet laugh at the comeback she had delivered.

Honestly, I had no idea why my dad insisted on me keeping an eye on her—it was clear Maddie could defend herself just fine.

"Ignore him," Sandra said, elbowing Jack. "If you want, we could hang out sometime and trade books. I really like that genre too. I'd say Agatha Christie is my favorite author."

"Sure, that sounds great," Maddie replied, both of them smiling.

And me? I wasn't sure this was such a good idea. Maddie and Sandra becoming friends could end up being a major problem—for me.

"By the way," Sandra continued, "I'm glad it wasn't too bad. Your brother told me everything went well and that and that, luckily, it's just a minor fracture. We're both happy you're okay."

"You both?" Maddie looked at me, incredulous.

Why can't I just keep my mouth shut? I deserve this for going soft.

"If it had been worse, I'd have to listen to you whining at home. No thanks," I scoffed, looking away and pretending neither her being here nor her comment bothered me.

"Idiot..." she muttered under her breath.

"Hey. I'm back," Harrington suddenly appeared, carrying food and beer and setting them on the table. This had to be a joke. Had she seriously made plans with Harrington after denying anything was going on between them?

"Didn't expect this place to have so many people." he said, shooting me a not-so-friendly look. I shot him an even worse one, practically trying to bury him with my glare alone.

"Harrington, what the hell are you doing here?" I growled, stepping away from Sandra to approach him.

"Spending time with your sister after someone broke her wrist—your fault, by the way. Got a problem with that?" he snapped, stepping closer as if ready to square off.

"You know I do. I told you to keep your hands off her, Harrington," I snarled, feeling the heat of my anger rising.

"And I told you, that's her decision to make, Hargrove," he shot back without hesitation. This idiot was digging his own grave again.

"Enough, Billy!" Maddie stepped between us to separate us, as usual. Then, turning to me, she added. "I'm here to clear my head with a friend. Looks like you're doing the same," she gestured at everyone around me. "So why don't you back off and let me enjoy my night? I've dealt with enough today without you playing the overbearing, overprotective brother." she jabbed her finger into my chest, forcing me to take a step back.

"You know what happens when you defy me, Madeleine," I stepped closer to her, fully aware that my eyes were blazing with anger. The same anger that burned in hers.

"Your threats mean nothing to me, William," she moved her chest closer to mine and stared furiously into my eyes. "You can shove them where the sun doesn't shine. I
have just as much right to enjoy myself as you do."

An awkward silence fell among those present at that very moment.

"Let it go, Billy. She's right," Sandra broke the silence, looping her arm around mine to pull me away from my sister. "She's had a rough day, and blowing off some steam won't hurt her. We've already barged in on her night enough."

Date? Like hell! If they pushed it even a little further, I wasn't going to hold back.

"Yeah, let her be. She's already made her choice to hang out with a loser. Guess she dug her own grave," added Jack.

"I'd rather be with a loser than, as I already said, a blockhead like you. Have fun, and next time you talk to me, try not to stare at my chest. After all, I'm just a loser, right? So I'm not sure why you're always undressing me with your eyes the second you get the chance." Maddie retorted, winking at him.

We all burst out laughing at my sister's sharp comeback as we moved to sit at another table. I didn't want to laugh, but I couldn't help it—Maddie's blunt and direct way of shutting people down when they annoyed her was one of the things I admired most about her. Still, she couldn't know that, so I turned to glare at her defiantly, letting her know that if she tried to push her luck with me, it wouldn't be so easy.

"You should put your sister in her place," Jack grumbled as we sat down at the table after ordering a few beers and something to eat. "One day, she'll go too far and regret all of this."

"Come on, forget it. Just admit you can't stand that Billy's sister turned you down after all the time you've been pining for her since she got to high school," Jenny teased, taking a bite of a potato.

"He and everyone else. But at least some of us have accepted defeat from the beginning. That woman, with her personality, isn't for everyone," Louis laughed.

"Especially not for Harrington. Seems like he's the only one she lets get close and try again," Jack said, annoyed.

"They haven't tried anything because they're nothing. And I don't want to hear another word about my sister and that idiot, got it?" I said, my tone and gaze threatening.

"Come on, Billy, I don't get why you react like this whenever she's with Steve," Sandra said softly. "He's a good guy, treats her well, and cares about her. They make a good couple, I don't see what's wrong with them being together."

"What part of 'I don't want to hear about it' didn't you get, Sandra?" I replied, frustrated.

"Fine, whatever you want," she huffed, rolling her eyes.

I managed to steer the conversation to other topics. I didn't want to think about Maddie, but from where I was sitting, I had a clear view of where she was. My mind couldn't focus on the conversation with these people because I couldn't stop watching how that idiot kept acting like a fool, and she, of all people, was laughing at him. She was laughing like I'd never seen her laugh before, almost like a ten-year-old girl. What an idiot.

Maybe an idiot, but for the first time in your life, you wished you were the one making her laugh in those moments over all the years you've lived together. She looked even more beautiful when she laughed like that—so natural, so carefree. And it pissed you off, it pissed you off that it was because of Steve and not you that she was laughing.

I don't know how much time had passed; I had completely lost track of it, when I saw Steve getting closer to Maddie more than usual. And not only that, he ran his thumb across her lip. And she... damn it! She made the same face she makes when she wants someone to kiss her, even slightly parting her lips.

I couldn't stand it. I couldn't watch Maddie kissing someone else right in front of me. I had to do something. I stood up and excused myself from the people around me, pretending I was heading to the restroom. As soon as I reached Maddie's table, I slammed the furniture so the drinks would fall, hoping to separate them.

"OH, SHIT!" I heard Maddie shout. "How can someone be such an idiot?!" she yelled, but I just walked toward the bathroom without looking back.

I headed to the men's restroom to splash some water on my face and neck, trying to calm myself down. I don't know what the hell was happening to me. I'd always been indifferent about who Maddie went out with; I only bothered her because I liked doing it or because my dad made me. But now... now it felt different. Every time I saw Maddie with Steve or thought about them being together, I felt a pain in my chest. I wasn't sure if it was jealousy because Maddie was starting to like him, or if it was just anger and envy that she had something I knew I could never have.

The sound of the women's restroom door opening snapped me out of my thoughts. I knew it was Maddie; it had to be her, going to wash off the beer she'd spilled on herself. She'd always been so careful not to come home smelling like alcohol. I walked toward the women's bathroom to confront her.

"Are you going to stop being an idiot or what?" I said, standing behind her.

"What the hell are you doing here? Can't you see this is the girls' bathroom? Get out." she snapped, clearly annoyed. She tried to walk past me to leave the bathroom, but I wasn't going to make it that easy for her. I grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"You better let go of me right now," she said, turning to glare at me.

"Or what? You gonna hit me with your useless hand" I mocked.

"And there it is-proof that you haven't cared about me for a single second," She laughed sarcastically. Was she really that cynical after all the times she had pretended to care about me?

"Let go of me, Billy, I don't have time for this," she said, trying to break free from my grip, but quickly giving up. She knew she had no chance since I was stronger than her.

I pulled her with me into one of the bathroom stalls and closed the door to prevent her from escaping. My anger was consuming me, and I had to get everything off my chest.

"What the hell are you doing, William? Let me out right now!" she demanded.

"Are you gonna stop trying to make me jealous with that idiot Harrington, or do I have to go break his face?" I growled.

"And who told you it's to make you jealous? I already told you at home," she came closer, standing on her tiptoes to meet my gaze. "Maybe I'll give him a chance. And you, dear little brother, are going to have to deal with it," she whispered, her lips almost touching mine.

Damn it, it was impossible to have a conversation with her without her trying to provoke me.

"You know he's just using you to forget about Wheeler, right?" I said, trying to get her to stay away from Harrington.

"Just like you're using Sandra to forget about me?" she looked at me with defiance.

"In your dreams, redhead," I huffed, even though part of me knew she was right, but there was no way I was going to admit it.

"Not at all. You just admitted a few seconds ago that you're jealous of Steve. So I'm totally right," she laughed.

"Just like you are with Sandra. Since the first day you saw her leave my room, you've been dying to be with her," I said, laughing arrogantly to provoke her. It was hard to believe that she didn't know that with me, she didn't have it as easy as all the other idiots in this town.

"In your dreams, blondie," she frowned, and with that, she basically confirmed that she was jealous of Sandra. But I wanted to hear her say it. "Now, let me pass."

"When you admit that you're jealous of Sandra," I pressed my body against hers, trapping her against the wall so she couldn't escape.

"When you admit that you're jealous of Steve," she replied, standing up straighter, trying to reach my height.

"Never. I couldn't be jealous. I'd only feel jealousy if I cared about you even the slightest bit. And I don't care about you. I hate you," I murmured against her lips. I hated her, but right now, I also wanted her with all my might. That shitty attitude of hers drove me crazy.

"Same here. Though I hate you more..." she whispered.

Again, silence. Only interrupted by our agitated breaths. Again, desire seized me, clouding my understanding. I held her face in my hands and threw myself at her lips to kiss her with anxiety and impatience. Her mouth, lips and taste, from the day I tasted them, had become a damn drug that I couldn't get off of no matter how much I wanted.

Her right hand sank between my curls to get tangled in them and squeeze her lips to mine more strongly. The wound hurt, but I didn't care. I just wanted to feel her, make her scream, make her mine. Our kisses began to be desperate, losing some sighing inside our mouths.

She slipped her hand down my back and put it inside my shirt. The touch of her fingertips caressing every millimeter of my skin made me turn on more. We both opened our mouths to give way to the play of our tongues, united in a paced fight full of lust.

My hands left her cheeks to venture into her sweater while her hand again tangled in my hair. The air was lacking but that did not prevent us from continuing to basing ourselves in an excessive way. I began to caress her torso, slowly raising my hand up until I found one of her bare breasts. I didn't expect it, so that turned me on even more.

I could see how she also started to get aroused by feeling the erection of her nipples. I started to play with one of them, pinching and pulling, until I got a hardened beak. At last I managed to pull a pleasant moan from her lips to fall back into my mouth. I laughed victorious on her lips, without ceasing to kiss her.

I left her lips to sink into her neck, kissing and nibbling her. Letting her perfume invade every single one of my senses. I would spend hours feeding on that sweet smell. Her head leaned back to make room for my kisses on her neck.

I left her chest to walk my hand through her abdomen until it reaches the edge of her skirt. I returned to her lips to again pass my tongue through the whole of her mouth and drink in its taste.

I slightly pushed the edge of her skirt to make my way inside and meet my warmth.
My fingers began to slowly circle through her clitoris, still covered by the fine fabric of her underwear. I went my way until two of her fingers stroked her covered folds to massage them while leaving a bite on her lower lip. I could feel the moisture in her intimate area through the fine fabric of her underwear. It was incredibly wet.

The gasps began to flood her lips and lost themselves in my mouth as I kept moving my fingers. She left my lips and threw her head back, implying that she was enjoying the play of my fingers on her folds. I placed my lips on her collarbone to leave a soft kiss before my teeth sank into the skin of her neck. She groaned again. And then she brusquely turned me away.

"Stop, shit. Stop." she made me take my hand out of the inside of her skirt. "I can't...."she pulled the latch and pushed the door out.

"It's about Harrington, isn't it?" I grabbed her wrist, pissed off.

It was the second time today that I did this for that asshole.

"No, it's for everything. You're my brother Billy, for fuck sake !"

"Stepbrother!" I replied with anger.

"I don't care!" she said, lowering her voice slightly before continuing. "I don't care, Billy. It's still wrong. Besides, this doesn't lead anywhere. You can't stand me, and I can't stand you. None of this makes sense. None of it does."

"Look at me, Maddie. Look me in the eyes and tell me it's not about Harrington," I locked my gaze on hers, hoping her answer would be no.

"It's about Sandra. She doesn't deserve this. She's a good girl, and if you had any decency, you'd leave her before continuing to string her along like this with me." she responded angrily. That answer pissed me off even more; it was clear she was trying to deflect the topic.

"That's bullshit, Madeleine," I growled. "Do you really think I'm blind? That I haven't noticed the way you laugh like a fool every time he does something stupid? That I didn't see you nearly kiss him when I was just a few meters away? Don't try to tell me it's not about him, because that's bullshit!"

"Well, maybe it is about him, William! Damn it!" she exclaimed. "He makes me laugh. He doesn't judge me. He cares about me and only wants me to be okay. And you know what? I am okay when I'm with him! Is it so terrible that I want to feel happy with someone for once in my goddamn life?" she asked, almost with tears in her eyes. Seeing and hearing that, I had no choice but to let her go.

"Go..." I murmured as I turned my back to her.

"Billy..." I felt her hand on my shoulder. "You know as well as I do that everything that's happened between us has been a mistake. You know that-"

"I'm not going to repeat myself," I interrupted her. I didn't want to hear another damn word from her mouth. "Just go already..."

"Fine," she pulled her hand off my shoulder and sighed. "See you at home," was the last thing she said before leaving the bathroom.

I returned to the men's bathroom sink to splash some cold water on my face again, this time trying to cool down a bit. I finished and stood in front of the mirror, looking at myself. Repeating her words in my mind over and over again.

Was this really the first time she felt happy? I think this was also the first time I realized that, in one way or another, I had been doing with Maddie what my father had been doing with me: taking out his frustration on the wrong person.

I knew this wasn't going to be easy to change, and most likely, subconsciously, I'd keep acting like this with her, even if I tried to avoid it. There are things so deeply ingrained in you that they're hard to change. Maybe I should stay away from her and let her be with Harrington and be happy.

But who was I kidding? I wouldn't be able to stand it. Maddie was starting to like me more than I wanted to admit, and on top of that, my attempts to get rid of those feelings by being with Sandra weren't working. I was lost, completely lost in a dead-end alley.

I had a good girl who was crazy about me, fun, bright, a cheerleader. Everything a popular guy wants and needs by his side. And I don't know, maybe I should try harder to make my relationship with Sandra work.

Although, deep down, I was completely aware that it was going to be difficult, considering that I thought I was...

I was starting to fall in love with my stepsister.