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BILLY HAD BEEN AVOIDING ISADORA.

Saying it hurt would be an understatement. In a desperate attempt to shake her from his mind, Billy had taken to flirting with other girls, but the beautiful blonde remained his sole obsession, driving him crazy. Initially, Isadora had tried to engage with him, but upon realiSing he was actively avoiding her, she quickly gave up. She had come to terms with a harsh truth: once their project was completed, Billy would cut off all communication, and she was starting to regret ever sleeping with him.

Isadora felt a tight knot in her stomach every time she saw him in the hallways, laughing and flirting with others, while she stood on the sidelines, a silent witness to his apparent indifference. It was as if someone had stolen a piece of her heart and was flaunting it right in front of her, and she couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal.

"Isa, are you even listening?" Hazel asked, glancing at her best friend, who seemed completely distracted. Lately, Hazel had noticed Isadora's increased silence and moodiness, suspecting it had something to do with Billy. She hadn't pushed her to talk, knowing Isadora would share when she was ready.

"Oh, uh, sorry. What were you saying?" Isadora asked, feeling guilty for zoning out.

"I was just mentioning that the dance is coming up soon—" Hazel began again, but Isadora frowned, redirecting her focus.

"Are you going with Eddie?" Isadora's voice was tinged with a mix of curiosity and envy.

"Yeah, he asked me last week. I think Steve has asked Kendra too," Hazel replied, her face lighting up at the thought. Isadora nodded absently, leaning against her locker as she glanced over at Billy, who was flirting with another girl in the hallway. A pang of longing shot through her; she wished it were her he was flirting with, but she knew that chapter was closed.

"Great, so I guess I'll be alone at the dance," Isadora said, her heart sinking at the thought of watching Billy with someone else. She forced herself to look away, but her heart ached as she turned back to Hazel.

"Have you talked to Kendra yet? Or are you still not speaking?" Hazel inquired, but noticed Isadora's attention was still fixed on Billy. Hazel narrowed her eyes at the scene, muttering, "He's an ass, Isa."

"I just hate that I don't understand what I did wrong or why he started avoiding me," Isadora confessed quietly, her voice almost a whisper.

"Isa, I'm sorry he hurt you. I know you wanted to believe he wouldn't just sleep with you, but—"

"But he did, and I wish I hadn't been one of those girls. More than anything, I wish I never slept with him, but I can't change the past. Come on, let's get to class," Isadora said, starting to walk away. Hazel hurried to close her locker and followed her, practically sprinting to keep up with Isadora.

"Hi," Kendra greeted as she approached the two girls. Isadora glanced at her but walked past, heading to her usual desk. She pulled out her notebook and began doodling, tuning out Hazel and Kendra's conversation.

When an exam was placed in front of her, she cursed under her breath. Everyone around her was scribbling answers, but to Isadora, the words were a blur. She tapped her pencil against the desk, struggling to focus, and knew she had completely flunked the test. As her mind drifted back to thoughts of Billy, she felt frustration and sadness mingle in her chest.

Once the exam ended, Isadora followed her friends out of the classroom. As they walked, Kendra asked, "How do you think you did on the exam?"

"Terribly," Isadora admitted, her voice heavy with defeat.

"Terribly? Isa, you say that every time we have an exam and somehow still manage to get an A," Hazel said, skepticism evident in her tone.

"I doubt I even passed this time. I barely answered a few questions," Isadora shrugged. Hazel shot her a doubtful look, knowing Isadora was a straight-A student who never left questions blank.

Isadora felt a simmering anger as she walked ahead of her friends, her shoulders tense and her brow furrowed. The initial sting of being treated like a child weighed heavily on her, and she couldn't shake off the frustration. Kendra, trailing behind, noted the change in Isadora's demeanour. "That's not like you," she remarked, her voice tinged with concern.

Isadora merely shrugged in response, refusing to turn around. Kendra exchanged glances with Hazel, who mirrored her worry. "She's still mad at me," Kendra observed, her voice softening as they approached their lockers.

"Can you blame her?" Hazel shot back, her tone sharp but understanding. Kendra sighed, recognising the truth in Hazel's words.

"No," she conceded. As they reached their lockers, they spotted Isadora quietly putting her books away. With a heavy sigh, she turned to face her friends, the tension in her expression lingering.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm still mad at you," Isadora said, her tone softer now but still firm. "But can you give me a ride home, Steve?"

"Oh, uh, sure, Is," Steve replied, his surprise evident. Hazel's eyes widened as she exchanged glances with Kendra, a flicker of hope igniting between them.

"Wait, does this mean you two are finally talking again?" Hazel asked, excitement lacing her words.

Isadora paused, the annoyance still evident in her eyes, but she nodded slowly. "I'm still annoyed with you, but yeah, I guess so." Steve glanced at her, relief washing over his face as he felt the weight of their earlier conflict begin to lift.

"I'm sorry, Is. I was just trying to protect you," Steve said, sincerity threading through his voice.

"I know," Isadora replied, her tone neutral as they began to head towards Steve's car. Kendra walked beside her, a hint of apprehension in her expression.

"Does this mean you're still mad at me?" Kendra asked tentatively, the hope in her voice contrasting with her earlier concerns.

"Not really mad, just annoyed that you defended Steve," Isadora admitted, her honesty refreshing the air between them. Kendra nodded, understanding dawning on her as they waved goodbye to Hazel, who went off to find Eddie for her own ride home.

"I'm sorry for defending Steve. I understand why you were upset," Kendra said, her tone genuinely remorseful, the weight of their earlier disagreements lifting.

"I'm sorry too, Is. I should have dropped it when you told me to," Steve added, his voice earnest as he walked beside Isadora, trying to bridge the gap that had formed.

"You were right," Isadora mumbled, the words barely escaping her lips.

"What was that? Didn't catch that," Steve teased, a playful smirk appearing on his face.

"Don't make me say it again," Isadora shot back, a smile creeping onto her face. Laughter erupted among the three of them, breaking the lingering tension as they moved forward together, a renewed sense of camaraderie surrounding them.

As they reached Steve's car, Kendra and Steve got into the front seats. Isadora opened the passenger door but paused when she spotted Billy standing by his car with his arm around another blonde. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched the girl climb into the car before Billy joined her, and they drove off. The realisation that Billy had likely moved on hit Isadora like a punch to the gut, and she couldn't help feeling a wave of jealousy wash over her.

"Is, can you please get in the car so we can go home?" Steve urged, pulling Isadora from her thoughts. She quickly blinked away her tears and nodded, joining her friends in the car.

"Sorry," Isadora murmured, her voice shaky.

"Are you okay, Isa?" Kendra asked, unaware of the turmoil her friend was experiencing.

"Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Isadora replied, forcing a smile as she looked out the window. Hawkins blurred past them, the scenery merging into a kaleidoscope of colours that did nothing to lift her spirits.

When they arrived at her house, Isadora stepped out of the car, thanking Steve before she started toward the door. Just then, she collided with a young red-haired girl who smiled apologetically.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there," the girl said, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Hi, Ellie," Isadora greeted the brunette who had hurried up behind her. She turned back to the redhead. "It's okay. I've seen you around but we haven't met. I'm Isadora Jones."

"Max Mayfield. I think I've seen you talking to Billy a few times," Max replied, and Isadora recalled hearing her name during visits to Billy's house, realising the girl must be his younger sister.

"Oh, we really don't talk anymore," Isadora shrugged, trying to keep her voice steady. Max looked at her skeptically but before she could say anything further, Lucas Sinclair called for her. Max waved goodbye and hurried into the Wheeler house.

"Uh, can you please not tell Dad or Hazel that you saw me? I'm technically grounded and snuck out, so I'll be in trouble if they find out," Ellie confessed, glancing around nervously.

"You snuck out?" Isadora raised an eyebrow.

"I wanted to hang out with Max and our friends. Speaking of which, I should go," Ellie said, glancing toward the door.

"Oh... okay. I won't tell anyone I saw you," Isadora promised, a small smile breaking through her earlier gloom. Ellie thanked her and dashed over to the Wheeler house, and Isadora laughed as she waved goodbye, feeling a small warmth from the encounter.

Isadora had first met Ellie shortly after moving to Hawkins, and they had become friends since then. As she continued toward her house, she spotted Nancy and waved before stepping inside.

Once in her room, Isadora settled down to do some homework, her thoughts drifting between the assignments and memories of happier times with Billy. After a shower, she felt a bit refreshed but the weight of the day still hung over her like a cloud.

As she started making dinner, a knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. Frowning, she switched off the stove and walked over to answer it, her heart racing slightly. When she saw Billy standing there, her breath caught in her throat.

"Oh, go the hell away!" she yelled instinctively, anger bubbling to the surface.

"Is, p-please open the door," Billy begged, his voice shaky as he knocked again. Isadora hesitated, torn between wanting to slam the door and the curiosity gnawing at her. She finally cracked it open slightly, but her heart raced at the sight of him.

"Give me one good reason ... Billy, what the hell happened to you? Who the hell did this to you? And why did you come here of all places?" Isadora gasped, horrified to see the extent of his injuries. His face was bruised, and there were cuts on his arms.

"I... I needed to see someone who cares about me," Billy said, his voice thick with emotion, and she could see the tears glistening in his eyes.

She had only seen him cry once before, and it made her heart ache. Hesitating, Isadora opened the door a little more, her defences wavering.

"Someone who cares about you? And what makes you think that's me, Billy? Why not go to your new girlfriend's house?" Isadora shot back, folding her arms defensively, trying to mask her concern with irritation.

"What? I don't have a girlfriend; I don't know where you got that idea," Billy insisted, his expression serious.

"I saw you with her at school today," Isadora replied, a hint of bitterness seeping into her tone. Billy raised an eyebrow, shaking his head.

"I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't have a girlfriend, Princess," he insisted again, the familiar nickname slipping out.

"Well, whoever she was, go see her and leave me alone," Isadora said, her voice rising with frustration.

"Come on, Isadora, please let me in?" Billy pleaded, desperation lacing his voice.

With a frustrated sigh, she realised he had no intention of leaving. She stepped aside, the tension in the air palpable.

"Fine, come in," she relented, her voice flat. Billy nodded, walking past her into the house.

As he glanced around, Isadora noticed him stopping to examine a picture on her hallway table. He turned back to her, a frown on his face.

"Do your parents even live here?" he asked, a hint of curiosity in his tone.

"That's none of your business," Isadora snapped, closing the front door behind them. She grabbed her first aid kit and gestured toward the couch. "Sit down."

"Yes, Princess," Billy smirked, but the humour fell flat as he settled onto the couch, a wince escaping him as he tried to find a comfortable position.

"And stop calling me Princess," Isadora rolled her eyes, sitting beside him and starting to clean the blood from his face. Billy winced at her touch, a flicker of regret crossing his features.

"Fuck, that hurts."

"Does it? Good," she snapped back, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. "How did this happen?"

"I got into a fight," he shrugged, his tone casual, as if he were discussing the weather. Isadora's brow furrowed as she studied him, knowing he was avoiding the truth.

"You really shouldn't go around fighting people," Isadora said, a mix of concern and annoyance lacing her voice. While she was still angry, she hated seeing him hurt. Billy watched as Isadora's face scrunched in concentration, her focus solely on him.

"What are you staring at, Hargrove?" she finally asked, breaking the silence.

"You seem mad," he observed, leaning closer, a playful glint in his eyes.

"I'm not mad. I just have better things to do than clean your wounds. Plus, won't your girlfriend be upset about you being here with me?" Isadora challenged, trying to sound indifferent.

"I already told you, I don't have a girlfriend. Would you be jealous if I did?" Billy asked, leaning in closer, his breath warm against her skin.

"Why would I be jealous? I don't even like you," Isadora shot back, avoiding eye contact but feeling her heart race.

"I don't believe you," Billy replied, inching even closer, their faces almost touching. Just as he was about to kiss her, he recalled Steve's words and pulled back abruptly, the tension in the air shifting.

"You should stay away from me, Isadora," he said, standing up abruptly, the moment shattered.

"You're the one who came here to see me and almost kissed me! I don't understand you!" Isadora snapped, frustration boiling over as she watched him move toward the front door.

"I'm sorry, Is, but it's for the best," Billy said.

For a moment, Isadora watched him go, her heart pounding in her chest.

"A part of me wishes I never slept with you. Maybe it is for the best you stay away from me. At least then, maybe I can find someone who treats me the way I deserve," Isadora said, her voice steady despite the tears threatening to spill.

Billy froze, feeling as if she had slapped him. He turned to face her, guilt flooding his expression.

"I'm sorry, Isadora."

"Sorry doesn't change how I feel. You said you were leaving, so just go, Billy, please," she said, her voice wavering but firm. Billy nodded, his heart heavy as he walked out of the house.

Isadora wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand, and as Billy reached his car, he fought back tears. He hated the thought of staying away from her but knew Steve was right—Isadora Jones deserved so much better than him, no matter how much he longed to be the one with her.

As he drove off, he stole one last glance in the rearview mirror, hoping against hope that she would run after him. But Isadora stood in her doorway, watching him leave, and the finality of the moment weighed heavily on both their hearts.

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Hello,

I did make quite a few changes to this chapter and will probably make quite a few changes throughout the book so if you have already read this book and see changes, it's because I am editing and re-writing currently. 

Enjoy! Xo

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