•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐈𝐕𝐄

•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧

     ADDIE AND BILLY WEREN'T SPEAKING. It was now Friday the following week, and she meant it when she said that she respected he didn't want a relationship. But he still flirted with her every chance he got, waited for her after sixth period every day so they could walk to their cars together, even gave her a kiss on the cheek a few times. So she was confused.

This past Wednesday, Steve saw something in the hallway. He didn't want to hurt Addie, but knew that she deserved to know. Knowing she wouldn't just believe him, he spotted her in front of her locker and practically dragged her to the end of the hallway. There was Billy and another girl... kissing.

She was sad. And a little hurt. But she knew that she couldn't really be upset. She told Billy that she only wanted to be with someone if it meant a relationship, and to his credit, he respected that. So maybe this was just a hookup.

But then on Thursday, Addie saw Billy with that same girl, and they were holding hands. Realization hit. So he did want a relationship, just not with her.

Now she was upset. Because he couldn't just be honest. And why would he constantly flirt with her and do and say all of those things if he didn't mean it? At least they'd only known each other for a couple of weeks, so Addie hadn't had time to get attached.

She ignored Billy when he called out to her in the hallway before she walked into fifth period, and he could tell something was up when she did the same thing before their last class.

Luck was partially on her side when the final bell rang, because she had a couple of questions about an essay they were given that would be due on Monday. She stayed behind 5 minutes, thankful her teacher was a patient man and didn't mind explaining more in-depth.

She rushed out of class, ignoring Billy asking if they could talk. He gently grabbed her arm, forcing her to turn around and face him.

"Will's waiting for me I gotta go."

"Why are you mad at me?"

Addie knew it was probably an immature answer, but she didn't care. "I'm not, we're cool."

"Then why have you been ignoring me since yesterday?"

"I'm not. Just busy." She continued walking, looking in her backpack for her car keys.

"Alright sure. Wanna tell me the truth now?"

"Billy, it's fine," Addie stopped walking to look at him again. "I'm not ignoring you, I've just been busy. Why do you care so much anyway?"

That surprised him, he wasn't expecting a question like that. Him being stunned into silence was enough for Addie to turn and walk away. And he genuinely couldn't figure out why she was upset.

Addie walked outside to find Will there, with Dustin, Lucas, and a girl Addie thought looked a little familiar but couldn't quite recognize.

"Hi, I'm Max," she smiled at Addie.

"Hi I'm Addie, Will's older sister."

"Can they all come over? Max, Lucas and I have a group project together and then after we're gonna see if there's a movie playing on t.v.."

"You guys all ask your parents?"

Dustin and Lucas nodded.

"Yeah my mom said it was okay." Max shrugged.

"Okay. I have a lot of homework so if anyone wants a ride home you guys will have to stay for dinner and I can drive you after. I'll ask if we can just order pizza."

Billy approached just then, having spotted Max.

"Let's go," he motioned towards his car.

"I'm gonna go to Will's house for a little. Actually." She seemed a little nervous to tell him, and Addie wondered why.

He started to protest and say no let's go, but Addie walked next to him.

"It's okay she's more than welcome, I can bring her home after dinner."

"I'll call my mom when we get home and ask about dinner, I promise." Max said, silently begging Billy to agree.

His facial expression softened when he looked at Addie, who smiled at him.

"Alright, fine. Don't be late though you know how they get," he said before getting in his car and driving away.

The thought of seeing Addie later made him... excited? But he still didn't know why she was upset. Maybe if his dad wasn't home when she brought Max, he'd ask if they could talk.

Addie drove everyone back to their house and within minutes, the living room floor was scattered with papers and ideas for their project.

"Whatcha working on?" Addie looked up to see Dustin standing in her doorway. He came over to hang out after the project, but Addie guessed he was probably bored in the meantime.

"Just some science stuff for a quiz on Tuesday. Made myself some flash cards."

"Ooh can I quiz you!"

Addie smiled. "That bored huh? Okay, I could use the help."

They spent the next 30 minutes with Dustin quizzing Addie. She was pleased that she got most of them right.

"If you ace the test, you know who to thank," Dustin threw up finger guns as he left the room. The others must've finished their homework because a couple of minutes ago Lucas yelled to Dustin that they were ready to watch a movie.

"Thank you Dustin you're my favorite!"

"Hey I heard that!"

"Oops sorry Mike I love you too!"

The rest of Addie's homework was a lot faster than she anticipated, and so at 4 she laid down for a nap, waking up only when Will knocked on her door and asked if they could order the pizza now.

An hour later, between the kids, Addie, Jonathan, and their mom who popped her head in the living room to grab a slice, they had finished 3 large pizzas.

They hung out for a little bit longer, and then Max, Lucas, and Dustin got in Addie's car to go home. Will volunteered to clean up the living room while Addie was gone.

After dropping off Dustin, then Lucas, Addie asked where Max lived. 10 minutes later they pulled up to her driveway. It was dark so Addie offered to walk Max to her front door. She hesitated a moment, but eventually thanked her and said okay.

"Do... are you and Billy... together?" Max was hesitant in asking as they walked towards the front door.

"No," Addie laughed. "We're just friends."

"Oh. Well, thanks. He has been a little nicer lately, and I think it's because of you."

Max seemed almost relieved that it was her mom who greeted them once they both entered the house.

"Where's—"

"Working late. He called, he'll be home in a couple of hours."

Introductions were made, and Susan thanked Addie repeatedly for bringing Max home. She said she was glad she didn't have to ask Billy to go pick her up.

"Where is he anyway?" Max looked towards a hallway.

"In his room. Addie do you have classes together?"

"Yes ma'am, the last two classes of the day."

"Oh how nice. Billy! Your friend is here come say hi!" She turned around and yelled.

Max turns to me and mouths "sorry" before heading off to her room.

A minute later, they heard loud footsteps down the hallway. Billy opens his mouth to angrily ask Susan why she was yelling for him when he wasn't expecting anyone, but stops when he sees it's Addie.

"Thanks Susan," he nods. She says goodbye to Addie and then says she's going to head up to get ready for bed.

"Sorry, I didn't ask her to bother you and call you down. She asked me if we had any classes together and then I said yes."

"Wanna talk on the porch?" Billy asks. Addie can't help but smile, noticing he seems a little nervous.

She nods and follows him outside. They sit on a little porch bench / swing.

"You gonna tell me why you're mad at me now?" Billy asks after a minute of silence.

"I'm not—"

"Mad at me, right. I know. But the thing is, your actions say otherwise. You haven't talked to me in two days. I thought we were okay after the party, we seemed okay up until a couple of days ago..."

"We were. I mean we are. Okay. It's just gonna sound stupid you'll laugh."

Billy scooted closer sitting right next to Addie. He used a hand under her chin to make her look up at him. "I won't laugh. Promise."

"I just... I don't know. You say you don't want a relationship and that you're okay with just being friends. But then you flirt with me every time we see each other. And then it just sucked to see you with that girl at school. Holding hands and kissing and stuff. If you didn't want a relationship just with me, you could've just said so," Addie shrugs and looks down, feeling shy.

"Fuck you saw that?"

"What was it supposed to be a secret??"

"No no. No that's not what I mean. That girl... we have a class together and she made it extremely clear that she wanted to hook up. And while I didn't shove her away, I also didn't say no. We've never hooked up, except for kissing once in the hallway. And she kissed me by the way. If you'd stuck around a few seconds longer you would've seen me pull away and ask her to leave. And the next day when we were holding hands, she came up to me in the hallway and grabbed my hand. It was for a few seconds at the most before I told her to leave me alone."

Addie looked at him again, still confused. "But do you want to? Hook up with her?"

"I did want to. In fact back in California I would've jumped at the chance."

"So why haven't you?"

"I don't know," Billy shrugged.

"Okay well, good luck with her and all of that stuff. Whatever you decide to do. I should get home, I think my brothers are waiting up to make sure I get back okay." Addie stands up and grabs the purse she set down beside her.

"It was because of you okay." Billy stands up before Addie can take more than a few steps towards her car. "It was because I met you. Before I met you girls were only ever interested in sex or whatever. But even just being friends with you, and you being... I don't know, nice to me. And not wanting anything out of it other than to just be my friend. When you said you only wanted a relationship and not hookups, that's what was in my head when that girl came on to me. It felt like a betrayal to you, which I realize may sound stupid. But it's the truth. I've only known you a few weeks but man I don't know what the fuck you're doing to me Addie."

He takes a few steps forward and puts his hands on either side of her face and leans down so their foreheads are touching.

"I'm sorry for upsetting you. I promise that wasn't my intention. Here, I'll walk you to your car."

Before he can think about it too much, he takes Addie's hand in his. It's only a short walk but when they reach her car, neither of them let go.

"I'm trying, I really am. To show you that I can be different, and that maybe someday soon I'll be worthy of being in a relationship with you. But you need to know that before this, before I moved here and met you, I wasn't a good guy. And I still feel like I'm not. To everyone else but you basically."

"Billy," Addie smiled and gives Billy a kiss on the cheek. "That honestly does mean a lot to me. Not just tonight but that you're trying. I don't expect anything, honestly. I'm just happy to know you."

Coming from anyone else, he probably would've rolled his eyes and said that was cheesy. But when Addie said it, he knew exactly what she meant.

"Goodnight sweetheart, see you at school tomorrow." He returns her kiss on the cheek before opening her car door.

Billy waits until her car is out of sight before heading back into the house. He was actually planning on ditching tomorrow until he said that to her, but he slowly gathers his things and puts them in his backpack.

He takes his denim jacket from his closet, remembering that she said she liked it. He decides that he'll wear it tomorrow.

And the last thing he thinks about before he finally falls asleep, is Addie.

•̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧.˚ *•̩̩͙ ✩. •̩̩͙*˚⁺‧