Chapter Twenty Two: Coming Clean

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-'ˏ Margo's Pov ˎ'-


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Margaret Henderson's House
Monday , 3:18 p.m
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I excitedly waited in the living room for Billy to come over. As he left the day before, he promised to do something with me again today.


Trying to remember everything was harder than I expected but I found myself craving to be around him.


I hoped we were close before the crash too. He called himself mean but it didn't look like he had it in him. He was always full of bright smiles and laughter around me. So I was confused when everyone expressed their dislike for him. Telling me I should stay away because he's trouble.


I jumped onto the couch and turned on the TV to cure my boredom. It had only been thirty seconds before I started getting impatient again.


The roar of a loud engine speeding down the street rung out and I hopped up quickly to stand by the door. I excitedly shuffled as I waited for him to knock. Once he did I waited a little bit so it at least didn't look like I was waiting for him so eagerly. I ripped the door open and smiled at him.


It'd been like this for the past two weeks. Mom and Dustin left for work and school. I stayed home and occupied myself and my head injury until school let out and Billy came over. Each day around 3:15 he showed up with something in his hands and left around 6:30 so his father didn't catch him out later than his curfew. Today he came over with another roadside bouquet.


"You are like.. three minutes late."


He chuckled at me. "I didn't know I had to be here at a certain time."


"You do. That's three minutes of quality time you made me miss out on." I said pouting as I moved out of the doorway.


"You see me every day babydoll." He replied as he stepped into the foyer and kissed my forehead. Billy placed the flowers down alongside the others he had brought on previous days before stepping out of his shoes and jacket.


I couldn't help but stare at how pretty he was.


"What?" He asked looking back up at me.


"You are so pretty it's unfair." I said leaning against the wall blatantly staring.


He let out a genuine laugh. "You are one to talk."


"Movie but my turn to choose!" He said picking me up quickly. I laughed as he ran to the living room. His hands supported my thighs as I wrapped my legs around him and my arms around his neck.


"Why can't I choose?" I asked as he mulled over what we should watch.


"Because if I have to watch Grease, again, I'm going to have to kill myself." He replied as he shifted me to sit on his hip like a child. He waved a vhs tape around to show me before popping it into the player.


"I didn't even see it!" I exclaimed. "And there's nothing wrong with Grease.."


He scoffed as he sat me down on the couch between his legs. "He looks like a douche, and he sings too much."


I rolled my eyes at him as I laid back on his chest. He absentmindedly played with my hair as the movie started.


"What are you doing?" I said laughing at him as I looked up.


"Braiding," he replied with his tongue stuck out in concentration.


He was honestly embarrassing himself as he tried weaving the three uneven chunks of my hair together.


"You mean to tell me that you have ALL of that hair. And you've never tried a braid on it?"


"Why the fuck would I braid my own hair?" He snorted.


"I don't see why not though." I said shrugging.


He threw my hair back down in frustration. I gasped at how matted it now was. I glared at him as I unraveled it with my fingers. Billy glared back at me playfully and stuck out his tongue.


"You are actually so mean." I commented.


"Very." He muttered. His tone had changed and a hard frown replaced his smile.


"Are you okay?" I asked him.


He rolled his eyes at me. "I'm fine." Frowning at his attitude change I crawled across the couch and placed myself between his arms again. Usually he'd pull me in but he all but shrugged out of the embrace. I pulled back stunned and butthurt.


"What is your problem?" I said crossing my arms.


"I don't have a problem." He said tersely.


"Because I called you mean? I was joking but now you are actually being mean." I said getting off the couch.


"Whatever if I'm so mean I'll stop bothering you then." Billy said as he stood up too.


"Seriously? What the hell? Why are you suddenly acting like this?"


"Why are you so shocked? You said I'm mean yourself. I get it. I'm like the worst thing ever!"


"I said you were mean as a JOKE! Why are you being so dramatic!" I shouted back at him.


"JUST GET OFF MY ASS MARGARET MY GOD!" He suddenly yelled.


We stood there in dead silence. Billy fuming, and me starting to cry.


As soon as the first tear slipped Billy's angry demeanor disappeared. "Margo baby." He cooed as he rushed towards me.


"Go away." I knew I was particularly sensitive to yelling. My dad use to scream his lungs off and yell ugly things in a drunken rage and it had always stuck with me. Even someone raising their voice at me made me cringe into myself.


He sighed as he swiped his thumbs under my eyes gently. "I'm sorry for yelling." He said awkwardly.


"I'm trying my best." He whispered pleading with me. "I know you didn't mean it. But I also know I'm mean. And defensive. And snappy."


He took in another big deep breath "And I'm scared you'll eventually see how messed up I am and want nothing to do with me." He mumbled. "I just keep messing up."


"You could have just told me that. I'm trying to be with you and I don't remember shit. It's confusing and hard because I don't remember anything about you or us so why can't you just be honest with me." I mumbled into his hands that were still on my face.


He mumbled back something I couldn't hear.


"Huh?"


He repeated it a little bit louder but it was still incoherent. I tilted my head to the side in confusion at him.


"I don't want you to remember! I'm terrified you will remember and want nothing to do with me!" He nervously rushed out.


"What don't you want me to remember?" I said stepping back from him with a sick feeling in my stomach.


Billy groaned as he ran his hands through his hair. "That wasn't your first time." He said coming clean.



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