The November air in Hawkins was sharp enough to bite, and Billy sat in his blue camaro outside the arcade with the engine idling, cigarette dangling from his lips, trying to look like he didn’t care about anything in the world.
Max leaned against the brick wall near the entrance, arms crossed, skateboard under one foot.
She’d been watching him for weeks now, the way his eyes flicked toward the glass doors every thirty seconds.
The way he pretended to be annoyed when someone mentioned your name.
Tonight she was done letting it slide.
The second she slammed the passenger door, she turned on him.
"You’re in love with her, aren’t you?" Max asked calmly and gently as looking at his seat.
He almost choked on his own smoke, hee coughed, rolled the window down like he needed air, and glared at her in the rear-view mirror even though she was right beside him.
"The hell are you talking about, shitbird?" Billy asked rudely and firmly.
“You know exactly who every time she’s around you turn into a completely different person It’s pathetic" Max confronted him confidently.
"I don’t turn into anything" Billy snapped, flicking ash out the window harder than necessary.
"I tolerate people some more than others that’s it drop it" Bily denyed seriously and coldly as feeling a little bit mad.
"Shut up, Maxine she's nothing" Bily added as stubbed the cigarette out in the ashtray with more force than needed, fingers drumming on the steering wheel.
His rings clinked against the leather.
He was two seconds from kicking her out of the car when the arcade doors swung open.
And there you were.
You stepped out into the neon glow, laughing at something Dustin said, backpack slung over one shoulder.
You spotted Max’s bright red hair immediately and waved, jogging over.
His entire demeanor shifted like someone flipped a switch.
The scowl vanished. His shoulders loosened.
He even ran a quick hand through his hair to tame the curls.
Something Max had literally never seen him do.
When you reached the car with Dustin, he was already leaning out the window, one arm draped casually over the door, that crooked half-smile on his face that made half the school swoon.
"Hey, you need a ride?” Bily asked, his voice softer than it had been thirty seconds ago, like honey over gravel.
Max watched the whole thing with her mouth slightly open.
"Hey Max, you still good for tomorrow? Movie at my place?" Dustin explained happily, not giving you a chance to speak.
“Yeah, totally” Max replied, eyes darting between you and Billy like she was watching a nature documentary.