{3 Months Ago}

"THIS. IS. AMAZING!! I may just be stealing your ride by the end of the night mister." Music was blaring and the wind from the speed Billy was going, had me completely exhilarated. I felt so open and free for the first time in a long time. His husky, major butterflies fluttering in your stomach causing laughter, only fueled the amazing feelings that were coursing through me.

"Don't even think about it Henderson!! You wouldn't get far....." I smirked with a humorous look in my eyes, seeing the way he was eyeing me. Trouble. I would be in sooooo much trouble. But isn't that what I wanted anyway?

"All you're doing is tempting me more Hargrove!" Before he could say another word on the matter, I stuck my head out of the open window with my hair instantly going wild in the rush of the wind. The empty roads of Hawkins was perfect for this random night out that we decided to do. It was the middle of the night, my mom was asleep and well, he knocked on my window with an offer that I just simply couldn't refuse.

"HERE I AM!!! ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE!!!" I screamed the lyrics to the song just blaring out into the night air, the literal definition of what Billy coming to Hawkins has done to me. Being around him just felt so right. Like we completely molded with one another and got each other on a level that no one else possibly could. He was finally opening up and allowing himself to be comfortable with me, just like I was with him. Admittedly, I was scared out of my mind being this close to another person. But I craved the emotional, physical, and mental connection we seem to have. Being away from him proved to be incredibly challenging.

"You know, you surprise me more and more every day Lana Henderson! I didn't peg you as a wild child. Or maybe it's me rubbing off on you. In all the right ways." He pulled me back into the car by the loop on my jeans, sitting me firmly in my seat with a knowing smirk on his face. My hair was out of control. But I didn't care in that moment. All I could really do, was admire him. His smile, his laugh, all of it was melting my heart.

"Yeah well, we both surprise each other. Usually, no one is my type. But you are. It may be cheesy as shit. But there's something about you Billy." I never knew that something could mean so much until I met him. I've never been an easy person to love, or even have a relationship with. The only people I've ever truly been open with and loving towards, is Dustin and my mom. They're my world. And Billy came to Hawkins and immediately started working his way into that world. And now? I couldn't imagine him not in it.

"I'm still not thrilled to be in this shit town. But, you do make it worth my while. I wasn't expecting you to rock my world or anything. Why did you have to?" I looked to Billy with a humorous grin upon my face with a little shrug, feeling the exact same way about him.

"I'm pretty damn special. Don't you know that already?" He rolled his eyes with that little smile of his creeping onto his face. I've barely managed to make it through the maze that is Billy. It's just so incredibly surreal how alike we truly are. He's holding in so much pain that he has such a hard time talking about. But then again, so do I. I'm not much on talking about my dad. As far as I'm concerned, the closest thing I've ever had to a dad is Hopper. I used to drive him absolutely insane because I would get myself in constant trouble. But he always seemed to get it. He could tell how much pain I was in. Even though I thought I hid it pretty damn well.

"All I'm saying Billy, is that yeah, Hawkins is..... a hard place to live in. Sometimes, it's the worst actually. But when you've got people who would do anything for you, who would stick by you even when you're the hardest person in the world to be around, it's worth it. Because you don't feel so alone." My eyes gazed at his thoughtful expression, seemingly surprised by my little admittance of how he's worth it to me. And he is. I've never wanted someone more in my entire life, than I do him. Not just sexually. But in every possible way I could get him. I felt like a literal addict, going completely crazy until I got yet another fix of this miracle drug.

"Maybe......" Suddenly, we pulled into the driveway of his house after hours of driving around in the dark, noticing the sunrise and just how beautiful it really was. Everything was so peaceful, so calm. I didn't want this moment to end, trapping us within the midnight drive and long conversations with our laughter echoing all around us. When Billy would smile, when he would look at me a certain way. Almost like I was the only girl in the world.

"Well I'm not going anywhere Billy boy. You couldn't get rid of me if you tried." As soon as we parked, I straddled Billy's lap with the most intense look coming to both of our faces from one of many intimate moments we've shared together, feeling like the first time all over again. My heart raced, my breathing accelerated, and I was locked within his gaze. His eyes seemed to search every inch of me he could find, as if he was looking for the answers to the most difficult questions in life.

"I'm scared too Billy...... but I don't want to be anymore. Not with you. It'll be okay. We can cure each other, can't we?" I softly placed my hands on each side of his face with a little grin through my breathy words, the feel of his skin on my fingers feeling so electric to the touch. When I was with him, I felt so insanely high. I couldn't think straight, not at all. I just knew I couldn't let him go. I can't let my fear hold me back any longer.

"I'd like to try..... if that's even possible." I lowered my lips to his soft ones, loving the feel of them against mine. The electrical current that coursed through my body seemed to jolt me back to life from the get go. His hands landed firmly on my waist in a tight grip, like he was afraid I would disappear if he didn't. With the sun rising above us, we got lost in the embrace of something new, something terrifying. But something worth exploring.