Chapter Text
Y/N was putting her science textbook back into her locker before she went home for the day. She grabbed her backpack and thought about what she needed for the weekend. Biting her lip she rummaged through her notebooks in her locker, picking a couple out for the classes she had homework in. As she was doing so she felt a presence next to her and looked over.
Rolling her eyes at the boy with the dangling earring, Y/N sighed. “If you ask me out again Billy I’m going to have to punch you.”
“Like you could hurt a fly.” he replied, leaning against her locker door, watching as she collected her things. “Besides,” he continued, “who said I was gonna ask you out anyway, sweetheart?”
Y/N stopped what she was doing, letting her notebook collapse back into her locker. “Because you’ve asked me out, what...five times. And the answer’s still no. Why not try Carol or someone? I’m sure they’d just die to go out with the Billy Hargrove!” Y/N said the last bit in a high pitched, overly exaggerated, voice as she looked at Billy, waiting for him to prove her wrong.
When he didn’t immediately respond, Y/N shook her head, “Get a life, Billy.” she slammed her locker shut, letting Billy fall against the bed of lockers as she walked away.
“Y/N!” Billy called after her, almost jogging to catch up with her. “Wait up.” he said. “Shit, you walk fast.” he said, catching up with her finally.
Y/N stopped short and turned on her heels to look at Billy. “What could you possibly want, Hargrove?”
“You babysit, right?” he asked.
Raising her eyebrows, Y/N looked at him. “If you’re into some kinky shit, I don’t wanna know.” she turned to walk away but Billy caught her wrist and she stopped to look back at him.
“Not me. My step-sister. I was supposed to watch after her while the folks are out, but I got a date.”
“What’s in it for me?” Y/N asked, tilting her head to the side.
“Helping out your favorite guy?” Billy replied, a grin across his face.
“In your dreams, Hargrove.”
“Believe me, sweetheart, you’re already in them.” Billy replied, a look of lust crossing his features before he shook his head.
“Shove it.” Y/N said, ripping her arm from his grasp and walking off.
“I’ll pay you, Y/N! Don’t leave a guy in the lurch!” Billy called from his place in the hallway. He was awestruck, though he wouldn’t admit it, that his attempts to get under Y/N’s skin hadn’t worked. She had just walked away from him. Again.
Y/N stopped, turning back to look over at Billy. “It’ll cost you.” she sighed, reluctantly agreeing to the job. How bad could his step-sister be, anyway?
Billy walked up to her again. “Great. Glad you decided to come around. Her name’s Max. Redhead. Go pick her up from the middle school. Thanks Y/N.” Billy patted her shoulder and walked past her, leaving out the back entrance of the school.
Y/N stood in the middle of the school hallway, blindsided. She’d actually agreed to watch Billy Hargrove’s sister? Y/N shook her head, and walked out of the school, heading to her car and going to the middle school. She pulled up front and waited outside, watching as kids began to come out. Y/N scanned the crowd for a redhead girl to come out of the building.
When Y/N saw a redhead walking out, a young girl she didn’t see before, she honked her horn and got out of her car. “Are you Max?” Y/N called over to her, pointing.
Max looked up from her conversation to the unfamiliar voice and nodded, hesitantly. “Who are you?”
“Y/N.” she replied, leaning against her car’s window. “Apparently your brother has a date. He asked me to watch you.”
Max rolled her eyes. It wasn’t new for Billy to pull something like this, but to stick her with someone she didn’t even know? Hell, maybe Billy didn’t even know her. “Step-brother.” Max corrected, a deep sigh as she stepped toward the car.
“Step-brother.” Y/N repeated. She rolled her eyes, “He’s kind of a dick, isn’t he?”
Max snorted a laugh, “Yup.” the redhead nodded, popping the p in the word. She stopped at the car, holding tightly to her skateboard. She still weighed her options as to getting in the car or not.
“What?” Y/N asked, opening the drivers side door and looking over at the girl.
“How do I know I can trust you?” Max asked, looking up at Y/N, testing her.
Y/N laughed. “Do you want some references or something?”
“Maybe.” Max replied, shrugging her shoulders.
“How about this, I don’t have references on me. But I’ll treat you to a milkshake?” Y/N raised an eyebrow to the redhead, waiting for an answer.
Max thought for a moment before nodding and opening the passenger side door. “Deal.”
That was how Y/N became Max’s designated babysitter. Anytime Billy had a “last minute” date he’d go up to Y/N’s locker and tell her to watch Max for the night. Y/N would roll her eyes at his command, but still go over to the middle school and pick up the redhead. In fact, she rather liked Max. She was different than most of the kids she babysat usually.
Max liked video games and had even started teaching Y/N how to ride her skateboard after Y/N asked a couple of times. Y/N was terrible, that was for sure, and Max continued to tease her about it, but she was trying. Max gave her props for keeping it up. Y/N would even drive Max to and from the arcade because she thought it was ridiculous the way Billy drove with his sister in the car. Fast and uncaring.
Y/N was currently watching Max while Billy was out on yet another date. The girls were in Max’s room working on Max’s homework. Y/N had finished her own homework earlier, when Max had been playing with her friends at the arcade.
Y/N jumped when she heard a door slam shut. Max immediately stood up, straightening herself up as she looked nervously toward Y/N. “Who is that?” Y/N asked. She’d never heard Billy come home like that after a date. So she just assumed it wasn’t him.
Max’s mouth quivered as she replied, “You should go, Y/N.” The little redhead moved toward the window and started to open it when they were startled yet again by a booming voice calling for Maxine and Billy to get “their asses into the living room, now”. Y/N didn’t budge. She didn’t like the tone of the voice, and she refused to leave Max alone. “Y/N, please. Go.”
“Is that your dad?” Y/N whispered.
Max nodded at first, then shook her head. “Step-dad.” she corrected.
Y/N walked over to Max, looking at the girl who seemed frightened. A crash took her attention away from the girl and she turned, protectively placing herself in front of Max as the door to the girl’s room opened harshly.
“Maxine!” The man barged in and looked around the room. He was clearly drunk. He didn’t register Y/N at first but when he did, he glared at her. “Who the hell are you? Where’s my son?”
Y/N flinched as he took a step forward. “I’m Y/N. I’m...M-Max’s babysitter.”
“The hell you are! Billy should be watching after his sister.” The man shouted, shoving Y/N out of the way and looking at the young girl. “Where the hell is your brother? Maxine! Answer me! Where is he?” he grabbed Max’s shirt and lifted her up, holding her face inches from his own as he shouted, spitting at her while he spoke.
Y/N jumped into action. She pulled Max out of her step-father’s grip and hid her behind herself. “Don’t touch her like that.”
“Don’t tell me what to do.” Neil Hargrove spat at Y/N.
“You’re drunk.” Y/N’s voice wavered. Her own thoughts clouded with thoughts of seeing her older brother drunk. She didn’t like being around drunk people.
“Get out of my way, whore.” he spat at her once more, attempting to shove her out of the way once more. Y/N didn’t budge, barely faltering as he shoved against her. When she didn’t move, he slapped her across the face. “Get out of my way. She’s my kid.”
Y/N bit her lip, flinching back after the impact. Y/N had dealt with alcoholics before. It ran in her family. Her grandfather, her aunt, her older brother. She knew that people tended to act and react while intoxicated. “You’re drunk, Mr. Hargrove. Just leave Max alone. Please.” Y/N said, keeping her voice calm and steady, she grabbed onto Max’s hands and held tightly, squeezing. She could tell the girl was nervous and scared. Y/N was too. She just wanted this to be over.
“Y/N? You can go home now, I got this...covered.” Billy called out, walking toward Max’s room. Y/N guessed he must have come in through the back door or his own window. But he stopped in his tracks when he saw his father in an intense stare down with Y/N. “Dad.” Billy said, jaw clenching as he announced his presence.
Neil didn’t take his eyes off Y/N, giving her a cold stare. “You letting your whores watch Maxine now, Billy? You’re out fucking up your life and leave this...stranger...this...bitch to watch over your little sister?” Neil grabbed Y/N’s arm, shoving her forward. She dropped Max’s hands as she went flying forward, yelping.
Max gasped.
Billy took a step into the room. “Dad. Leave Y/N out of this. Let her go home.”
“You think you’re so smart, huh? Leaving this girl here while you go out with whoever you want, doing whatever you want.” Neil took another step toward Billy. “Did it ever cross your mind that Susan and I want you to watch Maxine? Because you’re her brother and thats what you should do. Because you’re her fucking brother, Billy! That’s what you should fucking do!” Neil’s voice got louder and louder, shouting as he spoke. “You. Disgust. Me.” Neil annunciated each word. “You’re a fucking disappointment Billy.” Neil shoved his son back against the wall. “Get out of my sight.” Neil gave Billy one last shove before leaving the room.
Max let out a breath and ran over to Y/N. “I told you to leave.” Max said, looking at the girl who just protected her. “I could have handled that.”
Y/N sat up from where she’d hit the ground and looked at Max. “I wasn’t going to leave you alone, kid.” she expressed, a smile on her face, despite her wince. “I signed up to babysit you, that means protecting you too.”
Max sat down next to her, hugging Y/N tightly. “Thank you.” the redhead mumbled against Y/N’s hair.
Y/N looked over at Billy, her arms wrapped around Max as she returned the hug. As Billy looked over at her, they both asked, “Are you okay?”
Y/N shook her head, looking at Billy seriously. She let the silence fill the room for a moment. Max was still clinging onto her. Billy was against the wall, bent over but looking at Y/N and Max.
After a minute more, Y/N spoke quietly. “Billy. Does this happen often?” The boy nodded. “Have you told anyone?” He shook his head. “Why not?”
“Because I can handle myself.” Billy explained.
Y/N gingerly attempted to stand up, Max giving her room, but carefully watched the girl to make sure she didn’t falter. Y/N walked over to Billy and touched his cheek, making the boy look toward her. “Billy, you shouldn’t have to handle yourself. You should talk to someone. They can help you. I’ll help you.” She rested her hands on his shoulder, looking at him and then turning her attention to Max. “Let me help you. Please, Billy.”
Billy shook his head, standing up straight and pushing Y/N’s hands off of him. “I said I can handle myself.” Billy explained, turning away from Y/N and looking out into the hallway. “You should go home, Y/N.”
Y/N shook her head. “I’m not leaving you like this, Billy. I’m not leaving you or Max.” Y/N said, looking at him. He didn’t make eye contact with her.
He turned his head to look at her, confused. Pain still tainted his expression as he raised his head to meet her gaze. “Why?” his voice was barely above a whisper, he breathed out.
“Because, you asked me to look out for your sister. Apparently you need someone to help you out too.” Y/N answered sweetly, shrugging her shoulder.
And that’s how Y/N became Max’s babysitter. And Billy’s friend.