Chapter 1
Billy’s lip curled in defiance as his mother berated him for his late-night return. Her voice rose, filled with complaints about his drunken state and the stench of cigarettes. He dramatically rolled his eyes and slammed his fist on the counter, trying to silence her tirade.
“How old am I?” he growled through clenched teeth. “I’m not a kid anymore, Mom. You don’t need to lecture me about staying out late.”
“Billy, it’s not the late nights that worry me,” she said, her eyes dropping to the floor. “It’s what you do during them. I know you drink and smoke, and who knows what else. I just don’t want you to get hurt or get involved in something you can’t escape from.”
“I’ll be fine,” Billy reassured, gently placing his hands on her shoulders. “Look, I’m a grown man now. You don’t need to worry about me, Mom. Focus on Max instead.”
His mom managed a faint smile and nodded. “Please try to come home earlier… I don’t want to stay up worrying about you.”
Billy hugged her tightly before stepping back, sniffling and wiping his nose. “By the way, I’ll be home late tonight. Around eleven. There’s something I need to take care of.”
His mom rolled her eyes and shrugged. “Alright… whatever.”
As she walked away, Billy glanced back and saw his sister, Max, standing in her doorway, watching them intently. He shot her a piercing stare before turning and heading for the door.
“You’re going to make her anxious enough to make her sick,” Max said.
“Mind your own business, Max,” he said, coldly. “I don’t need you on my ass, either.”
Silently, he pushed open the door, the stale smell of smoke greeting him as he descended the stairs. He popped a cigarette into his mouth, searching for his lighter. Feeling the vibrations in the air, he followed the commotion across the street. Perched on the hood of his car, Billy watched as a man accidentally dropped a large piece of furniture from a moving truck, the crash echoing through the street. A well-dressed man shouted at him. Billy exhaled a puff of smoke, his smirk widening.
“I told you to be careful with that,” the nicely dressed man yelled. “That’s an expensive piece of furniture. It’s worth more than your life!”
“Blake, stop yelling.” A loud, stern voice from a nicely dressed woman in a car yelled, “You’re causing a scene!”
After she stepped out of the vehicle, the sound of the door slamming shut echoed around her as she fixated a stern look on the backseat. The lady impatiently crossed her arms and tapped her foot.
“I haven’t all day, Akari,” the lady said, grabbing the handle of the door and opening it violently.
Billy exhaled a last puff of smoke before throwing his cigarette onto the ground and stamping it out. As he slid off of the hood of his car, he was met with the sight of a young lady stepping out of her mother’s car. Her black, straight hair glided in the wind like a gentle wave of silk. She grinned at her mom, even though she was giving her a hard time.
“Sorry, mom. I was finishing up a drawing,” the girl said dreamily.
“We have to get rid of this moving truck. I don’t want to have it any longer than we need,” the mother said. “Get over there and help unload.”
She shrugged and made her way over to the truck, the smell of diesel filling her nose as she disappeared into the back of it. As Billy walked across the gravel road, he could hear a lot of rustling and grunts coming from inside the truck.
“Man, this box is heavy,” the girl was saying as she jumped down from the truck. Her feet hit the ground, and she stumbled as she tried to regain her balance.
Billy quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, catching her. Her blue eyes locked on him as soon as she felt his strong arm wrap around her. A pleasant smile spread across her pretty freckled face. Billy’s gaze was intense and steady as his hands helped her to stand up straight.
“Thanks!” Her speech sprinkled with a hint of accent, and she laughed about her clumsiness.
“Yeah, no problem,” Billy said slowly, his arm still wrapped around her small waist.
She stepped back and gingerly rubbed her sore ankle. “You must be one of our neighbors. We just arrived here today, my parents and me. I doubt I’m able to assist with unloading the truck now.”
Billy shifted his gaze between her and the truck, then picked up the box. “Just tell me where it goes and I’ll bring it in for you.”
Her genuine smile was like a beacon as she guided him into the trailer. Her father’s voice echoed in the kitchen as he talked on the phone, while her mother sat on the sofa, scribbling in her notebook.
“Mom, I sprained my ankle jumping out of the back of the truck… our neighbor has come over to help unload,” she said.
“Yeah, whatever,” her mother responded.
Akari scrunched up her nose and took Billy to where her bedroom was. “Put the box right there in the corner, please. My stuff has my name on it.”
“Sit. I’ll take care of it,” Billy said, looking at her name on top of the box. “Akari… that’s an interesting name.”
“It’s Japanese. It means light/ brightness,” Akari giggled. “I guess it fits my personality.”
Billy gave a little chuckle. “Where are you from? I’m Billy, by the way.”
“I’m from London, but I grew up in Ireland most of my life,” Akari said, taking a seat on some boxes. “We moved here because my parents started a business. I’m not sure if this business will ever become one hundred percent successful. They spend more money on advertising than they do anything else.”
Billy was in a trance as he stared at her, the warmth of her voice washing over him. The cadence of her voice reveals the home she was born in. It was a slow pace but a playful tune. When the silence settled in, Billy noticed she was studying him, her head cocked to one side. She pushed the strands of her crow black hair away from her face, feeling the softness of the strands.
Billy nervously cleared his throat and ran his hand over the back of his neck. “I’ll grab your things…”
A sweet smile spread across her face, her nose crinkling with delight. As Billy was grabbing another box from the truck, he felt a warmth in his chest as he pictured her beaming face. Never has he ever met someone as interesting as Akari. He felt a tingle of anticipation as he neared her room.
“Who are you?” Akari’s father asked as he stepped inside the trailer.
“Billy Hargrove,” he said, setting down the box and shaking his hand. “I saw Akari struggling with a box and came over to help.”
The man looked over his glasses, nodded, and shook Billy’s hand with a firm grip. “Nice of you to help, young man. We need more young men like you to help strangers out. This world would be a better place.”
“Of course, sir,” Billy smiled, rolling his eyes when he turned his back.
When Billy entered Akari’s room, he paused in the doorway, hearing the gentle hum of music in the background. Akari was perched by the window, her pencil delicately moving across the paper as she sketched. The way the sunlight glimmered on her face was captivating. She smiled tenderly at him when their eyes connected.
“I met your father,” Billy said, setting the box down and joining her by the window. “He seems nice…”
Akari laughed softly. “He has his moments. My parents couldn’t care less about what I do, honestly. I don’t give them any reason to mistrust me. What about your parents? What are they like?”
Billy released an audible sigh as his tongue ran across his dry lips. “My dad isn’t in my life anymore. He was abusive. Mom divorced him a long time ago. Now it’s just me, mom, and my little sister, Max.”
Akari’s eyes searched his face as she gently placed her hand on top of his. “I’m sorry to hear. No one deserves to go through that.”
The sound of his heart was loud and fast enough for her to hear it if it was any quieter. Billy gulped nervously, the sound ringing in his ears, before standing and slowly stretching his stiff body. “It is what it is. I do whatever I want now without him breathing down my neck.”
Akari shrugged and got up. “Even so, I’m sorry you went through that.”
With a sniff, Billy rubbed his nose and put his hands on his hips. “Thanks, but I don’t need pity. Listen, I have to get going. See you around.”
The sparkle in her blue eyes seemed to fade a bit after he said this. As he slowly turned his back, Billy felt a twinge of guilt in his heart.
“You can visit anytime,” Billy said, pausing at the door. “It was nice meeting you and welcome to Hawkins.”
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Billy,” Akari said, sliding her hand in his and giving it a gentle squeeze. “See you around!”
Billy’s lips curved into a smile as he looked at her. The sweet sound of her voice was lyrical as she perked up and shook his hand warmly. Billy was used to pretty girls, but there was something about Akari that interested him a lot. She seemed pure, and he would feel guilty if he got her involved in his life.
