while to process everything but slowly, Billy came to understand and accept what was happening that night and slowly became okay with it. Or at least not so freaked out that he was near fainting.

Once she made sure Billy would be okay walking for a while, Molly convinced Billy to let her walk him home, mentally preparing a story for what had happened that would explain why he's bruised, why he hasn't got his car, and why Max still isn't with him.

"Maybe we should just head back," he said.

"Nope, it's your home too, we know Max is safe, and if your parents don't like that then they can take it up with me," she asserted.

By now, Molly was very curious as to what Billy's parents were like and she also formulated a plan as to find out exactly what they were.

When they arrived at the house, Molly hid in the shadows not too far from where Billy was standing in front of the door.

"What are you doing?," he whispered.

"Just testing something," she quietly told him before ringing the doorbell from her hiding spot.

The door opened and immediately, Billy got dragged into the house. Just before the door closed, Molly's fingers stopped it.

"Do you have any idea what time it is? Where's your sister?," Mr Hargrove barked at him, slamming him into the wall.

Just as he did, Molly popped out from her hiding place and followed them in, saying with a smile in her strongest American accent, "Hello, you must be Mr Hargrove. I'm Molly, a friend of Billy's from school and I've been helping him look for Max tonight. Max is staying with her friends at the Byers tonight, I'm good friends with their oldest son, Jonathan. I have Joyce Byers phone number if you should need it so you have absolutely nothing to worry about... Are there any other problems here?"

Mr Hargrove looked at her in shock before turning to Billy, "Who the hell is this?"

"I'll repeat myself, I'm Billy's friend from school, my name is Molly Gordin," she said, retaining her composure but turning slightly more stern.

"Excuse me, I asked my son," he snapped at her before turning to Billy again.

Billy looked him dead in the eye, "Her name is Molly. She's my friend. Everything she's saying is true."

Mr Hargrove sighed through his nose, "I thought I told you not to come home until you found Maxine."

"Does Billy not have a right to live here?," Molly spoke up.

Billy looked at her in fear but she returned his look with one of confidence.

"Excuse me? Are you actually telling me how to raise my son?," he raised his voice at her, stepping closer to her.

"I'm aware you're new in town, sir, but most families in Hawkins don't use fear and intimidation techniques to teach familial respect," she met his anger with stone cold composure, not moving as he came closer and closer to her.

"Young lady, it looks like you could learn a thing or two about respect," he said, aggressively shoving her towards the wall.

Strangely, Billy swore he could see a smile on Molly's face when that happened.

Molly then turned to Billy and said, "Just making sure, you saw him harm me, right?"

Confused, Billy nodded.

She smirked, "Wonderful. Unhand me before I break you."

He didn't move an inch.

"Oh well, your funeral."

She then punched Mr Hargrove in the throat before yanking him down towards her by the collar. His eyes were closed in pain.

"Look at me," she demanded, "Look at me!"

He did so.

"That boy is your son. He is not your servant, he is not some homeless man you took off the street. He is an extension of your very being. So you will treat him as such. Or at the very least, you will not abuse him for existing in his own way," she shoved him away, making him stumble back.

"And if you want to get legal, I am good friends with the Hawkins Chief of Police. You are an outsider and a grown man. Who would believe you if you said a teenage girl beat you up?," she stared at him, almost begging him to make some snide remark, but all that came out were wheezy chokes, "That's what I thought. You have no idea what I'm capable of, Mr Hargrove. So don't test me."

She started heading for the door, before adding, returning to her heavily American accent, "Oh and by the way, I've just been assigned as Billy's study partner so you can expect to see a lot more of me at your house. I look forward to it. I can keep an eye on what's going on around here. Hope you folks have a good night!," she said, closing the door behind her, leaving the room silent and Billy amazed.

Molly had barely reached the path, headed back in the direction of the Byers' house, when the front door opened again, Billy chasing after her. When he caught up to her, he hesitated.

"Why... why did you do that?," he asked.

She gave him a puzzled look, "Because it was what had to be done. I can, so I might as well."

"But... I'm not... good, like you," he struggled to find the words.

"You don't have to be," she shrugged, "But you can be."

She turned around, starting to walk off again. In sheer shock and desperation to keep her by his side, he grabbed her hand. Her head suddenly shot up and her eyes quickly met his. She could have pierced him through his heart with those eyes. She wondered if he was going to kiss her. She wondered if she even wanted him to. He instead pulled her into a hug. It felt like nothing she had expected from Billy. It was full of compassion and happiness. The feeling rubbed off on her, her arms instinctively wrapping around him in return.

"Thank you," he said quietly.