— 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 —

SOMEHOW, I manage to make it to school early, again. I used Dustin's bike that he let me have to ride to school. I'm not used to riding bikes, but I'm starting to get the hang of it. As I make my way inside, I see Barb reading off of flash cards and Nancy answering the questions.

"When alpha particles go through gold foil, they become?"

"Unoccupied space." I answer, walking up to them.

Barb and Nancy smile at me and we continue walking down the hall.

"A molecule that can—"

The cards are then ripped from Barbs hands by, none other than, Steve Harrington. Tommy H and Carol are also following behind.

"I don't know, I think you've studied enough, Nance." Steve says.

Nancy tries to get her cards back, to no avail.

"I'm telling you, you've got this, don't worry. Now, on to more important matters," Steve says, grabbing the sides of Nancy's arms, "My dad left town for a work conference and my mom went with him, 'cause, you know, she doesn't trust him."

"Good call." Tommy says.

"So," Steve says, "Are you in?"

"In for what?" Nancy says, genuinely confused.

"No parents, big house?" Carol says.

"A party." I say

"Ding, ding, ding!" Carol says.

"But, it's a school night." Nancy says.

"Come on, it'll be low key, just us. Are you in or out?" Steve says.

Before Nancy can answer, Carol interrupts.

"Oh god, look."

We all turn to see what Carol was pointing out and my heart drops.

"Oh, god. That's depressing." Steve says.

Jonathan continues to pin missing posters of Will to the bulletin board.

"Should we say something?" Nancy asks.

Before I have to listen to Tommy and Carol talking shit any longer, I decide walk over to Jonathan.

"Hey." I say.

"Oh, hey (Y/N)." Jonathan says.

"No sign of him yet?"

Jonathan sighs.

"Nothing, yet."

I place my hand on his back and rub gently.

"I'm so sorry Jonathan, this really sucks."

"Yeah, it does." He says.

I look back over to the group and they all seem uninterested, except Nancy.

"I'm sure we'll find him, he's a smart kid." I say.

"Thanks, (Y/N)."

The bell rings.

"I have to go," I take my hand off of his back, "If you need anything, don't be afraid to call me."

He flashes me a small smile which I return, then I walk to my first class of the day.

Attention faculty and students: at eight PM tonight, there will be an assembly on the football field in support of Will Byers and his family.

All are encouraged to attend. Volunteer sign-ups for search parties are still available in the office.

I bike home after school, relived that I finally get a day this week where I don't have to help the party with some random little girl or help Steve with his relationship problems while also trying to contain myself from swooning over him.

I make my way to my room and plop down on my bed. I start to doze off, then the phone starts ringing.

"Hopper residence."

"(Y/N)! Are you coming over tonight?"

"Coming over? What do you mean?"

"Okay, where were you earlier when I explained the plan to you? Parents out of town, party at my place ring any bells?"

"I thought you were just asking Nancy."

"Well, I was not (Y/N), besides you're an extension of Nancy."

I scoff.

"Screw that, Harrington, I'm nobody's extension. Goodbye."

"Wait, wait!"

I hang up the phone and start to walk away, when the phone rings again. I walk back and pick it up.

"Speak."

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry that I said that, you're your own person."

"Thank you."

"Now," Steve sighs, "Please show up to my party in an hour."

"Why do you want me to go so bad?"

"Because, I want to hang out with you," Steve pauses, "And Nancy."

"Hmm," I sigh, "You're not convincing me."

"What do I have to do to convince you, then?"

I click my tongue for a few seconds and then respond.

"I don't know, you could, maybe, tell me the real reason why you want me to come?"

Steve sighs.

"I just want you to come, okay? I want you to be a part of the group."

"Is that it?"

"There's nothing more than that."

I stay silent for a few seconds, contemplating.

"Fine," I say, "I'll see you in an hour."

I hang up the phone and walk off to my room.

"God damn, I cant catch a break!"

As soon as I make my way back in my room the phone rings again.

"Oh my god, Steve, you have got to be kidding me!" I exclaim.

I pick up the phone harshly.

"What do you want now?!"

"(Y/N)? It's Dustin."

Facepalm.

"Ohmygod, Dustin, I am so sorry."

Dustin chuckles.

"Who's got your panties in a bunch?"

"Alright, Dustin, I'm gonna pretend like you did not just say that to me."

"Sorry."

"What's going on?"

"Mike kept the girl."

"Wait, what?" I exclaim, "I thought he was going to have Mrs. Wheeler take care of it?"

"Yeah," Dustin sighs, "We thought so too."

I breathe out.

"Okay, so, what are you gonna do?"

"Well, Mike says she knows where Will is. That she saw him."

"What? Oh my god, Dustin, we have to tell someone."

"It's okay, (Y/N). We're gonna handle it," Dustin says, "Is there any way you would be able to come over to Mike's house tonight?"

I sigh.

"Uh, I'm not sure. I have previously arranged plans. Previously, as in 'just arranged ten minutes ago' plans."

"Alright, if you can't make it that's fine."

"Just make sure to keep me updated."

"We will."

"And Dustin?"

"Yeah?"

"Please be careful."

"Will do. Gotta go, bye (Y/N)."

I hop on my bike and make my way over to Steve's house. I'm a little bit late, but I don't really care, I'm gonna be a fifth wheel anyways.

After what feels like an eternity of biking, I finally make it to the Harrington residence. I hop off of my bike and walk up to the front door. I hear music playing around the back, so I leave my bike and walk towards the sound of the music. I turn the corner and hear Carol screaming. Tommy H is trying to throw her in the pool.

"No, Tommy, stop it!" She yells.

Tommy then puts her down, laughing. She pushes his chest with her hands.

"You're such an asshole, Tommy." She says.

"Hey, hey! Look who finally decided to show up!" Steve says, walking towards me.

Nancy gives me a wave and I flash her a smile back. Barb had also decided to come to the party, probably against her will.

"Sorry, I was only invited, like, an hour ago, and I had to bike over here."

Steve laughs and walks back to the side of the pool. I follow and he grabs a beer from the cooler. He points to the beer as to offer me some, but I decline. I sit on a lawn chair and Steve pokes a hole in the beer can and shotguns it. He then flops down on a chair between mine and Nancy's and pulls out a cigarette.

"That supposed to impress me?" Nancy says.

"You're not?" Steve replies.

I throw my legs over the side of the chair, facing Steve.

"Hey, can I have one of those?" I ask, pointing at his pack of cigarettes.

He turns and shoves the pack in my direction and I take one. I lift the cigarette up to my lips and he lifts the lighter, lighting the cigarette for me. I take a long puff, swallow it, then blow the smoke out of my lungs.

"You are a cliché, you do realize that?" Nancy says.

"You are a cliché," Steve goes to light his cigarette, "What, with your grades and your band practice."

Nancy laughs.

"I'm so not in band." She says.

"Hey!" I interject, "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Nancy looks at me with guilty eyes. Steve speaks up for her.

"It's nothing, (Y/N). Don't take it personal."

I scoff and go back to smoking my cigarette.

"Okay, party girl." Steve says, handing Nancy a small pocket knife, "Why don't you just show us how it's done, then?"

Nancy thinks for a second then stands up, grabbing the knife from Steve.

"You gotta make a hole right in the—"

"I got it." She cuts him off.

"Yeah, she's smart, you douche!" Tommy adds, then crushes a beer can on his head.

Nancy starts shot-gunning the beer. Steve starts chanting chug, and Tommy and Carol start to join in. Nancy finishes the beer and then drops the empty can on the pool deck. Everyone cheers, even I gave a small clap, except for Barb.

"Barb, you wanna try?" Nancy asks.

"What? No." Barb says.

Nancy grabs a beer.

"No, I don't want to, thanks." Barb says.

"Come on!" Nancy says, walking towards Barb with the beer in hand.

"Yeah!" Steve joins in.

"Nance, I don't want to."

"Guys don't peer pressure her." I say.

"We're not peer pressuring, Hopper, we just want her to have fun with us." Steve says.

"Yeah! It's fun, just give it a—"

"Nance!" I say.

"Just... just give it a shot." Nancy says, handing Barb the beer and the knife.

"Okay." Barb says, unenthusiastically.

Barb tries cutting a hole in the beer can, but the knife slips. She gasps and her thumb starts dripping blood.

"Gnarly!" Tommy says.

"Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah." Barb says.

"Barb, you're bleeding!" Nancy exclaims.

"I'm fine," she turns to Steve, "Where's your bathroom?"

"Oh, it's, uh, down past the kitchen, to the left."

"I'll go with you, Barb." I say.

I take the last drag off of my cigarette and throw the butt on the pool deck, then I get up and walk with Barb into Steve's house. We make our way to the bathroom and I open the medicine cabinet to pull out the first-aid kit.

"Here we go, this should work fine."

Barb smiles at me and I grab her hand. I turn the water on and place her hand under the water, slowly.

"Do you think Steve actually likes her?"

I stay silent for a moment and then sigh.

"I'm not sure, Barb. You never really know what someone else is thinking."

I start to wrap up Barb's hand.

"But, if you're asking me for my personal opinion," I say with confidence, "I don't think he would be talking so greatly of her if he didn't actually like her."

Barb looks down.

"But I see it in his eyes, (Y/N)."

I finish wrapping her hand and look up at her.

"What do you mean?"

Barb looks at me directly in the eyes.

"He looks at Nance different than he looks at you, (Y/N)."

I chuckle.

"Yeah, that's cause we are just friends, Barb."

Barb shakes her head and smirks.

"Friends don't look at friends the way he looks at you."

I shake my head and chuckle nervously.

"No, no, we are just friends. He really is into Nance, he's told me himself."

"You're refusing to see what's right in front of you because you're friends with Nancy."

I throw my hands up, gesturing.

"Well, you're friends with her too, wouldn't you do the same thing?"

Barb stays silent for a second, looks down at her hand and then looks back at me.

"Thanks for fixing me up." Barb says, and then exits the bathroom.

"Nance? Nancy? Where are you going?" I hear Barb ask.

I exit the bathroom to see Steve and Nancy going up the stairs.

"Nowhere. Just... upstairs. To change." Nancy replies.

She opens her towel to show her wet clothes.

"I... fell in the pool."

Barb shakes her head.

"You both fell in?" I ask, pointing between Nancy and Steve.

She chuckles.

"Yeah, I guess we are just clumsy."

Not buying her bullshit, I walk outside to the pool again. Steve left his pack of cigarettes outside, so I snatch them off the lawn chair and put them in my pocket, hoping he forgets where he left them. Barb walks outside and takes her shoes off. She sits on the edge of the pool and dangles her feet in the water.

"Hey."

Barb turns around and looks at me.

"You alright?" I ask.

"Yeah," she sighs, "Just don't trust him with Nance."

I nod my head and she turns back to facing the pool.

"I think I'm gonna go," I say, "Did you wanna carpool?"

She sighs.

"No, I think I'm gonna wait for Nancy."

"Alright. See you tomorrow."

"See you."

I walk over to where I left my bike earlier and hop on. I start pedaling down Steve's driveway and then make my way down the street. As I'm biking down the road, I hear a distant scream coming from the direction I had just came from. I stop my bike and look back, but see nothing. I continue to pedal home.