october 1984
harrington residence

(y/n) stood looking out one of the large windows that faced the backyard. the well lit pool, the garden, the deck chairs freshly painted white. she smiled at the thought of steve's mom planting that garden in the corner.

she'd known steve just as long as she'd known jonathan and at some point they had been friends. around middle school, he became a self obsessed prick. then he started to build his reputation and he pulled nancy into it all. (y/n) wished that she could see steve be himself again, but she knew she probably never would.

__________________

steve scanned the party, looking for the pink dress and the jean jacket that nancy wheeler would be wearing. he saw her and his heart stopped. for a split second he wondered if he was doing the right thing.

nancy wouldn't take him back and he knew that, so why was he trying so hard? his mind wandered to (y/n) and that night in december when his adoration for her returned from the years when he'd really known her. even so, he knew he had to have nancy, that's all his friends would ever accept and all that he could ever want. right?

he took a deep breath and walked over to her trying to remember what carol had said, his heart racing ever so slightly.

"nancy," he began, "i miss you so much, i know i was wrong and i'm sorry. i love you and i need you in my life."

she turned around at that moment and before she could say a word, steve planted a kiss on her lips. he pulled her in closer and she moved her hands up his chest slowly. when they finally released each other, they were breathless.

and steve came face to face with a wheeler, but not nancy wheeler.