𝐖𝐄 𝐀𝐑𝐄 𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐒! [𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐢𝐧 𝐛𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐥𝐞𝐲]

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧𝐞

𝐌𝐀𝐃𝐌𝐀𝐗

"Conor gave me a whole- Will you slow down?" Margo said impatiently, jogging a few steps to catch up with Jonathan. "You walk so fast, Byers." 

He grinned. "Yeah, I had to run from bullies too much in middle school. I've been conditioned." Margo snorted. "So, Conor gave you a whole..." 

"Oh, right, a whole talk the other night about 'staying safe' and how he 'loves me for being a lesbian,' but 'the rest of the town won't." 

Jonathan slowed his step a little. "That's such bullshit." 

She shrugged. "He's right, but... yeah. It's bullshit." 

Jonathan re-adjusted his bag on his shoulder, then jumped when Nancy stepped in front of him and pushed a flyer to his chest. "You're coming to this." 

Jonathan looked down at the flyer and immediately shook his head. "Come and get sheet faced," he read aloud. "No, I'm not." 

"You are too," said Nancy, handing Margo one of the flyers. "Come on, it'll be fun. You never go to parties." 

"And why do you think that is?" said Margo, raising one eyebrow. 

Nancy tilted her head at Margo and gave her a pleading look. She turned to walk at Jonathan's side. "I can't let you sit all alone Halloween. That's just not acceptable." 

"Hey! He won't be alone," Margo argued. 

"Yeah, I'm going trick or treating with Will," said Jonathan. 

Margo snorted. "Wow, that quick to drop me, huh, Byers?" 

"Oh, you're coming too, Campbell." 

Nancy scoffed. "All night?" 

"Yeah," said Jonathan. 

"No, no way," Nancy laughed. "You're gonna be home by eight, listening to the Talking Heads and reading Vonnegut or something." 

Jonathan shrugged. "Sounds like a nice night." 

"Jonathan, just come. I mean, who knows, you might even, like, meet someone." 

Margo had to turn away to hide her smile. She saw the way he looked at Nancy. He wasn't about to meet anyone at the party. When she turned back, Steve was lifting Nancy off her feet from behind, laughing. She squealed and then pushed him back against her locker, kissing him. "What are you doing?" she said when they broke apart. 

"Just missed you." 

"It's been, like, an hour-" 

Jonathan hesitated for a second, then took Margo's sleeve and pulled her down the hallway. Margo laughed. "Who knows, Jonathan?" she mocked. "You might, like, meet someone." 

He raised his eyebrows at her. "I think you need to meet someone and get out of my business." 

"Who knows?" said Margo. "Maybe I'll go to this party and find some pretty girl who- uh- isn't exactly straight..." 

"Yeah, in Hawkins?" said Jonathan. "Good luck." 

Steve Harrington sat behind Margo in English class. They were two months into their senior year, and had barely spoken a word to one another in their lives. After everything that had happened last winter, however, Margo had noticed that Steve's friends mostly left her alone now. In fact, everyone was leaving her alone, and that was how she liked it. 

As Ms. Grady lectured them about Great Expectations, the book they were supposed to read last week, Margo felt a tap on her shoulder. She didn't turn around, but she leaned back in her seat so Steve could whisper in her ear.