Stranger Things: Little Miss Perfect (A Prequel Novel)

Chapter 3: "I'll think about it."

I sat down on the musty theatre seat next to Steve, as there was a distant murmur between his friends, He asked "Hey, aren't you from my history class, Mrs Click, Nancy right?"

Once again, small talk has been initiated. I'll scream if I have to have small talk with one more human being. I am surprised he remembered my name though, he only seemed to care about making the class laugh.

"Yeah." 

"I saw you hanging out with Tammy and everyone, her singing's awful right?" I would hate to admit it because she went on at lunch about how she wanted to leave town to be a pop-star once graduation hit but he's right this time around.

I reply "It definitely takes courage to sing in front of some random juniors..."

Steve's friends are talking between their selves and gossiping, "Did you see that Jonathan kid all alone at lunch?"

I do want to say something but I barely know these people and I don't want to be a part of the next joke.

Steve asks, "Hey... Do you maybe want to-"

The movie buffers onto the screen and the intro starts rolling. To be honest, I'm only slightly curious what he was going to ask but it's going to have to wait.

His friends were being obnoxious the entire film exaggerating every moment and making a massive mess, I only had to ride out the last hour and now the credits are rolling. Everyone rises from their seats and start heading towards the exit. We're all in the lobby, Steve comes up to me again "I haven't introduced you to everyone, this is Tommy and Carol!"

This Carol replies "And who is this Steve, your new fling?"

I feel immensely awkward, I regret not waiting outside in the cold Autumn breeze.

Steve interjects "Shut it. I was gonna ask if you wanted to come to this party that Tommy's friend is hosting? It's on Friday night, It's gonna be stupid but it could be fun?"

I reply sternly "I'll think about it."

Tommy and Carol both snicker "Ouch, Steve that hurt."

Steve replies "Just let me know ok?" and gives me a restrained smile.

I rush to the door while they wave at me, I can hear as I leave "I don't even know that chicks name..."

When I get outside, my mother is waiting in the car right in front of the building. I swing the car door open and get ready to just tune the day out. She instantly starts interrogating me out of curiosity

"Who were they Nance? Are those your new friends..."

I've had enough of talking today, I feel like an absolute loser. 

"Mom! Can you please stop, I don't have the energy for this." I say more harshly then I intended it to. 

My mother just puts her head down and sighs, this actually makes me feel really terrible.

"I'm sorry mom, I've just been really stressed."

"It's okay."

Then the rest of the car journey descends into silence, I pull the package out of my bag, it's of moderate size almost like a small casing of something. Lightly, I put it on the dashboard and continue to stare down at my feet until we got back home.

We get into our driveway and park, I'm finally home after this nightmare of a day. I quickly enter through the backdoor and through to my bedroom. I think my dad tried to ask about my day but I ignored him. I throw my bag onto my bed and sit there, I go through my bedside drawers through my cassettes and throw in the closest cassette into my battered player. I lay down on my bed as my eyes start to well up.

"This is so stupid..." I mutter quietly. I don't want my parents to hear me so I quickly compose myself and remove my makeup. 

I keep replaying how I embarrassed myself back at the theatre, a guy actually had the dedication to ask me out and I backed out, I'm going to be the next laughing stock to his friends now. I still have Barbara to talk to tomorrow, we had very surface level conversations but I feel we could actually be good friends. We're sort of alike, she is smart, attentive and sensible, like how I was described as a kid. 

I descend down the stairs and find my mother in the kitchen, I sit on the kitchen table. I noticed that she had some new jewels.

"Did dad get you them?" I ask.

She responds by showing off her blue sapphire necklace glistening under the kitchen light. 

"Is that what he ordered from the infomercial? The one I picked up?" I question her.

"Yeah, thank you for that by the way."

A silence falls like a pin drop, there's the noise of the cooker radiating heat, it's deafening.

"You do know how proud I am of you right? She inserts.

"I see you change and develop each and every day and it's so hard to keep track of"

"My little girls growing up..." Her eyes start to produce tears.

"Mom..." I respond with a whiney tone.

I go in for a hug and she responds.

"Why are you so emotional today?" I ask her while she cries in my embrace. 

She starts laughing through her tears "I don't know."

I tell her all about my day, she somehow convinced me maybe it was the tears that sealed it for me. I even told her about the theatre situation that I've been invited to Steve's friends party.

She states "You should go."

"Really? Aren't you supposed to protect me by saying I shouldn't?"

"You don't want to know the stuff I was up to when I was your age, you need to live a little."

Maybe she was right but I'm still scared about everyone there, how will they all look at me? I've never been to parties, this is all so new. 

Mike busts into the room, "Hey mom can everyone stay here tonight? We're starting a really cool campaign and we can't do it at anyone else's house."

"Fine." she says in a sort of motherly tone, she turns to shoot me a smile.

My mother has always been the head of the house, I can't remember the last time me and my dad have had an actual conversation.

I jump up off the counter with some new found hope; Hope that tomorrow will be better.