Stranger Things: Little Miss Perfect (A Prequel Novel)

Chapter 6: "She is gently sobbing into her hands."

It was Friday night. The night of the party.

The driveway of the house was bustling with students, all years could come so I could see obnoxious juniors trying to fit in with fully grown seniors. The house was located on the one and only Maple Street which is often known as the richest street in Hawkins far from the gated suburbs to big mansions. The most loaded of parents would move down here; My parents were brought up with a lot of money but preferred to stay working and to fit in like any other ordinary family.

Me and Barb had to park a mile down the road because of how packed this party was; Cars all lined down the streets causing so much commotion that I think the cops will launch theirselves down here in no time. I pull myself out of Barb's cabrio and we start our traipse down to the house, we pass seniors as they have their arms hung over their friends with remnants of vomit around their mouths.

Barb stares at my dejectedly, "I'm not sure about this Nance..."

"It's fine. Stay by me." Barb steps closer towards me, we're practically arms length with each other.

By the time we get onto the drive, the front lawn is overflowing with students circling around someone, they're all chanting, "Chug! Chug! Chug!" in harmony. Barb still looks unsettled but I pull her closer and we step into the circle and try to get a view of what's going on.

It's Steve, he's chugging a beer keg. "What is he doing? I mutter.

A random guy beside me turns and exclaims, "He's trying to be the next beer keg champion!"

He finishes the keg and everyone screams and starts rushing towards Steve to congratulate him with fist bumps, its jock commemoration. I see a few girls rushing towards him as well, he can so easily get the spotlight somehow. I'll talk to him later, he has his hands full right now. I grab Barb's hand as we enter through the houses front entrance. They're blaring terrible new wave music that is all over the radios now while couples occupy the hallways with their excessive making out sessions. 

There is a fabricated dance floor fitted with a musty rug that people are dancing on, I try to pull Barb over to get her to dance with me but she just stops.

"Barb? Are you alright?" I'm getting slightly concerned now because she's been acting standoffish the entire evening.

"I'm gonna go home I think..." Barb mutters.

"No please don't; Can we try to have fun? If we don't we can just leave." I give her my most genuine smile.

"Fine... I'll try and... Rebel." She swings back with a smile, I think my pep talk did it.

We swing over to the dance floor as the new wave song blares on some speakers which looked as if they'd cover an entire tuition fee. Barb was hesitant to dance while I was going fully for it.

"I feel like everyone's watching me..." She states while looking around.

"Let them." I start busting down moves and Barb breaks into laughter.

"You think you can do any better?" I say sarcastically.

Barb is now laughing and trying to replicate how I was dancing, it was a flail of the arms and body which she found monumentally entertaining. Time felt as if it didn't pass, it all felt so visceral, I was having the time of my life for once. Barb kept glancing and giggling at me until I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Hey, nice dance moves." It was Steve.

The songs warps into a slow more mellow track and Steve states "It was a special request." He laughs and then asks "You wanna dance?". He holds out his hand, I hesitantly grab it and he pulls me over to the middle. I lost Barb in the sea of high schoolers, "Do you actually know how to dance?" I ask him.

"Nope. But it can't be that hard right?" He states with a lot of optimism.

I am now in the middle of a party with Steve Harrington, slow-dancing. This week just gets more and more wild, we keep getting looks as if we're the new celebrities of Hawkins as he sways back and forth which I try to replicate horribly. 

The song fades out and Steve asks, "You want a drink?"

I reply, "Sure but let me find Barb first."

"Who?" He replies instantaneously. 

 "She's just my friend, I've lost her" I start turning my head in every direction trying to look for her.

"Alright then, I'll see you in the kitchen when you do?"

"Sure thing."

I push out the crowd of people, "Bitch." I hear someone mutter as I swim through the crowds. 

She's no where to be seen, the last cause of action is to check if her car is still there. The floodgates have been opened at the front door so I push through freshman boys to exit the small doorway. I practically run down the street with the hue of the street lights bathing over me as I jog. 

I can see her car in the distance, she's still here. I see a gentle silhouette in the driver seat, It's Barb; As I sprint up to the window, I see she is gently sobbing into her hands.

I gently tap the passenger seats window and she springs up, wipes her eyes and unlocks the doors. I duck into the passenger seat and close the door.

The car was parked between houses so the moonlight was glistening gently upon the windscreen. 

"Are you alright Barb? Really?" I have to get to the bottom of this, I've never seen her distraught like this before and I don't like it.

"I'm such a loser." She laughs between wiping her tears.

"Let's spend the rest of the night at yours, no parties, no boys, just us." I couldn't go back to the party with Barb on my mind, she needs someone right now.

Barb gently nods with tears still falling from her eyes, I go in to embrace her and she hugs me back extremely tight. She then revs up the engine, looks over at me and says, "Thank you." I nod in response and the car swerves of the pavement past the bustling crowds of extremely drunk teens. 

I am slightly bummed that I couldn't hang out with Steve but I have to prioritise friend code, she would definitely do the same for me. I should've listened to her before, I feel as if this is my fault, we should've left when she felt uncomfortable. I shouldn't have tried to push her out of her comfort zone like that.