Stranger Things: Little Miss Perfect (A Prequel Novel)

Chapter 9: "You mean sneak out?"

We dropped off Byers at his house, he explained that he'd get the photos to us by Tuesday as he'd be forming them in the schools darkroom.

Barb took her hands off the steering wheel and froze.

She sighed, "Those guys used to mess with me."

"Why?" What would bring them to do this?

Her speaking paced as she explains, "They must've followed from the library, I'm really sorry". 

I grab her shoulder, "What did they do to you?"

"I knew one of their members, he tried to come onto me one time but I didn't want to."

She adds, "I'm not like other girls, I don't grab the nearest guy I can take."

"I told him that I didn't want anything with him and he tried to-"

I don't know what to say, "I'm so sorry."

"This would happen when I'd hide in the bathrooms at lunch times."

"You don't have to hide there anymore, we can stick together the entire day."

I add, "I won't let you out of my sights." I flashed a smile.

She gives me a strenuous smile back.

"Do you want dropping off?"

"I kinda have to do Hauser's work, I'm really behind." I laugh a little.

We pull into my neighbourhood of grayscale suburbs, it was dark and extremely late so I preferred being dropped off then walking home alone.

There was a dead silence that lingered over the entire car ride, the atmosphere dwindled with dread and I aimed to get home as soon as I could. The only thing I could do is give her space and she'll come to me.

Barb pulls onto my drive and I hop out, give her a little wave, and I slam the door shut. When I got into my house, it wasn't late, the clock near the door showed 9pm. I walked into my living room to see my mother and father sitting, "Where were you?" My mom asks in an accusatory tone.

"I was just studying with Barb." I say sternly.

"You've come home late every night by now, what are you doing out there?"

"I was studying with Barb, what do you want me to say!"

"I can't leave this house without being interrogated!"

I stomp off and I hear my dad exclaim, "Nancy!".

Like he's going to help, I slam my bedroom door.

I switch on my light, lay on my bed and stare at the roof. I feel myself start slipping into sleep as I hear clanging on my window. I turn instinctively and walk over to my window cautiously, I see it's pebbles being thrown and from the driveway I see Steve.

I throw my window open with velocity and whisper shout, "What are you doing?"

He runs over and tries to climb the side of my house, It's quite embarrassing to watch as he struggles throwing his legs up in his skinny jeans.

He finally gets up and gracefully swan dives his way through my window causing a small bang.

"Do you want me to be killed?" I shout at him quietly.

"You're never home, this is the one time I can catch you."

"I am still wondering where you went after that party." He states with his arms crossed.

"I waited for you for an hour!"

"I'm so sorry, I had to leave really quick." I say with my head in my hands.

"You probably made the right choice, I guess, cops came and busted everyone when the neighbours complained."

He walks around my room and starts inspecting my possessions, he stares blankly at the photo-strips me and Barb took in town.

"Do you want to go out?" He asks.

"You mean sneak out?" I say in response.

"You could put it like that." He gives me puppy eyes waiting for my response.

"Ladies first." He says while I try to slide out the window; Stumbling and nearly cracking my skull.

We were out until 2 am, which meant I couldn't go home. My parents definitely knew that I had left so I need to stay out of their radar. 

We had his car so we drove around to every place that could've been entered during the late night. We visited the theatre which was open 24 hours, after we left the theatre, we were alone in the middle of Downtown with the miniature lamp posts lighting up our walking path. Steve was complaining about his parents never being home, I heard stories about his mother who worked in the town hall. Steve's mother worked with the mayor and was rarely home, we both complained about our parents absences and we got onto the topic of high school dating.

"I feel like I can't find anyone I actually connect with; Sure there's Tammy whose pretty or the other popular girls."

He strokes his hand through his hair, "But there's no connection there, nothing I can relate with them on."

"Hanging out with you now, I don't know, I haven't really been able to talk about my favourite music or movies with girls, you know?" 

We stop for a moment and he looks dejectedly at me and speaks in a nervous manner.

"This might sound really cheesy but I think I like you, ever since the theatre, I've really wanted to know you better but you're always so busy."

"You're different; You aren't bothered by a lot of the things popular girls fuss about."

"I sometimes think of myself as a hopeless romantic, but I really do like you..."

I'm so overwhelmed, I think he just confessed but I don't know how to respond.

He looks at me as if he's waiting for a response, I lean closer and it's final. I don't know how things are going to work after this, especially with the most popular guy in school, the strangest thing is that he opened up to me out of all people.