troubled souls ~ Steve Harrington

*four*

The next day, Nancy insists we still study for our Chemistry exam, so Barb reads flashcards to us.

"When alpha particles go through gold foil, they become..?"

"Unoccupied space." Nancy confidently announces.

"A molecule that can..." Barb begins, but is interrupted as someone swipes the cards out of her hand.

"Hey!" I exclaim, reaching out to grab them back from the perpetrator.

Steve jerks them out of my grasp, smirking, "I think you've studied enough, Nancy."

Tommy sticks his moist finger in my ear as he passes. I quickly swat his hand away, recoiling in disgust.

"Steve..." Nancy whines, reaching her arm out for the cards.

"I'm telling you, you got this," Steve declares, pocketing the flash cards. "Don't worry."

"Now on to important matters. My dad has left town on a conference and my mom's gone with him, 'cause, you know, she doesn't trust him."

"Good call," Tommy sniggers.

"So, are you in?" Steve asks.

Barb and I give each other a confused look. What was he talking about?

"In for what?" Nancy says.

In her nasally voice, Carol as-a-matter-of-factly says, "No parents? Big house?"

"A party," I say ironically.

Carol taps my nose, "Ding, ding, ding!"

Nancy's mouth sits agape, "But it's Tuesday."

Tommy, Steve, and Carol all begin laughing. "It's Tuesday!" Tommy mocks, "Oh shit, you guys are hilarious."

Nancy, Barb, and I eye each other, unsure of what to say. Steve notices, "C'mon, it'll be low key. It'll just be us. What do you say, are you in our out?"

I can't tell if he is just inviting Nancy, or if he is inviting all of us. He only looks to her, anticipating a response. 

"Um," Nancy begins, unsure of what to say.

"Oh my hell," Carol interrupts. I roll my eyes and glare at her, assuming she was talking about us. But she's staring at someone behind us. "Look."

Johnathan Byers is across the hall, putting up a poster on one of the bulletin boards. He is unaware of the six of us gawking. "Oh, wow, that's depressing," Steve chortles.

"Should we say something?" Nancy says timidly.

"I don't think he speaks," Carol condescendingly chomps her gum.

Tommy laughs lightly, "How much you want to bet he killed him?"

I glare at Tommy, "You have your entire life to be an ass. Maybe take the day off?"

Tommy opens his mouth, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Before he can say anything, Steve hits him in the shoulder and glares at us. "Would you two shut up?" 

His face falls as Nancy walks away. Leaving me and Barb alone with the Hawkins High circus.

"What is she doing?" Tommy asks after we gawk at the two of them for a moment. 

"Our brothers are friends." I defend. 

The bell rings. Nancy looks back at us and Barb motions for her to come over towards us.

As soon as Nancy is back, Steve continues talking about the party. "So, you three. Tonight. My house?"

I guess we were all invited.