The Stancy Files

Chapter 17: The Breakup Plan

Nancy didn't know what to do. Should she... warn Jonathan? Fight Melissa? Not focus on the drama at all? She was clueless. Steve knew better than he was letting on. Melissa was only trying to get with Jonathan to make Steve jealous of Jonathan and Nancy jealous of Melissa. To her dismay, the plan wouldn't work.

Jonathan started showing up at Hawkins High daily to spend time with Melissa after dropping Will off. One day, while Nancy walked in, she spotted them making out practically on top of her locker. She had no choice but to shove the couple aside. Melissa fell butt-first into the halfway-full trash can. Jonathan became very angry very quickly. "What the hell, Nancy? You're so jealous of my girlfriend that you have to push her into a trash can? Leave her alone!" He shouted in her face while she was putting books into her locker. Nancy made a grouchy face. "No! You leave me alone, Jonathan! I know what you're trying to do and it's the most stupid plan I've ever heard of! If you really cared about me, you'd want me to be happy and let me move on with my life!" Ouch. That one stung. Nancy walked away to her first class.

Jonathan stared at his ex-girlfriend, speechless. Melissa let out a little squeal, still stuck inside the trash can. "Sorry Melissa," he apologized while pulling her out. "I've never seen her like this upset about something like this. Only when she was drunk a few years ago. I didn't have a clue she would do that to you." The girl rolled her eyes. "It's fine, Jonathan. You were just blind to it because you were dating her for so long. Now you're beginning to see the other side of her. Just like Steve Harrington will when we break them up. It's fair play, babe. Revenge. He broke you two up and I want to date him to prance around and gain popularity. Break them up and she will adore you forever. There's a reason she didn't tell him she loved him before. Real young love is beautiful. So beautiful," Melissa commented. Jonathan frowned. "But Nancy knows what we're doing. I'm sure she's told Steve too. It's pointless." The girl's eyes became angry and flickered to her fake-for-a-reason boyfriend. "Not if we keep it up long enough."

Melissa pulled Jonathan close and kissed him passionately, fueled by anger. "Don't worry about it, babe. When our plan goes through, Steve and Nancy will hate each other. We just have to make sure they get to a party. Get little miss Wheeler as drunk as hell. It's not real love, Jon-Jon. She'll break up with him on her own. Probably won't wanna date, but you'll be there to comfort her. Nancy Wheeler is going to come crawling back to you. I'm positive about it." She scowled. "Otherwise I'm going to make sure something really serious happens." Jonathan's brows furrowed. "Just get her back to me, Melissa. I don't care how. Just do it. I need her."

. . . . . . . . . .

The next week, Mike climbed out of Nancy's car, rushing over to Will, Dustin, Max, and Lucas when he spotted them. Steve stopped while Robin got out and waited for her to walk over to Vickie, and her other friend, Kate, until parking to visit with Nancy. Jonathan nor Melissa were anywhere to be seen- that probably wasn't a good thing.

After Steve parked and locked his car, he strutted over to Nancy once more through the parking lot. Thankfully, a car didn't almost hit him this time. A smile spread wide across the pretty girl's face as he walked over to her. "Nancy, hey! How was your weekend?" Steve wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they walked in together for another school assembly. "Aside from my father's crazy shenanigans, it was great. My mom wouldn't let me leave Holly's side for two days straight." He raised an eyebrow. "Crazy shenanigans- your father? Damn, I never saw that one coming." Nancy smiled up at him. "Oh yeah, it was something different for sure. My mom unplugged the tv for the first time in a long time. Ted got really angry and went rummaging around the whole house trying to find something to do. My mom told him that if he didn't start getting more involved in our lives, she was going to burn his lazy boy to shreds. He didn't take it so well and then started trying to talk to me and Holly. It was a mess. And Mike wasn't home the entire weekend- he was with El- so when he got home Ted wouldn't stop pestering him. Finally, something interesting happens at my home." Steve laughed, shaking his head in denial. "Maybe it's a good thing he won't let you date, Nance. I dunno if I wanna meet him now." Her eyes shone brightly in the morning sun and her laugh was like music to his ears. Nancy looked up at her boyfriend, wondering about him. "Speaking of fathers- is everything still okay with yours? He hasn't resorted back to his... old habits again, has he?" Steve shook his head. "No, he hasn't. My parents actually started going to marriage counseling, and it seems to be helping a lot. He's around a lot more and seems... I dunno, happier." Nancy smiled so brightly her eyes showed it. "I'm so glad!" She leaned into him, their forehead now touching. "We should probably go in or something," Steve whispered quietly, not wanting to ruin the moment. Nancy nodded and took his hand, leading him to a spot in the bleachers.

Upbeat, joy-filled music began to play as the Hawkins High cheerleaders ran onto the middle of the gym floor. The assembly was beginning. A girl with bright blonde hair, sparkling green eyes, and a snarky attitude was in the center. Melissa Campbell. Jonathan cheered her on from the bottom of the bleachers. Before the girls started their cheer, she spoke into a microphone. "Good morning, Hawkins tigers! ROAR! Hehehehe. It's a new week and there are only two more weeks until graduation and the last week of school! The Hawkins Photography Club- a new club that began this spring- will be outside taking pictures for all who want them during lunch every day this week!" She winked at Jonathan, finishing her short speech. "I love you, Jon-Jon! Go Tigers! ROAR!" The other cheerleaders giggled alongside of the preppy-acting girl before they began their cheer. It came to an end and the assembly began.

Nancy rolled her eyes, turning to Steve. "I don't know who's buying their act, but it's so annoying. The other day they were making out on the outside of my locker. It's so stupid!" She whined into his chest. He gave a small smirk. "Uh-- we could go make out on the outside of your locker if it made you feel any better. Like right now-- ditch the pep rally, assembly, whatever this is-- just me and you?" Nancy met his eyes with a bright smile, knowing better. "Maybe some other time, Mr. Charm. There are supposed to be important announcements today." Steve stuck out his lower lip, fake trembling. "Pleeeeeaaase," he begged his girlfriend. "I promise I'll be good," he said, as he took her hand, running towards the sides of the bleachers to escape. Nancy's jaw fell wide open. "Steve! We're going to get in so much trouble!" She poked at him as they ran through the halls of Hawkins High. Finally, the energetic boy came to a halting stop, turning around to face Nancy. A soft, warm smile appeared on Steve's face as he held out a hand to his girlfriend. "May I have this dance?" Nancy nodded, her blue eyes shining as bright as the blue skies in sunny California. The two slow danced their ways through the hallway, leaning into each other in peace.

The couple had been dancing in silence for about twenty minutes before they heard the clickity-clackity taps of shoes running in their direction. It was Jonathan. "What are you doing? You're going to get expelled!" He hissed at Nancy. She faced the intruder, a little separated from her boyfriend now, but still holding his hand. "It's not your place to come and yell at me for spending time with my boyfriend. We aren't even friends, Jonathan. Go away." Steve stared blankly at Nancy's ex-boyfriend. He had no words to say. "Then it's not your place to say I don't love Melissa! I want to be with her just to be with her! There's no secret plot or anything! And she feels the same for me!" Nancy's eyes flickered to Steve and then back to Jonathan. "I don't know why it matters so much to you that I know that, Jonathan. But it doesn't matter. Please, go away. Like I said before, we're not even friends right now. If you love your girlfriend so much, go be with her. And not on my locker- or anywhere else that has anything to do with me. I don't want to be a part of your life anymore and you don't want to be a part of mine. And for God's sake-- tell that Argyle friend of yours how you feel. I'm sure he's confused as hell right now." A dark shadow crept onto Jonathan's face as he began to walk away. How stupid had he been? He had to keep the plan going, he knew that. That meant dating Melissa for a long time... maybe even forever. But Argyle? He hadn't even thought about how he might be hurting his best friend. Jonathan hated that Nancy was right, but she always was about him.

Nancy was happy with Steve. Jonathan knew that. Nancy seemed... almost enthralled anytime she was even around the boy.

But Jonathan was on a mission. And so was Melissa.

Break the two kids up.

And be their rebounds that last forever.