The Stancy Files

Chapter 18: The Invitations

It was now one week until Nancy and Robin's graduation, and Melissa and Jonathan's plan was being put into action.

Melissa Campbell cheerfully walked over to another popular girl, Camilla. "Hi, Camilla! I heard you're hosting a graduation party tonight! I know you're a totally chill person and love for everyone to be included! So I was wondering if you could give one of the flyers to Nancy Wheeler? And one for the well-known and loved previous king of Hawkins High himself, Steve Harrington! I'm sure they would loveeee to come by!" Camilla giggled. "Oh silly Mel, of course I will! I just adore Nancy Wheeler and if Steve Harrington shows up at my party, I will forever be in debt to you. They're dating, you know? Nancy and Steve?" She laughed. "Oh I'm sorry, of course you know, you're dating Jonathan Byers! He and Nancy are exes!" Melissa nodded and walked away with a mischievous smile on her face.

She spotted Jonathan in the hallway waiting for her. "Oh babe! You are just gonna die for this!" She said enthusiastically, running up to him, putting her arms around his neck. A small smile appeared on the boy's face. "What's up, Melissa? Big news, I hear?!" Jonathan's girlfriend nodded and leaned her mouth up to whisper into his ear. "Nancy and Steve are going to be at Camilla Brown's party tonight, and so are we! Our plan is finally being put into action, baby. I'm gonna get Steve and you're gonna win Nancy over with that charm of yours." A mysterious smirk played on the oldest Byers brother's lips. "You're a master mind, Melissa Campbell," he said as he dipped her back into a kiss. Once they pulled away from each other, the girl smiled. "Pick me up at 7:00. Don't be late, Jon-Jon. We have a whole lot of work to do tonight!" She squealed as he jogged away towards the door. "I'll see you tonight!" Jonathan shouted at his fake-but-not-really-fake-anymore girlfriend as he reached the door. "Tonight!!" Melissa shouted back.

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Nancy walked through the halls of Hawkins High to her next class. A girl stepped before her before she could walk into the classroom. "Hi! It's Nancy Wheeler, right? I'm having a grad party tonight and was wondering if you'd totally like to come! You could bring your boyfriend, Steve, too if you wanted! I know we're not good friends or anything, but after all, we are graduating together, right? So why not get to know each other now!" Nancy gave Camilla a small smile in return. "Wow, yeah. Thank you! Ummm... I'm not really sure if I can come tonight, but I'll try to be there." Camilla smiled and nodded, handing her two flyers. She began to walk away, but then Nancy turned around. "Sorry! Could I get one more?" The girl nodded and handed another one to her, whispering with a giggle. "Oh my gosh, do you have another boyfriend? Two boyfriends! That's insane!" Nancy made a concerned face. "Um no, I don't... it's just for one of my friends. Robin? She's also graduating next week." Camilla looked up at the ceiling, mind wandering all over the place. "Robin... Robin Buckley? Is she in choir or something?" Nancy smiled and laughed to herself. "You're close, but she's in band. I'm sure if you meet her you'll love her. You two would get along wonderfully." Camilla didn't catch the sarcasm in Nancy's voice. "Oh great! I hope to see her tonight! Don't forget to invite your boyfriend! Byeeee!" She sung and skipped away. Nancy raised an eyebrow and turned around, going into her class. 

After school ended, Nancy decided to call Steve at work while she was waiting for Mike and Dustin to get outside. She dialed the number and waited for the other side to pick up. "Family Video, what can I do for you?" Nancy laughed to herself. Steve could recognize that laugh from a mile away. "Nancy! Hey! What are you calling the store for? Can you... I dunno drop by after school or something?" She rolled her eyes, knowing what he was trying to get her to do. "You know I can't, Steve. But Camilla Brown-- I don't know if you remember her, she's a girl in my class-- is having a graduation party tonight. I know if I make up a believable excuse my mom will let me go. So I was wondering if you had any plans for tonight? Robin said she had a shift so she couldn't come so I assumed that meant you were off." Steve's smile lit up the store. "Nah, I'll definitely be there. What time do you want me to pick you up?" A short silence went through the line. "Maybe a little bit before 7:00? So we can spend more time together." 

He answered immediately. "Yes! I'll be there in an hour!" A chuckle went from the school to the store. "You can't, Steve. 6:30 and no earlier! If my parents find out I'm lying, I'll be under house arrest for the rest of my life!" The boy frowned. "Awww, come on, Nance! You're smart enough to come up with an excuse, I know you are. Pleaaaaase. As a favor for your boyfriend? Pleaaaase." Nancy rolled her eyes with a little laugh rolling off the tip of her tongue. "You're an idiot, Steve Harrington." A glint of humor and light sparkled in his eyes. "And you're beautiful, Nancy Wheeler. I'll see you at 6:30. Don't be late. I'll be waiting."

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Nancy walked down the stairs with her long coat on, ready for a night out. It was completely buttoned up to hide her dazzling golden dress underneath. "I'll see you later, mom!" She called as she went to the front door. Karen came rushing into the living room from the kitchen. "Nancy, wait! If anything happens, call me. I know it's just a thing at school, but you know how things have been lately." She walked over to her daughter and kissed her on the forehead. "Be careful, honey. I hope your event isn't too boring. Say hello to Robin for me. But remember, don't invite her in. She's a crazy, crazy girl." Nancy rolled her eyes with a sassy smile on her face. "Yeah, yeah. I know, mom. And you know Robin isn't crazy, right? She's just... a little energetic sometimes." The woman rolled her eyes and patted her oldest daughter on the shoulder. Holly came running in from the kitchen. "Nancy, don't leave! Daddy keeps trying to talk to me! I don't know what to do!" Her older sister laughed and then got down to eye level with her. "Don't worry. I'm sure he'll stop once he's eaten dinner. And if he doesn't, you can go hide in my room if you want." Holly gave her a bright smile in return. "Okay!" She said, before running back to the kitchen. Karen smiled. "Goodbye, Nancy. Be careful." She told Nancy before following Holly back into the kitchen. Nancy smiled awkwardly while watching her mother stalk away. She headed out the door and spotted Steve in his car, intensely watching her, from the side of the road.

Nancy wanted to run up to him but couldn't because of her shoes. She had to be careful of the way she was standing when Holly and her mother had said goodbye to her to make sure her heels didn't make her look too much taller than normal. "Nance, pick up the pace! I've been waiting for ten minutes!" She smiled at her boyfriend. "I told you not to come until 6:30! And I can't, I'm wearing heels!" Steve's eyes flickered from her face to her feet, understanding. He'd never worn heels but Robin had tried to get him to try them on once in the local Hawkin's Goodwill. They already looked painful enough so he had respectfully declined. 

Nancy opened the shotgun door to Steve's car as soon as she got over to it, sliding in next to him. "Hey," she told him. He smiled back, watching her admiringly. "Hey," he said back, leaning in to kiss her slowly. She smiled as she pulled away. "You ready for this?" Steve laughed in return. "Can't be any worse than what happened last time." Nancy nodded in agreement. The last time they were at a party together was at Tina's Halloween party and she'd told him she didn't love him. It hadn't even been true, she had just been so caught up in her own mind she didn't know what was fake and what was in real. It had been a real stab to the ego. She was still angry about and embarrassed by that moment to this day. As they pulled up to the party, Steve grabbed Nancy's hand before she could get out of the car. "Hey, take it easy on the punch tonight, okay?" She smiled back. "You're so real, Mr. Charm. I'm not going to mess up this time. I love you," she told him before kissing him. He smiled as she pulled away. "I love you too, Nance."

About twenty minutes later, Jonathan and Melissa pulled up to the party. She turned over to face him with a mischievous smirk on her face. "Oh, Jon-Jon. Tonight is a night for the books. It will go down in History as the night we won our lovers over. We are going to end this once and for all."

The night was only getting started.