The Stancy Files

Chapter 22: The Split

Nancy, Robin, Steve, Will, and Mike were at the arcade. Robin had ridden with Steve to spend time as a trio and Nancy had driven Mike and Will because they wanted to spend some time together.

Something had been bothering Nancy since the end of that week. Pestering. Ever since she had seen the spores at Steve's house, she knew something wasn't right. She needed time. Time to herself. She wasn't sure how to break the news to Steve. She honestly didn't want to but had to for the sake of their own lives.

Robin and Steve were in the back playing Dig Dug when Nancy got there. She walked up to them, feeling anxious. It felt like stones were rolling around in her stomach and they wouldn't stop until she talked to Steve. He turned around to see her from the corner of his eye. "Nance! Over here!" He waved. She forced an uncomfortable smile. Robin smiled as her friend walked over. "How was your weeeek?" She asked Nancy. Nancy fiddled with the multiple rings on her fingers. "It was okay. You know... not super fun to be hit in the head by your ex's new girlfriend." Steve chuckled, taking her hand. "I'm glad it's over. Jonathan and Melissa are stupid." Mike waved to his sister's boyfriend and Will smiled at Robin. Once he had spent a little more time with her, the two had gotten along better than expected.

The trio played and laughed together for a little, but Nancy could not ignore the tugging in her stomach. She fiddled with her rings more, finally gaining the courage to look Steve directly in the eyes. "Could we-- could we go somewhere and talk?" He looked up at his girlfriend, worried for her. "Of course, Nance. I'll go ask someone." Her boyfriend stumbled away to the manager. Nancy watched him anxiously. Steve turned around to her and walked back over. He motioned to a door near the back corner. "He said we can go in there." Robin frowned. "Where are you guys going?" Steve turned to his best friend. "It's nothing, Robin. We'll be back out soon." The couple walked together into the back room.

Nancy eyed the ceiling, not knowing how to start the conversation. Steve wanted to get right to the point. "Is everything okay? Nance? Nancy?" She swallowed, getting more anxious. "I-- I think we should take a break." Steve was taken aback. "What? I don't... I don't understand. Everything's been going so well." Nancy walked over to him and took his hands, closing the gap in between them. "It was... it is. It's just, that with everything going on outside of this... we can't be together right now. I love you, Steve. I really do. That's why I have to do this." He was beyond confused. "I don't understand. Why? We both love each other. Why are we breaking up?" Steve asked with heartbreaking vulnerability. Nancy closed her eyes, holding on tighter. "If-- if something happens to one of us, it'd be so much worse." She looked away from the boy as her eyes began to water. "I can't lose you like this, Steve. I can't lose you when you're all I have left." He moved his hand to the side of her face, cupping it. "Nance, you're not going to lose me. I'm not going to lose you. It's going to be okay. We're going to make it to the other side." A single tear rolled down Nancy's cheek. She couldn't do this. She slowly stepped back, away.

"I can't lose you, Steve! I can't! I don't... I don't want to get hurt. Not by this fucking asshole! It's going to make everything so much worse!" Steve became thoroughly confused. "Jonathan? Nancy, you don't have to worry about him. You know that, Nance. We have each other. He's just jealous." She shook her head as a humorless laugh rolled off of the tip of her tongue. He wasn't understanding what she was saying. "Not Jonathan! Vecna! He's going to do whatever it takes. Whatever it takes to get to us. I don't-- I can't lose you, Steve. I can't. And if he finds out that you're close to me, he'll hurt you. I mean... he wants to take everyone else I care about." Steve ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno what to do here, Nance. I can't just let you go. I was stupid enough to make that decision before." She walked up to him, straightforwardly, and kissed him directly on the lips. "You're not losing anyone, Steve. We just can't date right now. We can't be together. Only until we defeat this asshole. Then I'm all yours." Steve whined dramatically. "But Naaance, what about our summer plans? Now we can't leave Hawkins together." Nancy chuckled a little and stood on her tip-toes to kiss his forehead. "They'll have to wait until he's dead."

. . . . . . . .

After Nancy and Steve had had the conversation in the back room of the arcade, he and Robin left almost immediately. He didn't know how to process what had just happened. Robin consoled him while he wept.

Nancy stayed while at the arcade with Mike and Will. She hoped people wouldn't find out. It was only a temporary split.

But to her dismay, news traveled fast.

The next Monday at school, Melissa spotted Nancy at her locker and walked up to her. "Oh Nancy, I'm just so sorry! I heard about what happened between you and that bad boy Steve Harrington. He never deserved you in the first place." She said with pity and mockery. Nancy rolled her eyes as she slammed her locker door shut to surprise Melissa with a loud bang. "You don't know anything, Melissa. If I were you, I'd shut your damn mouth before you get arrested by the police. If they had been at Camilla's party last week, you would've gone to jail." Melissa gave a fake pout. "Oh yeah. Whoopsies must've forgotten. How is that head of yours, by the way? Do you have a concussion yet?" Nancy glared at the girl before stalking away in silence to her first class.

After viewing the two girls' confrontation, Jonathan walked up to his girlfriend. "Whoa, Melissa, what was that all about?" An evil smirk spread across the girl's face as she faced the boy. "Oh, Jon-Jon, you're just going to die for this! Our plan worked! Nancy Wheeler and Steve Harrington have officially broken up again! Now you can make your move, and after you go for the little slut, I get to go for Mr. Harrington!" Jonathan's face widened with light. "Yes. I'll go to her house after school. Thank you, Melissa. Thank you." A pause of silence entered the conversation for just a moment. Neither of the two knew what to say. However, Jonathan had to ask a burning question. "Melissa, have we broken up? I mean... our goal here is finished. We have our lovers to return to." She leaned closer to the boy. "Just go with it," she whispered. Seconds later, she was screaming at the top of her lungs. "AGHH! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS? HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? WE'RE FUCKING OVER, JONATHAN BYERS! OVER!"

Jonathan and Melissa were no longer a couple.

And neither were Steve and Nancy.

Jonathan couldn't win her back, could he?