Don't Panic - B. Hargrove

SEVEN

David didn't know where to look at first. Dozens of people, students of Hawkins-High and those who used to be familiar and your familiar faces, crowded the room as monsters, stars, and vampires. The air quality was bad, the smell of multiple perfumes polluting the room, and the very best of popular jock music was blasted through the house at a level that made David's ears hurt. All of this was his personal nightmare. Jonathan, at his side, didn't look entirely convinced to stay either.

Neither of them was wearing a costume; they looked just as they did every day, and David was convinced that was the genius behind it. He was playing a role when he was around people, after all. His gaze was feverishly searching for his friends; still, he noticed how Jonathan got hit on by a girl and was completely opposed to it. His priorities lay elsewhere, on finding Nancy, to be precise. David spotted Steve in the distance, bopping his head to the beat. As their gaze met, he cheered in his direction with a red cup that was most likely holding some kind of booze.

The boy immediately started to dart towards him, pushing himself through an ocean of people he didn't like to get to that one person he could endure them with.

"You came!" Steve grinned at him, the bright flashing of teeth making him look even more like an idiot wearing sunnies indoors.

He was dressed as Joel Goodson from risky business, a movie David didn't particularly like much but had watched with Steve almost a year ago when it had dropped in theaters. Nancy was Lana; he could see her white tennis sweater practically growing from at the kitchen counter. The perfect couple costume.

"I still don't know if I should stay or go." David shrugged, and Steve just handed him his cup.
"Stay. Have a good time. Dance." 
"I don't like to dance." David mumbled before jogging down the drink with a disgusted face.
He didn't like booze. he didn't like sharing cups. But to his positive surprise, it was mostly coke with just a hint of alcohol. Not enough to make him tipsy, but enough to make him care less about the sensory overload.

"Relax. You don't have to. But you could, and that's worth the party." Steve padded his shoulder firmly in reassurance.

He had always been the popular kid and never understood David's struggle with social interaction. That was exactly why they only have been friends for a year.

" Look. Just try to talk to someone. There are some hot girls around.
Maybe one of them is digging your vibe." Steve tried yet again to make him feel better but unintentionally made David feel worse.
He wasn't even social standard in that area.
"I don't think so." the boy shook his head, his hands disappearing into the sleeves of his sweater, only fingers peaking out the ones holding the empty cup.
At that, Steve leaned over.

"A little birdy told me Holly Clearwater thinks your cute. She's right outside."

"Holly Clearwater is two years younger than me.

" David pointed out with a frown. "Well, you don't have to date her. But maybe talking to her could get you the hang of it." Steve answered.

"Fine. I'll be back." the boy agreed just to make his friend stop giving him dating advice. He would love some fresh air anyways, and Steve didn't need to know that he would just stand outside for a few minutes before getting back to him.
Hitting on some girl he didn't want just felt wrong. Steve's gaze followed him proudly as he walked to the back door and disappeared into the backyard.

A crowd had formed around a keg, where Billy Hargrove was held up to drink beer upside down from it. It was a dumb tradition. But David found it somehow comforting that the boy wasn't wearing a costume either. While David was not cool enough to dress up for Halloween, Billy was too cool for it. So he was sporting a black leather jacket and some jeans while his toned torse was exposed to the appreciating gazes of the audience. Even David was mesmerized by the view, trying to identify whether those muscles were oiled or just glistening in sweat under the dim garden lights. The crowd cheered as Billy had enough beer and returned to his feet, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.
  Immediately, he was handed a lit cigarette and put it between his lips. As he exhaled a huff of smoke i to the night air, his gaze met David's. Piercing blue stared him down smugly, almost daring him.
David lifted his hand for an awkward wave before turning on his heels. He didn't want trouble. And it had been long enough to convince Steve he had talked to Holly. So he dove right back into the party people, thankful that Steve hadn't moved.

But Nancy was back, sipping on a red cup herself and sending the boy a weak smile that didn't reach her eyes as he approached. They had argued. David could sense that.

"You look nice." he told the girl to make her feel a little better.

"You do, too." she responded quietly. The tension was only intensified as Billy entered the room, Tommy and his friends chanting his name as the boy strutted around, pulling decor off the ceiling and even wooing himself to 'shout out to the devil' that was blaring from the stereo.
Then he spotted Steve, his gaze briefly meeting David's again and just as proud, made his way over, looking like trouble while followed by a submissive Tommy who announced: "We got ourselves a new Keg King, Harrington."

Steve pulled down his shades to meet Billy's provoking stare full-on. David, at his side, felt uncomfortable and backed off more, half-hiding behind his friend. Nancy, on her part, was more annoyed by the boy's banter, but she was a girl and therefore had not to fear being beaten up. They never touched girls. So she left for the bar again.

David would have followed, but again, he sensed it would be the wrong move. And that turned out to be dumb. Steve was the one to break the stare and follow his girlfriend, leaving David standing there, trying his best to fuse with the curtains.

"Harrington's little lap dog, the retard."Tommy cackled as Billy's stare at moved down to the petite boy.

And regardless of how dumb it might sound, David was more afraid of Tommy and his mean little smirk than of muscular Billy, who looked like he could snap him in two without much effort. But he knew Tommy better, knew how unfair and cruel he tended to be.
Also, Billy had never been exactly friendly to him but never really mean either. So he carefully glanced up into the boy's face, making the mistake of noticing the bit of white foam that was stuck in Billy's beard.
He had definitely stared too long, but he just couldn't take his eyes off it, fighting the urge to grab a napkin and clean it up. 

"Why are you staring at me, weirdo?" Billy finally snapped, his gaze burning.

"You got beer foam on your upper lip. It looks like a little Santa beard.", David truthfully answered in a quiet mutter, gesturing at himself where it was exactly. Quickly, Billy wiped his hand over it.
"Stop staring at him, fag." Tommy barked as if he was Billy's personal hooligan.
"What are you even doing here? Nobody likes you," he added.

"I was invited as much as you were," David responded, yet again unable to stop himself from it.
Tommy was about to launch himself at him, but surprisingly, Billy interfered, holding the boy back lazily with one arm.

"Leave him. I'm bored." With a last glance at David, he left.
A wave of relief hit the boy, yet he was well aware staying would only provoke Tommy to strike at him later. He looked around. Steve was nowhere to be found, and neither was Nancy or Jonathan. David pushed his way to the hallway, where his jacket and skateboard were stored, only to find the board broken in half.
He could imagine who did that. And as he stepped outside, he had to find that both Steve's and Jonathan's cars were gone.
They had left without him.

"What a mistake." He mumbled as he arranged himself with the thought of having to walk home. What a mistake having come to this party, indeed.