ʀɪɢʜᴛsɪᴅᴇ ᴜᴘ: sᴛʀᴀɴɢᴇʀ ᴛʜɪɴɢs-sᴇᴀsᴏɴs 𝟷-𝟻

Chapter Two: The Weirdo on Maple Street- Part 2

November 8th, 1983

(Tuesday)

I'm about three seconds from blowing my brain out. Barb is helping the perfect Nancy Wheeler study as we walk between classes. Unfortunately they had the last class period together and Barb and I always walk to our next classes together so I'm stuck. And even more unfortunate... Barb is  friends with Nancy. Which means I have to suffer being around her sometimes. This is why I prefer to hang out with Jonathan at school but he didn't show this morning either. I figured he wouldn't, but I thought it wouldn't be best to skip today too, new deal with mom and all.

I drag my feet beside Barb, zoned out, until someone swoop's by and grabs the cards out of her hand.

"Hey!" Nancy says more friendly than anger. I jerk my head up to find Steve Harrington in front of us now before I'm tripped by somebody, scratch that Tommy H., as he gives Barb a wet willy and Carol trails behind him.

My face turns into complete disgust and I wish to be literally anywhere else but here right now.

"I think you've studied enough, Nance." Steve says.

"Steve-" Nancy goes to argue.

"I'm telling you, you know, you got this." He looks up from shuffling the cards only to make eye contact with me. I move behind Barb. He freezes for a moment before patting the cards back together. "Don't worry. Now, on to more important matters."

I immediately tune him out unable to hear another second of the voice that makes my blood boil. I stare at the dingy tile until I hear Carol's irritating voice.

"Oh, God. Look."

Nancy and Barb turn to look as the other three stare ahead. I follow everyone's line of vision to find Jonathan pinning a piece of paper onto the bulletin board.

I let out a sigh of relief. Thank God.

"Oh, God, that's depressing." Steve comments.

My head snaps towards him as I narrow my eyes. "Just like your desperate life." I mutter before leaving them all behind to the safety of my best friend.

"Oh my god, did that depressed zombie just say that you?" Carol's shrill voice gasps.

"Jonny!" I throw my arms around his neck as I make it over to him.

Steve's POV

As I take the study cards out of Nancy's weird friends' hand, with Tommy H. and Carol right behind me, I can't help but chuckle. Does this girl do anything else?

"I think you've studied enough, Nance."

"Steve-" She tries to defend herself.

"I'm telling you, you know, you got this." I shuffle the cards around as I look up and see the last person I thought I'd see with Nancy. I tear my eyes away before I stare at her too long, afraid of what'll happen if I do, but damn she's beautiful. Her hair looks unbrushed and I think she's wearing the same outfit she had on yesterday, but she's always had this natural beauty I think a lot of other girls at this school lack due to the amount of makeup they cake on. I don't think Toni Henderson has wore makeup a day in her life.

Yesterday when she walked in on Nance and I in the bathroom I silently begged her to yell at me just so I could hear her talk to me. Pathetic, I know. That was the first time I think I've had an encounter with her all year, not counting the couple classes we have together.

"Don't worry." I manage to speak again. "Now, on to more important matters..." I shift the subject to having a party at my house tonight for Nancy to loosen up. My parents are going to be out of town, with my father going to conference and my mother tagging along due to her not trusting him. What's new. I wait for this to grab Toni's attention but all she does is stare at the floor.