𝐇𝐈𝐓𝐒 𝐃𝐈𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓 - 𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

03. holly, jolly

Directly Taking Place From Last Chapter

"I'm freezing." Carol whined as they all walked back inside of Steve's house to dry off.

"Hmm... well, I heard his mom's room has a fireplace." Tommy teased, already making his way to her room, Carol following him.

"Are you kidding me?" Steve said as he handed Aubrey a towel, "Okay, well, you know, you are cleaning the sheets." He said to her. "You all right?" He then asked Nancy.

"Yeah."

"Yeah? Come on, let's get you some dry clothes." He said to her, Aubrey gave Ruth a look, Nick was oblivious, trying to dry his hair.

"Let's go check on-" Aubrey began to say just as Beatrice stepped into the room, walking towards them, "Never mind, one of them is right here."

"What the hell happened to you guys?" She asked them.

"Fell in the pool." Nick shrugged, "How's my hair look?"

"Wet and gross." Ruth made fun of him.

"It looks great." Beatrice told him.

He smiled, "Bea said it looks great, so." He mocked Ruth.

"How's Barb?" Aubrey asked Beatrice then.

"She's fine, ready to get out of here." Bea told us.

"Yeah, same." Aubrey said, Ruth nodded in agreement.

"Well, I can take you guys." Nick offered.

"Uh, you sure?" Aub questioned him.

"Actually, yeah, I probably can't, but uh, someone who didn't smoke could drive my car and let me crash at their place?" He said with a cheeky smile.

"Well, looks like Bea is our driver, but you cannot stay at my place." Ruth said.

"Yeah, me neither." Aubrey added, "Sorry."

"I guess you can stay at mine, my mom works a night shift, you'd just have to be gone before 7 in the morning when she gets back." Bea offered to him.

"Deal." Nick wrapped an arm around her, "Man, you're dope, Beatrice." He said to her and she laughed.

"And you are soaked, please get away from me." She pushed him away, giggling.

"Okay, come on, let's go." Aubrey said.

They walked out and found Barb sitting on the diving board of the pool.

"Barb? You alright?" Aubrey asked her as the others continued walking to Nick's car.

"Nancy... she's being totally different." She said, quietly.

"Yeah, I know." Aubrey said, "It sucks, but unfortunately he'll dump her and she'll be back to normal in no time." She told her, "Don't worry."

"Yeah, you're right." She said, but she didn't seem like she believed her.

"You need anything? A ride?" Aubrey offered even though she knew Barb drove here herself.

"No, I'm fine. I'm gonna leave here soon." She said, still staring into the pool.

"Oh, okay." Aubrey said, "Well, night Barb."

"Goodnight." Barb said as Aubrey walked away, catching up with everyone.

"Come on!" Nick yelled at her as she slid into the backseat with Ruth. Bea began driving and Nick started asking her about her classes or something, in the backseat Ruth looked at Aubrey.