Strange Things Are Happening. (Jonathan Byers x OC) Wattys 2017

02.

She got nothing done that class and to be honest, she didn't even care.

When the final bell rang, she quickly gathered up her stuff, carefully putting her camera back in her bag and headed for the door.

"Where are your photographs?"

It was so quiet, she wasn't even sure that he had said anything, but looking over her shoulder, she saw Jonathan staring at her, "I'm sorry?"

"Your photos. You didn't develop anything?" he asked again, running his fingers through his hair, which Samantha would bet a whole bunch of money on being ridiculously soft.

God, she had it bad.

She shook her head, "No. There was any good ones. Not good enough to develop anyway."

"Oh," he nodded, "Well, see you tomorrow."

She held her breath as he walked by, his shoulder brushing hers as he passed.

"Bye." she whispered but he was already out the door.

She met both Barb and Nancy outside the room and the three of them headed in the direction of Barb's car.

She was the only one who could drive.

"Was that Jonathan we saw coming out before you?" Nancy grinned, nudging her cousin in the ribs, "Were you the only two in there?"

"We were," Samantha nodded, "But before you ask, we didn't speak."

"What?!" the two of them shrieked, causing the blonde to shush them, "What do you mean you didn't talk to him? You were in there alone for an hour! What did you do!"

Samantha shrugged and sorted her bag and lowered her voice, "Umm, he worked and I...well, I stared at him."

"You stared at him?" Barb deadpanned, "Like, the whole class?"

"Pretty much," she nodded, "I'm so proud of myself."

"Oh and so you should be." both Barb and Nancy said at the same time.

Crossing her arms over her chest, Samantha huffed, "Can we please just go? I have a lot of homework for Monday and I want to get it over with so I can enjoy the weekend."

"Fair." Nancy said, "But I don't know how you can enjoy tomorrow night when you know you're coming over to my house for what is guaranteed to be one of the most awkward family dinners of your life."

"I know," her cousin smirked, "That's what makes it so fun. Your parents are hilarious."

++

That night was spent just like she planned it would be. Homework and listening to music. She could have went over to Nancy's, where Barb was spending the night but she really just wanted all of this out of the way.

She knew that tomorrow, she'd have to go out and take some photographs. There was no way she'd get away with not doing anything for another class. Especially since on Monday, she was back in the classroom and not the darkroom.

Michael Jackson's Beat It was playing through her cassette player as she finished her english paper after finishing her conclusion, she threw the pencil down, jumped up from her seat and started dancing around the room.

"Beat it! Beat it! No one wants to be defeated!" she sang, doing ridiculous dance moves and knowing that her parents were currently out for groceries, she took the opportunity of being alone to turn the music up louder.

She jumped onto her bed and grabbed her hairbrush, using it as a microphone as she sang ridiculously loud only stopping when her phone, which was on her bedside table, started to ring.

Falling down onto the bed, she reached over and picked it up, "Hello?"

"You know we can see you, right?" Nancy said down the line and she could hear Barbara giggling in the background and she quickly leapt off the bed and moved to the window, where her cousin and friend, were waving at her.

"You guys are jerks," Samantha muttered, "And so are my parents for buying the house across from yours. How lame?"

"Tell me about it," Nancy said, "I take it that since you're dancing around there like an idiot, you've finished your homework?"

"Yes indeedy. I'm just about to go downstairs, grab some ice cream and my dad's copy of jaws to watch."

"I don't get how you can watch that," Nancy complained and Samantha watched as Barb grabbed the phone from her.

"Come over."

"What? No. I have my evening planned."

"Oh come on!" she whined, "We're gonna talk about Nance and Steve."

Samantha's nose wrinkled up, "Now I'm definitely not coming. I don't like him."

"I can hear you!"

"Good!"

Barb rolled her eyes at their childish bickering, "Are you sure?"

"Yes, but have fun. I'm sure you'll tell me all about it on Monday. Happy gossipping Barb."

"Happy shark eating people watching!" the redhead cheered and Samantha heard Nancy call a bye before Barb hung up, the two waving at her before they shut her curtains.

She shook her head at their antics and went to close her own curtains but stopped when she saw Jonathan pull up outside her cousin's house. Will must be there for game night.

Now, she knew that it was completely inappropriate to watch him, again but she couldn't help it. But this time, she had to make it look like an accident so she grabbed the closest book and sat on her window seat and opened it to a random page.

Was this stalkerish? she asked herself and even though she knew it was, she went through with the plan anyway, looking up when she heard the door shut across the street.

She smiled when Jonathan ruffled Will's hair and the younger brother quickly gave him a shove and as the older Byer's boy was fixing his hair, he saw her.

For a second, she didn't know what to do and genuinely acted like a deer caught in headlights.

Then he waved and as to not look too eager, Samantha waited a couple of seconds before raising her hand and waving back.

He climbed into his car with Will and then he was gone and she, well she felt like the luckiest girl in the world.