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

08.

Barbara wasn't at school the next day.

Samantha had thought something was weird when she didn't pick her and Nancy up that morning. They had stood in silence outside their homes for a good twenty minutes more than normal, having to hitch a ride from Nancy's mom when they realised that they couldn't wait any longer or they'd be late.

Although they weren't speaking, the two Wheeler girls walked together through the emptying halls to their lockers and Samantha hoped that Barb would be there with some sort of lame ass excuse as to why she wasn't there but no.

She wasn't in math either. Or english.

At lunch, seeing that Nancy was also growing increasingly worried about their best friend, she knew that they would have to put their anger aside to try and work out where she'd gone or if something had happened to her.

She took a seat beside Tommy H at the table and picked a french fry up from her plate.

"Hey, did any of you see Barb last night before you left?" she heard Nancy asked and looked to the couple beside her.

"Who?"

"Come on guys," Steve said seriously, "Did you see her or not?"

Carol shook her head, "No. She was gone."

"You didn't hear anything?" Samantha asked desperately, "That she was leaving or something?"

"No," the redhead smirked, looking at her cousin again, "Though, who could hear anything over Oh Steve! Steve!"

Samantha's eyes met Nancy's, who's were wide and she felt her anger come rushing back. She had slept with him. When she told her she wouldn't.

Nancy opened her mouth to speak but Samantha quickly stood up. "Change of clothes, huh?" she hissed before turning to leave the canteen.

++

Nancy found her in the library last period, where she was supposed to be working on an english essay but instead, was finding the shelf of books in front of her very interesting while chewing on the end of the pen.

She looked at Nancy as she slid into the chair across from her, finally putting the pen down so she could listen to what she was going to say.

"I think we should call Barb's mom." was all she said, earning a nod in return.

"If you think that's the best idea."

"Are you really going to be like this?" Nancy said loudly, moving to sit beside her when the librarian shushed her, "Samantha, Barb is missing! And if you want, you can be pissed at me for sleeping at Steve, you can but please. After we find Barb."

Samantha sighed and ran her hand through her hair, "Nance, that's not...I'm not mad that you did it. I'm just mad that you didn't tell me you were going to. We tell each other everything."

"I know," her cousin said quietly, "It just happened."

Samantha nodded and started packing up her things, looking down and Nancy when she stood up, "Let's go call her mom, yeah? Maybe she's just taking a sick day."

She followed her cousin outside to where the payphones were and while Nancy dialed, she looked around the school grounds.

The conversation between Nancy and Barb's mom was short and when she saw her cousin's face fall and once she hung up, she shook her head.

"She had no idea that Barb hadn't shown up. I forgot that she was supposed to be spending the night at my house." Nancy explained, "She's worried now though."