lover boy

one

I sit underneath the bleachers with my best friend, Jessie. I put the cigarette between fingers in my mouth and take a drag. I blow it out and listen to Jessie's rambling.

"My little brother totally obliterated my cassette player and I'm pissed. I just got a new Billy Ocean tape too!" She rants, as she stares into her compact mirror teasing her hair.

I watch the cigarette in her hand, it coming dangerously close to her hair. I swear with the amount of hairspray in it, it's gonna catch on fire one day.

"I mean, it's only Billy Ocean. You're not missing out on much." I smirk. She looks at me with her mouth open.

"Sorry, it's not The Cure or some obscure band you listen too, but his songs have so much passion on them." She looks into the distance.

"Oh my god." I shake my head taking another drag of my cigarette.

"I'm gonna lose my virginity to Inner Feelings." She sighs.

I snort at her comment. "Jess, c'mon!"

She looks at me with a bright smile on her face, "Picture it: candles, roses petals leading to the bed, dim lighting, and Inner Feelings quietly playing. So beautiful."

I shake my head, "You're gonna need someone to lose it to, and maybe a working tape player."

She rolls her eyes and throws her cigarette to the ground, stomping her white Converse on it.

I'm amazed at how Jessie and I are still friends. We're on two opposite sides of the spectrum. She's literally if Madonna and Cyndi Lauper had a baby, looks and personality wise. I'm if Julia Roberts and Geena Davis had a baby, but with longer brown hair. I think at this point, I just tolerate her. I guess I have to, due to the fact that she's my only friend. We were so close in middle school and our freshman year, but summer going into our second year of high school...something changed.

"What song do you wanna lose your v-card to?" Jessie asks me.

I think for a little, "The Prettiest Star by Bowie."

She laughs shaking her head, "I knew it'd be Bowie. Why are you so obsessed with him?"

"Why are you so obsessed with Billy Oce-"

I stop speaking when I see the one and only Steve Harrington run on the field. I see him in his short gym shorts and grey shirt. Him and one of his friends are throwing a football back and forth. God...he's...a god.

I hear Jessie scoff, "Get a room."

I give her a puzzled look and go back to rest my eyes on Steve. I don't know what it is about him. He's just so...so-

"He's so lame." Jessie sighs.

"Okay, but who's obsessed with Jonathan Byers!" I laugh at her.

She stops inspecting her nails and narrows her eyes at me, "Jonathan is mysterious, a troubled soul. In need of love...from me."

I roll my eyes, "Give me a break! I'm sure the last thing he needs is 'love' especially with what happened to his brother."

Last year Jonathan's brother, Will, went missing and they pulled out his body from the lake. Low and behold, he suddenly came back from the dead. One of the strangest things to happen in Hawkins. The poor kid has been getting bullied about it too. I'd know because my little brother, Dustin, is best friends with Will.