DONTMAKEMEFALLINLOVE || Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

XXX.

*Time skip*

March 2, 1985

The production of a new mall is in progress. Passing through a road one day, there it was. Construction workers in full gear putting up metal bars, just ahead a purple and blue sign stating what's to come in the summer: Starcourt Mall.

I for one am pretty excited thinking about the food and the clothing going to be sold there pretty soon.

The climate is warmer, so I finally switched out some of sweaters for t-shirts. Jessie's uplifted my mood by a huge amount over the past few months, even convincing me to dye my hair a lighter shade of brown for the upcoming summer. He still gets high often, even showing up class stoned, but for me not so much now. I'm working on it with the help of Dustin actually.

Speaking of Dustin, he's going to be attending Camp Know Where sometime in the summer. I ask him what it is and what he's gonna do there but he gets so thrilled that he starts screaming and jumping up and down to the point where I can't even understand what he's saying. So I'll just ask him when he's about to leave.

As for Steve, he's under so much stress right now. He's having some college complications and is trying to solve them, he really is. We only have less than three months before we graduate from high school, yet I'm acting so calm. Prom is also on the way, in April. The hallways are starting to be filled up with posters of candidates telling you you should vote for them.

As for Billy, I haven't seen him. Not really. Minus the fact that I have him for class, but even there we sit on opposite sides, not interfering with each other, not even giving each other a glance. I looked at him once and that was enough for my heart to ache. So I stopped.

April 7, 1985

Prom is a week from now. Since the beginning of the month the study body has been able to cast their votes on prom king and queen. I did not enter though, since I don't feel the need to. I don't want to be the "queen" of the school everyone is expecting me to be, not even for one last time. I don't want another crown or sash. It should be given to a girl that actually cares who has the actual embodiment of a bubblegum popular girl. None of this will matter in a few months. Jessie cares a whole lot though. He went on and on about how high school is our last chance to fool around, our last months of playing around, this and that. I originally wasn't planning on going, but Jessie had intensely begged Steve and I to go, we had to agree just to get him to shut up.

Now don't ask how I ended up having Dustin, Lucas, El, and Mike in my car. I simply said I'll be back, I'm going to pick up the prom dress I ordered. They either are really interested in my dress, or want me to buy them burgers.

I'd say this is like a field trip for them and I'm the bus driver, but there's no bus and they're not kids anymore. On the way to the dress shop they're in the back of my car arguing nonstop about which Star Wars character is the best. El just stays quiet most of the time but still is engaged in the conversation with facial expressions.

"Come on you idiot, why don't we ask someone else their opinion! Diana, who do you think is better, Luke Skywalker or Han Solo?" Lucas asks, his voice louder than the radio.

"Based on some of the scenes I've seen I'd go with Luke. He's good looking," I try to calm the storm but that only makes it worse.

"See Lucas that's not a valid opinion she only likes him for his looks!" Mike bellows, almost making me miss the turn to get into the parking lot.

"Okay but she doesn't like Han Solo for his appearance, so therefore no matter the reasoning she prefers Luke!" Lucas yells back at him, Dustin in the passengers seat giving me an apologetic look.

"Don't talk to me–"

"You two shut up," I shout, parking the car in front of the dress shop, "I know you guys could care less about my dress so if you want food you'll be nice to each other like the best friends you are and try not to break anything in there. PLEASE."

Mike and Lucas both sarcastically smile at each other but nonetheless get out car while Mike hold the door for El. I step out and close the door, the bunch piling into the shop after me. Inside I notice El stare in awe at the dresses on the racks and on displays, the colors filling her vision. I can't wait for the day she's in a prom dress.

Walking to the lady behind the counter, she smiles and says, "Hello, how can I help you today?"

Giving a grin back I reply, "Hi I came to pick up a dress, it's under the name Henderson?"

She nods while looking through the endless forms next her. She finds the paper she's looking for and smiles back at me, "ah yes, it's here! I'll be right back."

She strides over to the back before I look behind me and find the boys engrossed in their own conversation and find El closer to dresses. Walking up to her I start, "You're not so far away, you'll get a nice fancy dress someday." She smiles back at me as I hear my name being called again.

"Diana Henderson?" I turn and the lady is now holding my dark royal blue silk dress in a protective bag. It's an off-shoulder cut, with the back of the dress being longer than the front.

Walking back to the counter, a smile is now plastered on my face. Okay, maybe I didn't want to go to prom but a girl still likes prestigious dresses. I sense the presence of the group around me now, interested in the shiny blue fabric. Since I already paid she gently hands me the dress, which I have to carry using both hands. As she passes it to me she starts, "And don't worry about any other girl my dear, no one else is going to have the same dress as you at your dance."

What? The shop offers everyone the chance to pay extra to reserve your dress for prom or an event, making sure you're the only one with the specific type of dress you bought. You're the only one who's wearing it.

"Wait but I didn't pay extra for that," I reply, I'm actually very confused. It has to be a mistake.

"Really? It says here on your form that you–oh wait, somebody else payed for that option." She looks back up at me after scanning my paper.

"Do you possibly know who it was?" I ask, trying to read the document but she looks back at it and says, "no name here dear. Maybe it's your boyfriend who payed!" She gushes, but little does she know.

"Maybe," I state, wanting to leave the shop as quickly as possible, "thank you ma'am!"

"Come back anytime!" She says as the group and I huddle out the shop and back into the car. My hands place the dress next to me before sitting down and starting up the car. Doors slam shut and the engine comes to life as I reverse and drive out the parking lot.

As I drive to Burger Inn, my mind is filled with the same overlapping question:

Who paid for me?

/////////////////////////////////////////////

Short one but who's reADY FOR THE NEXT CHAPTERRR

IM EXCITED

STRANGER THINGS 3 IS LESS THAN A MONTH AWAY AHHHHH

im not ready. based on the official poster for it you see in Billy at the bottom, in the upside down. THATS TOO MUCH DRAMA FOR ME TO HANDLE AND WRITE OUT HERE AHHHH

word count: 1363

thank y'all for reading ily <3

6-10-19
4:15 pm

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