Chapter Text
Season 1
Tammy really wanted Jonathan to take the photos of the choir showcase next week, she didn’t even care that the poor boy had just lost his brother. The best thing I could think of that would prevent the girl from causing Jonathan to say no and her to throw an absolute fit, was if I asked.
It was an out there idea. I mean Jonathan and I probably only had a handful of conversations, but I wasn’t about to let Miss. Priss acts like what happened to Jonathan’s brother was a small little blip in the Tammy show. So, with my hands in the pockets of my denim jacket I treated my way over to the Byers residence praying I wouldn’t freeze my ass off in the process.
Maybe if this goes well I thought to myself I’ll have a friend in my grade who can fucking drive. With a silent laugh I tilted my head up as a burgundy bmw drove past. Squinting at the car I tried to place it. The only people I have ever seen driving a BMW were… but that didn’t make any sense. Why would Steve Harrington or Tommy Hannagon drive anywhere near this part of town?
If anything they were probably just being jerks, like they always were. Rolling my eyes, I tuned down a path that I knew led straight up to the Byers house. The leaves crunched under my sneakers as I walked along quietly. God, if my parents were home for Christmas this year, I’m asking for a Walkman. This is ridiculous, walking with only my thoughts is hurting my brain.
Jumbled song lyrics flew through my mind and softly exited through my lips in hummed vocals. My fingers began to twitch in my pockets and finally, finally, I arrived at the Byers house. Only it seemed that the BMW was in fact heading in the same direction as me, and was also Steve Harringtons.
He exited the front seat with ease and took a look around the small house and the wide drive, he had his shades on. Odd choice considering the sun had basically set not ten minutes prior, but his hair… gods Nancy, Barb and I used to go into great detail about that boy's hair at our sleepovers. Well that was before they stopped talking to me as soon as we started high school. Today he had it styled in a new way, like he was trying something out. It suited him. Sort of gave him this cool guy energy. Not that he didn’t already have that.
When he turned his head to my direction he let out a small smile and removed his glasses, revealing a deep red mark around his right eye. “I didn’t know Byers had a sister.” He said with a smile.
He was talking… talking to me? Shit. Shit! Okay, say something cool. “H… he… doesn’t.” Smooth. “I’m Bethany Styles.”
Steve made an oh shape with his mouth as if realizing something. “Fuck, your the sheriff’s niece.”
Why does everyone know that?
“Yeah, Hopper is my uncle.” I rocked back and forth on my heels. “I’m here to talk to Jonathan, actually. Um, do you know if he’s home?”
Turning his head to the front door of the house and then back to me he shrugged. “I sure hope so, or you know, coming here to apologize would be a complete waste of time.” My eyebrows raised. “Long story. I’m Steve by the way.” He stuck out his hand.
“You do realize that half the town knows who you are correct?” I took his hand and slowly shook it.
He seemed a bit taken aback about the statement, like he was trying to hide how shocked he actually was. “Crazy. And here I thought I knew every pretty girl in town.”
I tilted my head at him. “You and Nancy Wheeler have a…” I circled my hands a few times to make my point, “thing, and I don’t do too cool for school guys. Okay? I just want to ask Byers if he can take the pictures for the fall choir concert and then you will never have to see me again.”
Steve blinked his hazel eyes, slowly taking me in. “You hang out with the freak don’t you.” Eddie? Why did this suddenly become about Eddie? “Yeah, I’ve seen you guys in the parking lot talking. What’s he got you doing? Playing his stupid game or… oh let me guess.” He laughed. “Sheriff’s niece over here has a record?”
“Look, King Steve, I like my friend. I’ve known him since we were in preschool. But I don’t do that stuff.” Rolling my eyes I sigh. “But this is all completely pointless. I’m just gonna come back late…” I turned to walk back up the driveway.
“Hey, hey.” Steve protested as he grabbed my shoulder to turn me around. “Sorry, old… old habits. I’m…” he took a deep breath. “I don’t want to be that person anymore.” My eyes searched his face, looking for something that told me he was kidding, but I couldn’t find it. “I’ll let you talk to Jonathan first. Yeah? I’m pretty sure what you have to ask might be more important than me apologizing.”
“Okay…” I lagged out before Steve led the way to the front door of the house.
After a few attempts at knocking and calling out his name the door to the house opened just a crack, but on the other end wasn’t Jonathan. It was Nancy.
Her eyes looked Steve over for a long moment. “Steve, listen to me.” Her voice was firm. Steve seemed confused by her presence, I was too to say the least. I mean Jonathan and Nancy hadn’t hung out in years. When her eyes landed on me my whole body froze. “Beth.” She whispered before shaking her head. “No, no. Leave. Now. The both of you need to leave.”
Steve blinked a few times. “Hey, what… what’s going… never mind. I just came here to apologize, nance.” Setve fumbled, but Nancy’s face grew more and more worried as he tried to explain. “I really messed up. Like big time, and I’m sorry and I wanted to tell Jonathan…” he paused his eyes slowly sinking to where Nancy’s hand sat on the red door.
“I can leave…” I started, but Steve was quick to reach out for my wrists, keeping me in place.
“Did he hurt you?” Steve asked quietly.
Nancy quickly removed her hand from the door. Shaking her head. “No, he didn’t, Steve, Beth please just…”
It was too late. Steve had pushed his way past Nancy through the door taking me with him. Once inside I was breathless with the chaos that stood before me. Jonathan stood from the couch a white bandage around his hand too, matching Nancy’s. On the table was a wooden baseball bat covered in nails and a pile of rope sat on the floor next to it. There was a crazy amount of Christmas lights hanging from every corner of the house and on the wall behind the couch was the alphabet written in thick black paint.
“What the fuck?” I whispered in a bit of awe. I turned my head to Steve and Nancy who were arguing. Suddenly a strong smell hit my nose and I squinted my eyes in shock. “Is that gasoline? What the hell is going on?” I asked, gaining the room’s attention.
Jonathan stepped closer and pointed to the door. “You guys have to leave.”
“No. If something insane…” I trailed off trying not to let my brain go there. But it slipped. It truly did. “This has to do with Will. What the fuck?! God.”
“Beth, listen, if you leave now….” Nancy started but I shook my head.
“Oh, no I’m not. I’m not leaving until someone tells me what is going on.” I shouted. My eyes watched as Jonathan reached for the bat on the table. Steve was quick to jump in front of me and the bat.
“Hey! That’s not fair, man. She’s not…” then there was a soft click causing all of us to look to the right where Nancy now stood with a gun in her hand.
My stomach dropped. This was getting more and more insane by the minute. I just wanted to ask a simple question. Why am I now being held up at gun point by Nancy wheeler with Steve Harrington standing between us?
“What the hell?”
“Hey, put it down, Nance.”
“You both need to leave, now!”
“Not until you tell me what’s going on?” Steve yelled, though my eyes were focused on something other than the argument now. The Christmas lights, they were blinking. Jonathan seemed to notice as well. He tried to get Nancy’s attention, falling as the other two continued to yell back and forth. Then the ceiling moved.
“Fuck, Nancy!” I shouted finally getting her attention.
Lowering the gun Nancy shouted back. “What?” But I didn’t have time to explain as something broke through the roof and landed on the floor.
The creature made a sound that made goosebumps on my arms, and when it stood to its full height, I felt the air leave my body. It’s color was gray, almost wet like, and it didn’t have eyes. There was this thing for its mouth and as it opened it looked like a flower covered and little white dots. Teeth.
“Ah shit.” I whispered. Before Nancy grabbed my wrist and dragged me down the hallway. The boy’s a bit behind. “What is that?” I asked hoping for an answer but she focused on her end goal.
“You gotta jump.” Nancy instructed as she did so, and I caught sight of the active bear trap, followed her directions and turned into the bedroom.
The boys came only moments later, closing the door behind them. Steve was whispering curses under his breath as we all waited. Waiting for some kind of sign, from what I can tell would have been the yellow yoyo hanging off the back of a chair.
Nothing happened. Nancy straightened and slowly walked to the door, Jonathan by her side. Steve and I shared a look of utter fear.
“What the hell was that?” He whispered to me.
My eyes blinked in confusion for a long moment. “Hell if I know.” I answered back before I followed Nancy and Jonathan, Steve not too far behind.
“Hey, I think we need an explanation now.” I said as we walked down the hallway and Nancy turned, crossing her arms over her chest. “What was that thing?”
“I don’t know.” She answered sharply. “But that thing is going to come back.”
“How do you know that?” Steve asked in disbelief now by my side.
Nancy held up her bandage hand. “It tracks the smell of blood.” She spoke. “Now, you guys need to leave, before it gets back.”
For the third time that night someone grabbed a hold of my wrist dragging me somewhere. This time Steve led me back outside.
“Hey, wait…”
“Get in the car.” He said as he fumbled for the key. “I’ll take you somewhere, anywhere…”
“Steve!” I yelled, getting his attention right as he put the key into the door and opened it. “We can’t just leave?” I said, but it came out as a question.
“Listen to me Bethany, it’s better if we just…” his sentence fell off as the two of us saw the lights in the house flickering once more. It was back, just like Nancy had said.
Steve’s eyes looked at the house for a quick moment then he looked back at the car, at me, back to the house, me again. I felt it then, the small conversation that the two of us had in only a brief moment of eye contact.
We need to go back.
The two of us rushed back into the house where Nancy was shooting at the creature who had Jonathan pinned down on the floor. The bat was near the door, the rope still by the coffee table. Steve quietly picked up the bat and made his way between Nancy and the creature.
I fumbled for the rope by the coffee table, picking it up and tiring a quick loop before stepping behind Steve and the creature and tossing it around the thing's neck. The weight of it was crazy and it was strong, but with each blow from Steve and each turf of the rope from me it moved farther and farther back. Once I reached the bear trap I stepped over it carefully and gave the rope one final tug helping lead the thing into the trap that triggered the yellow yoyo in the bedroom.
“It’s in the trap!” Steve yelled to Jonathan and Nancy who came running down the hallway.
“Beth the room, now.” Nancy called as Jonathan flicked open a lighter. My eyes went wide at remembering the smell from earlier.
Just in time I was behind the door of the room as the creature began to scream in agony. I covered my ears with my hands and waited. Taking into deep breaths to calm the pounding heart in my chest. Whatever this was, I… I had helped.
There was a soft knock on the door that told me whatever was happening was done. I stood from the ground that I didn’t remember sliding down to and opened the door. The hallway was scorched, and the thing… it was gone. I turned to who was at the door, it was Jonathan with a small smirk on his lips.
“Hey.” He said. “You okay?”
Cleaning my throat I nodded my head. “Where’d it go?”
Nancy leaned on the wall of the hallway. “Hopefully back to where it came from, severely damaged.”
The Christmas lights on the other side of the hallway began to flicker. Steve’s grip on the bat tightened and I quickly reached for what was left of the rope on the floor as Nancy reloaded her gun.
Something was different about the way the lights flickered this time around. It was slow, like something was moving down the hallway. Nancy and Steve followed it closely, backing up to the door.
The lights then stopped, and returned up the hallway. The four of us followed it ready for something to jump out of the walls. It was when it got to the door that we all stopped but Jonathan kept walking.
He whispered something under his breath and followed the lights out the door. Nancy looked over at Steve and I before following him. It didn’t take long for Steve and I to do the same. The small street light just outside flickered and Nancy spoke up. “Where’s it going?”
“I don’t think that’s the Demogogon.” Jonathan simply answered. I knew that term. Why did I know that term? “I think it’s my mom.” He turned to face all of us. “Nancy and I need to get back to the school. The kids are all… it’s… there’s a lot to explain.”
“Yeah, no shit.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “And to think I thought asking you to take the photos for the choir concert was gonna be the worst conversation I had tonight.” Jonathan’s eyebrows raised in interest. “Long story, let’s get to the school right now, that's our biggest worry.”
“Yeah.” Nancy laughed. “That and Hopper is going to kill us for one: leaving the shit heads and two: getting you involved.”
“Wait.” I stepped forward looking at both Nancy and Jonathan. “Hopper knows about this?”
The two shared a look. “He’s the chief of police.” Jonathan shrugged. “Of course he knows.” He then walked off to the car with Nancy in toe, leaving Steve and I on the porch.
“We should go too.” I spoke quietly. Catching Steve’s attention. “Nancy is your girlfriend, and we are kinda now a part of all of this.”
“Nancy’s…” Steve trailed off then turned to look at me. “Okay. Yeah, I’ll drive you there. It’s probably smart to have another vehicle.”
I turned to look at him. Wondering where his tough guy act went in the span of twenty minutes. “Interesting.” I spoke to myself as I walked off to his bmw. “Well come on king Steve, I can’t wait to brag to everyone that I got to ride in your chick magnet of a car.” I joked before opening the door and taking a seat in the passenger side.
~*~
The rest of that evening went by so quickly that my head was spinning for most of it. Emergency services held up at the school, a small girl going missing after banishing the demogorgon back to where it came from. Hopper ran over when he saw me taking on the scene. Explains to him what I say at the Byers and him telling me about everything else.
When the flashing lights cleared out, Hopper thanked Steve for driving me to the school. Steve was quiet, more quiet then I had ever seen mister popular. When Hop told me that he was gonna drive to the hospital to check on Will, Steve was quick to ask if we could join. If it were up to me I would have wanted to go home, but there was something else keeping me from doing that. Being home alone in that dark house, I wasn’t ready.
With a small nod of his head Hopper agreed and then he asked “who are you riding with kid?” My eyes shifted over to Steve who offered me a small smile.
“I’ll make sure he gets there safely.” I offered while wrapping my arms over my uncle’s shoulders. “But I might need you to stay at the house for a few days.” I whispered before backing up and walking to Steve’s car.
That ride was just as silent as the first. What exactly do you say to a guy that’s dating your ex best friend after… that?
“You don’t have to answer this.” Steve was the one to break the silence. “You and Nance, I remember you two running around in elementary school together. What happened?”
Sighing I leaned my head on the passenger side window. “It’s a super long story, and I still don’t understand the details of myself.” I shrugged. “I’m sure she doesn’t really know exactly what happened either. Her and Barbra just… they just stopped talking to me. I just wish I knew more because it seems like everyone in my life throws me to the side for something better.”
“Hopper…” he started, but I shook my head.
“Hopper’s barely there. He’s more around than my parents, but that man’s gone five out of seven days of the week.” Lifting my head from the window I turned to face Steve. “Hey, maybe this shit can change that right?”
His hazel eyes shifted between me and the road for a brief moment. “If you think so.”
With a small laugh I settled down into the seat. “Gosh I haven’t felt this optimistic in… forever.”
“That’s a start.” He shrugged then turned to quickly look at me with his award winning smile. “And to keep that going, I’ll be your friend, Bethany.”
Okay, now I was intrigued. “You? King Steve? My friend? Oh that’s rich.” I laughed and ran my hands through my hair. “Better not let your girlfriend hear you say those words.”
Steve was quiet for a moment, but there was clearly a smile on his face. “I don’t know, she seemed pretty concerned about if you had got in that room unscathed.”
“Unscathed… that’s a big word for you.”
“Nancy taught it to me.” Of course she did. English was our thing, it’s what we bonded over. She was more news articles and mysteries while I was fantasy and context clues. Barb was more math and science fiction, but she always seemed to favor Nancy to me. I had this feeling she never liked me.
“Yeah. Well, whatever friendship we had, I don’t really see it rebuilding.” I answered honestly. “But if you are willing to make ours work, Harrington, you can call me a friend.”
~*~
Hopper was really trying. He came over and decorated the whole house for Christmas. Instead on a real tree over the artificial ones too. My parents were still gone, but it felt more like Christmas than it had in years. Even Steve, who was having Christmas at the Wheelers due to his parents also being out of town said he was going to stop by.
The house that normally felt dark and cold had life in it again.
With the landline to his ear, Hopper rolled his eyes and I put two plates on the table. The frozen pizza in the oven, a Christmas Eve Hopper family tradition, then breakfast in the morning. But by the looks of Hops face, he was being called in. At least I was expecting it. At least he tried. It was more than what my parents had ever done.
As he placed the phone back on the receiver he turned to look at me with this sad face. “You’re going in?”
“Yeah. I don’t understand how they can’t handle a little problem like this… but good news. I will be here in the morning.” He smirked.
“Hobo egg tacos?” I laughed, blowing off the sad feelings.
With a nod of his head, hopper walked forward and placed his hands on my shoulders. “Yeah. That…” he looked to the side, then back to me. “And we are gonna have to talk about… the thing that happened.”
My eyebrows raised. “What happened… last month?” He began to nod. “I thought that was over with.”
“We’ll talk when I get back.” He said, pulled me in for a hug and left.
It was later that night that I couldn’t sleep. I kept tossing and turning. Imagines of the demogorgon kept popping up in my brain. Scaring me. I finally gave up on trying.
This was a thing that happened at least once a week. And when it did I’d lace up my sneakers and just ran. I didn’t know where I was just trying to get the thoughts out of my head long enough for me to table back home and pass out from the sheer exhaustion. It wasn’t the best plan. I probably should be talking to someone about it all. I knew that the reason Nancy was involved was because that thing took Barb… maybe I should have talked to her.
I just couldn’t. This was what I did. At school it came out differently. Song lyrics I kept hidden in a journal. Sometimes if Steve drove me home we’d talk about it, but it’s been hard and I’d rather him not have to worry about me running this late at…
The car scratched to a halt nearly inches in front of me. My heart was pounding and my eyes were looking everywhere for something that could have prevented me from stepping right out on the road. The door opened on the driver's side of the car and stepping out was Steve.
“Holy smokes. Bethany, what are you doing?” He asked leaning forward, hands on the roof of his car.
Blinking back to reality I shook my head. “Hey, uh.. running.” I said without thinking. “I run to clear my head from the… shit.”
“Same, but with driving.” He answered honestly. “Get in, I'll drive you home.” He was always so straightforward with stuff like that. Offering a helping hand when I, or Nancy needed it. It wasn’t something I had ever imagined Steve Harrington to be like.
I wasn’t even expecting the warm feeling to crawl up my spine as I sighed and opened the door and plopped myself into the passenger seat. Steve had to turn down the volume of the radio but I could tell he was listening to a Toto album. Their first one at that, he must have been flipping it to the B side before he stopped because it was currently playing Girl Goodbye but the end of it.
“Does Hopper know you are…”
“Ha, you think with the way Hopper has become an overprotective uncle the last month that I'd tell him I was having nightmares? The guy drives Will and Joyce to those appointments.” I lowered myself down into the seat, setting my feet on the dash. “It’s better if I keep this from him.”
Steve tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “The two of you have a very interesting relationship.”
“You’re telling me.” I spoke sarcastically. “At least he’s someone. I trust him a lot.” Looking in his direction I smiled. “Does Nancy know you go out driving like this?”
Letting out a small laugh, Steve shook his head. “No, Nancy. We haven’t really talked about it. If we do she gets weird then starts babbling about Barb.” He looked over at me. “I think she blames me for it all.”
I squinted in his direction. “If Barbra and Nancy didn’t want to go to your party then they wouldn’t have gone. Nancy also chose to stay and seriously thought Barb went home. It’s not like you guys engaging in that kind of activity caused her death.”
“Yeah, but Barb cutting her hand did.” Steve sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “If I blame anyone it’s Tommy and Carol, they are the ones who even suggested the dang party.”
“So blame them.” I laughed. “Carol makes my life a living hell, I’ll gladly blame her for Barb’s death.” Steve was actually laughing. “You know who else makes my life a living hell? Tammy Thompson. I blame her for me getting mixed up in all this.”
“Tammy?” Steve asked, a bit confused.
“Yeah, the girl was convinced that Jonathan had to take the photos of the choir's fall concert to the point that she was not even going to ask. She was gonna go to Jonathan and just tell him that he was taking the pictures.” I shrugged. “I thought it would be better if someone at least asked, considering what happened to Will.”
“Fuck. Okay, so Carol, Tommy and Tammy are the reason for all of it.” We were both laughing now.
It felt good to have someone to talk to. That could get it. Through the laughter I heard the starting cords of my favorite song on the album and reached forward to turn it up. “I love this song.” I mumbled as I turned the nob.
The look Steve was giving me as I hummed the lyrics had me self conscious. “You like Toto?” He asked.
“Yeah.” I answered calmly. “I have a variety of tastes when it comes to music, Harrington.”
“This just doesn’t scream Bethany…”
“Beth.” I corrected, causing Steve to look at me for a moment then back to the road. “I hate Bethany, makes me feel like an old lady. If we are going to do this whole friend thing then you call me Beth.”
“Then it just doesn’t scream Beth Styles.” Steve altered his observation.
“And what does?” I asked purely out of curiosity.
He shrugged. “Madonna? Blondie? Bananara?”
“Typical girly music?” I questioned as he paused before slowly nodding his head. “I like it. Madonna's voice is so unique. And Brodie has that pop rock sound.” I nodded. “But if I had to choose a favorite artist it would either be Fleetwood Mac or Pat Benatar.”
“I didn’t know this about you.” Steve pointed out.
“I’m a lot more complex than most of the girls you know.” I answered quickly. “Nancy being the only exception, I know how she is with school.”
“You got me there.”
The car pulled into the driveway of my house and the two of us just sat there for a long minute. I didn’t want to leave. I liked being here, with Steve. “So, my friend Robin,” I started, “she’s in the band, she told me you all lost your last game?”
Steve turned to look me over. “Yeah. But it’s okay we still have a few more coming up. Don’t give up hope on the team quite yet.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.” I spoke as I opened the door. “Maybe I’ll come to one, now that we are friends.”
“And I’ll come to the spring concert?” Steve asked, causing me to shake my head.
“Oh god. I can hear it now. ‘Steve Harrington is at my concert’” I fake mocked Tammy Thompson's voice and Steve was laughing. “But yeah, come. It could be a blast to see her face when she realizes she isn’t the center of attention.”
“Yeah.” Steve put the car into park at that moment and turned to the back seat of his car pulling out something wrapped in Christmas paper. “I had Mrs. Wheeler wrap it but, I figured, friends give friends Christmas presents.”
Taking the box I smiled. “Thanks, I’ll open it with Hopper. We didn’t really get anything for Christmas.”
Nodding Steve placed the car into reverse and I stepped out. “Just, let me know what you think, okay?”
“I’ll call as soon as I open it.” With that I closed the door and walked back into the house.
~*~
“She had it coming!” Steve yelled as my arms crossed over my chest, the engine of the car purring as we traveled down the road. “I’m not letting some stuck up bitch look at my friend like some… side piece.”
“I could have handled it.” I shouted back. It was March two days after my birthday, and Carol thought she would deposit her two cents into the whole Steve and I being friends thing. She said I was a slut basically. And to be honest, she couldn’t have been more wrong.
Unfortunately if I said the thing allowed, I was sure I would have lost everything again. Eddie’s the only one who got it, who listened. I just… I see him so rarely. “Carol's a bully I’ve dealt with plenty of times. I know you were trying to at least salvage the relationship you have with her and Tommy, I’m not gonna be the reason it stops.”
Steve banged his hand on the steering wheel. “Fuck!” He cursed. “I can’t be friends with people who don’t want to change, Bee.” The nickname felt different than when it came from Carol. Almost like it was meant for Steve to say.
“So don’t.” I suggested not showing the effect the name had on me. “Fuck Carol. Fuck Tommy. They're both ass holes.”
Steve turned his head to briefly look me over. “Bee,” he sighed, “I’m sorry they don’t understand that we are just friends.”
“It’s fine.” I rolled my eyes. “Your girlfriend hates me. Your best friends think I’m a homewrecker.” I shrugged. “Might as well just drop me off at a whore house.”
“Bee!” He yelled, frustratedly running his hand through his hair.
“Why are you still calling me that?!” I yelled back.
Steve pulled the car over on the side of the road and tossed it into park. “So she won’t have any power with it.” He said firmly. “They aren’t my friends anymore. You are my friend. You have been the friend I have needed for years and fuck them for not noticing that.”
Lowering myself into the seat and trying to ignore Steve’s words I waited for him to start driving again, but he never did. “We are friends Beth. I like being your friend. I like finding you running in the middle of the night because we are both working through what happened in November.” He paused and sunk into his seat. The music from the tape quietly played behind us. “I don’t care anymore about popularity or what people want from me, I just want you and Nancy at my side.”
Leaning forward I turned the volume up. Catching Steve’s attention with the same song he thought was crazy that I knew in December.
Hold the line
Love isn’t always on time
“I don’t actually hate it when you call me Bee.” I said with a small smirk. “I’m sorry I’m being stubborn. I just don’t like when people try to fight my battles. I’m a big girl.”
Steve sat up chucking. “I know. But when it comes to those two… I don’t know what they will pull out of the bag.”
“I could just stick Eddie on them.” I laughed. “That guy’s crazy.”
“Don’t bring Eddie into this.” Steve complained. “It’s already bad enough I have you involved in it.”
“I won’t. Promise.” I smiled. “Let’s go to the diner up the road. I owe you food for… that display of insecurity.”
~*~
Steve sat on the couch in my living room looking through the tapes I had in a box. I had become obsessed with making mixtapes after his Christmas present, A Walkman, and when he would pick me up from my runs in the middle of the night he would always ask what today was.
“Dio? You listen to Dio?” He laughed while picking up a tape.
Walking into the living room from the kitchen I placed the bowl of popcorn between us. “Only a few songs. Eddie plays them a lot, the tunes just get stuck in my head. It’s not so bad really.”
“I see a lot of Fleetwood Mac.” He was laughing again then he picked up another tape and inspected it. “You have two songs that pop up on almost every single one of these.” He stands and walks over to the stereo and places one of the tapes in the slot. “Chain and…” he trails off as Hold the Line begins to play.
“I told you it’s a good song.” I defended myself while grabbing some popcorn.
He smirked from the stereo. “It’s a great song. I’m so glad you have some taste.” He laughed and joined me back on the couch. “It seems to also always be playing when I’m with you. Have you noticed it?”
Thinking back on every time Steve and I were together it did seem to be playing weather on the radio or after he would ask what was on the tape I was listening to while running and he would pop it in the slot.
“I guess I never did.” I smiled at the thought. “Strange.” Picking up my book from the table I got comfortable on the couch. “But if we want to make it like an important thing, I heard that Toto is going on tour. Bet we can score some bitchen seats.” I laughed picking up where I left off in my book.
“You want to see them in concert?” Steve asked, a bit confused.
Most kids our age didn’t go to concerts. It wasn’t a common thing. Closing the book and looking at Steve I shrugged. “I mean, why not? Both of our parents are never home. I saw they are playing in a town nearby on a Saturday so we won’t even have to miss school.”
“So, where are we sitting?” Steve asked, clearly intrigued by the idea. “Nose bleeds, middle section… general admission?”
Laughing I settled back in reopening my book. “Whatever we can afford, Steve. My parents only leave enough wiggle room for a new set of tapes every month.”
“Who said we are gonna use our own money?” He asked with a smile. “My parents tell me to use the money in the safe for anything I might need. I think it’s their way to keep me from bugging them.”
“You really want to do that?” I rebuttal, peeking my eyes over the book. “Use their money for concert tickets?”
He shrugged and settled into the other side of the couch. “I doubt they would even notice. Hold the Line is our song now, Bee. I owe it to you to see it live.”
“Oh god.” I laughed and rolled my eyes. “I hope your girlfriend gets better lines than that.”
“I take Nance to fancy dinners and buy her special copies of books and other things. She’s never really expressed an interest in music.” My eyes squinted at the thought of Nancy not talking about music. She loves Blondie, and when the Madonna album came out this year… it was definitely her music taste I could have sworn she would have loved that. “Nancy and you used to talk about music. Didn’t you?”
“It was one of the conversations. Does she still have a poster of Harrison Ford in her room?” I asked nonchalantly.
“No, there is one of Tom Cruise though.” I laughed, of course she was cleaning the nerd out of her room and replacing it with someone all the popular girls liked.
Then I remembered something that could possibly peak Steve’s interest. “Does she still wear that ballet slipper necklaces?” I played it so cool, but on the inside I was dying.
Steve looked up to the ceiling like he was trying to remember what kind of jewelry his girlfriend wore. “Yeah.”
“She and I were obsessed with Broadway for all of sixth grade. We used to beg our parents to get us the New York Review or any cast album that was coming out. She took ballet classes because she thought she could be a dancer while I played lead roles and sang on the stage.” I laughed at the childhood fantasy. “I bought her that necklace for her birthday.”
In a small way it was nice to know that she still wore it. It was like a sign that someday the two of us would talk again. And not just because of what happened in November, but as friends. Unfortunately though I was done waiting around like a lost puppy. If Nancy wants to be my friend she needs to make the effort not the other way around.