Bite Your Tongue

by bloodxhoney

They hate each other...but they sleep less than fifteen feet from the other. Sometimes less. (College AU)

1. Boots & Boobs

Mike W. / August 22nd / 9:30 am

I can't stand Jane Eleanor Hopper.

From her short, frizzy hair to the combat boots she wears no matter how hot it gets outside. Her front teeth are a bit too big and a bit too far apart. She's constantly covered in bruises from bumping into things. I could go on.

Beyond her looks, she's got a superiority complex that's deserving a prescription. Never gives up the chance to correct you if you're wrong, even if it's just a little bit. Remember that scene in Harry Potter? 'It's leviOsa, not levioSA'. That's every moment of every day around her.

"Black is the absence of all color Mike. Little would you know but white is actually the presence of all them. Take physics ever?"

"Fahrenheit is the proper way to measure weather temperature because it is human's body temp based, not melting point based like Celsius is. I'm sorry but are you not human?"

"Women actually have better circulation than men because our gonads are inside our body. Yours are outside, exposed to any threats, and a sorry excuse for genitals."

Every day. Always with her light brown eyes boring into your existence, judging you like a slide under a microscope. Who knew someone who still looked twelve and barely topped off at five-foot-three could make you feel so small.

If she isn't correcting you or being sarcastic, she's sitting quietly; minding her own business until she can get a chance to get into yours. Which is her one good attribute, it makes her really easy to ignore majority of the time.

Until she leaves those stinky combat boots right by the front door of your shared apartment.

"Hopper!" I yelled, holding the boots with a pair of tongs and a towel...to protect the tongs.

I went up to her bedroom door, which was on the opposite side of the apartment from mine. That was a purposeful decision on both of our parts. Even though it seemed we were always knocking down each others door for some reason.

Her door was locked, as per usual. There's a lock on the inside and outside of each bedroom door (benefits of living on campus in a psuedo-dorm), and she keeps it locked whether or not she's there.

But she's here.

I banged on her door with my free hand, "Hopper!" No answer, but I could hear a slight rustle from inside the room. "Hopper I can hear you. Get out here."

A sound of protest, then stomping towards the door. I stepped back from the door as she swung it open, so fast it blew both of our hair. "Can you keep your animal wailings to yourself Wheeler? Some of us are trying to sleep."

My eyes scanned her; grey shorts, t-shirt too big for her that said 'terminally chill', and hair half up in a bun. I scoffed, "you could use the beauty sleep." She rolled her eyes and attempted to close the door, but I held it open. I raised the tongs and boots up to her face, even she recoiled. "Recognize these dead animals you call shoes? They were in the foyer."

"You mean next to the front door?"

"The foyer."

"We live in a four bedroom apartment on campus with a shared living space no bigger than one of the bedrooms, I don't think the area between our front door and kitchen constitutes as a foyer Mister Rockefeller."

There she goes again. I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "nonetheless...these were by our front door."

She shrugged. "And? You guys leave your shoes by the front door all the time."

"Our shoes don't smell like someone vomited in them three weeks ago."

Immediately she groaned and rolled her own eyes. "Don't be dramatic."

"I'm not! Smell 'em." I pushed the pair of shoes even closer to her face.

Her nose pinched, but she tried to hide it. "Well if you absolutely loathe it then put them on the balcony."

"You put them on the balcony! These aren't my stinky shoes!"

"Well I'm not the one who has a problem with it."

"Anyone who walks into the apartment and has a nose has a problem with it!"

"Holy fuck, I'll put them outside you bickering children." Dustin yelled at the top of his lungs as he came out of his room and grabbed the shoes. Mumbling to himself the whole way there, he quickly went to the balcony and stomped back to his room. Before he shut his door he turned to the two of us and yelled, "some of us have to live here too and don't wanna hear you tom and jerry all day!"

We turned to each other. I scanned her again, her jaw was clenched. Her right leg was pointed outward, and I noticed a bruise on the inside of her thigh. Dark and very obvious on her pale leg.

"Any other complaints you wanna submit?" She asked, her head shaking in anger. Eyes boring into me in that way she does.

"Yeah, answer your door when someone knocks."

"I'll keep that in mind." With a click and another gust of wind, the door was shut in my face. Not nearly as hard as I was expecting.

Mike W. / August 31st / 10:01 pm

It all started back when we were in kindergarten.

Jane's dad, Chief Jim Hopper, had moved back to Hawkin, Indiana from New York after his divorce, his young, unheard-of daughter in tow. He moved down the street from Joyce Byers and her two sons: Jonathan and Will. From what I hear, they used to date in high school apparently, so within a couple of years they were married. It kind of felt like they more or less just picked up where they left off.

Jim and Jane went from living down the street to living all together, and Will calling Jane his little sister. Easy as that.

We were only like six, so we didn't really mind that Jane was a girl, we were just happy to have another person to play tag with (which is terribly boring if there's just two of you). Lucas didn't come around until second grade, and Dustin in fourth, so it was just us for a little while. At one point, I was just as close to Jane as any of the rest of the guys. Maybe even closer. She laughed at all my jokes, we did our homework together, she showed me movies, I showed her music. But I remember how we always sat next to each other for some reason, like instinct or something.

It's hard to say what exactly changed everything. One minute we were in jr. high and everyone assumed we were dating because of how much we were around each other. Then we were in high school, dating different people, and just fucking fighting all the time.

Whether I'll admit it or not, I do miss when we could just be around each other and not bicker. Sometimes it makes it difficult to hang out with everyone. Hence why Lucas and I were waiting outside our first college party for the girls to show up, cause Hopper and I just can't share a car ride together these days. Plus girls take eighty percent longer to get ready, according to my calculating.

We heard a loud scream from behind us, so we turned around to see a naked guy with our school mascot's uniform head on, running across the yard with his fists in the air. He ran and screamed until he ran straight into someone's car, wiping out dramatically. We'd react more appropriately, but that wasn't even the craziest thing we'd seen that night thus far. People were drinking like it was the end of the world. Within fifteen minutes of being there I saw a guy in a tub having beer dumped on him, both washing himself and drinking the beer at the same time. It was almost an hour in and now I was just waiting for someone to shoot a flare gun at someone or something.

I laughed "Toto...I don't think we're in Indiana anymore."

Lucas laughed while shaking his head, "you got that right."

Coming as nerds from a small town, none of the maybe five or six parties we went to during our high school career was anything close to this. Sure there was a bit of puking and kamikaze behavior, but the worst thing I had ever seen someone do at one of those parties was hang someone by their shirt on the chandelier.

I walked into this party to the chandelier already on the floor in front of the front door. That was at nine. It was now ten and people were on the roof.

"If this is the first party of the year, how do they act on the last?"

"If they live until then," Lucas looked around, "I think I can spot at least three cases of alcohol poisoning just from here."

I raised my red cup into the air, "To college life."

He mimicked my movements, "To the education our parents are paying out the ass for." We both laughed as our cups did their plastic 'clonk' as they met each other.

It was a nice school, or it was supposed to be. Chicago University; the furthest school we could choose that our parents would approve of. It wasn't even a full day's drive to get back home, but it was still so much more than we expected. We all figured we'd just go to the nearby community college and resign ourselves to our eternal sentence to Hawkins, Indiana. But all of us ended up at least getting partial scholarships to go here, so we all got lucky enough to keep the party together.

"When do you think the girls will get here?" I checked my watch, "We've been waiting out here almost twenty minutes."

"You don't have to wait with me. I just know that if I don't wait out here for Max she'll eventually find me and get mad at me for not doing so." He put a finger on his temple, "Improvise, adapt, overcome."

I laughed and took a sip from my own drink, hearing another scream, albeit one that's more familiar. We both turned again to see Dustin stumbling towards us, shirt all wet.

"What are you guys doing out here? The party is in there!"

Lucas yelled "Waiting on the girls. Max said she should be here soon."

"So-the-fuck-what," Dustin slurred as he approached us, putting one hand on each of us, "tell Max to come find ya when she gets here."

"I listen to my girlfriend when she asks things of me. Hence why I'm the only one with a girlfriend."

Dustin burped, and it smelt like beer and and chips. Lucas and I both recoiled but Dustin kept us in his grasp. "You deserved that. Steve, Mike, Will, and I choose to be single so we can get with any lady any time we want." I cringed at Dustin's words.

Lucas scoffed. "Because a girlfriend is the only thing that would hold you back."

"It is!" Dustin bellowed. "We're in college now. No girl here has even heard of the nickname 'toothless'. Believe me boys...college is a game of chess; the girls are the pawns...and I'm the king."

"You have no idea how chess works at all do you?"

"No, but you get my point."

"Steve's here?" I tried to change the subject, as obviously fun as it was.

Dustin nodded "Of course he is, how else do you think we got invited? By our own merit?"

I wanted to bring up how he was just saying how he was 'the king' or whatever, but I let it slide. I had totally forgotten Steve was in a fraternity here on campus. When we hung out, we mostly jammed or talked about random shit. Dustin was our only real link, being his practical little brother.

All three of us were in a band, one that I was quite proud of myself. We called ourselves 'Danny's Not Here' after what Danny says in The Shining. Well...more like I did and the reference went over their heads completely (until just recently). I'm pretty sure they thought it was something deep and insightful, but in reality I just always remembered that line from the movie, haunting my childhood. If I was deep and insightful we would at least have songs with lyrics.

Now, we play a good show. We always do. Dustin was on the drums, I played the bass, and Steve was our frontman; playing the guitar and singing. But so far, the only songs we do with lyrics are covers. I had planned on writing songs for us to sing and perform, but I wasn't known for being a wordsmith. I had no idea how to 'articulate my feelings into words'...or at least that's what my ex Heather said. Or was it Kelsey? I don't know.

Both Lucas and I were about to say something in rebuttal, but before we could, Dustin's jaw went slack. He was staring off at something, so we turned to see what. Instinctually, when I saw what he was looking at, I said a simple…

"Wow."

Jane H. / August 31st / 9:45 pm

I hated nearly everything about Mike Wheeler.

The only thing I didn't hate being that he knew when to shut up. A great attribute for someone as annoying as him to have.

He was your typical tall, lanky nerd who thinks he's better than everyone else because he's good at math and is in a band...if you could even call it that. It's just Mike, Dustin, and Steve Harrington (who I may or may not be deeply in love with). I still don't know how they convinced Steve, Hawkins High heartthrob, to be in their silly little band. Dustin probably guilted his older mentor to join; he can be a very persuasive person when he wants to be.

I've never even heard them play but the fact that the only places they've played in have all been garages, says everything.

So far living with him has been tolerable at best...and it's only a few weeks in. He's such a neat freak and takes any opportunity to call me out for something minor.

"Hopper! You left ur tampons on the kitchen counter"

"Hopper! Aren't these your dishes in the sink?"

"Hopper! It's your turn to take out the trash"

In all the time I've lived with Jim and Joyce, neither have ever mom'ed me this hard. I wouldn't dare step into Wheeler's room; I bet he makes you put germ-x on your hands and wipe your feet off on a door mat.

Wheeler. Hopper. Our little nicknames for each other. Everyone I know personally calls me El, friends and such. Wheeler used to call me that. Then in the midst of us fighting everyday during the first year of high school, he started to referring me to Hopper. It was a bit jarring at first, and it felt very much like a bite at my self esteem for some reason, but I was just glad he wasn't trying to call me Jane to my face, which is what anyone who doesn't really matter to me calls me.

"So he does matter to you." Max asserted.

I side-eyed her heavily from the passenger seat, "He's been in my life for over a decade. It kind of just happens."

"Hmm….sure." Max tutted, tapping the steering wheel.

Max was driving us to our first college party. I told her I'd just prefer to take an uber, but Max wouldn't have it; she likes being able to leave whenever she pleases. She's one half of a long term couple so I'm sure she doesn't have much reason or need to stay late at a frat party. Technically, I really shouldn't stay late either; I have a test tomorrow and I can't hold my alcohol for shit, but Max convinced me to go.

"You can't make me be the only girl in the group all the time." She whined, while rifling through my closet (she didn't even end up using any of my clothes, instead opting for a dress she had brought for me, like she knew she'd loathe everything I had).

But she had a point, it can be a bit hard to be the only girl in a group of boys. I consider both Max and I pretty tomboyish girls by most standards, but even we like to have some girl talk. What little feminine wiles we have seems to overwhelm the boys quite easily. Even my brother, Will, tended to turn red as a tomato when confronted with the most mild of female topics.

Except for Wheeler. He was raised in a house full of girls, sandwiched as the middle sibling between two very girly sisters. His first reaction to me starting my period for the first time at his place was for him to tell me where his sister Nancy hid her tampons. That's probably where he got most of his 'girlish' tendencies like ultra-cleanliness and his sense of style.

Speaking of, I usually don't feel so girly. Sure I liked rom-com's and looking nice, but I never wore anything like this.

"This is so revealing." I mumbled, pulling up the front of the dress and feeling weird about my bare-ass shoulders.

Max rolled her eyes. "You're eighteen El, I think it's about time to let the world know you have boobs." I blushed, "it's also hot and humid outside. I don't know why you'd wanna wear any more than that. I still think it's ridiculous how much you wear those boots."

I tilted my leg to look at my feet, seeing my oh-so-familiar combat boots I wore every season without fail. Doc Martens. Classics. "They're my boots."

"I know Ellie Bellie," Max patronized.

The GPS said we were almost there, and as soon as we turned on the street we could tell. Cars were lined up the street, and Max immediately groaned. I pulled out Max's phone and texted Lucas, knowing that was the quickest way to get a reply from any of the boys. I told him we were parking, and almost immediately he sent a reply:

Stalker 3: okay babe. Mike and I are outside.

I immediately rolled my eyes and let out a disgusted groan.

"What?" Max asked.

"He's outside...with Mike."

"You were gonna see him sometime tonight." At that moment, a car was just pulling out of their space on the side of the street. Max quickly pulled into the open spot, beating a truck. He honked while Max just gathered all her stuff together. She exited the car and walked around to my side, man continuing with the blares of his horn, finally driving off as soon as she opened my door.

I swung my purse on as I got out of the vehicle. Max closed my door and locked the car. "You give me anxiety Maxine."

"Weird. I wasn't expecting a call from my Mom."

I grabbed her hand and walked closer to her. "We nag cause we love."

We walked arm-in-arm, her heels clicking on the sidewalk. "Speaking of nagging; let's try to not have a repeat of Kelsey Foxworthy's Halloween party? Junior year?"

"Ugh," I grunted, letting go of her hand and throwing my head back. "Why must you bring that up?"

Kelsey Foxworthy was Wheeler's ex girlfriend from Junior year. Probably second on the 'Mike's Worst Girlfriend's' list...which included all of them. She was uptight, airheaded, and as snooty as they came. I could tell she absolutely abhorred sitting and being seen with us at lunch. As if just because we were in AV club and actually read books we were some sort of inferior creatures. So I was rude to her yeah...but her behavior called for it.

I could've been ruder. Always.

"I wasn't that bad…"

"You got fake blood all over Kelsey's furniture-"

"They were leather couches..."

"Puked in her bathtub-"

"Someone was taking the toilet!"

"And chased her around the house with a chainsaw."

We both paused our walking to meet eyes. "It was rubber. It wouldn't have hurt her." Max rolled her eyes and started walking again. "It was a halloween party! I dressed up as Leatherface! If she knew anything about movies she would've understood the reference."

"I don't think her not knowing who Leatherface is was the problem." I held back a retort, pressing my lips together. "I'm surprised Mike wasn't more mad at you than he was, especially after she broke up with him not two weeks later."

"Now that wasn't my fault..." I stated, not exactly a hundred percent about it.

Max nodded, "hmm...whatever helps you sleep at night Ellie Bellie."

The music was audible from our location, so we both quickened our pace towards it, interlocking arms again. I was able to make out the lyrics of 'In My Feelings' and smirked...should've figured frat boys would be into Drake.

We rounded the corner onto the street where the party was at, and it was just the second house down. We both spotted the boys standing out front amongst all the chaos. Lucas in his usual baseball tee and dark jeans. Mike wearing a tee shirt and black pants. Dustin in his baseball hat, jeans, and hoodie...each in the brightest colors.

"Either way...behave yourself Jane Eleanor Hopper. We all know you can't hold your alcohol for shit." Max tutted.

I was about to reply to Max when I heard: "Wow indeed Mike. El has boobs!" Dustin yelled loud enough for the both of us to hear over twenty feet away. Which earned him a punch from Mike.

Max laughed while I blushed, already for the second time tonight despite it just starting. We heard both Lucas and Mike chide him as we walked our way up the pavement driveway. Max broke away to hug Lucas, so I fiddled with my purse, suddenly self conscious.

"Hey dorks," Max said, coming back to put her arm around me. "I'd like to introduce-" she gestured towards my chest, "El's boobs!"

My arms immediately crossed over my chest while my face must've turned the darkest shade of red. "I hate you Maxine."

"Aw come on Ellie. You look cute." Her fiery hair whipped as she turned towards the guys, "doesn't she look cute gentlemen?"

Lucas and Dustin gave their forced-but-positive feedback while Mike took a sip of his drink.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "you don't think I look cute Wheeler?" I asked mockingly.

His eyes scanned up and down my body until meeting my eyes again, the slightest smirk on his face. "I just feel bad for the guy who takes you home tonight and goes to take off those shoes," he motioned towards my feet, "poor guy won't know what hit him."

My jaw clenched. "You look mighty fine too Wheeler," I scanned him up and down like he did me, "I hope the girl you take home knows how to fold your clothes properly so they don't wrinkle...god forbid right."

"If you're saying my clothes look clean and well-pressed then thank you."

"I'm saying you're an uptight, fucking-"

"Why is that a bad thi-"

"Not tonight!" Dustin interrupted, throwing his arm between the two of us. We both glared at each other; the air on fire between us. "We're going to get fucked up and party our asses off. I'm talking you are having withdrawal symptoms tomorrow fucked up-"

"I have a test tomorrow-"

"Don't wanna hear it Hopper! The night is young and so are we!" He raised his cup and chanted. Immediately chugging the rest and yelling while he ran back into the house. We all promptly followed suit.

Mike W. / August 31st / 10:31 pm

"Tell me, El's boobs, how does it feel to be out after being imprisoned for so long?" Dustin asked in a deep, very TV broadcaster voice. He was even pretending to hold a mic, going from pointing it towards his own mouth to Jane's chest.

I rolled my eyes.

Jane put one hand on her chest, and the other on Dustin's hand, covering the 'top' of the 'mic'. "I hate you sometimes Dusty." She still had a wide smile on her face.

Her hand stayed on top of Dustin's. I was standing next to where she was sitting on the counter in the kitchen. It was the least crowded room in the entire house thus far, so we just decided to set up camp there for the time being. We made a lazy circle in the middle; half of the group using the granite counters as seats. Jane was actually just about my height from where she was sitting...it was odd. About as odd as Dustin chatting up Jane for the past near half hour, mostly about her chest nonetheless.

"Has college changed you Ellie? Are you now gonna skip around campus giving the men of Chicago University heart palpitations?"

I scoffed into my drink, but I doubt either of them heard.

Jane shook her head. "Nah. Probably just special occasions. Can't have guys thinking that they can talk to me."

"Of course." Dustin stated. He was leaning on his arm next to Jane on the counter, awfully close.

My eyes automatically narrowed at him. I couldn't tell if he was just being drunk Dustin or actually hitting on Jane. We'd all been friends so long, at this point, you'd think something like that would be out of question.

From the corner of my eye I saw Dustin pat Jane's leg after telling her a joke.

"Hey Dustin? Didn't you say Steve had a bottle of rum hidden for us?"

The both of them seemed a bit taken aback by my interruption. "Umm...yeah."

"Well I think it's about time for the first round of party shots dontcha think?" I didn't think I was being rude, but Dustin was definitely looking at me like I was. Jane just leaned back against the cabinets.

His eyebrows furrowed together for a moment, then he stood up straight. "Yeah I guess so. I'll go look for that bottle." He walked away, disappearing out of view.

I took another sip of my drink, scanning my surroundings. Hopper sat next to me, muted as ever. Her legs started swinging back and forth, periodically hitting the cabinets below and making an empty sound. I can't confirm this, but I was sure she was doing it to get on my nerves. I assumed that of almost everything Hopper did anyway.

I lowered my right arm until it was right under Jane's kneecaps. My eyes met hers, "I know you're probably not used being in public and all...but that's rude."

Again, she was at my height, so she was able to look directly into my eyes too. "Every couple minutes I have to hear some shrill girl-scream, but my feet bumping into some cabinets is what becomes your undoing."

"Just because we're in a loud area doesn't mean you have to add to it."

"You didn't have to sit next to me," she crossed her arms, "or ruin my conversation with Dustin."

"You mean Dustin drunkenly talking to you about your boobs? Yeah I'm sure you were real keen on continuing that exchange."

She pressed her lips together and shook her head, releasing her arms. She scratched her right leg, so high up that her dressed nudge up too; I saw the bruise on her thigh again. It was on it's last leg (no pun intended), very yellow and barely noticeable. Jane being so pale probably being the only reason I could still see it. Although, it was higher than I remember...right next to the hem of her underwe-

"Do you need some mosquito repellant or something?" I cleared my throat and stood up completely.

Hopper must've noticed how high her dress had ridden up, cause immediately she pulled it down, still scratching over the material. "Yeah. These fuckers are eating me alive."

"We're indoors…"

"No shit sherlock," her tone was curt but she had the beginnings of a grin. "No matter how safe I think I am. Those bloodsuckers always get me; Indoors, through clothes, everything. You remember when we went to the lake that one summer. With My Dad and-"

"Tippecanoe? Yes of course! For their honeymoon right?" She nodded. God, it felt like a whole lifetime ago. We were all in middle school; as attached as ever. Joyce and Jim never really got to have a normal 'honeymoon' per say. They were both parents of young children when they first got married, so it was kind of out of the question for them to do anything extravagant, at the time just settling for a night out on the town while all of us stayed at my place.

About five years pass, and they decided to take us all to the lake for their five year anniversary. Sure, it wasn't the beach or Paris, but it was time away from home spent with family, so it was enough.

"Of course I remember. One of the best summers…" I momentarily got lost in a train of thought, but quickly dismissed it. "But yeah I do remember that. You looked like you had a rash all over your legs. It's a miracle you didn't get malaria." I took a sip then peered down into my cup, seeing the ends of my orange punch. I still didn't know exactly what was in it, but that isn't exactly a rarity considering the context.

I swore I saw out of my peripherals that Jane opened her mouth, presumably to say something, but instead she slid off the counter. Her thighs making a small squeak against the smooth granite. She headed towards the big punch bowl on the middle of the island. I was about to ask her to get a cup for me too when someone entered the kitchen.

"There they are! My kiddos!" I looked up to see Steve Harrington holding the elusive bottle of rum in one hand. He immediately went to Dustin's side and threw his arm over his younger counterparts shoulder. Steve was a couple inches taller than Dustin, clearing off at about six foot even. He was still a couple inches shorter than me but it never felt like it; between his hair, personality, and age he always felt bigger.

"Are you guys ready to get this party started?" Steve all but chanted. He sounded like a cheerleader. He was just talking to us (I think), but multiple other people outside our circle cheered along with him.

This was why I had wanted Steve as our frontman for Danny's Not Here. He had everything a frontman needed: looks...charisma...talent. Anytime we played in public people seemed to really wanna listen to him. It's something he's always had. Luckily, it never got to his head (too much), and he has remained a pretty grounded, chill guy for the most part. But then again I mostly knew 'bandmate' Steve...maybe 'fratboy' Steve was a bit different.

"Nice place you got here Steve." Will said politely while we all approached the island in the middle of the kitchen, Jane close behind him.

"Oh please it's a shitshow right now. You should see it right after the maids leave. Feels like a resort." Steve was pouring the shots into mini red solo cups.

At that, I just bit my lip and smiled.

"How often do you guys throw parties here?" Lucas asked.

Steve shrugged, finishing off the shots. "Whenever the occasion arises. Someone's birthday. Classes are cancelled. Just when we feel like it."

"Do the police ever come?" I asked, although it didn't seem to faze Steve. "I mean, you can hear this party from down the street."

"Most of the houses nearby are also fraternity or sorority houses. The rest of them are mostly students too so we just give them invites and they're chill." He puts his arm back around Dustin and raises his shot glass. I'm pretty sure it has their frat signs on it (whatever the terms for those are), but I can't tell. "But let's not mind that. This is the beginning of your college years; some of the best years of your life. Let's toast to it."

"To good times." He says, and we all follow suit. Our glasses all clink and we take the shots. It doesn't affect most of us that much, just a couple grimaces. Jane, however, starts coughing a bit.

"Sorry." She chokes out. The crook of her wrist is over her mouth and her eyes seem to already be watering.

I instantly smirk as I say to her, "lightweight."

Still coughing, she turns towards me and flips me off. She goes to the sink and fills up a cup of water. Will and I both watching the entire time.

"Sorry about that Ellie. It's pretty strong stuff." He goes to the fridge, passing by Jane and patting her on the back. Steve opens the door to the fridge and reaches in. "Who all wants a beer?"

All of us raised our hand, except for Will and Jane. Steve got a handful of cans, they looked like modelo's, and started handing them out. I got one in my hand and it didn't seem too cold, as if someone had just popped them in the fridge not too long ago. But beggars can't be choosers, and warm beer is better than none. It was gonna taste better later anyway the drunker I got. Just had to power through until I got there.

Yet another Cardi B song started playing and I cringed mid gulp, just adding to the already there disgust. I mentally reminded myself to try to find the source later. I couldn't stomach warm beer and this tactless playlist. All of the music they had been playing had sounded like each other; just noisy and meaningless. At least at the parties we had back in Hawkins someone would play MGMT or Two Door Cinema Club or something with more substance.

"So what's the plan?" Lucas queried, interrupting my train of thought.

"Well I've gotta introduce Dustin to a couple of people. Gotta play a couple rounds of 'have you met my friend Dustin?' with some girls I know." Dustin fist bumped Steve. "But as for you guys: me casa eh sue casa," I cringed at his pronunciation. How mighty white of him. "I'm sure there's a circle smoking outside and upstairs and everywhere. Feel free to join. There's punch bowls everywhere. And just about everyone I know from campus is here so house equals oyster. Explore away." He talked like he was doing a sales pitch, but while drunk. It was amusing.

"What about the pool out back?" Jane pointed through the kitchen window. "Can we swim?"

"Of course. Swim to your heart's content. Just no water sex; it's very unsanitary."

I swore I saw a bit of color on Jane's cheeks. "What if we didn't bring our bathing suits? Do you have any extras or…?"

It was an innocent enough question, but it was too tempting to not make fun of her for it. Just as I was about to open my mouth with a retort, Steve turned towards Hopper and said, "who says you need a swimsuit?" Then winked at her.

The rest of the party didn't really seem to hear, but both Jane and I did. Now I definitely saw color tint Hopper's cheeks. She pressed her lips together in a tight smile, brushing her fingers through her hair. It was safe to say she had a very positive reaction to Steve's comment.

I, however, just knitted my eyebrows together and felt a bit alarmed (to say the least). First Dustin doesn't shut up about Jane's boobs, then Steve basically gives her permission to strip in public? It just didn't feel right; we had all been friends for years now. It was past that point for those sorts of things...wasn't it?

My mind was too deep in thought to notice Steve rounding up Dustin to, presumably, hook him up with sorority girls. I did see, however, Jane watching the both of them as they exited.

"Maybe you should take a picture."

Honestly...I hadn't meant to say that out loud. Picking on Jane was one thing, but I didn't like outright embarrassing her, contrary to popular belief. I don't know if it was the alcohol already taking its effect on me or what. It seemed like no one had really heard...besides Hopper. She shot a fiery look in my direction, and if my face hadn't already felt hot from the party and the shots, I'm sure it would have then.

"C'mon Will let's go check out the rest of the house." She grabbed onto his shirt more than him, and started leading him away. He didn't put up any resistance; it was Will after all.

After they left, I noticed how even Max and Lucas had started making their way out into the crowd. I was left standing alone in front of the island, all of our used shot glasses scattered across the counter where they had been standing. I could tell which one was Hopper's from the ring of lip gloss left on the edge. A certain feeling swept over me, but I pushed it away.

I raised my beer into the air. "To good times." I said, bringing my beer back up to my mouth and taking a big swig.

Jane H. / September 1st / 12:07 am

I was supposed to be waking up in less than nine hours to go take a test I was already attempting to make up because of missing a class.

My Dad would be so disappointed if he saw me.

I dipped the ladle into the punch and fished out some blood orange liquid with a pineapple chunk. It was gonna be my third of the night...or the fourth. I wasn't exactly trying to do math on the weekend.

Thus far I had spent most of the night hanging out with Will, alternating which corners we we stuck to like the wallflowers we were. It was still a good time; watching Max's face turn as fiery as her hair from the alcohol coursing through her veins, Lucas singing out loud to all the songs that were playing, and Dustin hitting on just about every girl he came across. He was having pretty good luck tonight, but it must help to have the exquisite Steve Harrington being your wingman.

I still couldn't get over Steve being here. Him calling me 'Ellie' like he used to. Him winking at me after he said those words.

Who says you need a swimsuit?

Goosebumps rose on my skin. That was flirty right? It must've been. Or was that just a thing college people say to each other? I don't know. It was hard to say; I honestly barely knew the guy.

I hadn't seen him much since junior year; he was three years older than us and had been in college for a hot minute now. I'd spent nearly all my high school years getting all 'heart-eyes' anytime he got within a thirty feet vicinity of me. He was truthfully the only guy at Hawkins High I wanted to 'be with' (whatever that meant), but I could never really work up the guts to talk to him, me being just absolutely gutless when it came to things like that.

In fact, the closest I had ever gotten to a 'boyfriend' was that time in freshman year with Troy Peterson. I made out with him during my first ever high school party, and spent the subsequent couple months attempting to date him to no avail. I kind of gave up after that; resigned to single life until either Steve Harrington or one of the guys from the books I read came up to me and professed his undying love.

A sigh escaped my lips as I saw Steve make a couple girls laugh. I might as well be invisible.

"What's with the long face Janie?" Will asked.

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I thought only Mom and Dad called me that."

"What can I say? It's catching on." Will took a sip of his drink. He had been babysitting the same drink for the past half hour. I guessed he was the guys D.D. "Still, what's up?"

I made an exaggerated sad face. "Boys don't like me."

His eyebrows immediately furrowed. "Am I talking to the same girl who I've been pretending I'm dating so boys can leave her alone?"

I side-eyed him. "That's different."

Will rolled his eyes. "Boys have always liked you sis. It's been you who hasn't liked the boys. Which I'm sure Hop is pretty happy about. I'm happy about."

"Yeah...just not the boys I like." I was being dramatic and I knew it, but Will was the only one who'd put up with it.

"Ain't that how it always goes?" Will asked, dubious as ever to my girlish fantasies. "Always want what you can't have?"

As if on cue, the song changed from a Maroon 5 song I couldn't quite place, to something starting off with some kind of horn. It sounded very jazz like until it faded out to silence, then the person started singing. It sounded like a cool song, but definitely not something a fraternity brother would play at his first mixer. Almost instantly, I knew the culprit.

"Mike."

He was so pretentious. This happened every party we went to; Mike thought his music was better than any music the owner of the house could be playing, so he always made it his mission to find the source and change it somehow. Such a music snob. The boy makes a band and thinks he's the next Alex Turner or something.

Will looked up towards the speakers, as if hearing the music for the first time, and nodded. "Well I guess Mike has found the aux cord." He laughed, "I haven't seen him really this whole party. Have you?"

"No, but I think I'll go find him. I think he's trying to turn this party into something from a Sofia Coppola movie."

"Am I supposed to understand that reference?"

I smiled and kissed his cheek, "I'll be right back Billy boy."

"No fair!" He called after me as I walked away. I knew he hated the nickname his Mom and brother called him.

The party was still very much in full swing, with no signs of ceasing anytime soon. Although the house itself looked like it could take a breather. No matter where I went, everything was sticky and reeked of sweat and sugar. I couldn't imagine being the ones to clean this up tomorrow...especially since they'll probably be hungover too.

My Dad would be so very disappointed in me right now.

Growing up as the police chief's daughter has its perks; people were afraid to fuck with me and let me keep to myself most of the time (which was my goal). As I got older, though, I realized that it also alienated me from stuff like being invited to parties or being asked out to prom. Everyone was afraid I'd snitch or something, even though I couldn't think of a more secretive person than myself, but I guess that's easy for me to say.

My phone in my hobo purse vibrated, so I took it out of the front pocket and checked the notification, it was from Max.

MadMax: Wanna take 1 last round of party shots before we bounce?

Ellie Bellie: When r u guys planning on leavin?

MadMax: Idk about u guys, but Lucas is drivin us home in like an hour. Ur free to join.

Ellie Bellie: I'm down. Text will I'll meet u guys in the kitchen.

I huffed and looked around. I had already searched most of downstairs to no avail. I followed the speakers all around each room, double-taking and sipping on my punch as I went. I didn't realize how tipsy I was until I tried walking a straight line without bumping into anything. Everyone was so very loud and everything, everything was moving.

The only place I hadn't looked was upstairs, so I let a sigh escape my lips before I grabbed onto the banister and ascended the stairs. I didn't even remember why I had initially started looking for Mike, but I was going up the stairs now...so might as well keep going. I must've had a good reason.

It was darker upstairs, and I was careful about what rooms I peeked into, not wanting to stumble upon a very naked couple having sex or something. I decided to do what was most logical at the moment.

"Mike!" I yelled. "Mike where are you?" I half sing-songed unintentionally.

I leaned up against the wall and closed my eyes. I could feel my heart beating everywhere on my body, and right now it sounded like it was beating along to the song that was playing.

Spreading all my love for you.

You never tell me all that you do.

I hummed along to the song I didn't know, hugging my chest. It was still so weird to feel my bare shoulders.

"Mike!" My voice cracked at the end and I started coughing. I didn't think I was yelling that loud but it was hard to hear over the music.

Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and I quickly jerked away, falling down in the process with a loud thud. A very unattractive sound came out of my mouth as I rolled onto my back with my hand on my forehead. I probably both looked and sounded like I was in pain, but I was used to bumping into things. More or less I was just incapable of getting up.

"Jesus christ El, you still can't hold your alcohol for shit." I heard a familiar voice mumble while helping me up. "Are you okay?"

I groaned and protested, body both goo and rock at the same time. "I'm fine," I mumbled, my head kind of lolling to the side, "have you seen Mike?"

My feet finally fit under me and I opened my eyes to not see Max or any other friendly face, but Mike himself. He still had his hands on my arms even though I was already leaning up against the wall.

"Oh so I'm Mike now?"

My eyebrows knitted together. "Wheeler I've been looking for you."

"You mean yelling all over the house for me then passing out against a wall? Yeah you're doing a real bang-up job."

"I found you still."

"No actually, I found you. What are you doing up here anyway?"

I pouted and shook him off, trying to appear more sober. "What are you doing up here Wheeler? Getting hot and heavy with some sorority chick? Should I excuse myself?"

He rolled his eyes, "I was just changing the music-"

"Yeah I heard," I interrupted, "what's it with you assuming you know better than everyone else?"

Now his eyebrows knitted together, "you're one to talk miss I-know-everything-and-you-don't."

"At least I don't come into people's house and change things about it without their permission." I attempted to take another sip from my punch, but Wheeler's hand stopped me. He took the drink out of my hand with ease. "Hey that's mi-"

"Did you get this for yourself?" He pointed to the drink.

I rolled my eyes. "Yes. Of course I did. God you sound like Will." I saw him eye the contents of the cup, about a third to half of it remained. "Drink it."

He scrunched up his nose, "what?"

"Drink it. Obviously you need a drink if you're up to lecture me." The words all slurred together unintentionally. "Our friends are waiting to do shots with us downstairs. Just drink and let's go downstairs and have a good time."

"I thought you were mad at-"

Like the drunk woman I was, I put my fingers on his lips, shushing him. "Doesn't matter. We're here to have a good time right? Isn't that what Steve said?" My hand dropped from his mouth.

His eyes met mine. He looked like he had something on the tip of his tongue, I swear. I hadn't been this close to him in some time; I had forgotten just how dark his brown eyes were and how many freckles he had. I wanted to say something about it, but I didn't. I just motioned to the drink and waited. Immediately, he put the cup to his mouth and drank it all, tilting his head almost all the way back in the process. I could see his adam's apple bob as he did so.

When his eyes met mine again his upper lip had a little bit of beer foam on it. The next song had started. "Let's go Hopper."

Mike W. / September 1st / 8:21 am

I didn't really remember much about last night beyond Hopper and I going downstairs to do shots again with the rest of our party. She had come upstairs to find me apparently (not unlike how I spent my beginning of the night), and I found her in the hallway with her hands on her shoulders looking like she was about to nod off.

But I did remember Max and her getting there, and Dustin making the biggest deal about her boobs, to my chagrin. Jane always dressed very modestly, so I'll admit it was something that took me aback when I first saw her, but I wasn't gonna be like Dustin and oogle over my friends breasts. Even though it was pretty amusing to see her turn red and not have a quick retort.

I remember hanging out upstairs alone, trying to think clearly. I wanted my band to work, and now that we all were in college...all together, it was possible. I was just being really angsty about it all.

I remember dancing. Specifically Jane. I had put on my own personal party playlist and she had seemed to like it. For the first time in years Jane and I were able to be around each other and not wanna rip each others heads off.

All it took was copious amounts of alcohol.

Then I remember kissing, or being kissed. I'm not quite sure; the whole memory seems like it's in a haze. Hands on a foggy glass or something. The kiss tasted sweet and minty. It could've been a dream.

I didn't remember anything besides that.

So when I woke up lying face to face next to Jane Eleanor Hopper in her bed, my immediate reaction was…

"Fuck."