Chapter 10

Thank you for my first review - -Peralta and to the follows/favorites from everyone. Here's the next chapter. I really enjoyed Season 2 so it's easier and much faster for me to write so updates should be frequent. PS sorry if it's shorter…

"GUYS WE HAVE SCHOOL!" Nancy called, banging on Steve's door from the hallway. "Do you think they're awake?" Lacey heard Jonathan ask.

Lacey rolled over into Steve who smiled at her. "Can we just stay here all day?" He moaned before pulling her into a hug and kissing her forehead. Lacey grinned at him as Nancy started to knock again. "WE'RE COMING!" Lacey yelled and Nancy stopped and she heard them walk away. "Come on, we have to show our faces today otherwise it'll just be awkward." Lacey said, jumping up out of bed and going into the bathroom to turn on the shower.

Once they'd gotten dressed Lacey grabbed her bag and they walked out of Steve's room and down the stairs "It took you long enough!" Nancy complained before she and Jonathan walked out the door.

It was five minutes until the bell rang when they arrived at Hawkins High. Steve parked in the usual spot and they got out of the car. Lacey turned her head in the direction where Billy usually parked his car but it wasn't there. Lacey smiled at Steve who looked relieved. "Thank god." He stated and Lacey chuckled. "I'll see you at lunch." Lacey informed him and he nodded, pecked her and walked up to his locker. The bell rang as Nancy and Lacey went to English. Tina and Carol were absent from the class which helped with Lacey's looming headache, not having to hear them gossip and cackle every 5 minutes. Don't get Lacey wrong, Tina wasn't all bad it was Carol that was the problem and when they were together Tina liked to act the way Carol did.

They'd gone almost half of the day without bumping into Billy who seemed to have skipped first and second period and only arrived for third.

Lacey was grabbing her book for Math out of her locker when Billy approached. He leaned casually on Nancy's locker and eyed Lacey out with a devilish grin on his face. Lacey tried to ignore him but he cleared his throat to get her attention.

"Where's your boyfriend today Henderson?" He questioned and Lacey looked at him with a scowl on her face until she noticed there was a slight bruise forming below his left eye where Steve had punched him last night and Lacey couldn't help but smirk at him.

"You two are usually glued at the hip?" He pressed and Lacey continued with the silent treatment. "Oh and by the way it seems like you like it rough?" He asked, the grin on his face widening. Lacey knew he was talking about her slapping him last night and she couldn't keep quiet any longer. "Yeah, Steve does a good job." Lacey finished, slamming her locker shut. Billy didn't flinch but his grin had faded. She spun on her heel and strolled down the hall feeling his eyes burning on her back. She disappeared into the crowd and found her way to Math where Steve was waiting for her.

At the end of the day Steve and Lacey met at Steve's car as usual. Nancy and Jonathan had gone off somewhere so it was just the two of them today. Steve opened the door for Lacey and when Lacey was about to get in Billy called out for Steve.

"HEY, HARRINGTON…" He yelled across the car park and some students that were filing out of the school stopped to stare. Billy took his index finger and slid it across his throat then pointed it to Steve and ending with a flip of his middle finger.

Steve looked down at Lacey who shook her head, warning him not to start anything again so Steve nodded back and chose to ignore Billy. He closed Lacey's door and trotted over to his side and got into the car. They zoomed off and arrived at Lacey's house.

"Thanks." Lacey said to Steve who nodded and winked but before Lacey got out the car she turned again to him, "Are you afraid Billy's going to do something?" Lacey asked him and Steve shook his head but Lacey could see it in his eyes that he was just trying to be tough for her sake. "I feel like he's all talk no action and besides he didn't hit back last night?" Steve reminded Lacey and Lacey looked unconvinced. "Well that is because Jonathan pulled you away just before he could." Lacey added and Steve scoffed. "Look, don't worry about me, I've got this handled." He said and Lacey scoffed this time before kissing him. "I love you." She ended and he smiled and responded, "I love you too." She got out the car and headed into the house, duffle bag and school bag in hand. She noticed that Dustin wasn't home yet and her mom was still at the office so she got out her school books and placed them on the dining room table ready to start her homework.

A few hours later Dustin arrived home carrying 5 library books and his school backpack. Lacey looked up and Dustin startled himself when he saw her there. "Hey!" He greeted, casually but his eyes were darting around nervously. Dustin dashed to his room before Lacey could respond. Lacey watched her brother disappear and when he didn't show his face for the rest of the afternoon she decided to see what was going on. Around 17:00pm their mom called and asked Lacey if she could get started on dinner as she was stuck at the office. Lacey agreed and hung up and knew it was her chance to see what Dustin was up to.

She walked up the stairs and down the passage to Dustin's room but she nearly tripped over Yertle, Dustin's pet turtle on her way there. "What are you doing out of your cage little guy?" She questioned, picking up the reptile that retreated into his shell. She knocked on Dustin's door and her brother opened the door slightly, showing his head and arm that was holding one of the books he'd gotten from the library.

Lacey showed Dustin the turtle and he sighed in relief, "Thanks." He said, taking the turtle from her grip. "Mom called and asked me to get started on dinner so I'm going to make Mac and Cheese is that cool?" She asked and Dustin nodded hurriedly trying to close his door but Lacey stopped him. "Is everything alright?" She asked again and Dustin nodded, this time responding, "Yes, I'm just doing some light reading for science." He showed her the book and Lacey saw that it was regarding reptiles and amphibians. She nodded and before he managed to close his door Lacey said, "Keep an eye out on Yertle, you know how Mews is." Mews was their mother's cat and Lacey and Dustin sometimes swore she loved that cat more than them.

Lacey let Dustin close his door and she walked back to the kitchen to start on dinner.

The next day when Lacey drove past the middle school she noticed Mike and Lucas digging in the rubbish bin outside. Dustin, who'd left earlier than usual that morning, was standing with the same girl that had gotten out of Billy Hargrove's car on the first day, shielding Mike and Lucas from nosy kids who wanted to see what was going on.

They looked like they were bickering. Lacey frowned but continued on to the high school wanting anything less than to hang out with a relation of Billy.

A few minutes before Lacey drove by;

"Mike, stop being a baby and do it already!" Dustin ordered Mike and Mike crinkled his nose as he stood in the recycle bin outside of the middle school.

"This is disgusting, is it really necessary?" Max asked joining the boys but her nose pointed up in disgust.

"What the hell is going on?" Max added looking at Dustin.

"What do you think, we're looking for Dart." He confirmed and Max nodded, still with a look of disgust on her face but looking at Mike in the bin.

"Ugh!" Mike moaned coming up for air.

Lucas joined them at this point, "Well, well, well." He said looking at the trio.

"Look who finally decided to show up." Dustin said sarcastically looking at Lucas who rolled his eyes. "Where's Will?" Lucas asked, ignoring Dustin's remark. "He'll be here." Dustin responded and Lucas looked up at Mike. "So what, are you just going to stand there or are you going to help?" Mike questioned Lucas and Dustin. Dustin shook his head, pointing his two fingers to his eyes then the surroundings, but Lucas groaned and joined Mike in the bin.

Dustin saw Lacey drive by at this point and hoped she wouldn't stop and ask what they were doing.

Lacey arrived home and saw Dustin was there already. She opened the door but when she saw Dustin standing still in the middle of the passage staring at something Lacey cleared her throat. "Okay, okay I don't know what to say…" Dustin cried. Lacey looked around Dustin and uttered a cry herself or what she thought was a cry, no sound came out of her mouth. "Dart, what you did? "He asked the creature that was sitting on top of Mews, blood oozing out its mouth. "What is that?" Lacey finally found her voice and asked, shocked. It opened its mouth into a petal shape and sharp jagged teeth were seen while it screeched. The all too familiar screech of the Demogorgon that they'd fought last year.