Word spread like fire across Hawkins High the moment Alice was seen in the parking lot with Billy on Friday morning; she was his new flavor of the week. It had only been a day and already she was annoyed with everyone, including Robin. She acted the least bit surprised about it, but her taunts were starting to grow old. For the last few hours, she had been calling Alice Baby Bear; not creative at all in her opinion.

And when Alice managed to find some peace, someone else came along and annoyed her. It was an endless cycle and honestly, it was none of their business. So why wasn't anyone leaving her alone?

At the end of the day, Alice stood near her locker, gathering her books and trying to ignore the stares – Robin was in band class, so unfortunately, she had no one to distract her from them. A pair of legs came into view, and she shut the door, thinking Billy was there to escort her to the parking lot, but she was wrong. The familiar grin of King Steve made Alice raise a brow.

"Hey," he greeted her.

"Can I help you?" Alice asked.

Where was Robin when she needed her? She'd love this.

"Yeah, um, I was wondering if you knew Nany Wheeler," Steve mentioned.

"She's in my science class. We sometimes partner up for lab," Alice retorted truthfully.

Why did he want to know?

"Has she maybe said anything about me to you?" He asked.

Something about his tone made her sympathize with him. The breakup must have been worse than she had heard.

"Sorry, but no," Alice answered. Shifting her books, she sighed.

Robin hated him, but honestly, since dating Nancy he had become a nicer person. Alice didn't know the details that tore them apart, but it was sad the lengths he was going to gather information.

"Honest opinion Steve, if you like Nancy, stop asking everyone else to find out information from her."

He looked lost. Before Alice could explain further, a loud whistle interrupted her.

Steve scratched his cheek awkwardly.

"He's got eyes on you."

Who?

Alice turned and glanced down the hall to where Tommy and Carol were; two acquaintances that Billy had introduced her to at breakfast. The only reason why the two of them even talked to her was that she was dating the new king bee. It was bad that they had seen her, however.

"Go see her; ask Nancy how she feels. She owes you an explanation at least," Alice explained as she turned around to face Steve.

"Thank you," Steve uttered. "And don't let them give you a hard time."

Alice hummed; easier said than done.

"I wish you the best Steve."

As she turned, she noticed that Tommy was no longer standing beside Carol. A sense of dread consumed Alice, but she ignored it, walking over to her.

"Is he desperate?" She asked with a grin.

The urge to turn up her eyes was strong, but Alice hummed and passed her. Carol walked beside her as they both exited the school; she talked about Steve like he was the plague and how Billy made her realize how uncool he was, but Alice didn't care. Not so long ago she was friends with him, so her opinion of Steve was unfair.

Alice saw the Camaro in the parking lot and to her horror, Tommy was having a conversation with Billy; one that reeked of guess what I saw. Breaking away from Carol, she walked over to Billy hoping to defuse the conversation before it got too heated.

The bad blood started between him and Steve before she had agreed to date the blond, so she hoped an argument wouldn't peruse because Tommy and Carol had witnessed what they thought was a revenge tactic orchestrated by Steve.

"Are you ready to go?" Alice asked the blond.

She was aware that Max was not in the car yet, but if it took his mind off Steve for a moment, she didn't mind playing the fool.

"Just a minute," Billy answered.

He glanced around the parking lot and towards the door as if he was looking for someone. Steve, Alice reckoned. That meant Tommy had tattled on her.

Sighing in annoyance, she shook her head.

"I'll ask Robin to take me home."

Alice turned to walk back inside, but Billy stopped her.

"Wait a minute," he pleaded, bringing her by the arm over to him. "What's the matter?"

She took an uneasy breath leaning close so that Tommy and Carol couldn't hear what she was about to say.

"I'm not in the mood to watch you and Steve argue with one another," Alice admitted. "I know Tommy was so eager to make it seem like he was talking to me to piss you off, but he wasn't. And when I agreed to date you, I didn't sign up to watch you beat up on Steve."

Billy scoffed and trailed his tongue over his lip, then motioned for Tommy and Carol to leave.

"I'll talk with Harrington later," he mentioned.

When the two walked away, Billy put his hand on Alice's lower back.

"I'm not going to fight with him. I was just going to ask him what he felt was so important he had to ask you."

She narrowed her eyes.

"Or you could ask me."

Billy sighed and raised a brow.

"What did he want?"

"He asked me for information about Nancy. She and I have a class together," Alice answered honestly.

She hoped that he would leave it be, but he didn't look satisfied.

"Out of all the girls in this school, she has a class with, he comes to you for advice. He's up to something," Billy mentioned in annoyance.

"We don't know how many people he asked before me, or if he wanted to rile you up," Alice stated in Steve's defense. The guy seemed to be emotionally exhausted; flirting was the last thing she thought of when speaking to him. "Besides, he doesn't have a Camaro; it would never work between us."

Billy snorted.

"I'm starting to think you only said yes because you like my car."

Alice hummed. At least his mind was off Steve now.

"It's 100% the reason."

Billy grinned and pulled her against his chest.

"I think someone needs to walk home today."

"Have mercy," Alice begged.

Leaning up, she pressed her lips against him for a brief kiss.

"Is that better?"

"For halfway maybe," Billy answered.

Alice hummed.

"What will get me all the way? We're in the school parking lot so behave."

"It's hard when you're teasing me like that."

Cracking a grin, she raised a brow waiting on him to answer. Under her breath, she started to sing the Jeopardy theme song.

"Go on a date with me Saturday night," Billy suggested.

Alice frowned.

"I don't think I can. My dad would never––"

"How did you manage to end up in bed with me after Tina's Halloween party?" Billy asked, interrupting her.

Alice felt her face heat up.

"My father thought I was with Robin, and she took me, but that won't work again."

"Then let's go talk to him," Billy suggested.

Alice couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"That's a horrible idea. He doesn't even know that we're dating."

"First impressions make a lasting impression," Billy quoted.

Alice snorted.

"How many fathers have let you take their daughters out for the night?"

"Get in the car smartass," Billy teased with a laugh.

Alice had a bad feeling about this, but she parted from him, getting into the passenger side despite how she felt. As Billy started the engine, she realized that someone was missing.

"Where is Max?" She asked.

"Not here," Billy answered.

Alice hoped that didn't mean he planned to leave her. As he tore from the school parking lot Alice felt bad for not saying something sooner.

"Promise me she'll be OK."

Billy rested his hand on her knee, squeezing it.

"Relax. She's with some kids her age she met at the arcade."

Alice hoped so.

But relaxing was not in her cards, not when she was about to bring a guy home.

As Alice feared, her parents were home; her father's company truck was in the driveway with her mother's Chevrolet C10.

She reached down and squeezed Billy's hand as he parked the Camaro next to the Chevy.

"Are you nervous?" He asked.

"Extremely," she answered.

Billy raised her hand and kissed it. Alice didn't know where this chivalry came from, but she appreciated it.

She took an uneasy breath then exited the car, hearing the driver's side door open as she walked towards the front porch. At least someone was confident.

Her father came out of the house – the car wasn't one he recognized – and immediately Alice felt more anxious than before.

"Who's this?" He asked her, turning his attention to Billy.

"Afternoon sir," Billy greeted as he walked up on the porch. He offered her father his hand and the said man took it. "I'm Billy Hargrove."

"Clark," the balding man replied.

"Hargrove? You're not from around here, are you?"

"No sir. I moved from California just recently with my dad and his new wife," Billy answered.

Alice frowned. Why did he hate Max so much?

"Is that your car?" Clark asked gesturing with his head. "It's a 1979 Chevrolet Camaro Z-28, isn't it?"

"It sure is. Do you want to take a look?" Billy asked.

Clark grinned.

"Might as well."

He followed Billy to the Camaro and waited as the latter popped the hood. Alice didn't know what to do, so in the meantime, she sat on the porch and watch them talk. What angle was Billy playing? She sighed.

Hearing the front door open Alice watched her mother Faye come outside.

"Who is that?" She asked.

"He's a friend of mine from school. He offered to show dad the Camaro," Alice answered.

Faye raised a brow.

"Friend, you say. A boy like him doesn't seem like the friend type. Where is Robin?"

"She had band practice," Alice answered, ignoring her comment.

Faye watched them for a minute then grinned.

"He's smart. Your dad loves nice cars."

Alice didn't know that about him.

"How so?"

She raised a brow in question.

"You can tell a lot about a person by the way they take care of their vehicles; my dad taught me that," Faye explained.

"What do you think Dad sees in him?" Alice asked.

Her mother snorted.

"That he sees you as more than a friend."

Her face heated up. She knew that much.

"And I'm willing to bet he's going to ask your dad to take you out," Faye added.

"Do you think he'll say yes?" Alice asked.

She nodded.

"It's the same angle he played to impress my father. Except he had a Plymouth."

The sound of the hood shutting brought her attention back to the two as Clark led Billy back to the porch.

"Ma'am," Billy greeted.

Faye hummed.

"Will you be joining us for dinner tonight?"

Billy frowned.

"I'd like to, but I have to pick up my step-sister at the arcade. Perhaps another time."

Reaching out he took Alice's hand and squeezed it.

"And don't forget to thank your dad," he added.

Alice's eyes widen. Did he say yes? Shaking her head, she watched as the blond say goodbye to her family, then leave. She couldn't believe it.

And why go through the struggle for one date? Alice just the flavor of the week.

Wasn't she?