Caught Up in You

by millennialfanfic16

Imagine a world where Steve and Billy were best friends. Now imagine what happens when their paths begin to diverge. Steve enjoys his popularity, while Billy enjoys getting into trouble and getting away with it. They co-exist. Until Steve sees her on Billy's arm. What's the story there? And what comes next? *Rated T-M depending on chapter*

1. Before the Storm

Author's Note: Please be aware I have rated this story as M. Most chapters will most likely lean towards a "T" rating. In the instances they are considered more mature, I wanted to be add a blanket warning.

Chapter One: Before the Storm

You might not believe it if you looked at them now; but, once upon a time Billy and Steve were friends. Some might even say they were best friends. Their interests and hobbies were similar. Whenever their parents allowed them to hang out, they had They met when Billy and his family moved to Hawkins at the beginning of eighth grade. Freshman year of high school their already close friendship only continued to blossom. They had several classes together and ran in the same friend group. If Steve was causing any mischief, then Billy was right there and vice versa.

The summer before tenth grade was when things began to sour. The boys would make plans and Billy would neglect to show up. On multiple occasions, Steve would go catch their mutual friends hanging out with just the other boy. It would have been fine, except during those outings, no one invited him. Soon enough, Billy withdrew from their shared social activities all together. The people he associated with became different. They were the outcasts who were well-known to be up to no good. And not in a innocuous sort of way. These people would smoke before class, in the school, deface public probably, and God only knew what else.

While Steve's overall popularity skyrocketed, Billy's plummeted. Both were conventionally attractive and well-liked in their opposing social circles. One area their circles continued to converge was in several of the classes they shared. One in particular was Physical Education. It wasn't often when Billy would attend anyway. He considered the class to be more of an elective rather than a requirement for him. For some reason, it seemed like no matter how many rules were broken, or how much paint the custodian needed to clean off the walls, there was never any consequences for the rebel's actions. It never made sense to Steve why Billy could get into a fistfight in the hallway and then show up for the class the next day. Shouldn't there have been some sort of suspension or anything?

Overall, the once close pair managed to stay out of each other's way. Hawkins High School wasn't the largest, but there were enough buffers. They never addressed the crumbling of their friendship. It just seemed easier for them to go follow their own paths. Steve's parents had told him being a teenager was difficult. Friends, even the closest, would grow apart. It was okay because it made room for other friendships to bloom. Correct in their assumptions, the boy found himself connecting with a bunch of other people in various social groups. He had jock and cheerleader friends, nerd friends, even a band geek or two caught his attention. These days one of his closest friends was a freshman girl named Robin.

Now, remember, the two boys managed to keep their few interactions cordial. High school could be difficult enough without going out of your own way to start brawling with a classmate. Steve enjoyed his social standing. Everyone liked him, he was invited to all the best parties, and he was starting to notice girls giggling and twirling their hand when he came around. His grades were passable, not perfect, but hey, he tried his best. Most of the time. Those girls really were pretty. You could say he was living every adolescent boy's dream.

Everything was going just fine, near perfect, even. That was until one day. It was a day he swore he would remember for the rest of his life. It was the first day back from Christmas break. He and Robin had just got off the bus and there was a light dusting of snow on the grown. It was a brisk 28 degrees that day. There was an overcast. He was wearing a green jacket with a matching hat. The hat was knitted from his grandmother as a Christmas present. Steve couldn't believe his eyes and stopped dead in his tracks.

Just outside the main entrance to the school was Billy standing with his loser crew of friends. That didn't matter. What did was that his arm was draped around her: Emily Miller.