Chapter 14: Let's Hear It For The Boy

"Let's hear it for the boy

Ah, let's give the boy a hand

Let's hear it for my baby

You know you gotta understand

Oh, maybe he's no Romeo

But he's my lovin' one-man show"

Friday. January 10th, 1986.

POV: Winter Reid

The halftime buzzer blares out. The score reads 35-18. Our boys are doing well.

Ew, our boys?

I guess the school spirit worms have already entered and consumed a significant portion of my brain.

The fans in the stands sit down and the cheerleaders around me start to stand up. A sound akin to helium being slowly released from a balloon emits to my right. I turn my head towards Helen, who releases another long squeak of excitement. I raise my eyebrows, in a small, what the hell was that? gesture.

She either doesn't notice my sarcastic expression or doesn't care.

"Oh! Half-time!" Helen bounces on the tips of her toes. "This is my favorite part!"

"I thought you said the national anthem was your favorite part," I tease.

"Oh, every part is my favorite part!"

Marissa Randall turns around to the back row. Helen freezes immediately and regards her solemnly.

"Time for a show, ladies," the cheer captain says, her voice dripping with confidence. "Everyone stay tight? Got it?"

The girls all nod diligently. My eyes dart around, I didn't realize cheerleading was so… authoritarian. I quickly nod as well.

The front row files out and walks toward the basketball players who are sitting on the bench, resting from the first half of the game. Marissa Randall stands in front of Jason Carver, talking loudly and twirling a strand of hair around her finger. The rest of us follow and my eyes glance around the gym around as we approach the bleachers.

The Hawkins tiger mascot is in the center of the court, clumsily dancing and trying to make the crowd laugh. I stop next to Helen at the end of the players' bench, watching whatever teenager is inside the costume flail, probably experiencing the early stages of heat exhaustion.

I notice Lucas Sinclair is sitting down, still wearing his warm up suit because he hasn't played yet. He's speaking softly to a tall boy standing up in front of him. I lean around Helen and catch his eye. He looks away, and then looks back, doing a double take.

"Hey, Lucas," I say simply.

"Winter?" He asks, sounding surprised. "What are you doing here?"

I look down at my uniform and then back up at him. Lucas still looks confused.

"Um... I'm kind of a cheerleader now," I answer slowly.

"Does Eddie know you're here?"

I cock my head at his question, do I need Eddie's permission to be here?

Lucas clears his throat. "I just mean... it's surprising to see you... here." He gestures vaguely to the whole gym.

"Yeah, I'm still getting used to it." I shrug my shoulders and smile at him. "It's nice to see you here, too," I add quickly. I mean it. He's a nerd like me but he's still trying to do something new and I respect that.

The tall boy is watching me. Helen is looking back and forth, as if surprised that I'm daring to speak to the players at all. My eyes drift back to the court. The Tiger mascot is now recreating a scene from Karate Kid with a large raccoon.

"What is that?" I ask, loudly. Helen scoffs next to me.

"That's Briarwood's mascot," she hisses, sounding embarrassed.

"Why is it a raccoon?" I ask.

She breathes out a small laugh and glances around.

"That makes no sense," I continue. "They should definitely be the wasps or the bumblebees."

"Why?" A new voice asks me. I don't look over to see who the voice belongs to.

"C'mon... the basketball players wear yellow jackets. The cheerleaders are dressed like bees with a gigantic B on their chest... who the hell picked raccoon?" I lay my palm out flat, gesturing to the mascot as it attempts a high kick.

I hear a burst of laughter to my right. I look at Helen who is staring at me, bewildered, but she's not laughing. I look over and see the tall boy, the boy with the lopsided smile from outside, softly chuckling. I glance over to Lucas, who offers me an amused smirk.

I suddenly feel embarrassed, my internal monologue has spilled out… again.

"That's a really good point," the boy says, he's staring at me and smiling. He has a pretty smile.

The mascots run off of the court and I snap my heads toward them. The teen DJing sets his earphones over his head and looks at Marissa Randall. She gives him a short nod and turns to face the squad.

"Show time," Helen whispers to me excitedly.

I try to shake off the feeling that the boy is still watching me.

The cheerleaders start to walk onto the court and find their positions, I follow closely behind Helen and we settle in the back right corner.

I set my pom-poms behind my back and stare down at my shoes, the other girls assume the same position. The crowd goes silent. I can feel the pulse of my heartbeat in my head and my stomach feels as if it's elevated to my throat. I stare at my Reeboks, trying to zone into the moment instead of out of it.

Just breathe. Pretend like you're a girl on MTV. Channel Stevie Nicks. No, she twirls too much. You need precision. Madonna. Yeah. Be Madonna.

The opening notes of Holding Out for a Hero pumps out from the speakers. My feet start bouncing in place and everyone's sneakers beat the ground, creating an increasing tempo.

Our heads snap up in sync.

Does this look cult-y? It feels cult-y.

Our hands go above our heads in a V formation. My hips shake left to right and my arms drop straight down.

Where have all the good men gone

And where are all the gods?

My arms extend to the left and the sweep upwards, creating a half circle in the air. Our hips push backwards and swing around at the same time. My eyes cast to my right and I watch Helen moving, she looks ecstatic.

Where's the streetwise Hercules

To fight the rising odds?

A flurry of pom-poms sweep and shake in the air above our heads. I whip my head to the right causing my ponytail to spin in a circle like a propeller. The tempo increases and two small groups converge to create stunt towers. Girls are thrown into the air and spin, then land safely into baskets formed by their teammates. Two blondes run past each other across the front of the court, cartwheeling and tumbling with ease. Marissa Randall commands the front center, her elbows point in perfect angles and her hair whips like she's in a shampoo commercial.

Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed

Late at night, I toss and I turn

And I dream at what I need

We continue to shake our hips, bending forward, and then whipping back up causing our hair to rise and fall like waves forming in a pool. My skirt swishes flirtatiously and my feet continue to pound the lacquered floor along with the beat.

I need a hero!

I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night.

He's gotta be strong, and he's gotta be fast

And he's gotta be fresh from the fight

The flow of performance has taken hold of everyone. I can feel the energy crackling between the squad as we move in perfect synchronicity. It is intoxicating, being in the center of it all. I know I'm remembering every step exactly, hitting every beat with precision, and I feel like I look damn good doing it.

I remember how I used to watch the cheerleaders glow from the corner of the gym. Time would slow as girls flew into the air, hovering for a moment and then twisting downwards. I held my breath, wondering how they existed fearlessly in the moment between falling and floating. I would watch with envy as everyone danced in the middle, they seemed to levitate and shine. That glow is now hovering over my skin. I can feel it like a cold front, brushing goosebumps across my arms and painting me with radiance. I feel poised and alluring. It makes me feel alive.

I need a hero!

He's gotta be sure, and it's gotta be soon

And he's gotta be larger than life

I hit the final beat as the song ends. One arm bends behind my back, the other stretches straight into the air, shaking a pom-pom.

The crowd roars and I feel my heart pounding against my ribcage. I suddenly feel high, but, not from Eddie's weed this time, from... approval? Acceptance? Whatever it is, it's addictive.

I look around once more to the crowd of people, standing on their feet, clapping and cheering. I smile, trying to soak it all in.

I walk slowly behind Helen as we leave the floor. I clutch my pom-poms tightly, my hands tremble with the aftershock of the performance. We walk in a line past the basketball players who begin to stand and stretch, ready to take the court again.

Helen looks back at me and raises her eyebrows, "See? Isn't it incredible?"

I'm about to respond when a boy leans over and enters my field of vision. It's the same boy who laughed at my terrible raccoon commentary. The boy with the pretty smile.

"Hey, you did great out there."

I look at him, surprised.

My mouth gapes, suddenly I feel flushed.

"Uh... Thank you," I manage to force out.

He grins. I look at Helen who is staring at the both of us, her eyes wide.

I look back at him and say, "Break a leg!" He raises his eyebrows slightly. "Oh, shit, is that something they only say in theater? I don't want you to literally break your leg-" I gesture and glance down at his tanned calves and then look back up at him awkwardly.

The boy laughs, the golden sound of it makes the hair on the back of neck stand at attention.

"Thanks, I'll try not to," he says.

I give him a small smile and nod my head. I turn away from him, scrunching my nose up and wincing to myself.

Helen hooks one arm through mine and pats my hand, leading me back to our spots behind the basketball hoop.

"Don't worry. Many strong women before you have stuttered far worse in front of Theodore Knight."

We settled back down to our spots in the back row.

I glance at her, feeling the heat of embarrassment slowly drain from my cheeks. "Who?"

She laughs. I blink at her. Her head tilts down and she leans in. "Oh! You're not trying to be funny."

I shake my head slowly.

"Theodore... Knight..." She draws his name out slowly. "He's Jason's right-hand man. He'll be captain of the team next year. And then probably Prom King. You don't know him?"

She looks at me with her mouth twisted into disturbed confusion, as if it's just preposterous that I haven't crossed paths with him before.

"Sorry," I shrug my shoulders. "I keep to myself."

I glance over at the teenage boy standing behind Jason. He's holding a water bottle above his mouth and squirting liquid down into his open mouth. I feel a small flutter in my lower abdomen. A flash of heat spreads across my chest and I quickly look away.

I clear my throat and say, "He's never spoken to me before."

My palms are suddenly sweaty and I start fidgeting with the strands of my pom-poms.

"Wow..." Helen says slowly. "Well, to be honest he's never spoken to me before either..." She gives me a sheepish grin. "No one really does."

"Well that's bullshit," I snort. "You're easily the coolest person here."

Helen smiles at me, her eyes look watery with appreciation. I shrug my shoulders at her, nonchalantly.

I mean it, she's cool. I would've run out of here screaming with anxiety if Helen's ramblings hadn't put me at ease.

"Do you want to come over to my house tomorrow night?" She asks me suddenly.

I blink at her. "Like, a sleepover?"

"Yes! Oh please! It'll be so fun. We can drink coca-cola and rent videos and gossip about boys! We'll do makeovers. Play truth or dare-"

I look at Helen peculiarly. I've never had a close girl friend before and I'm shocked at how ordinary it sounds. Eddie is wonderful if I want to discuss Stephen King novels and how censorship of metal music threatens people's freedom of expression, but I can't exactly talk to him about periods or crushes... or anything mainstream, really.

"Ooh! We can prank call people!" Helen exclaims. "My dad finally put my own line in my room and I've been dying to actually use it. We should exchange numbers! You can call me when you get home! And we can talk about how Theodore Knight kept staring at you during the game..."

She wiggles her eyebrows at me and I scoff.

She discreetly lifts one finger and points toward the court. She mouths look. My eyes trail from hers back to the game. The boy with the pretty smile, Theodore, I correct myself in my head, has his hands on his hips and is looking toward me. He catches my eye and waves at me. I hesitate a small smile back and then look over at Helen.

"That was weird," I say.

She laughs and shakes her head at me.

"So... tomorrow night?" Her eyes plead into mine.

She looks so sincere and sweet. I'm usually hesitant about making new friends because I'm never sure how they're going to react to... well... all of me.

I hate having to skirt around questions about my home life. When Helen's father asks me what my dad does for a living, what am I supposed to say? Well, sir, he was a sporadically employed mechanic, construction worker, janitor... but these days, he isn't doing much besides feeding the worms.

But, I wanted this right? To experience a little more of life? It might be nice to have a female person to talk to who isn't my mother.

"Yeah..." I hear myself saying. "That sounds really nice, Helen."

I smile at her and she beams back.

"Ah! Okay! Do you have a license? I don't have mine yet. My mom thinks I'm too fidgety to be trusted with a car, but I've driven in a parking lot before! Wait, it doesn't matter, my mom can just pick you up-"

I cut her off quickly, "That's okay! I can get a ride to yours. Just write down your address for me after the game."

She nods and we look back toward the court.

After a few more cheers, a couple three-pointer shots, and a fight in the middle of the court between Jason and some Briarwood player who was at least a foot taller than him, easily the highlight of the night for me, the final buzzer sounds. The score reads 64 - 32.

The squad stands up and cheers as the teams form two lines and walk past each other, shaking hands and murmuring good game.

I feel an instant flood of relief. It's over. Plenty more games to go, but at least the bandaid has been ripped off.

Marissa Randall and a few girls from the front row saunter forward toward the Hawkins players. They playfully push their pom-poms into the boy's jerseys and a couple of girls throw their arms around the necks of their boyfriends, who pick them up into the air and twirl them around.

I look over at Helen. "Well, I'm relieved that's over with."

She looks at me and I smile to show I didn't mean that in a bad way. I'm happy we made it through unscathed.

"Time to go home," she mutters, sounding sad.

"Ugh, yes!" I reply. "I'm so excited to fall face first into my pillow and sleep."

I stand in front of her with my back to the court.

"What?" Helen looks shocked. "It's Friday night. Teens are supposed to go do things on Friday night... or so I've heard."

She glances over my shoulder at the senior girls twirling around the players on the court. Her eyes widen a little and then glance back at mine nervously.

"Not me!" I scoff. "Friday nights are for sleeping. I've been having these terrible anxiety dreams all week about a giant moth ripping the roof off of the gym and scooping me up, just as I'm about to start cheering."

I shudder at the memory of it. Helen's eyebrows are scrunched together; her eyes flicker quickly over my shoulder, then back to mine again.

She's a strange girl, she might even have more anxiety than I do. What a pair we'll make.

"Seriously! I haven't slept a wink since I made the squad. I keep imagining Mothra-" I lift my pom-poms and smash them together. "-just seizing me with its giant, papery, thoracic legs."

Helen shakes her head at me quickly. I hear a low laugh from very close behind me.

The hairs on the back of my neck prick upwards. I shut my eyes tight and then open them again. Helen is now staring down at her shoes, slowly pointing her toes together, and avoiding eye contact with me.

I hear a kind voice speak from behind me, "Well, that sounds terrifying. Moths are disgusting."

I turn around slowly and peer up into the brown eyes of Theodore Knight.

God, why is he always around when I'm making an ass out of myself?

Another part of me actually feels amused, almost relieved, that he's just overheard me. At least I don't have to try and be flirty like Marissa Randall. It would be too difficult of a segue for him, really, after hearing me describe my anxiety dreams in detail.

I laugh awkwardly. "Especially the giant ones."

Why did I say that?

He booms out a genuine laugh and extends one hand toward me. "I'm Theodore. But most people just call me Theo."

I set one pom-pom under my arm to free my hand, then wrap it around his softly. His hand feels moisturized and his face is free of sweat, which is weird considering he just played a long game. His dark, thick eyebrows rest kindly over brown eyes framed with long lashes. His hair is perfectly unkempt but it looks silky, as if he absentmindedly runs his fingers through it, causing the strands to fold and fall flawlessly. Is this boy even human?

I blink at him. He smiles and leans forward, turning my hand over, still holding it lightly. "Do I have to guess your name or...?"

"Oh! Uh... W-Winter," I sputter. "I'm Winter... just Winter. No nickname."

Eddie calls me Winnie, but I'm not advertising that as an option to refer to me by.

His eyebrows rise and he gently releases my hand. "Wow. That's a unique name."

I look quickly behind me and grasp for Helen's elbow, hauling her forward next to me.

"And this is Helen, I'm sure you've met... she's the best. She's my cheer Yoda. Because, I'm new to... all of this..." I look around anxiously, and then back at him. He's smiling and looks amused.

He tilts his head gently at Helen. "Hey, Helen."

She squeaks out a small hi back at him.

Theo looks at me. "Yeah, I thought you might be new... I'm pretty sure I would've noticed you before." He grins, but this time it's a playful smile. I think he's flirting?

My brain short-circuits. "I've actually been at Hawkins High since freshman year so obviously, no, you wouldn't have noticed me."

Shit, that came out rude.

Helen snaps her neck over to look at me and I can feel her disapproving look bore into my head.

Theo doesn't seem too offended, but his playful smile softens and he looks down at his feet.

"I just mean that I... I don't come to games. So... it's my bad," I say, trying to make up for my harshness.

"Well, I'm very glad to meet you now, Winter."

Theo raises his head and I'm startled a little by the genuine look in his eye. My hand around Helen's elbow squeezes and I feel her squirm next to me.

I smile tightly instead of responding. I can't take looking at his perfectly symmetrical face much longer, it makes me feel dizzy.

"Well, we have to go!" I say quickly, glancing at Helen.

"Oh. Really? I came over to ask if you wanted to join us at the diner." He looks over his shoulder and thumbs in the direction of a huddle of people in the center of the court. I realize now that they're all watching me.

Marissa has her arms crossed tightly across her chest. The other cheerleaders mimic her stance. Gulp.

"The diner?!" Helen screeches, causing Theo to raise his eyebrows at her volume.

I remember her mentioning the diner before, something about the senior girls always going there after games.

"Yeah... milkshakes, hamburgers, 50s music..." Theo looks back to me and grins. "Would you want to come?"

I did not mentally prepare to go out after the game with all the popular kids.

"I'm sorry. I can't," I say.

Helen looks desperately from me to Theo, urging me to reconsider with her eyes.

Theo looks down and nods. "That's too bad." His face returns to a polite smile.

I shrug my shoulders. "But... um... maybe next time?"

He grins widely. "I'll hold you to that."

I nod my head and smile. He nods back and then glances at Helen, giving her a kind smile. She looks up at him quickly and then back down to her shoes.

"Well, goodnight ladies." He walks backwards, his eyes never leaving mine and then turns quickly, rejoining his group.

I let out a long breath I had been holding in.

Helen steps in front of me and seizes my arms, shaking me. "Winter?! You turned down an invite to the diner! How could you?!"

I blink at her. I don't have a good excuse. I mean, besides I didn't bring any money or I'll feel utterly out of place, but I have a feeling she wouldn't accept those as good reasons not to go.

"I have to get home..." I shrug weakly.

"Ugh. If I hadn't already decided five minutes ago that you were going to be my new best friend I swear, I'd never speak to you again!" Her head shakes madly as she speaks, her perm bounces frantically.

I giggle at her. She stops shaking her head and gives me a furious look.

"Why are you laughing? This is serious. High school popularity serious."

My giggles turn into roars of laughter.

Helen looks around anxiously and drops her hands from my arms. I snort, and my hand flies in front of my nose. My other hand waves desperately in front of me, apologetically, but I can't stop laughing.

"Are you deranged? Seriously, you just rejected Theodore Knight and now-" She lifts a hand helplessly at me and then slaps her thighs.

"I... I'm so sor-" My chest heaves as I try to swallow my laughter down. I wipe my eyes. "Okay, I am sorry that I "rejected" Theodore Knight." I use my fingers to make air quotes around the word rejected.

Helen crosses her arms at me, a small smile threatening to crack through her tightened lips.

"But this... this is not me. Usually. It feels surreal." My hands push against my abdomen, stretching out the soreness from my belly laughs.

"I'm not really this girl, Helen." I look at her sincerely and her eyebrows raise.

A small look of understanding passes over her face. Her eyebrows lower and a determined expression forms. "Well, you are now."

I blink as her words hit me. Before I can respond, her arm hooks into mine and she drags me over to our duffle bags. I find mine and sling it over my shoulder.

We walk out into the cool night air. I slide my cheer sweater on and zip it. A shiny red BMW is parked right by the entrance, a short beep emits from the fashionable car.

Helen turns to me. "That's my dad! Do you need a ride home?" She looks around cautiously. She won't see anybody here for me, though.

"I've got a ride coming right now. Don't worry!" I lie.

"Okay! Ooh wait-" She raises a hand and runs over to her car.

She leans through the open window. In a few seconds she flies back to stand in front of me and shoves a folded piece of paper into my hand.

"It's my telephone number! And address! Will you call me when you get home?" Her eyes plead up at me.

I feel a small bloom of emotion flash in my chest. I've never been that great at making friends. Besides Eddie, I've spent most of my time alone. But, I find myself liking this newfound companionship.

I turn over the piece of paper in my hands and put it gently in the pocket of my sweater. "Yeah, sure thing."

Her face breaks into a huge smile and she suddenly throws her arms around my neck, squeezing tightly. I'm taken aback, and usually I'd shove someone away if they hug me without warning, but instead I push my cheek against her shoulder and pat her upper back lightly.

She pulls away and climbs into the passenger seat.

"Goodnight, Winter!" Helen leans out of the window and waves enthusiastically as the BMW pulls away. I give her a soft wave back.

My eyes float into the parking lot where I spot the group of jocks and cheerleaders piling into a car. Theo is at the back of the group, watching me.

I lift my hand and offer him a small wave. A large smile spreads across his face and he returns the gesture, then turns toward the vehicle.

My breath pushes out into the cold air and forms a white cloud in front of my lips. The parking lot emptied out pretty quick. I move to turn toward the payphone when my vision catches as two headlights flash.

Is that... Eddie's van?

I turn around in a small circle, searching to see if that signal was meant for anyone else. The headlights flash again.

I furrow my eyebrows and cautiously begin to walk across the parking lot toward the serial killer mobile.

Author's Note:

the early stages of heat exhaustion is a reference to the snl sketch Debbie Downer lmao

also, I do have anxiety dreams quite often & have an irrational fear of moths so I decided to combine the two :)

the upcoming sleepover chapters are some of my favorites so stay tuned!

Thank you for reading!