Chapter 4: Cool It, Hairspray

A WEEK has passed since the incident at the arcade.

After Jean established the fact that she had abilities, Hopper became even more clueless as to how to deal with the situation, but he knew for a fact that calling Dr. Owens; a man working for the government, wasn't for the girl's best interest.

The older man kindly offered her to stay until she managed to remember anything from her past, or at least she could function on her own. He just couldn't risk her being recaptured by whoever did this to her.

Rigorous practice ensued, endless stares and attempts at moving objects from far away came to no fruition at Eleven's guidance. So El thought of another method.

"Okay, focus."

"Don't you kids have studying to do?" Jean asked the group of teens that comprised of Mike, Lucas, Max, Dustin, Will, and of course, El. They'd all come over after school to 'help' her.

"I said focus." Mike repeated, slightly on edge with the lack of results.

"Jeez, don't be so cranky." Jean teased the frowning younger boy, occasionally glancing at El who was smiling encouragingly at her.

Eleven relied on her friends' help; despite being the only one among them with abilities, she was the least capable of explaining on how to do these thing, because they came so naturally to her.

The party believed they got this covered and that it would be easy to help her train, due to their infinite knowledge of superheros and comic books. But it has shown to be rather difficult.

"Just try to move the pen." Lucas insisted in a commanding tone.

As per instructions, Jean Grey brought her green eyes to stare at the pen that rested on the dinning table. She narrowed her eyes in focus, trying to will the object to move. Still, nothing happened.

"Is anything happening?" Jean sarcastically asked, noticing that her attempts were futile.

"Keep trying." Dustin urged, his fingers resting against his chin.

"But I don't-"

"Think about how you want it to move." Mike added.

"Okay, okay, but do I stare really hard? Am I supposed to...move my hand?" The whole process was alien to her, but after a long period of trying, Jean managed to find the humor in the situation. So she laughed at her own question, Max quickly joining her from where she sat across the table.

After the laughter slowly ceased, the younger oranged haired girl felt goosebumps creeping the back of her neck, so she turned around, surprised to see El glaring at her. The two girls weren't close, it was no lie. Maxine never understood why Eleven disliked her from the very beginning, but after a while they became a bit... friendly but still not as Max had hoped at first. Now she didn't know why El was being hostile all over again. Little did she know, it was because she was being territorial over Jean, just like she was with Mike.

Unnoticing the tension that draped over the other two girls, Jean let out another short chortle. "I look and feel ridiculous."

"Just keep trying."

Face scrunched at their persistence, Jean released a playful hiss. "You guys are super invested in this. Why?"

Mike knew his reason, looking to El who stood on his right, to put her mind at ease, he'd promised to help the redhead and he would. "We're just trying to help you, Jean. You can't give up that easily, it's not right."

"Also, it would be awesome to not have one, but two friends with superpowers." Blurted Dustin, earning glares from his friends. He didn't pay them much attention because he knew they were thinking the same. With El who was in complete control of her abilities, Jean who struggled to get a grasp over her powers, and them as the backup team, he felt like they were the X-men.

"Maybe..if you gain control of your powers, you'd be able to get your memories back." Will Byers meekly spoke from the background, promoting Jean to look back the shy boy. She hadn't thought it of it like that, maybe he was right. But the truth remained that she was in no way telekinetic.

Realizing how reluctant the older girl had become, Mike thought to change on a different side. "Okay... How about we focus on another ability. You told El you heard what people were thinking at the arcade, right?"

"She can read minds?! How in the shit am I just hearing about this?" Dustin yelled, his excitement gushing with his high voice.

"Cool it, Jeez." Max rolled her eyes, having known after Jean had personally told her. She, too was fascinated by the revelation, but now wasn't a time to freak and yell.

A skeptical look arose on Lucas' face. "Okay, what am I thinking now?"

"I'd rather not say."

"Then you must be lying."

"Fine," Smirking smugly with her chin resting on the palm of her hand, elbow supported on the table, Jean looked over to the hat-wearing boy. "He broke your limited edition C-3PO action figure."

Dustin's eyes grew wide, and he shrieked as he remembered his damaged Star Wars 4-inch action figure. "What?!"

Lucas made a face, after realizing that he was busted. "Oops."

"You blamed Mews Jr. when it was you?!"

"I'm sorry, okay?" He sighed, a part of him relieved to get this out of his chest.

"Don't worry, it was an accident." Jean cooed, the two boys ignoring her.

"You lied! I blamed that poor cat for months!"

'She really does read minds' Will thought in awe, despite watching his friends bickering, he had a small smile on his face. And to his surprise, her green eyes turned to him.

"Yes, I do." She replied to the quiet boy, grinning widely at Will.

"ALRIGHT!" Mike, being their party leader, yelled out to stop their fight and the two fell silent.

"At least now, we know for sure that she's a telepath." He stated.

"So we just work on it?" Max asked, Jean groaning at her inquiry.

"Yes." Was Mike's declaration.

A frustrated sigh fell from Jean Grey's lips.

Despite all of the teens' help, Jean found that she wasn't progressing at all. She believed it was partially because she didn't understand those abilities. How was she able to do the things that she did? What was their source? And why her in specific? They were all questions no one could answer, not even Eleven.

Eleven had explained to her that there were others just like them. And while she couldn't explain how to control them, El said that her own abilities were somewhat linked to her emotional state, being at their strongest when influenced by her anger and fear. And somehow unlike Jean, using her powers took a physical toll on her body. When using her powers to perform more tasks, Eleven usually suffered from nosebleeds.

So the red haired amnesic decided to research her 'condition'. Perhaps the more she understood it, the less it will control her.

That's what brought her into the Hawkins school library.

She had arrived early morning, and found a table near the back drenched in the sunlight, which warmed her exposed arms. The library was blissfully quiet and rather empty this afternoon.

Jean's red tresses were brought to the side to lie on her left shoulder as she was seated, hands resting lightly on a desk on which a large number of books and pieces of paper covered its surface.

Reading books like; The Conscious Universe: The Scientific Truth of Psychic Phenomenon, and Telekinesis: Analysis and Aftermath has somehow proven useful to the red haired girl.

For some reason, her brain could assimilate and process impossibly huge amounts of raw data in a astonishingly short amount of time.

After spending all morning and afternoon cooped up in the closed space, Jean decided to call it a day and head out.

Jean blended into the crowd rather seamlessly as she walked out of the library and and across the courtyard leading to the carpark. She was finally dressed in clothes that actually fit her. Mike -after telling his sister that Hopper's relative had her suitcase stolen- brought her Nancy's old clothes. Apparently, his sister was already set on donating the clothes to make room for the new 'professional' wardrobe she bought for her exciting upcoming summer internship.

Jean was grateful, even though some of the outfits were too short for her due to her tall stature, they worked far better than the baggy clothes she used to wear. Now, she no longer stood out like a sore thumb.

It was no secret that Dustin Henderson enjoyed the company of Jean. He thought she was really cool, amnesia and all. A mystery to be solved. Also she was really pretty.

So when he knew that she would be coming to the library near their school, he rushed to see her after hours -despite it making him late for AV club. "You sure that you don't need me to borrow the books you need for you?" Dustin asked Jean after properly greeting her. It was obvious when Jean exited the place with only a notebook hugged closely to her chest that she wasn't able to take any of the books home, due to her lacking a student ID.

"No, I'm good. Thanks, Dustin." Jean's cheeks notched upwards with her own matching smile.

"Yeah, well, what if you need to look them over at home." He retorted.

"It's okay, I remember them clearly so I don't need to."

"You 'remember' them?" He repeated, perplexity blinking on his featuring.

Jean gave a sharp nod. "I can recall the pages from memory after only seeing it once." She explained, she could remember the pages in so much detail, clarity, and accuracy that it was as though they were still being perceived to her at the moment.

Stopping in his tracks, Dustin let out a shriek. "Holy shit! Are you telling me that you have an eiditic memory?"

"I think so." She replied, ceasing her walking to look back at the younger boy.

'Isn't that ironic', Dustin thought. She could remember things with a single glance but had trouble recalling her past, that was rather ironic.

"Hey!" She yelled with a fake offended look, there was a playful note in her voice that reached her eyes.

"Sorry. Well, take my advice, the Downtown Hawkins Public Library has a way better collection on parapsychology books and articles than this shithole." Dustin said.

Jean appreciated the advice, she'd found only a couple of books on Parapsychology; the study of mental phenomena which were excluded from or inexplicable by orthodox scientific psychology. "Thanks, I'll keep that in mind."

Expecting to elicit a smile, or a 'you're welcome' from the boy, Jean looked over to Dustin when she caught a glimpse of his eyes widening.

"STEVE!" Dustin screamed out as he crossed the carpark to stand before him, his backpack sliding down from one of his shoulders; one of the zippers falling open.

The guy, Steve, stood by a car -a burgundy BMW to be exact- his brown hair was styled perfectly to reach an impressive height. And his dark green sweater outlined his lean frame perfectly. A wide smile worked his lips as he clocked Dustin. "Henderson!" Steve greeted back.

Awkwardly just standing there for a moment, Jean walked towards the two after she saw them perform a long special handshake, delightful laughter rumbling in their chests.

Dustin looked between the two tall people, realized that he needed to introduce them. "Steve, this is the girl I told you about." Dustin lowly muttered, scratching his cheeks to conceal his moving mouth. It was weird, like he didn't want Jean to hear and she obviously did.

Steve Harrington's eyes were widening slowly as recognition flashed in them. "Oh shit! Is she the one with superpowers?" He asked, a bit too loud for Dustin's liking.

The boy felt guilt washing over him after he noted the accusing look Jean shot him. "I'm sorry, okay? I tell him everything." After the events of last year, Steve has become a proper ally to the main party, especially Dustin. The boys quickly bonded, and Steve has shown to have a more parental or mentoring side towards the kid. They were really close friends.

Dustin's smile fell when he raised his arm to see what time it was on his wristwatch. "Holy shit! I'm super late to AV. Bye!" Without any warning, the teen left in a flurry, both Jean and Steve surprised at his speed.

An awkward silence draped over the two. They were practically strangers, so they didn't know what to speak of.

After standing there for a whole minute, Steve broke the silence. "Soo, how are you liking Hawkins so far?" He lamely asked, berating himself at the stupid question.

"Uhh," The corners of the redhead's lifted as she contemplated her answer. "It's good, I guess?"

Steve's lips stretched into a large, somewhat awkward grin as the two of them stared at each other. He didn't know what he could ask her that wouldn't be too insensitive regarding her situation.

The teen's smile fell, a dejected look took its place as he heard a girl - standing a few meters away from them- yelling and shouting in excitement and pure bliss to her friends, saying how she 'got in' to the college she'd applied to.

Well at least he had his hair, products and all, he attempted to comfort himself but wincing upon trying. An array of emotions washed over him like a tidal wave, he just hoped that his expression didn't give him away too much.

He didn't know that Jean could read his thoughts.

She looked at him, feeling a weight settle on her chest and a knot bending in her stomach as she gazed at his face, which was scrunched in sullen defeat. "I'm sorry." She had just unintentionally barged into his head, and once she did, she didn't just hear his thoughts. Jean could feel what he'd felt. It was like she'd formed a psychic link for that brief moment.

What Jean said snapped Steve out of his daze, he turned his head to her and sent the girl an inquisitive look. What an earth is she sorry for? Steve thought to himself.

"I know this feels like the end of the world, but it will all work out. You don't have to go to college to do something meaningful with your life." She said in a comforting manner.

Stupefaction added to the range of emotions on his face. "How did you-"

"I'm telepathic, I read minds, apparently." Jean replied, slightly smiling to herself. It still felt weird coming out of her mouth.

Once he understood what it meant, Steve felt embarrassed to be exposed in such vulnerable and fragile state. "Well, stay out of mine!" He snapped. "Alright, I don't need some freak creeping around my head."

Jean's gentle facial expression was soon replaced by a hardened one, as if she was attempting to hide whatever emotion that lay beneath it.

Steve immediately regretted what he'd said the moment he said it. He wanted to apologize, but was intercepted by the redhead.

"Don't worry, Farah Fawcett, there's not much to see." She said with an air of nonchalance, but hurt by his insult deep down. She turned abruptly and quickly walked away.

Steve Harrington didn't know how to react as he stood there, jaw dropped in astonishment. He had only disclosed his hair-styling secret; Farrah Fawcett hairspray, to Dustin, but strictly stated not to reveal it to anyone.

'Did that little shithead tell her?!'

"No, he didn't!" Jean, refusing to look back, yelled enough to make sure he heard her. And she left the area with a smirk.

A very irritated Jean was seated alone on a bench, chin rested on her palm, and slender finger tapping on the table.

As she tried to empty her head of the insult she's received from that 'Steve', Jean thought of her abilities as an alternative. She found that her telepathy was something far more complicated than she thought. Controlling it wasn't going to be an easy thing to do; the fact being that when a person near her was at a peak of an emotional state, she was practically dragged into their head, linked even. The prove was the incredulous amount of frustration and sadness she'd felt when the fluffy haired dude thought about all of his college rejections.

Jean looked up from the bench once a gruff voice snapped her of her thoughts. "Hey,"

The green eyed girl gazed at a blonde guy, who looked oddly familiar. "Hi?" She returned the greeting, wondering why he so readily sat beside her. "I'm sorry, can I help you?" Jean asked, suspicion lacing in her tone.

Taking in her extremely confused state, the mullet guy looked offended for a brief second, wondering how she couldn't remember him. But nonetheless gave her a charming grin. "I'm Billy, we met at the arcade a couple of days ago."

Recognition flashed across her face, looking down briefly in slight embarrassment before glancing up at him again. "Yeah I remember now."

"What are you doing here, anyway? Thinking of transferring?" Billy asked, his thumb brushing over his bottom lip as he dragged his pale eyes down her body and the blue jeans and striped long sleeve shirt she was wearing. Jean squirmed in her seat on the bench. "Um, no, I was just visiting the library."

"Uh-huh." He trailed off, nodding slowly with a smirk on his lips. "So where you from?"

"Uhh-" Jean's eyes widened at the unexpected inquiry. Hopper had told her to pretend to be his relative, visiting for the summer, but he never provided a backstory further than that. "New York.." She hesitantly replied, saying the very first place that came to mind.

Little did she know, it really was where she came from. Just not this New York city though, but another one.

"You?" Jean asked, watching to the handsome Billy Hargrove. She, unintentionally, heard his thoughts that were along the lines of, 'still not a match to where he was from'.

"California." Billy leaned forward, bringing himself closer to Jean and completely invading her space. "Now how'd you know I'm not from around here?" He asked, his smirk still decorating his face.

"Lucky guess...I guess."

Billy looked around the now empty car parking zone, everyone scurrying home after they said their goodbyes. "You waiting for someone?" He asked her.

Jean nodded. "Yeah, actually I'm waiting for my...uncle to take me home. He's running late."

Billy had noticed something in Jean, she wasn't like the other girls at his school, who smiled all smitten, eyelashes blinking and cheeks flushed. In fact, she barely even looked at him (because she had a lot of things in mind, but he didn't know that).

That made her even more of a challenge, and boy did he love a good challenge.

"I could give you a ride, if you want."

Shaking her head, Jean denied his offer. "You don't have to, but thanks anyway."

"I know that I don't have to, I want to."

With a slam of his palms on the surface of the table, Billy got up and stomped away.

Noticing that she still wasn't folowing him, half-turned he gestured for her to join him. "C'mon."

She reluctantly agreed.

"Are you hopping in, or what? I don't bite, dollface." He rebutted, after getting into the driver's seat, he saw that she was still standing by the navy blue car.

And with great hesitation, Jean slid into his Camaro, doom and heat swirling in her blood.

Billy's Camaro roared to life and he revved the engine a few times before easing off the brakes and putting the pedal to the metal.

Wind rushed in through the windows as he started to drive, and Jean let out a huff as she fought against the red hair that tangled in her face. Billy was speeding along the road and didn't slow down as they reached the center of the town, the small businesses of Hawkins now seemed more abandoned then ever, the colors dull and washed out. They passed the public library and Jean made a mental note to visit it as soon as she could.

The blonde boy noticed how as he increased his car speed over the limit, Jean didn't complain or nervously giggle in fear that they might crash or get caught, much like the other girls did. So as to elicit a response from the firery redhead, he went a little faster.

"Too fast for ya?" He taunted, glancing in her direction after he heard her breath hitching in her throat.

"No, I'm good." She shook her head briefly, a smirk displayed on her features. She actually loved the feeling, the thrill. It was honestly the most exciting thing she's been through ever since... well, since she could remember.

The boy's face had a smirk to match.

After a bit, Billy looked over the confined space of his Camaro to Jean. "So where do you know Harrington from?" He asked before turning on the radio.

Loud heavy metal music roared from the car's stereo, it warred against the strength of the wind do much so that Jean had to yell over the domineering sounds. "Who?!" She asked, confusion blinking across her face.

"Harrington?" He repeated. "The guy you were talking to before." He said, almost growling in remembrance of the past King of Hawkins High.

Shortly after his arrival in Hawkins, Billy started a rivalry with Steve, surpassing him and claiming his title as "King" of the high school. And later on, their rivalry turned violent when Billy discovered that Steve was trying to prevent him from seeing Max.

Earlier, when Jean was talking to Steve in the parking lot, Billy Hargrove was resting up against his car talking with a girl in a manner that was far from platonic. And with fate working against him, Billy had looked away from the nameless girl and saw Jean, the girl who'd ditched him for a group of kids, speaking with Steve Harrington and exchanging smiles. His interest dropping, Billy dismissed the girl and she walked away with a malicious glare.

"Oh, Steve?" She asked after realizing who he was talking about. "We'd just met."

"Huh." Was all Billy muttered as he focused on the road.

With a small scoff, Jean wondered why he looked like he didn't believe her. It wasn't his business in the first anyway. "What?"

"It just looked like you two got along is all." He said in reply.

"Trust me, we don't. He's an asshole."

At what she'd said, a cocky grin curled on Billy's lips. 'That he is.'

"Take a left this way." She exclaimed. Worry washed over her when he drove past the turn, ignoring what she'd said. "What are you doing?" She asked, green eyes glancing to him.

"Just have to make a quick stop somewhere." He announced in a relaxed voice, his hands twisting the steering wheel onto a lane she didn't recognize- granted she barely even went out to figure out this small town's roads.

Jean was anxious at that moment, but didn't protest because she was only hitching a ride from the guy.

Once he pulled up at a diner, Billy stopped the car and went out. He walked around the car to get to the passenger seat and knock on its windows, once he saw Jean was unmoving.

This stop had shifted into a date territory, Jean thought. She wasn't arrogant enough as to assume he did all of this only to especially bring her here. But still, concern and irritation were sneaking into her blood. She knew this was a bad idea. I mean, she barely even knew the guy.

"I'll just stay here."

"Should I leave the window cracked for you while I'm at it?" He smirked devilishly at her, his words shining with his sense of humor. Did he just compare her to a dog?

"It'll be a while, come on."

Jean rolled her eyes, turning her gaze to the half-open window that rapidly whipped air into her face. "Okay..."

The small diner was somewhat empty, no one greeting the pair as they entered the grim looking place. Billy guided her to one of the many free tables near the back.

White sun rays shone through window and curtain just the same, Jean observed, looking around the place. While Billy went straight for the laminated menu that rested on the table after he got rid of his denim jacket.

"Get whatever, okay? It's on me." Billy's voice smoothly rolled off his tongue, his eyes briefly lifting from the menu to spy on Jean sitting across from him.

However, Jean took a different approach and raised her shapely brows in question. "This was your errand?"

Billy just grinned at her as if he had the devil inside of him.

A/N:-

Hey, you guys. I hope you're enjoying the story thus far. What do you think of it? I would love to read your comments!

Also, is it just me, or do Billy and Steve remind you of some people in the X-men?

Because to me, the sweet supportive Steve Harrington is like a Scott Summers. Billy is like the troubled Logan with the dark past.

And welp, Jean is stuck in the middle of a love triangle all over again haha