Helllloo! Hope you are enjoying my little story so far! Thanks to everyone who has liked and followed, it's pretty cool to get that notification. I was planning to update every Sunday however my Mum is coming to visit me next week (yay!) so everything might be messed up for a few weeks.
Every chapter will have a few lines from some of my favourite songs, most are Australian but I would highly recommend them, Aussie music will change your life!
Disclaimer in the opening
I'm still trying to find the words to pin down people to a page
As though articulation might make them stay
But I've never been a writer, or at least not very well
They always told me I should show when all I want to do is tell
The story that's the same every time: you tell me yours, I'll tell you mine
Emotionally untidy - Rachel Maria Cox
Tuesday
"How's it going, Edwards?"
Allison closes her car door with a wave toward Nancy and Steve. Nancy stood in front of Steve with an exasperated expression while the boy leaned against his car with a grin. She smirked at the love-birds display, grabbing her bag from the backseat. It was only their second day, but Daniel had already ditched Allison in favour of biking to school, Mike had knocked on the door half an hour before the first bell and introduced himself to their Mother. Mary had been standoffish until she saw the two kids interact and decided the boy had decided not to prostitute his sister; Daniel could have worse friends.
"Morning guys." Allison smiled at the two, placing Steve's Chemistry notes on top of the English book he had beside him. "Thanks for letting me borrow these, they were great."
Steve raises his eyebrows at the book. "You got caught up on a month of school work in a night?" Allison shrugged glancing between the two of them defensively. "What? It wasn't like it was hard!"
They both continue to stare at her like she's spontaneously grown a beard, Allison rolls her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. "Steve's notes were super helpful."
Nancy burst into giggles while Steve looked on insulted. "Hey, I'll have you know I'm great at Chemistry!" Allison nods in solidarity, a smile fighting its way onto her lips. Nancy's laughter subsides, and she steps closer to her boyfriend, pecking him on the cheek.
Allison is watching the two, feeling nauseous but also a little jealous of how perfectly in love they are when an arm is thrown around her shoulders. Allison jumps in surprise and looks up to see Billy Hargrove grinning back. "Allison, come sit with us at lunch today, everyone wants to meet you." Allison turns her head to see a freckled boy and the girl with the orange hair who was giving out fliers yesterday standing behind Billy. They were both smirking at Steve who had noticed them all over Nancy's head and adopted a serious expression.
"You've certainly picked up a few admirers already, Billy," Allison says sardonically, her shoulders hunching in hope Billy would take a hint and drop his arm; he doesn't.
"I'll tell you my secrets at lunch." Billy utters in her ear, his voice dropping several octaves. If he didn't make Allison so uneasy with his demands she might have said yes. Billy Hargrove was smoking hot, she had never found herself attracted to his type before, but Allison couldn't deny his voice in her ear gave her goose-bumps. She had decided to give him a chance despite her gut instinct. His dominant display was exactly what she and her gut had expected.
"Well, it wouldn't be a secret if you told me." She replied shaking off the shivers.
"It can be our secret."
"You know, I'm just terrible at keeping secrets! It's like the second someone tells me something I must shout it to the world. It's very obnoxious. If I were you, I would just turn tail now, save yourself and your secrets for someone less iniquitous."
Running his hand through his hair with a grin, Billy removes his arm from around Allison's shoulders. "Ah, I think you're worth the risk." He grins, and she rolls her eyes. "So, I'll see you at lunch?" He asks, his voice lowering and a more genuine smile touching his lips. It's a side to Billy she hadn't seen yet.
"I'll think about it." Allison meets his eyes with an impish smile.
"That's the second time you've said that to me, one more and I might start thinking you don't like me," Billy replies, stepping back to his new friends, a heart-breaking grin returning to his face.
"You should have started thinking that after the first time," Allison replies with an eyebrow arched, she didn't know how she felt about the game they were playing, but she knew playing would make him leave faster and despite the softer side she had just seen, she still couldn't shake her gut feeling.
Billy huffs a laugh and walks back to the school, his friends watching over their shoulders. "I'll see you at lunch, Allison." He calls before turning on his heel and strutting into school. If he looked back to see if Allison was checking him out, he would have been disappointed to find her attention on her Chemistry partner and not his ass.
"First, he stares at you at lunch and now he's inviting you, day two and you have a seat with the cool kids," Nancy notes with a curious expression. Steve was smirking at his Chemistry partner, who grimaced at Nancy's words. "Yeah, it's not really my scene." It hadn't been for a long time.
Nancy shrugged, gathering her books from the hood of the car as the bell rang. "You definitely had some chemistry with Billy. It's great! Your both new, you can bond. Besides, didn't you say you were going to give him a chance? Lunch would be the perfect opportunity" She says with a kind smile.
Allison snorts tightening the straps on her bag. "I don't think I'm interested in the kind of bonding Billy Hargrove is interested in, I'm undecided on that chance yet, honestly he still weirds me out." Allison shrugs walking toward the school with her arms raised. "Anyway, blonds aren't really my thing, I've always preferred brunets."
In Chemistry, Steve pushes a note onto Allison's page discreetly. She glances at him, but he stays focused on his work his cheek rested on his left hand while he writes. Allison peeps at Mr Samuels finding his attention on the quickly filling chalk-board.
I don't like this Billy guy.
Allison blinks at the note a few times before scribbling down a quick reply.
You don't have too.
He shakes his head at her words and scrawls a sentence and pushes it back.
You don't like him.
They stare at each other defiantly when Allison reads his words. She didn't like Billy at all, but she wasn't going to let Steve Harrington dictate to her.
Who said I didn't like him?
Steve huffs when he reads the note and turns to her in frustration. "Yeah, don't even try to play that. I can tell you don't like him either."
"Harrington, you don't even know me." Allison breathes back, eyes darting between him and the teacher. Steve huffs again, running a hand through his hair.
"Edwards, you don't have to know someone to know things sometimes." She rolls her eyes and shakes her head at the boy beside her. "Look, hey! Look." Allison's gaze finds his dark eyes. She was noticing that Steve wasn't always the most articulate, but when he wanted to, he could command an entire room.
"My offer from yesterday still stands. If you need me, find me." They stare into each other's eyes, faces inches apart in an effort not to be heard. It was a sweet gesture to a girl he barely knew but Allison had always taken pride in her ability to defend herself, she didn't need Steve Harrington or anyone else to do it for her.
"I appreciate the offer Harrington, I just don't think there is anything to be concerned about. Besides, if the time comes, I'm pretty damn good at taking care of myself."
Steve took her in with a guarded expression for a second before nodding, returning his attention to the front of the room.
Billy sat on top of a table in the back surrounded by perfectly coiffed girls and a few guys in letterman jackets when Allison walked into the cafeteria at lunch. He waved her over and she hesitated before making her way over slowly, she had planned to duck in, grab lunch and escape to the dark room with Jonathan. Allison thought he was much better company. She walked past Nancy and Steve on her way to the popular table and nodded at them both. Nancy smiled encouragingly, while Steve glared, wanting to respect Allison's decision but not liking any part of it. She flicked him as she strolled past, a small reassuring smile on her face. Steve rewarded her with a roll of his eyes.
"Hey, Billy" Allison spoke, sliding into the vacant spot at the table.
Billy pushed himself from the tabletop and sat opposite her, a smirk lining his mouth. "I'm glad you thought about it and decided to grace us with your presence."
"I'm glad you recognise my presence is a gift, Hargrove." Allison shot back, spearing a fry with her fork.
"Well you make us mere mortals fight so hard for it, how can it not be?"
Allison grinned at his witty reply. She observed that the table was full, mostly with guys that all watched the interaction waiting for Billy to strike. Three girls sat on the opposite end watching her with looks that varied from curious to malicious. The girl who glared at her worst was the orange haired girl from this morning, she refused to take her eyes from Allison even when she was caught staring and whispered something into the blonde's ear next to her.
"Hey, I'm Allison." The girl introduced herself as Carol, the rest gave introductions, but Allison forgot the names as soon as they spoke them. She had been with them for a minute and already knew this wasn't her scene.
Carol continued to whisper to the girls around her and they all laughed, turning back to Allison with matching grins. Allison turns her attention back to Billy with a barely suppressed snort, this was why she didn't want to hang out on the popular table.
"Who was the guy you were messing around with over there?" Billy asked, his expression guarded. His eyes drifted to over her shoulder and Allison turned meeting Steve's eyes briefly.
"King Steve and his little Princess." One of the boys beside Billy snickered.
"King?" Billy queried, his eyes still appraising Steve lit with a challenge.
"Used to run this school before he tucked his tail between his legs and started hiding behind Nancy Wheeler. He's on the Basketball team with us."
Allison turns her attention back to Billy, stroking his ego might divert attention away from her Chemistry partner. Allison didn't need to glance over her shoulder to know Steve was still watching them like a hawk. "Second day in and you've made the Basketball team? Congratulations."
Billy's attention returned to her and he smirked. Crisis averted, Allison thought. "Yeah, played at my old school, the coach couldn't wait to get me on." Billy stole a fry from her plate as he spoke, his clear eyes finding hers again. Her stomach fluttered, she hated that it did.
"A future Michael Jordan? Or would a Magic Johnson reference be more appropriate, Mr California?" Allison's smirk falling at the look of distaste that crawls over his features. "What? Not a Lakers fan?" She knew very little about the sport and what she did know had come from her Father who was an avid supporter, he said those two would be in the history books as two of the greatest of all time.
"Nah, I like the Lakers, just never saw the big hype about Magic. I think guys like Larry Bird don't get enough credit." His scowl disappearing when he realised Allison was watching him with confusion.
Silence falls between the two and Allison rushes to fill it. "How was your morning?" She smiles to cover her awkwardness. Billy had been staring at her since the moment she diverted his attention, she found it unnerving.
"Boring. I'll admit I've been thinking about lunch all day."
She nodded, attempting to hide her discomfort at the leer Billy had pasted on his face. Allison had been in situations more uncomfortable than a guy trying to remove her clothes with his eyes, but Billy had her on edge, what she couldn't figure out was why he was setting off warning bells. Allison put it on herself, she was uncomfortable being at the popular table, she didn't like the girls who were still whispering and giggling about her down the end, and she certainly didn't like them talking badly about her friends; even Steve.
"Oh, well who doesn't like lunch, I guess." Allison chuckles awkwardly.
Billy grins at her, leaning in slightly "Well my lunch has been great already, I get to look at you and you are… wow, you are delicious." He bites his bottom lip, his gaze finding her mouth and Allison must force herself not to shudder. Her cheeks heat with embarrassment as she mumbles self-conscious thanks.
"And you got to wipe out that freak junior, Byers. I've been waiting so long to see that nerd get his." A freckled kid, Allison thinks is named Tommy roars from a few seats down, the others laugh while Billy grins at their antics, rubbing his stubbled chin with his hand.
"I barely touched him, the kid needs to watch where he's going." Billy waved dismissively.
Allison frowned, trying to remember where she had heard the name 'Byers' before. Regardless, Billy's bullying of underclassmen had just solidified the end of their friendship; Allison had been a bully herself once upon a time and she promised to never return to that.
"He deserved it, he and his little zombie brother give me the creeps. Did you hear about Byers' brother, Allison? The little freak got lost in the woods last year. His Mom went psycho in the town square, it was mental." Carol sniggered, earning a similar reaction from the rest of the table.
It clicked they were talking about Jonathan and Will and Allison tensed instantly. She couldn't believe these assholes had the audacity to mock a grieving family. "I know the Byers, they're good people," Allison said evenly, the laughter around her dying off.
"You know those freaks? Jeez, Hargrove, you must be desperate to bring her kind around." Tommy sneers. The table is silent as they watch Allison whose expression had turned vicious, she noted Billy watched her with interest but chose to keep silent.
Allison's gaze slices through the boy and his smirk drops. "Seriously, what's your damage? Those boys are two of the kindest people I've ever met, actually." Allison huffs a laugh before continuing. "You have to be a special kind of asshole to make fun of what happened to them last year. But, you know, this doesn't even surprise me! I walked over here ten minutes ago and as I took you in all I could think was 'shit, I really don't want to spend my break with a bunch of losers.' I guess thanks, for confirming my suspicions, and for doing it in such a timely fashion! I still have forty minutes of lunch to enjoy."
Allison stood rapidly, ignoring Billy's call to reason. She hadn't noticed someone had come up behind her and slams into the firm body that stood directly behind her seat. Hands grabbed her shoulders, steadying her and she looked up to find the angry eyes of Steve Harrington. "Why am I not surprised to find you guys being assholes?" He says in a cavalier voice, eyeing Tommy, and Carol.
"Why don't you run back to your Princess, King Steve. Or have you finally realised she's a boring goody-two-shoes and gone for the smoking hot upgrade?" Tommy gestures toward Allison with his fork causing Carol to snort. "More like trash whore."
Billy glares at Steve's hands still resting on Allison but says nothing in her defence. Allison opens her mouth to unleash hell before feeling Steve squeeze her arm to stop her. "They aren't worth it Edwards." Allison sends one last glare in the tables direction before stomping toward the exit, she could feel every eye on her as she rushed through the crowd, Steve hot on her heels.
Allison burst through the double doors into the sterile hallway and begun pacing angrily. She couldn't believe the audacity those losers had to not only call her a whore but to pick on her friends! This was the one thing that never changed no matter which school you belonged to; bullies. Allison couldn't believe that she had once been on herself.
Steve leaned against a locker and watched the girl pace in front of him, wanting to calm her down but knowing anything he said would only make it worse. Eventually, he decided to test the waters when Allison hadn't slowed several minutes later. "Edwards? How're we doing?"
"You know that part in Footloose where you find out the Reverend's son, Bobby died on his way home from a night out dancing and that's why dancing and music are banned in Bomont? I was just thinking what an unbelievably stupid plot that movie has, did you know it's based on a true story? How insane is that!"
Allison stops her pacing, a few feet away from her very confused Chemistry partner. "What?" He chokes, his eyes widening in confusion.
"I know! Oklahoma, because like, of course, right! The human race astounds me sometimes." Running a hand through her dark hair, she signs forlornly. "Why'd you come over? I told you not to worry." Allison crosses her arms over her chest leaning against the lockers opposite to Steve and watches him with curiosity. He blinks apparently still trying to catch up with her thought process, Allison would admit that sometimes her tangents didn't make sense, but he had asked how she was doing, she felt she owed him an honest response.
"I asked him too."
Allison and Steve both turn towards the quiet voice that spoke from the door to the cafeteria. Jonathan stood awkwardly, his hands pushed into his jacket pockets. He had observed his new friend becoming increasingly uncomfortable as the minutes ticked by and had swallowed his pride to ask Steve Harrington for help. Steve had declined at first but hadn't taken his eyes off the table since Allison had joined them minutes before. The second Tommy had opened his loud mouth for the second time, Steve surged from the table leaving a surprised Nancy and Jonathan in his wake.
"I should have kicked their collective assess Jonathan, the shit they said about you and Will was…" She sighed, her hand finding its way into her hair again before it fell down to her denim-clad thigh with a muffled slap. "You didn't have to do that. Thank you, both." Allison smiled at them both. "It's pretty wicked to know you both have my back, even when I specifically ask you not to." She smirks. Steve smirks back, kicking himself off the lockers.
"We look out for each other around here, get used to it." Steve chuckled, scratching his neck awkwardly and nodding toward Jonathan "I'm gonna motor, I'll see you around." He mumbles, heading back inside to Nancy.
"This school is so weird."
Jonathan laughs much to Allison's surprise and she grins. "You have no idea." The two decided to spend the rest of lunch in the library, chatting along the way.
"So, have you given any thought to my party suggestion?" Allison queries, watching Jonathan's face fall slightly. "Yeah, I'm really sorry but I can't go. I asked my Mom last night and she wants me to stay with Will tomorrow."
Allison smiles reassuringly, not liking the frown on his mouth. "Hey, that's totally cool! I'm probably not gonna go now, either. I mean, Billy and his team will be there and it's smarter if I avoid them I think." Jonathan nods is agreement as he opens the door to the library for her. "What happened at lunch?"
Allison groaned sliding into a chair at the back, away from any prying ears while Jonathan took the seat across from her. "Tommy was being a jerk about Harrington and that was not… well great, but I changed the subject and was able to avoid defending Harrington's honour." Allison snorted, shaking her head before continuing. "Billy was hitting on me, talking about how good his lunch was because he got to see me and then Tommy bragged about what Billy did to you before lunch."
Jonathan looked away embarrassed, pushing his fringe off his face he met Allison's eyes with a small smile. "It was nothing, Tommy and Carol are assholes and they pushed me into Billy. I'm fine." He attempted to reassure Allison to no avail.
"It's not fine, I should have said more, they seem to have no idea the consequences their words have on people! And then they have the gall to say things about me and about Nancy! They're so lucky Harrington told me to back off, I was this close to going like full Revenge of the nerds on them!" Allison huffs, running her fingers through her hair. "And Billy! That asshole just sits there even after his friends call me a whore. He invited me over, I don't get it." Allison gestures throughout her speech wildly, she's sure she looks like a crazy person, but her anger had the best of her.
"Don't worry about any of them, Allison. They are all losers who are gonna live in Hawkins for the rest of their miserable lives in a cul-de-sac with two kids they hate while people like you, and me, Will, Hell, even Steve and Nancy are going to do things those morons couldn't even dream. I say this to Will sometimes and I think it applies here as well, 'Nobody normal ever accomplished anything.' We're Extraordinary; they aren't."
Allison felt tears pool in her eyes at her friend's impassioned words. The fire in Jonathan's eyes showing her he believed those words with every part of him, Allison believed them too. "Thank you for believing that. And thank you for going to Steve, I know that couldn't have been easy for you." They smile at each other before Allison lightens the mood.
"So, motivational speaking or televangelist?"
Jonathan laughed, pulling his lunch from the brown paper bag on the desk before him. "Great Totalitarian Dictator actually." Allison grins, accepting half of the sandwich Jonathan offered and moving on to happier subjects, the tension from her interaction with Billy and the others forgotten.
Allison is pulling her pale blue sweater over her head after gym when she hears someone lightly clear their throat behind her. She turns, her ponytail flicking around with her head movement. Standing next to the sad grey locker beside hers was the blonde that Carol had been whispering to at Lunch. She smiled hesitantly, closing her locker she leaned against it, tension visible on her shoulders. "Hey, I'm Melinda, we met at Lunch?"
Allison nods stiffly, turning away from the girl to the bench between the rows of lockers, raising her foot she began retying her laces. "Look, I just wanted to apologise for what happened today, Tommy and Carol were like way out of line and I'm sorry I didn't say something to them."
Happy with her laces, Allison sits on the bench facing the girl who still leaned against her locker, her left hand running up and down her right forearm. "I appreciate the apology but it's not me that deserves it; that would be Jonathan, Nancy, and even Harrington. I'm a girl living in the 80's, 'Whore' is far from the worst thing I've been called."
Melinda nods in agreement, pushing off the locker when Allison went to leave. Gym class had been brutal, and she was well and truly ready to go home. "I was actually wondering if you could let them know I'm sorry? I used to know Steve before everything, but I don't know Jonathan or Nancy and I really would like them to know from now on anything that is said about any of you will be defended." Allison turns toward the girl adjusting the strap of her bag on her shoulder.
"Why do you even care? You've obviously been complicit in their crap for a while, I get that being in the popular group can seem like the most important thing in the world, but why are you deciding now is the time to buck up?"
Melinda scratched a spot under her hair tie with her finger, sighing while she did it. "Honestly? I realised today that not one of the people at that table, not even Carol, would have my back like Steve had yours. I've been best friends with Carol since we were in like kindergarten and I can't believe that she would help me when I needed it. You've been here two days and you already have friends that are better than mine."
Allison nods in understanding, adjusting her bag again and pointing at the door. Everyone else had left long ago and she knew Daniel would probably be waiting for her before he biked home. "Look, I have to go, but how about this? I'll pass on your message to the others and when you're ready you can come join me for lunch and I'll introduce you, so you can apologise properly."
Melinda shoots Allison a relieved look and nods in gratitude. "Really? Thanks, Allison! I owe you like big time." With another nod, the blonde leaves Allison alone in the locker. She sighs leaving a few moments later.
Students still mill around the car park when she arrives a few minutes later. Allison can see Daniel standing with his friends and Nancy next to her car. Nancy is watching them yell at each other in exasperation. "Hey, guys, what's going on?" Allison jogs up, unlocking the car and throwing her bag on the front seat.
"Hey, Alli! We were just discussing the impact certain monsters like the Aurumvorax had in the D&D world. Apparently, I'm the only one who thinks a giant eight-legged beaver who steals your gold is the worst monster! Can you believe that?"
Allison stares open-mouthed at an irate Dustin, whose little speech seemed to have ignited the argument again. "No way! I would much rather face an Aurumvorax than The Beholder! You're just annoyed that you got cleaned out in that cave last time we played!" Lucas shouted back.
"Guys, you are forgetting the most powerful monster! The Mindflayer is worse than all the monsters in the manual combined." Mike says, raising his hands toward the huddle to gain their attention.
"Umm, look as interesting as this conversation is… I want to go home." Allison shouts over the boys earning their attention. They all seemed to notice they were blocking her car and made toward the bike rack at the middle school. A chorus of goodbyes rang out before the squabbling began again.
Allison turned Nancy with an amused expression, "Want a lift?" Nancy nods, staring after the boys in confoundment.
"Did you understand anything they just said?" She asked, opening the passenger door, and sliding in.
Allison threw her bag onto the back seat and shook her head with a chuckle. "Nope, but they understood it so… I don't know, boys are strange." Nancy nods in agreement.
Nancy is unusually quiet and Allison glances toward the teen worriedly, pushing the key into the ignition but leaving the car off. "Are you okay over there?" She queries tentatively.
Nancy jolts, running her hands over her face with a sigh. "Yeah, I… Just, has anyone told you about Barbra Holland?"
Allison shakes her head; the name didn't sound familiar. Had she not met Barbra yet? Nancy nods in acceptance, a frown marring her face and her eyes misting over. "Barb was my best friend and last year around the same time that Will disappeared, so did she. She never came back." A tear dripped down Nancy's cheek and Allison grabbed her hand in support.
"I'm so sorry, Nancy, I had no idea."
"That's the problem, no one talks about Barb, she's gone! She's never coming back and I'm the only one who seems to care. Everyone talks about Will Byers the Zombie Boy, but no one remembers the kind girl who never did anything to deserve this!" Nancy pulls her hand away from Allison's, using it to wipe her tears away angrily.
"Do the Police know what happened?"
Allison notes that for a split second, Nancy tenses up at the question, averting her gaze to the passenger window before sighing quietly. "We were at a party at Steve's house and I wanted to hang out alone with him, so I sent her away and that's the last time I ever saw her. No one knows where she went, no one knows what really happened. She's gone, and it's all my fault."
"It's not your fault, Nancy."
Nancy shakes her head vehemently, more tears leaking from her eyes. "I sent her away, Allison. It's my fault."
Allison forcefully takes Nancy's hands within her owns, forcing the girl to look her. "Hey, hey, hey! This is not your fault; do you hear me? You couldn't have known what would happen, Nancy. Crying and blaming yourself doesn't help, Barb and it won't help you."
Nancy's eyes find Allison's and the girl vibrates with sadness. "I just want her to come back." Allison pulls her in for a hug.
"I promise I will do anything I can to help you find her."
Nancy nods, her body still shaking but she pulls away, wiping her eyes. "I'm sorry to lose it like this, I'm such a spazz. It's just Steve and me had a bit of an argument about it yesterday and we had dinner with her parents, it's really been bothering me."
"You are totally not a spazz and you don't have to apologise! I know you don't really know me, but I promise you can always come to me." Nancy smiles at the older girl.
"Thanks, Allison."
Allison pulls away from the school, honking to the boys as she went. "So" Allison begins, hoping to change the subject to something lighter. "I had an interesting conversation with a girl named Melinda in the locker room before."
Nancy glances at Allison with a frown, "Melinda? Like Carol's friends Melinda?" Allison nods in confirmation.
"Yeah, she apologised for what went down at Lunch, wanted me to pass on that she was sorry to you, Jonathan, and Harrington. She said that Harrington coming over to help me out made her realise she didn't actually have anyone who had her back."
Nancy shrugged in understanding, "I get that, I guess. Carol, Tommy, and their crowd are horrible people. I mean, Steve used to be the most popular guy at school until he ditched Tommy and Carol and now all the 'popular' kids don't talk to him anymore. He still has most of the team and he has plenty of friends, but it's for the best, Steve wasn't the best person when he was with them." Nancy wrings her hands together with another shrug. "He told me once that he misses the time he thought those people were his friends before he woke up to it all."
Allison nods in understanding, Steve's fall from popularity was remarkably similar to her own. "I know what he means." Nancy frowns at her friend, who bites her bottom lip conflicted before opening her mouth again. "I used to be the most popular girl at my old school, I was such a horrible person Nancy, it feels like a nightmare sometimes." Allison shook her head, a sad smile marking her features.
"Sophomore year, a new girl started at school. Wakeford is like a quarter of the size of Hawkins, so you have to understand we never got new kids at school and I was so jealous of her. Nicole was so choice. She was like genuinely good, and everyone wanted to talk to her, all the cute boys wanted to date her. I absolutely hated her, she was nothing but kind to me and in return, I spread rumours about her and made her life a living Hell."
"I didn't stop until it was nearly too late. I didn't know she had a horrendous home life. Her Mom wasn't home much, she travelled for work and while she was away Nicole's Dad would get drunk and beat her." Allison swallows, tears forming in her eyes as she pulls up to the Wheeler house. "She didn't come to school for a few days and people were worried, and all I could think was 'this bitch isn't even here and she's taking away my spotlight? Gag me with a spoon.' I was that conceded."
"She lived in the house opposite mine, so on the second day of her missing school, I went to her house. I found her lying in a pool of her own blood at the foot of the stairs in her hallway. She had been laying there for two days and nobody knew."
Nancy gasped quietly, placing a hand on Allison's arm in support. Allison wiped her eyes quickly, she hated reliving the memory. "I called an ambulance and I didn't leave her side until she woke up at the hospital a few days later."
"When she woke I told her how sorry I was, and she just brushed it off as if it was all nothing. She turned to me and she smiled despite everything and she said, 'Let's promise to always look out for each other from now on.' I agreed, and we became best friends pretty quickly after that." Allison smiled, tapping the steering wheel twice laughing awkwardly. "Nicole made me realise that all the people I thought were my friends, my boyfriend, everyone, they didn't have my back when I needed them. I stopped being that girl, the girl like Carol who is vain and vindictive and became someone I'm actually proud of."
Allison turned to Nancy with an uncomfortable chuckle. "Sorry, I just poured my whole sad story to you in a car where you can't escape." Nancy shakes her head, touching Allison's shoulder briefly and smiling reassuringly. "This car has been parked out the front of my house for a while if I wanted to leave I would. Besides, it's only fair after my episode from before."
"You are nothing like Carol and Tommy by the way, and you aren't your old self. I've known you for two days and you have been nothing but warm and kind to me and a little feisty toward Steve." They share a smile. "Don't take my word for it, you somehow got Steve and Jonathan to work together and if that isn't big time, I don't know what is."
Allison blushes, grinning at the younger teen. "Thanks, Nancy."
Nancy opens the door with a warm smile. "Anytime, Allison, after everything that's happened around here, we look out for each other." Allison beams at her new friend waving her off with a promise to see her tomorrow.
Allison pulled up her house feeling lighter, glad she was able to tell Nancy her past but a little concerned about what Nancy told her, Allison thought it explained a little bit of the mystery that was Hawkins; everyone here had secrets. The journalist in her wanted to know them all.
Daniel pulled up on his bike not long after Allison and waved, swinging a leg over and walking toward her with a small frown. "What's going on Bud?" Allison questions, ruffling his hair. They walked up to the door together, Daniel stopping just before they entered. "Do you think this town is a bit strange?"
Allison turned to her brother with concern. "Why? Has something happened?"
Daniel shook his head quickly, frown still firmly in place. "No, it's just… everyone is so haunted by what happened to Will last year and no one will actually say what happened, every time something is spoken about, I get left out or they start acting weird."
Allison understood her brother's state of mind; she thought about what both Steve and Nancy had said to her today, 'we look out for each other.' She couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with what happened to Jonathan and Nancy last year or if it was Will and Barbra's disappearances.
"Everyone experiences trauma differently, kid. I think whatever happened last year affected everyone in unusual ways and they are still learning to heal." She answers evasively. Allison had her own misgivings about the strangeness that was Hawkins, Indiana but decided not to burden him with them. Whatever had happened had changed the lives of all Daniel's friends but also all of hers.
"I get that, I don't know, I guess I just get a bad vibe sometimes, too much time playing D&D probably, expecting danger at every turn." Daniel shrugged. Allison wrapped an arm around her brother, opening the front door and heading into the house with a reassuring squeeze.
"There's nothing wrong with caution, especially if the Rust Monster's around."