The next morning the whole Sinclair family was dining at the table, no one was speaking because of the news Lucas had just informed them. Will Byers is missing, brother to Jonathan Byers. Aaliyah could only sympathize with him, even though they bicker most of the time she would go to the moon and back for her brother.

"That's awful" Her mother said.

"Yeah it is" Lucas said depressingly.

Aaliyah could only imagine the pain he was going through right now, she knew how close they all are. She finished the remaining breakfast that was left and they both got up to get ready too go to school.

"Bye Mom, Bye Dad" They both said as the exited the house.

At school Aaliyah, Nancy and Barb was walking through the hallway. Barb was helping Nancy with her chemistry test while she was reading up on her history quiz.

All of a sudden, Steve snatched the flash cards out of Barb's hand while intentionally bumping into Aaliyah causing her to drop her book. She glared at him and he only smirked in response, he turned his attention to Nancy.

"I think you studied enough Nance" He said while flipping through the various cards. "I'm telling you, you know, you got this" he continued.

"Now on more important matters, My dad has left town on a conference and my mom's gone with him, because she don't trust him" Steve explained. Aaliyah and Nancy shared a look, then she looked back at Steve

"In for what?" She asked.

"No parents? Big House?" Carol stated.

"A party?" Aaliyah said unamused by Carol's attitude. Steve's smile only grew to her comment

While Carol said "ding-ding-ding."

"But its Tuesday" Nancy replied. Tommy and Carol started to mock her, Aaliyah began to open her mouth but Barb put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. She always need Nance or Barb to calm her down at times, but Barb was proficient at it.

"So you in or you out?" Steve asked. But before Nancy could answer Carol adverted everyone's attention to Johnathan. He was sticking a missing person's flier on the bulletin board.

"Oh god, that's depressing" Steve said, Aaliyah smacked her lips and said "You can be so inconsiderate sometimes." He held up his hands in surrender "I wouldn't have said it if it wasn't true." To that, Aaliyah only shook her head.

"She we say something?" Nancy asked

"I don't think he speaks." Carol replied.

Aaliyah couldn't stand another second around Carol's presence, so she opted to be the first to speak with Johnathan, she heard them continue their conversation as she made her way over to him, passing the hoards of people in the hallway.

"Um, Johnathan?" Aaliyah said, he turned around with a surprised look on his face. Like he wasn't expecting her to know his name.

"Yeah?" He answered.

"I just wanted to say that I know this is a tough time for you." She said, he look down and she continued "I just want you to know that if you need anything, just tell ask."

He gave her a small smile and nodded his head "Thanks." Aaliyah smiled back and for a split second she became lost in his eyes, she never realized how pretty they were. Then the school bell snapped her out of her daze.

"I have to get to class" She said quickly as she rushed down the hall, but what she didn't notice was Steve's inexplicable look he was giving her as she passed him.

Later that day Aaliyah was in her room listening to music, when she suddenly got a call. She took her headphones off and placed them on her dresser and picked up the phone.

"Hey Liyah" It was Barb. A smile suddenly appeared on her face, she went to go sit down on her bed.

"Hey B, What's up?" Aaliyah asked, curious as to why Barb used her rarely used nickname. She knew something was up. And her suspicions was proven correct when she asked could she accompany her to Steve's 'party'.

Aaliyah really didn't want to go, so she tried to make an excuse "I don't know, what will I tell my parents?"

"Tell them your going to attend the school assembly for Will" Barb said.

Aaliyah had a bad gut feeling lying about that. Because she did really want to attend it and reassure Johnathan about earlier.

"It's just I don't want to be around…." Aaliyah said before Barb cut her off "Steve?" Barb was the only person that knew of her secret, She was the only person Aaliyah could confine in. She took a deep breath and whispered "Yes."

"I know how hard it was for you Liyah but you can't let this secret dictate your life." She stated softly.

Aaliyah pondered over the decision, she knew deep down she couldn't run from it forever. Her mind then started to have flashes of her and Steve together at camp. Them building a fire together, at the lake and him sneaking into her cabin…. She quickly shook her head to rid herself of them hurtful memories.

"Okay, Ill come" Aaliyah told her.

"Great, I'll pick you up in half an hour" Barb said pleased.

And half an hour later, they all was on their way to Steve's party, on the way there Nancy requested to stop on side of the road. To change her clothes.

"Nancy, what are you doing?" Barb asked

"And that is a new bra" Aaliyah stated simply.

Aaliyah had come to the conclusion, that Nancy and Steve were going to have sex tonight but what she didn't know is if Barb knew.

After getting situated they got out the car and knocked on Steve's door. When he answered the door he had a smirk but it only became more prevalent when he glanced at Aaliyah.

"Hello ladies" He said.

They made their way inside the house and Aaliyah was awed on how big it was. They followed him into the living room which led them right into the back where the pool was located. Tommy and Carol was already there, as usual Aaliyah gave Carol a glare.

"Oh, calm your tits Li-Li" Carol snapped at Aaliyah.

"At least I have some" Aaliyah shot back.

To that Steve laughed loudly and as a reward he gave her a beer, at first she was going to decline but since it was party and feeling accomplished of shutting Carol up. She took it from his hands it chugged it down her throat.

Barb have her a disapproving look but Aaliyah only shrugged at her. Over the course of thirty five minutes, Aaliyah couldn't remember how many beers she had.

"is that supposed to impress me?" Nancy asked Steve

"You're not?" Steve replied. Aaliyah already getting bored of their flirtatious bantering decided to go to the bathroom

"I need to use the ladies room" Aaliyah said.

"Oh, its upstairs past my room" Steve stated.

She quickly got up, but that seemed to be a bad idea as when she did so her head became a lot more fuzzy but she regained her balance and quickly looked around to see if anyone saw that embarrassing moment, and for a split second she thought she was in the clear until her eyes locked onto Steve's.

She turned and walk into the house and up the stairs and while passing his room, his door was wide open. She pondered whether to walk in or not and settled on exploring his room.

She look around on his dresser and something curious caught her eye, it was a picture of them together from their time at camp. The both of them laughing in the sun, Aaliyah smiled at perfect moment and she began to get lost in her drunken thoughts until she heard a voice from behind her.

"You must wonder why I kept it?" She was startled and turned around to see Steve leaning against his doorframe.

"I really don't care, Your with Nancy now so.." As she was speaking he slowly made his way over to her and she had not realized that she was slowly backing up until her back collided with the wall.

He put both of his hands on the side of the wall, trapping her. She knew it was wrong to be this close to him but she didn't have the words to speak it.

"I've missed you so much" He whispered while inching closer and closer to her face, Aaliyah had froze but before he could reach her lips, a voice from down stairs called out to them.

"You guys okay up there?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah, I was just helping her find the bathroom" Steve said.

Aaliyah took that opportunity to push him off her and rushed down the stairs, she ran so quickly that she didn't even hear Nancy calling for her. She eventual found herself in the woods crying to herself. She felt ashamed because she was going to allow him to kiss her. Even though she was still quite drunk.

She kept walking until she realized that she didn't know where she was going, that's when she saw something monstrous looking, she tried to slowly back away but a twig she stepped on snapped and the creature turned its head.

Aaliyah started to run and she was running so fast and looking behind her every few seconds that she didn't notice the person she ran into.

She looked up and seen that it was Johnathan, she was relieved and clung onto to him for dear life while hesitantly started to hold her back whispering "It's okay" over and over again.

"