★ - ̗̀⇢.˳⁺ . jinxyvvrites . ⁎˚ ✰ ⋆

The heat of an afternoon sun is beating down on you as you lounge poolside at Hawkins Pool. Your skin is hot, it’s a little sweaty, curls drip-drying from your dip in the pool about an hour ago.

Metallica plays faintly, your headphones are down over your ears and you’ve got yourself a nice -read, dirty, thick book, which you’re sprawled on your stomach to read. You’re so involved in the current scene in said book that you don’t realize he’s wandered over and seated himself on the edge of the plastic lounger until you can feel your left earphone being gingerly edged away from your ear.

“Pixie, you’re gonna fucking burn.” Tommy’s voice is quiet. A hint of amusement in his tone when you jump a little and the dirty book you’ve been chewing your bottom lip off over for about fifteen minutes now settles on the ground. 

Tommy picks up the book, holding it out to you as he snickers at it’s title. “Lucky Hand?”

“Give me that.” you practically snatch the book, dog-earing the page as you sit it to the side and yawn. “It was getting boring anyway.”

Tommy gazes at you, disbelief in dark brown eyes. “Now I think we both know you’re lyin, you were squirming around when I walked over.”

Your entire body is on fire now. He’s leaned so that an arm is over you, caging you in as he feels around for the bottle of sunscreen he saw sitting below your chair, ignored.

“I’ll be tan in the morning.” you scoff as he finds the bottle, his arm momentarily rested against your bare skin as you roll over onto your back and suck in a sharp breath at the way burned skin feels making contact with anything. Tommy isn’t listening, he never listens, you think to yourself, a little smile because you know it’s his way of showing he cares.

As he works the creamy liquid into his hands, you stare up at him. One of your legs raises, bent at the knee. There’s a bead of sweat rolling down the bridge of your nose. The sun makes your faint freckles more clearly defined.

“Tom–” you’re about to insist that he doesn’t have to rub you down, pouting at him as you stare, but Tommy’s firm look has you falling silent, his name dying on your lips.

“It’s either this or you actually blister and burn, pixie. Because we both know you’re lying to yourself when you say you’ll be tan in the morning.” he pauses and now he’s kind of leaning down, dangerously close to your face, your mouth and this makes you swallow hard, he smirks as he continues, “You’ll be burnt until about Thursday, miserable and whiny about it.”

,, oh bite me.” you think, a little too easily impressed by the fact that even now he still remembers the little things like this. You flip him off and roll your eyes. “Fiiiine. I suppose if it bothers you that much,” you’re holding his gaze and smirking up at him, “ I guess you can put that gross crap on me.” you wrinkle your nose.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Tommy mutters. And he’s staring right back. Locked in on the way your tongue darts out, drags across your lips to outline them. As he starts to work the lotion into your skin, you shiver.

“You coulda warmed it up first.” you complain.

“I did.” Tommy insists. “You’re just bein’ a baby.”

You pout at him and blow an escaped curl away from your forehead. Before he can stop himself, he stops what he’s doing, brushes the curl away and chuckles quietly, shaking his head.

“What? It’s the humidity, Tommy.”

“It’s cute.” Tommy blurts out, face turning as red as the bikini you’re wearing today, “I meant the way you’re all pouty and shit.”

You raise a brow as you stare up at him.

A throat clears nearby and Tommy’s head snaps up. When he spots Billy leaned against the chain link fence and glaring with his arms folded, he grumbles under his breath.

“You still want Hargrove t’ fuck off?” Tommy asks, tearing his angry gaze off of Billy, softening eyes as he looks down at you. You glance up and give Billy a cheeky little half-wave. “Take a picture, idiot. It’ll last longer.” you grumble, a little loud but unfortunately not so loud that he’ll hear you.

You look up at Tommy. “Yes, ugh, his lurking crap is so weird.”

Tommy nods. “It’s annoying as hell.” he agrees, keeping silent that he’s already warned Billy a thousand times that you’re off limits but Billy clearly seems to think otherwise, despite the way you always make an excuse to leave the second he shows his face.

You study your former best friend carefully. There’s something hidden in his statement, you can see it in the way his eyes almost go black with anger and the way he accidentally squeezes the shit out of your body where his hand had been hovering.

You glance down at the way Tommy’s hand is squeezing your side. “Are you okay?” you ask, soft giggle slipping out. Tommy nods. He’s back to glaring at Billy all over again. “Mhm.” he answers, going quiet for a second. “Play along, pixie.. I mean if you really want Hargrove to fuck off.”

Before you get the chance to answer, Tommy motions for you to sit up and turn around, facing away from him. You sit up and Tommy takes the lotion, squirting some into his hands. As he works it in his palms to warm it up, he smirks at Billy.

Billy’s jaw flutters and he rolls his eyes.

“Fuckin’ amateur.” he grumbles, watching to see if Tommy is actually gonna use the accidental foot in the door he’s earned himself to his advantage or fumble it, the same way he did the last three times they both had a thing for the same girl.

To his surprise, Tommy starts to massage the lotion onto your skin all over again, rough hands and cool liquid making you gasp before you can stop yourself as your head falls to one side and Tommy pushes hair away from your neck while moving so that he’s straddling the seat and sitting as close to you as he can get.

Billy rolls his eyes. “I can do better, Hagan.” he mouths, but Tommy mouths back, “Try it and I’m gonna fuckin end you.”

His hands work across your shoulders and at first, he’s massaging way too hard, too clumsy and it kind of hurts a little. Then it doesn’t. And Tommy’s hands start to move slower. Further down, just above the flimsy tie to your bikini top. You squirm a little, body immediately on fire. “Sorry.” you mumble. Tommy chuckles against the shell of your ear, “ ‘S okay, pixie. Keep forgettin’ how ticklish you are.”

“Yeah.” you agree a little too fast for your own liking as you look over your shoulder at him, “Ticklish.”

“Yeah.” Tommy smirks. “Your back.. Your stomach.. Your feet… that one little spot at your hips…” he’s staring at you hard. You gulp and nod. “Mhm.” you’re staring right back and staring so hard that you lose track of what he’s actually saying until he brushes a hand up against the small of your back and starts to spread the lotion outward, massaging it into your hips with a hand on either hip.

You take a ragged breath.

Billy’s been gone at least two or three minutes by this point, but.. He’s not stopping. He doesn’t care.

You’re not about to stop him because this is something you used to fantasize about, back when that silly little girl crush took a bit more of a grown-up turn when you were both in 8th grade, the summer before 9th.

The summer it all imploded.

He motions for you to turn facing him and you gulp again because you realize this will put you body to body with him and there’s something about the way he’s touching you, it feels.. Way too intimate to simply be applying sunscreen. Your legs settle over his thighs, feet dangling from either side of the chair.

“I warmed it up.” he comments when you squirm a little as he starts to spread the lotion across your shoulders and collarbone, leaning in closer as he works his hands up the column of your neck. You giggle at the way he's super focused, tongue jutting out between his lips. “I think my neck will be fine.” you mumble. Tommy stops applying the lotion to your neck and stares at you for a second or two. He wants to tell you you're beautiful, he really wants to kiss you and maybe that's why he stares at your lips hard enough that your own begin to tingle.

Then he takes a dot and smears it on your nose, so you stick out your tongue and pout. “Hey!” you protest and he pauses, staring at you for a second or two. “Do it again. I dare you, pixie.” he smirks as he says it because he thinks he's called your bluff.

“Y’know how I respond to dares, Tom-Tom.” you mumble, lost in his eyes. You stick out your tongue and he leans in even closer putting the two of you chest to chest as one of his hands settles on your neck, thick strands caught between your skin and his hands in the process. 

His heart is about to explode, he's almost sure of it. You're leaning in closer, pretty lips taunting him because no matter how hard he tries, he's just too scared to go for it. 

But you aren't backing down, your lips brush against his and you have the nerve to giggle. “Or what, Tommy? Because I'm doing it, just like you told me to, hm?” you taunt playfully, daring to do it a second time because you just can't resist.

,, shit.” He feels cornered, a little frantic but above all, determined. He leans in and he meets your mouth, tongue darting out. Rolling over the outline of your lips. Tasting cherry flavored lip balm. Groaning at the taste as he pulls you up higher into his lap and his hand leaves your neck to tangle up in your hair and tug at thick strands. As the kiss deepens, you end up shifting around in his lap which rubs you right against him and makes him squeeze your hips, holding you at least a little still.

You're breathless, too stunned to speak. Desperately trying to process what's just happened but not so dazed that you don't immediately get greedy, gripping his shirt as you raise up a little and pull him into another kiss.

“Fuck.” he groans against your mouth, his hands on your hips as he pushes on them, pushing you back down into his lap. He forgets himself and bucks up into you, a needy whine bubbling up, swallowed by his hungry, devouring mouth.

His mind is blown. Kissing you is everything he ever fantasized it might be and then some. And he doesn’t want to stop now that he’s done it. 

Across the pool, Billy Hargrove is glaring daggers. Plotting the imminent death of one Tommy Hagan. Because there’s no way in hell he’s about to fade quietly into the background. 

,, Kinda sucks. I actually liked being friends with you, shitbird.” Billy thinks to himself as he watches the way Tommy Hagan is kissing you. Watching the way you melt into Tommy, tugging at his hair, even deepening the kiss.

When his little stepsister starts to laugh, he gives her a warning glare. “Shut the fuck up, Max.”

“At least it’s not you, Billy.” Max smirks as she says it, quick to get a wide berth between herself and him as soon as she does. “I’m not sorry, either.”

“You’re gonna be you little fuckin’ twerp.” Billy warns. Max takes off, pushing through other kids, stopping to look back and flip him off. “Gotta catch me first, shithead.”

Billy’s off his chair in seconds, shoving through the other kids, trying to catch up to Max. But she’s gone.

Billy swings at a fence post and swears under his breath and then lights up a cigarette.

“This is gonna end with me.. Gettin’ the girl.” Billy vows as he lights his cigarette and takes a long drag while he plots just how he’s going to go about doing it…

–

The two of you pull apart to breathe and Tommy’s holding your face in his hands, his forehead pressed up against yours as he grins at you, just a little too smug.

The anger in those dark brown eyes is gone for now. He looks almost as happy as he used to back when you were both kids, before everything imploded.

And you.. You’re not entirely sure how you feel.

You’re in a daze, still not entirely sure that what’s just happened actually happened. The sparks are still very much lingering, the kiss only further igniting all those old pesky stupid feelings you’d been trying to bury down deep.

“What’s that look for, hm?” you mumble, your soft lips brush up against his as you speak. Tommy chuckles. “You.” he answers simply, letting you melt into him.

You pull away a little, brow raised as you point to yourself. “What about me, hm?”

Tommy shrugs. “Just you.” he trails off. He's dying to ask if you felt anything, at the same time he’s entirely too scared to hear the answer. You’re still melted against him, the blinding brightness of an afternoon sun making you seek out relief by burying your face in his neck. He can't stop the groan that comes as you do it so he doesn't even bother trying.

You want to ask him if kissing you meant anything or if it was just for show. Just a friend helping a friend out of a situation. 

You can’t, though because whenever you make an attempt to, the words catch, hang in your throat. 

You are aware enough that you attempt to untangle yourself from his body, but as soon as you try, he’s pulling you back, both hands on your hips to hold you in place where you sit on his lap. His thumbs roll over your soft skin and your breath catches. 

“Wow.” he chuckles after what feels like forever, “that felt..”

You’re afraid he’s about to tell you that the kiss was a huge mistake and it needs to be forgotten. But he’s stumbling over his words, chuckling to himself. “Better than I imagined.” he admits, going quiet.

You’re stunned. Nodding in agreement, those butterflies in your tummy kicking into high gear all over again. 

“Hey pixie.” he starts, going quiet for a second or two.

“Yeah?”

“You wanna get outta here?” he asks, biting his lip as he stares at yours. You nod. Smiling soft. “Yeah.. I’d like that.”

“C’mon.” he stands, not even giving you a chance to untangle yourself from his body. You’re laughing, the two of you walk past a glaring Billy Hargrove, you’re wrapped around Tommy’s waist, he might as well be wearing you like an article of clothing. “We can go back t’ my house. Watch your stupid show.”

“It’s not stupid.” you argue, sticking your tongue out.

Tommy and Billy lock eyes as Tommy’s about to push open the chain link fence. Billy glares. Gaze lingering a little too long on you for Tommy’s liking, that possessive and protective side kicking into overdrive real quick.

“Asshole.” he mutters.

“Huh?” you ask, looking up from the way you’re toying with the neck of his white tanktop. Tommy chuckles. “Hargrove, pixie. He’s pouting.”

You roll your eyes. “Ew..” you mumble, “Anyway.. Maybe don’t let him bother you, Tom-Tom?”

“Oh, he’s not gonna be able much longer if he keeps lookin’ over here like he is.”

“No fights, Tommy.”

“I’m not makin’ any promises. I don’t like the way he’s always lurkin’ around you. Starin.”

“Me either, but that’s beside the point.”

“No, that is the point, pixie. He’s gonna fuckin stop, one way or another.”

Butthead → get home. Now.

Butthead → look.. I’m worried sick about you. He’s only letting you stay because he thinks he can get something outta you. 

Butthead → you’re smarter than this.

You roll your eyes and put the cell phone back on the nightstand, curling yourself back into Topper, slipping your leg between his. Your other leg settles over his hip and even though he’s sleeping, his hand settles on your thigh.

As you burrow down, burying your face in his chest, he starts to wake up. Stares down at you while you’re drifting off, not looking at him. 

,, I wish I wasn’t already getting used t’ this.” the thought comes before he can stop it and it’s a dangerous one. Not so dangerous that he tries to untangle his body from yours, of course, but dangerous enough. It’s just sitting there, taunting him. Daring him to just do something. Just go for what he really wants, what he’s wanted for a while now.

“Turn off th’ sun.” you mutter as it seeps in through the crack in his curtains. Topper chuckles quietly. “If I could, I would.” he answers. You look up at him, stifling a yawn. The sound of your stomachs growling has both of you laughing quietly. As blue eyes fix intently on your lips, you can feel them start to tingle. You’re dying to kiss him again, just not sure if it’s okay -or even a good idea.

You raise just a little as he happens to lean his face down towards you. Your lips brush and it’s soft. Sweet. He bites back a groan and the hand on your thigh squeezes it. He stares at you for a few seconds like he wants to ask you something, he just can’t.

He doesn’t dare. 

But what he wants to ask you is if the way you keep kissing him is because you want to or because you feel like you have to. Because he’s not the most secure person, he needs reassurance. He’s dying for a sign. Any kind of sign.

“Top?” you say his name quietly, a yawn slipping out. He blinks, dragging himself out of the war he’s got going internally. “Yeah?” he asks, his voice thick with sleep. Gravel and the smoothest silk and foreign to his own ears.

“N-Nothing.” you were about to ask him if you could kiss him but you can’t make the words come. You’re staring at his chest, he grabs your chin gently and makes you look him in the eyes instead. “What’s up, ___?”

“I..” you stammer. Taking a deep breath, you try it again. “I wanna kiss you.”

“I’m not stopping you.” Topper answers quietly, heart about to leap right out of his throat. The hand squeezing your thigh squeezes just a little harder. Somehow, you’ve gone and managed to melt into him even more when he didn’t think it was possible.

“C’mon.” he mumbles. Pleading, even though -thankfully, it doesn’t come out that way. 

You raise a hand, resting it across the back of his neck. Fingers drag over his hair, tugging at it as best as you can as you pull his mouth down against your own.

Another text rolls in.

Butthead → if he hurts you, i’ll kill him. You’re my little sister.

The phone goes ignored. Topper tries not to, but he can’t fight the urge to let his hands wander and roam as your tongue splits his lips, dragging against his own. At first, his hands are on your thigh, caught against the side of your face as he strokes your cheek with his thumb. But then the hand on your thigh ventures up, finding your hip. Squeezing it. He’s bucking himself against you as best as he can by the time the kiss breaks and you pull away to breathe, mouths still connected by a thin string of saliva that breaks in a split second. 

When he pulls you so that you’re on top of him, straddled over his hips, you whine out. You can feel the outline of his cock, pressing right up into your throbbing cunt. The sounds that are coming out of this boy’s mouth are unholy, groans and even a growl or two. You whine as his hands settle at your hips and he’s guiding you back and forth over the way he’s hard against thin boxers. He’s staring up at you, you’re staring right back down at him.

Your hands grab at his chest to keep yourself steady.

“Oh shit..” he hisses, eyes heavy-lidded as his cock twitches, getting even harder, “Fucking hell, princess.”

Your head falls back as you start to rock over him faster, pussy dripping. He can feel you leaking down onto those thin boxers. Suddenly there’s entirely too much keeping you both apart and all he can think about is that one text he saw you send your brother in the heat of the moment, the one about you, running away with him.. Letting him knock you up. Over and over again.

And it’s literally everything he wants.

And as the shock wears off, once he’s embraced that one undeniable truth,  that last thin thread of self-restraint snaps.

“Fuck.” he groans out, staring up at you as your head falls back and your eyes flutter. You’re too far away,he pulls you down and into him but that’s still not enough. You wind up pinned below him so fast you don’t even know - or care, how it happened. “Wanna fuck you.” he groans out against your mouth as his own crashes against it. 

“Please.” you whine, your voice shattering the early morning silence. “Need..” you pant as his hand dips down, massaging your throbbing cunt with the heel of his hand, “Need you.” you gasp out at last when you’re able to form words just enough to say it. 

“I’m gonna be s’ good t’ you, angel.” he’s staring down at you, fingers slipping up and down your wet slit,making you shiver below him. “Top..” you moan even louder. It’s one hell of an ego boost. You’re so responsive to every single touch, it’s driving him insane. 

He needs to be inside you. Buried so deep that he can’t tell where you end and he begins. He dips his head down, lips latching against your soft skin, nipping his way down your neck.

His fingers work you open. Scissoring. Pumping in and out. You’re rocking yourself up, pussy clenching around thick digits. Your arms settle over his shoulders, nails digging against his skin, leaving crescents against his shoulder.

As he works the  shirt you borrowed from him up and out of the way, he works his mouth down your body, starting with the way he focuses on your nipples, first one, then the other. You’re squirming, digging your toes against his sheets, dragging your nails over his back because you've never been on the recieving side of foreplay. As he squeezes your tits, tongue circling until he's teased each nipple to a point, you’re whining, moaning his name. The more your body responds and the wetter you get, the more he bucks himself against the bed and your thigh. 

His mouth starts to work down lower, tongue circling your navel as he stops to look up at you. Bucking himself against his mattress all over again at the sight of you dangerously close to coming undone. 

,, I can’t believe this is happening.” - the thought has him staring at you in awe, committing every inch of your body -and the way it responds to him, to memory. 

You lift a hand, let it settle in his hair. Guiding him down lower as you rock your hips, fucking yourself onto his fingers as they work you open and stretch you out. 

“You’re gonna ruin me.” he growls out against your thigh as he licks his way upward, “Fuck.” - its a groan against your skin. “ I'm so fucking hungry, love.”

He works his way back up your body, pulling you up to pull the shirt off of you because he can't take it another second, he needs your skin on his,  your soft little body pinned below him. 

You toy with the waistband of his boxers because you’re dying to feel him -actually feel him, without a layer of clothing in your way. He obliges, pulling himself away from you just long enough to tug down his boxers and kick them free at his ankles. They settle on his bedroom floor, the shirt he’s taken off of you following suit right after. Then he’s kissing his way down your body all over again, determined this time. Heart racing. Every cell in his body is humming and electric because this is real, it’s happening and the best part of it is that it’s happening with you. 

As his fingers work to stretch you so you can take him, he hooks an arm beneath, spreading you open. Growling as soon as he sees the way your thighs glisten even more, wetter already. He knows he isn’t going to last long, it’s been a very, very long time. 

He’s determined to get you off. As many times as he can.

He’s dying to feel you clench around his cock the way you’re clenching around his fingers. 

Lost in the whole thing, just as his tongue drags slow over your throbbing slit, you shiver. Rock yourself back and forth over the fingers buried deep in your cunt. You're moaning his name over and over like a prayer and he’s dumb, drunk on the way it feels, your juices coating his fingers and filling up his mouth. “You gonna come for me, princess?” The question muttered lazy against the soft of your thigh as he really presses himself down onto you, fucking you with his fingers while his thick tongue drags against the inside of your thigh, pushing up against your super sensitive sex as he pulls out his fingers to lick them clean and slips his tongue inside, buried so deep you’re almost riding his nose.

You're almost crying, every nerve in your body is begging for your release. “Fuck.” he growls against your mouth as his own crashes against, “You’re the sweetest fucking thing I've ever tasted.” and quieter, as the kiss breaks, “That’s it, I'm keeping you here forever.”

You're not so dumbed by the way that hes getting you ready to be fucked that you don't immediately remind yourself you cannot, under any circumstances, get used to this. To him.

Because sooner or later, you think, he's gonna get bored… or the court of public opinion will get to him or Sarah, what about her, huh? You're such an idiot for this, he has a whole entire girlfriend.”

He picks up on the tension. Fingers slow to a stop and he stares down at you, caressing your face with his free hand.

“You still want this..”

“Yes.” you answer, arching up into him and trying to get as much friction going as you can. Because you were on the edge when your own mind got the best of you and you want to come so bad it hurts.

“You’re sure.. right?”

“Topper, please..” you whine out, “Need you. Want you.”

You almost blurt out that you love him but… at least if you don't, when it is over and he is done with you, you'll have a little dignity left.

He can't take it, there's this look in your eyes as he stares down at you, nearly all fucked out for him and he’s only used his fingers and mouth.

He reaches down between your body and grabs his cock, dragging it between slick and throbbing lips. He lets you take the tip and its like you come alive, pussy clenching around it.

,, probably not smart t” let him have me, not raw like this..” that thought is pushed right out of your brain as he slips in deeper. Going still as every thick inch stuffs you and overfills.  The way your pussy clenches him is so tight that he just has to lie still, kissing on you, marking you up as he gives himself time to get used to the tight squeeze, the way it feels so damn good to fuck you bare.

Nothing in the way, he can feel your slick coat him, he can feel each tight clench, all of it. He starts to move a little again, slow and deep drives.

You're moaning, pulling at his hair with one hand as you eagerly meet his thrusts, dragging your other hand down his back.

He tries to stop himself but you start to thrust against him more frantically, your legs squeezing his hips when he tries to pull out a little. 

“Oh you want me to fill up your sweet little pussy,” he groans, a quietly gasped  “fuck. “  as soon as he realizes this is it, there is no chance of him holding off a second longer. His hands are squeezing your hips tight as he pistons in and out, skin slapping against skin with each long thrust, “ ‘S like you were made for me, love. I'm keeping you.”

And the scary part is that he means it. He's secretly hoping he does somehow manage to fuck a baby into you, as stupid as it is, at least this way you can't just forget him after you’ve gone back to your side of the island.

“Top oh – oh fuck,” you cry out, begging him to let go in your next breath. And he does, brightly colored dots dancing behind his eyelids as they flutter closed for just a second because he comes so hard that he's dizzy.

He falls against the mattress beside you, you curl into him and place a little kiss against his mouth.

The little kiss isn't enough, he’s parting your lips with his tongue, hes got his hands all over you and the end result is you, getting hauled up on top of him, his arms locking around you to hold you there as he peppers kisses against your lips, cheeks and forehead.

“Wow.” one of you says it and both of you nod, a lazy yawn coming from you as he chuckles. “Sleepy?”

“Your fault, Top.” you reply, burying your face in the space between his neck and shoulders.

Meanwhile, your phone is going off again and you just don't care to answer it, any of it.

“ The air conditioner is broke… again.” you’re so hot that forming words is even too much, the effort it takes has you falling across the Emerson’s sofa after you’ve kicked off your favorite flip flops and shed the oversized flannel that you stole from your best friend Gareth years ago.

Gareth nearly chokes on the drag he’s taken off his cigarette as baby blue eyes fix on you and suddenly, he’s actually seeing you. Not as the chubby cheeked little girl who has always kind of followed him around since you were kids, not as the best friend you turned into somewhere around your eighth grade year and his freshman year, but… he’s gawking.

You notice and raise a brow, wandering over to stop in front of him, raising a hand to place the back of it against his forehead. “You feeling okay, Gare?”

“Y-yeah.” Gareth manages to stammer out the word. Your hair is dripping on his mom’s floor and he nods to the water droplets. “You’re dripping everywhere.”

“Duh. I dragged myself down to that stupid pool to at least attempt cooling down.” you shrug it off, side-stepping him. He leans against the kitchen doorway to brace himself and pull himself together for a few seconds but then he happens to look over and you’ve got his mom’s freezer open and you’re digging around in it, a smile of sheer joy when you come up with one of those bomb pops  his mom always keeps handy for his little sister and her endless string of friends as they come in and out.

You peel off the wrapper and hoist yourself to sit atop the deep freeze you’ve just shut, groaning at the way it feels under your ass as the first bite of your bomb pop slides down your throat.

Gareth is hard, hot and bothered. His cock is pushing against thin denim as he wanders over and digs through a cabinet, finding himself a glass.

Like drinking water is going to help his current internal struggle.

You swing your legs around. You must’ve asked him a question because you clear your throat, fix your eyes on him expectantly.

“Huh?” he asks, shaking off the daze he’s been in since you walked in. 

“I asked you if that stupid grad party was as good as you hyped it up t’ be, Gare..” you repeat yourself, tongue rolling over the length of the bomb pop. Gareth’s eyes fix on the motion and he takes a big sip of the water, promptly managing to swallow it wrong.

“It sucked. Hopper and his buddies crashed it barely thirty minutes in. We didn’t even get t’ play one full song.” Gareth finally answers. You take a bite of the bomb pop and nod, laughing softly. “Yeah, I kinda heard. Did you at least get paid?”

Gareth smirks.

“Eddie made sure of it.”

“Good.” you go quiet. Your eyes settle on his lips as he raises the cup in his hand to take a sip. You’re staring way too hard but for the millionth time, you’re wondering what it’d be like to just be brave, kiss him until neither one of you can breathe or think straight. You shake your head, quickly attempting to shove down that thought -and the mental images it brings along with it.

He stops in front of you and thick digits circle your wrist as he raises your hand to his mouth. When he licks your popsicle, you glare at him and try to yank it back. “Hey! Mine!” you complain through a mouthful, “Get your own, dammit.” 

You jump a little as you remember why you walked over to his house in the first place. “You’re comin’ with me tonight.”

“Where?”

“Don’t worry about that.” you answer, giving him a little shrug. “Just be ready to go around like… 9.”

“Where?” he repeats himself. Firmer.

You pout a little. “Okay, alright, fiiiiiine. Since you absolutely must know, I wanna see the new Jason Voorhies fic and my friends are being babies about it. It’s ‘too scary’ and ‘gross’.” you air quote, blowing at sticky bangs as they flop down and right into your eyes.

 ,, this is as close as I can get to asking you on a date. I’m sick of you being too oblivious to take subtle hints.” - the thought comes and brings electricity with it, racing through your veins. You’re nervous as hell, this is the boldest thing you’ve done yet to clue him in on your little crush. ,, I’m running outta time here, he’ll be gone in like.. Two weeks?” - the desperation you feel has you up in arms. You’re so tortured by the thought of the boy next door leaving before you finally get to confess your feelings that you’re a breath away from just going for it, kissing him til he’s stupid.

“It’s gonna be stupid as hell.” Gareth argues. “Do you really wanna waste your money? You can wait, rent it when it comes to Family Video around September.” he’s staring at your lips, the blue tint the popsicle has given them. He can’t help but wonder what they’d feel like, pressed against his own.

“Oh come on!” you whine, begging him with your eyes. Slipping off the deep freezer you were sitting on to step into him. You walk your fingers up and down the front of your shirt. “What if I get scared, Gare..” you plead in a softer tone because if there’s one thing he’s always eaten up, it’s that.

What you don’t realize is the way you’re touching him and the way it feels to have you pressed right against him in the middle of his mother’s kitchen are only further opening his eyes.

And now that he’s starting to realize what he’s starting to realize, he’s about to crawl right out of his own skin, these long dormant urges keep pushing up from deep inside him.

Like the way his hand ends up raised, pushing your hair back out of your eyes as he stares at you solemn and quiet. His breath is caught in his throat. You can feel… something in the air, but you’re totally sure it’s got nothing to do with whatever weird mood Gareth is in currently and more to do with the fact that it’s so hot even something simple as breathing is too much to do.

“It’s opening weekend. Y’know how full it’s gonna be, right?” Gareth asks, shocked at the way his own voice sounds like the voice of a stranger to him when he speaks.

You nod. Gulping a little. “It’ll be okay. I’ll manage.”

“You hate crowds, though.” he insists.

The last place he wants to be is in a crowded theater, in the dark. With you.

Because he’s not entirely sure he can trust himself not to do something stupid as hell right now.

“You’ll be there.”

He rubs a hand over his face because he can see that he’s not getting out of this. You’re fully prepared to stop at nothing until he says yes. 

“Okay, alright. Fuck.. I’ll go with you t’ see this dumb movie.” he relents and you’re so happy, so thrilled that you’re finally about to be in the perfect position to make your move that you lose your filter and fling yourself at his body, wrapping your arms around his neck.

As Eddie Munson clears his throat from the doorway of the Emerson kitchen, the two of you spring apart.

Gareth is so red in the face that it’s all Eddie can do to keep himself from doubling over in laughter. “Am I interrupting something?”

You stick out your tongue and flip Eddie off.

,, no but I swear to God you almost were. I was about to say screw it and just kiss him already, fucking jerk!” the thought comes and you’re so frustrated you can feel your whole body when it clenches.

Gareth’s go-to-Hell glare has Eddie raising a brow.

As you slip past Eddie in the doorway, you pause. “9 pm, Gare.”

Gareth laughs quietly and gives you a mock salute. “Okay, alright. I can’t believe you’re dragging me through this. It’s gonna be pure shit.”

“You’re the sweetest.” your grin as you look back at him is enough to make Eddie’s resolve not to laugh shatter as you wander out the front door of his best friend’s house.

“I’m gonna say it again, Emerson.” Eddie looks up at Gareth between laughing fits, “She really wants you. You need t’ just do something about it already.”

Gareth flops down into a chair at his mom’s dining table, staring at the glass of water he sat down and forgot thirty minutes ago as if it holds the answer to all of life’s little mysteries.

“I think I love her, man.. Somethin just like… clicked when she wandered in here without even bothering t’ knock, Munson. It’s like..” Gareth struggles with what he wants to say, frustration pursing his lips. 

Eddie sits down in the chair next to Gareth after turning the chair so that the back of it’s pressing against his chest. “Yeah?”

“It’s like I noticed all these little things, man.. All at once.” Gareth tugs at the front of his t-shirt. “I mean I know she’s hot. I know that, man, it’s just like… She’s always just been my best friend. I guess I just kinda forgot?”

Eddie’s doubled over laughing again, tears rolling down his cheeks at this point. “What finally got t’ you, huh? Because man..” he tugs at the front of his Hellfire t-shirt and laughs immediately at the way Gareth’s knee-jerk reaction is the same as always, to glare and clench his fists.

“I’m just sayin.” Eddie trails off, taking a sip of water and wiping his mouth, “If it were me, man.. I’d have already had this little moment you’re having like… years ago, man.” 

“Fuck you, Munson.”

“You realize the only reason none of us ever really made a move when we all had our own crushes on her is because we all knew she was your girl.. Right?” Eddie asks, genuine curiosity lighting his eyes.

“Huh?”

“Well, Jeff wanted t’ ask her to the Spring formal. And he didn’t dare.” Eddie trails off, quick to speak up, “As friends, man.. Remember? You had that dumb distraction of a crush on Chrissy’s friend Lily? She got pissed about it and started comin’ around less? They kinda got close.”

“Yeah.” Gareth mulls it over. Grimacing. Because when he finally managed to get himself a date with Lily and they kissed, it was… Nothing. No sparks, no magic. It was more awkward than anything. Enough so that both of them immediately realized that they weren’t anything more than friends. 

“Shit.” Gareth is really thinking hard now. “Maybe that’s why every single fuckin’ time I think I wanna be with a girl, it always feels all wrong.”

“Well duh.” Eddie answers, giving his clueless best friend a calm shrug. “You’ve always been in love with ___, you just did a damn good job at burying it.” Eddie chuckles, gazing at his best friend thoughtfully as poor Gareth has his mind utterly blown.

“Except this one time. We were all high. You went on a twenty minute rant about how much you wanted her but you couldn’t ever be with her because it’d be weird and it’d ruin your friendship.”

Gareth rubs a hand over his face, cringing because he does remember bits and pieces of the rant in question.

“What the hell do I do, man?” he asks, looking up at Eddie expectantly. “You’re the one with an actual dating history that doesn’t involve your hands.” 

“Go for it, man.. Because she’s giving you all the signs. She always has, dude.” Eddie shrugs as he says it, as if it’s the simplest thing to do.

“It’s not that easy.”

“But it is, Emerson.. How the fuck do you think I ended up dating Chrissy -or any of those other girls?” Eddie points out calmly.

“You’re you..” Gareth points to himself. “No girl has ever looked at me and gone totally dumb over all this.”

Eddie’s doubled over laughing for a third time, he can’t believe his best friend is this clueless.

It’s endearing but it’s also hilarious.

“You don’t have a tenth of a clue, do ya?” he asks, a more serious look in his eyes as his laughter dies off and he locks eyes with his best friend. 

“Are you finally going to do something?”

Chrissy’s question has you pausing, your curling iron frozen in your hand in mid-air. “Huh?”

“About your huge crush on Gareth Emerson? You’re lucky he’s oblivious, __.” Chrissy gives you an almost sheepish smile when she says it. You feel like your heart has just dropped to your stomach. “You knew?”

“Mhm. It’s kind of obvious.” Chrissy smirks, nodding at the plaid shirt you stole from Gareth years ago and wear everywhere, especially to places or events you feel less confident or overwhelmed by. Like the fragment of his scent that still clings to the shirt is just enough to help you struggle through whatever it is you’re dealing with, even when he’s not there.

You stick out your tongue at her and sigh.

“He doesn’t.. Like… are you sure he hasn’t figured it out?” you ask, cringing as you wait for her answer.

Chrissy laughs softly and shakes her head. “He doesn’t have a clue. If he did, he’d have definitely picked up on the shift in your attitude when he took Lil out on that date around Halloween.” 

You let out a ragged breath.

Your hands have been shaking all damn day, since you lured him into agreeing to see the newest Jason Voorhies movie. Now it feels like there’s a swarm of bees in your tummy.

“Yeah.” you mutter quietly as you step away and look yourself over inher bedroom mirror critically.

“Would you relax? He’s wrapped around your finger.” Chrissy stops behind you, her chin on your shoulder. You laugh and roll your eyes. “Mhm, right.. Suuuure.”

“I’m not kidding.” Chrissy insists, groaning as she palms her face and looks at you. “You’re just as clueless as he is, y’know that?”

“He’s not into me. I’m just the annoying little shit next door.” you insist.

“Maybe when we were all in middle school, yes.. But it hasn’t been that way for a long time now. Trust me.”

And you want to because God knows, if anybody has dating experience under her belt, it’s your new best friend Chrissy, but there’s a part of you that thinks she’s just screwing with you, she’s gotta be.

“We’ll see, I guess.” you cross your fingers as you grab your keys and wander over to your bedroom door, hand hesitant on the knob.. “Wish me luck?” you laugh nervously.

“Whatever you two end up doing, make sure you name it after me or Eds.” she calls out after you cheekily, you flip her off as you make your way down the stairs of her father’s house. 

It’s 9:15 when he finally spots you rushing through the food court towards him. And when he sees you, he’s being slammed into the wall all over again, his stomach flips lazily, he can feel himself getting tense all over and he doesn’t even want to think about what the sight of you in what you're wearing is doing to certain parts of his anatomy at the moment.

You’re wearing a sundress. A short one, too.. Usually, if you bother with the formality of clothing, it’s cutoffs or this one pair of jeans that cling to your body like a second skin.. He’s never actually seen you in a dress, let alone a cute little short one like the one you’re wearing.

You’re laughing as you come to a halt in front of him. “Sorry! I swear to God, I lost track of time in that new store they just opened.” he finally notices the bags in your hands.

One of them has the branding of the new lingerie store on the front and this almost makes him swallow his own tongue while trying not to picture what you may or may not have just purchased.

You raise a brow, tilt your head to look up at him because he’s giving you that look again, the one from this morning. And he’s staring really hard. His eyes dart up and down like he’s taking you in.

Like he looked at Chrissy’s friend when he had a crush on her.. As soon as this thought surfaces, you shove it down. Because there’s no way Chrissy was right earlier. There’s no way it’s that simple.

Not with the way you’ve been sitting on your feelings for literal years at this point.

You step up into him as the crowd around you waiting in line for tickets seems to triple. You’ve always hated big crowds, he knows it like the back of his hand. He slips an arm around you, out of habit. Only now, he’s nervous as hell and he’s not sure if putting his arm around you is a good idea or if he should take it down.

You snug yourself against him and your hand curls against the front of his shirt. “So..”

He jumps a little, he’d been thinking way too hard. “Yeah?” he asks.

“We should uh..” you’re having a problem forming coherent sentences and you want to punch yourself in the face because of it. You cringe at how awkward you’re being and take a deep breath, nodding to the lines up ahead when you finally give up on words forming.

“Oh yeah.” he chuckles. His voice is deeper. Almost gravel and satin as he mumbles against your ear while smirking down at you, “You’re not startin’ to rethink it now..” as he nods to the huge crowd waiting in line for tickets to the movie you begged him to see.

Deep down he’s hopeful that you are.. Because he’d rather be somewhere a little more quiet and one hell of a lot more private with you. The thought has him stunned when it comes.

Eddie’s speech from earlier comes rushing back, repeating in his head. Taunting him. ,, One of you needs t’ do somethin’ already, man.. You two are kinda givin’ th’ rest of us blue balls, dumb fuck.” 

A girl walks past and she’s complaining about how cheesy the movie was. Meanwhile, her best friend looks like she’s just been to war and seen some serious shit. You gulp as your eyes dart back up and you find yourself locked into a stare war with Gareth.

He steps into you completely, using every inch of his height to tower over you just a little. He’s dominating the space between your bodies and the rush of heat that settles between your thighs has you squeezing them tight. “I’m gonna ask you again.. Last chance t’ back out, lil bit.”

You swallow hard. Your eyes are glued to his mouth and you stop yourself just as you feel the warmth and wetness of your own tongue, dragging the outline of your lips.

But he’s locked in, watching as your tongue traces the shape of your lips. Swallowing hard because all he can think about right now is just going for it. Kissing you to see if that mushy bullshit he’s always read in his mom’s cheesy books is even real at all.

To see if his own theory is right and it has been you all along.

“It does look kinda crowded.” you cringe a little and sigh. You’re losing your nerve. Your shoulders slump just a little and you can’t hide the pure defeat as it plays at your lips in a weak frown.

Gareth clocks it, a rare occurrence.

“We can do somethin’ else.. If you really want to see a horror movie, lil bit..” he suggests, a mild shrug as he pauses to stare down at you and let his hand settle against your hip, pull you close because you’d started to drift away from him, “We can always go t’ Family Video and grab a few.”

You feel like all the air has been sucked out of the space between the two of you. You blink in surprise. “Y..You don’t mind?”

Gareth chuckles quietly and shakes his head. “I missed you.” he’s being completely honest. He has missed you, and he doesn’t want you to keep drifting farther and farther away.

Watching horror movies together on a muggy summer night is something that always used to happen not so long ago.

You grin. “Okay.” you nod, heat searing your face as soon as you realize that he’s kind of holding you against him and this only makes you squeeze your thighs tighter, his finger is circling against the fabric of your little sundress lazily as he stares down at you.

“Whenever you’re ready.” he smirks, nodding to the way the mall is getting even more crowded. You nod, swallowing hard. “Let’s go. It’s too people-y in here.”

The two of you are back in his bedroom, cool air blasting from a fan set on top of his dresser. The dim light of the television set is the only light in the room and while you’re staring a hole through the tv, he’s staring at you.

Willing himself to go for it. To do something before there’s no time left for it.

He gets his chance when the waterbed scene comes up during Nightmare on Elm Street. You’re not expecting it, so you jump into his lap and bury your face in the space between his neck and shoulders instead. 

Gareth bites down on his bottom lip hard. Harder still when your legs end up around his waist and he realizes that you’re sitting completely in his lap.. As in, you can probably feel the way he’s strained against his jeans. For a second or two, his hands linger awkwardly next to either one of your hips and he takes himself a deep breath. He tries not to think about the way it feels, the softness of your panties pressing right against the front of his jeans. The way your legs are squeezing the shit out of his hips currently or the way your deep breaths against his neck as you try to pull yourself together are both cute and not helping anything about his current situation.

“You coulda warned me.” you whine, your voice muffled by his skin. As you speak, your lips graze against his pulse. He can feel his heart about to beat right out of his chest and it almost feels like it’s coming up and any second, he’s gonna choke on it.

“It’s just a movie.” he mutters, chuckling quietly. You pull away and pout at him. “I just watched a guy get murdered by a waterbed, Gareth.”

“Shh.” he raises one hand, lets it settle against your face, “If it’s too much..” he’s challenging you, you can just look at him and tell.

If only you had a clue at all.

You lean in closer. Your lips bump against his. You can smell the popcorn you’ve been sharing. See the greasy sheen butter left behind as it coats his lips.

As his eyes settle on your mouth, he licks his lips. His other hand finally finds a resting place against your hip, squeezing at it lightly when he can feel you start to squirm. 

“Was tonight supposed t’ be a date?” he asks.

You swallow hard and your eyes dart down, settling on the way your bodies meet as you sit in his lap. You laugh softly, a little too embarrassed to look up at him. But then he grips your jaw and makes you. “Was it?”

“Well, yeah.. I was just..” you trail off, smack his chest a little in frustration. “You’re gonna be gone soon and I’m so tired of feeling the way I feel but being too scared t’ act.” you breathe it out in a rush. Gareth blinks, shock widening baby blue eyes. “Wait..” he points to himself as he frantically tries to put two and two together. “How do you feel, hm?”

“Remember when we were kids and I punched Tommy Hagan in the mouth after he tried t’ kiss me?” you ask, tilting your head a little. Focusing on the front of his t-shirt, playing with the fabric to distract yourself. Gareth snickers. “Yeah. The poor bastard got a bloody nose later.” he admits, going quiet.

You look up at him, brows knit.

“Anyway,” he coaxes, “What’s that got to do with this?”

You cringe a little. “If you kissed me right now, Gare.. I guarantee you won’t get punched in the mouth.” you mutter, a whisper by the time your words trail off.

“I wouldn’t, huh?” he asks, gripping your jaw. Making you look him in the eyes again. You’re burning hot all over and it’s not because of the muggy night heat.

“Nope.” you stumble over the word. Try to hold his gaze and pray to whatever God happens to be listening that your heart doesn’t beat so hard that it explodes.

Because it feels like it’s going to.

He loses control of himself entirely. Rocks up into you as his mouth moves in closer to your own. You end up laid back against soft and lumpy mattress and Gareth’s body has your body pinned beneath his own. You whine and arch yourself up against him because the way you’d been getting friction up to this point was to squirm in his lap now and then. Feel the way his cock pressed up into your dripping, throbbing cunt.

“Good t’ know.” he mutters as his mouth latches against your bottom lip, teeth tugging until he can feel it swell under pressure. You rock up into him again and he can’t stop the growl when it comes. Warning in a whisper against your mouth as his tongue slips in to find yours, “Easy, lil bit.. You’re gonna start somethin.”

“Maybe I wanna.” you mutter, making him pause. Stare at you intently, fucking you with his eyes. “Hm?” he questions, the kiss deepening as his hands really start to wander, squeezing. Groping every inch of skin he can get his hands on. He bucks himself against you and you whine, the needy sound of it cutting through the air.

“I said.” you breathe out, crashing your lips against his all over again as you pull him completely on top of you and wrap your legs around, “Maybe I wanna..”

“Fuck.” he groans against your neck as his lips stray from yours to latch against soft skin there, “You sure about that?”

“Please?” you beg, one of your hands untangling from it’s rest against his neck to trail down, tug at the button on his jeans as you stare up at him.

That pretty little begging pout. The one he’s never been able to refuse.

The one that’d get him to do anything, no questions asked.

His head drops, resting against the swell of your breasts as he tries to stop himself because he thinks he hears someone standing outside his bedroom door. He’s dancing his lips over soft skin, staring down at you with lust-black eyes. 

“I..” you trail off. Because you’re afraid if you tell him you’ve never actually done it before, he’s going to back out. And you want him to be your first. It has to be him, you made up your mind a long time ago.

You can’t imagine your life without Gareth Emerson in it.

“Yeah?” he mutters, softly pecking you on the lips.

“I haven’t ever like..” you can’t just say it and it’s frustrating. You feel like an actual child, the way you’re hot all over, embarrassed heat burning at your skin. “I haven’t ever done it with anybody, Gare. I was um...” you take a deep breath or two and grumble about the way words always seem harder before speaking up again, "I was waiting on... you.."

Gareth groans, ruts himself into you all over again, immediately going still when again, he thinks he hears someone standing out in the hallway. He’s staring at the door intently, wishing that locking it didn’t mean he had to pull himself off you.

This is beyond every single one of his wildest dreams. He doesn’t want anything to happen and ‘wake him up’. Because he has to be dreaming right now, he has to be.

You’re pouting. Trying to rub against him, your lips pressing against his neck to mark him up. “Why’d you stop?”

“Thought I heard somebody.” Gareth tears his eyes off the door and looks down at you, giving you a little peck on the lips as he pries himself away from you. He opens his bedroom door, peeks out and closes it, satisfied that he’s just hearing things.

Then he’s wandering back over to the bed. Pushing you flat against his bed all over again as he settles himself on top of you again. “I haven’t either... because I was hoping..” he admits quietly, his lips pressing against the bridge of your nose as he rubs himself against you clumsily. One of his hands creeps up the bottom of your dress and you whine out quietly. He stops, looking down at you. “Are you sure?” he asks, taking a few deep breaths.

“Please?”  you whine out as you arch into him because you can feel his hand settle against your throbbing cunt. “Gare, just..” your eyes flutter open and shut as your head falls back and he starts to rub a little harder, the clumsiness in his touch fading fast, “love you.” you gasp, a coil building in your tummy, “Need you, Gare.”

“Fuck.” he groans, rocking himself against you, his hand rubbing a little faster as his lips latch against your neck, sucking at skin harder. Determined to leave marks behind. “Need me, huh?” he mutters, chuckling quietly. “Gonna make you feel so good.” he promises, slipping his fingers into your panties.

As they curl inside of you, you whine and dig your nails into his shoulders. There’s too much keeping you apart. “Baby, I..” you choke out as his fingers strum against a spot that sends you arching up into him, “I wanna feel you..”

He wants to die right there, he realizes that he’s so focused on getting you ready for him that you’re both still wearing all your clothes. You slip a hand between your bodies, tugging impatiently at the belt loop of his jeans. When your fingers graze against his stomach as they work the button on his jeans free, he whines helplessly. You’ve freed the button and you’re tugging down the zipper. He wants the dress out of his way. It’s pretty, you look so goddamn gorgeous in it, but he needs to see you.

Naked. Pinned beneath him with your hair all fanned out on his pillow. 

He stops working at your cunt to slip his hand out of your panties and tug them down. His jeans are slipping down and you whine, blowing at hair as it falls in your face because you’re frustrated. You want his boxers out of the way. His shirt off.

You go for the hem of his t-shirt and he hesitates. This is met with you tugging harder while giving him that pleading little look. And Gareth is nothing if not nervous as hell. What if you get a look at him naked and it’s enough to completely kill the mood? What if you’re turned off by him?

“Babe.” he complains.

“Gare, pretty please?” you beg against the shell of his ear. “If it’ll make you feel better I’ll let you undress me first..”

He swallows hard, staring down at you when he’s got the nerve to look at you again. Peppering your face with little kisses. “Really?”

“Gareth, I want you. Just like you are. Don’t you want me?” you question, the pleading look in your eyes growing even more. “Fuck yeah.” he answers, zero hesitation.

“You really want me to–.” he nods down to the dress currently in his way. You laugh softly and nod. “You always think too much. I said it was okay.”

He starts to push the dress up, easing himself off you a little so you can sit up and he can pull it over your head. It settles on his bedroom floor. Your hands are shaking a little and your first instinct is to throw an arm up and attempt to cover your chest but he pushes your arm down, staring.

Gaping.

“You.. there wasn’t a bra under it?” he questions -the way he gapes at you makes  you snicker quietly, slowly working his shirt up over his head. It falls from your fingertips onto his bedroom floor and you’re too impatient to keep waiting, stripping off his jeans and boxers almost immediately after, not giving him even a second to protest.

 You gently shove him against his mattress and he groans, bucking himself up into you. When your hand captures his hands and holds them against his pillow, it’s all he can do to keep from getting too loud. “C’mon, no fair.” he pleads, pushing himself up to a sitting position and smirking as he does it. 

“I wanted to touch you, damn it.” he’s pushing you back against the mattress now, staring hard at your naked body. Taking it in. Because he can admit now, he dreamed about this very thing on more than a handful of occasions.

But it was a dream. This is very much real.

It's happening.

And as his mouth finds your mouth again and you whine and whimper, finally managing to get a hand free from the way his hands caught against yours to hold them still, you slip it down between your bodies, circling his thick cock.

You’re clumsy, uneven with your strokes and not squeezing him like he can feel your pussy squeezing his fingers as he slips them back inside you deep, working you until you’re dripping all over them again. “ ‘S okay, babe.” he coaxes. “You can squeeze a little tighter.” he bucks himself against your hand as it circles his cock tighter. Staring down at your as your eyes flutter open and closed each time he pumps his fingers into you. He can’t wait to feel you wrapped around his cock, squeezing the same way you’re squeezing the two fingers buried inside you right now. You’re so wet there’s a puddle forming below your body on his bed, making the navy color of his comforter a wet black.

Your pussy vises around his fingers as he finds that spot all over again. You’re digging your toes into his mattress, arching up into him, helpless. 

“You’re gonna feel s’ fuckin’ good f’ me, pretty girl.” he groans, rutting himself against your thighs.

You whine out louder, he buries his mouth against yours, kissing you to at least make an attempt to keep anyone from figuring out what’s going on in his bedroom right now. 

“Shh.” he cautions as the kiss breaks so you can both breathe, “Gotta be quiet.”

You nod but the faster his fingers work away at your cunt, the harder you suspect that’s going to be. When he brushes against that spot deep inside all over again, you bite down on his shoulder a little and he almost can’t stop, he almost blows instantly.

“Jesus.” he groans out, staring down at you with a red face and hints of a cocky smirk, “you’re real needy f’ me, huh?”

“Gare.” you whimper, tears of frustration pooling at your waterline. You’ve been so close, literally right there, at least three times now and every single time, he’s backed you down from going over the edge. You’re shaking. And all the teasing has you aching. 

“Last chance t’ change your mind, pretty girl.” he mumbles, lips nipping at your earlobe as he slips his fingers out of you and lines his cock up, dragging it between swollen wet lips, teasing at entry. All you can do is beg. Plead with him.

He stops when he feels you tense up. Kissing on you until he can feel you relax and start trying to rock your hips against him, your legs falling open wide.

He can’t stop staring down at you, taking everything about you in.

“Jesus.” he growls against your skin as he sinks in deeper and his hand grips your hip, angling it, “You’re fucking squeezing me.”

You’re pinned below him, fucked out gleam in your eyes, tears dripping down your cheeks because you’re frustrated. Dying for your first orgasm.

“Give it t’ me, pretty girl.” Gareth coaxes, dragging his finger over your bottom lip, leaving it quivering. “C’mon, fuck.. I need it.” 

You come apart, Gareth fucking into you, fucking you right over the edge as you shake and cling to him while you come undone. “So fuckin pretty.” he mutters against your skin softly. “Mine. All mine.” he’s squeezing your body with his hands, bucking into you fast enough that the headboard of his bed is now hitting the wall quietly. He raises an arm, grabbing at it to keep it still and hopefully, make it quieter. “Wanna cum s’ bad.” he mumbles.

“Wanna..” you whimper, back arching as his cockhead strums against your spot all over again, “Wanna feel you, please..” you’re begging for it, it’s the hottest thing he’s ever heard. It pushes him straight over the edge and he’s slamming into you, your tits bouncing, the chain around his neck banging against his skin with every single thrust into you. You raise a hand and curl your finger in the chain, using it to tug his mouth back down onto yours and this is it, he can’t take another second.

He melts himself down into you, lips everywhere, hands all over you as he fucks into you clumsier, slower and his kisses are sloppier. Messy and wet on your mouth as his hot release paints your insides. 

He falls into bed beside you, spent. Breathing hard and fast. But he can’t take the absence of your skin against his so he pulls you on top of you, letting you settle there, draped across him.

All those fireworks he’d never seen any other time?

Exploding in bursts of color behind his eyes as he closes them. His arm snakes around you and his hand drags up and down your spine gently.

You know your mom’s talked to your father when you step into your house after a long day at cheer practice to hear Silver Springs blaring from the stereo in the kitchen.

She’s angry baking again, you sniff the air, stomach growling at the scent of her homemade brownies.

“Ma?” you call out, hoping she hears you over the music playing full blast.

Your mom lowers the radio and calls out to you. “Teeny? Are you home?”

You saunter into the kitchen and grab a cup, running cold water into the tap. “Yeah.” you flop down into one of the brightly painted ladderback chairs.

“Your father wanted t’ know if you want to come for Christmas this year. We were figuring out the visits..” she looks so sad. She always looks sad after she’s had to deal with him.  “He’d really like it if you did.”

You roll your eyes. “Riiight. Sure he would. So he can trot me around with his new family, pretend to be the perfect father.”

“Sweetie, he is trying harder.”

“He should’ve tried before he fucked his secretary, ma.” you don’t mean for it to slip out quite so blunt, but you still can’t just get past it. You don’t intend to, either. You are firmly on your mother’s side.. Because it wasn’t like he was actually involved as a parent before he walked out anyway, you think, why’s he wanna start now?” 

“Will you at least think about it?”

“Nope. Not interested.” you answer after not even half a second. You take a few sips of water and after the silence gets too much, you clear your throat. “I’m sorry, I just can’t, ma.”

“I wish you’d try. He is your father.”

You shrug. “Maybe if he’d bothered acting like it with me and Dawn before, I’d be bothered t’ spend time with him now.” you mumble. Your mom nods. “He was taking care of us.”

You snort in laughter. “He was using work as an excuse to not be around, ma. I really wish you’d see that. I wish you wouldn’t defend him. He doesn’t deserve it.” 

“Sweetie, you don’t understand the whole situation.”

“I understand that he said for better or for worse and then he bailed.” you shrug, going quiet. “Can we just not talk about this, ma? It’s kinda been a long day.”

Your mom nods. “It has. I’ll tell him you’re not coming next time he calls.”

“Better yet, let me.” you smile at her. “I’ll be th’ bad guy, ma.”

“Sweetie..”

“I know what you’re about to say. This is a bridge I think I wanna burn.” you insist. “I don’t care how much money he sends. I don’t care how many vacations or holidays he invites me to, it’s not gonna change the fact that you’re my ma. He’s just.. Half of my genes. He never bothered gettin’ t’ know me or Dawn. I really don’t think he even liked us, ma.”

“Sweetie..”

“But it’s fine. I’m dealing with it.” you insist. Your mom studies you quietly.

After a second or two, she scowls at the ringing landline. “That’ll be your father or that little jerk Joey.”

“Got it.” you smirk and she laughs softly, shaking her head. “One of us has gotta be rude, ma.” you shrug as you slink over, picking up the phone.

It’s Joey.

You wander out into the hallway, leaning against the wall. Waiting until he reaches a stop in his speech.

“I’m still done with you.” you speak up, calm and firm. “I told you I wasn’t ready, asshole. You kept pushing me. I told you t’ knock it off, you didn’t. This is where we are now.”

“Aw, c’mon, babe.. I can’t help you went an’ got all hot on me an’ I couldn’t keep my hands off ya.”

You roll your eyes. “Yeah, well.. No is a full sentence, asshole. Just for the future, idiot.”

“Ice queen.” he grumbles. “Y’know, teasing a guy isn’t right. It’s not fair.”

“The fact that you think I was teasing you to begin with just shows me how stupid you are. If I wanted you, asshole, you’d have known it. Don’t call here again. We’re done.” 

You laugh bitterly and slam the phone back down onto the hook just as he’s getting all worked up all over again, pleading for you to at least think about giving him a chance. Your mom is watching you when you wander back into the kitchen and flop down into your chair, you can tell she’s been listening at the doorway.

“Do you wanna talk about it, teeny?”

You shrug. “I had one boundary, ma.. The jerk couldn’t be bothered to stick by it. It’s over.”

“But you’re hurting.”

“And I’ll survive.” you mumble, sighing as you shake your head. “Just once..” you trail off.

“Yeah?” your mom sits down, taking a sip of her long-forgotten glass of tea.

“I’d like t’ meet a truly decent guy.. Y’know, one who listens.. Who respects my boundaries and stuff. Who actually wants me for me, not because I’m supposedly hot now.” you roll your eyes and laugh. “Can’t trust any of ‘em, huh?”

“One day you will, sweetie.” your mom coaxes. You laugh, the laughter dying away when you realize that yes, she does still somehow have a shred of hope left. 

“I mean.. Even the boy I used t’ love so much in middle school and thought would never turn into an actual shithead turned into one, so I’m kinda having a hard time believing that.” you admit quietly as you finish off your glass of water. 

“I promise.” your mom gives you a little smile. “I might have.”

As her eyes light up, you giggle. “Okay, I’ll bite..”

“Bob… That sweet man who owns Radio Shack?” your mom goes quiet, grinning like an idiot. And it’s the first time you’ve seen her this happy - at least not romantically, in a long time.

You’re trying to remember who she’s talking about. You grin.

“No way! I thought I picked up on a lil flirtation between you two when you went to take the toaster in to be fixed.” your hand goes to your mouth and you laugh softly. “Okay, I need to hear everything, ma. Now.”

Your mom smiles and shrugs. “We’ll see how it goes.”

“Moooooom.” you whine. “No fair!”

“A lady never kisses and tells.” your mom answers, making you pout at her.

“Not even to her daughter?”

“Especially not to her daughter.” your mom laughs and shakes her head. “Were you still going to meet Robin at the mall later?”

“Mhm.”

“Maybe you could invite Tommy..” your mom ventures and you shake your head. “I really don’t think that’s such a good idea, ma..” you go quiet. She frowns. “But you two were starting to get close again at Ruby’s party this weekend.”

“We are, I just… I love Robin, okay? She’s not comfortable around new people.”

Your mom smiles and nods, opening her arms for a hug. “Such a sweet girl I have.”

You laugh. “Y’know some people might disagree with that.”

“I don’t care.” your mom smiles at you as the hug breaks. “I’m proud of you and your sister. I think I did a damn good job.”

“Love you, mama.”

“Love you too, teeny.”

You wander into Scoops and get in the line behind a group of girls decked out in leotards and legwarmers. As they whisper back and forth amongst each other about how low King Steve has to have fallen, working at an ice cream parlor, you roll your eyes. You instantly recognize Nicole, one of Carol’s airheaded friends.

“It’s your turn, bimbo.” you cut into their conversation, rolling your eyes as you nod to the counter. “Can you order and get the hell out?”

Nicole’s hand settles on her hip as she looks you up and down. “Did you seriously just..?” she pops a bubble with her gum.

“Yeah.” you laugh. “I did.”

“Nic..” Tina goes quiet under her warning glare. Nicole rolls her eyes. “Screw whatever Tommy said, I still don’t like this little bitch. I’m not gonna be nice to her, either.”

You yawn. “The fact that you think I give a flying fuck is amusing.” you shrug as you say it. “I don’t care. I’d rather you stick to what I’m used to.”

“Good.”

“Great.” you fold your arms over your chest, scowling at her as you shoo her, hoping she’ll turn around and order the ice cream she came for, get out of the way so you can get your ice cream fix for the afternoon.

Up at the counter, Steve’s overheard most of the little confrontation. And he can’t help but chuckle to himself as he listens to you putting Nicole in her place.

Oh, it’s not the first time, not by a long shot. You’ve never had a problem speaking your mind. Not even a little. There’s never really been a shy bone in your body.

,, it’s actually kind of hot.” he thinks, pausing as he turns, sits down the scoop in his hand and holds out Erica’s daily free ice cream. “Your orange dreamsicle, kid.”

Erica smirks. “Thank you.”

As she makes her way past, you laugh softly.

Nicole, Tina and the rest of their little group takes their turn, catty muttered comments about how pathetic Steve Harrington has truly become under their breath the entire time.

“At least he’s doing something productive. Unlike you airheads.” you mutter, hoping to hell it’s loud enough that at least one of them hears you because honestly, you’re just over the little group being in your presence.

Your turn finally comes.

Steve is chuckling as you stop in front of him. “You’re a little hothead, y’know that?”

“They bring it outta me, Steve.” you bite your bottom lip as your eyes fix on his mouth for just a second or two too long for your personal liking. You shake your head and laugh softly. “Is Robbie around?” you ask, bursting at the seams to tell her who your mom has apparently been on a few dates with while you were at your grandparents.

“She’s in back.” Steve nods towards the back of the parlor. “I can go get her?”

“Nah, it’s fine. I’ll catch her in like an hour.” you smile at him but he shakes his head at you. “No, I’ll go get her. It’s my turn t’ take a break anyway.”

As he takes off his apron and the stupid sailor hat, you lick your ice cream cone, reading off the three new flavors they’ve added to the menu. 

Robin wanders out, putting back on her apron. As you flop down into a chair nearby, she nods to your damp hair. “You must’ve gone to the pool.”

“Mhm. I left because that idiot Hargrove wouldn’t take a hint and leave me alone.”

Robin laughs. “Most girls would kill for that.”

“I’m weird though, remember? I like my space. He had the actual nerve to grab my sunblock, Robbie.. Then he starts trying t’ put it on me? Like..” you take a few licks of your melting cone, “Excuse me, man? Did I ask you t’ touch me?”

Robin snickers quietly.

“ I heard the new cheer coach is a real battle axe.” Robin sits down across from you, resting while there’s nobody in the little shop.

“Ugh, I swear to God.. If I weren’t so locked in on being a dancer, I’d walk. Zero hesitation.” you take a few more licks. “That woman had the audacity to tell me I need to drop five pounds.”

Robin gapes. “Ew!”

“Yeah. I told her not a fucking chance. If I stay on the squad past camp I’ll be surprised.”

“You could just take dance lessons.. They opened that studio the next town over.” Robin muses. You shrug. “I’m thinking hard about going that route.”

“So do it.” Robin encourages. “Don’t spend another second miserable.”

“I’m trying not to be a quitter. But I swear to God if she doesn’t breathe down someone else’s throat, I’m done. Because it’s like you said.. Why be miserable? That’ll just make me hate dancing.”

Robin nods. “Exactly.”

“Speaking of camps… Did you talk to you know who yet?” you lean in, giggling softly as you ask the question. Robin cringes. “An attempt was made.. A bad one, but an attempt all the same.”

“Robbie, that’s so badass! I told you it wasn’t that hard!” you’re loud and enthusiastic, grinning brightly at your best friend. Robin is beet red, sticking her tongue at you. “I didn’t say it was a good attempt.”

“Oh no.” your face falls. “What happened?”

“I opened my mouth and instead of words, I squeaked.” Robin hides her face and shakes her head. You laugh softly. “Aww, this is so damn cute.”

“Okay, what about you, hm? I heard a certain freckled prick was over at your house on Saturday?” 

You shrug. “We talked. We kinda had to.. Was Ruby’s party, remember?”

She nods. “Just like.. Don’t trust him, okay? Steve says he’s full jerk, no hint of this so-called sweet side you keep insisting he has.”

“You and Steve talk a lot.” you’re teasing her gently. She shrugs, glancing back at Steve as he peeks around the corner. “Maybe he’s not as bad as the rest of ‘em..”

“Girl.”

“What? I just said maybe he’s not that bad.”

“That’s a doorway though.” you mutter, making her laugh at you as she shrugs. “He asked me to come with him, he’s taking these kids he babysits to see a movie later. I feel soooo bad.. Like.. If I were as bold as you I’d think he was into me and he’s so barking up the wrong tree.. But he’s been through it and I don’t wanna add to that.”

“He’s strong. You can let him down easy sooner or later. I think he is into you. I know he is, actually.”

Robin gapes.

You shrug. “You’re hot.” you smirk, staring her down. “If I were into girls I’d have locked it down when we were in like… 9th grade. We’d totally be married by now.” you make her blush and she’s laughing, it’s the cutest thing. You smile at her. “I’m not lying, either.”

“You’re full of it.”

“Am not!” you insist, staring her down. As melted ice cream rolls down your arm, you raise it and lick it off. “Anyway, yeah.. When you do have to let the big idiot down, just be easy. I agree with you. He kinda went through it, what with Billy knocking him off his throne and Nancy Wheeler ditching him.”

Robin nods and sighs. “I’m dreading it.. I mean, if he actually is into me.”

You smile, nod at her. “I know. It’s not fun. Like, not at all.”

“Hey… he did say you were cute.”

“Uh uh.. Nope.” you shake your head. “I’m committed to myself right now. Until I figure out who I can actually trust and who is only into me because I suddenly and supposedly got cute. Which I still don’t see, by the way.” you shake your head. 

“Oh come off it. You’re hot, okay? Like.. Super hot. If I knew you were into girls..” Robin laughs softly.

“We’d be married.” you answer, giving her a wink.

“I better go, let you get back to work.” you stand, stretching. Grimacing at the way your arms ache from working them all day. Robin notices and gazes up at you in concern. “You okay, tiny?”

“Yeah, just sore as hell. The coach decided she was going to work our asses off. Apparently, we’re all lazy or something.” you shrug.

Robin laughs softly. “Hey.” she stops you as you turn and start to head out of Scoops, “You should come with me? If I go with the dingus and his children..”

You raise a brow. “I dunno, Robbie..”

“Aw, c’mon.” Robin pleads. You rub your forehead. “What time?”

“9.”

“What if Steve doesn’t want me around though? I feel like I’d be third-wheeling you guys..”

Steve speaks up, smiling at you. “It’s fine. I don’t really mind. The more, the merrier.”

You give him a little smile that Robin clocks, files away to tease you about later on. As you tilt your head to look up at him, your stomach does this weird little flip.

“Cool. I’ll meet you guys at 8:30. I’m gonna do some more retail therapy.”

Robin snickers. “Good grief, woman.”

“I haven’t spent the old man’s lousy dad tax yet. I don’t want it sitting around, Robbie. It’s only fair, right?”

As you slink out, Steve chuckles.

“She’s.. Interesting.”

Robin laughs softly, shaking her head while Steve is still kind of staring at the door. “She’s a handful, that’s what she is.”

“Yeah, I kind of picked up on that.” Steve muses, blowing out a breath as he finally takes his eyes off the door, thick digits raking through shaggy hair.

“What the fuck? Why is she so freaking stupid, ugh!” -your little exclamation draws a glare from Nancy Wheeler’s little brother and Lucas snickers to himself. Steve can’t help the snort when it escapes and Robin nudges you, leaning in.

“Bet you twenty dollars that she ends up dead by the end of this scene.”

“Why are we betting, Robbie? We both know it’s inevitable at this point.” you’re scowling at the screen, “I just need her to be smarter. She's truly an idiot..” you go quiet, shoveling popcorn into your mouth as you fix your eyes on the screen.

 As Robin looks up right around the same time the killer bursts through the door with his axe, she jumps, hand flying to her eyes as her popcorn flies off her lap.

Steve looks at her in genuine concern and as you watch the two, you can’t help but feel angsty about it. 

,, He might seem sweet but..” your mind insists. This thought is overshadowed by the next one, ,, Poor guy.” because any idiot can look at him and see just how down bad he is for Robin.

And on a deeper level, yes.. Maybe you’re feeling just a little bit of the old green eyed monster. But you bury it and you bury it quick, reminding yourself that you’re perfectly fine doing your own thing. That you need to have time to yourself, that you made yourself a promise not to jump from the frying pan back into the fire.

Because you’re sick and tired of the disappointment that always seems to come right along with it.

At one point, the girl with red hair nudges you.

“Yeah?”

“Hey.. It was cool when you told my stepbrother to get bent earlier. He’s not a good guy.”

You nod. “Yeah, I kind of picked up on that. He’s not familiar with the word no, I take it?”

Max shakes her head, laughs softly. “He’s never heard it.”

“Yeah, that tracks.”

“Just don’t let him win.. Please?” Max asks, looking at you in concern. You nod and smile. “Oh trust me.” you lean in to whisper, “I don’t think you’re ever gonna have to worry about that one, cherry.”

She laughs. Smiles at you. And as she turns her attention back to the screen, she happens to catch Steve looking away from you. She raises a brow and shakes her head, nudging her girlfriend.

“I thought Steve liked Robin.”

“He does.” Eleven answers, glancing over at where the three of you are sitting, further up the row. She happens to catch him looking from you to Robin and then at the screen as he shakes his head and laughs at the way the two of you are tossing popcorn into each other’s mouths. “Wait..”

“Yeah? You saw the way he looks at ___ too?” Max asks, grinning. Eleven nods. “I think he likes them both.”

“Yeah.” Max agrees, stealing another look. Now the two of you are tossing popcorn into Steve’s mouth, the three of you laughing.

“But which one does he like, like.. Like, y’know, seriously?” Lucas wonders as Mike hisses at all three of them. Lucas flips Mike off, scowling at him. Dustin glares at Mike and leans in, muttering quietly, “He kinda told me earlier that he really likes Robin but he thinks ___ is kinda cute. I’m trying to get the idiot to ask Robin out on an actual date.”

“I dunno.. I kind of feel like maybe ___ is more the one he should ask. I just don’t think he’s Robin’s type…” Max muses, earning her a glare from Dustin which she shrugs off. “Besides that…I like her, alright? And Steve needs a challenge. He needs a little frustration in his life. I’ve seen her around, trust me.. She’ll keep him on his toes.”

“Okay, fine.. You guys play matchmaker your way, we’ll play ours.” Dustin, Mike and Lucas smirk as they say it. Will, Eleven and Max smirk right back at the three. “Fine. Game on. I’m telling you, you dorks are wrong.”

“Maybe none of us are right.” Will muses, shrugging. “If we butt in, we’re kind of taking the choice out of his hands.” he points out, stealing some of Mike’s popcorn. Mike scoffs. “You’re not wrong, but.. If we leave it up to him,” Mike nods, “He’s gonna make the wrong one and then the idiot will get hurt and we’ll have t’ deal with mopey Steve all over again.

“I just don’t know that it’s a good idea, Mikey.” Will argues, pulling the popcorn they’re sharing back into his own lap as he looks over at the three of you, “But I get it.. I mean, kinda.”

“We’re still going to meddle.” Max states, looking at her friends hopefully. “C’mon, me and Eleven are bored, we need some excitement.”

“Okay.. We can meddle a little. At least try to figure out which girl Steve really likes.” Will mumbles after thinking it over. “We can at least nudge him in the right direction if we figure it out.”

Mike snorts and rolls his eyes. “Steve likes anything with tits and an ass, duh. I don’t think the idiot actually has a type.”

Eleven shrugs. “I dunno.. I think he does but he doesn’t even know what that is yet.”

“Yeah, well.. He’d better not even think about it with my sister again.” Mike grumbles. 

Will rolls his eyes. “Nance and Steve are done, stop being a baby.”

“Yeah but how do we know that?” Mike asks, pouting at his boyfriend. Will laughs, reaching out to pat Mike on the head. “Just trust me, Mikey.. They’re done.”

Tommy peeks through his bedroom curtains. 

There’s still no sign of your car in the driveway. He grumbles to himself and makes himself step away from the window just as bright white headlights cut through the darkness.

He can hear Motley Crue playing for just a few seconds, the sound of an engine idling. He’d been tensed up, he relaxes a little. He knows it’s you and you made it home because you’ve been listening to the same Motley Crue cassette since your cassette player ate it at some point just before you left for your little trip to Florida.

Despite the fact, he wanders back over to his window, flopping down on the sill. He reaches out, grabs his pack of cigarettes and the lighter, carefully easing the window open.

You’re just getting out of your car as he looks down and takes a drag. If your outfit is anything to go by, he has to assume you just got back from a date and this thought doesn’t sit right with him, the jealousy starts to rise within before he can stop it from happening and it brings a renewed sense of desperation right along with it.

Dark brown eyes settle on the swimsuit calendar tacked to the wall above his old desk in the corner, the date he has to leave town for college is circled in red permanent marker.

“I gotta do something, this is gonna drive me crazy.” he mutters to himself in the darkness. 

When he looks back down, you’ve gone into your house. A quick glance upward shows that you’re in your room. There’s a hazy glow inside, your frilly sheer curtain and the tapestry you tacked over the top of it are pulled out of the way and you’re wandering around, a pale pink phone cord winding itself around your pretty little body with every step you make as you pace your messy bedroom and talk to someone on the phone.

You stop in your window, hand pressed against the glass. As he stares at you, he gets the feeling that you’re  staring right back. This is confirmed when you give him this little wave. He leans his head back against the wooden frame behind it and exhales, a plume of smoke dissipating into the darkness.

And for the second time in fifteen minutes, he reminds himself that he needs to do something. He can’t leave town with everything so unfinished between the two of you because it’s been eating at him for a while. 

( TWO )

The line of cars parked at the curb in front of her house had Tommy peering out his bedroom window. 

“What the hell is goin’ on over there?” he wonders to himself. 

He’s a little worried, he overheard you telling that chick Robin -or was it Barb, the know-it-all pain in the ass?- that your grandpa wasn’t in the best of health and that’s why you’d gone to spend part of the summer in Florida.

He reaches for the cordless phone on his  desk, just about to call you when his mother knocks lightly at his bedroom door.

“Thomas?”

“Yeah, ma?”

“Are you busy, son?”

“Not ‘til 10, why?” Tommy asks, grumbling to himself. He steps over to his bedroom door and pulls it open, leaning in the frame.

His little sister is standing on the other side with a huge brightly colored gift bag.

“Will you take Mari over to little Ruby’s birthday party, sweetheart?” his mother asks, giving him an apologetic smile. “You shouldn’t have t’ stay terribly long if…” she trails off. Mutters something about not understanding why he’s no longer friends with the pretty little girl next door who always used to come over and Tommy tenses up. “Ask her, ma.” he mutters quietly, giving a shrug.

“Can you pretty please take me, Tommy?” his little sister asks, grabbing onto the leg of his jeans dramatically. “Pretty please with cherries on top?”

He swallows down the lump in his throat and nods. “Yeah. I’ll take y’ over, short stuff. Go grab some shoes, I’ll be down in a second.”

He just needs… A few minutes.

To get himself together. To make himself seem nonchalant, unbothered by the fact that the girl he’s always considered his girl, hasn’t spoken to him in years and suddenly, he’s gonna have to show up at her niece’s birthday party and somehow, he’ll have to be okay.

,, shit.. Guess I better find somethin’ else t’ wear.” - dark brown eyes catch on his reflection in the mirror and he drags a hand over his head, blowing out a breath.

He strips off the muscle shirt and old oil-stained jeans he’d been wearing earlier to go out and work on his car, and he digs around in the hamper frantically. After tossing several articles of clothing onto the floor, his older sister Sage finds him sifting through a pile of clothes he hasn’t looked twice at, let alone bothered to wear.

She laughs softly, slinking into his bedroom.

“What?” Tommy asks, giving his older sister a dirty look. She nods to the clothing pile. “Hot date, Thomas?”

“Told ma I’d take Mari over t’ that kid Ruby’s birthday party.”

Sage gives him a knowing smirk. “And ___, she’ll be there, yeah?”

Tommy flips his older sister off. “Yeah. And?” he snaps. “It’s not cos of that, Sage.”

“Riiight.” Sage rolls her eyes. “Sure it’s not.”

The silence settles in and Sage speaks up quietly. “Wear the white t-shirt and the darker blue jeans.”

Tommy rolls his eyes but grabs the shirt and jeans his older sister is talking about. As he’s about to step into his bathroom and change, his sister clears her throat. “Y’know.. If you’d just confront her about ditching you back then you’d feel a lot better… Right?”

Tommy mimics his sister. “Yeah, well.. I’d really  rather not.”

“Chicken.”

He shrugs it off. “Fine.. Since you’re gonna keep on my ass about it, I’d rather leave it all hangin than have it be…” - he hesitates on the word over, because he can’t even wrap his head around his life without her in it, even if she’s just.. Kind of lurking there. Perpetually out of his reach and orbit.

Just knowing she’s around if he wants to reach out, that’s kept him going this long.

“At least think about trying to talk to her, Thomas.” his sister suggests before slinking out of his bedroom, letting the door bang shut softly behind her.

Tommy raises his middle finger at the closed door and takes one last look at himself in the mirror.

“ This is gonna have t’ work. I’m not a fuckin’ prettyboy like Hargrove or Harrington.” he mutters, slipping his feet into a pair of Converse.

He hesitates at his bedroom door for a few seconds to try and pull himself together. A deep breath or two later, he wanders down the stairs and into the living room, flopping himself onto his mom’s sofa.

“You ready, Mari?”

His little sister nods. “Can ya put my bow in straight, Tommy?” she asks, holding out a bright red hairbow to her big brother. Tommy takes the bow and grabs the hairbrush sitting on the coffee table, nodding to the floor in front of him.

“How about this, short stuff? Let’s fix your ponytail first, hm?” he asks, pulling the elastic out of her hair, clenching it between his lips as he works his little sister’s long, dark hair up into a slightly less crooked ponytail. As he finishes re-twisting the elastic into thick strands, she reaches down, grabbing her bow to hand to him.

Tommy fastens the bow into her hair and she spins around, throwing little arms around his neck. “Thank you!”

Tommy chuckles. “We should probably get goin, huh?”

“Mhm.”

He stands and his little sister climbs up onto the couch, grabbing hold of him so that she can climb onto his back. Tommy grabs the gift bag and they head out the door. 

“ Don't freak out..”

Nothing your older sister has ever said ends on a good note when she's leading with that. You put down your lip balm and spin around in your chair, brow raised. “Yeah?” 

“Mom and Mrs. Hagan were talking earlier and…” your sister grimaces and pauses for what feels like a lifetime. In the meantime, your stomach is doing flips and you’re getting a strong feeling you know exactly what your sister is about to tell you. “Okay?” you question, tapping your fingers against the top of your vanity desk, “Are you actually gonna tell me or make me–” you trail off as it clicks. “She didn't."

“Ruby and Marisol are friends…”

“So he's gonna be here.. like.. at the party?” you ask, rubbing your forehead as you mumble and complain about the way your mom likes to butt in.

“Maybe he won't show up.” your sister coaxes. 

“Maybe not. A little kid birthday party isn't exactly his scene these days..” you eye your reflection in the mirror critically, shaking your head. “Can't risk it, I'm gonna chang–” you're grabbing up a swimsuit top and shorts that make you feel less…exposed, your sister stops you, shaking her head. “Wear it! It's cute and Ruby is wearing the same color, she'll be sad if you change.”

“I dunno.”

“I thought you didn’t give a shit what anybody thinks anymore, hmm?”

“Fiiiine, but if my tits pop out or aunt Sandra says one word about my cute little tummy, I swear to God I'm haunting you when I die of embarrassment.”

“Fair enough.”

Your mom peeks into your room grinning. “Guess who came to see you, Teeny?”

“I see him standing behind you.” you give Tommy a little wave. Your mom is grinning ear to ear. “We'll just leave you two alone.” she nods to your older sister who smirks at you on her way out.

Tommy lingers in the doorway, arms folded.

“You can come in.” you're standing in front of him, head tilted slightly as you look up at him. He fills the doorway, making himself taller, with an arm raised. “You sure?” he finally asks as soon as he realizes he's staring too damn hard and drifting too damn close to you. You step a little closer, grimacing as you look up at a fading black eye.

“The other guy looks worse.”

“Mhm.” you mumble. The air is thick, tension so high you can almost hear it hum in your ears. When your fingertips graze against bruised skin, he swallows hard, trying to rid himself of the massive lump that's formed in his throat all of a sudden. 

“What happened?” you ask, pulling your hand away.

“Hargrove wouldn't shut his fucking mouth earlier.”

You raise a brow. “Oh.”

He steps closer to you. Gives you an awkward smile. “Bet you're glad the braces finally came off, huh?”

You laugh quietly and you nod. “Yeah, having a mouth full of metal really bites.”

The shared laughter dies and even though you don't want to, you step away a little, pulling him into your room. The door bangs shut behind him softly and Tommy’s eyes dart around as he acquaints himself with your room all over again.

He spots a stuffed black cat he won for you at a carnival back in 7th grade as he’s looking around. He wanders over and picks it up, turning it over in his hands. “You still have this?” he asks, looking up at you as you apply your mascara.

You meet his gaze in the mirror. You smile and nod. “Duh, was I gonna just throw away a perfectly snuggly stuffed animal, Tom Tom?”

The old pet-name slips out before you catch it. You cringe a little, laughing softly at yourself. “Sorry..”

Tommy grins a little, shrugging it off. “It’s not a big deal, pixie.”

He says it’s not a big deal. Then he goes and uses the nickname you haven’t heard -or allowed- anybody to use in literal years. While he’s stood in your bedroom, all freckles and dark,deep eyes.. Broad shoulders and that fucking smirk.

You feel like you’re going to melt inside.

You take a second or two to pause before you apply another coat of mascara because there’s this little shake to your hand and you don’t trust yourself not to mess it up.

“Y’know you can sit down.. Right?” you finally speak up just as the tension is reaching a fever pitch and you can’t take another second of it. 

He eyes your bed with it’s rumpled leopard print sheets and pink comforter for a few seconds. You’re staring so hard that you see the smallest bob of his throat as he swallows hard.

You laugh and shake your head. “Or just stand there. It’s not gonna take me much longer.”

Instead of flopping down on your bed, he wanders over. Stops behind the pink velvet covered chair you’re sitting on with one hand at the top of the back of it. “Y’know you don’t need all this crap..” he gestures to your makeup, “Right?”

“No,but..” you smirk as you lock eyes with him in the mirror, “I like it.”

“Just seems like a hassle t’ me, pixie.” he’s close enough that the warmth of his breath tickles your neck, staring at the two of you in the mirror. You shiver a little and he chuckles quietly. “Everything okay?”

“Y-yeah.” you answer quick. Maybe a little too quick. “Just peachy, Tom-Tom.”

The scent of cologne, his apple shampoo and the faintest trace of cigarette envelopes the space between the two of you and you want to punch yourself right in the face because it practically has you swooning.

,, I have got to get a grip. I know how he is now, he’s not the same Tommy anymore.” - the thought prompts you to steel yourself.. Or at least do a little better job attempting to. At least you’re trying until the other side of your mind weighs in, ,, But what if he is. What if he’s just buried it? What if..”

You finish your mascara and stand because you have to get out of your room. The walls feel like they’re about to close in on the two of you and the air is way too heavy. There’s too much silence, too many things you want to say but are afraid to.. 

He isn’t expecting it so this puts you body to body with him as soon as he’s stepped away from the back of your chair. His hand grazes your hip, your eyes dart down when he doesn’t drop his hand.

And then he does and while he’s not paying any attention, you’re pouting to yourself about it.

“We should uh.. Probably get downstairs.” you manage to mumble, Tommy nodding in agreement as he walks over, opening your bedroom door and motions to the hallway. “After you.”

As the two of you make your way down the stairs and out into your backyard, you can just feel that tension multiplying.

It feels like there’s not enough air in your lungs.

“Do you think they talked?” your mother asks your older sister as soon as she catches sight of you and Tommy. Your older sister shrugs. “You do realize that people grow and change, right, ma?” 

“I know, it’s just they were always so cute together and Rosalie and I both feel…” but your sister is already shaking her head. “She’s gotta find her own person, mama. If it’s Tommy, great. If it’s anybody else, that’ll be fine too.”

“I know, it’s just.. We know Tommy. He can’t be as bad as Joey.”

“Or that little prick Dante, remember him?” your aunt Marlene speaks up, sipping on a mojito. She’s gazing in your direction, watching the way you and Tommy interact with each other like a hawk.

“Mom, she’s a kid. We make mistakes, remember?” your sister points out. Your mom sighs. “I know, I just don’t want her t’ end up like me..”

“Or me.” your sister gives your mom a wounded look as she takes a sip of her drink. “You were thinking that, right?”

Your mom shakes her head. “Sweetie, no.. absolutely not. Paul is a sweet man.”

“But I did everything backwards.”

“But it works for you.” your mom smiles and your sister relaxes, even if it’s only a little.

She glances over at you and Tommy, currently sitting on the grass. Neither of you seem to be talking. There seems to be a little awkwardness.

“I don’t think they talked.” your sister tells your mom and your mom frowns. “I just wish I knew what happened, why they stopped being so close.”

“Diane Perkins daughter happened, Ma. That’s precisely what happened to them. Tommy had a crush on Carol, Teeny had a crush on Tommy, when he started dating her, Teeny just backed off. And honestly, that’s not a bad thing.”

“But to throw away a whole friendship?” your mom questions.

“Because she didn’t want to be forced to watch him change, ma.” your sister mutters and your mom sighs, shaking her head.

She shares a laugh with your aunt. “I certainly don’t remember it being this complicated when we were kids, do you?”

Your aunt laughs softly. “It had its moments.”she admits, going quiet.

“I bet our moms arranged this.” Tommy’s thought shatters the current silence between the two of you. You gaze over at your mom and shrug, laughing. “Most likely.”

“I’m pretty damn sure mine did.” Tommy admits.

“I won’t disagree in the case of mine, either.” you mumble. “Tommy, I–..” you trail off, a soft Nevermind tacked onto the end of what you’d been about to say.

“What?” Tommy asks, turning slightly so that he’s facing you.

You shrug. Pick at the pink polish on your nails. “ I miss being friends.”

Tommy nods. Clearing his throat.

“Me too.”

It stings a little because like always, he wants to be so much more than just your friend. It’s the whole reason he's made himself believe choosing Carol was the right way to go. Fear held him back. It still does, otherwise he'd be going for it right now, while he knows he has your attention.

Truthfully, he thinks to himself, it was the easier way to go. Instead of trying, instead of taking the risk of losing the girl I really liked, I took the easy way out. And it hurt like hell in the end because now I kinda don't have either one of em.”

“So..” you mutter. There’s even more tension between the two of you now and you can’t just sit next to him in it. It’s got you on edge, almost folded into yourself.

“So..”

The two of you laugh quietly and you scoot a little closer before you can stop yourself.

“How’s it feel to be done with Hawkins?” you ask, going quiet. Tommy shrugs. “Just gotta get through college now.. Then it’s off t’ flight school, I guess.. Or the Marines, haven’t decided yet. My uncle and Tony both went that route.”

You swallow hard, nodding.

He chuckles.

“How’s it feel t’ know you’ve still got one more year left, little girl?” he’s teasing you, you roll your eyes and pout. “I am not a little girl.” you assert, flipping him off jokingly. You go quiet and then you shrug.

“I guess it’s not so bad. It could be a lot worse.”

“Gonna miss your face next year, pixie.” Tommy blurts it out before he can stop himself and there goes that swarm of butterflies in your tummy all over again.

“Gonna miss your face next year too.” you admit, going quiet. He’s moved closer to you, you’re watching your niece and his little sister play with all the other little girls that your older sister invited for Ruby’s birthday. 

“Remember when we were that little?” you ask, nodding to the little girls. Tommy snickers quietly. “Yeah.”

“It’s so easy for them now.” you muse, shrugging. 

“Sweetie!” your mom calls you over and you pull yourself up off the grass. “Yeah, ma?”

“Why don’t you and Tommy go and see if there’s any ice cream at Big Buy?” 

You glance up at Tommy. He shrugs, grinning a little at your mom. Your sister smirks, looking from you to Tommy. “Maybe let Tommy drive, sis? There’s way too many cars parked at the curb to risk you behind the wheel.”

“Bite me, sis.” you roll your eyes.

Tommy’s staring down at you, amused.

“She almost made Coach Keller piss himself, actually.” Tommy admits, laughing. You pout up at him and he chuckles quietly.

“I’m not that bad.”

“You almost hit the curb this morning, woman!” Tommy laughs, teasing gleam in his eyes when he says it and you raise a brow. He chuckles. “I saw you earlier, trying t’ pull in after cheer camp.”

“Oh haha.” you pout.

As the two of you wander back into the house to grab your keys, Tommy’s staring at you and he can’t stop himself from smiling.

Maybe this afternoon won’t be the hell he’d been thinking before coming over.

,,Maybe, he thinks, if I play my cards right, I can get the nerve to do.. Something.. Before some asshole like Hargrove or Harrington beats me to it..”

The adults are still downstairs, the group of little girls attending your nieces party have all crashed into a pillow fort Ruby begged you and Tommy to build for them. The two of you retreat to your room and you flop across your bed, reaching for the TV remote.

As the Miami Vice theme song starts, you can feel him staring.

“Not a word, Tom Tom.”

He shrugs beside you, chuckling, grumbling under his breath about you and your daddy issues. You roll your eyes and turn slightly, giving him a dirty look.

“Ha ha ha.”

You stick out your tongue and the way it rests against your lips has him staring super hard for at least five seconds. To a point where you giggle all soft under your own breath and roll your eyes yet again. 

“Stick it out again, pixie.” Tommy warns, holding your gaze intently. “I dare you. Go ahead.”

You swallow hard because suddenly it feels like all the air in the room is gone and you can’t breathe. You laugh and shake your head. “Now why would I wanna go and do a thing like that, hm?”

Tommy shrugs. “I thought you were the wildest girl at Hawkins High, though.”

“Meh.. Depends on the situation.” you shrug and laugh, reaching out to grab the television remote from between the two of you. Tommy sits there quietly, staring at the tv set as he wraps his head around how not horribly the day has gone so far.

And he can’t take another second, he’s gotta know. He’s gotta know why you stopped talking, stopped coming around back in 9th grade. 

He reaches out, prying the remote from your hand.

“Why’d you ditch me?”

You flinch just a little. Sighing as you take a few seconds. You need to choose your words wisely, you know this. After a long pause, you finally turn so that you’re sat facing him.

“Because I loved you way too much t’ end up losing you. I knew that was what was going to happen because Carol and her friends, they’re…” you rub your face. “They’re the worst. They taint everything.”

Tommy nods,mulling over your answer. Then the fact that you said you loved him hits and his mouth drops open.

“Whoa, wait.. You..” he has a hard time getting words to come until finally, they do, “You loved me?”

“With every cell in my childish body, Tom-Tom.” - what you’re not saying is that to an extent, you still feel something. It’s not clear and it’s not the same as before, but you never actually lost feelings for him back then.

You’d just had your family torn apart by your father’s affair.. You couldn’t stand to stand back and watch your best friend, the boy you were in ‘love’ with at the time twist himself inside out to fit in with Carol and the rest of the cool kids. You didn’t want him to feel like he was forced to keep you in his life, either.

You accepted it at the time as two people growing. Changing.

“Loving somebody isn’t childish, though.” Tommy mutters. You nod. “I just want us back, pixie.” he goes quiet, staring down at jean-clad legs.

You take a sip of your cherry Coke.

The sound of the Hagan’s lawnmower draws you out of bed and over to your bedroom window just in time to watch Tommy peel off the t-shirt he’s wearing. As he tosses it onto the paved walkway nearby, you bite your lower lip and try to look away.

You’re frozen in place. Staring way too hard.

He’s oblivious, locked in and focused on the task at hand, pushing the mower in a line down the strip of lush grass close to the curb.

You haven’t spoken to Tommy in years. Unfortunately, this doesn’t stop you from being painfully aware of him. Unfortunately, this does nothing to kill the stupid, hopeless and very childish crush you’ve always had on the slightly older boy next door.

And as you stand in the window of your bedroom watching him, you’re just a little more annoyed at yourself because you can’t seem to shake him.

Tommy stops to take himself a break and wanders over, falling out onto the paved walkway, guzzling down a bottle of water. And then he does something you’re not expecting.

He looks up. Right at your bedroom window.

In a blind panic, you fling yourself away and out of view, settling haphazardly into the velvet covered chair in front of your vanity table. As you try to pull yourself together and tell yourself that he wasn’t looking right at you, that he  didn’t just catch you staring at him like a little creep just then, your stomach twists.

Because you saw the little smirk, the nod he gave you.

Oh, he saw you alright.

“Great.. Now I gotta spend my entire summer hidden in my bedroom.”

Your sister clears her throat from the doorway of your room. “Why?” she asks, stepping inside. Letting the door close behind her as she leans against it.

“That freakin’ prick next door just saw me staring at him.”

Your sister snickers quietly. Grimacing a little as she flops onto your bed and sends at least four of the stuffed animals lined up neatly on the end of it flying into the bedroom floor. “Tommy?” she questions, the smirk she gives you a knowing one.

“Yeah.” you mumble.

“You’re not over him already?” your sister questions, a brow raised at you as she asks. You flip her off and shake your head. “Unfortunately, no.”

“Didn’t he just graduate?”

“Well, yeah.” you answer, going quiet as it sank in, you wouldn’t see him around anymore. Rumor had him going to play basketball at a college upstate, and if he hadn’t changed his mind since the two of you were kids, he’d be heading out to basic training.. Or he’d end up working at his father’s car dealership in Michigan.

You shrug, staring down at your bare feet. “If you’re gonna tell me how stupid or babyish it is, I know.”

Your sister shrugs. “I didn’t say anything.”

“You don’t have to, Allie.” you answer, glancing up at her. “I just need t’ get over him already. He’s got a girlfriend, he’s gonna leave in the fall, he’s supposed to be going to State on a basketball scholarship. Besides,” you sigh and laugh as you shake your head, “We haven’t spoken in years. Me pining away for him is kind of pointless.”

“Not really.”

You look over at her, brow raised. She laughs softly. “When you two were little, you were like this.” she crosses her fingers and holds them up, “and the heart wants what it wants. I was kinda surprised when I came home that first winter break and you weren’t going to your little Snow Ball with him.”

You cringe.

“Yeah, well.. I was gonna just go for it and ask him but Carol asked him first. And he was so happy, I just kinda..”

“Stepped back and let her win.” your sister finishes for you. And you’re angry at yourself all over again for just giving up back in middle school.

Now you’re going to go through life wondering what if you hadn’t. And it’s too little, too late to rectify the situation.

At least you think it is.

Your sister smiles at you softly. “The best way to get over him is t’ just live your life. Pretend like he doesn’t exist. Then maybe it won’t hurt so bad when he leaves in the fall.” she offers, pausing for a second or two. “Or… hear me out.. You could finally be brave. Use this summer to at least try to reconnect as a friend. Because trust me.. That’s better than nothing at all.”

You laugh.

“That won’t happen. Trust me. He’s all ‘popular’ now. He barely even looks at me.”

Your sister shrugs. Studies you for a few seconds and laughs softly as she shakes her head. She could tell you that she caught him watching your bedroom window from his own when you were  gone out with friends the night before and she came in to raid your closet but she knows how stubborn you are. She knows you won’t believe her.

“I thought he broke up with Carol.”

You shrug. “I wouldn’t know.”

“Leanne said they broke up on graduation night. There was a big fight at her sister’s stupid little party and Tommy took off with Steve Harrington and Billy Hargrove.”

“I wouldn’t know. I went to that party out in Becker’s field. Tina’s party was invite only anyway.” you roll your eyes. “Her parties are always so lame, it’s not like I missed anything.”

“Apparently you missed that. Because even Donna confirmed the breakup. Just food for thought.” your sister slips off your bed and wanders over to your closet, digging through it.

“You have your own clothes, bimbo.” you point out.

“Yeah but those are in Ann Arbor right now. We’re the same size. And your clothes fit better.”

“Yeah, maybe because you have th’ body t’ fill ‘em out.” you grumble. 

She tosses a pair of cutoffs and a cropped Coca Cola shirt at you. “Get dressed and downstairs in ten.”

“Do I look like I wanna go anywhere before noon? I’m goin’ back to sleep, Allie.” you’re starting to get comfortable again, reaching for the book spread open on your nightstand.

“Did I ask you if you wanted t’ come?”

“No, but you’re not the boss of me, either.”

“Get your ass up.”

You know your older sister well enough to know that she’s not going to leave you alone. “Fine, okay, alright.”

Your little niece rushes in, lunging into bed with you. “Please, please will y’ come t’ the park an’ play with me? AND AND..” your little niece claps her hands together excitedly, “Mama said she take us to th’ mall!”

You laugh softly and nod. “Yeah, I might as well. I’m awake now.”

“Good. I’m tired of seein’ you all sad.” your niece beams up at you and your older sister laughs. “See? Even Ruby’s over you moping over a boy you really didn’t even like.”

“I did like Joey.”

“Not as much as Tommy.” your sister argues. Your niece turns to look at you, giggling.

“You like him?” her eyes are as big as saucers when she says it. “His little sister is my friend!”

You shoot your older sister a dirty look, mouthing “Gee..thanks. She can’t keep a secret t’ save her little life, Allie.” as your older sister shrugs it off. 

“Ten minutes, ___. If you’re not downstairs, I’m coming back up t’ drag you down.”

Tommy’s staring at your bedroom window. He can’t seem to stop himself lately, there’s this itch to go over, confront you about the way you just stopped talking to him at all back in middle school.

He’s so caught up in staring, imagining what might’ve been if he hadn’t just given up back then. He completely misses the fact that Billy’s Camaro comes to an abrupt stop in the driveway behind his own car. Billy slams the door and wanders over, flopping down onto the walkway next to him.

“What are we starin’ at?”

Tommy nearly jumps out of his skin and he whips around to look at Billy, glaring. “Do y’ have t’ slip up on me like that?”

“Like you didn’t hear my car.”

When  Tommy gives him a blank look, Billy snickers quietly. “You were zoned out.”

“I wasn’t.” Tommy argues, but he’s already staring up at your bedroom window all over again. You start to peel off your shirt and Tommy bites back a groan.

Billy lets out a low whistle, nodding to where you stand in the window as he grins. “Do we know her, Hagan?”

“She used t’ be my best friend..” Tommy goes quiet for a second or two. “She kinda stopped talkin’ to me at all when we hit 9th grade.”

“Damn shame.” Billy mutters, nodding to the window again, “You coulda introduced me.”

The look Tommy gives him is angry, jealous enough that just this once, Billy realizes Tommy Hagan has one very firm boundary.

That boundary is you.

“C’mon, man. We were gonna go check out Starcourt. I heard Harrington got a job there or some shit.. Don’t you wanna go make his life a living hell?”

“Okay, alright, fiiiine.” Tommy grumbles even though going to Starcourt Mall is the absolute last thing he feels like doing.

Just like you figured, Starcourt Mall is packed. Everybody in town is here for the grand opening. You give your older sister a dirty look as you climb out of the passenger seat of your mom’s old station wagon.

“Ugh.” you grumble. “There are so many people here.”

“Mhm.” your sister teases, grinning at you, “It is kind of the grand opening, sis.”

“I wanna go to the toy store!” Ruby chimes in, grabbing hold of both your hands as the three of you hurry across the parking lot.

You spot Tommy and Billy Hagrove and for a second, you’re frozen. Staring at him like an idiot.

Your sister rolls her eyes and laughs. “C’mon, space cadet. We’ve got shopping t’ do.. Paul gave me his credit card before he went back to Ann Arbor on Saturday.”

You laugh and roll your eyes. “He trusted you with his American Express?”

“Well duh… I do have t’ get our house ready to move into.”

“It must be nice, the whole trophy wife thing.” you mutter, giving her a teasing smirk. Allie laughs and shrugs. “Look, I can’t look at bare walls and shitty secondhand furniture another second, okay?I will lose my mind.”

“Fair point.” you muse as the three of you wander into the mall. You spot the ice cream shop at the same time as your little niece.

“Mommy! Ice cream!I want one, pretty please?”

You spot your best friend Robin inside. “I can take her over. I wanna say hey to Robin. Give her hell about her stupid uniform.”

Your sister pretends to think it over. “Okay, alright. I’m gonna go find Paula and Leanne anyway, they’re supposed to meet me here. We’re gonna be in the Wicks N Sticks, I think.”

“Want me to keep little bit?” you ask and she smiles gratefully. “Yeah, I don’t want her to see her D O L L H O U S E and B A R B I E S before this weekend.” your sister spells out your niece’s birthday present and you roll your eyes, laughing. “We can meet up in the Food Court in like.. Two hours. I wanted t’ go into a few stores since we’re here.” you shrug.

“Be good for aunty, lil bit.”

“Promise.” Ruby grins brightly. As your older sister wanders off to meet up with her old high school friends, you pick up Ruby.

“Okay, ice cream first.” you smile and laugh when Ruby nods her head vigorously. “I want butterscotch.”

You laugh. Tap your lip thoughtfully. “Gee, I dunno,Ruby.. What if they don’t sell that?”

The two of you walk right past Billy and Tommy and as you do, Tommy’s gaze settles on you, lingering. Billy bites his lip, doing his own staring as you disappear into the crowded ice cream parlor.

“If you’re gonna keep being a little bitch, Hagan.” Billy chuckles as he starts to follow you into the ice cream parlor, “I’m gonna go for it.”

Tommy swears under his breath and catches up to Billy, grabbing him by the back of the faded orange button up shirt he’s wearing. “Not gonna happen, Hargrove.”

Billy smirks. “You really think you’re gonna stop me, Hagan?”

“Nope.” Tommy makes himself taller, stepping up to Billy calmly, “I know I am.”

“Right.” Billy sneers. “We’ll just see.”

With the battle lines drawn, the two of them wander into Scoops,getting into line right behind you and Ruby.

Robin spots you and tosses her apron onto the counter, slipping out from behind the counter. Steve glances up from making Erica Sinclair her second caramel vanilla cone of the day and watches as Robin slips up on you, lurking behind, slipping her hands over your eyes.

You shriek and whirl around, glare softening as Robin grins.

“You’re out of bed early.”

“She’s gonna take me to th’ toy store!” Ruby exclaims. “You can come too, Robbie!”

“Lil bit, she can’t.” you laugh softly, “She’s working right now.”

Robin speaks up quickly. “But I totally can later.”

“Yay!” Ruby claps chubby little hands together. She’s starting to get a little heavy but you don’t dare put her down, she’s at the age where if she sees something she wants to look at a little closer, she’ll dart off with no hesitation.

You settle her onto your other hip and she leans her little head against you.

“Girl..” Robin gives you a once-over and pretends to tug at the collar of her shirt. “You’re actually kinda hot.”

You can feel heat rising to your cheeks as she says it and you laugh, shaking your head no. “Am not, oh my god.”

“You are.”

You roll your eyes. “Nope.”

“Vickie was just in here.” Robin mentions casually and you tap your foot, impatient to hear more details. “Well?”

“I was giving her the change back for her sundae and I couldn’t even form a sentence!” Robin grimaces, shaking her head. You laugh and smile. “First of all, you gotta relax, Robbie. I mean, I get it..” you’ve just caught sight of Tommy and you’re staring just a little.

Robin notices and wrinkles her nose. “Oh no. Nope, absolutely not. That guy is a jerk.”

You sigh and nod, agreeing. “I know, I know.” you mumble. You turn away from him and happen to glance at the menu above the counter. Snickering quietly as you catch sight of Tommy’s former best friend all decked out in the same ridiculous uniform that your best friend is currently wearing.

“Harrington works here?” you ask, gaze lingering on the broad-shouldered boy’s turned back for a second or two. “I thought his parents were like.. Loaded.”

“His father got him the job, I think. He’s old friends with our boss.” Robin shrugs. “He’s such a dingus. I thought he’d actually be like.. Cooler? Since he’s King Steve?” she air-quotes the words as she laughs and shakes her head, “He’s bombed out with sooooo many girls, he’s so cheesy.”

“Interesting.” you mutter, tearing your gaze off of Steve for a few seconds. You shift Ruby back to your other hip and tap your lip thoughtfully. “I think I’m gonna get the strawberry shortcake ice cream, lil bit.”

“Oooh.. I want it too!”

Robin laughs. As her name is called, she rolls her eyes and blows at a strand of blonde. “Guess I have t’ actually get back over there and work.”

You nod. “Hey.. Wanna meet up later? We can go to the pool or something, I don’t know.”

“Yeah!” Robin smiles, nodding. As she disappears behind the counter and ties back on her apron, you and your niece get back into line behind Tommy and Billy.

When Ruby grins brightly up at you, your stomach churns. “Ruby, no.”

“But..”

“No, Ruby.” you shake your head firmly. “Not a good idea, lil bit.”

,, I am not..Nope, I’m not gonna deal with either of them being a prick when she’s being all sweet and trying to talk to them and they’re jackasses about it. Because they’re popular and that’s what all the popular kids seem t’ do.” you think to yourself.

But Ruby is just barely 4, it’s not like she can even begin to grasp that concept just yet.

And this is precisely why when she taps Billy on the shoulder, you tense up all over. Billy whips around, the glare on his face melting off, turning into an almost sleazy grin as his eyes flit over you.

Tommy swallows hard, locking eyes with you.

“Hey kiddo.” Tommy gives your little niece a less than enthused smile and fixes his gaze on you intently. “___. Hey.”

“Hey.” you mutter, struggling with the word for just a second or two and in that second or two you manage to beat yourself up a thousand times over it.

Ruby grins. “I like your earring, sir!” she’s all grins as she’s talking to Billy.

Billy’s caught off guard. He chuckles. “Thanks.” his gaze settles on you. “Tommy’s an asshole, I guess he’s not gonna introduce us. I’m Billy.”

You want to roll your eyes. You almost do but you stop yourself. You nod. “We had Creative Writing together, actually.”

Billy chuckles. Stares at you a little harder. “Yeah, I remember now.”

,, ugh, he’s such a sleaze. Tommy’s his best friend…” - the thought comes and you shove it down because you refuse to believe that Tommy, your Tommy has changed so drastically that he could be like that now too.

Tommy’s tensed all over, a jaw clenched so tight that it flutters. He’s glaring daggers at Billy while Billy is in charmer mode but it’s like he’s invisible.

,, just like always,” Tommy thinks, ,, this prick knows what I said and he’s still gonna go there.” - the thought prompts him to clear his throat. “Are we gonna get our ice cream and piss Harrington off for the day?” he asks, giving Billy a pointed glare.

Billy glares right back, making himself taller. Sensing the silent warning in Tommy’s words and deliberately going against it. “I’m kinda talkin’ here, Hagan.”

“Me and Ruby need t’ go.” you can’t take another second near Billy, it’s a combination of the aftershave - or the way he also reeks of douchebag, another second. “Mind if we just scoot in real quick, Billy?” you use the fact that he’s being a creep to your advantage, flashing him what you hope is your best sweet smile as you step around the two and up to the counter.

Robin nudges Steve and nods to you. “Hey, you’re up, dingus. I got the last six people. I’m on a break right now.” she slips off her apron and lays it down on the counter, giving you a playful wink as she disappears into the back of the store.

“Hey, I’m Steve, I’ll be your captain today.” by the time he’s said this, you’re snickering. You can see exactly what Robin means by her earlier assessment of working with King Steve thus far.

“I’m Ruby.” your little niece introduces herself and grins. You laugh softly and shake your head.

,, yep, you think to yourself, my niece is definitely her mother’s daughter.” 

Steve grins at the little girl with the crooked and messy ponytails. And then he glances over at you. 

He knows exactly who you are. You’re Tommy Hagan’s neighbor. You used to be his best friend and at one point, Steve suspected that Tommy might’ve had a thing for you.

“Hey.” he’s not as boisterous as he was just a few seconds before. You smile and laugh softly. “Hey.” 

You glance down at the ice cream as soon as you realize honey colored eyes are a definite trap and as you study the various tubs lining the cooler between the two of you, he chuckles.

“You live on Elm,  right? Across the street from Tommy?”

You nod. “Yeah.” you laugh softly. “Haven’t seen you around in a while.”

Steve shrugs. “Kind of not talkin’ to Tommy anymore.”

You look up, glancing back at Tommy and Billy. They’re having a heated discussion in line a few people behind you and you sigh.

“Yeah, he’s gone and gotten himself a real class act.” you roll your eyes and Steve snickers quietly.

“Not a member of the Billy Hargrove fan club?”

“Not even a little.” you admit, glancing back at the two. Steve notices how your gaze lingers on Tommy and he almost feels bad for you.

Tommy’s a jerk now, he thinks, I hope she realizes it before she gets too attached or anything.

You roll your eyes when Billy looks up and right at you. This is enough motivation to get you turning around. You smile at Steve. “I think we’re gonna get strawberry shortcake cups.” you glance at your niece as she nods her head and laughs. “I want strawberry!”

Steve chuckles. “She’s a little cutie.”

You smile softly at Ruby. “Oh trust me, Steve.. She’s fully aware of this. Uses it to her advantage.” - you're teasing, hugging Ruby a little bit as you smile at her. “She’s gonna be my little buddy today, my sister ditched us.” you roll your eyes, glancing back at Steve. “She’s got my brother-in law’s credit card.”

Steve chuckles. “That sounds awesome.”

You smile and nod. “It is. I’m gonna take her shopping.”

Ruby squirms around in your arms excitedly. “Barbies?” she asks hopefully. You laugh. “We’ll see, lil bit.”

“Two strawberry shortcake cones, comin’ right up.” Steve scoops the ice creams into your cones and holds them out to you. You take yours and hand your niece her cone.

“Don’t get that all over me, lil bit.” you tease gently as you take a lick and groan. “Ooh, this is so good.”

Steve’s eyes linger just a little too long at the way your tongue moves over the icy treat. As you wander over to pay at the register, he tugs at the collar of his uniform.

On the other side of the counter, Tommy clears his throat. Chuckles as he gives Steve a firm warning look. “Do you really think she’s gonna go for some loser in a sailor suit?”

But there’s pleading in his former best friend’s eyes. Silent begging because deep down, Tommy isn’t as secure as he seems. Steve shrugs. “Did I say I was interested, Hagan?”

“Looked like you were tryin’ t’ flirt just now t’ me, Harrington. She’s off limits. We talked about this already, man.”

And as he says it, Steve feels this surge of annoyance. It prompts him to smirk as he meets Tommy’s gaze. “You don’t own her, man.” 

Billy smirks. “You couldn’t handle her, Harrington. Trust me when I say this.” he nods to you, licking his lips. “She’s not th’ little prisses you’re used to. Stick t’ those.”

Steve rolls his eyes. “Asshole.”

Billy shrugs off the name. “Just bein’ honest, Harrington.”

“He’s not wrong, Harrington.” Tommy gives Steve a solemn look. “Didn’t you fumble Nancy? Didn’t she break up with you for that weirdo Byers?”

“Fuck you.” Steve scowls, giving Tommy a wounded look. “Didn’t Carol dump you for some asshole in a fraternity, though?”

Tommy's entire body tenses. His jaw clenches tight. As the anger clouds dark brown eyes, he smirks. “She’ll be back. She always comes back, Harrington.”

Steve laughs and rolls his eyes. Because he’s spoken to Carol lately and he knows Carol is gone for good this time. That she’s been messing around with this new boyfriend for at least three months behind Tommy’s back.

Because she’s gotten sick of the way Tommy acts lately too.

You’re just wandering past Scoops Ahoy for the second time when Robin spots you.

“I told you he was a dingus.”

You laugh and nod. “I’m actually kinda underwhelmed.. He was seriously the king of Hawkins High? I mean.. The way all the girls have always swooned, I thought he was a golden god.” you shift your Lovelace Lingerie bag from one hip to the other. 

“Oh my god!” you remember the swimsuit you bought yourself on a whim just now, “I’ve gotta show you my bikini, Robbie!”

Robin laughs and takes some of your other bags as you dig through the pile of lacy and frilly bras and panties to pull out a blinding pink swimsuit with a high cut bottom.

Robin tugs at the collar of her sailor suit. “Holy hell.”

“You gotta go check them out. They’re practically giving their stuff away, there’s some grand opening sale.”

Robin snickers quietly. “I thought you didn’t like shopping, though.”

“Yeah, when I’m broke. My father sent his annual ‘guilt money’ last week.” you laugh and shrug, the laughter dying off as you go quiet. “At least he still does that.”

Robin slips an arm around you.

And then she remembers her own little juicy gossip.

“Oh my god, you missed it earlier.. The girls from that Jazzercise studio came in, right? Steve made such an idiot out of himself. I could’ve peed myself laughing. It was so ridiculous.”

You laugh and nod. “Oh I bet. Did he use the whole ‘captain’ spiel? Because he used it on me and lil bit earlier. I would’ve laughed but it was kinda cute. I mean, corny but kinda cute.” 

Robin notices that Ruby isn’t with you anymore. “Where is little bit? I was gonna tell her that they have fairy wings at Claires.”

You grin. “She already found ‘em. Immediately hit me up for a pair. And a little matching tutu.” you happen to catch sight of Tommy and Billy nearby, standing in front of the movie theater. You turn away quickly when Billy gives you that sly grin and stares just long enough to make it uncomfortable. “Ugh, what do girls even see in that creep?”

Robin follows your gaze and shrugs. “I’m guessing it has something t’ do with the fact that if you squint he looks like a generic Val Kilmer? Or Rob Lowe?”

“Yeah, that tracks.” you laugh and shake your head. “I swear he’s been popping up all day, it’s weird.”

Robin grips your forearm dramatically. “Oh god, this is it. This is how they suck you in and turn you into a pod person overnight!”

You laugh, snorting as you do. “I’d honestly rather die than be popular. I truly would. It seems like way too big a hassle. Then I’d actually have t’ give a shit about how I looked or what anybody thought and.. No. Nope.” you shake your head as the laughter dies away and the two of you straighten yourselves up, “Not worth it. Not at all.”

“Not even a little?” Robin asks, eyeing you skeptically. “Didn’t you try out for cheer at the end of the year though?”

“Yeah because they cut funding for my dance team.” you frown and roll your eyes. “Only because Mrs. Cunningham is on the board and her stupid husband owns the half of town our slimeball mayor doesn’t own. She can’t parade her precious daughter around like cattle if there’s no award winning cheer squad now, can she?”

Robin laughs, shaking her head.

“It’s whatever. I know the dance team was better anyway. But if I wanna be a dancer or a choreographer one day, I can’t lose my edge. Cheering is better than nothing, I suppose.”

“Until they turn you into a pod person.” Robin is teasing but you can just look at your best friend and tell she’s a little scared. You shake your head.

“Not gonna happen, Robbie. You’re stuck with me, remember? We’re blood sisters.”

“We were like ten.”

You scoff at her and clutch at your chest dramatically. “You mean you don’t think our pact was for all eternity?” you laugh softly and bite your lip as you step closer to her. “I’m not goin’ anywhere, okay?” you mutter. “I promise.”

Robin nods, a little relieved.

“When’s the week of sheer hell start?” you ask, referring to band camp.

“Next Monday. I am… so not looking forward to certain parts of it. What about airhead camp?” she asks, smirking at you. You grimace. “Ugh, you had t’ fucking remind me I have stupid cheer camp bright and early starting Monday.”

“At least we’ll be together.” you both say it at the same time and laugh. As the laughter dies away, you move to sit closer to her on the bench, leaning against her side. “I can’t believe we’re almost free.”

“I can’t wait. It’s gonna be so nice not to wake up and be forced to go sit in a glorified snake den all day every day.” Robin sighs dreamily. “I’ll be in college. Maybe I’ll even be brave enough to finally talk to her.”

“I’ll be going to every audition I can go to. Working. We can hang out every weekend and I finally won’t have the ridiculous 10pm curfew.” you smile, soft and faraway. “We just have t’ survive this crap one more year.”

Robin laughs and nods.

“What are you doing later?” she asks, scooting away and turning to the side to look over at you. You shrug.

“Before or after my show?”

“After.” Robin teases gently, “What kind of animal would dare come between you and drooling over Don Johnson?”

You playfully swat at her arm. “Nothing.”

“Wanna come over? We can rent some movies, have a sleepover.”

You smile and you’re already nodding before she finishes pitching the idea of a sleepover. “Oh my god, always! Hey, maybe we can finally figure out how you’re gonna make your move with you know who.”

Robin laughs and shrugs. “You know it’s not as easy as you make it sound… Right?”

“It is, though?”

“Not all of us are totally fearless like you, midget.” Robin reminds you. You laugh and smirk at her. “Yeah, well if she doesn’t see how great you are and how lucky she’d be, she’s clearly an idiot and you don’t need her, woman.”

“It’s still not that easy. Y’know how close-minded people in this dump are.”

“Trust me.. I know. I don’t give a shit about them or their shitty opinions, but I know.” you nod, going quiet for a few seconds. “Look, either way.. You could start t’ get to know her. Make friends with her at band camp. That’s easy, right?”

“If I can ever get up the courage to not choke on my words around her, yeah.”

You give Robin a thumbs up. “So do that.”

“And what about you, huh?” Robin asks, giving you a pointed look. You shrug and after a few seconds, you sigh quietly. “What’s the point?”

Robin rolls her eyes. “Duh, I want you to be happy too.”

“And I am.” you insist. “Just can’t be bothered to like.. Have a crush on anybody.”

“Except the one prick you shouldn’t. I’m telling you, ___.. This is the summer you need to get your closure and get him out of your system. He’s a real jerk now.”

You steal a look at Tommy, giving a stunned little wave when you catch him staring at you too. You look away and nod, swallowing hard. “You’re not wrong. I know he’s a jerk. But I know that deep down in there somewhere, he’s still the same sweet boy who used t’ walk me t’ the bus whenever Mae and Jenna were being mean to me. He’s the boy who always stood up for me when I was too afraid to do it.” 

“People change, ___. I’m just worried that if you don’t do something or just get over Tommy, it’s gonna wind up hurting you more than he’s even worth.”

“Yeah.” you nod. “I know. Trust me, I know.”

“What about Steve?” Robin speaks up, making you gape at her. “What do you mean, hm?”

“Well.” she ventures carefully, staring down at the chipped polish on her nails as she tries to figure out a way to suggest what she’s about to, “He’s not such a prick.. And he’s totally not one of them anymore, he loathes Billy. We had a whole thirty five minute conversation about it earlier… After they all got into it for some reason.”

You glance over at her, a brow raised. “Tommy and Steve are best friends.. I mean, they were.” you remember Steve mentioning that he hadn’t been around Tommy’s much lately because they weren’t exactly speaking. You rub your forehead and shrug. “What the hell were they all arguing about?”

“I dunno but Steve was pissed when they finally left Scoops. Something about if Tommy were gonna take the low road then he’d drag them both to hell.” 

You laugh and roll your eyes. “And they say us girls are the drama queens. It was probably over some stupid girl or something.”

“Yeah, probably.” Robin agrees. She reaches out, prying your orange smoothie out of your hands to take a sip. “So we’re on for tonight?”

“Duh!” you laugh and grin at her. “I’ll pick you up from work. I finally got my car fixed.”

“Oh shit.. Somebody better warn everyone. Curbs and gas station poles aren’t safe any longer, I fear.” Robin teases, a smirk on her face.

You flip Robin off as you pout. “My driving isn’t that bad.”

“You had our drivers Ed teacher so terrified that the man nearly peed on himself, woman.”

“I did not!” you stick out your tongue and hold out your cup to her. “You want the rest of this? I’m over it.”

“Yeah. It’ll keep me going until I finally get the hell away from here. I’ll see you around 8:30?” she asks as she stands, starting to wander back towards the ice cream parlor. You give her a thumbs up and smile, calling out to her as she goes, “Hey! Wanna grab some pizza or something before we go?”

“God, yes. I’m dyingggg.”

You slink away, walking right past Tommy and Billy. Arguing in hushed tones. As you just barely make it past them both, Billy calls out to you.

“Hey, didn’t you make cheer?”

You roll your eyes. “Unfortunately.”

“I knew it! The hot chicks always do.”

You laugh and point to yourself. “You need an eye exam, dude.”

As you wave off what he’s just said and slink away, Tommy gives him a hard shove.

“I’m gonna beat your ass in th’ ground, Hargrove.”

“She’s gonna be my girl if you don’t grow a pair, Hagan.” Billy retorts calmly, giving a shrug. “Girls like me, man.”

Tommy doubles over laughing.

Billy glares, arms folded over his chest. “What the fuck is so funny?”

“Trust me, man.. She is not interested. Not even a little.” Tommy pats Billy on the shoulder. “I never thought I’d see it. One girl in this whole damn town who somehow isn’t throwing her panties at your face. It’s hilarious, Hargrove.”

Billy’s jaw clenches. “Whatever, man. I’m gonna fix that. Trust me.”

“Yeah, that’s not gonna happen.” Tommy’s laughter is gone and he’s making himself taller. “I’m gonna tell you the same thing I told Harrington when he thought he might be interested. Try it. Go ahead.. But I’ll beat your fucking ass in the ground. I’m not about to let you have her.” 

“When I take her, you’re not gonna have much of a choice, now are ya?” Billy sneers as he says it. Tommy gives him a shove. “You really think I’m kidding.”

“You really think I’m scared.”

“You’re both fucking dumb.” Steve speaks up, rolling his eyes at the pair. “She’s not a possession.”

“True, but she’s gonna be my girl.”

“Not when I put you in the fuckin’ ground, Hargrove.” Tommy growls out the words. Steve rolls his eyes. “You’re both kinda wasting your time anyway, trust me.. She doesn’t really like either of you.”

He could’ve easily given Tommy a shred of hope. A crumb. He could’ve told him that of the two, you’d probably choose him over Billy.

But he chose not to. After all, that’s something a friend would do. And Tommy Hagan?

No longer Steve’s concern. Or even remotely close to being a person Steve wants to be friends with.

“Fuck off, Harrington. She’s not gonna go for a loser like you anyway.” Tommy taunts. “You couldn’t even hang on to Nance.”

“And? It’s not like you hung onto Carol, either.” Steve retorts, shoving between the two of them to make his way to the box office up front.

“I need to purchase tickets for the 8 o’clock showing for Day of the Dead?”

“Yeah, how many?” the girl on the other side of the glass asks.

Steve looks down at his hand, counting up the number in his head. “Six.”

“That’ll be twenty bucks.”

“Perfect.” Steve whips out a twenty, passing it through the glass. “Here ya go.”

“Babysitting again tonight, loser?” Tommy calls out after him as he shoves between the two of them on his way to leave.

Steve turns, a hand caught in his hair. “What if I am, Hagan? What are you doing tonight, huh? Getting wasted at some stupid fuckin’ party?”

“Like you’re really above all that shit. You’re only bothering with those damn kids because you think it’ll make Nance want you back.” Tommy smirks. “It won’t.”

“I’m hanging out with them because they’re not full of shit.” Steve asserts, glaring at Tommy as he clenches the fist on his free hand. “Unlike you two idiots.”

“You’re not better than us, Harrington.” Tommy chuckles as he says it. “You can pretend you are all day long, man. You’re not. And this whole good guy act?” he shrugs as he searches for the wounded look he finds in Steve’s eyes, “Sooner or later, you’re gonna realize it’s not gonna bring her back, man. Then you’re gonna ditch those stupid kids. Disappoint them though, man.”