1983 || Stranger Things

ᴛᴡᴇɴᴛʏ-ᴛᴡᴏ | ғʟɪʀᴛɪɴɢ?

      It was like a weird case of deja vu. Julie was watching the same things as she did yesterday. Steve, playing basketball, and getting destroyed by Billy, who was also playing basketball.

      Jenny and Samantha were sitting on the bleachers behind Julie and Sarah. Julie was distracted by Steve playing, and she wasn't engaging in her friend's conversations. She always engaged in their gym class conversations.

      "Hey, you okay?" Jenny asked, lightly touching Julie's shoulder.

      Julie jumped at the contact, startled and brought out of her trance. "What? Oh, yeah, I'm fine. Just... distracted." she brushed off, lightly smiling at her friends quickly before watching the boys play again.

      The three girls around Julie glanced at each other, then proceeded to follow Julie's line of sight to discover who she was looking at.

      "So... you and Steve?" Sarah said, flicking Julie's head lightly.

      "What?" Julie whipped around. "What are you talking about?"

      "Julie, you've been staring at him! Are you two together?" Samantha questioned.

      Julie's eyes widened. "I'm not staring at him and we're not together." she said, turning back around on the bleachers.

      "But you want to be?" Jenny pressed.

      "I never said that." Julie said, shaking her head while still watching the boys play.

      "I don't hear you denying it." Sarah teased, leaning forward so her head was hovering over Julie's right shoulder.

      Julie turned to look at her and blew some air in her face. "I am now. I do not want to be with Steve Harrington." Well, that's not exactly true, Julie thought, smiling to herself.

      The girls backed off and went back to watching the game. Jenny and Samantha were talking about having sex with the boys that were playing, and Sarah and Julie were  taking turns guessing how many hair products those same guys use.

      The only sounds on the court were shoe squeaking and the sound of the ball hitting the gym floor, up until Billy opened his annoying mouth.

      "All right! All right, all right!" Billy laughed, dribbling the ball. "King Steve. King Steve, everyone. I like it. Playing tough today."

      Billy inched closer and closer to Steve, who was growing very frustrated. "Jesus! Do you ever stop talking? Come on!" he said, glancing briefly at Julie who sat with her head in her hand, watching the boy's interaction closely.

      Billy laughed again. "What? You afraid the coach is gonna bench you now that I'm here? Huh?" he taunted Steve, making his move and running right through him, knocking him down to the gym floor. Billy made another basket, and Julie rolled her eyes, hiding her face in her knees at Billy's actions.

      "Oh my God, your brother is so hot." Samantha gawked.

      "Facinating." Julie said, but it came out muffled. She raised her head again after a few seconds, seeing Billy begin to pull Steve up, but then he dropped him back to the gym floor.

      "I'm surprised that Steve hasn't beaten him up yet." Sarah said.

      "Steve can't fight for shit, Sarah. I'm glad he hasn't." Julie said, chuckling at the memory of Jonathan beating the absolute shit out of Steve the year prior.

      "Julie! Sub in!"

      "Oh, not again."

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