Strange Love • Steve Harrington

Good Vibrations

Lenora Hills was no Hawkins, no shit. But Wendy felt different, the black sheep. She shakes it off, who gives a shit! Why would she change? Wendy swears as she tosses a bag of chips for later.

"How was high school for you?" El asked as she sneaked in some Eggos.

"Want the truth?" She shakes her head. Wendy sighs and pushes the cart. "High school was rough. I was bad, skipping class, detentions every other Saturday, party on weekdays, god that wasn't even half. I didn't have friends, I only had my ex boyfriend, who did bad things to me, then when I moved to Hawkins, Jonathan was my only friend until Nancy and Robin came along. I wasn't popular, i was called Wacky Wendy, Weirdo Byers because how i dressed and looked and one stupid thing i did on Halloween." Wendy shakes her head as she puts the food on the counter. She waited until she paid and head to the car to continue to talk. "Just because be careful what you do. High school is just for four years and everyone is will forget about everything by the time you graduate."

"Steve? What about him?"

"Steve and I didn't start dating until a few months ago. He was in my chemistry class in my sophomore year, was my partner, he was a good friend." El smiles down to herself. She hopes to have a relationship like theirs with Mike. All sweet and adorable. The girls head to the car and drove to the new home and helped put away the food and head to their rooms. El stops to see Wendy playing around with the phone cord as she talked Robin. El wishes that she had her confidence. Wendy is so beautiful and wants to be like her.

"Dinner!" Joyce yells. The boys came running out their rooms a zoomed down. El waited for Wendy, she watched her say goodbye with a bit lip and laughing as she hung up on Robin. She watched as she pulled her hair up and headed down. Wendy set up the table with Joyce as the others started eating pizza. Wendy rested her arm on her leg as she ate, making El copy her, moving her leg up on the chair and leaned up against her leg. Wendy noticed and she smiles back at El.

—

The house was about done, still needed couches but it was a home. The kids went to their school, selecting their classes, Wendy joining the volleyball team and looking around for her locker as Joyce went to talk about El. Wendy was already getting whispers and looks by the other kids as she strolled around.

"We got this, right?" Jonathan says to me as we headed out.

"Just one more year. Then, we are free."

"California looks different."

"Its no Hawkins."

"Definitely not." We watched as we passed a group of girls and guys in different clothing, again. They looked at the two up and down. Jonathan was wearing ripped baggy bell bottoms with a plain shirt and a flannel and as for Wendy, her doc martens, Black Sabbath shirt, a flannel and ripped black jeans. The kids squeezed into Joyces car and drove home. Wendy promised Will that he can show her how to play his favorite game, Dungeon and Dragons. Wendy was copying down notes in her notebook, trying to remember what Will said seconds ago.

"Kaz is a vampire? He's vecnas buddy until he betrayed him, right?"

"Sure, you're getting it." Will smiles.

"Sounds hot."

"Its not supposed to be hot."

"Hes a vampire, vampires are hot."

"And you think Bruce Campbell in Evil Dead covered in blood is hot." Jonathan said as he was getting ready to head out. "Should I go on about Elvira?"

"Leave her out of this! At least im not drooling over Michelle Pfeffer in scarface!" The two older kids started to mock each other until Wendy throws a throw pillow as Jonathan has he get out of the door, he was going trying to fix his car and El stayed downstairs, laughing at the argument as she helped Joyce cook. The phone rang, Wendy untangles her legs and makes her way to the phone that was hanging on the wall.

"Byers' Residents." She leans against the wall.

"Wendy, hurry up! You're going to miss the best part!" Will said all excited.

"Hey Wends, its me!" Steve. Wendy's face lits up.

"Hey! What do i owe the pleasure?" Wendy turns to the wall, hiding her face in the wall. "I thought we were going to call tonight, to you know?"

"We are, I didn't forget. I wouldn't miss it." Wendy blushes. "I actually called to talk to Joyce." She got confused. "Is she around?"

"Yeah, give me a second." Wendy places the phone on her chest to call her out. "Aunt Joyce! Its for you!" Joyce hops away from the kitchen and takes the phone. Wendy watched as Joyce smiling as she talked to her boyfriend.

"Steve! Hi! Whats that? Wait hold on" she started to whisper and go around the corner. Will was waving his hand in her face trying to get her attention. Why would Steve talk to Joyce? What were they talking about?