STICKS AND STONES ↝ S. HARRINGTON

[18]

The night air was abuzz full of sparklers and fireworks as the music blaring from the speakers in Jason Carver's house drifted out into the late night July air, their surroundings a wash of red, white, and blue as what seemed to be the entire Hawkins High student body celebrated the summer holiday. As Anna looked around, following behind Steve with Becca and Michelle hot on her heels, the crowd seemed to part to let King Steve in, fellow members of the basketball team either patting the Harrington boy on the back or raising a drink in his direction. Although, to Anna's surprise, Steve no longer seemed to enjoy the limelight, but instead just nodded in their direction as he passed and continued on his way.

"Do you think Landon's here, yet?" Becca asked, craning her neck in search of the blonde boy. "He promised he'd come tonight, but I bet him five bucks that he'd end up ditching."

"I don't think so," Anna said, trying to look back at the line of cars down the block. "He said he was getting a ride from that dealer guy who lives a few places down from his. The one who's always yelling in the cafeteria."

As if on cue, loud metal music could be heard blasting from the speakers of an old worn-down van as it came roaring down the street towards Jason's house, screeching to a halt in an open parking space nearby. As the van came to a stop, the engine turning off and cutting the music, Landon appeared in the now-open passenger side door, followed closely by another boy with long, dark curly hair, adorned in a leather jacket and denim vest despite it being the middle of summer. As they grew closer to Anna, Steve, and Becca, the other boy bid Landon goodbye, disappearing into the crowd as Landon turned to face his friends.

"I believe you owe me five bucks," Landon said to Becca, extending a hand in the blonde's direction.

Becca sighed, reaching into the pocket of her jean shorts and passing over the five dollar bill. "As much as I hate to lose, I'm glad you made it, Roberts."

"Thank you," he said, taking the bill with a shit-eating grin and stuffing it into the back pocket of his jeans. His smile changed to that of confusion as his eyes drifted over to Steve. "No Wheeler tonight?"

"Not tonight," Steve confirmed. "She's on a family trip in Tennessee for the week."

"And Jonathan?" he asked, looking back over at Michelle.

"Does this look like my brother's kind of scene?" she retorted, looking back at him incredulously.

"Okay yeah, you've got a point there." Landon agreed after a moment.

"Meaning I got stuck playing DD tonight, so the three of you better drink enough to make it worth it." Becca sighed, eyeing Anna, Steve, and Michelle before gesturing back in the direction of the house. "Shall we?"

Steve nodded, leading the girls and Landon back into the Carver house. Inside, the music was even louder as they moved closer to the source, and Anna found herself hardly being able to hear her friends over the noise. She followed Steve into the kitchen, where several bottles waited next to a bowl full of punch that looked suspiciously like the one that had given her quite the hangover after Andy McConnell's New Year's Eve party. Opting instead for the cans of beer at the edge of the counter, Anna grabbed one, popping open the can and pouring it into one of the plastic cups that waited by the punch bowl while Steve and Michelle helped themselves to a cup full of punch and Landon and Becca each went for a can of Coke.

"Cheers," Michelle said, raising her cup, and the rest of them followed suit. "To finally being normal teenagers again."

The group clinked their cups together, and Anna's eyes briefly found Steve's as she feigned a smile, her sleepless nights a secret to everyone else since the night three weeks ago when he'd found her wandering on the side of the road. She'd been cautious since then, keeping a belt wrapped around her doorknob in order to prevent herself from leaving if she'd tried, but she'd still only managed an hour or two at a time before waking up in a cold sweat wondering if she was still in her bedroom or not, if she ever managed to fall asleep at all.