Don't Blame Me ➵ Steve Harrington

two

She fake gagged.

Steve threw an arm over her shoulder as they both headed to Biology. "Is Billy bothering you? 'Cause I could have a word with him."

Dylan shrugged off his embrace. "Are we friends again or something?"

"Yeah, I mean," he replied with a shrug. "Why not?"

She coyly raised a brow. "Because you haven't said a word to me in the last year until last night—not even 'hey, your sister is totally MIA, how are you doing?'"

"Look—about that—"

"It's fine, Steve," she paused, giving his shoulder a squeeze. "Our friend group was never about talking and feelings. It was drinking and being popular. Don't pretend you care now."

SHE SAT IN FRONT OF HER MIRROR. Well, not really hers anymore, everything she had ever owned, her childhood home even, was up for sale.

She tried to force a real smile but it just looked strained like the twenty other attempts before it. What was she even doing?

During school, Dylan had no plans to head to Tina's stupid Halloween party. She had avoided every invitation she had received prior to now seamlessly, spending each weekend alone in her bedroom with her walkman. Now, she had actually put on some make-up and party appropriate clothing.

She didn't have time to second-guess her decision for long. A car honked outside and she rushed down the stairs, only pausing to kiss her mother on the cheek, who then urged her to be careful.

Parked in her driveway, behind her parents station wagon, was a baby blue muscle car. Billy Hargrove was in the driver's seat, smoke dancing in front of his face as he smirked at her through the windshield. Calling him was probably her worst decision of all.

She slipped in the passenger side without a greeting. Billy put out his smoke and laughed.

"'Knew you couldn't stay away," he taunted as he ripped out of her driveway.

"I needed a ride," she huffed. "Don't read into it."

"Whatever you say."

They pulled up to the curb outside Tina's house and Dylan quickly got out of the car. She walked towards the girl's front yard hurriedly, distancing herself from Billy before any of her classmates caught sight of them together. But Billy never made anything easy—catching up to her swiftly and placing his hands firmly on her hips.

"Will I be seeing you at the end of the night for our usual routine?" He whispered into her ear. His long hair and hot breath tickled the skin on the nape of her neck.

She squirmed under his touch, trying to untangle herself from him before anyone saw. "You wish, Hargrove. Now, let me walk in first so no one thinks we came together."

"You're a handful, Holland." Billy mused but for once the stubborn boy followed direction, hanging behind so Dylan could make her entrance solo.

For a moment all eyes were on her, as if they had never seen her before in their lives. Hushed whispers consumed the room but Dylan knew they were all talking about her.