"this tainted love you've given,
I give you all a boy could give you,
take my tears and that's not nearly all,
oh, tainted love,
tainted love."
Hawkins was a place where nothing happened. Everything was routine. High school football ga...
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MALLORY WALKED SIDE by side with Jonathan through the crowded halls of Hawkins High School, weaving past groups of freshmen that refused to move from their path. The brunette listened intently to what her best friend was telling her, noticing that he had huge bags under his eyes and it seemed as though he hadn't brushed his hair or washed his clothes in a week. Mallory just wished Will would turn up.
"It's like she thinks Will is communicating through the lights or something... I don't know. She's not handling this well," Jonathan explained. Mallory bit her lip.
"Has she seen a doctor?" Mallory suggested quietly as Jonathan pushed open the doors of the high school and allowed Mallory to step outside into the cool, crisp air before following her. Both of them were glad to be leaving school for the day and started to head towards their cars in the parking lot.
"What are you trying to say? That my mum is going crazy?" Jonathan asked, the slightest hint of anger hidden in his tone.
"No!" Mallory was quick to defend. "It's just that this is a very stressful scenario and if she's not taking it well, maybe a doctor can help. That's what they're here for," she reminded him. Jonathan merely shrugged.
"It's hard enough to get her to leave the house for work, Mal," Jonathan said quietly. Mallory smiled sadly and bumped hips with him, finally enticing a smile out of him.
Their brief moment of relief was quickly interrupted when Steve Harrington stopped them in their path, hands in his pockets and smirk plastered on his face after having slid off the back of Jonathan's car. Mallory rolled her eyes at his mere presence. His posse was standing behind him, also chuckling to themselves quietly.
"Hey man," Steve started cockily, addressing Jonathan.
"What do you want Harrington?" Mallory snapped, her dark stare cold and unwavering.
"Not speaking to you, O'Neil," Steve snapped back, barely even shifting his gaze from Jonathan. Mallory's eyes darted between the two teenage boys and she stepped closer to Jonathan protectively.
"Nicole here was just telling us about your, uh, work," Steve said. Mallory furrowed her eyebrows in confusion and crossed her arms.
"We've heard great things," Carol said teasingly, stepping forward.
"Yeah, sounds cool," Tommy, Carol's boyfriend, added. Mallory's stomach churned. She hated Carol and Tommy almost as much as she hated Steve.
"And we'd just love to take a look. You know, as connoisseurs of art," said Steve, causing Mallory to snort in amusement.
"Are you sure, Harrington? You can barely grasp basic trigonometry," Mallory snapped snarkily, hoping to get rid of them so she and Jonathan could just make their way to their cars in peace.
"Shut up, O'Neil," Tommy snapped from behind Steve. Mallory stepped forward and opened her mouth to retaliate but Jonathan cut her off.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he said with a sigh. Mallory admired his ability to remain calm and rational when someone as annoying and rude as Steve Harrington was on his case. The pair tried to push past them towards their cars, but Steve's group stepped in front of them, once again blocking their path.
