"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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THE SUN WAS slowly setting, casting long shadows and a harsh chill over the Byer's house. Mallory waited out the front of the house, leaning her elbows against the railing of the porch. She had left Alice inside with Jonathon, Joyce and Nancy, allowing Joyce to fuss over her in her nurturing way. She had insisted on making her a real meal, something besides cereal, but all they had was a microwave pizza. Alice didn't complain and was scoffing it down greedily at the messy kitchen table inside.
The sound of a door opening softly behind Mallory made her spin and her thoughtful gaze turned to a friendly one at the sight of Nancy, who flashed her a thin, awkward smile. Mallory shuffled over, allowing the smaller girl room to lean on the railing. The pair stood in silence for a few minutes, both staring at the driveway waiting for Hopper to return with a band of kids in tow, Nancy's brother included. Finally, Nancy spoke up.
"So, what's the deal with you and Steve?" she asked, casting a sideways glance at Mallory, who blinked in surprise at the abruptness of the question. To her, there was no her and Steve, but she understood what Nancy meant. Mallory laughed lightly, standing up straight.
"I stood him up in Freshman year, which he wasn't really a fan of..." Mallory explained with a shrug and a sly smirk. Beside her, Nancy matched her smirk and her anxieties eased.
"Does he have to hate you for it though?" she asked. Mallory met her gaze, furrowing her eyebrows at her questions. Steve was the least of her worries. She shrugged again.
"Ask him," she told her, sending the pair of them into another long silence, the only sounds being Joyce talking avidly to Alice in the kitchen. Alice never responded, even if she understood exactly what Joyce was saying, she was still so on edge around so many strangers. In less than twenty-four hours, her life had changed entirely.
"You didn't have to stand up for me you know," Nancy suddenly said, her voice much softer this time. Mallory looked to her again, only to find Nancy already staring at her, her blue eyes soft and a lopsided smile on her face.
Mallory returned the smile and nudged the frail girl in the side playfully.
"I know," she teased. "I saw the way you slapped him, you had it covered."
Nancy laughed shyly, tearing her gaze from Mallory to look at her muddy shoes, her pale face reddening. The girls returned to a comfortable, lingering silence as they watched the driveway. The sun had finally set by the time Hopper's wagon came speeding down the long driveway and halted to a stop in front of the house, the bright headlights shining in the girl's eyes. Behind them, the front door swung open as Jonathon, Joyce and a cautious Alice left the house. Following Hopper, a bunch of kids jumped out of the car. Nancy hurried towards her younger brother and wrapped him in an awkward hug, whereas Mallory's gaze landed on the one unfamiliar face of the bunch.
Unlike Alice's, her head was shaven, leaving her with a dark fuzz of hair on her head. She was smaller than Alice, and just as thin. Mallory guessed she was probably around twelve, the same age as Will and his friends. The once-pastel pink dress hung off her thin frame, now covered in dirt and paired with an equally dirty blue jacket. The muddy shoes on her feet were a size too big. Her dark eyes wandered behind Mallory, to Alice, who stepped forward eagerly.
