𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥〡STEVE HARRINGTON

36

"What? No!" He exclaimed. "I was just saying."

Andy scoffed. "Well did you know that the sun also bleaches your hair. And do you know what that does? Makes it lighter." She grabbed a strand of hair, wiggling it in the direction of the boy. "Blonder."

Mike rolled his eyes. "You're absurd." He muttered and Andy sighed wistfully. "I miss Dustin. He never judges me."

"That's because he fancies you." Lucas snorted, causing all the others to chuckle too. Andy glared at him. "Whatever." She mumbled before turning away.

She enjoyed about a minute of peace before the small droplets of water that dripped onto her leg turned into a cascade. She screamed as the water hit her, jumping up from her seat absolutely drenched.

The kids doubled over in laughter, practically grabbing their sides in fits of amused hysterics. Andy turned on them with a deadly glare, water running down her body. It didn't take her long to figure out who the culprit was as Eleven stood there with a guilty yet uncontrollable grin and bucket in her hands.

"Oh, you're in so much trouble." Andy smirked, revenge conjuring in her mind. Eleven's eyes went wide in fear but before she could react Andy was jumping over the lounger to reach her. She grabbed her arm, pulling her into the pool.

Both girls hit with the pool with a loud splash, water flying up from the surface as they sank. When they emerged, breaking through the top they were both laughing. Absolutely drenched but happy. Eleven swung her hand against the surface of water, sending a flurry of water up towards Andy so that it splashed her right in the face. Andy splashed her back and soon the others bombed into the pool too and they all joined in.

***

After half an hour, Andy was done with playing in the pool and dealing with the lighthearted abuse she received from the party, and hoisted herself out of the water. The boys, as they had done earlier after their eyes had nearly leaped out of their heads when they saw the older girl strut out the changing rooms in her red two-piece, averted their gaze. Especially Lucas who received a large slap on the arm from Max when he was caught gaping.

With a dry tickle in the back of her throat, Andy made her way over to the vending machine by the changing rooms. She knew from experience that the machine was partially broken and would spit out your drink for free with a slight hit, so she didn't bother bringing any change. It was an amazing hack, she'd already saved herself ten dollars this summer.

Scanning the machine's options her gaze landed on her favorite drink - Diet Cherry Cola. Happy her favorite soda was stocked, she went to type in its code into the pad when seemingly out of nowhere, the one and only Billy Hargrove appeared. That was the one bad thing about Hawkins Community Pool. That he was a lifeguard there.

He leaned against the side of the machine and Andy averted her gaze to him. "Can I help you?" She asked unamused and he shrugged cockily. "I don't know. Can you?"

His hair had grown out over the last six months, fuller and curlier and now he had a light mustache tracing his upper lip. His lifeguard whistle rested against his chest that glistened with sweat under the sun but the only thing that Andy felt was annoyance and dislike. "No, I can't." She answered, turning back to the machine.

He scoffed, in that sultry way he always did. "You still with Harrington then, huh?" He asked, though he already knew the answer and waited for no response. "Surprising, I didn't think he'd be able to handle a girl like you."

"Steve is very, very good at handling me." She answered slowly, hoping he would just take the hint, but it seemed he had not. Or maybe he had and he just didn't care. "Cute." He breathed out in amusement.