Hungry Heart ~ A Stranger Things Fanfiction (REPUBLISHED)

chapter two: dragon's lair

"The nightmare I had just really shook me up and I kept thinking about it," I admitted, clicking in my seat belt, and Floyd nodded. I drove slow, the morning fog engulfing the road ahead. 

"What was your nightmare about?" Floyd inquired as I turned onto another road, biting into the granola bar after carefully unwrapping it. 

"How about we change the subject? What were you and your friends doing spying on that girl at the arcade yesterday?" I demanded, glancing over at him, his facial expression full of chagrin. He scratches the back of his neck and looks away from me. 

"What are you talking about?" Floyd laughs nervously, before looking down at his twiddling fingers. He sighed before answering me. 

"There's this new girl in our class named Max and we think she beat Dustin's high score at Dig Dug in the arcade," Floyd explained, looking at my face for a reaction. 

"That's not an excuse to stalk her!" I protested, turning onto the next road that leads to the school's parking lot. Floyd sighs again.

"We had to make sure it was her, okay?!" 

I sigh, shaking my head in disapproval, and switch on the radio, the song "Big Balls" by AC/DC playing through the speakers. The school pulls into view and I turn into the parking lot and park in the same space I did yesterday. 

"I'll pick you up after school!" I yelled after my brother, who ran toward the middle school to meet his friends who were dressed as the four Ghostbusters. I sighed and got out of my truck only to see Billy leaning up against the bed of it, smoking a cigarette. 

"What do you want?" I ask, slinging my bag over my shoulder and slammed my door closed. He smiles and pulls the cigarette out of his mouth, walking closer to me. 

"You going to that party tonight?" Billy asked, taking another drag from his cigarette. 

"I don't know. Not a huge fan of watching teenagers throw up on each other  because they can't handle their alcohol and then proceed to have sex," I replied, earning a deep chuckle from him. 

"Aw, come on, babe," He flirted, calling me by that stupid name again, taking a step closer to me so I could feel his breath on my face. I tried my best to not let myself be intimidated by him. 

"It's just a stupid party. I won't be missing much." I shrugged and crossed my arms, leaning back against the truck. Billy brought his hand up to the truck, trapping me so I couldn't walk away. I noticed Alexandra talking to one of her cheer friends across the way and she shot me a look that said "You better tell me everything." I smiled slightly at how childish Billy was acting toward my attendance at the Halloween party. 

"You'll be missing me," Billy smirked and I felt my face heat up at how close he was to me. 

"Exactly, not missing much," I repeated in a joking manner, taking the cigarette from his lips and taking a drag, remembering smoking in the bathrooms my freshman year. I tossed it to the ground and stepped on it, smiling at him while his face remained blank. I hardly expected myself to do what I just did, but something about him just made me feel bolder, unpredictable. Like anything was possible and that scared and excited me at the same time. 

"See you around, Billy."

• ࿇ •

"So how'd the chemistry test go?" I asked, glancing over at Alexandra who walked by my side to the school library. Alexandra opened the door and we walked inside, hushed whispers filling the room. 

"Honestly, I feel really good about it. Thanks for helping me study the other day," Alexandra replied, her voice growing quiet due to the change in scenery. I nodded and approached the fantasy book section of the library; it was my favorite genre to read. I scanned the titles as Alexandra examined her nails of flaws, an awkward silence settling between us.