As I walk towards my locker, I see Steve and Nancy kissing. I mind my own business as I keep walking. I get to my own locker and put my math textbook inside it. When I close the door Steve is standing there.
"Hey, Sugar," Steve greets. "Surprised to see you here."
"At my locker?" I ask.
"At school," Steve clarifies.
"Why?" I question.
"You've been skipping a lot with Jonathan," Steve tells me.
"It was one day," I tell him. "And his brother is missing. He just needs a friend."
"Sure," Steve says.
"Saw you and Nancy kissing in the hallway," I tell him. Steve smiles widely and I swear I can the smallest bit of a blush on his cheeks. "You make a cute couple."
"You really think so?" Steve asks.
I shrug my shoulders. "So long as you don't mess it up."
"Me?" Steve asks. "Why do you think I'm gonna mess it up?"
"Because you're you, Steve," I tell him. "I can't imagine your friends like her too much and I can't imagine Barb likes you too much."
"You don't think I can be a good boyfriend?" Steve asks.
"Are you her boyfriend?" I ask.
"I... We haven't put a label on it," Steve tells me.
"Do you want to be her boyfriend?" I question.
Steve smiles like a dork. "I really like her."
"That why I overheard people talking about what you two did last night?" I ask.
"Who was talking?" Steve asks. I look at him for a moment. "Candice, who was talking?"
"Who do you think?" I question. "Your stupid friends." Steve sighs. "Probably shouldn't have had sex with a girl somewhere your friends could hear you."
Steve leans back on the lockers. "Nancy is gonna be upset if people find out."
"So don't let them find out," I tell him.
Steve nods. "Yeah. Yeah."
"I'll see you later," I tell him. "I've got English."
Nancy walks into our history class and sits down in front of me. She looks around for a moment before turning to face me.
"Candice," Nancy says.
I look up from my book and at her. "Yeah?"
"Do you know where Barb is?" Nancy asks.
"Shouldn't you know?" I ask. I take a breath. "Sorry, that was mean. I meant she is your best friend; didn't she tell you where she was going?"
"You haven't seen her anywhere... at all?" Nancy asks.
I shake my head. "Not since you guys got to Steve's last night."
"You didn't see her leave?" Nancy asks.
"No. I went inside like ten minutes after you showed up," I tell her. "You haven't seen her all day?"
"No," Nancy tells me.
I can tell she is worried.
"I'm sure she's fine. She's probably just skipped today," I offer. "Even the best students just need a day of extra sleep."
"Yeah." Nancy nods. "Yeah, probably."
I walk with Jonathan to his car. I'm surprised he's lasted at school all day. It's just too much for him since they still haven't found Will. I don't think I would be able to pull myself out of bed every morning if I was him.
"How's your mom doing?" I ask.
"She..." Jonathan takes a deep breath. "She thinks that Will is talking to her." I nod my head slightly. "Through the lights."
"Oh... I... I don't know what to say," I confess.
"I'm worried about her," Jonathan tells me. "And she thinks that something is in the wall I guess."
"In the wall?" I ask. "Like what a raccoon?"
"No," Jonathan shakes his head, "More like a monster. She's losing it, Candy."
"I'm sure everything will be fine. Once they find Will your mom is gonna go back to the same mom she's always been," I assure him.
As we get to his car Steve, Carol, Tommy, and Nicole are there. I look at Jonathan curiously. Steve never wants anything to do with Jonathan.
"Hey, man," Steve greets.
"What's going on?" Jonathan asks.
"Nicole here was, uh, telling us about your work," Steve says.
"We've heard great things," Carol remarks.
"Yeah, sounds cool," Tommy taunts.
"And we'd just love to take a look," Steve says. "You know, as... connoisseurs of art."
"I don't know what you're talking about," Jonathan says as he tries to push past them.
"Oh, no? Oh..." Steve starts.
Tommy grabs Jonathan's bookbag from him.
"Hey," Jonathan protests.
"Give it back," Tommy, I tell him.
"Please, give me my bag," Jonathan says. Tommy tosses it to Steve." "No, just..."
"Man, he is totally trembling. He must really have something to hide," Steve insists. "Here we go." He puts the bookbag down on the trunk of the car and pulls photographs out. "Ah... Here we go. Oh, man."
"Let me see," Tommy says. Steve hands some of the pictures to him. "Dude."
"Yeah, this isn't creepy at all," Carol remarks.
"I was looking for my brother," Jonathan explains.
"No. No, this is called stalking," Steve insists. "Mmm-hmm."
Nancy looks at everyone as she walks towards us. "What's going on?"
"Here's the starring lady," Tommy taunts.
"What?" Nancy asks.
"This creep was spying on us last night," Carol tells her. She hands a photo to Nancy. "He was probably gonna save this one for later."
Steve clicks his tongue. "See, you can tell that he knows it was wrong, but..." He steps closer to Jonathan. "Man, that's the thing about perverts... It's hardwired into 'em. You know, they just can't help themselves." Tommy laughs as Steve rips the photographs up. "So... we'll just have to take away his toy."
"Steve..." Nancy says.
"No, please, not the camera," Jonathan pleads.
"Steve, no," I tell him.
Jonathan moves to grab the camera, but Tommy stops him. "No, no, wait, wait..."
"Tommy, Tommy. It's okay," Steve tells him. He holds the camera out to Jonathan. "Here you go, man."
Instead of letting Jonathan tale it he drops it onto the ground. Tommy laughs.
"Come on, let's go. The game's about to start," Steve says before walking off.
Tommy leans into Jonathan. "Boo."
I sigh as I help Jonathan pick up the pieces of his photographs. Nancy watches for a moment before bending down to help.
"Hey, Nance! Come on," Steve shouts.
Nancy leaves without a word, taking some of the pieces with her.
I get up from the couch when I hear a knock on my front door. When I open it, I see Steve standing there. I go to close the door in his face, but he stops it with his foot.
"You're a dick," I tell him.
Steve pushes the door open and walks into the living room. "I deserve that."
"You didn't have to break Jonathan's camera," I argue.
"He was taking pictures of Nancy," Steve states.
"So, you just break his camera?" I ask. "You really think he can afford to buy a new one?"
"Sugar..." Steve starts.
"No, Steve. His brother is missing. His mom is losing it. And you broke the one thing that makes him happy," I tell him. "You're a dick."
"You said that already," Steve reminds me.
"And I mean it," I tell him. "You can go now." Steve looks at me like I'm going to change my mind. I shake my head. "No, Steve. I'm not gonna let you treat my friend like that."
Steve steps closer to me. "I'm your friend too."
"Not if you keep messing with Jonathan," I warn.
"Are you picking him over me?" Steve asks.
I shake my head. "I'm not picking anyone."
"You kind of are," Steve argues.
"I just don't get why you don't like him," I confess. "Jonathan has never done anything to you."
Steve sighs. "I don't... I don't..."
"Maybe you should figure it out," I tell him. "So please go."
Steve doesn't say anything else before walking out the front door.
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A/N Just so y'all know this is definitely a slow burn. Also Candy may or may not have a thing with Billy in the future. So if that ain't it for you sorry no sorry.