Sunday morning. Worst hangover of my life. I woke up next to a shirtless Steve and Nancy lying down on my legs. We were in Nancy's room, I could tell by the various movie posters and the unreasonable amount of pink.
What the fuck.
I rubbed my eyes and sat up, waking Nancy as I did. She sat up and put her hands on her head. I couldn't remember anything past watching two Juniors beat each other up on Amelia's lawn.
"What the hell happened last night?" I asked a yawning Nancy.
"You-" She tried to start but started laughing.
"Oh no" I said climbing out of the bed.
Nancy could not stop laughing, "You had the brilliant idea of playing spin the bottle."
"No I didn't."
Nancy kept laughing.
"No I didn't Nancy no I didn't."
"You ended up making out with some Sophomore for like 30 minutes." Nancy said.
"What the actual fuck." I sighed,"I should not be trusted with alcohol."
Steve sat up next to me, "Did you see, Henderson GOT some."
"You're kidding!" I said smiling.
"Nope, he landed on that new girl and she was all over him." Steve said laughing, "I mean like it was hard to watch."
"New girl?" I asked, already knowing who he was referring to.
"The ginger" Nancy said, changing into a hoodie, "She slept over here tonight with everyone else."
"El too?" I asked.
"Yeah, they stayed in Mike's room though."
I looked through Nancy's closet for something to wear.
"Why the hell do you have so many dresses." I asked, looking furiously for an acceptable shirt. I found a Ziggy Stardust shirt and changed out of my old top.
I walked to the bathroom and stared in horror at face. My hair was unbrushed and gross, my eyes looked swollen, and I swear my nose looked bigger than the last time I saw it. I cleaned myself up as best as I could. Brushed my hair until it looked normal and found some chapstick for my lips.
"Hey Alex!" I heard Nancy yell from downstairs.
"What's up?"
"Can you make us breakfast? My parents aren't home and you're the only person in this house that knows how to cook."
I rolled my eyes.
These people need to learn basic human activities.
I ran downstairs and found Mike and his friends sitting around the table, fighting with each other. Nancy ushered me to the kitchen and slammed a carton of eggs in front of me.
"Cook."
"Alright how many of you are eating?" I yelled so the whole room could hear.
"Dustin, Will, Lucas, and I for sure, oh and El and Max when they wake up." Mike said.
"Its 11 o'clock why aren't they awake?" I asked.
"None of your business dickwad." Dustin said,
I held my hands up in surrender. "Jeez." I muttered under my breath.
"Don't worry Alex, Henderson is just protective of his new girl." Steve sneered.
"I swear to god Steve she's not my girl!" Henderson yelled.
"I'm not?" I said sarcastically.
"Fuck off."
I looked around Nancy's kitchen, eggs, bread, bacon, milk... french toast?
"How does everyone feel about french toast?" I asked.
El descended down the stairs, "Sounds great."
"El!" I said as I ran to her. I hadn't seen her since June, before I left for summer in France, like I always did. She was kind of like a little sister to me.
"Hey Alex." She said.
I picked her up and spun her around. "I've missed you so much! Look at your hair!"
El laughed, "It's good right!"
"It's great, come on let's make you some food."
I walked over to the kitchen as El sat down next to Mike and kissed him. Ew Mike.
I looked forward, Nancy was smiling at me.
"What is it?"
"Nothing I just, like seeing you happy." She said.
I kissed her on the cheek and walked behind the counter.
"Hey." I heard a voice from across the room.
I looked over and saw Max walking down the stairs. She was wearing an oversized tee and shorts, her hair messily tied up. She looked great. That's fucking unfair. I looked back down at the food in front of me. What was I doing?
"Max! Alex is cooking for everyone do you want some?" Dustin asked.
Right, cooking.
"Uh, yeah I'd love some." Max said, unconvincingly.
Nancy handed me the newspaper with the crossword fully filled out, "8:51. Beat that A."
"8 minutes on a Sunday? How the fuck-"
"I guess I'm just smarter than you!" She gloated.
I started to make the food as the younger kids talked about how 'sick' the party was last night. Children. I was trying to focus on making the food, but I couldn't help eavesdropping. I heard Dustin trying desperately to flirt with Max. It was honestly difficult to listen to. He's embarrassing himself.
I spoke up, "Henderson just cause she kissed you doesn't mean she wants to 'go steady' with you."
I didn't look up from what I was doing but I knew Dustin was blushing.
"Don't taunt Alex." Nancy scolded.
I smirked, I honestly liked Dustin, but I had to save him from making a fool of himself. Give him a better chance. I was helping him really.
I put the french toast and bacon in a pan and walked over to the table. I felt Max's eyes on mine, but I didn't look at her. I pulled up a chair next to Will, who was playing with a Rubik's Cube.
"How was your night Alex?" Mike asked me.
"Pretty boring." I said.
Mike scoffed.
"Something wrong?" I asked.
"We all saw you with that Jacob kid." He said.
"So? I was drunk. Didn't mean anything."
"You should tell him that." He said.
"What are you talking about?" I said.
"He's had a crush on you for years and you knew that." Mike said, defensively.
"Why do you care Wheeler?" I asked.
"He's my friend!"
I sat up and walked back to the kitchen.
"Leave her alone Mike." I heard El say from the distance.
The food was done, so I put it all on plates and walked over to the table.
"Here you go."
I gave one to Mike, Lucas, El, Will, Nancy, Steve, Dustin, fuck.
"You didn't make enough." Dustin said, looking at Max's empty space.
I looked down at my plate, "Here." I said, giving it to Max.
"It's f-" She started.
"Just take it." I said.
She took it reluctantly.
"I'm gonna take a shower." I said to Nancy.
She nodded at me. I walked upstairs to Nancy's room. I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower, waiting for it to get hot. I walked back into the room and took my shirt off. The door opened.
"Shit" Max said surprised, "I thought this was Mike's room."
She stared at me, then down my body. I was still wearing a bra, but I felt exposed. I stood there looking at her, waiting for her to leave. I furrowed my brows, why the hell is she still here?
"Do you need something?" I asked.
"No sorry. I'll-"
"Go." I finished for her.
"Right," She said.
"You're so weird." I said laughing.
She left quickly.
---
When I got out of the shower I put back on my clothes and walked downstairs. Everyone had left the room so it was just me. I grabbed a glass from one of the cabinets and got some water. There was an unfamiliar necklace laying on the counter. A silver butterfly hanging off a sterling silver chain. I grabbed it and held it up to the light. It was truly beautiful, definitely expensive.
"Hey." I heard Nancy say.
I turned around, "Do you know who's this is?" I said, handing the necklace to Nancy.
She looked at it and shook her head, "Might be my moms. I'm not sure."
"No, I don't think so." I said, putting the necklace in my sweats.
"Are you stealing that?" Nancy asked.
I smiled, "No not at all, I don't want to keep it, just figure keep it safe so Mike doesn't try and pawn it or something."
"Smart." She said laughing.
I finished my water and refilled my glass.
"Hey are the kids in the basement?" I asked Nancy as I walked in that direction.
"Yeah they're watching The Shining."
"Hmm should I buy some diapers incase they pee their pants." I joked.
I walked down to the basements with Nancy. El was lying down on Mike's lap while Will stared at them. Lucas and Dustin were huddled around Max, trying to flirt with her. Gross. Max looked at me as I walked in.
"Hey Alex!" Will said to me.
I smiled at him. The only empty place to sit was on the floor. I sat next Lucas, hoping to hear his pathetic attempts at flirting. I watched the movie and listened to them talk.
"So Max what's your favorite movie?" Lucas asked, practically swooning.
"Risky Business." She said.
I smiled.
"Great movie." I said.
Max smiled, "Right?"
I nodded, "You ever see Fast Times?"
"No but I heard it's great." She replied.
"You have too, you'd like it."
Ew. Don't be friendly.
"You told me you hated Fast Times!" Dustin said.
"Yes I told you that to avoid an argument." I said.
"I would not have argued." Dustin said.
"Oh please."
Max laughed at me.
"So... what about your favorite artist?" Lucas pestered.
"Are you interrogating me?" She asked, stone faced.
"I-I just want to get to know you better." Lucas said.
I smiled at him, he got points for trying I guess.
"Well I realllly like Sex Pistols." She said.
She was being sarcastic, I knew because no one in their right mind would willingly listen to the Sex Pistols.
"Oh yeah I love him!" Lucas lied.
I looked at Max and tried to stifle a laugh.
"Really? What's your favorite song of his." I said, going along.
"Oh uh-" Lucas flustered, "I don't really look at the names."
"Sing it for us." Max said.
"I don't know-"
"Please Lucas." Max said, putting her hand on his leg.
Lucas's face turned bright red, "Uhm- like, da da da dum dum."
I spat out my drink.
"What?" Lucas said, looking back and forth between the two of us.
"Nothing, Lucas, we just love that song too." I said.
Max looked at me as she tried to hide a smile. I looked at her for a few seconds before I heard Nancy yell for me.
"Alex! Robin needs you to pick her up!" She yelled from the phone.
"Okay tell her I'll be right there." I said.
I stood up and walked towards the door.
"You're leaving?" El asked.
"Yeah, Robin does not like to be kept waiting." I said, "See you kid."
"Bye." Mike said.