•••
"Harper!" Robin called as the girl with dark brown hair stepped into the Family Video Store, "Holy sh*t, holy sh*t, holy sh*t!" She rambled watching as Harper looked at her confused and walked behind the counter, setting her stuff down. Robin grabbed the other girl's shoulders and shook her frantically, "Holy sh*t!" She said one last time.
"Robin!" Harper said, causing the girl in front of her to stop, "Calm down."
Robin nodded taking in a couple of breaths, "Nancy Wheeler just came in here and gave us an invitation to a party! US!" The short-haired girl paused, "I mean, for you, it makes sense and all, because you guys are friends, but me?"
Harper chuckled, "Any plus ones?" She asked, jokingly.
"That's the best part!" Robin started, "Everyone is allowed a plus one! So I was thinking of bringing Vickie. I don't know if she'll say yes- I mean I'm only going to ask her as friends." She glanced back up at Harper, "Are you gonna bring someone?"
Harper shook her head, "Who would I even bring?" She asked before turning back to the front counter and facing the door to see if any customers came in. Robin squeezed in next to her.
"Oh~ you know... there's this guy you've been hanging around recently. Playing D&D and going to his shows~" Robin said in a smooth voice.
Harper turned to look at the other girl quickly, "Eddie?" She shook her head frantically, "No, no, no, no way!"
"Oh please, Harper! How have you not noticed?! You totally have the hots for him!" Robin stood up and crossed her arms, leaning against the counter behind her, "I mean, he is handsome... for a guy." She finished.
Steve peeked out from behind one of the shelves, "Who does Harper have the hots for?" He asked, scaring both Harper and Robin.
"What the hell, Steve?!" Robin asked angrily grabbing a newspaper and hopping over the counter, she smacked him on the head with it before crossing her arms.
The boy rubbed his head, "Ow-" He said turning towards Robin, "I was just wondering who she likes." Steve whined.
"Eddie Munson," Robin stated nonchalantly.
Steve let out an exasperated groan while standing up, "Oh come on! First Dustin, now you? Does this guy just have everyone wrapped around his finger or something?" He paused, "I mean, he's not that good-looking... I mean sure he has a nice face and great hair... a winning smile-"
Robin and Harper shared a look while chuckling, "Oh? Please continue Steve." Robin said.
"No!" He shook his head, noticing the trap he was in, "He's like an off-brand version of me!"
Harper rolled her eyes and brushed off the conversation, trying to get the two airhead's attention, "It doesn't matter. I don't like him, and I still need a plus one. Or I just won't bring one." Steve's eyes widened.
"Bring me." He said quickly, "Please." Steve's voice was full of desperation.
Harper and Robin shared a look, "Uh. Okay I guess, I've got no one better to bring." She said, turning back towards Steve, "Why do you wanna go so bad?"
"You see ladies..." Steve began, leaning back against the counters, "When an older guy is invited to a High School party he automatically becomes the center of attention, which means all the women will be flocking towards me."
Robin let out a scoff while Harper laughed at his comment, "You really think that's how it's gonna play out huh?"
Steve nodded.
"You're such an idiot."
•••
Robin and Harper had been getting ready at Harper's house for the past couple of hours. Robin was doing Harper's makeup, currently putting on eyeliner. Harper was wearing a white spaghetti strap tank top with blue ripped jeans and her Doc Martens, and Robin was wearing a red shirt with a blue jean jacket over it and some black jeans.
Music was playing in the background, "Look down for me." Robin said earning an immediate reaction from Harper. She lowered her gaze so Robin could finish her eye makeup.
A loud honk was heard from the front, Robin rolled her eyes.
"He doesn't need to be so loud." Harper joked. The other girl leaned back from Harper.
"You're done!" Robin said, putting away her eyeliner and makeup and standing up. Harper followed quickly, the two girls ran down the stairs and out the door. Steve sat in his car looking over at the house impatiently. As soon as the two girls came into view he grew relaxed.
Harper sat in the front while Robin took the back seat. Steve turned to Harper who had managed to grab the invitation on the way out of her house.
"Where's this party at?" He asked, looking down at the sheet. After glancing over the sheet he spoke up once more, his eyes lighting up, "It look's like it's in Nancy Wheeler's neighborhood... but not at her house."
The girl in the back of the car rolled her eyes, "Of course, it is, dingus." Robin said, "She was the one who gave us the invite in the first place."
"Right..." Steve murmured before putting his car in drive.
The drive wasn't too long and Robin was mumbling nervously the whole time.
"Robin." Harper started, grabbing the other girl's attention, "You and Vickie are just going as friends, you have no obligation to ask her out tonight. Take your time and figure it out as you go along."
The girl in the back sighed, "Right- you're right." She said, trying to make herself calm down, "I'll just enjoy the party... with Vickie."
Harper nodded, "That's it, Robin."
"It's been so long since I've been to a party, I'm sure all the girls are gonna be all over me," Steve commented causing Harper and Robin to send him a glare, "What?" He asked, noticing their looks as he pulled into the culdesac that the house was in and parked on the road. The number of cars that were at the party was overwhelming. The three got out of the car and walked up the driveway, they opened the door. As soon as Harper saw the crowd she suddenly realized how alone she would be at the party.
"Robin!" A voice called from their side, the small group turned to see Vickie waving Robin over.
Steve shared a look with Harper before nudging Robin in her direction, "Go get her tiger." Steve chuckled.
Robin let out a nervous breath before walking over to Vickie. Steve and Harper continued into the party, the emptiest area at the moment was the kitchen. The two walked in there. Harper leaned against one of the counters before glancing over at a bowl of punch.
"What do you think is in that?" The brunette asked.
Steve leaned over the bowl before breathing in its scent. He let out a cough before leaning away from it and covering his mouth, coughing a bit more, "A sh*t ton of alcohol. And fruit juice I think." He reached over and grabbed a cup before pouring some of the punch into his cup, "Want some?" He asked, looking over at Harper.
She shrugged holding her hand out, "Sure why not." Steve handed her the cup in his hand before getting himself another cup just as a girl who Harper recognized from school walked into the room, she seemed slightly intoxicated but still mentally stable enough to make decisions.
"Steve Harrington?" The girl called out causing Steve to turn his head and look at her, "I didn't know you still came to parties?" She asked stepping towards him. Steve took this moment to flirt.
"Only when there are girls as beautiful as you here." He chuckled, glancing down at her.
The girl giggled before grabbing Steve's hand and pulling him out of the room, he turned towards Harper quickly and sent her a wink causing her to roll her eyes and chuckle. She sent him a thumbs-up before he was out of the room.
Harper let out a sigh, realizing that she was now completely alone. She brought the red solo cup up to her lips and took a sip of the pungent-smelling drink. She winced as the alcohol burned her throat. She looked down at the cup before downing the entire thing. Harper let out a sigh and refilled her cup before walking back toward the living room, occasionally taking sips of her drink as she walked. She looked around, hoping to see someone she knew, but it seemed that all the people here were people from her school whom she didn't want to talk to. And Nancy wasn't anywhere to be seen.
She made up her mind to sit down on one of the couches, trying to stay as far away from the couple making out on the other side, she looked around before spotting a familiar head of red hair.
Jason.
Her eyes widened, and Harper quickly stood up from her spot on the couch and walked in the opposite direction of him. Back towards the kitchen. It seemed to be her best spot of safety at the moment. As soon as she got back in the kitchen she hopped up on the counter right next to the punch, downing her drink once more and refilling. She knew it was probably a bad idea to drink as much as she was but she was just trying to keep her mind off the loneliness.
The party was a real drag. At least it was for Harper. A couple of hours went by, a few drinks had been drunk. Harper definitely wasn't thinking completely straight. Robin and Vickie walked into the room.
"Hey, Harper!" Robin called, "Vickie's driving me home! Have fun!" Robin said, Harper, opened her mouth to say something but before she could even get a word out the two girls had left. Harper slumped back against the cabinets behind her before getting another drink.
A half hour went by, and another half hour where Harper was alone.
"Are you Harper?" A boy asked walking in.
Harper nodded silently.
"Well, Steve wanted to tell you that he went home and that you should get a ride from Robin and Vickie." He said before turning around and leaving the room.
Harper's eyes widened, now she had no ride home. She slumped back against the cabinets behind her, holding her face in her hands.
"Harper?" She heard a voice call from the entrance of the kitchen, she pulled her hands away from her face and turned her head to see Eddie walking towards her.
Harper looked at him confused, "Eddie? What are you doing here?" She asked.
"Oh, Jeff was invited. Didn't tell me how, lucky little sh*t." He said, leaning back against the counter she was sitting on.
Harper nodded, taking another swig of her drink. She sat quietly staring out the window in front of her.
"You're awfully quiet," Eddie said, looking up at her before glancing down at her hands and noticing the solo cup, "How many drinks have you had?"
Harper looked away from the window and towards Eddie who had a concerned look on his face, "Zero." She stated before getting off the counter and turning towards the entrance of the kitchen, she really didn't want to deal with anyone right now. As soon as she was about to round the corner she bumped right into Jason, spilling both his and her drink all over Harper. She looked down at her white shirt, the red liquid staining it. She let out a gasp before looking up at Jason.
"Sh*t." She breathed
"Watch where you're going, freak." He said to Harper.
Harper looked up at him angrily, "Why don't you watch where you're going, douchebag." She said causing his face to turn red with anger.
Jason raised his hand to hit Harper, but his wrist was grabbed by Eddie who twisted his arm behind his back and leaned over his shoulder, "You try and hurt her again I will snap your wrists." Eddie growled, his voice low as he threatened Jason.
The red-haired boy looked up nervously and nodded before Eddie shoved Jason away from him. Jason ran off and Eddie turned his attention back toward Harper. She had a habit of closing up when drunk, which he was unaware of. He grabbed Harper's hand and pulled her down the hall before opening the bathroom door and pulling her inside. He looked at the couple making out inside and glared at them.
"Get the hell out." He growled earning a nervous look from the couple who quickly pulled themselves together and left. Eddie shut the door and locked it behind them.
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