The bleachers filled with residents of Hawkins to celebrate Senior Night. Lauren, Walt, Samantha, Jonathan, and Nancy sat in the student section. The student body size was so small that the middle schoolers joined them. The game went back and forth in the beginning. The whole gym was overwhelmingly hot. Between the player's heavy breathing or the whole town coming to celebrate the graduating student's body heat from being scrunched together.
Lauren yawned, watching as the fast passed game moved from one side to the other. Jonathan noticed this and turned to ask her, "I'm sorry, I have to address this. How are you not frecking out right now?"
"Oh, because I don't know a single thing about basketball. The only reason I'm here is because of St- senior night." Lauren swallowed down her worry of anyone hearing her slip concerning no one paid any mind to it. Jonathan, however, looked confused.
"Okay, so what you're telling me is you understand football. I think it is one of the most confusing sports to exist. But you don't understand basketball and you live in Indiana?"
"Well, football is different. I only love it because of Walt," she glanced over at him, and he nodded as he shoved food in his mouth. "I watched that every weekend for hiwever many weekeneds of the year for years. But like with basketball, I never did that and know I'm a bad Hoosier, or whatever. It's just that there's so much that I don't understand. Like sometimes the get fouled for like touching someone, and then they can tackle , and they don't. Or, or traveling. I don't get that shit, like I swear sometimes these motherfuckers take like fives steps with the ball and that's not a travel. I don't fuckimg know."
"Oh, I guess I kinda get it." Jonathan nodded going back to watching the game. He did go down and take pictures during halftime for the yearbook. The game was head-to-head as they approached the last quarter. Lauren was on the edge of her seat. She was beyond nervous. She may not understand everything all that well but she was smart enough to know they were losing, but not by a lot. Lauren wanted Steve to win the last home game of his high school season. At least before the tournament started.
"The tigers take the lead. A three-pointer by twenty-four Steve Harrington." The crowd cheered as the announcement played. The band began to play as they did for every shot. The game was far from over, having four minutes on the clock anything could happen that's what sucked.
As it had been all game the guy had been getting hotter and hotter. Till Lauren could not be in there due to both the heat and her own competitive nerves and the nevers that weren't just routing the tigers maybe just a specific one. Lauren turned to her friend next to her, "Hey Nancy, I'm going to go get some corn nuts or something. I can't watch this." Nancy's shoulders dropped when she saw that Jonathan was now taking pictures of the actual players and she'd be left with Samantha and whatever Walt was round her.
"There are only four minutes left and you can't stay."
"No Nance, I'm about to crawl out of my skin. It's so hot and I'm too competitive to watch these close games." Nancy sighed looking over to the two tjat were currently making out in the middle of the student section and accepted her response watching her walk down.
Lauren felt a slight bit of relief walking out of the gymnasium doors. The concession stand was blinding with neon signs. "Do you have any corn nuts?" The guy just shook his head. There was a roar of cheers coming from the wrong side of the gym. 'Fuck' Lauren thought. "How about Spree's?" Lauren asked for her childhood comfort candy. The man handed her a box of sprees in exchange for seventy-five cents.
Not being able to go back in, Lauren sat outside of the gym. Cheers erupted from one side of the gym to the other back and forth. Not knowing who had the ball, the score, or anything the buzzer went off. The crowd was silent for a mere second before she heard the Hawkins High fight song.
Lauren walked out of the hallway into the crowd. Everybody and their cousin decided to come to this game, and everyone and their cousin decided to rush onto the counter. It was a miracle that there was any room between people. Lauren, weaved through people, in between obnoxious townies that never got off the bench yet still peaked in high school, between the mass amounts of couples making out like a new year's party.
Steve caught her eye, and she started pushing past more people. When he saw her her smiled and started pushing past other people. Some other player no one had any interest in learning about stopped Steve, making Lauren stop. Until Nancy grabbed her arm and pulled her through the crowd. "We're over here, and you're running into the rip tide of that," Nancy said even though Lauren barrley headed it in the loud, loud gymnasium.
"I thought you might've been I that -"
"They got pissed at each other, and so Walt left, we're stuck with Samantha, so prepair for that." Nancy said, looking back at the friend she was dragging behind her. She could see her eyes roll tremendously. "I know." When they came out of the crowd, they saw Jonathan with a look that seemed as if he wanted to eat a bullet as he listened to the blondie complain.
"I'm so done with him I just going to leave his ass. I'm so done -"
"Yeah, you mentioned that," Jonathan said when he saw Nancy he looked more than relieved.
"Because I am done, he's such an unbearable douche."
"Then break up, Samantha." Lauren, through her hands up, not wanting to listen to the girl complain for an hour.
"You want that, don't you?" Lauren rolled her eyes. "I know you're just waiting for us to break up."
"For the last time, I have no interest in getting with Walt. Absolutely zero. If I wanted to, I would have."
"That's complete bull." Nancy and Jonathan just sat there and watched as they argued. They always watched, and they always argued.
"No, it's not." Samantha's hand slapped Lauren across the face. Nancy's jaw dropped. Samantha had always yelled at Lauren but never hit here.
"You fucking bitch." Lauren grabbed Jonathan's Coke. She threw not only the drink in her face but the cup in her face. Samantha screamed in anger. "Oh no you're going to melt."
"Oh I'm going to beat your ass."
"I'd like to see you try."
"No, no, no. No, stop." Nancy yelled. In any other situation, everyone would be staring, but it was so loud in here that nobody even heard.
"Shut up, Nancy,"
"Don't tell her to shut up," Lauren couldn't stand this girl, and everything had bottled up, and to the point she couldn't stand her anymore. Besides, Samantha hit her first. Lauren made a step to Samantha and got her arms grabbed. Before that, she winced away and ran out the door. Lauren looked up, and Steve had grabbed onto her arms. "Get off of me." He let go of her.
"You would have beat her ass." Lauren rolled her eyes. She could feel the blood run from her lip. "Hop, you got,"
"Yeah, I know," Lauren pushed past him to walk to the bathroom. She wasn't mad at him she was just so mad in general. Pushing threw the mass amount of people still in the gym to get to the restroom. Lauren pulled open the restroom door open and walked to the mirror.
Blood was running from the crack in her lip. The restroom door opened with Steve on the other side. He locked the door behind him. "You okay?"
"Yes, I'm perfectly fine, Steve. Just go, celebrate, have fun." Steve looked down at the girl imfront of him.
"I can celebrate with you." Lauren pushed his hands away from her hips.
"I don't want to have sex right now." She turned back around, whipping the blood from her chin.
"I never said that, I could celebrate with the Sprees." He looked down at the box of candy in her hand. She reached back and handed them to him, going back to whip her lip. He put his hand on her shoulder.
"Steve, seriously, I don't want to have sex with you."
"I don't want to have sex with you either."
"Then what are you doing here? Just leave me alone." She pushed his arm off her shoulder.
"You're upset, I don't want you to be alone."
"Why, why the fuck do you care?" Lauren turned around looking at the boy in front on her. She stood on her toes to kiss him.
"You just said."
"And I mean it. I just wanted a kiss." Steve pulled her into another kiss.
"Just a kiss," he smiled at her. And this is when he decided it was probably time to ask. "Listen Hop, I don't care." He pulled her face in his hands.
"Care about what?"
"I don't care about this anymore." Her head still in his hands he pushed the hair out of her face. She pulled away.
"What do you mean you don't care?" Lauren thought that he knew and this was it. Fuck is all she thought. He didn't care it was over. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Repeated in her head.
"I don't care, I really don't care. I don't care if anyone finds out about this." He pulled her hands into his. She looked him in the eyes, trying to think about what to say next.
"But I..." She thought he was the only one who cared, so she made it seem like she cared.
"But what, Hop?"
"But I thought you didn't want anyone finding out."
"Because you wanted to. I want be with you. When you're upset, when you are smiling because god Hop, I love your goddamn smile." She couldn't help but smile, making him smile. "I want to leave your room, to eat dinner with you. I want to be more than just a quicky in the bathroom. I really like you, and if me telling you this ruins the little bit of a relationship we have, then so be it. At least you know how I feel about you."
"Well, Steve I'm sorry It does." Lauren turned around, walking to the door. When a hand grabbed onto her shoulder and turned her around.
"Wait Hop are you fucking for real right now? It's just over like that? Are you that scared of this relationship?" He placed his other hand on her shoulder, turning her around.
"Fuck no are you a fucking idiot." She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss.
"Oh, you're a fucking bitch." He leaned back into the kiss, Lauren could feel the tension release from his shoulders as he grabbed her back and pulled her closer to his body not wanting to let go of her. The kiss finally broke.
"I didn't think you felt the same. When you said you didn't care I thought I fucked this up."
"God we felt the same way. Maybe if we were just honest with each other. It could have happened sooner. I really thought I fucked this up."
"No you far from fucked this up. I thought I fucked this up, because Steve, I like you. Like I really like you I don't know what the fuck you did but I really like you."
"Wait, what would you have done if I didn't follow you over here?" He asked her.
"I would have waltzed back over there and called you an even bigger dumbass."
"God I feel so much better. I was freaking out. I thought this was going to go way differently, and I was going to have to die." Lauren shook her head and kissed him.
"How long have you wanted to get together?"
"Since at least February,"
"Shit and I went on that date with Andy, I'm sorry, I was just trying to make you jealous, I'm sorry."
"I went out with Madelyn." Again, Lauren shook her head.
"Not by choice."
"Yeah, but I upset you, I know."
"I don't care. But now it's just us?"
"Yes, a hundred percent. Just us."
"So we're like dating now? Like boyfriend and girlfriend?"
"If you want to."
"I do. I really fucking do." Lauren wrapped him in a hug. "Oh god, you have no idea how relieved I am. I wanted you to ask me out so badly. I want to go out with you so badly. And the fact that Andy did and not you I was so bad, or when I saw you with Madelyn, it made me feel horrible. Like I was just the girl that knew her way around a dick and not a take on a date girl."
"I'm sorry."
"No. Don't be sorry. I understand you were scared to ask me, too." Steve held her tight to his body.
"Hop?"
"What?"
"You want to go to dinner?"
"Yeah, but I already have plans." She pulled her head away, looking up at him. "You could come."
"With who?" She sighed, unlocking the door behind him. "Who?" Steve walked behind her as she walked out of the school into the parking lot. He saw Nancy and Jonathan sitting on the hood of his car. "Who else." He said under his breath.
"Hey guy's," Lauren said with a big smile. "Can my boyfriend come to dinner with us?" Lauren asked hopping her hair wasn't about to get ripped out of her head, as she looked over at the boy a little distance away from her.
"It's about damn time."
"What?" Lauren looked visibly shocked by Nancy's seemingly happy answer.
"What I just said, It's about damn time. You guy's have been getting together how long?" Lauren's eyes were large.
"Umm, couple months."
"Four months,"
"Yeah, yeah that."
"Like I said the first time. I want you two to be happy. Yes, he can come to dinner." Lauren and Steve shared a look. "I'm cool. It's cool. We're cool. I'm not mad."
"Are you sure?" Lauren tilted her head, not able to believe it. "Like totally sure."
"As sure as I am that my name is Nancy Elizabeth Wheeler."
"Okay but-"
"Yes, Lauren, just like that." Despite Nancy's initial words and her now constant reassurance, Lauren couldn't believe her. "So Syd's or somewhere nice to, you know, celebrate?"
"Syd's is fine, right?"
"Yeah."
☆
"Thanks but I'm just going with Steve." Lauren stood up and took her head out the window.
"Wait, Lauren. Come here." Walt motions for her to come to the back window of Jonathan's car after being picked up so he could come to dinner. She bent down to the level of the car to hear what Walt was telling her. "Hey, wear a condom, I'm not ready to be an honorary uncle." He said to her the same thing she said to him when he started dating Samantha. They both laughed at his comment before Lauren walked away. The car drove away, leaving the parking lot empty after the group's long conversation after closing.
Steve was still sitting on the hood of the car while Lauren stood between his legs he brought her closer and kissed her. "So Hop?"
"So, Steve."
"So I have this friend and he likes you. He's liked you for a while. Like five and a half years. It may have been clouded by my... I mean his inability to stand you for a while but it's back and very strong." Lauren nodded along.
"Oh really, he should pretty lame. I have this friend who didn't like you till you saved her life for the second time, and then you accidentally felt her up in the back of a movie theater. But now she really really really likes you."
"Well, tell her I have a girlfriend now."
"Okay, tell your friend, I have a boyfriend now."
"Hop?" She raised her eyebrows. "The friend is me?"
"Oh really?"
"Yes." She leaned over and gave him a kiss. 'Damn, I have a gorgeous girlfriend." She couldn't help but smile at his stupid words. "There it is."
"What?"
"Your smile." She rolled her eyes. "My favorite thing in the entire word."
"Oh my god, you're annoying. Is it too late to go back."
"Fuck yeah. Way to late you're suck with me."
"Oh you don't understand. You got suck with me. I don't want to be one if those people but I quite weird."
"Believe me I know. You and walts conversation are quite something."
"Whatever you want to have sex?" Steve nodded with a smile and stepped down off the hood and got in the car. Lauren did the same. Once they were in the car, they started making out they couldn't help themselves, seeing as their whole relationship was driven by sex for the months.
Their heavy breathing and the cool March night temperatures caused the windows to fog up. They counted kissing as Lauren unzipped his jacket, sliding it off his body. He grabbed her waist, pulling himself and her closer. She sat with his body in between her legs and ran her fingers through his hair. "You want to admit my hairs great?"
"Yeah, you got hair in your last name it better be good." Lauren's hand began to unfasten Steve's belt.
There was a knock on the window causing them to pull apart. Steve began to roll the window down the first thing she saw was a badge she turned her head away. She didn't know who it was, just knew it was an officer. It may have been instinct keeping the relationship secret. But more the slim chance that it was her father and her father was exactly fond of Lauren having hot and heavy for play at all let alone in a care.
"Hello Chief," Steve said, causing Lauren to turn most of her body away from the window. Of course, the slim chance is what played out. Because what else could be more convenient.
"Hey, Steve, did you know this place is closed? Right?" He said in a serious yet joking way. Why did he care, was all Lauren could think.
"Yes, I did, sir. I was just about to get going." He put a hand on the wheel and the keys.
"Yeah, the lipstick on your face and the girl next to you makes it sound really believable." They both laughed at his words.
"Yeah no yeah, umm, we can leave right now." Steve went to turn the key when all of a sudden Lauren's saliva went down the wrong pipe, and she began to cough and choke. This was a rather regular but always the worst time.
"Are you okay?" Jim said, pointing the dim flashlight at the girl. She stuck her thumb up in the air and continued choking.
"Are you okay? Hop?" Steve asked, looking at her. Immediately thought, oh shit.
"Yeah, I'm fine?" Jim answered Steve. Steve let out a deep breath, feeling like he dodged the bullet, literally. "What do you mean-" Jim paused mid-sentence once he released. "Lauren?"
"Hey, dad?" Reluctantly, Lauren turned her head to look at her father. His joking smile dropped from his face, immediately looking over at Steve. Who was smiling trying to keep some peace.
"Are you eighteen Harrington?" He asked his eyes, dead set on Steve. Steve nodded at him. "I need a verbal response."
"Yes." He said, nodding.
"That means I can bet your ass and don't get charged with child abuse because that's a sixteen-year-old sitting next to you. Did you know that?" He pointed at her.
"Yes, I did." He replied, still nodding.
"Did you know that when the relationship becomes illegal with sexual relations?"
"Dad, we weren't going to do anything." She completely lied to him, leaving forward to see him better.
"I hope you've kept it legal." He said eyes locked with Steve's again.
"It has been." They both said lying through their teeth.
"Get out of the car, Lauren." Lauren got out of the car resisting, giving him a kiss, trying not to add insult to injury. "Go get in the truck." Lauren got in the car sitting down while Jim talked to Steve. She couldn't hear what they were saying. Jim watched as Steve drove away before he got back in the car.
"What did you say to him?" Lauren asked him. Jim didn't respond, pulling out of the parking lot. "What did you say to him, dad?" He looked over at her.
"I told him he better keep it legal, and if I found out otherwise, I will beat his ass and throw him in jail." He looked at the road and back at Lauren.
"God, you're so dramatic he's bearly a year older than me. I'm seventeen in a month. He just turned eighteen, I am not even kidding you four days ago." She said, throwing her hands up. "You'd still be over there joking with him if it were Nancy or another girl my age."
"Speaking of, isn't he Nancy's boyfriend?" He looked over at her. Lauren resisted, rolling her eyes at him.
"Not anymore it told you this, and I wouldn't do that to her, I'm not a cunt. I love her." Her words annoyed him.
"Lauren, watch your goddamn mouth." He said with a raised voice but not quite a yell.
"You're the one to talk? Since when do you care?" Lauren pulled her knees to her chest on the seat.
"Since now. And stop with the back talk you've had. I'm over it." Lauren knew she was being hard on him now, but je was overreacting, but to him, he was truly trying his best.
"I'm sorry, I'll work on the back talk and the cussing." He took a few deep breaths.
"No, you were right." He tapped the wheel with his index finger.
"What part?" She said, pushing her hair out of her face.
"Pretty much all of it. I don't care about the cussing, I was just pissed. And I wouldn't care if it was anyone else in that car with Steve, but it's you, and I don't want you to get hurt or in any trouble."
"I'll be fine, Dad. I'll be fine, I promise."
"I trust you but it doesn't mean I trust that little fucker. I was a teenage boy once I knew what his intentions were. I mean, what I said I'll bet his ass."
"Dad." She said, he apologized, saying something under his breath. Lauren assumed it was something about Steve still. She took it as a win for now. "I love you, Dad."
"Love you, kid." He said, looking over at her with a smile on his face. The same smile he had throughout her childhood. The smile helped her through everything.
☆
The next Monday was the next time Lauren could see Steve. She saw him pull into the parking lot, and she stood next to his car. When he came out, she gave him a quick "boo." Making him jump.
"Damn Hop."
"Shit, sorry." Lauren pushed up on her toes to kiss him, but he turned his head. Leaving her lips to meet his cheek. "I'm sorry, what was that? Because I know you don't have a problem with PDA, nobody in this school does. So what the fuck is it? You forget were dating now?"
"No I am more than happy were dating." He held her hand in his. "I just didn't know about your dad. I don't know if he said something to you." Lauren shoulders dropped.
"I-" She let out a soft grunt. "I can't with him and boys he always scares them. It's so annoying. He can't just leave it be. Always got to meddle in my life. Goddam." Steve's hand rested on her cheek.
"It's good that he cares," he smiled. "but he's fucking terrifying."
"I'm sorry. He's very intense, but he's just looking out for me. He doesn't want me to get hurt, so just don't hurt me. And don't turn when I kiss you, please." Lauren pushed up to her toes again, this time kissing him on the lips, getting it.back.in return.
"So this is really happening?" Lauren dug her head into Steve's shoulder with even the slightest hit of Tommy's voice. "You two?"
"Yeah, Tommy." Tommy nodded.
"I knew you, always wanted to know what her lip gloss tasted like." Steve rolled his eyes.
"Pretty great, actually." Lauren pulled her head away from his chest, hitting his shoulder.
"Steve, shut up."
"How are you liking not only mine but everyone else's sloppy seconds, Steve?"
"Yes I really am-" Lauren hit him again.
"Just shut up Tommy literally no one asked you to be here. Yet here you are. All the time. Just making everything worse yet again." Tommy rolled his eyes.
"You're kissing in the school parking lot. I have every right to state my opinion. And if you don't want to hear it, feel free to leave." Lauren let go of Steve and began to walk way.
"You going to come with me or get your ass in a fight. Either way, I'm leaving." Steve pushed his door closed following behind her. "Good choice. This relationship would have been over in record time."
"Bullshit. You really, really, really like me." Lauren rolled her eyes.