HALLOWEEN PARTY
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THE MUSIC WAS LOUD, almost painstakingly. It made Andy's skin tingle and lungs feel like mush. Her heart thumped incisively in her chest along with the vibrating floor and pulse of the music. Teenagers covered every inch of the house, dancing, drinking, sucking face. Andy had never seen such an abundance of cheap wigs and costumes in one place before. Toilet roll hung from the ceiling as a lousy decoration and everyone seemed to be having a great time. Well everyone other than Andy.
Steve and Nancy had gone to the dance-floor together. Andy had not gone with them. They looked quite the pair in their couples Risky Business costumes. Andy, however, stood to the side in the kitchen watching everyone else go about their ways. Feeling lonely and wanting to appear busy, she made her way through the beers that Steve had brought with him, but refused to drink since he was the designated driver. She didn't enjoy the taste much, but needed something to distract her.
Next to where she was standing Andy saw a bowl of red coloured punch. It looked much better tasting than the awful beer she had been drinking. She walked over and stood next to a boy she recognised from her English class. He was dressed as a gladiator or angel, Andy couldn't figure out which one since his outfit had become torn and dirty. "What's in this?" She asked.
"Pure fuel! Pure fuel!" He screamed out and then burped. Andy looked at him in disgust before grabbing one of the multiple red solo cups scattered around and scooping up the alcohol. She tipped her head back, downing it one go. The drink burned its way down her throat and she scrunched up her face in discomfort. It was still way better than the beer though.
Turning her attention back to the party, Andy caught the eye of Billy Hargrove. His arm was casually draped around the shoulder of a girl that Andy didn't recognise. On second thoughts she didn't even think she went to Hawkins, but that didn't matter, she was chatting away to Billy, but he wasn't listening, not anymore. His attention was solely fixated on Andy. He dropped his arm from the girl's shoulder like it was nothing and sauntered his way over to Andy in the kitchen.
As he walked he trailed his eyes over her body, making Andy shift under his intense gave. He reached her, the proximity close. Andy could smell the alcohol and cigarettes exploding off of him. When he talked he leaned into her ear, breath fanning across her skin making her tingle. "What's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this all alone?"
He was wearing jeans and nothing but an undone leather jacket on his chest. "What makes you think I'm here all alone?" Andy snickered, crossing her arms over her chest to create some sort of a barrier between her and Billy, who was smiling brightly, his tongue swiping along his teeth. "Well, I've been watching you for a while now and all you can seem to do is stare at him." His eyes flickered over to Steve who danced happily away with Nancy. Andy's heart sunk as it always did when she saw them together.
"And I don't think he's very interested." He stepped even closer, enclosing her against the counter and his body. "In fact, I think you should spend your attention on someone who is interested, very interested."
Andy smirked, raising an eyebrow at the arrogant boy in front of her. "Is that so?"
Billy smiled smugly, grabbing a cup and dipping it into the punch bowl. "Have another one of these and I'll show you." He rubbed the cup against Andy's hand, who took it and downed the drink in one swift movement. Billy smirked. "How about we go sit somewhere?"
Andy nodded and Billy took her hand, leading her away and willingly she went with him.
The party carried on in full swing. The music was the perfect mix between the year's top hits and Halloween classics. Steve Harrington had been having fun until he saw something that instantly made his blood boil. Nancy had been tugging on his arm to dance more, but for the last half an hour he had paid her little to no attention, he was too focused on Andy. She was draped over Billy like a blanket, who sat in an armchair with Andy on top of him. His hand ran up and down her bare leg and he'd whisper things in her ear that would make her giggle. The sight made rage rush through him in jealousy.
As Andy rose off of Billy to go get another drink, Steve detached Nancy from him and with not even a 'be back in a second', left her side. Andy stumbled as she walked, clearly drunk. Reaching the counter, Steve sauntered next to her. "So you and Hargrove, huh?"
Andy turned to look at Steve who shrugged, jaw clenched. "What about me and Billy?" She asked sounding naive, but really knowing full well what Steve was on about. He let out a humorless laugh, brushing a hand through his hair. "So what, you're like a thing now? Or just a hookup?"
Andy looked away to pour herself a drink. Her movements were clumsy, spilling the drink over the edges of the red cup. Steve extended his arm to help, or to take the drink away, but she snatched her hand and the drink away from his reach.
"Maybe. Who knows. Is that a problem?" She replied to his question.
"Yeah, actually, it is." He scoffed, eyes hard and body stiff. "He's bad news and you shouldn't be around him."
She stared at him for a few seconds then slowly shook her head. "I'm not yours to be jealous over anymore." She uttered spitefully before snatching her drink and storming away, leaving Steve in her dust.
As the party went on and Andy drunk more and more she came to realise she made bad decisions.
Falling for Steve Harrington? Bad decision.
Going back to New York? Bad decision.
Flirting with Billy Hargrove? Bad decision.
But that didn't stop her going back with him. She needed to feel something. She needed to feel wanted and right now the Californian bad boy was the way to make that happen. He'd push drink after drink into her hand and she'd drink them all. After all, she was just trying to be a normal teenager for once and flirting and drinking seemed the way to do that. Andy knew she was drunk. Her eyesight was blurry, movements staggered and sloppy. She wasn't thinking straight, but true to intoxication she didn't care.
Back on Billy's lap, his hand ran up and down her leg as if it had been all evening, until one time it went too high. Andy didn't know what she wanted or expected from flirting with Billy, but as it finally came to a conclusion she came to figure out it wasn't that. With her limp movements, she pushed his hand down and away, but instead, he moved his lips to her neck.
"It's okay, Princess." He murmured into the crook of her neck. She knew how to get away but she was too weak and intoxicated to do so. She tried to sit up but Billy's weight unintentionally forced her down.
Upstairs in one of the many bathrooms, Steve stood wide-eyed staring at his girlfriend. All the surfaces, toilet included, were littered with cups and empty cans and bottles. A torn packet of chips was thrown about the sink and there was a huge red stain on Nancy's white top, but he couldn't stop looking at her dazed face instead.
"This is bullshit."
Even though she was drunk and slurring her words, they resonated deeply inside Steve and it was like a lightbulb went off in him. A switch being clicked the other way - the right way. He laughed, running a hand through his hair and laughing some more.
"You're right, this is bullshit."
Despite trying to persuade himself and everyone else otherwise, he was still caught up in how the world saw him. Just because he wasn't friends with Tommy H or Carol anymore didn't mean he didn't care about his reputation at all. Worried about what people would think if he broke up with Nancy, worried about how that would make him look like a massive jerk. Trying to do the right thing just because it was easier, but no more. Finally, he was realising how he was and how everything was in fact, bullshit.
He threw the bathroom door open, brushing past Nancy who couldn't grasp what was happening, and making his way into the crowd. He rushed down the stairs, wedging himself between sweaty dancing bodies and to where he hoped Andy would still be.
And she was. Billy's body was now on top of her, but he could still see Andy struggling beneath. His fury sprung to life as he marched over to them.
Suddenly, Andy felt Billy's weight being lifted off of her. Steve had snatched him by the shoulder and yanked him away. "Leave her alone." Steve ordered, holding the other boy by the collar of his leather jacket. Andy scrambled up from the seat and stood to the side of Steve.
"Woah Harrington, I wasn't doing anything the girl didn't want me to." Billy smirked, even though he was being held forcefully by Steve and had a smug look on his face.
"She's drunk, mainly because of you, and you were taking advantage of that." Steve spat, venom laced into his voice. "So back off."
Andy gently placed a hand on Steve's chest, trying to calm him down. "Steve, it's okay." She said. His muscles tensed for a second before relaxing and letting go of Billy's jacket, shoving him away. Billy sniggered, facing Steve with a cocky grin. "And there I was thinking you'd gone bitch, but two girls? That's not very bitch at all. I'm sure you wouldn't mind sharing one."
Steve's jaw clenched and his fingers twitched, the anger bubbling inside him to fight, but Andy looked up at him pleadingly. "Please, just leave it."
She didn't want to cause a scene. It was over now. She wanted to move on.
Billy huffed, looking between the two of them. "Whatever. It's not worth it." He turned, storming away to find the next girl who would have him, of which there were many. Steve turned to Andy, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"
She nodded. "I'm fine." She whispered, moving her shoulder out his touch. "Thank you."
"Come on, I'll take you home." He said, taking her hand and leading her towards the door, but she snatched it away. Steve turned to look at her confused. "I'm fine." She slurred, as a partygoer accidentally bumped into her shoulder sending her forwards. "I want to stay."
All she had wanted to do was have fun as a normal teenager but so far she had failed. This was her best chance, one chance to achieve it and she wasn't going to give up. If only her body would let her.
Steve chuckled, shaking his head knowing Andy wasn't fine but extremely drunk and he enjoyed seeing her trying to act otherwise. "You're fine?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. "Prove it then."
"Okay then." Andy smirked, standing up straight and extending her arms out either side of her. She slowly placed one heel in front of the other to try and walk in a straight line but with her next step her ankle went out from underneath her. Swiftly, Steve moved from his spot to catch her by her waist. He caught her just before her limp body could crash to the floor. "Yeah, I'm taking you home."
Holding her hand he lead her outside. The cold was harsh on them both, especially Andy in her outfit. Couples scattered the lawn and road and they weaved their way through them to reach Steve's car.
"I can't go home." Andy stuttered, all her body weight leaning onto Steve's chest since she struggled to stand up on her own. "My dad will kill me if he sees me like this."
Steve sighed, rubbing his face with his hands trying to think what to do. He understood her reluctance to go home, the Chief would not be impressed.
"Alright, you can crash at mine." He said. It didn't seem like the wisest option, but what other choice did he have? He helped her into the car, moving her legs into the gap and pushing the hair out of her face.
As he drove Andy's head rolled about in the seat with no control, her eyes crossed over in a drunken haze. Steve kept glancing over to make sure she was still okay and hadn't somehow managed to injure herself.
"Hopper, if you throw up in my car you'll be paying for the cleaning."
"Shut up, Harrington." She muttered, resting her head against the window and closing her eyes. Steve faced back to the road with a grin.
The car pulled up outside Steve's house. All the lights were off indoors other than the porch one he purposely left on for his arrival home. He hadn't expected to be returning home with an intoxicated Andy Hopper though. Thankfully, his parents were out of town; as usual, and he wouldn't have to awkwardly bump into them. Steve stepped out his car, shutting the door behind and walking over to the passenger side.
"Come on you." He whispered, unbuckling Andy's seat belt and shimmying his arm around her. They staggered and stumbled up to the front door. Using his spare hand he reached into his pocket to get his key and unlock the door. With his foot, he pushed it open and after a couple of seconds of swaying, they entered.
It was with great difficulty they got up the stairs since Andy tripped on every step and fell to her knees, meaning Steve had to continuously stop and lift her back up. By halfway he had given up entirely and decided to pick Andy up and carry her bridal style the rest of the way. In his room, he lowered Andy onto his bed. He moved the dirty clothes and Farrah Fawcett hairspray from his mattress onto the floor and held up the duvet for Andy to sleep under.
She nestled under the sheets and Steve made sure she was snuggled up comfy and warm by tucking the duvet under her each side. He dashed to the kitchen to grab a glass of water that Andy would definitely want in the morning and then returned to the room. He grabbed a pillow from beside Andy's head then tossed it to the floor for him to rest his own head on for the night.
"Why are you doing this?" Andy asked quietly from the bed making Steve turn to look at her. He didn't even think she was awake anymore but she had her hand tangled in her hair under head and duvet pulled up high to her chin with her eyes open.
"Because I care. You're my friend." Steve responded, clutching a blanket from the end of the bed.
Andy scoffed. "No, I'm not... I'm your dirty little secret."
Steve's face faltered and he had to look away from the girl's broken expression. Guilt made an uneasy feeling settle in his stomach at the pain he had caused her. All because he cared too much about what people thought about him and not what about actually mattered to him, and that was Andy.
"You're not, you're... everything."
But Andy hadn't heard. Sleep had overcome her and Steve turned back to see her passed out. He sighed disappointed, his apology would have to wait for another time.
A.N
OMG the drama! I can't believe how close Andy and Billy came to getting together. I want to know, are you guys rooting for Steve and Andy? I personally love them but does anyone want to see with anyone else? Maybe Andy or Billy or Andy and Jonathan? Let me know what you think!
Lola
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