STAGE ZERO: GO TO STEVE'S PARTY
1983
𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐁𝐲𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐟𝐞𝐰 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬. Nancy Wheeler and Steve Harrington were going strong. Mike Wheeler was paranoid of his family finding the girl he found last night in their basement. Mollie Wheeler was just focused on studying for her exams. She had a friend in Jonathan and somewhat Barb. And with the older Byres picking her up for school, Mollie (while trying her best just to pass her exam by studying) helped him out up posters for his brother.
From afar, Steve Harrington and his gang of Tommy, Carol, Nancy and (reluctantly) Barb stared at the pair. Having just invited them round his house for a party tonight, Steve tried to convince Nancy to come... Well, that was until they spotted the freak pair.
Looking over, Carol was the first to spot them, saying, "Oh, God. Look."
"Oh, God, that's depressing." Steve muttered under his breath as he watched Mollie help Jonathan pin the poster up onto the cork board.
Feeling bad, Nancy swallowed the lump in her throat. She felt awful for Jonathan, losing a brother must be hard. At least her sister had the dignity to help him. And right now, her supposed friends were making fun of the two. Clearly her throat, Nancy shyly asked, "Should we say something?"
"I don't think he speaks to anyone but the other freak." Carol responded, chewing her gum she hardly thought about the fact that one of them was Nancy's sister.
Looking down, Nancy bit her lip – hiding her grown as Tommy added, "How much you want to bet they killed him together?"
Seeing Nancy upset, Steve hit Tommy's chest, muttering to him, "Shut up. That's her sister, dude."
Swallowing hard, Nancy ignored the group and took off in the direction of the two. Jonathan was pining up the final bits of the poster. Mollie trying to reassure him while leaning up against the pin board. Finally reaching the pair, Nancy waited for their conversation to naturally end and spoke up, "Hey."
Turing to see her, Jonathan was puzzled. He looked nervously to Mollie and then back to Nancy as he responded with his greetings. Mollie greeting her sister (with a confused tone) as well.
Starting off was tricky for Nancy. She didn't want to offend Jonathan. She felt bad. She just didn't know how to say it. "I just...I wanted to say, you know, um...I'm sorry about everything." Looking behind her, Nancy realised her group of so-called friends were watching her. Trying to hide her nervousness, Nancy grew more confident to mask her unwillingness to be seen as a freak. "Everyone's thinking about you. It sucks."
"Yeah." Jonathan agreed, not willing to make eye contact with the other Wheeler. Seeing this, Mollie took Jonathan hand and rubbed circles in reassurance.
"I'm sure he's fine. He's a smart kid." Nancy added. And with that the bell rang. Hearing this, Nancy smiled and told the pair, "I have to go. Chemistry test. Good luck."
"Thanks." Jonathan replied, finally looking up to smile at Nancy.
Turing to her sister, the oldest Wheeler sibling grinned, asking, "Hey Mollie, have you studied?"
Chuckling, Mollie took herself off the pin board, speaking, "I've practically bored Jonathan to death with chemistry."
"Wanna do more on the way there?" Nancy asked, holding out her hand for her sister to grab.
Smiling at her sister's kindness, Mollie was confused. Nevertheless, she waved goodbye to Jonathan and grabbed onto Nancy's hand, letting Nancy lead her down the hall to their chemistry classroom. Both telling each other potential questions and answers.
- 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 -
𝐍𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐚. Not a radical one, but one that might need convincing. It might have been too complicated but given the group's track record with this person it almost seemed impossible.
Wanting to try, Nancy walked down the hall to Steve's locker. Hoping to spot him, she hastily looked around the hall. Finding him at his locker, Nancy almost ran towards to Steve, saying, "Steve! Hey."
"Hey, babe." Steve responded, turning around to face his girlfriend. "How was chemistry?"
"It went well... I think." Nancy said with a smile.
"You'll ace it." Steve reassured, placing a hand on her shoulder.
"Thank you." Nancy said smiling. Leaning up against the wall, Nancy opened and closed her mouth two times before actually speaking, "You know, I was thinking..."
"What?" Steve asked, copying Nancy who leaned up against the nearby wall.
"The party." Nancy sighed. She didn't want to ruin Steve's night, but she also didn't want to go alone. "I mean since Barb doesn't want to go. Maybe we could invite Mollie so she's not alone."
"You mean your freak sister?" Steve asked bluntly. Not for a second did he think over what he said, and if he did, he'd probably feel bad.
Closing her eyes in frustration, Nancy argued quietly, "She's not a freak."
Shaking his head, Steve hesitated as he spoke, "Nancy, you know that's a bad look on us. Plus she'll-"
"I know. I know." Nancy nodded. Sighing, Nancy believed in what she was asking was right, explaining herself. "I-I just feel bad and all. Mollie has like 2 friends and I don't know... I don't want Barb to feel lonely, and she's my sister and all so..." Shaking her head, Nancy shyly looked away from Steve, "Uh, forget it."
"No, Nance... Nancy, look at me." Grabbing Nancy by the chin, Steve gently lifted Nancy's face to look at him. "She can come."
"Really?" Nancy asked with hope in her eyes.
"Really." Steve confirmed. "But I can't control anything that Tommy and Carol do or say."
"I know. I know." Nancy nodded hastily. Nancy truly felt happy. Her boyfriend truly loved her and listened to her. Hugging Steve, Nancy mumbled against his chest, "Thank you, Steve."
- 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 -
𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲, Nancy was excited. Selfishly, she was proud that she may be able to gain Mollie a few friends.
Going through every possible way to tell her, Nancy left it till after school. Nancy Wheeler knocked on Mollie's bedroom door and giddy smiled at her sister.
She observed every inch of the room, from the poster to the Joan Jett caste tape. The blue walls complemented the mint green curtains. Her chemistry notes sat on the dresser, and her white double bed is where Mollie herself resided.
Waving at her sister, Mollie awaited Nancy to speak - yet the older Wheeler was nervous for the reaction that might come out of her sister. Finally having the courage to speak up, Nancy walked in and sat on Mollie's bed. "So Steve's gotta a party tonight, and-"
"You want me to cover for you." Mollie finished Nancy's sentence to zero accuracy. In the middle Wheeler's defence, it was more believable than what was about to be asked of her.
"No!" Nancy rushed out. Composing herself, Nancy continued, "No. We actually... Steve and I were wondering if you wanted to come."
"What?"
"Do you wanna come to the party?" Nancy asked with a pleasing look on her face. She knew Mollie probably wouldn't want to come so pleading was probably the only way. "Please say yes."
"I'll... I'll come." Mollie said with great hesitation. Thinking over what she had just said a lump formed in her throat. "Steve is joking with you, right? You're not pulling some prank on me 'cause I swear to God if you do-"
"It's not a prank, Mollie." Nancy reassured, cutting over her sister. "Barb's coming as well."
"Nancy! Mollie! Diner!" The voice of their mother rang from downstairs.
Sighing, both girls looked to each other and in sync shouted back to their mom, "Coming!"
"How are we gonna get away with this?" Mollie asked, looking to her sister, who shrugged.
- 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 -
𝐒𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐌𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐞𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨 𝐚𝐰𝐤𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝. They all looked as if they were in a panicked state. And the panic in them didn't help calm a nervous Mollie regretting her choice to join her sister at Steve's party every second.
Looking at the young children playing with their food, Karen Wheeler asked nicely, "Something wrong with the meatloaf?"
"Oh, no, I had two bologna sandwiches for lunch." Dustin explained himself, shaking his head profoundly- convincing himself on the lie. "I don't know why."
Chuckling, Lucas Sinclair decided he had also eaten two bologna sandwiches as well. Seeing as this was her only chance to get a word in, Nancy broke the awkwardness and flattering her mom, "It's delicious, Mommy."
"Thank you, sweetie." Karen smiled at her daughter.
"So, there's this... special assembly thing tonight... for Will at the school field. Me and Mollie decided to go." Nancy announced her carefully planned lie. She tried hard to mask this lie and with Mollie's nodding of her head, it worked.
"Barb's driving." Mollie added. She knew for a fact this had to be true as neither her nor Nancy knew how to drive yet. And it wasn't like Nancy was going to steal their parent's car.
"Why am I just hearing about this?" Their mom asked, looking at the two disappointingly. Since Will's disappearance the whole town (including the Wheelers) had been anxious of going out at night unsupervised.
Nancy though was not going to let that stop the two as she looked to her mom expectantly. "I thought you knew."
"I told you, I don't want you out after dark until Will is found." Their mom reiterated.
"I know, I know, but it'd be super weird if we're not there." Nancy convinced. Pushing their mom until she broke. "I mean, everyone's going."
Sighing, Karen did exactly what Nancy intended to and broke, "Just... be back by 10."
Thinking of what she thought was the perfect idea, Karen spoke up, "Why don't you take the boys, too?"
Without thought, the boys all shouted, "No!"
Looking towards Mollie, Nancy felt relieved that they did not want to come so she didn't have to come up with some poor excuse that she didn't want to go anymore to her mom, Barb, and Steve.
Pushing them further, Karen asked the boys, "Don't you think you should be there? For Will?"
As soon as they heard Karen speak, Mike choked on his milk. Causing Dustin to hit his hand rapidly on the table. This made everyone turn to face him as he sheepishly apologised, "Sorry. Spasm."
Scared by what had just happened, Holly whimpered and sunk into her chair. This caused Mollie to react quickly and pick up the youngest Wheeler, hugging the young girl- reassuring her, "It's okay, Holly. It's just a loud noise." And with that dinner had finished and the two girls were allowed (without their parents knowing) to the party.
- 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 -
𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞'𝐬 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐌𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝. She had dreaded this, but for the limited time she knew she was actually invited she grew more and more hopeful. Barbara Holland had been taking the two Wheelers to Steve's house when Nancy made her pull over, causing Barb to ask, "What are we doing here? His house is three blocks away."
"We can't park in the driveway." Nancy told Barb, who rolled her eyes and asked, "Are you serious?"
"Yeah, the neighbours might see." Nancy complained.
"This is so stupid. I'm just gonna drop you off." Not wanting the other Wheeler to third wheel, Barb asked, "Mollie, you wanna come back to mine?"
"Yeah." Nodding towards Barb, Mollie turned her head to her sister with a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry, Nance."
"Calm down, guys. Come on. You promised that you'd go. You're coming." Nancy insisted. "We're gonna have a great time."
"He just wants to get in your pants." Barb stated argumentatively. She did not think about Nancy in that moment and all she cared about was not going to Steve's party, which (in Mollie's mind) was the right thing to do.
"Eww." Mollie mumbled.
Chuckling, Nancy shook her head, rebutting, "No, he doesn't. And it's not eww, okay? He's my boyfriend and he doesn't wanna get in my pants."
"Nance... seriously. He invited you to his house. His parents aren't home. Come on, you are not this stupid."
"Tommy H. and Carol are gonna be there." Nancy tried to reason.
"Tommy and Carol have been having sex since, like, seventh grade." Barb argued. "It'll probably just be like a big orgy."
"Gross." Nancy mumbled, which made Barb immediately raise her voice. "I'm serious!"
"All right, well... you two can be like my guardians. All right?" Nancy tried to compromise. She did not want either of the girls to leave because if one left the other left and then Nancy would be alone. "Make sure I don't get drunk and do anything stupid."
"Like you're gonna even drink." Mollie scoffed, causing Nancy to shove her sister's shoulder and argue, "I drink, Mollie."
Watching Nancy, Barb groaned disappointingly as the Wheeler took her top up, "Is that a new bra?"
"No." Nancy quickly spoke as she slipped on a new top that shows of her breasts.
Walking to Steve's was more nerve racking for the two who weren't dating Steve. Mollie was sure she wasn't even meant to be there, and Barb – well she never wanted to come in the first placed. She just ended up being the designated driver.
Mollie strolled further behind the pair, feeling left out of a party she had no idea if two of the guests even knew she was coming. And if they did how they would react. Carol probably wouldn't do too much, but Tommy – he could probably do more if he truly hated Mollie (which was up to debate if he truly did hate the girl).
Approaching the door couldn't be more nerve wracking. Looking over to the Holland, the middle Wheeler saw that she was holding out her pinkie for Mollie to take.
Letting out a chuckle, Barb whispered mocking Nancy as said Wheeler rang the doorbell. "Guardians, right?"
Taking her pinkie and linking it with her own, Mollie quietly laughed and confirmed, "Guardians."
It had not taken long for Steve to dart towards the door. Swinging it open, he smiled brightly looking to each of the girls. "Hello, ladies."
- 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐙𝐞𝐫𝐨 -
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐲 𝐬𝐮𝐜𝐤𝐞𝐝. It sucked so much. Mollie would be any where but here. She hated it. Nancy had been focused on Steve. Tommy and Carol had ignored her existence (for the best). Barb had felt so awkward she could not even talk to Mollie. And Steve had been the most receptive towards her presence but even then, it felt like she was just on looking a party from a camera lens.
Coming out with a beer, Steve decided to try shotgunning his beer. Looking what he thought was cool, Steve exhaled and leaned back on his deck chair. Which proceeded in Nancy and him flirting for a moment. That was until Nancy tried to shotgun her beer.
Doing so in the least cool way possible, Nancy actually shotgunned her beer with everyone (except Mollie and Barb) chanting. Turning towards each other, Mollie asked, "We can leave if we want to?"
"I actually think it's if she wants us to." Barb chuckled, nodding her head in the direction of Nancy.
Not thinking about her friend's feelings, Nancy (without a moment of hesitation) dropped the beer and asked, "Barb, you wanna try?"
"What? No." Barb chuckled. Though upon realising Nancy was dead serious, her tone shifted. Almost now pleading with a shake of her head. "No, I don't want to. Thanks."
The instance from the crowd didn't make it any easier on the hesitant Holland who once again told her supposed best friend, "Nance, I don't want to."
Feeling bad for Barb, Mollie tilted her head up towards Nancy trying to reason with her sister, loudly intervening, "She doesn't have to."
"Oh, come on, Mollie." Nancy rolled her eyes in frustration. She wanted to be seen as cool as one of the fun ones – not her prissy self. Yet the two people she brought along weren't letting have that glory. "It's fun! Just give let her give it a– "
"Nance..." Mollie started, but she was soon cut off by Nancy giving Barb a beer, saying, "Just... Just give it a shot."
"Hey, if Barbara here doesn't wanna do it, let the freak do it." Tommy spoke up, smirking at the middle Wheeler. He did so to provoke her. For Mollie Wheeler was just another one of his victims that so easily conformed to his teasing. "So... what's it gonna be, freak? You or ginger."
Looking down to the floor, Mollie swallowed hard. She truly didn't want to try but she didn't want to make someone who didn't as well do it. Seeing her anxious state, Steve made sure no one was looking at the time and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, saying, "You don't have to if you don't want to. Barb can always..."
"No." Mollie shook her head, pulling away from the Harrington's touch, "I can–"
"I'll do it." Barb offered after having pressure put on her from both Mollie's worried looks and Nancy's pleading.
Taking the beer and pocket knife from Nancy's hands, Barb stood up. Her hands shook with every second she paused. Trying to pry open the can seemed almost impossible for her. And she couldn't. She dropped the beer can. Not without wincing at the pain the knife hand caused to her hand.
Seeing the cut, Tommy chuckled, saying, "Gnarly." Upon saying this, Nancy looked towards Barb's hand which held a bloody cut. Prompting her to ask, "Are you okay?"
Barb tried to convince Nancy but her insistence on being fine, but it wasn't working. The Holland only wanted to get rid out the situation on her hand and avoid all further embarrassment.
Getting up from the deck chair she was sitting on, Mollie turned to Steve and asked. "Where's your bathroom?"
Quickly trying to help, Steve pointed to where the bathroom was, instructing them, "Oh, it's... It's, uh, down past the kitchen, to the left."
"I'll take you there." Mollie insisted, grabbing Barb by her uncut hand.
Upon hearing this, Tommy rolled his eyes and complained, "Oh but I didn't get to through you in the water yet freak."
Turning on her heel, Mollie tried to ignore Tommy's mocking calls towards her as she headed towards the bathroom. It was always hard when Tommy made those comments because Tommy H., well, when he decides to pick on someone it become his only thing to do at every hour of every single day.
Unfortunately for Mollie his bullying never stopped, it only greatened for the next 2 years as he saw the Wheeler slowly but surely go into the ball of isolation and desperation that she was in 1985.
Coming into the bathroom, Mollie held open the door for Barb who thanked her accordingly. Grabbing a towel, Mollie drenched said towel under a running tap.
There was a silence between the two girls. It was just about comfortable. Not too awkward. And though the two girls weren't the best of friends they had a respect and care towards each other.
Deciding to break the silence, Barbara let out a soft sigh, saying, "You know you don't have to do this for me."
"I know." Mollie nodded, taking Barb's cut hand, and placing the cold wet towel on top of it.
Flinching at the touch, Barb tried to explain what she meant by her first comment. "You can leave."
"You can too." Mollie reiterated, pressing down harder on her wound to make sure, she was cleaning the wound. "So much for being guardians, right?"
"I know it's all Steve oh Steve could you help me I'm such a klutz and I'm totally not faking it to make you feel better." Barb mocked Nancy with a laugh that Mollie joined in on. Sighing, the Wheeler defended her sister slightly, "Steve's not the worst person she could have ended up with though."
Barb rolled her eyes in response as Mollie tied the towel around her cut hand. Making sure it was sturdy, Mollie lightly patted Barbara's shoulder telling her she was done.
Mollie Wheeler smiled and told her, "I'm gonna go home."
"You need a ride?" Barb asked.
Shaking her head, Mollie was about to make the biggest mistake of her life. "No, I'm fine. It might take me awhile, but I can walk."
Opening the door, Mollie left the bathroom. Walking down the stairs, Mollie locked eyes with Carol who stood in the house with a towel wrapped around her wet clothes.
Forming a tight lip smile, Carol spoke up asking Mollie, "You going home?"
"Yeah." Nodding her head as she got down the stairs, Mollie formed a genuine smile, mirroring but greatly opposing Carol's. "I am, actually."
"Well, I'll see you around school, Mollie." Carol said, giving Mollie an invitation to leave. So, with that Mollie left the house. She left leaving Barb to her own accord. A small mistake that would cast the Holland her life.
- 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭𝐞 -
I promise this whole flashback
chapter will make sense
next chapter.
I'm so sorry for
taking so long.
The next chapter will
not be as long.
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