AN: Blake's outfit is up top.

♚

"Oh, Jesus!" Hopper yelled as he turned around.

Blake, who was at the dinner table sitting crisscrossed with a book resting on her knees, looked up from her copy of The Great Gatsby and smirked when she saw the younger girl under a sheet.

"Halloween," El simply stated tilting her head to the side through the thin cloth. Hopper grunted, "Sure is."

"They wouldn't see me," She told the man as Blake went back to her book, but was still listening to the conversation. Hopper rose a brow, "Who wouldn't?"

"Are you serious? It's not that hard to understand," Blake rolled her eyes, turning the page as Hopper gave her an ungrateful look. El sighed, "The bad man."

"What do you mean?" The man finally gave in, his daughter groaning loudly as she set her book down on the table. Hopper walked over, setting Blake's french toast on the table and she immediately dug in.

"Trick or treat," El huffed causing Hop to understand. He rose a brow, saying, "You want to go trick or treating?"

"Well it only took you about three minutes to comprehend. I'm proud, Dad. That's a new record," Blake sarcastically said, tapping her wrist where a watch would sit. Hopper rolled his blue eyes and went back to the younger girl, "You know the rules."

"I can-" Blake started but was cut off by her father, "No, you already know the answer."

"But... they wouldn't see me." Eleven repeatedly protested as the man grasped shoulders setting her down on the chair next to Blake.

"I don't care, okay? I don't care. It's a risk and we don't take risks. They're stupid and..." Hopper stopped waiting for an answer.

"We're not stupid," El and Blake replied, the long haired girls voice going deeper to mock her fathers.

"Exactly. Now take that thing off and eat," He demanded and the girl listened, ripping the sheet off and sitting next to Blake again, lacing her fingers with hers. The older girl turned to El, giving a rare half smile before turning back to her food.

"Okay, look," Hop started and both girls eyes brightened, "How about I get off early tonight and I buy candy and we sit around and get fat while we watch a movie? How's that for a compromise?"

"Compromise?"

"C-o-m-promise? It's kinda like a half way happy." The father-figure told her in a way to help her understand.

"By five-one-five?" El asked and he nodded, saying, "Five-fifteen? Sure."

Blake watched the interaction carefully seeing if her Dad was actually telling the truth. She bit her lip, nodding when the pair promised before saying, "Well I'm stuck with the boys, but I promise to be back as quick as possible. I'll bring back some KitKats too."

"You and those damn KitKats-" She cut him off, "-Don't disrespect my KitKats like that!"

♚

The day went by progressively slow for Blake.

Her Physics teacher had given a pop quiz which she was sure she had failed. She had finished The Great Gatsby before third period, making it so she was bored out of her mind. And lastly, Billy Hargrove would not leave her alone.

After literally having to push him into the lockers, she made her way to the library to meet Steve and Nancy for their free period- which Jonathon did not have with them. Blake plucked a random book off the cart before sitting down across from Steve, huffing as she dropped her backpack to the floor.

They both gave her a look of sympathy before Nancy got up to resharpen her broken pencil. The green eyed girl opened up the book, realizing it was Pride and Prejudice and settled into her chair.

"Hard day?" Steve asked, looking up from his admissions essay that he was restarting for the forth time. Blake huffed, saying, "You have no idea, Harrington. Worst part is, I haven't had my second cup of coffee yet."

The teenage boy had a look of fright and Blake chuckled before going back to her book. Steve, who was now bored of writing, decided to continue with the conversation with a smile, "So, are you going to the party tonight?"

"No, I'd rather get sick from eating KitKats than drinking something that tastes like motor oil. You're welcome to join," Blake answered, flipping the page as Steve laughed and admired the girl in front of him who was speed reading. He couldn't help but notice the way her lips quickly mouthed the words and the way her eyes sparkled as they moved across the page

"It's not nice to stare, Harrington."

The boy blushed as she smirked, raising a brow and bookmarked the classic novel with a spare piece of paper he had. Blake stretched, her arms above her head as she arched her back, cracking it in several places, all while Steve watched her.

Blake looked around the library noticing that her friend had a glazed over look and was instantly in protection mode.

She grabbed Steve's hand from across the table and he shook out of his thoughts at the contact. Both their hearts fluttered, but they decided to not comment as Blake stood up and dragged him over to Nancy, leading them to the nearest closet.

"I can't keep doing this," Nancy said resting her head on Blake's shoulder. The shorter girl tensed up, awkwardly patting her back as Steve questioned, "Doing what?"

"Pretending like everything is okay."

"What do you mean?" Steve asked, raising an eyebrow and looked over to Blake inwardly chuckling at the look of uncomfortableness on her face.

"Barbra. It's like everyone forgot. Like nobody cares besides her parents who are selling their house and spending the rest of their lives looking for her."

Steve ran a hand across his face as Nancy pulled away from Blake to face him, "I get it, Nance, but there's nothing we can do."

His girlfriend sighed, "We can tell them the truth."

Blake ran a hand through her hair frustrated, leaning back on the door, saying, "Nancy, we can't do that. You know all the promises my dad had to make and the papers we all signed."

"Blake's right, Nancy. If they found out that we told anyone," Steve looked over to the window, closing the blinds before speaking again, "They would put us in jail or destroy our families."

Blake looked to the girl who looked like she wanted to cry, "Look, Barbra deserved better. We all know that, but for the sake our loved ones safety we cannot say anything."

Blake's voice turned dark, almost threateningly and Steve nodded his head agreeing with her,
"Let's just go to this stupid party and he stupid teenagers with out stupid costumes that we've worked on for a stupid long time."

Blake snorted and winked at Steve, saying, "Well, I hope you have a stupid fun time."

The bell rang for dismissal and Blake opened the door, gathering her stuff before putting the book back on the cart as she had it at home already. She made her way to her car, clenching her jaw as she saw a certain mullet-wearing asshole on her hood.

"Hey, asshat! Get off my car," Blake demanded as Billy kicked himself off the bumper of the blue vehicle leaving a print. She quickly wiped the footprint off the car and walked past him to the drivers side door, unlocking it with her key.

"Hey there, Princess," Billy eyed her as she growled out loud, saying, "I told you not to fucking call me that."

Blake turned to him with her jaw clenched, scaring the boy who quickly covered the frightened look with a smirk.

"Trust me, princess, you'll like it," He purred, encasing the small girl into her door, "What time am I picking you up tonight?"

Blake, who could feel the heat rising in her body, shook her head in confusion, "What?"

Billy bit his lip looking the girl up and down before saying, "Well you're my date tonight. So dress sexy."

"Okay, listen here buddy," She sneered pushing the boy away from her with one hand, "I don't know who the hell you think you are and why I owe you anything but I don't. You're just a douche bag who thinks he can have any girl he wants. I hate to break it to you, pal, but you can't have me. I have enough self-respect to even consider going on a date with you."

Billy only licked his lips at her in response and taunted the girl, "You're really hard to get huh, princess?"

Blake Hopper was seething in her spot, fists clenching as she brought her knee up to Billy's crotch so hard that he instantly fell to the ground, grabbing himself in pain. Steve, who was actually watching the interaction from afar holding Blake's notes he borrowed, stood in shock as Blake curled her hand in Billy's hair and tilted his head up to face her.

"I told you not to call me Princess again," She sneered, gritting her teeth and looking at the boy below her who was in severe pain.

Blake simply stood up straight, throwing Billy to the side by his hair causing him to groan and stay curled up on the asphalt. Steve made his way over to the girl, stepping over the boy as Blake tossed her bag into the passenger seat.

"What do you need, Harrington?" Blake turned around, resting an arm on the top of her car.
Steve smiled before he spoke, "I was wondering if you could help me with my admissions essay? You have a 105% in AP Senior English so I know you can really help me out."

"And why should I so generously help you?" She raised a brow as he handed her back the Pre-Calculus notes. Steve sighed, "Come on, Blake, you're the smartest person I know. I'll pay you back with coffee and KitKats too."

"Deal."