24| A DISASTER OF A PARTY

[ Chapter Twenty-Four ]

❝Okay I don't need a lecture, from you of all people. Go back to your girlfriend, Steve❞

[S2:E2: Trick or Treat Freak]

TW // drugs, alcohol, SA mention/attempt. Read at your own discretion. 

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Beth was second guessing her decision.

Not her costume decision.

She was second guessing her decision to go to a party with a guy that others were warning her about. However, she was grateful that she had the hindsight to refuse a ride from him and hoped that he wouldn't show up to her house uninvited.

She adjusted her top, pulling the sleeves further down on her arms mimicking the costume in the movie.

She was going as Sandy from Grease, complete with the entire black outfit and red pumps, which she wished weren't already killing her feet.

She was glad she had put her hair in rollers the night before and gone with her hair like this to school because if not it would have for sure been a nightmare to do now.

"Are you done, Beth?" Jonathan's voice came from outside the bathroom door as he banged on it.

Beth looked in the mirror as she applied her lipstick before dabbing it slightly with a tissue. She checked the rest of her makeup before leaving the bathroom, running directly into her brother.

"Don't stand right by the door." Beth scolded, as she stumbled slightly.

"Grease? Really?" Jonathan asked, as he surveyed his sister's costume.

"What's wrong with it?" Beth asked, suspiciously.

"Nothing, I just thought you'd be a little bit more creative." Jonathan shrugged.

Beth raised an eyebrow, "I don't think a ton of girls are going to be Sandy. Especially not in this town."

"Okay. Are you ready to go?" Jonathan asked.

"Yeah." Beth narrowed her eyes at him, "You're not wearing a costume."

"Yeah I mean I'm just trick-or-treating with Will." Jonathan shrugged.

"Okay whatever." Beth shrugged, "Let's go."

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Beth could hear the music from halfway down the block when Jonathan pulled onto the street that the party was being held at.

Beth and Jonathan exchanged a look and Beth swallowed her nervousness.

"Are you sure about this?" Jonathan asked, looking concerned at her, "You know you haven't really been to a party since-"

"Yeah I know. Don't worry it'll be fine." Beth interrupted.

"Okay." Jonathan nodded but didn't look convinced.

Beth looked into the back where Will was sitting, "Okay you can sit in the front now. Have fun. And don't eat all your candy at once."

Will nodded, "I won't."

Beth opened the door, sending one look back at her brothers before getting out of the car and heading to the party.

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Beth had barely turned into the driveway when someone pushed past her to throw up in the bushes, and Beth narrowly jumped out of the way to avoid any of it getting on her shoes. She grimaced and pushed past several couples making out at the end of the driveway, muttering "excuse mes" a few too many times.

There were a group of teens in the yard surrounding a keg and someone was doing a kegstand. Beth wound her way around them, trying not to trip on any solo cups littering the yard.

"Beth Byers. Haven't seen you at one of these parties in a while." Carol's annoying voice sounded to the right of her and Beth slowly turned around, plastering a fake smile on her face as she stared at the former best friend of Steve Harrington.

"Well it's Halloween and Tina invited me, so I thought, why the fuck not?" Beth shrugged.

"Sandy?" Carol asked, pointing at Beth's costume.

Beth nodded, "Yeah."

"Almost didn't recognize you." Carol said, "Since you don't tend to dress in anything that tight, normally."

Beth knew Carol was making fun of her clothing taste, but she didn't let it bother her, "I mean it's nice to change it up ever so often, you know? Now excuse me, I need to go find my friends."

Beth pushed past Carol, effectively ending the conversation and made her way into the house, ignoring the way several guys stared her up and down as she passed them.

The house was packed full with teenagers either dancing to the music that was blasting at a volume that would definitely shatter someone's eardrums if they spent too long in here, making out or raiding the food and drinks that were spread across the kitchen counter.

Her eyes scanned the room until she found Steve and Nancy dancing in one of the corners and she made her way over to them.

Nancy's eyes immediately lit up as she saw Beth, "Beth! You came! You look amazing!"

Beth gave her friend a hug, "Unfortunately." She looked around the room, "I've got to be honest, I don't miss this."

Nancy nodded, seeming to agree with her best friend.

"Risky Business?" Beth asked, pointing to Nancy and Steve's couple costume, "Cute."

"Yeah it was actually Steve's idea." Nancy commented.

Beth raised her eyebrow at him, "Didn't peg you as a Tom Cruise fan."

"Didn't peg you as a Grease fan." Steve shot back, but Beth didn't miss the way his eyes flicked their way down her body and back up to her face.

"Yeah there's lots of things you don't know about me, Harrington." Beth spits back.

"Please for one night can you both get along?" Nancy groaned.

"Fine." Beth agreed, but didn't even look over at Steve, "But I need a drink if I'm going to stay at this thing. I'll be back in a minute."

Beth made her way over to the kitchen, dodging several people running outside. She leaned over the punch bowl, and grabbed a cup, dipping it into the liquid. She downed the entire cup, wincing at the burning taste.

Beth started back over to her friends but was immediately cornered by someone.

"Was starting to think you weren't coming." A raspy sort of voice sounded in her ear.

Beth turned around slowly to be face to face with Billy Hargrove, "I came. I just didn't think of alerting you when I arrived. You know since I'm not officially your date or anything."

Beth went to move around him but Billy grabbed her wrist. Beth groaned and moved back to face him again. He nodded at her cup, "Want another one?"

"No thank you." Beth said and moved to pass him again but he stopped her yet again, "What the hell do you want Hargrove?"

"I thought you wanted to make Harrington jealous?" Billy hissed in her ear, nudging her eyes over to where Steve and Nancy were dancing in the corner.

Beth's heart stuttered as she watched Steve's hand move to Nancy's waist and she could almost feel Billy's smile.

"Thought so." Billy answered, "Now let me get you another drink."

Beth glared at him but shoved her cup in his hands, "Fine. Just one."

Beth lingered by the wall, and kept her eyes on Steve and Nancy dancing until Billy returned with her cup halfway full and handed it to her. Beth knew she looked jealous as she peered at them over the rim of her cup so she shouldn't have been surprised when Billy grabbed her face and turned her towards him before smashing his lips on hers.

It was not a tender kiss at all and it had taken Beth almost completely by surprise. She clutched at her cup trying not to spill the contents as she let herself kiss him back for a minute before pushing him off of her.

"What the hell was that?" Beth asked, angrily.

"I thought you wanted to make Harrington jealous?" Billy asked, narrowing his eyes at her.

"No, that was your assumption when you asked me to go to this party with you." Beth insisted, "I am not going to jump into bed with you just because you showed interest in me, Hargrove. Get that through your head right now."

"You'll change your mind." Billy answered, taking a drink from his cup, "Besides, it worked."

"What are you talking about?" Beth asked, having the urge to slap him.

"Harrington's coming over here." Billy said.

Beth slowly turned around and sure enough, both Nancy and Steve were coming over to them.

Steve and Billy did some sort of stare down as soon as they walked over while Nancy pulled Beth aside.

"Please don't tell me you're interested in him." Nancy said.

"Definitely not." Beth stated, "I made the stupid decision of going to this party with him. Don't worry it's definitely not a mistake I'll make again, Nance."

"He's for sure bad news." Nancy stated and then waved her cup in Beth's face, "I'm going to get another one."

The second Nancy left, Steve grabbed Beth's arm, "What the hell are you doing here with him?"

"Hello to you too Steve. And nothing. Just hanging out at a party, same as you." Beth said, sipping from her drink.

"Okay and making out with him?" Steve asked.

"Okay I don't need a lecture, from you of all people. Go back to your girlfriend, Steve." Beth said, moving to push past him.

"What the fuck is your problem Byers?" Steve asked.

"I don't have a problem, Steve. I just want to drink and dance and forget about things, okay? Now, I'll see you later." Beth said, saluting him with her cup before pushing past him, grabbing Billy's hand and heading to the dance floor.

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Beth knew she had had enough to drink when the room started spinning and everything looked just a little too bright. She was on maybe her fourth cup of whatever drink Billy kept bringing her. Usually it took a little bit more than that to make her like this but maybe whatever they were serving here was a little stronger than what she was used to.

Beth had her hands in the air as she danced to Girls on Film when she noticed her brother awkwardly standing in the doorway talking to a girl who was dressed as a member from the band Kiss.

"I'll be right back." Beth shouted over the music at Billy before stumbling to the door. She gave the girl that Jonathan was talking to a smile before pulling her brother away, "Jon, what are you doing here?"

"Will wanted to go by himself and um-" Jonathan said and Beth followed his eyes to Nancy.

"You wanted to see Nancy. Sorry to disappoint you but she's pretty cozy with Steve tonight." Beth said, mimicking a frown, "Come on I'll get you a drink."

"No, I should stay sober to take you home." Jonathan said and peered at her, "Are you drunk? How many have you had?"

Beth lazily held up four fingers, "This many I think. Billy's been really nice to me tonight."

"Billy Hargrove?" Jonathan asked, "You need to stay away from him."

"Relax. I've got it under control. I'm not that drunk." Beth said, but tripped over something on the floor, and grabbed onto her brother which did not help prove her point.

"Okay maybe you should lay off the alcohol for a bit." Jonathan said, trying to take her cup from her.

"Jon, stop. I'm fine." Beth said, holding it away from him.

Beth suddenly saw Nancy marching over to the drink table and grabbing the punch bowl and pouring herself another drink. Steve tried to grab the cup from her and the two fought over it before it tipped slightly spilling punch all over her white sweater.

"Shit. What the hell?" Nancy said loud enough for even Beth and Jonathan to hear. Everyone looked at them as Nancy pushed past all of them and went to the bathroom, Steve immediately following behind her.

"Well, I'm going back to the dance floor. I'll see you later Jon." Beth said, moving past her brother and going back over to the dance floor, immediately drunkenly draping herself onto Billy.

"You want another now?" Billy asked, grabbing her cup from her.

"Yeah why the hell not?" Beth said, ignoring Jonathan's warnings and letting Billy go back to the kitchen.

She noticed Steve storm out of the bathroom and go outside, without Nancy and then watched as Jonathan followed him outside. She didn't think anything of it as she swayed slightly waiting for Billy to return with her drink. When he did she immediately took it and started drinking it, wincing slightly at the weird taste it gave off.

"What is this?" Beth asked, pointing at the drink.

"Oh some beer. They're out of that punch stuff." Billy dismissed it.

"It's disgusting." Beth commented but drank it anyway.

After awhile Beth started to feel dizzy and a little bit confused. Although Beth had been drunk before she had never felt like this. She stumbled into a couple people next to her who didn't seem to notice but Billy did and wrapped an arm around her waist, leading her away from the dance floor.

"What's happening to me?" Beth asked, trying to pull away from him.

"You're just drunk Beth. You need to lay down." Billy hissed in her ear.

Beth, not knowing what else to do, nodded but she looked around the room for anyone she could trust, watching as Steve came in. Beth didn't think he could even see her so she turned away as Billy led her to one of the bedrooms that was quite removed from the rest of the party.

Billy closed the door and pushed her onto the bed. Beth tried to get up but Billy held her down as he pulled at her top, trying to get it off her body.

"Billy stop." Beth complained, trying to push him off of her but she felt like she was moving through water. Her limbs and everything else felt like jelly.

"Shut up." Billy hissed and put a hand over her mouth so she couldn't scream, which is exactly what she was about to do.

Beth kicked her feet trying to push him off of her. Beth swore she would never let herself drink enough to put her in this kind of position again. She had learned to defend herself at the insistence of her mother and Jonathan so that this very thing wouldn't happen to her again. She had even mostly sworn off dating and parties and yet here she was in.

Beth bit down on Billy's hand which caused him to curse and she screamed. She doubted anyone could hear her with the music as loud as it was but she screamed nevertheless.

"Bitch." Billy cursed.

"Get your fucking hands off of me." Beth spat in his face.

Billy recoiled but recovered quickly and grabbed her wrists, pinning them to the bed above her head.

"I said-" Beth started and the door slammed open, stunning Billy for a minute as a couple peered into the room and Beth took his momentary confusion as an opportunity to escape. Pushing up from the bed she stumbled to the door and down the hallway, narrowly avoiding several couples making out in the hallway, until she ran straight into Steve Harrington.

"Steve?" Beth asked.

"What happened, Beth?" Steve asked, grabbing her arms.

"He put something in my drink, Steve." Beth was definitely slurring her words at this point.

"What are you talking about?" Steve asked, confused, wrapping an arm around her waist to keep her from falling over.

"Billy. I think- he put something in my drink." Beth answered, peering up at Steve.

"Are you sure? I mean-"

"You don't believe me?" Beth asked.

"I do believe you." Steve answered, "I'm going to kill him."

"No. No. Steve. Don't." Beth said.

"He has it coming. If he drugged you Beth." Steve swallowed, "What did he do to you? Was he going to-"

Beth interrupted him, "I'm fine, okay? I just want to go home and forget about it. Please, Steve."

Steve clenched his jaw and watched as Billy came out of the room that Beth had been in. Beth instinctively curled into Steve's side as Steve stared Billy down as he passed them but he didn't say anything.

"Where's my brother?" Beth asked, moving away from Steve, once Billy was gone and out of earshot.

"He um-he took Nancy home." Steve said, not elaborating.

"Oh." Beth asked as she grabbed onto the wall to stay upright.

"Come on. I'll take you home Beth." Steve answered her.

"No, it's okay. I'll figure it out." Beth answered, sliding along the wall.

"You can barely stand upright, Byers. Just let me take you home." Steve looked at her, "Please."

Beth debated her options. She knew she couldn't get home alone and at this point she just wanted to go home and sleep and never get up. And she trusted Steve. More than she cared to admit. So she looked up at him and nodded, "Okay."

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Word Count: 2826

Hey everyone! It has been forever since I have written for this book but I wanted to bring it back especially with the new Stranger Things season and the hype is real lol. 

(The gif at the top was made by me. Please do not steal it.)

What did you think? This was a heavy one and I rewrote it several times before I was even close to happy with it. I am building up Steve and Beth's relationship and I am so excited to show you where it is going! 

I love you all and will see you soon for chapter 25!

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