ᴛᴀᴛᴜᴍ'ꜱ ᴘᴏᴠ 

 "Hey, Steve!" I said. 

He turned around confused, "Oh hey, Tatum. How are you?"

I smiled, "I'm doing good, how are you?"

Steve smiled back, "I couldn't be better. I am in love with Nancy, and she is in love with me. I don't think I could ever see myself with another girl." 

My smile drooped as I saw Nancy start to walk up behind Steve. She placed a kiss on his cheek. I felt a pit in my stomach, like I had a brick in my stomach. Boys had never been a problem with Nancy and I, so why all of a sudden was she breaking the known rule to not date your bestfriends long time crush. Or at least old long time crush. 

My name fell from her mouth, "Tatum." Nancy mumbled.

"What?"  I snapped. I don't know why I was so worked up about the situation.

"Tatum." She repeated. 

"What!?"

"Tatum, wake up!" 

My eyes flickered open and I saw my little brother hovering over me. 

"Wake up, Tatum. It's your first day back at school. Mom made breakfast, hurry up." 

I sat up in my bed in horror. I couldn't believe I was having dreams of Steve Harrington, douchebag of the highest order. 

"You look scared and confused. You ok?" Dustin asked me.

"Yeah, just a bad dream." I got up as Dustin walked out of my room closing the door behind him. 

I sighed. Why did I care if Nancy is with Steve? Shouldn't I be happy for her? I couldn't keep thinking about this. I felt stupid. I am not in some teenage drama movie, why the hell am I dreaming about a boy I liked almost 5 years ago. 

I walked up to my closet and looked through a couple if clothes I had unpacked. I grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt then my sneakers. I stepped out of my room and into the bathroom. Once I had finished in there I walked out into the kitchen to be met with my mother and brother.

"Good morning, Tate." My mom grinned at me. I grinned back and sat down at the table next to Dustin. I grabbed Eggo waffle and drizzling some syrup on it. 

"Excited for your first day back?" Mom questioned me. 

"Oh, yeah. Just nervous I guess." I replied while slowly eating my waffle. 

"Don't be nervous." She patted the top of my hand. I just gave her a small smile. 

After breakfast Dustin rode his bike to school and I walked. I couldn't use my mom's car today because she had an early shift this morning. The walk to school was only about 15 minutes, so I just left earlier than usual and trailed after Dustin on his bike, until he split up the road towards Hawksins middle.

Once I got to school I was scared to walk in but I took a deep breath and confidently walked down the hallway. My dad always told me to be confident. People liked confidence, is what he said. 

I looked around for Nancy. She was talking to Barbara Holland. Barb was always nice, but to me she seemed a little off,  like she was always on edge or something. 

I walked up to the 2 girls and over heard what they were saying, "We just made out a couple of times." Nancy said to Barb. 

"We just made out a couple of times." Barb repeated with satire.

"Who made out a couple of times?" I interrupted. Nancy and Barb stared at me. I felt judged for butting in on the conversation, but I didn't want to apologize.

"Nancy and Steve Harrngton." Barb answered. I already knew that Steve was who they were talking about but I just asked anyways, because they didn't know I knew.

"You are going to be so cool now, it's ridiculous!" Barb silently exclaimed. 

I could see Nancy blush as she opened up her locker, "No, I'm not."

"If you become friends with Tommy H or Carol, you better still hang out with me." Barb scolded teasingly.

"Ew, I would never. Trust me it was a one time.." Barb glared at Nancy, "Two time thing." Nancy opened her locker and a note fell out. She dipped down to the floor picking it up and opening it.

Nancy looked up from the note then at me and Barb and gave us a small smirk. She closed her locker and marched off towards the bathroom. 

I looked at Barb, "When did this happen?" 

"A couple weeks ago, but Steve Harrington is a douchebag. He just wants to get in Nancy's pants, but she's not gonna listen to me if I tell her that."

I shrug. "There isn't much we can do, I guess. She seems pretty set on him." 

"Yeah." Barb chuckled and started off. 

I went over to the front office and collected my schedule and locker combination. 

I trudged through the hallways of Hawkins High to find locker 55. After I found my locker I peaked at my schedule.

𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙚 | 8:00-8:55 | 𝙎𝙋𝘼𝙉𝙄𝙎𝙃

(ᴘᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ)

𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙬𝙤 | 9:00-9:55 | 𝘼𝙉𝘼𝙏𝙊𝙈𝙔

(ᴘᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ)

𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙧𝙚𝙚 | 10:00-10:55 | 𝙔𝙀𝘼𝙍𝘽𝙊𝙊𝙆

(ᴘᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ)

𝙇𝙐𝙉𝘾𝙃 |11:00-11:45

(ᴘᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ)

𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙪𝙧 | 11:50-12:45 | 𝘼𝙇𝙂𝙀𝘽𝙍𝘼 𝙏𝙒𝙊

(ᴘᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ)

𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙫𝙚 | 12:50-1:45 | 𝙀𝙉𝙂𝙇𝙄𝙎𝙃 

(ᴘᴀꜱꜱɪɴɢ)

𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙙 𝙨𝙞𝙭 | 1:50-2:45 | 𝘾𝙐𝙇𝙄𝙉𝘼𝙍𝙔 

(ᴅɪꜱᴍɪꜱꜱᴀʟ)

I started to walk towards the Spanish classroom. I wasn't totally thrilled for my schedule but  there wasn't anything I could do. The bell started to ring and I started to jog. I didn't want to be late, that would be akaward.  I was running at this point stopping at the door right before the late bell ran.

"C'mon!" The teacher said walking back to her desk, "Close it behind you, please." 

I nodded grabbing the handle and then, "Wait!" I heard a voice yell, it was slightly muffled because of the loud bell ringing in fhe distance.

I peeped my head into the hallway to see Steve Harrington running. I sighed as he walked in the door after me. The two of us scramble into the 2 available seats which were in the back left. 

The teacher started to speak, "Alright, welcome back everyone. I hope you enjoyed your weekend. For those who don't know, I am Mrs. Rodrigo."

I am pretty sure I was the only one that didn't know her name, but now I know I guess. It feel weird joining school a quarter into the year. 

Steve leaned back in his seat and turned his head around, "You got a pencil?" 

"Yeah." I reached in my bag handing him a yellow Ticonderoga pencil. 

He grabbed it out of my hand and set on the desk in front of him, then he started to lean back in his chair. 

I couldn't help but feel some sort of emptiness, but I had to accept the fact that Steve Harrington was a douche, and definitely didn't like me. I mean I had just gotten back to Hawkins, why was I expecting Steve Harrington to be in love with me? 

                                               ●○●○●

Later that night at dinner, Dustin was begging my mom to get out of the house, "Mom, please. Me, Mike and Lucas are going to help look for Will."

My mother frowned, "I don't know, Dusty. Seems dangerous. What if you get lost too?" 

"Mom, I won't get lost. Trust me." 

"Ok, Tatum you wouldn't mind going with him, would you?" 

I stabbed a peice of chicken with my fork, "Sure." 

I heard a quiet, but audible sigh fall from Dustin's mouth.

After dinner, I grabbed my coat and my Walkman, and headed out the garage door, behind Dustin. I slipped my coat on and put my Walkman in my pocket and the headphones around my neck.

"I know you don't want your sister trailing behind you, so I figured you could do this on your own. Just please don't get lost. The last thing this town's needs is another lost kid. Also tell your friends that, because I knew they aren't supposed to be out tonight."

Dustin smiled as he hopped on his bike, "Yeah, don't worry. I'll be safe. Thanks!" He began to ride down the driveway and into the street. I turned left on the sidewalk and trailed behind him. Dustin was going to meet up with Mike and Lucas, but I figured I would walk over to the Wheeler's and say hi to Nancy considering she can't leave her house. I put my hood up and my headphones on pressing play on the cassette. 

I was listening to Pat Benatar, walking the streets of Hawkins. I could see Dustin's bike light slowly dissappear past the windy roads. I kept my walking along the side walk when I felt a raindrop hit my cheek. I wiped it off with my sleeve. I could hear thunder in the distance it was going to starting rain soon. I felt another drop on my face, and another, and another, until it started raining, but not just raining completely pouring. I was soaked, but luckily my coat was repelling most of the water. I kept walking to try and find Dustin. I wanted to tell him to come home because I knew mom wouldn't want him out in the rain. 

I stared down at my feet as I kept walking. Thinking about things, but then I heard a voice over my music.

"Bad day to go on a walk." 

I looked up and saw Steve Harrington. I had never seen him like this, it was funny, his hair wet and clothes soggy.

"What?" I blurted out. 

He chuckled, "It's a bad night to walk, I mean it's pouring rain. I should have taken my car." 

I nodded, "Right.. and what is Steve Harrington doing outside on a night like this?" I said with a smug smile. 

"What is Tatum Henderson doing outside on a night like this?" He said, returning the same smug smile. 

I took a step closer, "I think I asked you first." 

"I was at Nancy's house." 

I held back a sigh, "What were you doing? Trying to get another notch on your belt?" As much as I liked Steve he was a man whore. He liked a new girl every 2 weeks. Sure he had glorious hair and his eyes did that weird twinkle thing, but his personality wasn't the best. 

He chuckled again, "No, no. Nancy's not like that." 

"I know she isn't like that because she isn't a slut like that other girls you have been with." When I had realized what I said, I felt like vomitting. This was Steve Harrington, why was I acting like such a bitch. 

"Yeah, you're right, I guess." He shrugged. 

This whole situation felt weird to me. I felt like a was being rude, but also honest. I just wanted to get out of here. 

"I'll see you later, Harrington. I am heading back home." I turned and started walking the way I came from.

"Why are you in such a hurry? Is it past your bed time." 

I rolled my eyes and turned back around, "Seriously, Steve?"

"What? I am just kidding!" He grinned putting his hands up in defense. 

"Ok, Harrington. I think it's time you head home." I said, pointing a finger

"Yeah, yeah. I'll see you tomorrow." 

I waved and started to walk back to the house. Suddenly, I felt weird. I didn't want to go to the Wheeler's house or keep walking. I couldn't shake the emotions of love and hate for Steve. I didn't want to think about this any longer, I didn't want this funny feeling of uncomfort. 

A/N:  hey!! Thank you for reading the second chapter of season 1! ❤️ 

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