-----

THE WEIRDO ON MAPLE STREET

Walking into school the next day felt off, after receiving the phone call from what sounded like will only to hear that will isn't home, he wasn't with his friends, he was missing. and as much im aware of the byers phone is completely fine so why did sound so.. distorted.  I mean i doubt it was anything, i didn't tell the police because i knew it would be just a dead end.

whatever it was probably just some sick phone call from a kid who doesn't have anything better to do on a monday night.

"When alpha particles go through gold foil, they become..." Barbra said reading over nancy's Q Cards, "unoccupied space" nancy finished, now i read the next card "A molecule that can-" i was cutoff by steve who took the cards from my hand "what the hell, steve?" i said as Tommy tickled barb's ear. these people are so fuckin weird "relax, i think you've studied enough, nance" i rolled my eyes "i'm telling you, you got this don't worry." now nancy was the one annoyed "now, on more important matters my dad has left town on a conference and my mom's gone with him, cause y'know she doesn't trust him" steve said

"good call" Tommy H. said "so are you in" steve said "in for what?" nancy said. i knew right away, steve wanted to do a party to get into her pants, typical. "no parents? big house?" carol said.

"a party?" nancy asked "ding,ding,ding!" tommy laughed "it's tuesday." she said confused. i closed my eyes and sighed, y'know i love nancy but her oblivious amazes me. 

"it's tuesday! oh, my god." tommy mocked "jesus christ tommy, shut up" i said. they both laughed thinking i was joking. i was not.

"come on, it'll be low key. it'll just be us. what do u say? are you in or are you out?" he said still trying to convince her.

"ummm" nancy said thinking about until carol interrupted "oh, god. look" she said in disgust "oh, god that's depressing" steve said looking at jonathan byers. poor guy y'know? his brother went missing he still can't catch a break.

"should we say something?" nancy asked sympathetically "i don't think he speaks." carol said " how much you want to bet he killed him?" tommy said. remember when I said i don't stand up for people if they get bullied unless they mean an ounce to me, yeah. this is one of those times.

"shut up" steve said, at least for once steve said something somewhat sensible.

nancy thought about it for a second and decided to go up to him.

"oh jeez" "what is she doing?" carol and tommy said jokingly "well maybe if you shut your guy's mouth for 5 seconds, we could hear" i snapped. "ooo" tommy said teasingly only getting an eye roll from me.

the bell ringed and nancy started walking back to us so we can get to class, and that was that.

----

"Wait but he went missing didn't he? so how did he call you?" nancy said over the phone "yeah,that's what i'm wondering. he sounded weird distorted almost" i said "well how do you even know if it was him?" barb said "well seeing as i have been to nancy's house almost a hundred times and he is always there, i know what his voice sound like" i said sassly.

"ok,ok, sorry, just wondering" barb replied. "well why didn't you just tell the police im sure they can track it down or something" nancy said "that's the thing nance, i don't know if i am so sure, i don't want the police to just look into it and it just being a dead end of it being just some prank call and giving false hope to the byers family" i said ranting "ok!ok! anyways, can you guys come to the party tonight?"

"no,no,no" "no way" me and barb said "what do you mean? c'mon, please" nancy begged "ok sure-" "sure?!" i interrupted barb "well even if we go what do we even tell our parents" barb said "guys, it's not rocket science, you just tell your parents you're gonna stay at my place afterwards" nancy said "staying at your place doing what?" barb said "i don't know, tell them your...studying" "beautiful excuse nancy" i said sarcastically "coming!" nancy's muffled voice said "look, i gotta go. i'll see you in an hour." nancy said "wait, what-" before i could protest even more she hanged up.

i sighed "cmon val, let nancy have this" barb said trying to convince me "ok,ok, fine." "yay" i could hear faintly from the other line. i heard the door open "listen, my dad's home i gotta go. ill see you later" i said "yeah ok, bye" "bye."

"hey dad" i said, he looked tired "long shift?" i asked "yeah" he said quietly "do you want me to order a pizza?" i asked, he sighed, "no it's fine honey i have that frozen meal in the fridge, the one with the meatloaf" he smiled faintly at me, i smiled back. i know that smile was fake, i could tell im not stupid.

"listen um... im going to a party tonight with nancy and barb " he looked up at me as he sat on the couch and i leaned on the wall "it's a quiet party, 7, 8 people. is it ok if i go?" i asked he looked at me for a second and looked back down "sure sweetie, just don't come home too late it's a school night" he said, i smiled. 

"yeah, yeah ok thanks dad" i said. i was gonna go hug him but second doubted myself when he just responded to "yep" not even looking at me.

so instead i went upstairs to start getting ready.

-----

i put on my jeans, a black tank top that i tucked in over topping it with my green flannel. put on a nice belt, three on my dirty high tops and was out the door.

"barbara, pull over" nancy said "what?" barb responded, we were almost there why where we stopping "pull over!" nancy said "what are we doing here" barb said "yeah i follow that, his house is three blocks away" i said "we can't park in the driveway" nancy said "are you serious?" barb said "yeah, the neighbors might see" she said "oh,my god." i said, already sick of this stupid party.

"This is so stupid. i'm just gonna drop you off" barb said, "what? no!" i said protesting. "calm down, barb. come on. you promised that you go, you're coming. we're gonna have a great time" nancy said "he just wants to get in your pants" barb said "no he doesn't" "nance...seriously. he invited you to his house, his parents aren't home, c'mon you are not this stupid" babr said "tommy H. and carol are going to be there" "tommy and carol have been having sex since the seventh grade" i said " yeaah it'll probably just be, like, this big orgy" barb said "gross" nance said.

"im serious!" barb said "all right, well. you guys can be, like, my guardian. all right? make sure i don't get drunk and do anything stupid" she said "is that a new bra?" barb asked when nancy took her shirt of to change into something else "no" she said "i don't believe it" i said.

after walking for three whole blocks we finally got to steve's house, nancy ringed the doorbell.

"barb,chill" nancy said looking at barb's nervous fiddling "im chill" she said.

suddenly the door opened showing a beaming steve harrington "hello, ladies" he said smugly.

oh, god.

-----

"one,two!" tommy shouted as he threatened to throw carol into the pool as carol yelled for him to stop. "stop it, tommy, no!, don't!" she yelled , he started laughing "you're such an asshole. Tommy" she said jokingly.

out of the corner of my eye i see steve shotgun a beer getting beer on my clothes "you got beer on me asshole!" i yelled "you'll live" he said, i rolled my eyes.

"is that supposed to impress me?" nancy said "you're not?" steve asked "you are a cliché, you do realize that?" "you are a cliché. what with your... your grades and your band practice" steve said back "i'm so not in band"nancy said "it's called being a good student, you should try it some time, steve" i said sarcastically.

he ignored me "okay, party girls, why don't you guys just, uh, show us how it's done, then? a little race" he said pulling out two beers.

"okay" nancy said, i sighed as steve handed the knife my way, "fine" i said grabbing a knife and a beer standing up, nancy did the same thing. "you gotta make a little hole in th-" nancy interrupted him "we got it" she said "yeah, there smart, you douche!" Tommy H. said "unlike some people" i muttered under my breath. "3,2,1!" tommy yelled as we cut the holes in the bottom of the can and we lifted our heads and started to chug "chug, chug,chug!" they started chanting as we drank.

i finished first by like a second "whoo!" Tommy yelled "hah! i won" i laughed "yeah by like a second" nancy said playfully.

"barb, you wanna try?" nancy asked, trying to include her. "what?no, no i don't want to. thanks" barb said "come on" nancy said "nance, i don't want to" "it's fun! just give it a-" "nance" "just...just give it a shot" she said smiling barb got up.

"so u just..." she muttered to herself. due to her nervous shaking she cut herself "gnarly" tommy said "are u okay?" nancy asked "yeah" she said "barb your bleeding" i said "im fine" she said "where's your bathroom?" she asked steve "oh it's... it's, uh, down past the kitchen, to the left" "okay, thanks" she said "do you want me to walk you there" i asked "i said, im fine" she said with a smile.

it was fake, i know it was fake, i can tell a fake smile when i see one.

as soon as she went inside i heard a scream and a splash "oh my god! what the hell tommy?" she yelled he smiled putting out his cigaret. next thing i know everyone is in the pool. steve looked at me with an encouraging smile "screw it" i said as i jumped into the pool fully clothed.

us tackling each other and tommy and carol started making out so i splashed them and we all laughed, at one point i felt like a fifth wheel sitting on the sidelines until i felt my shoes being pulled off, and steve and tommy coming up to the surface with him "give it back" i said smiling and trying to tackle them.

eventually i got them back and we went inside to dry ourselves off. 

"i'm freezing" carol said "hmm...well, i hear his mom's room has a fireplace" tommy H. said "are you kidding me, ok, well, you know, you are cleaning the sheets" he said "you alright?' he asked nancy "yeah" she said "yeah? come on, let's get you guys some dry clothes" he said as we followed him out the room into his room but barb stoped nancy while i continued to follow steve. 

he sighed "where's nance?" he asked "i think she's taking to barb she'll be here soon" i said "alright" he said looking through his closet for some clothes for me, "here" he said handing me a sweatshirt "thanks" i said wasting no time to take my damp t-shirt and flannel off. and then realized as i did that, steve didn't turn around.

"uhh" i said "oh, sorry" he said and turned around as i put the sweatshirt on "ok, done" i said "thanks" i said "yeah, no problem" we just stood there for a while smiling until nancy walked in, i sighed "alright, i do, not wanna be here, i'll be outside" i said "ok" nancy replied.

i shut the door.

i went outside to see barb sitting at the edge of diving board with her shoes slightly grazing the water.

"hey" i said "hey" barb said back "sorry, i didn't think nancy would..." i started to say "it's fine" she said looking down "are you okay?" i asked sympathetically "yeah, i'm good" she said, her smile seemed genuine this time.

"do you want something to drink, i'm gonna go inside and get a beer" i said "no, it's fine" she said "ok, i'll be right back" i said.

when i came back out from opening the beer barb was gone.

"barb?" i said "barb?"

"Barb?"

----

 um yeah r.i.p barb i guess

ik the book is a little boring right now but trust me it will get better :)