***

Billy was right. The moment they got home, Sophie slammed her door and retrieved her aged copy of Cinderella from under her bed. She had never read editions made for children, and even though the Grimm Brothers' versions were a little terrifying, the writing was beautiful.

It was cheesy to imagine herself in Cinderella's position, but sometimes it felt all too real. Sophie felt burdened by her family, trapped in an abusive household that seemed impossible to escape from. 

People say that Cinderella could just walk away and leave it all behind -- but where could she go?

She only had a couple of years left of high school, then she could go to college and have some kind of freedom for the first time in her life. It might not be a "happily ever after" scenario, but it was something that could make her life better.

A harsh pounding at her bedroom door demanded her attention, making her sigh. "What do you want, Billy?"

There was silence for a few seconds before the door swung open. Her brother leaned to the side, his hand latched to the doorknob. He narrowed his eyes. "How'd you know it was me?"

"Your knuckles are built for fighting." The book rested against her thighs, the pages wavering in the air. She balled up her fists, throwing a small punch in the air. "They're attack knuckles."

His brows furrowed, letting an awkward pause sink in. Sophie lowered her arms, her attention returning to her book.

Billy cleared his throat. "Alright, well-"

"Get out." She interrupted, barely tearing her eyes away from what she was reading.

Once again, she rendered him speechless for a few seconds. His momentary shock dissolved into slight annoyance. "What, why?"

She turned a page, her tone void of any emotion. "Because if you're not here to apologise, then you can go."

"Apologise for what?" he asked.

A light sigh escaped her lips, her grip tightening around her book. "For almost squashing those kids."

He chuckled, sticking his hands into his pockets. "Come on. I wasn't actually going to squash them." 

The fact that he felt no remorse towards his actions didn't surprise her -- it was common for her brother to squash any sense of morality, letting anger take control of him. His fury left a string of broken bones, bloody noses and blackened eyes.

"You've broken a lot of people, Billy," Sophie commented, "I wouldn't put it past you."

Like always, he ignored her words and changed the subject. "Listen, have you been invited to that Halloween party everyone's going to?" 

And there it was, the one thing she anticipated would happen the moment she got that invite. Sophie was just tired of this endless loop.

"Yes, and not everyone's going." She pointed out.

His eyes narrowed. "Why not?"

"Because I'm not."

"But-"

Sophie looked away from her book, clenching her jaw. "No, you're not dragging me along to another stupid party."

He sauntered over, sitting across from her on the other side of her bed. "You're, like, my entourage, though."

She scowled, closing her book. "Is that all I am to you?"

Billy shook his head, his lips upturned into a sneer. "Of course not. I'm just saying it's always better when there's two of us."

His sister let out a scoff. "Better for you maybe."

"What do you mean?" he grimaced.

After releasing another huff of vexation, Sophie put her book down and crossed her legs. "When a guy hits on me at a party, it means you have someone to beat up."

He rolled his eyes, leaning back. "Sophie-"

"You did it last time." Sophie returned a blank stare as she picked her nails.

"Yeah, because that guy roofied you." Her brother recalled quite well.

She couldn't deny that he helped her that night, but there was no excuse for his violence. "And at the party before that."

"That biker guy tried to kiss you."

"I wanted him to kiss me." Sophie hissed, her muscles tensing. She pressed her book against the bed, creasing her baby-pink sheet. However, as she realised her bitterness was beginning to overtake her cool exterior, her chest caved in and she sunk back into her pillow. "Look, I don't need you to be overprotective 24/7, okay?"

Sophie wanted the chance to stand up for herself once in a while, even though she knew it was improbable for her to do so. She just didn't want Billy ruining things like always -- she wanted some kind of freedom from the invisible chains that bound them together.

Billy sighed, his elbows digging into her mattress. "Okay, if you come to this party with me," he straightened up, presenting her with an ultimatum, "I promise I won't go all "bodyguard" on you."

Her face went slack. "Really?"

"Really, really. I'll leave you to do whatever the fuck you want," Billy pointed at her, "except actually fuck. That's the deal."

She squinted at him, almost insulted. "You really think I'm the type to have one-night stands?"

Billy held his head high with a broad smile. "So that means you'll stick to your end of our deal then."

It was the first party in Hawkins that she got invited to, and she was kinda curious to see if Robin was right about the dull atmosphere. She didn't have anything prepared, no costume to wear, and if she could be perfectly honest, she'd rather stay in.

But it could be fun -- she might make some friends for once if Billy stays true to his word, staying out of her personal affairs.

Sophie tilted her head in consideration. She swallowed, meeting her brother's smug gaze. "Alright."

He balled his hands, pulling his arms towards his chest. "Yes!"

"But I'm only going for a little bit." She told him. "And you don't need to take me home because I'll be walking."

Billy's forehead wrinkled, frowning. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'll be fine." His sister insisted.

"You're gonna get lost." Sophie was notorious for losing her way. For some reason, she didn't have a good sense of direction, even in their hometown.

"I'll be fine!" she repeated, raising her voice. Billy didn't believe in her confidence, seeing that they had barely seen much of Hawkins.

"Alright, we'll head over there in an hour then." He slipped off her bed, getting back on his feet. "Gotta drop off the brat first, though."

"Okay." She said, watching him wander out of her room and close the door behind him.

Sophie scratched the dry skin on her neck, pondering to herself. Her gaze shifted to the small closet she'd stuffed a bunch of her clothes in. She might not have a costume, but she could patch up a decent outfit to wear.

***

After dropping Max off at the corner of Oak and Maple Street for trick or treating, Billy and Sophie drove over to Tina's house. She kept glancing at Billy, his costume conflicting with her thoughts. She couldn't tell whether he was supposed to be a character from The Outsiders or the Terminator, wearing only a leather jacket and fingerless gloves. 

Then again, was he even dressing up as anything? Sophie was pretty sure he greased his abs too, only disgusting her more.

On the other hand, his twin sister wore more of a stereotypical "valley girl" look with a pair of high-waisted mom jeans and a collared pastel pink shirt. Her hair was tied up in a half-do, held together with a bit of hairspray and a flower pin. She wouldn't consider it a costume, though. It was more like she wanted to look nice at a party. She was always envious of the upper-middle-class girls back in California who adored putting people down, so why shouldn't she play their game whilst she's here?

This was a new place, and it was Halloween -- she could be anyone she wanted to be. This was her version of a "Cinderella" moment.

They parked opposite Tina's house, observing the small gathering of drunk teens outside. Sophie turned her head, advising her brother. "Don't drink too much."

"Don't get pregnant." He retorted before exiting the car.

She clenched her jaw, eventually climbing out of the passenger seat. Her brother's confident stride drew attention from the get-go with girls eyeing his glossy, tanned skin; their boyfriends could only glare in envy. Sophie followed behind, trying her best not to look out of place -- like she actually wanted to be here.

Music pounded through the walls as if the sound waves were dying to escape. The front door was unlocked, allowing the twins inside. The atmosphere of the party surprised her, seeing a horde of drunk teens screaming and dancing in the middle of the room. And now Sophie really felt out of place.

"Heeeeey!"  A freckled guy with jet-black hair began to approach them, his grin wide.

Billy cocked his head towards his sister, murmuring to her. "God, I hate this guy."

He snapped back to the advancing teenager, putting on a false smirk. The boy took his hand and clenched it. "Hargrove, my man. You're looking fire."

"Same, dude. Same." He responded.

The stranger regarded the blonde girl by his side. "Oh, is this your sister?" He was dressed as Johnny Laurence from The Karate Kid, which should say a lot about his personality. The boy smirked, looking her up and down. "The rumours are true then. She's hot!"

"And she's off-limits." Billy stepped forward yet still retained his smile. "Make sure you spread that rumour around."

The guy clearly didn't want to get on his bad side, returning a quick nod. "Hey, we're doing the keg challenge in the back. You wanna try out for Keg King?"

A game where he could come out on top? No, he couldn't resist that. Billy desired that rush of adrenaline that made him feel alive. "Sure."

She didn't really wanna stick around to see her brother's ego inflated. Over the loud music, Sophie said to him. "Go ahead, I'll just grab a drink."

Billy seemed fine with letting her off the leash, bobbing his head. "Okay."

The freckled guy let out a cheer, shoving Billy towards Tina's backyard. As they disappeared, it was like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Sophie made her way through the labyrinth of party guests, approaching the breakfast bar. Bottles of various alcohols lay scattered across the countertop, standing next to bowls of different flavoured chips and cheesy puffs.

A bowl of frothing crimson punch caught her eye. Sophie grabbed the plastic ladle and a red solo cup, pouring the fizzing liquid into it. She returned the ladle to its rightful spot before raising the cup to her lips. The moment she took a sip, it felt like her tongue was on fire. Whatever this drink was, it burned at the back of her throat. Sophie grimaced, wiping the remnants of the red drink off her mouth.

The cup remained in her hand as she sunk into the background, becoming the observer at her first Hawkins party. Minutes passed, yet it felt like hours. She watched her peers jump and up down, scared to make any ungodly movements that would only ruin their reputations. Some guy stole the ladle from the punch bowl, drunkenly chasing other people with it. 

Couples made out with one another, their faces merging and meshing together as if they were one being. Sophie watched a boy take his girlfriend's hand and pull her out of the horde, both wearing the giddiest of smiles on their faces. They made their escape, dashing upstairs to most likely have sex in Tina's or her parents' bed.

Sophie took another sip of punch, though it stung less this time. An abundance of yells and cheers came from the backyard. She peered through the window, spotting Billy being lowered to the ground and spitting out the remnants of the keg he had just downed. 

"We got ourselves a new Keg King!" the freckled guy announced, handing Billy his cigarette as the crowd chanted his name.

"That's how you do it, Hawkins!" her brother's voice echoed from outside. "That's how you do it!"

His arrogant shouts only made Sophie roll her eyes, chugging what was left of the punch in her cup. And though she sought to find the sweet numbness alcohol brought, this burning drink made it almost impossible.

The guys returned inside, Billy ripping a toilet paper strip off the ceiling to wipe his drooling mouth. As he did, something caught his attention in the far corner. Her gaze shifted towards the front door, noticing the arrival of Nancy and Steve.

The freckled boy guffawed at Steve, lauding Billy's success. "We got ourselves a new Keg King, Harrington."

Others jeered at the teenager dressed in black, acting like he was their fallen king. Billy let out a puff of smoke that wafted in Steve's face, steaming up his sunglasses; an odd accessory to be worn at night. They glared at each other, forming some kind of silent rivalry.

Nancy turned away, uninterested in their apparent stand-off. With a blank expression, she travelled over to the bar where Sophie stood.

The blonde smiled, greeting her. "Hey, Nancy."

"How's the party going?" she wondered.

"Eh, not bad." Sophie lied.

Nearby, a guy dressed in a makeshift toga chugged the punch, intriguing Nancy. She peered inside the bowl. "What's in this?"

"Pure fuel!" The guy yelled, flexing his muscles as the adrenaline kicked in. "Pure fuel! Whoo!"

He let out a burp as Sophie leaned towards Nancy. "Yeah, I have no idea what that is, and it kinda burns so I wouldn't..."

Her words trailed off when the short-haired brunette took a cup and dunked it into the punch. Nancy started chugging it when Steve approached her side, his eyes widening. "Hey, whoa, whoa!" But she wasn't stopping, drinking it all in one go. "Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa! Take it easy -- take it easy. Nance, Nance, Nance-"

She held her arms out in offence, her lips pressed together as she swallowed the punch. "We're just being stupid teenagers for the night. Wasn't that the deal?" In retaliation, she took another cup of punch, chugging it once again. A few drops of scarlet painted her cheek, but she just wiped it off with a smirk. Nancy glanced at Sophie. "You wanna dance?"

Sophie shook her head. "No, I'm good." Honestly, she was kinda worried since Nancy didn't seem like the type to get wasted. "You go have fun, though."

Nancy stepped into the horde, raising her arms to the ceiling as she prepared to dance the night away. Before she could disappear entirely, Steve rushed after her, barely acknowledging Sophie's presence.

He must really love her, but from the looks of it -- she didn't love him back.

***

Time passed and Sophie barely left her little corner in the kitchen area, watching events unfold from afar. Her brother was somewhere around here, but she hadn't seen him in a while. Steve and Nancy were lost in the music, dancing to Duran Duran while the latter continued downing punch.

The front door opened, and in walked Jonathan Byers with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. His awkward saunter drew Sophie's attention -- he didn't want to be here either. And when he spotted Nancy on the dancefloor, his longing gaze only made things evident. Of course, it should have been obvious from the beginning that he was another observer. He never interfered, even if he wanted to.

Seeing that he was on his own as well, Sophie thought it would be a good idea to welcome him to the party, approaching him. "Hi."

He raised his eyebrows, kinda surprised someone was willing to socialise with him. "Oh, hey..."

Oh shit, that hesitation was doing wonders for her self-esteem.

Nancy didn't say her name either. It made her think that no one could remember her name, and clearly, Jonathan was having trouble recalling it. She couldn't blame him, of course. They had only met once, but it did stir some doubt in her.

She blinked, finishing his sentence. "Sophie."

"Sophie, yeah." He chuckled, scratching the back of his head.

"And you're Jonathan," replied Sophie.

The gauche teen nodded. "Yep, that's me."

Something about his demeanour told her that his presence at the party was a last-minute decision. She gestured at the clothes he was wearing. "I see we came in the same costume." 

His eyes narrowed, staring at her outfit. "That's not a costume?"

"No, it's just something I pulled together. You know, trying to look decent at a party." They shared an awkward glance. "I guess you got pulled along as well, didn't you?"

"Sorta," Jonathan confessed with a light shrug. "I don't know why I'm here. I guess it's because..."

He peered back at the dancefloor, watching the girl of his dreams have the time of her life. Truthfully, he'd give anything to be in Steve Harrington's shoes.

Sophie leaned closer. "Because of Nancy?" His head snapped back, his eyes nearly bulging out of his skull. "How long have you liked her for?"

There was a flicker of panic in his expression, his lip quivering. Jonathan fumbled his words. "Oh, no. I don't like her like that. We're just friends."

"Right..." She didn't believe that for a second. The way Nancy called his name the day before, the love she held in a bright smile -- how could they be so oblivious to their own feelings? Not wanting to leave him pining for a girl he might never have, Sophie asked. "You want a drink?"

He shook his head slightly. "No, I'm good. I think I'm just gonna chill here."

"Alright." Sophie turned around, taking another swig of punch as she headed back over to the drinks bar. Her special corner had been taken at this point by a couple making out, only making her sneer in return.

Welp, she tried. She tried making friends, but no one seemed to be interested in her. She might as well be like Nancy and drink until she blacks out; it only hurts in the morning.

Before she could scoop another cup of punch, however, Nancy stumbled over to the bar, attempting to score some for herself. Steve raced to her side, pulling her back. "No, no, no."

"Get off..." she slurred.

He yanked harder. "No, you've had enough, okay?"

Sophie observed from the other side of the breakfast bar as Nancy released herself from his grip. "Screw you!"

She returned to the punch bowl, but Steve wouldn't let her take any more. "Nance, I'm serious." 

"Is everything okay?" questioned Sophie, her brows drawing together.

"Yeah, we're fine -- Hey. Hey. Hey. Stop." He grasped her wrist, trying to take the cup from her hands. "No, I'm being serious. Put it down."

"No!" She fought back, forcing the cup towards her.

The red liquid swirled, climbing the white walls of the cup every time the pair moved. This wasn't looking good, and yet Sophie wasn't sure whether or not to intervene -- no one else was. "Nance, put it down."

Nancy continued to argue with him. "Steve! Stop!"

"Stop. Stop-" His fingers slipped from the wet, plastic exterior, and the sudden release threw her arm back. Her white jumper was painted scarlet, the alcohol soaking through the fabric. Everyone froze, and a few shocked jeers were heard in the horde.

With a vicious snarl, she glared at her boyfriend. "The hell?"

She rushed off, nearly tripping over her own feet as Steve called out her name. He jogged after her, disappearing down the hallway with the intention to apologise. The room filled with whispers and heinous laughter before eventually returning to normal. 

Sophie glanced at her empty cup, the punch's remains pooled at the bottom like diluted blood. She placed it back on the bar, reconsidering her decision to get wasted.

"Look who's here." A voice interrupted her train of thought.

Sophie glanced to her right, meeting the eyes of a familiar, floppy-haired blonde who was also dressed like Johnny Laurence, but this one actually had the look nailed to a tee. 

Nevertheless, she remained emotionless towards him. "Oh, hey, Harley."

His lips curved into a smirk. "You remember my name?"

She let out a soft laugh. "That's the only memorable thing about you."

"Thanks." Harley poured some beer down his throat, his feet shuffling backwards. As the cup left his mouth, he let out a loud exhale. "Can I get a name off you now? It's only fair."

Reputation comes with a name, and a name comes with a reputation -- something she didn't want. If her name were to be slandered by rumours -- Billy would freak.

So, she leaned against the bar and put on a coy smile. "Vicki," she playfully fibbed, "with an 'I', by the way."

She could be anyone she wanted to be, and tonight, she was Vicki with an I. Since he was intoxicated, he might not even remember anyway.

"Cute name." He complimented her, edging closer. "You're very cute."

Sophie bit the inside of her cheek, taking a moment to ponder. Her eyes shifted to the dancefloor, scanning the room for her leather-clad brother. Still, he was nowhere to be seen, presenting her with a unique opportunity.

Her head snapped back. "You wanna make out?"

Harley froze, his eyebrows raised. After a few seconds, he rushed to wipe a smear of beer off his upper lip, clearing his throat. "Sure."

She snatched his hand, leading him through the crowd. His cup of beer dropped to the floor, but his focus remained on the girl before him. Sophie dragged him down the hallway, passing a jaded Steve along the way.

And though their eyes met for a brief moment, neither one of them cared to stop.

They found themselves at the end of the corridor when Sophie pushed a door open, revealing Tina's linen closet. She pulled Harley inside before shutting them in. Above the entrance was a frosted window, letting in some light.

Harley lowered his brows. "Why are we in here?"

"Because it's like seven minutes in heaven." She looked down at his lips. "You get seven minutes."

The two collided with Sophie reaching for Harley's face and yanking him towards her. Their lips melded, and though it came as a surprise for the boy -- he was totally into it. His body crashed against the wall, knocking some coats off their pegs. His arms moved down her waist, grazing her hips. Sophie tugged on his hair, keeping his lips in place as they continued. 

She knew it was wrong to make out with someone she barely knew, but did fairytale princesses truly know their prince well enough to marry them? Of course not. It was so easy for those living in fairytales, their troubles ended with a perfect kiss. But this was the real world, and there was no such thing as true love.

The taste of beer and vodka in Harley's saliva didn't appeal to her senses, and she knew the aftertaste would be worse.

Then he stopped, his throat tightening. Harley broke away from her, his face wrinkling. He gulped, clearing his throat again.

Her hands travelled to the base of his neck. "Are you okay?"

Harley shook his head, wiping the sweat from his forehead. His voice was reduced to a dazed murmur. "I'm fine. Keep going."

He blinked a few times, his jaw clenching. Sophie let go of him, tilting her head. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I..." He closed his eyes, raising a fist to his mouth. His other hand rubbed at his stomach as his throat remained tense.

"Harley-?

He jerked forward, his hands going limp by his sides. Thick, watery vomit emerged from his throat, unfortunately landing on the girl in front of him.

***

And we'll have to stop at that cliffhanger, but yeah she just got puked on.

I had to split this chapter and somehow it is still 4000 words. I don't know whether the next chapter's gonna be shorter or longer but we'll see.

Steve and Sophie are actually going to interact properly in the next chapter. I know it's taken five chapters for them to actually talk but it's worth it, I promise.

I feel like "Moon Song" really connects to Steve and Sophie as characters. They both devote themselves to the people they love, even if it destroys them.

Just gotta say that I ship both Jancy and Ronance, but I loathe Stancy. Like, I have never hated a ship so bad that it physically hurts. Sorry but that's just my opinion.

Anyway, I hope you liked this chapter. Please vote and comment if you liked it because interaction keeps me going mentally.

- Alice.