Mary hadn't expected to get shit-faced drunk at Steve's small get-together. Nor had she expected her boyfriend would break up with her. Yet, those were two things that had in fact happened.

           After the second can, she seemingly couldn't stop drinking even though Barbara was droning on and on that she should stop. Hence why the girls stumbled up the Harrington's stairs, the dark blondes arm flung over her shoulder as she was half awake and half asleep.

             "Where are we going?" Mary grumbled, completely losing her footing and the pair almost tumbled back to the bottom of the staircase it had taken Barbara five minutes to get Mary up.

           "Steve's guest room. You're going to sleep." She replied and Mary scrunched up her face, shaking her head in disagreement.

            "No, I don't wanna go sleep - beer, need more beer." She droned out, trying to get back down the stairs by attempting to push by the red heads shoulder but Barbara pulled her back until their feet grazed the landing and the girl sighed in relief, momentarily letting go of Mary.

           The girl fell to the side and Barbara's eyes widened and she reached out for her, just grabbing her as she hit the wall and before she could fall to the floor, "Oopsies!" Mary giggled, fist pumping the air as Barbara took her arm again and began leading her to where the room door remained open and Mary's wet clothes lay on the floor.

            "Barb, you're so drunk right now, you can't even walk!" Mary exclaimed as she tripped over her own feet, her voice a hundred times more high pitched than usual and the red head found herself rolling her eyes before she let go of Mary when they reached the bed and the girl fell flat on her face with a thump.

             Barbara sighed, putting her hands on her hips before putting the blankets over Mary whom stirred awake, looking up at her, "Charlie?" She whispered in question and Barb scrunched up her face as she shook her head.

              "It's me, Mary."

              "That's a strange name."

              "No, I mean it's me. It's Barb."

             "Barb!" Mary suddenly gasped as if she hadn't saw her for years, reaching out and grabbing the girl's arm, hair falling in her face, "You know, you're actually pretty, pretty. Why don't you ever let your hair down - or, or take those glasses off your face." She asked, pouting slightly and Barbara couldn't help but feel slightly amused by Mary's very drunk antics.

          "Well, I hate my hair and I need glasses to see." She told her and Mary nodded along rapidly, hair bouncing in her face as if it all suddenly made sense.

           "I used to have braces, yano," Mary slurred as Barbara tucked her in before she was shooting back up again like a rocket taking flight and Barb groaned. Mary flashed her teeth, "See, perfectly straight, you see em?" She mumbled with her mouth still open, showing her teeth.

           Barbara nodded, "Yeah, I see them, Mary. Now go to sleep, you're too drunk." She said and Mary groaned dramatically, throwing herself back into the pillow.

             "You're too drunk." She grumbled, however she was already beginning to drift off and Barbara sighed in relief but still she hovered in the room, suddenly missing the girls never ending chatter - she didn't think that Mary's opinion of herself was right. She wasn't a horrible person, just a little off track.

          Mary ran her hands along her cheeks as she lay half asleep, "God damn it, it's so warm in here - make the sun go away, Barb. I'm too hot." She groaned into the pillow, wiping her face and Barbara rolled her eyes although she was smiling.

           "Goodnight, Mary." She hummed and the girl grunted multiple times in retort, waving her hand around.

           Barbara left, going back to the pool, wondering what Nancy and Steve were doing - she didn't even want to question what Carol and Tommy were getting up to. She would have gone home, but she worried Mary would get back up and wander off or try to get in her car. So she decided she'd stay a while longer.

          Barbara had no idea that something evil was lurking in the shadows of the forest, seeking out its blood thirst. No one had a clue; not Nancy and Steve whom were too busy wrapped up in each other, not Carol and Tommy whom had been going at it for ages and nor little Mary Hopper whom would soon regret getting so drunk and not knowing what was about to happen to poor Barbara Holland whom had stayed to help her.

                              ---

          Mary awoke the next morning with a killer headache. She was completely unaware of her surroundings as she lay bunched under three different duvets. But upon slowly getting up, rubbing at her eyes and groaning in pain, she realised she was in Steve's guest room.

           The light streaming through the window made her head hurt all the more and she threw one of the many pillows at it before running her hands over her hair that was only slightly damp in small waves.

            "Come on, Mary. Wake up." The girl grumbled, slapping her own cheek a few times over, trying to gain full consciousness so she could remember the events of the night before.

            She got out of bed, hugging her body in the chilly autumn air, her bare feet freezing on the wooden floors as she headed to the hallway where Steve's bedroom door was lodged shut and Mary yawned loudly, reaching out to knock on the door.

           But suddenly, the door swung open and Mary blinked back in shock with her hand still in the air whilst Nancy froze like a deer caught in headlights, "Mary - I um, I just..." The girl trailed off, picking at the sleeves of the sweater she wore that Mary realised belonged to Steve.

          Looking at Nancy made Mary feel physically sick and just by looking at the girl's face, she suddenly remembered why she had allowed herself to get so drunk the night before, "Charlie dumped me." She stated, staring blankly at Nancy whom stared at her in shock.

           "He what? Mary, why are you telling -"

          "What the hell did you say to him?" Mary whispered harshly, edging closer to the petite girl, "One minute we were fine, then you spoke with him and suddenly he's dumping me -"

            "Mary, I'm so sorry. But I've go to go." Nancy rushed out hurriedly, hugging her arms before she pushed by the girl and down the stairs before she was out the door without another word and Mary shot up the middle finger.

            Mary threw her head back, groaning as she gestured rapidly with her hands and stomped her foot before storming into Steve's room where he lay sound asleep on the bed but only for a moment longer when she threw herself down beside him, where Nancy had previously lay.

          From the harsh and unexpected impact of her body hitting the mattress, Steve was suddenly jumping on the spot clutching the duvet in fright before he noticed it was only her and she smiled sweetly at him, although she still seemed bitter and hungover.

            "God, Mary. What time is it? Where's Nancy?" He mooned, rubbing at his eyes, his hair a mess atop of his head before he glanced at the clock on his table that read 7:24 before he groaned and fell back into his pillow again.

             "Your girl left in a hurry, you just missed her." She said before trailing off, staring up at the ceiling and due to her unusual silence Steve tilted his head to look at her.

             "Mare, you alright?" He asked in concern, sitting up but the girl remained where she lay, her slightly bloodshot gaze on the ceiling above her and not shifting.

            "I'm pretty sure Charlie broke up with me last night." She admitted after a moment of silence and Steve's lips parted in surprise. He couldn't understand why a pairing like Mary and Charlie would break up, they were good for each other, a perfect fit - and they truly loved each other. It made no sense.

           "Hey, listen. Charlie's my friend, Mary - but if you want me to do any damage I totally will, I won't even get caught." He suggested, throwing his hands up and suddenly she was laughing as she too sat up, although her eyes were glistening with tears.

            She tilted her head, unable to contain the sob that left her lips, "I love him, Steve." She cried, shrugging her shoulders in defeat and the boy sighed sadly before leaning forward and wrapping his arms around her.

           She rested her head against his shoulder, tears dripping onto his bare skin as she cried. Mary usually found crying pathetic, but Steve had saw her do it many times especially in her childhood years and early teens. She felt that she could cry in ease around him.

             "What happened?" Steve asked, pulling back although he still held her shoulders and Mary laughed bitterly through her tears.

             "You're dating the enemy believe it or not," She said, making him look at her in confusion, "It was Nancy - I don't know what she said or how she did it, but she got into his head and made him think -" Mary stopped abruptly, not wanting to give any further details in case it got too personal.

           Steve furrowed his brows, running his hand over his tangled hair that bounced back into place, "Nance? You sure?" He asked her in disbelief and Mary knew it was a bad idea telling him; he'd defend her surely, in his eyes Nancy could do no wrong.

             "She said some things to Charlie last night and the next thing I know I'm being dumped - she did this, Steve." She insisted, nodding her head adamantly and Steve slowly nodded his, willing to believe his best friend.

            "Alright, I'll talk to her about it in school. You should take a shower, you look like shit." He said, nudging her side and she burst out laughing, a large smile on her face and Steve smiled at the sight of it.

            Mary pushed herself off the bed, heading for the door as she looked over her shoulder, "At least I can take a shower and look better. You're stuck with that face -" A squeal escaped her lips when Steve threw a pillow and she quickly dodged it, running for the guest bedroom.

             "Asshole!"

                               ---

         god damnit, Mary and Barb could have had a great friendship (if Mary was drunk all of the time I suppose) but it's alright, cause we still got Steve and Mary :')))

            next few chapters will be more interesting I swear! and a new character will be introduced!