HAWKINS, INDIANA — 1983.

THERESA HAD NEVER RECALLED A time she had been so terrified in her life.

She was shaking all over as she put her car in drive and was still trembling when she got home. Tess barely even flinched at horror movies, but this... was not a movie.

Her mother thought it unusual that Tess came in without a word, not even a complaint. She ran upstairs to her room and shut the door behind her. Mrs. Sinclair simply put it to her being mad about the curfew.

Theresa stared at her hands, clenching her fists until her knuckles turned white to bring some circulation into them. She could not shake the feeling that something was right behind her, or above her.

Though her mind was still running rampant, Theresa walked into her bathroom and started up the shower. After a shower she would go to bed, and maybe in the morning things would make more sense.

It was barely nine o'clock when she laid down, leaving the lamp on her nightstand on. Theresa laid face up, hands across her stomach, staring. She was afraid to blink, in the back of her head knowing the possibility of something appearing again.

Finally she began to drift off, her eyelids reluctantly rolling back and succumbing to her fatigue.

Then, without warning, there was a loud knock on the door. Theresa shot up, holding her chest as the door opened and her little sister Erica burst in.

"Jesus Christ, Erica! What's the matter with you?"

Erica rubbed her eyes, a Barbie doll hanging loosely from the other arm.

"I had a bad dream, can I sleep with you?"

Theresa did not even get to answer before Erica was climbing in her bed, laying against her sister's side.

Drawing in a breath, Theresa laid back down at once. She was relieved to have someone's company, feeling much more at ease now.

"Your heart is beating really fast," Erica mumbled.

Theresa rolled her eyes. "Go to sleep. Do you want the light on or off?"

"You can turn it off, unless you're a scaredy-cat."

Tess shook her head, reaching over and clicking off the light.

"Goodnight, Tessie."

"Night, Er."

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MORNING CAME, AND THERESA STILL felt like that thing might come back at any moment.

Erica was already gone by the time Tess' alarm clock went off, likely to get all the Lucky Charms before Lucas.

Theresa did not have an appetite in the slightest. She sat at the table with her family, bouncing her knee uncontrollably. Mrs. Sinclair was quick to notice, as she usually was.

"Are you feeling alright this morning, honey?"

Tess glanced up, then nodded.

"Yeah. Erica, you almost done?"

Erica cut her eyes over at Theresa. "Does it look like it?"

Theresa narrowed her eyes back at Erica, clenching her jaw.

"You aren't sick, are you?" Mrs. Sinclair continued, to which Tess finally stood up and grabbed her purse.

"I'm okay. No fever, no chills, no nausea... just not hungry. Come on Erica, you're gonna make us late. Again."

Mrs. Sinclair stopped her. "Take your brother with you, too. I don't want him riding that bike to school–"

"Mom!" Lucas protested before Theresa could. "I don't need her to drive me around everywhere! Besides, they listen to gushy stuff like Whitney Houston and Tina Turner–"

"Lucas, I wasn't asking you. I'm telling you. Both of you. Now finish up and run along. Tess can pick you both up after school."

Theresa did not even have the energy to argue. She pinched the bridge of her nose, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Hurry up, twerp."

Lucas mocked her, rolling his eyes.

By some miracle, Theresa managed to get both of her little siblings to school in time for her to still make it.

She absentmindedly reached in the backseat for her books, then her stomach dropped when she realized where she had left them. And who she had left them with.

Theresa did not want to see Steve Harrington's face at the moment. He was the last thing on her mind, while simultaneously somehow working his way to the front as she entered the school.

Sidney and Priya were waiting at Tess' locker for her, showing looks of concern as she approached them. She still maintained her well-kept manner and prestigious outfit, but they could see in her eyes something was not quite right.

"How'd it go with Harrington?" Sidney started, but Theresa cut her off with a sharp glare.

"Why are you talking so loudly at seven in the morning?"

Sidney dropped her head, remaining quiet after that. Theresa opened her locker to find a note, unfolding it to read:

I've got some things that belong to you.

Tess sighed, turning around slowly. So it was pretty much inevitable that she had to find Steve. Great.

She figured she might as well get it over with, so Theresa crumpled up the note and walked around the corner, wondering to herself how she knew where Steve would be.

He and his friends stood by the corner not doing much of anything. Tess slowly approached them, none of the group seeing her coming.

"Steve Harrington carrying books is a rare sight to see."

Steve jumped a little in surprise, turning to see her beside him. Tommy  and Carol exchanged a look, smirking.

"Oh, hey Tess. Yeah– I figured you'd want them back."

She raised an eyebrow, giving a curt nod. "I do."

There was a brief moment of silence, awkward on Steve's end while Tess stood there waiting.

"Oh– here," he handed her the stack of textbooks.

Tess was happy to finally have them in her hands so she could walk away, but Carol said, "So, how did studying go last night?"

If there was one thing Theresa could never mistake, it was the bitchy tone of a teenage girl. She tilted her head, holding Carol under her gaze.

"I'm sorry, who are you, again?"

Tommy almost laughed, knowing Carol was burning with embarrassment. He interjected for her, continuing, "Hey, Steve's having a party tonight, wanna come?"

Steve almost glared at Tommy but stopped himself, giving Tess a pained smile.

She glanced between the three of them.

"A party? I haven't heard about it."

"It's an impromptu thing–"

"Shut up," Steve cut off Tommy and hit him on the arm, looking back at Theresa.

He licked his lips. "Seriously, you don't have to come if you don't want to. It's just gonna be a small thing–"

"I'll come."

They all looked at her in surprise. Tess had her reasons, however. Number one, she needed to figure out what the hell she had seen at Steve's house last night. And two, she wanted to see just what Steve Harrington was all about.

"You– you're serious?" Steve questioned.

Theresa shrugged. "Yeah, sure. Why not. I'll bring Sidney and Priya too, hm? Then it'll be a real party."

She looked up at Steve with a quick wink, which sent some strange butterflies to his stomach.

"Oh God... look," Carol drew their attention toward someone down the hall.

Theresa squinted for a moment before she recognized the boy Carol was talking about, stapling up MISSING posters.

"Oh God, that's depressing," Steve remarked.

Jonathan Byers, that was his name. Theresa could briefly recall his name because they had been on Yearbook Staff together one year.

Theresa had already almost forgotten about the whole Will Byers thing, considering she had only seen him a handful of times in her life. All she knew was that he, Lucas, and their other friends Mike and Dustin would sit in a basement and play nerd shit all day.

Deep down, she felt some sympathy for Jonathan. She imagined how she would feel if something like that happened to Erica, or even Lucas.

"It's not like the kid's dead," Theresa said, pursing her lips. "He's probably a runaway."

"Shit, I'd run away too," Tommy joked, to which Steve hit him once more.

"Shut up."

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     "SIDNEY, I KNOW HOW BAD YOU'VE got it for Tommy H. but I think Carol could kick your ass, so all I'm saying is maybe wait to try and hook up with him."

Sidney scoffed from the backseat of Theresa's car, folding her arms.

"I do not have it that bad for him. And besides, he flirts with me every day in English!"

"Yeah, because it's either between you or Laura. And you happen to be slightly prettier than Laura," Theresa replied, pulling up on the curb.

Priya looked between Tess and Sidney. "Am I gonna have to be the designated driver again?"

Theresa waved her away, applying lip liner. "I'm not drinking. I don't think I trust any of them quite enough for that yet."

With that she shut her car mirror and got out, Sidney and Priya following her to the front door.

Tess reached out for the doorbell, and only a split-second later the door swung open.

"Aw, were you waiting on me?" Tess teasingly smiled, stepping past Steve who stood dumbstruck for a moment.

"You completely ruined my moment," Steve said, turning to her.

Theresa placed her hands on her hips. "I've been known to do that, you should know by now."

Steve laughed with a hint of nervousness. "Oh– we got beer. You ladies want beer?"

"God, please," Sidney muttered, hooking her arm around Priya's and hurrying off.

Theresa's eyes met Steve's as he turned back to her, giving him a knowing look.

"Oh no. You're not gonna get the privilege of seeing me drunk. Not just yet."

Steve nodded, raising his hands. "That's fair. Well... how about we join the party then?"

He offered a hand to Tess, who was surprised by the gesture for a moment. She contemplated, analyzing Steve as best as she could. Finally, she reached out and grabbed it and Steve immediately pulled her outside. The others were all there, downing beer like there was no tomorrow.

"You smoke?" Steve asked, holding out a cigarette to her.

Theresa glanced up at him. "Smoking causes wrinkles."

Steve withdrew his hand. "Someone's a little tense tonight, are we? You don't smoke, you don't drink... what do you do?"

Tess could see them all looking at her expectantly. She fought the urge to roll her eyes. Without warning, she reached in Steve's front pocket and pulled out the pocket knife she had seen just a moment ago, then swiped up a beer.

"I never said I don't drink," she said, flipping open the pocket knife. "But I guess since you guys want to see me chug a beer so bad, I'll chug a beer."

Steve was in complete awe, as was everyone else, really.

Theresa jabbed a hole in the can and brought it up to her mouth, downing the liquid in a matter of seconds. God, she hated the taste of beer.

She dropped the can, wiping her mouth and handing the pocket knife back to Steve with a devious smirk.

"Who's next?"

"What happened to being the designated driver, Tess?" Sidney called from the diving board.

Tess held up her middle finger. "Up your ass, Sid."

Steve could not keep his eyes off of Theresa, even while she just stood there and talked to Priya.

He walked up to her, throwing an arm over her. At this point he was slightly buzzed, and Tess could smell it.

"Hey Tess, you're a good swimmer right?"

"What?"

Steve suddenly grabbed hold of her waist and lifted Theresa into the air, who screamed as she went into the water.

"Oh shit!" Tommy laughed, then taken by surprise when Steve pushed him in, too. Tommy grabbed hold of Carol at the last second and they both went in.

Then, with a stupid smile on his face, Steve jumped in too.

"What the hell, Harrington! This is Chanel!" Theresa splashed him with water.

Steve swam forward and placed his hands around her waist. "No worries, I'll replace it for you."

Theresa supposed she should not have been shocked by the audacity of Steve considering his current state of mind, but she had to admit that his cockiness attracted her.

Steve Harrington did not know that he was about to get played.

She put her arms around his shoulders. "I'll give you the receipt for my outfit then, hm?"

Steve wanted to kiss her. He wanted to close the space between them, but he did not want to push the boundaries.

"If you want," he replied rather weakly.

Theresa leaned forward, dangerously close. "Good."

She pushed him away just then, swimming away with a laugh.

Everyone got out a little while after and went inside to get dried off.

"Hey, Tess," Priya approached the girl. "Me and Sid are gonna catch a ride home with her sister. See you tomorrow?"

Tess raised an eyebrow, wrapping her towel tighter around her. "So you guys are leaving me by myself?"

Priya opened her mouth, unsure of how to reply.

With a sudden grin, Theresa continued, "I'm kidding. See you tomorrow."

Priya smiled with relief, leaving at once. Tess did not see Sidney anywhere so she assumed the girl was already outside.

Steve walked in at that moment, Tess looking up at him with a small smile.

"Come on, I'll find you some dry clothes."

Her shoes squeaked on the floor as she followed Steve upstairs, finally removing them as she reached the room behind him.

"You gotta admit, you had fun tonight," Steve said as he rummaged in a closet.

Theresa tilted her head, setting her shoes on the floor. "It was different than my usual definition of fun, but... yeah. I guess it was."

Steve approached her with a folded stack of clothes, placing them in her arms.

"And what exactly is your definition of fun? You know, come to think of it, I really don't know all that much about you."

She removed the towel, giving him a look and gesturing for him to turn around. Steve raised his hands, doing as she said.

"Well," Theresa started, removing her shirt, "I like parties, I guess. Though they're usually less impromptu than these. And... sometimes me and my friends go shopping– well, it's more often than 'sometimes'. And of course I have the class president stuff to do–"

"Wait, you consider that fun?"

She rolled her eyes at the back of his head, pulling on a shirt.

"Different definitions, remember? Oh– and there's one more thing I like to do for fun."

"Let's hear it."

Theresa quietly approached him, placing a hand on his shoulder. Steve turned at once, looking down at her.

She leaned in, speaking softly. "I like to play with boys' emotions. And I like to lead them on, and make them think they're getting somewhere, then... drop him."

Steve's forehead creased in confusion, beginning to shake his head.

Theresa suddenly burst into laughter, covering her mouth as she doubled over.

"Oh my God, Harrington, you should've seen the look on your face."

Steve rolled his eyes, reaching out and shoving her in the shoulder. Tess had to have been the most unpredictable girl he had ever met.

"These clothes are a bit big, are they yours?"

He ran a hand through his hair, then nodded. "Yeah. You can keep them."

Tess smiled slowly. "Really? Do you always give away free clothes after throwing girls into pools are your rich people house?"

Steve waved her off with a simultaneous laugh from her. Theresa bit her lip, suddenly realizing the time.

"Alright. I'll see you tomorrow, Harrington. It's been fun."

He nodded quickly, holding out an arm toward the door.

"It's been a pleasure having you, Miss Sinclair."

She smiled once more and started toward the door. Then, Steve blurted, "Hey, wait."

Theresa stopped, turning back to him expectantly.

"You were just joking about that 'playing with boys' emotions' thing, right?"

She held back a smile, holding a finger to her lips.

"Trade secret. I guess we'll see."

NOTES! ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
listen, theresa is not a great person. matter of fact, she's probably the bitchiest oc i have. however, i would do anything– and i mean anything– for her and erica. them >>> any other duo in stranger things

also i've been thinking about how the song 'add it up' by violent femmes fits steve and tess' relationship like... damn