DISCLAIMER: THERE WILL BE A MENTION OF AN HOMOPHOBIC SLUR THAT I WILL NOT HAVE WRITTEN ACTUALLY! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

—

First kisses can be gross, dull, or embarrassing. Most of the time, it ends up being all of those things at once. It happens and you never speak of it again. Having the first kiss as a teenager or any age reveals the true reality of how life isn't like a movie fantasy. Whether or not, it was a good experience or not.

When growing up, Monica would love to watch old movies and yearned for a love like that in her life. The happily married couple that was obviously in love with each other was something Monica strived for during her days of elementary school and before. That period of her life was ruined, however, when her mother told her, "When you grow up, you'll soon find a man like that and get married." 

What she actually wanted was to find her own Morticia Addams rather than her Gomez Addams. It was one of the first moments that made Monica realize that she was different from the "norm."

Kissing Nancy was something she would dream about constantly but ultimately accepted that it wouldn't ever happen. Her choosing someone like Steve to date seal the deal for her despite how much it further killed her soul. So it was to her surprise to see her impossible dream finally come true. Like her birthday came early... or late since Monica didn't know time well anymore. That was the least of her problems. 

But like all dreams, sooner than later... you always have to wake up.

As Monica tries to kiss Nancy back, Nancy comes to her senses and pulls herself out of it. Her face was flush red and panted, realizing what she did. Did that just happen?

Monica was as speechless as Nancy was. Now she has it and it was as if her bullshit went all away. It didn't but that's what it felt like.

"I uh... I need to sleep. Long day." Nancy cleared her throat after her voice croaked.

"O-Okay..." Monica mumbles as she softly removes herself from her bed to sleep on the floor.

But Nancy grabbed her hand by instinct. "No... I mean... Can you come up here? I don't want to be alone."

"Okay. Do you... you want the light off?"

"On." 

Monica nodded before moving to the other empty side of the bed. Her gun was right next to her, in case of an emergency.

Nancy buried herself into her blanket, locking her inside. Monica looked over how terrified she was. "They can't get in here, you know that right?"

"We don't know that."

—

November 12th was the next morning. A day before Monica's birthday. A true fact that was the last thing on her radar.

She was genuinely shocked by the fact she slept as well as she did last night from everything that happened. Besides the comfortable luxury of a well-made bed, the kiss was the icing on the cake in terms of a good rest. At most, Monica only expected her eyes to be closed shut for a few seconds, maybe minutes.

She was only awoken by the rustling of papers flipping through. Her messy black hair was up in a ponytail, out of her sleepy face. She groans as she rubs her eyes, sitting up. She then saw Nancy clearly up and reading into these textbooks.

"What are you doing? Do you sleep?"

Nancy quickly shook her head no while looking at the pages of the many books in front of her. "Everytime I close my eyes... I kept seeing that thing... feeding on that poor deer."

"Well, you'll get used to it..." Monica knew for sure that she would have nightmares for the rest of her life.

"If that... thing... was feeding on the deer... then if..." Nancy took a deep breath before going anywhere further into her analysis. "Will and Barbara..."

Monica leaned closer to Nancy in reassurance. "Look, I heard Will, right? And if he's alive, I'm sure Barb is."

Monica didn't know why she lied about Barbara being alive but she didn't want to be the coward she actually was. The title of being the one to run away wasn't ideal. In the movies she watched since she was a little kid, she wanted to be the strong protagonist who had it all together. Even though she had to push everything down to do so.

"But that means she's trapped. In that place."

"So we'll go back." Monica hated saying that sentence. She rather eats nails and swallows them whole.

"Maybe we don't have to?" Monica was intrigued since Nancy was the main one to theorize in reading issues of Nancy Drew. She was also correct most of the time in her detective work. Monica was more like her "Dr. Watson" to her "Sherlock Holmes".

Nancy goes in depth in her current theory which goes something like this:

"So if it was feeding a deer, that makes it a predator, right?"

Monica agreed, being reminded of the core memory of Barb being eaten alive by the Demogorgon.

"And it seems to hunt at night like a coyote or a lion. But it's always alone like... a bear." Nancy explained when pointing at the illustration of a lion in a desert. 

She looked at Monica for the first time that morning. "Remember when Barb cut herself at Steve's?"

"Yeah, she drew blood."

"Exactly. Just like the deer I saw last night." Nancy pulled out one of the open books that showed another illustration of a shark. "Sharks can detect blood in one part per million. That's one drop of blood in a million which means they can smell it from a mile away."

Monica pieced together what Nancy was leading into. "You're saying this thing detects blood?"

"It's only a working theory. We can only know for sure... if we test it..."

Monica nods. "Well... it is a good theory. Makes sense. But... if we even consider testing it out, we're gonna need more weapons."

"Definitely."

The door knob rattles as they both react in a frazzled matter. It was revealed to be Nancy's mother, Karen Wheeler checking on her while inviting her over to breakfast.

"I'll be down in a sec." Nancy replied instantly, wanting the conversation to end before it even started.

Monica was the first to look down to see her hand interlocked with Nancy's. She felt a strange sense of butterflies for some reason. Nancy was the first to pull away and tried to get ready.

"Nancy? Can we..."

"We should go. I'll tell Jonathan to come over."

Jonathan picked up the girls after Nancy called him to come over. Escaping by the window, Nancy made sure to add music to give the illusion that she was still there. They zoomed quickly to his car, trying not to make any noise.

With both of them in the backseat, Jonathan immediately started driving. They told him Nancy's hypothesis and their future plans to test it out after getting more weapons. After he admitted that he was on board completely, the car ride to the warehouse was rather quiet.

Nancy was the furthest away from Monica as she possibly could be. Her eyes were forcibly glued to the window as she pursed her lips. Monica just looked at her fingers like an upset child after they would be yelled at for not behaving correctly.

Jonathan saw them with pure concern. "You guys okay?"

Monica spoke up with caution. Her voice was creaky and hoarse, given that it was still early in the morning. "Yeah. We're fine."

"You sure? Because you guys look–"

"I said we're fine."

—

Shopping at the warehouse was not an easy task. The sign that told them about an "Autumn Sale Army Surplus! 30% off" surely didn't make the process faster. 

There were multiple choices to choose from. A variety of guns and wolf head trophies were displayed on the wall while bear traps, lighter fluid, and so many weapons were all over the shelves in each aisle. It was like a psychological serial killer's power fantasy dream.

So they all grab whatever they could that possibly take; bullets, mallets, nails, bear traps, matches... the list goes on. When they all reached the cashier, their black shopping carts were nothing but full...

The cashier, seeing this absurdity of these young people buying dangerous items, was suspicious, to say the least.

"What you kids doin' with this stuff? Fighting commies?"

Nancy and Jonathan looked at each other, not knowing what exactly to say. As said before, it was a stupid plan but the best they could come up with.

Monica, on the other hand, painfully faked a smile out of her nerves. Her palms were drenched in sweat as she gulp. "We're uh... monster hunting actually."

"Huh. Okay." The cashier scoffs as he priced them up. I wish I was joking but okay, I guess.

Walking out of the warehouse with bags so heavy, Jonathan couldn't hold his composure. "'Monster hunting?' Really?"

Monica rolled her eyes as they all made their way to the car and managed to fit all of the weapons in the trunk. "I don't know. Sorta slipped out."

Jonathan chuckles, closing the trunk. Monica scrunched her face like she was deep in thought. "What's today by the way?"

"It's Saturday. Why?"

"My birthday. It's tomorrow." Monica realized.

"Well, happy birthday?"

"No, it's not that." Monica took a second to process before continuing to talk. "So much had happened this past week. And I can't believe it. You think maybe someday, everything will go back to normal?"

Jonathan sighed out of restlessness. "No. But... hey, maybe that's a good thing."

"Yeah, I doubt it is. But I'll take your word for it."

Jonathan smirks. "As long as you don't punch me again."

"I'm not promising you anything. My fists have no favorites. " 

She then looks over at Nancy, who stood next to Jonathan on his left, looking like a sad, guilty puppy. She refused to even look into Monica's dark brown eyes. It was ripping Monica's heart just watching Nancy ignore her.

Jonathan notices with a raised brow. "Hey, are you sure you're alright? You look upset. Both of you, actually."

Nancy just nodded him off.

Just when they were about to get into the car, a speeding red Mustang slows down and honks right at them. A man in the passenger seat inside the car smokes as he looks directly at Nancy with the obvious intention to be an ass.

"Can't wait to see your movie."The car drove away, laughing like hyenas. 

Jonathan watched, absolutely oblivious. "What the hell was that?"

Monica shrugs before Nancy mumbles "I don't know" to herself.

Little did they know that Nancy started to run off to see if what was going on was actually happening. Monica jogs after her to catch up, leaving Jonathan by himself.

Muttering from strangers and laughing fill Nancy's ears in a fit of humiliation. Eyes were following her every move as they talked among themselves. All of her thoughts of others at the town square gossiping about her were loud enough to pretend Monica calling her name wasn't there. 

Nancy stopped running, walking towards the same movie theater that Steve asked her to go to. It recently had been vandalized with coarse language. She began to shed some tears while Monica walked slowly to her side. She then saw clear as day, what those red spraypainted letters in the front of the movie theater said. Her patience was now overtaken but the rage she had felt.

"'All the Right Moves' Starring Nancy THE SLUT Wheeler"

Monica rolls her hand in a tight fist, ready to wreak havoc. She had only one group in mind, who would do something this petty and mean-spirited. The sound of the spray cans and those familiar snickers made it all so much easier. Steve and his pathetic little friends. I'm going to kill him and Nancy can't stop me. She'll thank me later.

Monica had heard them cackling in the alley right next to the theater. She marches right in that direction despite Nancy telling her not to.

They were all standing in the alley, preparing to write more hateful things about Nancy. Tommy was the main one to be laughing which didn't surprise Monica in the slightest. For any of them to be laughing, would be in character for the idiotic role they're playing. Soon, their laughter would end in crying as Monica would imagine it.

"Aw, look. Here comes the best friend." Carol Perkins mockingly calls out.

Monica stomped right up to Steve, full of rage and adrenaline flowing in her veins. His face was black and deadpan as if he was a practice dummy. Monica punches him right in the nose so hard that bruised. His friends did nothing but "Oooo" at Monica.

"Oh... Someone's feisty today." Tommy chuckles. Carol adds on by saying, "Aw, how cute."

Monica scoffs at their response. "Oh, please shut the fuck up! You two should be the last ones talking about sluts! You guys are all a bunch of sluts."

The look in Monica's eyes would make anyone afraid of her. She turns to Steve who was inches away from her, pointing towards him. "You... You know, I always wanted to do that for a long time. Nancy always had a crush on you and I never understood why. I still can't believe why she would ever fall for you."

"Men like you disgusted me. You act like you're all charming and sweet but in reality you only care about yourself... But you know why... I actually expect your whole innocent boy act to last for way longer. Guess that's what I get for not trusting my gut. Go to hell, Steve."

Steve scoffs, lowering his voice so Monica only could hear. "Oh, I won't... But you will. I saw you and Nancy so if I were you, I would definitely stop talking and stay away from my girlfriend, you..."

Monica's heart dropped immediately after hearing that nasty slur being thrown in her face. This would be one of the worst things to be happening right now and it is not even a dream. This was reality. If he tells people about that night... that kiss, then everyone will know. My mom, the Byers, the rest of Hawkins... who knows. Fuck you, Steve.

Nancy finally pushed her away for Monica's sake. "This isn't your fight."

"Aw, hey there, princess." Carol commented.

Nancy ignored her as she tried to keep her composure. "What is wrong with you, Steve?"

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" Steve continued to pout, feeling hurt. "I was worried about you. I can't believe that I was actually worried about you."

"What are you talking about?!" Nancy cried.

"I wouldn't lie if I were you. You don't wanna be the lying slut now, do you?"

Jonathan walked in the heat of the argument after wondering where Nancy and Monica went. His eyes squinted in disgust, looking at the group.

"Speak of the devil." Tommy spoke.

Nancy furrowed her brows after seeing Jonathan. "What does he have anything to do with this?!"

Tommy pulls out the shredded photos that Jonathan took of Monica and Nancy. He throws it in her face. How did they even find those photos, Nancy and Jonathan wondered. All while, Monica was in a panicking frenzy. "Guess you two were having another pervy photo session behind his back." 

Jonathan shook her head and looked over to see Monica in a state that he had never seen her in before. At the moment, Monica felt her mouth extremely dry yet warm in a frightening sense. It felt like a switch went off when Steve said those things. 

Monica had a vague understanding of that slur from movies and the time when the first teacher she had was overwhelmingly shamed and discriminated against after being exposed to being attracted to and kissing a girl in the same town.  Adding on death threats and constant stares, that teacher was practically forced out of town for being who she was. Monica had that teacher who used her favorite but that moment like many others, she learned something. She figured that she was good as dead if she was herself, authentic and all.

All of their voices started to fade off in the background as the world genuinely started to shake. Her heart felt the heaviest, beating very fast. She softly heaves and pants as if there wasn't any more oxygen. She truly felt the end was near.

"Go to hell, Nancy." Steve sneered through emotion.

Jonathan pulls Nancy back from Steve and tells her it was not worth it. "Let's just leave."

Nancy and Monica were being escorted out by Jonathan while Steve continued to run his mouth with pure confidence. She had seen how pale and sickly Monica was and tried to comfort her, fully worried for her health. She placed her down on a wooden box to sit so she could attempt to settle her down. She held her hands and tried to talk to her calmly. Monica, however, still felt she was about to die any second.

"You know what, Byers? I'm actually kind of impressed. I always took you for a queer but I guess you're just a screw up like your father." Steve constantly kept shoving him as Jonathan withheld his anger inside. "Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah, that house is full of screw-ups."

Nancy noticed that Jonathan stopped walking away. "Jonathan, leave it!"

"I mean, your mom... I'm not even surprised what happened to your brother..."

"Steve, shut up!"

"I'm sorry I have to be the one to tell you, but the Byers, their family is a disgrace to the entire–"

Sooner than you know it, Steve was on the ground, getting her face demolished by Jonathan's sharp and powerful fists. He did get some hits in Jonathan's already bruised face but his rage took over. Punch after punch, more emotions began to flow through Jonathan.

Monica, not getting any better, tried to stand up and slowly creep towards Nancy wanting to hold her hand again. Nancy was too busy screaming at both of the boys to stop. Even Tommy started to break it up which didn't work.

Police sirens started to go off and arrived on sight. The officers, Callahan and Powell handcuffed all of them. It took Jonathan a second try since he was still enraged by Steve but eventually, he gave in. Monica was still out of it when she was put in the back of the police car with Nancy and Jonathan, slowly recollecting herself. Everything was happening too fast. One day she was kissing the girl of her dreams the next she got arrested after having a panic attack. And it won't be her last.