After the disastrous meal with the Holland's, Mary had drove home. Rain had battered against her windshield as she drove through the back roads — her eyes were stained with mascara, still red from crying. But she felt better, Steve had worked his best friend charm and cheered her up.

She considered driving to Charlie's to unload on the hideous night, but given what he had been going through recently she assumed the least he'd need to hear was drama with a family like the Holland's — what he were going through was worse than some old man's opinion.

So, she arrived home, slightly cold and bitter from the terrible night she'd had. Her father were in the living room when she arrived, watching Terminator with a bowl of popcorn by his side, his hand stuck in the bowl.

Mary had flopped onto the couch beside him, sighing deeply. Knowing that something were wrong Jim instantly offered her the sweet and salted popcorn with extra salt, just the way he and Mary liked it, "Rough night?" He asked, his eyes on the TV as Mary delved into the bowl.

The brunette grabbed a handful, sinking down further on the couch as she watched Arnold-Whats-His-Name fight bad guys on the TV, "Rough night," She agreed, shoving some of the popcorn into her mouth and chewing it with a pissed expression. She spoke through a mouthful, "Mr Holland had quite a few things to say. Do you know they've hired that Murray dude to take Barb's case? It's mental. He's a fake, a complete idiot. Aliens in Hawkins? Russian's?"

Jim scoffed, smiling at his daughter as she chewed aggressively, "It's utter rubbish. And they're selling their house to pay him. How gullible can some people be?" She briefly looked at her dad before shrugging and answering her own question, "Apparently the Holland's will believe anything false about their daughter." She grumbled, reaching for more popcorn.

"You're okay, though? Not upset or anything?" Jim asked in concern and Mary thought it over for a moment before turning and looking to her father.

"No," She told him, "I was earlier. The things Mr Holland was saying really got to me but I'm alright now. Drama's over for the moment." She assured him as she looked back to the TV. She actually weren't a fan of Terminator, she never understood the hype. Though, her father and Steve were two people that could watch the movie over and over again.

"Good. I know it's hard for you, Mary. Keeping what happened to Barbara to yourself, but it's important that you do." Her father reminded her and the girl nodded.

"I know, dad. Nancy however," Mary paused, remembering the look on the girls face at the dinner table. She were being eaten alive by guilt and Mary weren't sure how much longer she could keep her mouth shut, "I think she's ready to break real soon. You should have seen her at that dinner, she were a wreck, barely keeping herself together." Mary explained and Jim furrowed his brows; that were a massive complication, if Nancy were having second thoughts not only did it put herself and her family in trouble, it put everyone else at risk — including Jim's daughter.

"Maybe have a word with her, remind her what's at stake if she caves." Jim told the girl who nodded, already planning on asking the girl about it at school the following day.

She grabbed a piece of popcorn, popping it into her mouth, "Operation 'keep Nancy Wheeler's mouth shut' is a go."

                              ———

"Jonathan!" Mary Hopper called out upon noticing the boy at the end of the school corridor. A few people turned their heads, still wondering why someone like Mary would hang out with a guy like Jonathan Byers, the guy that the year before had apparently killed his brother — words from Tommy H. Untruthful ones, but still people spread it like wildfire, now saying that Jonathan had done a pretty shitty job at well, finishing the job. It was ridiculous.

Upon hearing Mary's voice, Jonathan stopped from where he had been walking to his locker. He turned, holding a familiar orange pamphlet in his hands: Tina had been handing them out the past two days. Noticing the sheet of paper, Mary beamed at the boy, "Great, you're going," She chirped as she caught up with him, "We can get 'sheet-faced' together." She said, referencing Tina's flyer as she nudged his side and the boy smiled, putting his head down.

"I only took it to be polite. I'm not going." He told her, but Mary wasn't having it. She wanted one night of normal and she wanted all of her friends there.

"No, you're definitely going." She insisted, linking her arm through his as they walked down the hallways side by side. Something people still weren't used to, the Queen of Hawkins and the Creep of Hawkins being friends; however Mary had been trying to escape that title but it seemed to be holding on quite tight.

       "I wan't a normal night where I can get obliterated, jam to Halloween songs and make bad decisions." Last year, before Charlie, Will and Barb had vanished, that was in fact Mary's idea of normal.

The group that consisted of Mary, Steve, Tommy and Carol would go out every weekend boozing it up, smoking cheap cigarettes and gossiping about everyone and anyone. Mary kind of missed it, she sometimes even missed Carol and Tommy's annoying teasing. Because that's what she had been used to her whole high school life, but senior year had made a lot of things different.

Jonathan squirmed, "I don't know, Mary. It's not really my scene."

Mary rose her eyebrows at him, "How do you know? Oh wait of course, cause you're the guy that broods all day long in his dark clothes with his 'I don't care hair'. Right?" She beamed up at him, earning a chuckle from the boy, "Jonathan, please! You've never even been to one of Tina's parties, they're legendary!" She tried hyping it up, desperate for all of her friends to be there.

"Please?" She begged, pulling him to a stop and the boy threw his head back, already beginning to feel himself give in. Mary batted her eyelashes up at him, "Jonathan, pretty please? Or need I remind you that I wen't to a funeral with you when that was the last thing I wanted. I mean it could have brought back traumatic —"

"Oh god, alright, I'll go!" Jonathan yelled over her guilt trip and she grinned widely, jumping on her tiptoes.

She kissed his cheek with a passionate 'mwah!', "You wont regret it," She assured him, "Honestly, each time I've woke up the morning after Tina's parties I've never remembered a single thing."

Jonathan rose his brows, "Isn't that bad?"

"No, it's amazing!" Mary yelled at him, "Black out drunk is the best drunk, ask anyone who's anyone. Anyways, I've gotta get going. You better be there tonight, Byers!" She began walking backwards, pointing an accusing finger at the boy who smiled at her antics.

"I'll be there." He assured her and she mocked a salute, turning around before heading to her locker. Putting in her digits, the girl smiled happily to herself, glad that it seemed like each of her friends would be at the Halloween Bash.

Mary suddenly felt someone hovering behind her and she turned around, almost knocking right into Billy Hargrove who smirked down at her displeasure. She rolled her shoulders back, "What could you possibly want now?" She asked him tiredly, leaning her back against her locker.

Billy tilted his head, bringing his arm up to rest it against the locker above her head and she couldn't help it, she shrunk further against her locker, trying to get as far away from him as possible, "I wanted to ask a favour." He whispered, his face inches from hers as he leaned in, gaining many looks from passing by teenagers.

To them, the exchange looked flirty and heated. Billy's body was inches from Mary's, hunched over as he bent his face to her level with his arm resting above her head. It were the way Charlie Williams sometimes stood with Mary as they spoke and people passing wondered what their conversations were about, something hot and sexy they always guessed. And right then, that's how Mary and Billy looked.

Mary rose an eyebrow, "A favour?" She repeated, "Why would I do anything for you?"

Billy fake pouted, "I thought we were beginning to have something beautiful, Hopper," He said, making her scoff, diverting her gaze, "But actually, I'm not here for you." He told her, earning Mary's curiosity and the girl stood up a little straighter.

"Then who are you here for, Hargrove?"

Billy leaned closer, so close their noses almost touched and Mary held his gaze before Billy tilted his head and pointed down the hallway with his free hand and Mary followed his finger, "That little number down there," He was pointing at no other than Corina Hayes, who stood at the end of the corridor, applying another layer of red lipstick in a compact mirror she held in her other hand. Mary felt her stomach drop, "At first I thought you were the hottest thing Hawkins had to offer, then came mixed P.E class. She wears those gym shorts better than anyone."

Mary was holding her breath, suddenly feeling terribly protective over none other than Corina. Mary shook her head, "She's a big city girl — wild. Even you wouldn't be able to control her." Mary told him, trying to talk him down.

But the boys eyes met hers again and he grinned, "Who said anything about controlling her?" Mary held his gaze, licking her lips nervously as she felt her heartbeat speed up. The least she needed was someone like Billy Hargrove influencing someone like Corina Hayes who was naturally drawn to darkness and trouble.

"She wouldnt be interested in you."

Billy, catching onto Mary's shift of mood tilted his head, lips stretching into a seductive smirk, "What, Mary? You wanna keep her all to yourself?" He whispered, his breath hot on her face and she stared at him, feeling her temper beginning to bubble.

She pushed his chest with both her hands, knocking him back a few feet but still the boy radiated with confidence and nonchalance, "Stay the hell away from her, Billy!" Mary practically growled at the boy, her shoulders heaving as she pointed her finger at him, "Just stay away from her." She demanded before turning on her heels, short cropped hair blowing against the nape of her neck and black torn jeans slimming her legs as she walked in long strides.

Reaching Corina, the brunette grasped the redheads arm despite her objections, "What the hell, Hopper? Get your grubby little hands off me I bruise easily." She snapped, wrenching her arm out of Mary's grip who almost walked away right there, tired of trying to help out the girl that constantly gave her attitude. But she didn't.

"Listen, if Billy approaches you, go in the other direction. Something about that guy is off, he reeks of trouble. You hear me, Corina? You have to stay away from him." Mary realised she suddenly sounded like her worse nightmare.

       She was telling Corina not to do the same thing she had been doing for years; living on the dangerous side, getting involved with people that were nothing but trouble, becoming trouble herself.

Corina played dumb, "Who? Billy Hargrove, the new town hottie? You want me to stay away from him?" She asked and Mary sighed deeply.

"I don't know how to explain it but I have a bad feeling about him and the last time I had a feeling like this I turned out to be right," She told the girl, a pleading look on her face, "So please, just stay away from him. It's for your own good."

Corina smiled, slipping her compact mirror and ruby red lipstick into her leather jacket pockets, not looking at Mary and instead Billy who had caught her eyes at the end of the corridor from where he had sparked up a cigarette, "There's something you should know about me, Mary," She said as she began to walk past the girl, before briefly stopping to look at her with that coy smile of hers, "When someone tells me what to do I usually do the complete opposite."

With that and Mary's frustration with the infuriating girl Corina began walking down the corridor with a feline like strut, flaming red her down her back and ruby lips already grinning mischievously. Mary watched as the girl stopped in front of Billy who perked up at her presence, no longer leaning against the wall.

Corina offered him her hand and he took it as she introduced herself. Mary knew right then that it were the beginning of a troublesome duo, one she had tried to stop. But like magnets, they were pulled together with brute force.

                             ———

      I hate Billy, but god damn, he's really going to try his best to influence both Mary and Corina!

       Also the scenes with Jonathan and Hopper were my fave, I love Mary's relationships with them at this point!

        If there's anything you're wanting to see in this book then don't be afraid to comment!