"She's our friend and she's crazy" - Dustin Henderson

The faded paint covered halls were crowded with people, each group creating chaos of their own. The smart kids, the sporty kids, the cheerleaders, the troublemakers and the misfits.

And then there was me, I didn't fit into any of those groups. Not anymore, at least.

When Nancy and Steve had begun their journey to the dark side I had cut them completely from my life, which meant abandoning the rest of my clique of dickhead friends. Not that I minded all too much.

Nancy had always been my only true friend, at least that's what I'd believed until she stole my boyfriend. The rest of the girls were simply bitches who I had no patience left to deal with, and the guys were only around because they wanted to get in my pants.

Being alone was simpler, easier, because the only person I had to worry about was me, myself and I.

Occasionally I would see Jonathan Byers around and give him a wave. After I broke it off with my old, sad excuses for friends I'd realised that he was actually a pretty decent dude. Although it could also have been that I still felt bad about Steve breaking his camera, while I stood by and did nothing to stop it.

I kept my head down and ignored everyone that passed me as I made my way to my locker, mindlessly grabbing the books that I needed for my first class.

I sense someone coming up beside me and roll my eyes unconsciously, without turning I speak.

"Can I help you?"

The person doesn't speak right away. I finally turn my head to see none other than my former best friend, Nancy Wheeler, standing in front of me looking terrified. I give her a look of complete and utter hatred.

She looks awkward, nervous even which is hilarious considering how close the two of us used to be. It seems like she's trying to say something but can't quite choke the words out. I'm about to walk away when she stops me with a gentle hand on my arm.

"Andie- wait."

I shake her off right away and take a step back to put some distance between us.

God, I can barely stand to look at her.

"What. Do. You. Want. Nancy." I seethe, pronouncing each word singularly.

She sighs, fidgeting with her hands and actually has the audacity to look hurt.

"I just- I wanted to ask you something."

When I don't respond, she takes this as her queue to continue.

"T-there's a halloween party tonight, I mean you probably already know but I was hoping you would go, so that maybe the three of us could hang out, maybe talk a little?" she stumbles on her words.

I can't believe she just asked me that.

"Let me get this straight, you want me to go to this halloween party with you and Steve so what- we can become this amazingly awesome thrupple or some shit? Are you fucking delusional? Why the hell would I want to see the two of you together, let alone hang out with you like nothing has happened?" I practically yell.

I try not to notice the stares our conversation is drawing and watch as she flinches at my words and starts to speak again, most likely to argue but I interrupt her by holding a hand up before she can.

"Fuck off, Nancy."

I'm suddenly filled with an uncontrollable anger and I push harshly against her shoulder as I pass her and continue through the halls.

I notice the man of the hour leaning against his locker a few rows up and I can tell that he was listening to the entire thing because he stands up straight as I get close and tries to stop me from walking any further away.

"Andie- hold up! Just listen for a second," he pleads and grabs my shoulder.

I turn to him, barely holding back the flood of tears that wish to escape.

"What, Steve?" I rasp, my voice sounds as hollow and empty as I feel.

He must see the tears in my eyes because he drops his hand with a pained expression and his jaw twitches like he's trying to speak but nothing is coming out.

"That's what I thought," I mutter, and run for the fire escape and into the fresh air before either of them have the chance to follow after me.

The tears are finally freed and I'm momentarily blinded as they rush down my cheeks, I'm still running when I collide with a solid object and fall backwards onto my ass.

The world goes black for a few seconds as I smack my head on the grass and I have to close my eyes and take a few deep breaths before I open them again. And I'm staring right into the eyes of the gloriously handsome boy who drew everyone's attention in the parking lot.

He's grinning down at me, a cigarette hanging from his lips.

I watch as he leans down and holds a hand out towards me. My eyes don't leave his as I ignore his outstretched hand and stand on my own, wincing as I rub my sore backside.

"How nice to see you again," he drawls, taking a drag and blowing the smoke in my face.

My face screws up in confusion as I watch him lean back against the brick wall, crossing his arms casually.

Again?

But then I realise that he must mean earlier in the parking lot, when he winked at me.

"Yeah.. it's great, although I may have enjoyed it more if you knew how to look where you're going."

He grunts in a way that seems as though he's choking back a laugh.

"Me? You were the one that came stumbling out of the fire escape like a mad women, did someone call you a nasty name, princess?" he retorts, rolling his eyes.

"No actually, they didn't. And my name is Andie, not princess."

He rolls his eyes again, "Whatever you say, princess."

I consider heading back inside and leaving this asshole outside alone but then I remember that both Nancy and Steve are in my first class and I'd rather not see their traitor faces ever again.

So I turn back to the guy with a forced smile.

"Got another one of those?"

His head snaps towards me, seemingly surprised for a moment but nevertheless he reaches into his jacket and retrieves a cigarette, passing it to me.

In the same motion he pulls a lighter from his jean pocket and I lean forward popping it into my mouth so that he can light it.

"I wouldn't have figured you for a smoking girl," he says, watching as I take a long drag and proceed to blow out the smoke.

"Yeah, I picked it up pretty recently actually."

I look away from him as I lean back against the wall too.

"Besides, you don't know that much about me," I add.

He looks at me thoughtfully for a moment, before looking back out at the football oval.

"I know more than you think," he says it so quietly that I don't think he meant for me to hear it.

"What's your name anyway?" I ask, not sure why I'm trying to keep the conversation flowing.

He looks at me again, this time with confusion. But his facial expression morphs so quickly back to humour that I barely catch it. He almost seemed confused that I don't know his name.

The arrogant bastard's only been here a few hours and he expects me to know who he is?

After a few seconds have passed, he answers, "It's Billy. Billy Hargrove."

I digest this information and try to ignore the fresh bout of déjà vu that I feel at the sound of his name. It's such a strange feeling because I know I've never met this boy before, I would remember something like that.

Before I can ponder these thoughts any longer, Billy suddenly pushes himself off of the wall beside me and flicks the butt onto the grass.

"As fun as this as been, I'm outta here. See ya round, Cassandra."

He stalks off in the direction of the entry door and I'm left standing dumbstruck, wondering how the hell he knows my full name.

* * *

the halloween party is in the next chapter and let me tell you, it's gonna be pretty interesting ;)

as always, if you're enjoying the story feel free to leave a vote or comment below and let me know! x

edit: rereading this im realising its a little confusing soo lemme explain. andie doesnt remember meeting billy for the first time in the prologue! just remember that for future chapters