Stranger Places (A stranger things tale) Chapter 10- Valentine’s Day part 2
Description: Everything changes when Dustin finds his mother’s lifeless body, but he is quickly reminded that he still has family when his older sister comes home. Though she is not the company he wants, can he learn to live with her? Can she readjust to life in Hawkins?
This chapter contains content that may be triggering to those who are sensitive to sexual abuse. Please continue with discretion.
Dustin walked out to the living room for the fourth time. “What about this one?”
Steve turned his head to him. He shrugs. “Good, I guess.”
Steve let out a frustrated sigh. “Yes, like the other ones you tried on. Why are you putting so much emphasis into what you’re wearing?”
“Because what if she thinks it’s a date?”
“It is a date,” Steve told him. “She asked you out.”
“Stop freaking out. You need to be more relaxed,” Steve said, getting up from the couch. He went upstairs into the guest room.
“What are you doing?” Dustin asked.
“I’m making your life easier,” he answered, going through the drawers that held Dustin’s clothes. “Do you have a cardigan?”
Steve sighed, “Jesus christ. Okay, hold on.”
Steve disappeared into his own room, only to come back a few moments later with a button down sweater and a bottle of cologne. “here,” he said gathering the other clothes he had laid out on the bed, handing it to Dustin “Put this on and wear it tonight.” He Headed for the door but peaked his head in one last time. “One spray is enough. Don’t drown yourself in that shit.” And with that Steve went back down stairs to wait for Dustin.
Ten minutes passed and Dustin came down stairs, dressed in the outfit Steve picked out. The blue cardigan fit well with the plain black long sleeve underneath it and the medium washed jeans. Dustin also threw on his favorite hat as well as his worn in converse’s. Steve smiled. “Not too shabby, Henderson.”
Dustin smiled. “Thanks. Now, what about my hair?”
“Oh, we don’t have that type of time,” Steve said quickly.
Dustin frowned. “But is it bad?”
“Come on, Dustin. Let’s go,” Steve answered.
“Wait, Steve! does it look bad?”
A couples miles away, Jackie was back at the Henderson’s house, getting ready for her own date. She was finishing twisting up the last couple of curls, when she heard the doorbell rang. She stuck a bobby pin in her mouth, attempting to finish her hair without a mirror as she went to answer the door. She opened the door with her free hand and was greeted by Billy. He was wearing his famous leather jacket and an old pair of acid washed jeans. Billy had an arm behind his back.
“What’s that?” she asked between the bobby pin and her teeth. Billy revealed the boquet of flowers he had promised her. “I am a man of my word.”
She laughed. “Come in for a second,” she said fixing the rest of her hair. Billy wiped his boots off on the doormat. He looked around the house, noticing it was extremely clean and tidy. Then his eyes averted to Jackie. She was wearing a a black denim skirt with tights and a fuzzy sweater. He cocked his head to stare at her backside. “You look sexy,” he bluntly told her.
“Oh god,” she said with slight exaggeration. “Should I change?”
He laughed at the fact he had made her self conscious. “No, I’m just saying you look good.”
She let out a nervous giggle as she placed the flowers into a vase full of water. She turned around to find Billy standing just a few inches away. “Ready?” he asked. She smiled. “Let me just grab a jacket,” she said dodging underneath the arm Billy had placed to lean on the cabinet. He rolled his eyes, wondering if this was how the night was going to go.
Steve parked outside the arcade. “Okay,” he began. “So just go in and see if she’s there. If not, just come back outside and we’ll stop by the video store and grab some alien for the night.”
Dustin let out a breath. “I’m nervous.”
“Because,” He began, trying to think of an excuse. “Because what if she’s really good at Dragon’s Lair? Do you know how long I’ve worked for that High Score spot? Months, Steve. And what if she beats it in one shot? That’s so embarrassing.”
Steve narrowed his eyes at the boy. Was he serious right now? “Dustin, get out of the car.”
He sighed while unbuckling his seatbelt. “Fine.”
Dustin walked through the doors of the arcade that were slightly less crowded than usual. He had never gone this late on a school night. He looked around and headed over to wear Dragon’s Lair was. No one was in that corner of the arcade. He checked the Score board. “DSTN” was still at number one. He let out a sigh of relief.
“Boo!” Dustin jumped. He turned around to find kimmy with a bowlers hat on, dressed in all denim except for her bright green shirt that peaked through her jean jacket. She smiled at him. “You came!”
“Yeah,” he said with a nervous laugh, scratching the back of his neck. Dustin peaked his head over to look through the window. Steve was pulling out of the parking lot. No turning back now, he thought.
“Ready to lose?” she asked with a smile.
He laughed. “I don’t think you realize just how hard Dragon’s Lair can be,” Dustin explained. “It’s much more complex than anything else here.”
Kimmy shrugged and her short black bob bounced with her shoulders. “I guess you’ll have to teach me.”
Dustin smiled. “Okay,” He replied, putting in the first quarter of the night.
Before heading home, Steve stopped at a diner to grab some take out. He couldn’t wait till his parents got home so he could have an actual home cooked meal. He went up to the counter and smiled at the girl working. She went to the back to see if his order was finished.
Steve’s eyes glanced around the small diner as he waited for the girl to return back with his food. He was set back when he found Nancy sitting in a booth with Jonathan. She seemed so happy and was giggling as she bit down on her straw. Her hair was curled and she was wearing Steve’s favorite dress. He felt his heart pick up in pace.
He spinned away fast, afraid he was starring for too long. He grabbed his takeout from the girl with a quick thank you and dashed for the door. Steve stole one more look before putting the keys into the ignition of his car, only to find Jonathan and Nancy leaning over the table sharing a kiss. He regretted seeing that, as he quickly turned his car on and sped out of the parking lot of the diner.
Billy pulled into a parking spot at a Chinese restaurant that Jackie picked out. She figured it was fast enough and cheap enough to where the date would be short and easy on her pocket.
“What’s good?” Billy asked.
Jackie scanned the menu, familiarizing herself with it again. Her finger pointed at the item. “The Kung Pao beef is good.”
Billy looked up from the his menu with a smiled. “You sold me,” he said flagging down the waiter to order, whom promptly hurried over. “We’ll take two Kung Pao beef with fried rice.”
The waiter began to write it down. “I’m sorry, he meant one Kung Pao Beef. I’ll have the curry noodles.” The waiter smiled as Billy stared at Jackie. Usually girls went along with whatever he ordered for them. When the waiter left the table, Billy let out a little laugh.
He shook his head. “Are you always so difficult?”
She furrowed her eyebrows. “I’m not difficult.”
“Maybe just a little,” Billy teased.
She let out a laugh. “What? Because I changed my order from what you got me?”
“It was also pulling teeth to get you on this date,” Billy added.
Jackie rolls her eyes at him. “I just know myself. I know what I want. I don’t need someone making decisions for me,” she told him.
He lets out a sigh. “So curry noodles?”
She giggles. “Yes. Curry noodles.”
Kimmy and Dustin cheer each other on as they get to another boss level of Dragon’s Lair. This is when Dustin realizes that they are out of quarters and goes to the counter to get more. He goes up to the counter where Keith is pretending to do his job to get change for four more dollars. A light tap on his should puts a grin on his face. Dustin turns around, but to his surprise is met face to face with Max.
“Hey dork,” she says with a smile.
“Hey,” Dustin says thrown off. “What are you doing here? Is Lucas with you?”
“Nah,” she answered back. “Lucas had to stay home with his sister while his dad took his mom out for dinner. I wanted to play some Donkey Kong. What are you doing here so late?”
“Why do you smell like that?” She cut him off. “Is that cologne?”
He let out a chuckle. “Well,”
“Wait” she told him. A smile stretched across her face. “Are you on a date at the arcade? What’s her name?”
“Haha!” he laughed. “No!”
She shrugged. “Good then you can help me beat Donkey Kong,” she stated, pulling him by the sleeve towards the game.
“Wait!” he protested. She looked back at him with a smirk, turning around and crossing her arms.
“I know,” she told him. “Lucas told me.”
“Then why did you ask all those questions.”
She shrugged. “Cause I knew it would embarrass you.” Max was right. Dustin’s cheeks were turning to a shade of coral.
“Speaking of dates,” she continued. “Tell me your sister didn’t go on that date with my brother.”
His jaw dropped. “What?” he tried not to yell, but he found himself shouting.
Max sighed. “Apparently, Billy’s been trying to ask her out and she finally caved. I told her what a tool he is, but I don’t know if she actually listened to me.”
Dustin laughed. “How should I know if she went? Sounds like a match made in heaven if you ask me.”
Max looked at him, narrowing her eyes. “Why are you so mean to her?”
“Well same with Jackie,” he told her, shooting her a look as if to say that was an obvious statement.
“No Dustin,” she corrected him. “Jackie’s cool. She’s nice and funny and makes awesome food. Billy is a pig. He’s mean and self serving. Not to mention, he tried to hurt us all.” Max shook her head at him. “All I know, is that if I was in your position, Billy wouldn’t come back for me. And if Jackie was my sister, I would be a lot nicer to her,” and with that, she pushed by him leaving him with only a head full of guilt. How’d she do that? He thought. How did she make him feel awful for the way he’s been acting towards Jacqueline. Without warning, he feels someone squeeze either side of his torso, making him jump.
He turns around to find Kimmy giggling. “Did you get lost?”
He smiles, “I was just heading back.” He holds up a plastic bag full of coins. “Ready to play?”
Jackie laughs sitting on the hood of Billy’s car, watching Billy do acrobatics on the grass in front of her. Dinner ended up not being too bad, especially after the little heart to heart they had. Jackie learned that they both came from broken homes, both didn’t get along with their fathers, and both disliked living in Hawkins. It felt like she had someone to relate to, who sort of understood what she was going through even if it was under different circumstances. Billy wasn’t that bad either; at least what he was showing her of himself. He even offered to pay for her dinner, though she declined the gesture.
After dinner, they went to the same lake that Jonathan and her usually go to. She swore to Billy that it was “breathtaking” when the starlight mirrored on the water. They shared a bottle of vodka to keep themselves warm as they enjoyed each other’s company under the night sky.
Jackie lets out a yawn, checking her watch. It reads 10:56 pm. Much later than what she was used to on a week night.
“Getting pass your bedtime?” He teased.
She laughed, letting out another yawn. “Sort of. I’m usually in for the night by now.”
Billy stretches his arms above his head, cracking his neck as he cocks it from side to side. “Guess we better get you home then.”
She nods, hopping off the hood of the car and heading towards the passenger side. He opens the door for her like a gentleman and Jackie slides in the seat as graceful as she can. This is when she starts to notice the fog over her vision and the slight sensation of spinning. Moments later, Billy gets in on the driver side and turns the heat on. He looks over at her, admiring the way the moonlight kissed the surface of her skin. She notices his stare.
Jackie chuckles nervously, “What?”
“Nothing,” he says with a smile. “You’re just pretty to look at.”
Jackie fiddles with her fingers not knowing what to say, when without warning, she feels the shift of Billy’s body as he moves closer to her. Before she has time to react or say anything, his lips crash into hers. His mouth tastes of alcohol and cigarettes and his cologne stings her nostrils, making her feel nauseous. She wedges her hands in between both their chests.
“Billy,” she manages to let out, but he is relentless and as soon as she pushes him off, he is back on her. The weight of his body is too heavy for her to push off, especially now that she felt intoxicated. She tries again though, with a little more force in her voice.
“Billy stop,” she commands.
Billy laughs. “Come on, Annie. Lets have some fun,” he tells her, adventuring his hand up her skirt and kissing her again. Jackie felt her cheeks grew hot as she became enraged by the situation.
“Stop!” she shouted at him, shoving him to the driver’s side with all her might. Both teens look at each other with shock and anger.
“What did you call me?” she threatened him.
Billy had enough. “What’s wrong with you?” he accused her.
“What’s wrong with you?” she demanded back.
“I’m trying to have a good time! But it’s hard when you’re being such a little prissy bitch!”
His words ring through her ears. This is what Max meant by having an alternative motive.
“I thought we were having a good time,” she says, mostly to herself.
He laughed. “You didn’t actually think we were just going spend the whole night playing therapy and talking? Don’t be so naive, Jackie.”
Her jaw clenched. “It’s Jacqueline, you schmuck,” she hissed at him.
Billy flared his nostrils as he looked at her with disgust, shaking his head, then looking away. “Get out,” he tells her.
“I said get the fuck out of my car. Walk home,” he said not giving her a second glance. Jackie’s mouth fell open. She couldn’t believe this was happening. Jackie gave him one last glance. His jaw was tight and his eyes looking straight at what was ahead. She tried to swallow down the lump forming in her throat as she unlocked the passenger door and hopped out of Billy’s camaro.
“Fuck you, Hargrove,” she said before slamming the door shut. Jackie quickly stepped out of the way of the car as Billy began to pull out into the night.
Jackie felt a tear hit her cheek and then another. She let out a shaky breath as the february air stung the back of her throat. She couldn’t believe the situation she was thrown into; drunk, scared, cold, and stranded. She could go to Jonathan’s but she didn’t want to have to explain what she was doing out there. Jackie let out a sob. She didn’t understand why she couldn’t be left alone. Why was she a target for everyone around her? She wiped the tears from her face and crossed her arms as she began the walk back home.
Yeah, Billy’s a dick. let me know what you think. I am also going to start tagging people who have liked any previous stranger places chapters so if you do not want to be tagged please dm me :)
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