Twelve. Jen and Nancy
Rumors in Hawkins High are plagues within themselves. They latch onto tongues and spread like poison. The only problem with this rumor, is the fact it's not a rumor but the hard cold truth.
Nancy Wheeler did have sex with Steve Harrington for the first time and the whole school already knows.
(The morning after is never good, even if the night is good.)
Jen hasn't put her attention to it, well, she's trying not to. She's got a load of other things to worry about today. Avoiding Eddie Munson, finding her sister who never came home last night, get a Will Byers update from Jonathan Byers, and also avoid Nancy Wheeler and Steve HarringtonâNot like he'd talk to her at school anyway, but still, the thought is there.
Jen also hates the school cafeteria, and it's exactly where her sister isâwith Jonathan.
The girl slams down her lunch tray and both teens jump at the sudden action by the girl. Alex glares harshly, "what the fuck is wrong with you?" Jonathan sends Jen a soft smile. (What opposites?)
Jen shakes her head gently. "Look, I'm not here to be friends, Alex." Jen spits the words out quickly.
Jonathan looks between the two sisters as she gently sits down. Her dark eyes then fall on Jonathan. He thought it was kind of crazy how quickly Jen learned to care for things that had nothing to do with herâbut he appreciated the support. His mother appreciated the support. "Anything on Will?"
Jonathan and Alex both seem to deflate. "Uh, no.. Nothing. I think my mom has gone crazy though."
Jen pokes at the lunch with her fork, she wouldn't be eating that. Alex nudged her hands away and took the food, Jen simply rolled her eyes and pushed the tray towards her more. "In what way?"
Jonathan sighed. "She thinks Will is talking to her through lights. She's beyond paranoid and it's getting too crazy. We need to find him already, for her mental sake."
Jen frowns gently. "I don't blame her.. It's her baby, y'know?" Jonathan smiled gently, "Yeah, I get you. Thanks, Jen."
"Yeah. Of course."
Jonathan then slowly stood. "I'll see you guys later.. I'm gonna go work on some photos.." Alex hums around food and Jen waves gently.
The second Jonathan was gone, Jen was standing herself. Alex scoffed, "are you serious?" Jen rolled her eyes, "we are not friends, Alex, seriously."
Little to their knowledge, Nancy had been watching Jonathan while Steve had been watching the sisters.
The rest of the day was a drag. (Which is how school normally goes if you're not a big shot! By the way..)
And she had just about done everything on her mental list, until she saw the Battle of the Bands poster for November 28th. She sighed softly, keys in hand. "J, hey!" The girl flinched, looking over her shoulder to find her sister jogging over in her direction. "Alex?"
"Can I catch a ride. I came with Jonathan today."
Jen sighed, "yeah, I guess." She couldn't really say no.
As the two brunette sisters walked in silence, Jen caught Eddie's eyes as he leaned against his vanâalmost like he was waiting for a good time to talk. He hated fighting with Jen, but that would have to wait because Alex's hand was slamming into Jen's side. "Shit! My god, what is wrong with youâ"
"Shut up. Look."
Both sets of eyes fell on Steve Harrington and his band of rude friends leaning against Jonathan's car. The Byers boy looking thrown off.
Alex's hand grasped Jen's wrist, "c'mon on." Jen didn't get a chance to protest. (Fuck the mental list, I guess!)
"What's going on?" Jonathan had asked softly as Alex and Jen reached the area behind him.
Steve had a cocky look on his face, and with all his might he avoided Jen's faceâhe would crack if he looked. "Nicole here was, uh, telling us about your work."
Jen's eyes switched to Alex, "what is he talking about.." Alex sighed, chipped polished nail brought to her lipsâit was a habit she did when she was guilty of something.
What had happened last night while looking for Will?
Carol beamed, all sin. "We've heard great things." Tommy scoffed a laugh, "yeah, sounds super cool, man." Jonathan and Alex shared a look. Alex left Jen's side stepping closer to Jonathan.
Steve hummed. "And we'd just love to take a look. You know, as.. connoisseurs of art."
Jonathan took a breath. "I don't know what you're talking about.."
Jen gasped as Tommy H. stole the boys bag. "Hey!" Jonathan cried, "please, give me my bag.." Steve laughed, as Tommy messed around with the stolen purchase. Jen's insides swirled in a fire like acid, Eddie was always right about something, it seemed. "Man, he is totally trembling. He must really have something to hide."
Alex scoffed, "stop being a dick, Harrington! Give the bag back, you fucks!"
Steve rolled his eyes. "Alex, please, give it a rest, freak." The boy then pulled out a stack of photos from Jonathan's bag. "Here we go." Jonathan's bag fell the floor in a hump. The group of popular teenagers started to grab at different photos, all their eyes analyzing.
"Yeah, this isn't creepy at all."
"I was looking for my brother.." Jonathan fights.
Alex huffed, turning back towards Jen. "Let's just go, okay?" Jen's face fell, "are you serious? You're just gonna leave him when he's all alone. He's your friend, Alex!â"
"Jen, hey, c'mon and take a peek, huh? So you can stop defending the pervert."
Excuse me?
The area fell silent after that. Alex was glaring bullets into Jen's head. Steve was talking to her publicly. The girls eyes met his, and he beamed, this wasn't like last nightâthis was an evil look. He waved the photos a little in his hands as he leaned off Jonathan's car. "C'mon, you gotta know who you're hangin' with, y'know? Gotta keep you safe from these freaks."
Gotta keep you safeâ
She moved closer, hands shaking a little as Steve met her the rest of the way. A hand of his landed on her shoulder as he passed her a few photos: her heart dropped. It was pictures of Steve's house, him, Nancy, Tommy, Carol, Reed, some other girlsâand shirtless pictures of Nancy in Steve's room.
Jen dropped the photos with a soft gasp. Her stomach clenched in nausea and Steve pouted in Jonathan's direction. "I'm sorry, man. I'm only looking out for the people. Greater good shit, you know?"
"What's going on?"
All eyes snapped towards Nancy Wheeler.
Tommy beamed, "here's the starring lady."
Carol nodded her head towards Jonathan and Alex. "These creeps were spying on us last night. Take a peek, princess, they were probably gonna save this one for later."
You could see Nancy's heart drop in her face as she stared down at the photosâand Jen couldn't help but tear up. This was awful and of course her very own sister was involved. This felt like Lowen Odette smeared all over.
Steve hummed, "I think I have a solution.." He tore up the photos, dropping the shredded paper on Jonathan's shoes. "Gotta take away the toy," Steve looked back at Tommy. "What you think?"
Tommy beamed.
Nancy and Jen pleaded at the same time, it shocked Nancy to hear Jen's voice. "Steve.." (Oh god.)
Steve went for the camera as Jonathan pleaded for its release. The boy went for it, only to be stopped by Tommyâbut Steve stopped Tommy. "It's okay. Here you go, man." As Jonathan went for the camera, Steve dropped it.
The glass shattering shook all the way down to Jen's core. Her and Nancy stared solemnly at the broken pieces as Jonathan scrambled for it with watery eyes. Alex hurried over to the boy, helping. She was mumbling obscenities.
Steve's eyes for some reason found Jen's instead of Nancy's. Her watery eyes threw him for a loop, but he cleared his throat and found his footing again. "Come on guys, the games about to start."
The boy kept his eyes on Jen as he slipped his arm around Nancy's shoulders. "You're welcome to join us, Jen."
She would not be anywhere near Carol Perkins.
Jen took in a shuddering breath as she turned from the entire group. "Get your own r-ride, Alex.." The girl then hurried over to her car, avoiding all gazes as her bubbling eyes spilled over.
Jen pulled out of the lot quicker than she could blink, but she yelled as she nearly made it to the exit. A body popped right in front of her car, hands held up. It was Nancy. The pale brunette raced to the girls window as Jen rolled it down. "Nancy, I'm so sorry, I had no idea thatâ"
The girl shook her head, "I-I don't care about that right now. I can't find Barb.. I was wondering if you could give me a ride to Steve's.. It was the last place I saw her."
Jen gently cleared her throat, Steve's house? "I'm sorry if this comes off rude.. but, why don't you just ask him?"
Nancy sighed, "I don't really want to talk to him right now.."
Jen nodded slowly. "Yeah. Okay, get in.." Nancy wasted no time. Something is clearly wrong, and it has nothing to do with Steve.
The car ride is awfully silent. Jen's nails hurt from digging them so hard into her steering wheel. Nancy stares out the window the whole time, she'll sniffle every once in awhile. She'll tell Jen where to turn sometimes.
But Jen knows how to get to Steve's home. Lowen and her sister use to have parties there all the time. Jen remembers watching Steve get high his first couple of times, on coke.
He was like a fragile child Lowen was just taking a hammer too.
I'm glad she's gone.
"There's Barb's car." Nancy sits up, and points at a car a few miles down from Steve's house. It's parked on the side of a street.
Jen pulls over. Nancy rushes out towards her best friends car, Jen is careful to follow. "Everything looks the same from last night.." Nancy whispers, a little sad. Jen looks down both ends of the street, she's never truly analyzed Steve's atmosphere of his home.
It was usually dark out when she was here.
"Does she ever skip out like this?" Jen's voice is soft and steady, unlike Nancy. The pale girl shakes her head, "no.. no. Never." Jen nods gently, looking into Barb's car.
"Come on.." Nancy mumbles as she gently takes Jen's wrist in her hand. Jen's eyes slam down to the touch and lets Nancy drag her along.
Nancy's hand is soft. It's warm. Not clammy. Jen assumed that cheerleaders hands never felt like this. Jen's hands weren't this soft. But then again, Nancy was a flyer. She never had to hold girls cheer shoes.
Nancy leads them to the back gate of Steve's house. She finally lets go of Jen's wrist when she pries the wood door open.
Jen's hand wraps around her wrist that Nancy was just holding. Her skin is warm. The girl gently clears her throat, "are you sure this is a good idea?"
Nancy looks back at the girl, holding open the gate. "Let's just.. be quick. Okay?" Jen sighs, but nods and she hurries in after Nancy.
Nancy shuts the gate door as they both look around the backyard.
Steve's pool is the biggest Jen has ever seen.
"Barb?" Nancy calls out, there's a nervous edge to her voice. They don't get a verbal response, but rustling sounds out from the thick trees behind Steve's pool.
"What was that?" Jen mumbles. Both girls stare off into the woods. Nancy shrugs, her fists tightly clenched together at her sides. "I.. I don't know."
Jen sighs and walks past Nancy towards the trees, Nancy is quick to follow. "Barb? Are you out here?"
"Barbara!"
It's just trees, dying trees.
The two girls look around, but stay close. It seems to be unspoken, something here is wrong.
Trees rustle again. "Barb!"
It's silent for a moment, before something skims by with a heavy growl. Both girls gasp as they jump back. Nancy trips, and Jen's quick to help her up.
The girls run. With heavy breaths right past Steve's gate and down the street to Jen's car. They both slam the car doors at the same time. The car is filled with gasps for air.
Jen's insides shake. "What.. What was that!"
Nancy stares out the window, eyes watery. "I..I don't know. I don't know what happened."
They both can't seem to sit there any longer. They drive to the Wheeler home in silence. Nancy gets out of the car, crying.
Jen knows this isn't her best friend missing. She's never had a best friend. Yet, she still feels awful, like she's seen something awful.
She throws up on the street in front of Nancy's house.