"I saved your life, Marina! We have a bond now! We aren't just friends!"
"Jeez, you are delusional. We were never friends, Harrington! There is no bond! You've been banging my sister for the past few months and saying you're obsessed with me! You, K...
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"Marina!" Nancy burst into my room. "Did Mike take your money too?"
"Jonny, I'm gonna have to call you back." I hung up the corded phone on my vanity and turn to Nancy. "Yeah, he said he needed it for the arcade with his friends. He said he would pay me back so I let him." I brushed through my hair.
"You are so soft with him, Rina." She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms.
"And you are so hard on him." I smiled.
"Were you on the phone with Jonathan?" Nancy smirked at me.
"Yeah, Nance. He's my best friend." I rolled my eyes at her.
"Do you... like him, Rina?" She smiled.
I looked over at her. "He's cute, but no Nance. I don't like him."
~○~
After saying goodbye to Mike after dropping him off at Hawkins Middle, I pulled into the parking lot of Hawkins High.
As I get out of my car, a blue sports car pulls in. A guy with a curly mullet and matching denim set step out with a cigarette in his mouth. All of the girls who are gossiping before classes begin talk about how "firm his ass is." Honestly, I can't disagree... he does have a nice ass.
"Hey!" I walk up to him. "Its a real surprise seeing an attractive man show up to Hawkins and take all the ladies' attention away from the king of Hawkins himself."
"Do I have your attention?" He puffs on his cigarette.
"For now. Don't get too cocky, though. I'm just doing it to piss the girls off." I point to the girls in a group. "What's your name?" I look up at him. Blue eyes.
"Hargrove. Billy Hargrove. I moved here from California. Not my choice. Yours?"
"Marina Wheeler. You should've stayed in Cali. Some weird shit happens here in Hawkins." I crossed my arms, remembering what had happened last year. I still have the scar...
"Marina. I like that." He smirks, tossing his cigarette on the ground and putting it out. "So, who's this 'King of Hawkins,' you were talking about?"
"Steve Harrington. He gets all the girls, breaks hearts, gets what he wants, hurts who he wants, blah blah blah." I roll my eyes.
"He get you?" He looks over at me.
I sigh. "Not a chance. Well... he almost did. I snapped back to reality and decided I hate the guy."
"So he's a douche then." He smirked.
"Yeah-"
"Hey Marina! What are you doing with this piece of work?" A pair of arms wrap around my neck and a head rests on my head.
"Get off of me, Harrington." I push him away.
"Ah so you're the King Steve I heard so much of!" Billy greets.
"Ew. I'm leaving." I laugh as I walk into the school.
Once I enter the building, I'm met with Nancy and Jonathan. I'm in between the two as we walk by Tina who's holding flyers for her Halloween party. Nancy runs back and grabs two for Jonathan and I.
I put my hand up before she hands it to me. "Don't worry, Nance, I'm already going." I smile and readjust my bag on my shoulder.
She tries to convince Jonathan and just as she gets to her locker, Harrington jumps out of nowhere and scares her into a kiss.
I gag and turn around grabbing Jonathan's hand and leading him to our class. I can feel eyes burning into the back of my head and can only imagine it's Steve, watching Jonathan and I walk away from them. What a douchebag.
I get home that day after school and see mom hounding on Mike about stealing from Nancy. I follow Mike down into the basement, where he reaches out for Eleven daily.
"Hey kiddo." I smile from my place on the stairs. "Keep all the toys you wanna keep, I'll give you the money to pay Nancy back."
He nods and smiles up at me, averting his gaze down to the walkie talkie in his hand.
"Anything?"
"No. Nothing. I could've sworn I'd hear something by now. I'm worried."
"It's alright Mike, we'll hear something soon. Oh um I got your costume for you, buddy." I smile and watch as his face lights up.
"It's in your room, Mikey... go on." I smile as he runs up to his room.
"Marina! Phone!"
I run up to my room and sit at my vanity, picking up the phone.
"They're bullying him, Marina."
"What?"
"The kids at school are calling Will 'Zombie Boy'."
"Did you talk to him, Jonny? Are his visions getting better?"
"Mom said the doctor said he's going to get worse before he gets better... whatever that means. I think his doctor is full of shit."
"Don't worry, Jonny, we'll look after him until he's better. We'll help him."
