Alice the Amazing ⇒ STRANGER THINGS

[54] Jason's Revenge

TW: There's a moment in this chapter where Jason says something gross that I would consider sexual harassment. If you want to skip over that, scroll away when Jason starts talking to Steve and pick back up with Robin's line: "I can't walk that fast! My trumpet is heavier than it looks."

{The Hellfire Club, Part II}

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Alice spent the rest of the day fuming about Jason's shitty speech and trying not to fall asleep in class. Her nightmares from the previous night were pretty gnarly—and more vivid than usual, which was frightening.

When lunchtime rolled around, she sat at the Lunch Club's usual table. Unfortunately, she would be eating alone today: Robin and Willie had a last-minute band rehearsal, Maria was running a prom committee meeting, and Samuel was probably making out with Traci under the bleachers.

Alice absentmindedly stirred her baked beans, wondering if they were even edible, when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

She dropped the spoon and looked up quickly.

"Whoa!" Jason said. "Relax. It's just me."

He gave her a winning smile. Alice tried to contort her own face into a smile, but she was too confused. She and Jason were classmates, but not friends or even acquaintances. They'd maybe spoken once, back when Steve was still a student and on the team.

"Hey," she said cautiously. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to check in," Jason said, sliding into the seat across from hers. "Some people said you weren't a fan of my speech at the pep rally."

Alice inwardly groaned. Who the hell snitched?

"Oh, that," Alice said. She cleared her throat. "Yeah it was...something."

"Something?" he pressed.

"What does it matter what I think?" Alice said, forcing out a laugh. "It's just my opinion."

"It matters because I didn't mean to offend anybody," Jason said. His tone was earnest, but there was a glint in his eyes that betrayed his true motives. He didn't actually care if he offended people. He just needed to play the part so people wouldn't think he was a total douchebag.

Alice thought about telling him exactly this, but she wasn't in the mood to start an argument, not when she was so exhausted and just a few hours from spring break.

"Well, that's good," Alice said. She couldn't resist, and added: "Maybe next time, don't incentivize your team to play harder using our dead classmates and friends."

His smile dropped, replaced with a scathing glare.

"Thanks for the note," he said. He leaned in closer, causing Alice to tense up. "I also wanted to check in on how you were after your recent trip to the hospital."

Alice's heart dropped.

"Excuse me?" she said.

"Are you doing better?" Jason said. He spoke louder, catching the attention of some people nearby. "I heard you had some kind of mental breakdown at the Creel House, and that drugs were involved."

"That's not true!" Alice snapped. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"My church has a really good Narcotics Anonymous program," Jason continued, although he was shouting, so there was nothing "anonymous" about it.  He stood from his seat, towering over her. "You should come by sometime, since you need the help."