Empathy (Billy Hargrove)

1.3 - THE INVITATION

Jackie raced into her fourth period photography class and the final bell rang as she plopped down in her seat.

"That was close," a voice sounded next to her, "Get into some trouble, Jackie?"  Jonathan Byers, the one person she could still consider a friend, looked at the Johnson girl with concern in his brown eyes.  He wasn't blind to how others treated her because of the rumors nor was he stupid enough to think hanging around Jackie wouldn't affect him too.  Jonathan didn't care though – his reputation had already been shit anyway – and he actually enjoyed her company.

"A bit," Jackie admitted, still a bit confused from exactly what game Billy Hargrove was playing at.  He had to have something up his sleeve or something to gain from helping her.  Guys like him just didn't help people like her.  "Have you met the new guy yet?"

Jonathan's expression turned to one of distaste. "No, but I've heard about the ass wipe and saw him being flounced by Tommy H. and his group on my way to Biology earlier."  He stopped talking as the teacher gave the class their instructions for the day.  Jonathan and Jackie had partnered up at the beginning of the year, so they were both assigned to the darkroom today.

Once the teacher finished explaining the agenda for the class, the two teenagers grabbed their contact sheets, strips of film, and photo paper before heading into the darkroom with a couple other students.  Although their photography teacher had just assigned their midterm project, Jackie and Jonathan had decided to get a head start. 

The two had decided on portraiture photography and titled their project "The Masks We Wear."  The finished project would consist of a portfolio comparing their subjects in both posed and candid photos to showcase how different people act when they know someone is watching them versus when they think nobody is looking.  Jonathan had more material than Jackie so far, but he also had more people in his life that he could actually bug for a photo.  Jackie only had four – one of them being Jonathan, himself, and the other three being her other only friends at school, Eddie, and then her favorite coworker at the diner in downtown Hawkins. 

Jonathan and Jackie worked silently, side-by-side, while printing their photos.  Being friends with Jonathan had always been easy, even before Jackie's fall from being Queen of Hawkins. As long as she had known him, he had always been on the quieter and contemplative side. While her old posse might've made fun of Jonathan, Jackie had always made sure to say hello to him in the hallway or make small talk while in class.  When she was rejected by Hawkins's student body, he was the only one who didn't judge her for the rumors and was still there for her.  Jonathan definitely gave the best advice Jackie had ever received and she was thankful for him.

"Please don't tell me whatever you got involved in before class involves the new guy. He's trouble, Jackie," Jonathan warned her as they waited for their prints in the fixer solution.

"Trust me, I know that," Jackie rolled her eyes, "And I'm not trying to, Jonathan. Trouble just seems to always find me, even if I don't want to be a part of it." The two moved their prints into the water bath and Jackie looked up at Jonathan. The red light from the dark room accentuated the angles of his face. Jackie found him to be an attractive guy, albeit socially awkward. He was a bit too quiet for her liking though and there was also the fact that he was head over heels for Nancy Wheeler, even if he wouldn't admit it.

"Jonathan, this is going to sound crazy, but," Jackie looked over to the other two students, who were absorbed into their own conversation, yet she still lowered her voice, "Billy, the new guy, he actually helped me today. Twice!" Jonathan looked up at raven-haired girl with a startled expression.