Dotson and Harrington |Steve Harrington|

Liquid Death |chapter 24|

Nancy stood up in disbelief. "Steve, stay," she demanded.

"Harrington!" Jackylen said, getting angry. "Get the damn booze." He didn't want to argue with his girlfriend or her friend, so he did what he was told.

"Jackylen, what the hell is your plan?" Jackyeln just stared at the first-aid-kit, then went back to her friend. "Oh hell no!" Nancy said, catching onto her plan.

"Nancy listen-"

"I'm not putting a burning needle into your skin and disinfecting it with vodka!"

"One, the Gin is for me," Jackyeln corrected. "And two, unless you want me to get a deadly infection and die, you have to do it. They're is disinfectant wipes in the kit and you'll sew it up with a running whip stitch. You'll be fine."

As Steve and Jonathan came back with the supplies they were ordered to bring. Once they sat them down, Jackylen took a deep breath.

"Jackie... you don't have to do this."

"Do what?" Jonathan said, confused. Nancy handed the bottle of Gin to Jackylen as she contemplated something over.

"If I pass out from blood loss, drunk overdose, or exhaustion," she began.

"Whoa! Hold on-" Steve tries to stay.

"Someone needs to call my dad, lie and tell him why I haven't been home. Someone needs to get the kids at the school they're already scared."

Nancy kneeled down and disinfected the needle before heating it up with the lighter Jonathan had found.

"Dotson, what the hell is going on?" Jackylen took a big sip before looking at Nancy.

"There's no going back," she reminded her.

"Fuck it. Let's get it over with." Nancy pierced the heated needle into her skin as Jackylen tried not to scream from the pain.

"Holy shit!" Jonathan said, cringing away at the site.

"Hell no!" Steve said shortly after, not being able to contain the uncomfortableness he was feeling.

Jackylen started to drink more each time the needle poked through her. After what felt like an eternity, Nancy was finished. She took the bottle of Gin out of Jackylen's hand as she bandaged the arm up.

"Nancy..." Jackyeln muttered, exhausted.

"You save your energy," Nancy demanded, putting the supplies back in the kit. "You need to get some rest before you even set foot out of this house."

"The kids..."

"Jonathan and I will pick them up and... Steve will stay with you."

"Hold on," Steve interjected. "I didn't agree to this."

"You did now," Nancy said, clenching her teeth. She stood up and gave her friend a soft smile. "If we're not back in the next hour or two then call my mom, okay?" Jackylen nodded. As Nancy and Jonathan left the house, Steve and Jackyeln sat there in silence, not sure about what to do.

"You're a real hot head, Dotson," Steve finally scoffed, filling the silence.

"How about you come over here and say that to my face, Harrington," Jackylen said, offended.

"Chill," he said, sitting in the arm chair that was still left standing.

"'Chill'? Do you really think I have it so easy? You must have it so with mommy and daddy's money keeping you afloat."

"Wow. That's what you think of me now?"

"What do you think of me now?"

"That you're a poor little town girl who changed her hair in hopes of changing herself." The room fell silent once again as a thought rushed through the young boy's head. "The day at the school," he began.

"Which day?"

"The one before Jonathan's brother's funeral I think."

"What about it?"

"You never answered my question."

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because I do, is that a crime?"

"I don't know," Jackylen said sitting up. "You seemed to be worried about my stupid black eye other than the fact your girlfriend almost got eaten by a monster."

"What? Is this about Nancy!?"

"I never said this was about Nancy!" Jackyeln shouted. Before Steve could respond, Jackyeln started to hold her side in pain.

"Dotson!" Steve said, rushing over to her side. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she said, not very convincing as she laid back.

"Why don't you look fine?"

"Just drop it, Harrington." She sighed. "Get me the phone."

"Why?"

"Harrington, get me the Goddamn phone." Without hesitation, Steve searched for the phone Nancy had thrown. Once he did, he handed it to the bleeding girl and went over to the phone pad. "Type in 666-284."

As she lifted the phone to her ear, ringing started and suddenly stopped at the sound of a middle aged man picking up the phone.

"Ben Dotson," the voice said.

"Hey dad," Jackylen softly said.

"Jackylen!" He started to scream. "Where the hell have you been!?"

"I was staying with a friend. I'm sorry I forgot to call."

"You know what-" Jackyeln pulled the phone away from her ear, preventing any ear damage the phone might cause.

Even though it wasn't directly to her ear, she still could hear the scream of his voice. Steve watched, still from the mini hallway. He could hear the voice too.

But taking the executive decision, he pressed the bottom on the phone holder and canceled the call. Jackylen slammed the phone down on the table as she leaned back and closed her eyes.

"Your dad sounds like a real asshole," Steve said, sitting on the couch next to her.

"Tell me about it," she doffed, eyes still closed.

"Need more Gin?" He held up the bottle as Jackylen opened one of her eyes.

"You know," she said, taking the bottle from the boy. "At this point they should just name it liquid death."

"'Liquid death'?"

"Yeah because you know... because it kills your liver." She took a sip then handed the bottle back to the boy.

"You are one crazy girl Dotson." He took a sip as well.

"And you Harrington are a big asshole."

"Yeah I'm sorry for beating up Jonathan."

"...I'm sorry I hit you with a beer bottle."

"Don't worry about it," he played off. "I deserved it."

"Not really."

"What do you mean?"

"Everyone does everything for a reason. I don't know why you do most of the things you do but... they're always a reason."

"Or I'm just a complete asshole." Jackyeln chuckled.

"Yeah... maybe you are."

"Dotson?"

"Hmm."

"Do you believe people can change?"

"That depends on what the person did."

"... Do you think I can change?"

"Definitely."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because Harrington," Jackyeln said, gazing up at the boy through her eyelashes. "What you did tonight proves that assholes can change. Not you. Not anymore. Most people would have just left..."

"And?"

"And you stayed..."