𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄 || 𝘔𝘈𝘟 𝘔𝘈𝘠𝘍𝘐𝘌𝘓𝘋

17. time after time

TIME AFTER TIME

December 15th, 1984
⏰ 6:30 pm, 📍Hawkins, Indiana

༺♥༻ Stephanie twirls in her red dress looking at herself in the mirror.

"Stephanie! We're gonna be late! We have to pick up Dustin!" Steve yells from downstairs.

"Coming!" Stephanie runs out of her room and down the stairs to the front door.

Stephanie sits on the bench by the front door and puts her red Converse on.

"You look great, Steph," Steve smiles.

"Thats so ni-" Stephanie starts.

"Get in the car," Steve interrupts as he grabs his keys and walks out the front door.

Stephanie finishes tying her shoes and walks out of the house into the passenger seat. Right when Stephanie opens the door, Steve stops her. "Nope. Backseat. You know how Dustin gets."

Reluctantly, Stephanie shuts the door and gets in the back.

Steve drives to Dustin house and honks the horn when they arrive out front. When Dustin gets in the car, Stephanie notices Dustin's hair. "Woah, what's up with your hair?" Stephanie goes to touch it but Dustin swats her hand away. "Is it the Farrah Fawcett spray?"

"No!" Dustin says. Stephanie gives him a look of disbelief. "...maybe."

Stephanie sits back in her seat and waits until they arrive at the school. Once the car stops, Stephanie jumps out, not saying anything to Steve.

Stephanie opens the big double doors of the school and sees Mr. Clarke at the ticket table."Looking very snazzy tonight, Stephanie."

"I like to think so," Stephanie smiles, putting her ticket in the bowl.

Mr. Clarke smiles back. "Have fun."

Stephanie walks into the gym to look for her friends. She finds them sitting at a table, standing up once she comes into view.

Stephanie notices Max first. She is going to ask her to dance. Tonight. Soon. What's the worst that could happen?

"Hi!" Stephanie hugs Max. "I love your hair," she says, pulling away.

"Thanks," Max smiles. "I love your dress."

When the girls are exchanging their pleasantries, Dustin walks up to the party, with a huge smile on his face. "Holy shit. What happened to you?" Mike asks with shock in his voice.

Dustin's smile fades. "What do you mean, What happened?"

"What?" Mike is still shocked, like he can't wrap his head around a new hairstyle.

Lucas looks surprised, too. "Dude." Lucas reaches his hand out and touches Dustin's hair. "Is there a bird nesting in there?"

Dustin pushes Lucas' hand away. "What do you mean, What's wrong? There's no bird nesting in here, asshole. Okay?" Dustin combs his hair with his fingers. "I worked hard."

"Well I like it," Stephanie smiles.

Dustin gives her a face like he doesn't believe her, but Stephanie's being totally honest. She thinks his hair is fun, new.

Then, a slow song plays. Time after Time. One of Stephanie's favorites.

Now's my chance.

Stephanie turns to Max to ask her to dance. A well rehearsed speech she practiced in her head on the way to the school.

But someone got there before her. "Max...Hey. Um, it's nice, right? You want to, um...You want to, like...You know? Like, just you and me?" Lucas. Of course he likes Max. Stephanie could never like her. It's not allowed.

"Are you trying to ask me to dance, stalker?"

Lucas shakes his head. "No. Of course not. Unless...you want to."

Max takes his hand. "So smooth. Come on." Max pulls Lucas to the dance floor, leaving Stephanie.

Stephanie was left with a pit in her stomach watching Max and Lucas dance.

"Hey, Zombie Boy," A girl says, coming up to Will, pulling Stephanie away from looking at Max. "Do you want to dance?"

"Um...I don't...Um," Mike elbows Will trying to lead him on. "I mean...I mean, yeah. Sure."

The two walk out to the gym floor and start to dance the most awkward dance Stephanie has ever witnessed.

Stephanie refocuses on Max. She looks so happy. Stephanie wonders if she'd be that happy if she were dancing with her.

Dustin takes a deep breath. "Wish me luck, guys. I'm going in." Dustin walks towards one of the most popular girls in their grade: Stacy.

When Dustin walks up to Stacy, she could see a smile on her face. Stephanie can't take it. Tears well in her eyes. She walks away from Mike, leaving him alone.

Stephanie sit at the top of the bleachers, behind the blue streamers, crying. She doesn't want to cry. It's just a girl. But it's Max. Max is different. Is she? 

Later, Stephanie sees Dustin sitting on the lower part of the bleachers, doing something. Then, Nancy comes and takes his hand to what Stephanie can only assume is to dance. Even Dustin found someone to dance with. But not Stephanie.

She couldn't dance with Max.

Because Max doesn't like her.

Why would Max like her?

Why does Stephanie like her?

She has to be the only girl ever to exist that likes girls.

Stephanie wipes her tears away so no one questions her, knowing that she'll cry harder if anyone asks.

If you're lost, you can look and you will find me

Time after time

If you fall, I will catch you, I will be waiting

Time after time

༺♥༻
I ABSOLUTELY CANT BELIEVE SEASON 2 IS DONE!!!!!!!

thank you to everyone for reading, not sure when season 3 will start. maybe tomorrow. who knows.

i don't think i can part with stephanie for too long  though bc i feel like i'm literally best friends with her.

4/10/23