Ringo Wheeler had enough problems - she was named after a member of a band she doesn't even like, she can't find her favourite record in any store along the East Coast and she pissed her parents off enough to be shipped to Indiana.
Now, she has a ne...
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It was another hour before they had arrived home on foot, completed with Ringo stopping their journey once to physically cry. She had told Nancy that it was all down to her shoes pinching her feet like before, but there was a sadness in her eyes that her cousin picked up on. It made her curious about what Ringo could possibly have to be so upset about, and if something had happened today or if the alcohol had brought it out in her.
Nancy had teared up herself when relaying the details of the last few hours to Ringo, completely embarrassed to reveal that Steve had been cold after they had lay together, and how much she regretted it.
Ringo had wrapped her arm securely around Nancy and held her close as they walked, listening to every word she said.
"Nancy, this isn't on you at all," Ringo murmured, resting her cheek against the top of the smaller girl's head.
"But you and Barb warned me this would happen, that he would use me and I didn't listen," she cried into her shoulder blade, thanking god it was dark out and the streets were empty.
"It doesn't matter, he knew that you expected more and if he wants nothing more to do with you then he should have relayed that to you before having sex with you," Ringo argued back softly, squeezing her tightly. "And hey, who knows, maybe he'll call tomorrow, you know? Maybe he isn't a dickhead and maybe he won't completely bail."
Nancy shook her head in disbelief, but stayed quiet nonetheless.
They sighed collectively in relief when the Wheeler house came into view, but were also filled with the sudden fear that they would be punished for being out four hours past curfew.
Nancy opened the door gently, Ringo slipping quietly in behind her. They attempted to be as silent as possible but to no avail, as Karen was already awake and waiting for them, revealing herself by turning the lights on.
"Jesus, you scared me," Nancy gasped.
"Oh, I scared you?" Karen spit back, eyes wide with anger.
"I know, we should have called."
"Where have you two been?" She talked loudly, but not loud enough to wake her other children asleep upstairs. "We agreed on ten!"
"After the assembly, some people wanted to go get something to eat," Nancy made up an excuse, as she always did when talking to her mother lately. "I didn't think it'd be a big deal."
It was a lie and Mrs Wheeler knew it, all she had to do was take note of both of their tearstained cheeks, Ringo's complete silence and the distinct smell of beer.
