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CHAPTER NINE | AND IT SHATTERS
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you look like a dream i've never had before.
-richard brautigan
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The months following Christmas spiraled by in a frantic haze. With junior year in its second half, every teacher was piling on work with the excuse of needing to be prepared for college. On weekdays, Jackie studied and powered through her homework. On Fridays, she went out with her friends. On Saturdays, she babysat for the Sinclairs and occasionally entertained Lucas's friends as well as Lucas.
The school year came to a fast close, with the mid-June sun beating down on all the residents of Hawkins, and the summer of 1984 passed by even faster than the school year. The start of senior year was merely a week away and Jackie would be lying if she said the thought of graduating didn't terrify her. As she tried to figure out what she wanted to do with her life, Laura, Shelly, and Marty spent all their time trying to convince Steve to have an end of the summer party.
(Shelly and Marty both had pools, but they were above-ground and apparently not acceptable for parties)
So, there Jackie was, fidgeting with the strap of her red one-piece as she walked up Steve's driveway. The minute Jackie stepped into the backyard, her vision was blocked by Laura's face right in hers.
"She's a skank."
Stepping backwards, Jackie furrowed her eyebrows. "What? Be nice. Who?"
"Nancy fucking Wheeler," Laura said, making a face of disgust. "And you know what? Steve's a total skank too! You totally don't deserve to see this."
"Laura, what are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about that."
Following Laura's pointing hand, Jackie's eyes landed on Steve standing behind Nancy Wheeler with his arms looped around her bikini clad body and his chin on her shoulder. They were laughing about something, and, God, they looked so happy. Pursing her lips, Jackie forced herself to look away and back at Laura.
"What Steve does isn't my business, Laura," she said, feeling the muscles in her neck tighten. In that moment, Jackie was sure she was going to fall through the pavement and straight into the core of the earth. To her left, a can of orange soda exploded all over a girl in a white sundress. "We're just friends. Nothing more."
Steve finally got the girl.
"Sure," Laura scoffed, crossing her arms. "And Freddie Mercury isn't gay."
