Stranger Things

The Best 'Party' Ever?

November 8th, 1983

"So what did you do last night?" I asked Nancy as we walked into school. Her attention was on her handmade notecards.

"Nancy?" I asked again while simultaneously waving a hand in front of her face.

"Oh sorry I'm just so nervous for this chemistry test" Nancy said before her attention shifts back to the notecards. As we enter the halls Barb joins us on our walk to class.

"Here let me help you" Barb said as she grabbed the stack of colored notecards from Nancy's hand. She began to read off of the words, quizzing Nancy on the material.

Barbara and Nancy were more similar in that they had good grades and cared a lot about school. Nancy and I bonded more on the being bad part.

Although Nancy isn't the type to do bad stuff, I believe my bad and her good side balance each other out making us the perfect duo.

"When Alpha particles go through gold foil they become?" Barb asked Nancy

Nancy responded with "unoccupied space"

Before Barb had the chance to read off the next notecard Steve came wiping through the hall grabbing the card from her hand.

"Hey" Nancy whined. Steve stopped in his track pivoting and leaning on the lockers. Following Steve was Tommy H. and Carol, his two leeches, I mean friends. Tommy and Carol are the sluttiest couple in school.

"I don't know, I think you studied enough Nance" Steve said shuffling through the deck of notecards.

"Steve-"

"I'm telling you, you know, you got this. Don't worry. Now on to more important matters. My dad has left town on a conference and my mom's gone with him, 'cause you know, she doesn't trust him" Steve said

"Good call" Tommy responded making Steve exchange a look with him before turning his attention back to Nancy.

"So are you in?" Steve asked Nancy who looked confused.

"In for what?" She asked. I nudged her.

"A party Nance" I whispered.

"No parents, big house" Carol said rudely.

"Oh she's in" I said causing Nancy to give me a look.

"It's Tuesday" she said dumbfounded

"It's Tuesday" Tommy mocked causing Carol to burst out laughing and Steve to hit his chest.

"It will be low key. It will just be us. Are you in or are you out?"

Nancy walked away to talk to Jonathan Byers who was hanging missing posters on the school bulletin board.

"She's in. I'll make sure she'll be there" I said to Steve.

"Good you can come along too uh-" Steve said trying to remember my name.

"Tammy" I said before walking away.

Later that night I got ready for the party that was at Steve's. My mom was out working a night shift as usual and Dustin was at the Wheeler's.

Nancy and Barb were going to pick me up. Nancy somehow convinced Barb to come along as well.

As we were driving there Nancy made Barb pull over a few blocks away.

"Barbara pull over" Nancy said.

"What"

"Pull over!"

"What are we doing here? His house is three blocks away" Barb exclaimed.

"We can't park in the driveway. What if the neighbors see" Nancy said.

"C'mon lets just go guys. The more we bicker the less partying we do" I said shutting the passenger back door and walking down the street. Barb and Nancy joined me a minute later. Nancy stepped out of the car wearing something different than what she had on when she got in.

After walking a few blocks we walked up to the front door to hear loud music blasting throughout the house.

"Barb chill" Nancy said as she rang the doorbell.

Steve opened the door "hello ladies". We walked in and were ushered to the back yard which revealed a large in-ground heated pool with a diving board. The steam rising into the crisp November air.

Steve handed each of us a beer from one of the six packs laying around. We each took a turn shotgunning a beer starting with Steve, myself, than Nancy.

Nancy shotgunned the beer perfectly, a skill I taught her last summer.

"C'mon Barb wanna try" Nancy said. Barbara not interested kept repeatedly saying no.

"Nance I don't want to"

"Just give it a shot" Nancy and I said at the same time. Peer pressure slowly started to consume Barb's thoughts, changing her mind and making her snatch the beer from Nancy's hand.

Barb stood up and tried piercing the beer with the bottle cap opener, but instead of piercing the bottle she pierced her skin. Blood immediately dropped from her palm.

"Are you okay?" Nancy asked startled at the blood.

"Yeah" Barb responded trying to cover up the blood and the fear on her face.

"Barb, you're bleeding" Nancy said trying to help Barb, who was having none of it. Instead Barb asked Steve for the direction to the bathroom. Steve clearly drunk, slightly sobered up at the sight of Barb's condition giving her the directions.

As Barb tended to her hand everyone jumped into the pool, continuing the drinking fest. As I hopped out of the pool, Steve handed me a towel to dry off.

"I think I'm gonna head out" I said nudging Nancy as we walked into the house. I quickly ran to the bathroom only to come out a few minutes later and find no one on the first floor.

I began to walk home being I was only a quarter of a mile away. I got home about a half an hour later, sneaking through my bedroom window. I threw my slightly damp clothes in the corner of my room, slipping on pajamas and falling asleep.