Stranger Things

The Truth About Barb

The next morning I rolled out of bed taking the aspirin I set aside last night, along with the glass of water.

I then quickly got ready for school and began to walk to school. As I walked through the parking lot I saw Steve getting out of his car without Nancy.

"Hey Tammy are you sure you're okay?" Steve asked.

"Yes, thanks for saving me last night" I said before darting off to class.

After homeroom I headed to science, I saw Nancy looking all distressed.

"Why didn't Steve pick me up this morning?" Nancy asked me as plopped down looking exhausted.

"Did you just run?" I asked.

"Yeah because he didn't pick me up. I missed first period"

"I don't know... you should talk to him" I said before focusing on the teacher.

After science Nancy ran off to the gym probably to talk to Steve. I headed to the parking lot to have lunch with Jonathan. Nancy, Jonathan and I usually have lunch together.

"Hey where's Nancy?" Jonathan asked.

"Uh probably talking to Steve. He didn't pick her up this morning" I looked around the parking lot to see Nancy walking towards the car looking perplexed.

"Here she comes now" I said. Nancy came and sat on the hood asking Jonathan a million questions.

"So he asked you to take me home?"

"Yeah. Yeah we was upset. I mean, he was..... he was really upset" Jonathan said making Nancy look even more confused. "But he was still worried about you"

Nancy not budging had tears forming in her eyes.

"Nance" I said

"Hey, you need to cut yourself some slack, okay?" Jonathan said placing his lunch down on the hood of the car. "People say stupid things when they are wasted. Things they don't mean"

"Yeah but that's the thing. What if I did mean it? All this time I've been trying so hard to pretend like everything's fine, but it's not. I .... I feel like there's this.... I don't know... like there's this..."

"Like there's this weight you're carrying around with you. All the time. I feel it too" Jonathan said

"Yeah but it's different for you. Will came home"

"Yeah he did but he's not the same. I try to be there for him to help him... but I don't know maybe...maybe things can't go back to the way they were"

"Doesn't that make you mad?"

"Mad?"Jonathan questioned

"Yeah that those people who did this, who ruined so many lives, they just get away with it"

"Yeah but the people who did this... they're dead" I said hoping Nancy would feel less guilty about the situation.

"Do you both really believe that?" Nancy said looking angry.

Music could be heard as a kid turned on his cassette player, music blasting through the speakers.

"You're mom's boyfriend works at RadioShack right?"

"Yeah why?"

"Do you guys want to skip fourth period?" Nancy asked. My eyes lit up like Christmas lights. Nancy has never offered to skip before and I wasn't missing this opportunity.

"Yes" I said jumping off the hood and getting in the car. We drove to RadioShack and then drove to Nancy's house.

We tried to skip by Mrs.Wheeler but she saw us "Jonathan?"

"Uh.. Mrs.Wheeler"

"What a pleasant surprise and Tammy how are you?"

"Good thank you" I said

"Yeah, uh we have a test tomorrow" Jonathan said

"You went shopping?" Mrs.Wheeler questioned Nancy

"Yeah, uh my Walkman broke, anyway we should go. It's a really big test" Nancy said exchanging looks between Jonathan and I. I shook my head in agreeance and Jonathan said "Yeah stressful"

We hurried upstairs to Nancy's room.

"Okay, are you sure about this?" Jonathan asked as he paced the room.

"No" Nancy said looking all worried. I sat next to her and held the phone out. She dialed Mrs.Holland's number. "Hello" echoes through the other side but Nancy remains quiet until she speaks out

"Mrs. Holland. Hi, um, it's Nancy. I uh need to tell you something, something about Barb.... About that night.. I uh haven't been honest with you. But I can't tell you on the phone. Meet me at Forest Hills Park 9am. Don't tell anyone and don't call me back here it's dangerous"

"I just need you to trust me. Please" Nancy said before hanging up the phone. A look of concern on her face.

"Well there's no turning back now" I said getting glares from both Jonathan and Nancy.

"So now we just wait" Jonathan said and Nancy bit her lip.

"Let me know how it goes. I wish I could help but I have to babysit Dustin tomorrow night" I said before leaving Nancy's room.

"Oh Tammy you're leaving already?" Mrs.Wheeler said as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"Yeah I forgot I had to do something for my mom"

"Oh well, maybe next time you can stay for dinner" Mrs.Wheeler said before going to back to the kitchen to finish cooking. I walked out the door and began my trip back home.