G O O D G I R L S [BILLY]

C H A P T E R N I N E

Hawkins, Indiana
1984

"There's one slight problem with that," Dana D'Amico said shyly, laughing awkwardly as she avoided eye contact with her friend.

Jenny groaned, bending over so her stomach touched her knees, hair falling like a curtain in front of her face. "Why does there have to be a problem, God?"

The pair of best friends were sitting on the steps in front of Tina's house on Halloween, still adorned in their costumes, and drunk like they've never been before. The alcohol that ran through their veins was vibrant like the colors of a disco, bouncing through their system and beating at their hearts. Both girls were far too drunk to drive home, and way too completely gone to even remember the way they would walk if it came down to that.

"So, I don't know Melvin's number to pick us up," Dana giggled. Earlier that night, Melvin, the D'Amico's housekeeper, had dropped both girls off on Mulberry street in a black Rolls Royce. He said he'd pick them up whenever they needed a ride, informing Dana that all she needed to do was call and he'd be there. Now, that beneficial opportunity served no purpose to either of them. With what number would they even be able to contact him at? Dana didn't know. She couldn't remember. Even when she was sober she didn't know. She always just had her own car to drive her home.

"Do you know your house number?" Jenny asked, head pounding from the copious amounts of liquor she consumed that night. "Surely he'll pick up your house phone if he's the only one there."

"I think I do. But I really can't remember." Dana scrunched her nose, running her fingers through her hair. "Look, why don't we just go back into the party and forget any of that ever happened?"

"You want me to go back into the party where I almost got raped and ultimately caused a fight? You cannot be serious." Jenny's words were laced with frustration. She couldn't bear to enter the party again and see everyone staring at her. She felt like a spectacle sitting on the steps, let alone re-entering the scene of the crime.

Dana deadpanned. Somewhere in her pretty, brunette head there was a wall blocking her mind from processing thoughts fully. Why it was a problem to Jenny, she really didn't know. She truly, honestly did not know. If it were her, she thought, she would have felt complimented by the entire situation, and she was aghast that Jenny didn't too.

"Really, Jen, it's not that big a deal." She stood up off of the steps, reaching for Jenny's hand. The blonde ignored it, and turned away. "If I were you, I totally would have loved having two of Hawkins' finest fight over me."

Jenny could not believe her ears. "Are you really saying this right now?" She stood up, eyes flickering with anger. "Did you not see what happened in there?"

The look on Dana face was that of sheer shock. Her brown eyes were blown out of their sockets, staring at Jenny like she had three heads, filled with ignorant accusation. She was completely oblivious to the core reason of the fight, instead focusing entirely on the fact that two boys were giving Jenny the attention that Dana so wantonly desired.