The Babysitter Effect ( Steve Harrington)

Episode 1

Word count: 1910
Pages: 9

                       [Ruined Friendship]

It's been almost a year since Louise really been around Nancy, Jonathan and Steve. She quickly distanced herself from the group after Christmas... for obvious reasons. Instead she spent the rest of her junior year babysitting, doing schoolwork, and her college applications.

But now it was fall and she was well into her senior year. She spent her days dropping and picking up Dustin from the arcade and avoiding Harrington's car in school parking lot and awkward attempts of flirting from Keith which consisted of waving his cheeto covered fingers as she picks up Dustin from the arcade. Avoidance was her moto. Louise still needed to lay in on Dustin about promising her company to strange men who so happen to work at the arcade. That was practically prostitution.

"I need to meet this Mad Max." Dustin pouted in the passenger seat.

"Oh do you?" Louise raised one of her eyebrows.

" he took my spot as number one on Centipede and Dig Dug." He grumbled. "And then he proceeded to insult my hair! He knows my hair is natural. Not a perm."

"Keith?" Louise asked. She looked up in her rear view mirror. She spot headlight rapidly catching up to her on the one lane road. She looked down at the road ahead of her.

"Yeah and-"

A loud engine reved past her. Louise looked over to see a guy, her age with long lashes, curly hair and tan skin, passing her in the opposite lane. Louise felt a glare settle in on her face as the car zoomed in front of her and disappeared over the bend.

Dustin stared ahead. " that was weird."

"Yeah."

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Halloween was finally here and Louise just sent her applications off to rejected or accepted, making her workload very much light just in time for Halloween. She always enjoyed the spookiness of this holiday but she couldn't help that scary things just didn't seem so scary now. She sighed as she shoved some of her books in the cubby, before turning to the tiny mirror that hung on the door. She stared at herself before pumping the lipgloss tube and swiping it across her plump lips, leaving a streak of sparkly goo that smelled like cherry. Louise sported a black sweater with an orange Halloween pumpkin in the center. Her hair was frizzy but placed into a high ponytail . Her jeans were blue, baggy and high-waisted paired with white shoes.

She slammed her locker shut and was met with Jonathan, who seemed to be in the same place she was. Pinning over someone they can't have. "Hey Jonathan. What's up." She and Jonathan have crossed paths more than Steve and Nancy had. It probably something to do with the little kids they are associated with. "How's Will doing?"

"He's doing okay." Jonathan responded. Jonathan outer appearance didn't really change. But Jonathan seemed to be more confident. More sure of himself.  

"That's good..." Louise gripped the books in her hand. Her eyes trailed around awkwardly as she tried to find something say. "So..."

Jonathan gave a sheepish smile.

" what do you want?" Louise asked bluntly.

Jonathan widen his eyes. And shrugged. "I just noticed you've been by yourself, lately."

Louise raised her eyebrows, "lately?"

The first bell rang. Louise looked up at the clock. "I need to get to class." Saved by the bell.

"Let me walk you." Jonathan offered, all ready walking along side Louise. "Dustin told Will that you've been by yourself and that you seem..." he trailed off. A look washed over his face that was the equivalent to a parent preparing to share bad news.