Breathless~Stranger Things

chapter six✔︎

Joey frowned at the gym's loudness from his seat on the bleachers. It wasn't his gym period but he had a free and came here. It may or may not have been to appease his guilty pleasure. And while Joey hated basketball (he was more a track person), watching sweaty boys, some shirtless, some not, run around while wrestling with each other was pretty hot. And March's comments helped of course.

"You call that a touch down? He was inside the circle!" Joey contained his laugher as people gave her looks of confusion. March sat down, taking a bite of her sandwich. 

"I really don't get why you like this. They're all assholes." Joey sighed and couldn't help but agree. The male population of Hawkins High did tend to be on the asshole, toxic masculinity side of the population with a few exceptions.  

"I know. But you gotta admit, they are pretty hot." March shrugged, muttering a faint 'I guess so', focusing back on her sandwich.

Faint giggles caught Joey's attention. Looking beyond March, he spied a group of girls pointing in his direction and giggling. 'Jesus,' he thought, 'if you're gonna be mean at least be secretive about it.'

He focused back on the game, trying to ignore the constant laughter. 

"King Steve. King Steve everyone!" Billy's yells hangout throughout the gym. 

His bare chest shown with sweat, dampening the band of the gym shorts. Joey crossed his legs, feeling his paints tighten. 

Billy blocked Steve, shuffling back and forth. Based on the annoyance across Steve's face, Billy was instigating him. 

They seemed to be having their own argument. Billy jerked his head in Joey's direction causing Steve's face to harden. Joey scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. What were they talking about?

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"King Steve. King Steve everyone!" Billy smirked, continuing to dribble the ball. "I like it. Playing tough today." Steve squatted, getting his footing. 

"Do you ever shut up?"

Billy crouched down, getting as close as he could to Steve's face without letting the ball out of his control. 

"So you and the Dare kid, huh?" He jerked his head in Joey's direction. He wasn't an idiot. He knew Joey was watching him and why he came here for his free period. Billy would too if he had the chance. Of course he never told anyone about that.

"W-what are you talking about?" Steve's eyes grew large, his face contorting in anger. "Whatever you heard it's not true."

"Is that right? Then you won't mind if I take him. He's pretty hot. Be a shame to loose him."

Steve was stunned. How did he know? Billy took Steve's moment of weakness to run past him, knocking him hard against the floor. Throwing the ball up it landed in the net, earning approving cheers from the team.

Billy looked toward the bleachers at Joey. Their eyes met each other. Joey smiled and clapped quietly for him. Billy smirked, walking over to Steve. 

He pulled him up to his face by the hand. 

"Keep your head in the game, Harrington. Don't wanna loose sight of what's really the prize here."

Billy shoved him back against the floor, stepping over him and walking away.

Steve stayed down for a few seconds, thinking about Billy's words. 

"Did he mean Joey?"

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The cold water felt good on Steve's sweaty body. As disgusting as the school showers were it was a blessing to have them. Not having to feel gross for the rest of the day was a miracle. 

A throat clearing caught his attention.

He opened his eyes to face Billy Hargrove himself. 

"Don't sweat it, Harrington. Today's just not your day, man."

"Yeah. Not your week." Tommy cut in, "You and the princess break up for one day and she's running off with the freak's brother."  

Steve scoffed. While he hadn't known that, there was no way he was giving Tommy the satisfaction. 

"Oh shit, you didn't know?"

Tommy told him about Nancy and Johnathan before laughing and exiting the shower room. 

"Don't take it too hard, man." 

Steve scrubbed his hair, ignoring Billy.

"Pretty boy like you shouldn't have any problems."

Again, Steve ignored him.

"You know Joey Dare, right?" That caught Steve's attention.

"Look, stay away from him, alright? He doesn't need someone like you in his life," Steve snapped.

Billy chuckled, confusing Steve. "Really? Cause it seems to me like you're the one who's hurt him."

The mullet wearing boy slapped Steve's shoulder and turned off Steve's water. "See ya soon Harrington" 

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"I got to class but I'll see you later for movie night, right?"

Joey nodded at March before she said goodbye and walked away.

The sweater wearing boy lent against the wall outside the boys locker room. He wasn't spying or perving on the occupants of said locker room, despite what the boy's stall doors told everyone. Joey just had to grab his gym clothes to wash and preferred to wait till everyone was out.

"Well, well. If it isn't Joey the Fag. Spying on me, were you?" Joey cringed at Tommy's voice, keeping his head down. 

"No. I wasn't. Please leave me alone Tommy," Joey said calmly, trying to mask his fear.

The taller boy laughed. 

"And why should I do that? You need to pay for what you did at the party. Now pick: face or stomach." Tommy slammed Joey against the wall, holding him by the collar. His elbow pressed into Joey, white pain shooting up the smaller boy's side. 

"T-Tommy p-please. I haven't d-done anything." 

"Bullshit and I said pick." Tommy snarled. 

Joey looked at the ground, not wanting to stare into the freckled face of doom.

"Fine. Guess you get both."

Tommy reeled back his fist, crashing it into Joey's jaw. Black spots filled his vision. Tommy released Joey who sunk to the floor in pain. He kicked Joey's side causing him to yell in pain. 

The last thing Joey saw was a foot coming towards his face before just black.

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I'm sorry for not updating sooner. I had a lot of personal shit to take care of and its been a weird few months but here's another chapter as your Christmas present. Sorry if it sucks. 

And also, holy fuck I have 8 thousand reads on this story. I honestly can't believe it. I, in all honestly, think I'm a shit writer so thank you guys for thinking I'm not! 

I was also thinking of maybe doing a character contest. Like you guys come up with characters and I'll put one or two in my story. What do you guys think? Comment if you think I should.

So,

Comment,

Vote,

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Do what ever your heart desires!

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, and goodnight!