indiana dreamin' [billy hargrove]

one

"Don't forget your lunch, Stephanie."

            I leaned into the mirror and clasped my hoop earring. I looked down the hall, toward the kitchen.

            "Stevie, Mom." I said. "And where are my Docs? Julia, come on, we're going to be late."

            "Don't forget your lunch, Stevie." Mom stepped out from the doorway of the kitchen, dangling a metal lunchbox from her two fingers.

            "Thank you." I said. I scooped my backpack from the floor next to the stairs and threw it over my shoulder. "Julia!"

            "I'm coming." Julia stomped to the top of the staircase. She had her blonde hair tied back in a scrunchie and blue eyeshadow painted over her eyes.

            I snorted. "Got somebody to impress?"

            She rolled her eyes. "Shut up, Stevie. I'm ready."

            "Lunches!" Mom shouted again. She walked forward, into the front room of the house, shoving the boxes our way. "Love you both. Now get."

            Julia left the house before me, practically skipping to the truck. I patted the hood of the dark green Bronco as I walked to the other side. As we drove to school, Julia fiddled with the radio.

            "Are you going to that party?"

            I quirked an eyebrow and rested my hand on the center console. "Who told you about that?"

            She looked back at me. "Mike. Nancy's going."

            "And what's it to you if I'm there?" I half-smiled as I spoke. I was amused.

            "I don't know. Jeez, Stevie, I don't really care." She tossed her ponytail over her shoulder and looked out the window. "Just can you, like, be safe if you do go?"

            I glanced at her, then back to the road. "Yeah, kid. I'll handle myself."

            We fell into a comfortable silence. Just before we reached the parking lot, I noticed a car approaching in the rearview.

            "God, what is that sound?" Julia said, turning around in her seat. It was a blue Camaro, driving up on me faster than it should've.

            "What a prick." I said, tapping my brakes. As I did, the car hopped into the oncoming lane, sped past me, and then abruptly hopped back over. I had to hit the brakes again to avoid hitting it. "Fucking California plates. What a jackass."

            Julia hummed. "And I thought your driving was bad."

            I scrunched my eyebrows and looked at her. "Yeah? If it's so bad, you're welcome to walk." I turned the car and cruised into the parking lot of Hawkins High. Kids littered the lot, draped over cars, laughing and smoking. When I drove to the spot I parked in every day, it was taken by the same blue Camaro that had passed us on the road.

            "Damn." Julia said.

            "Watch your mouth." I said. "But yeah, what the fuck?"

            I rolled my eyes and pulled the truck into a different spot, further from the school. As I got out of the car, my friends waved from across the parking lot. I saluted Julia and slammed the truck door shut. She ran off to the middle school.

            The Camaro emanated the Scorpions. A girl with red hair, around Julia's age, practically sprinted from the passenger's side. She threw her skateboard on the ground and rode it toward the middle school. The Camaro had everyone at Hawkins High staring.