Don't You Want Me? ✵ Steve Harrington

Chapter 17

The next day, Nancy, Jonathan and Kim were walking down the packed hallway, trying to get to Nancy's locker.

"Hey, could I get one more?" Nancy asked after Tina handed her and Kim a bright orange flyer. Kim looked down at the flyer and tried not to roll her eyes. Nancy threw the extra flyer at Jonathan and smiled. "You're coming to this," she told him.

He looked at the flyer and raised his eyebrows. "'Come and get sheet face.' No, I'm not."

"Yeah, and I don't think I'm gonna go either," Kim told her. "I'm really not a big fan of parties." This wasn't entirely true, Kim used to love parties. But after everything that had happened to Barb, she had been avoiding parties out of guilt.

"Come on, I can't let you two sit all alone on Hallowneen," Nancy went on. "That's just not acceptable."

"Well, you can relax," Jonathan shrugged. "I'm not gonna be alone. I'm going trick-or-treating with Will."

"All night?" Nancy asked sceptically. Jonathan nodded and Nancy started to laugh. "No, no way. You're gonna be home by eight, listening to the Talking Heads and reading Vonnegut or something."

"Sounds like a nice night," Jonathan shrugged.

Nancy rolled her eyes and turned to her other best friend. "Ok, Kim, but you have no excuse for not coming."

"Um, and I have things to do," Kim said quickly. "You know, homework and stuff."

Nancy rolled her eyes once again. "Kim, when have you ever actually cared about homework?"

"I care about homework," Kim protested, putting a hand to her chest in mock offence.

Nancy sighed. "Just come. I mean, who knows, you guys might even, like, meet someone."

"Oh, yeah that's really what I want," Kim said sarcastically. "Some drunk douchebag making out with me all night."

Nancy was trying to think of something to say when she let out a small shriek. Steve had snuck up behind Nace and pulled her into his arms. "Oh, my god! Take those stupid things off," Nancy said, pointing at his sun glasses.

"I missed you," Steve smirked.

Jonathan and Kim exchanged a look, both knowing how the other felt about the couple. "Come on," Kim muttered, leading Jonathan away from the now kissing couple. "It's disgusting."

"You just think that because you wish it was you," Jonathan pointed out once they rounded the corner.

Kim pressed her lips together, knowing Jonathan was right. "Yeah, well that's not the point."

Jonathan chuckled. In the past year, Kim had become pretty close with the guy she had once thought was a total creep. "What would you think if we actually went to the party?"

She looked up at him, shocked at the suggestion. "You're joking, right?"

"No," he replied. "It could be fun."

She let out a dramatic sigh, running a hand through her dark hair. "Fine. But we both know the only reason you want to go is so you can stare at Nance from the corner."

•••••

Kim's finger fidgeted nervously as she sat at the Holland's dinner table. Her dark eyes danced around the room, pictures of Barb from all different ages smiling up at her. Seized with guilt, she looked back down at her plate of chicken from KFC.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get to cook," Mrs. Holland rambled. "I was gonna make that baked ziti you guys like so much, but I forgot about the time, and before you know it, 'Oh, my god, it's five o'clock.'"

"It's fine," Kim said, still tapping her fingers on her jeans.

"Yeah, I love KFC," Steve nodded, taking another piece of chicken.

"So, I noticed a 'For Sale' sign out in your yard," Nancy said, while the Hollands exchanged a look. "Is that the neighbors, or..."

"You wanna tell them?" Mrs. Holland asked her husband.

"Go ahead," Mr. Holland nodded.

"We hired a man named Murray Bauman," Mrs. Holland said with a hopeful smile. "Have you kids ever heard of him?"

"No, I don't think so," Kim said, her eyebrows furrowing.

"He was an investigative journalist for the Chicago Sun-Times," Mrs. Holland explained.

"He's pretty well known," Mr. Holland added, handing Nancy the journalist's business card.

"Anyway, he's freelance now, and he agreed to take the case," Mrs. Holland's smile grew.

"Oh, th-that's great," Steve said, looking over Nancy's shoulder with his mouth full of chicken. "No, that's really great, right?"

Nancy bit her lip, thinking along the same lines as Kim. "Um, what exactly does that mean?" Kim asked.

"Means he's gonna do what that lazy son of a bitch Jim Hop-" Mr. Holland cut off with a look from his wife. "Sorry, what the Hawkins police haven't been capable of doing. Means we have a real detective on the case."

"It means we're going to find our Barb," Mrs. Holland added.

Kim felt her stomach tighten, and suddenly didn't feel hungry anymore.

"If anyone can find her, it's this man," Mr. Holland said. "He already has leads. By God, he's worth every last penny."

"Is that why you're selling the house?" Nancy asked, knowing they would never find Barb.

"Oh, don't worry about us, sweeting," Mrs. Holland said, reaching across the table and putting her hand on top of Nancy's. "We're fine. More than fine. For the first time in a long time,, we're hopeful."

Nancy looked down at her plate, slo not feeling hungry anymore. "Excuse me, I'll be right back."

Steve and Kim exchanged a look, not knowing what to say. Steve took a large bite of a chicken, his chewing filling the awkward silence. "It's finger-likin' good," Steve muttered, his mouth still full.

When they had finished their meal and Nancy was still in the bathroom, Steve and Kim decided to wait for her in the car. Kim sighed and leaned her head back, closing her eyes.

"You don't have to keep going to these dinners, you know," Steve said, seeing how upset she was. "Nancy would understand if you told her you didn't want to go."

Kim scoffed, opening her eyes and looking at Steve. "No, I still have to go."

"Why?" Steve asked. "Every time you go it only makes you feel worse. Why do you keep doing that to yourself?"

"Because maybe it could make the Holland's feel better," Kim snapped. "They lost their only child and that's my fault."

"Kimmy, we've been over this," Steve said gently. "It's not your fault. If you had stayed out there, that demogorgon thing could have gotten you too."

The back seat door opened and Nancy crawled in, tear tracks visible on her cheeks. "Sorry, we can go now."

"Are you okay?" Kim asked, turning around to look at her as Steve started to drive them home.

"I'll be fine," Nancy muttered, staring out the window.