#its essentially flirting by playfully shoving someone

[kaybkay8]

I don't get people who bash Kagome and celebrate Kikyo. Like yeah Kagome uses the sit command, but it's a common trope in anime for female romantic interests to do. Besides Kikyo literally attempts to kill Inuyasha multiple times, so it's super hypocritical. Like it's fine to just say you like Kikyo more than Kagome. Everyone's entitled to their opinions and you can express this without trashing a character.

Point being. Both Kikyo and Kagome are complex characters with flaws and merits. Respect strong female characters.

[bluefirewrites]

not sure if u are still taking this but, celebrity/fan au for JUKEE 🤭

Okay this one's a little involved but I got you!

Rated T for mentions of sex and maybe some language

SEND ME A SHIP AND A NUMBER AND I’LL WRITE A SHORT FIC

******

Julie tugs against the rather short dress Flynn had squeezed her in, not caring for how much she looks like a glorified candy wrapper in the shimmering gold.

She feels like she's some Ferrer Roche, waiting to be devoured.

Which seems to be her intention for tonight because she's insane, and so is her bestie Flynn, because she's supposed to grab the attention of a certain someone in this club.

Her motives for tonight sound like they come straight out of a Wattpad story, but her boyfriend- or well maybe an ex boyfriend now'- forced her hand.

So a year ago, right around the time they started dating, they both disclosed their 'hall passes'. Just a list of celebrities they were both 'allowed' to cheat on their partners with. It was fun. Just to see who the other person would pick. 

It was harmless because the whole point is that these people are so famous, so far out of reach, that the odds of hooking up with them would be essentially impossible.

Nick's was the lead singer of the world famous pop group Dirty Candi. And Julie remembers drunkenly applauding the choice ("She's pretty! Wowww you like them Bubblegum Pop girls?")

They had a laugh that night and Julie doesn't really consider that hall pass conversation all that much since then-

-Until fast forward to last week when Nick disclosed to her that he ran into Carrie Wilson at an event. And then promptly disclosed to her that he invoked his 'Hall Pass' rights.

His rights?! She had exploded at him, and he claims that its no big deal. That he thought she would understand that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, a crazy set of circumstances, and that- 'Holy shit Jules, she was actually into me. Like what?'

Understandably, Julie stormed out and has been staying with Flynn for the time being. And it must have been the haze of crying and watching a lot of true crime series to cheer herself up that she and Flynn concocted this... plan.

One fueled by spite and pettiness.

Get back at Nick, make him jealous, make him feel how she did- by invoking her own 'Hall Pass' rights- 

-which so happens to be Sunset Curve frontman, Luke Patterson... 

"There he is" Flynn whispers from their corner of the club and Julie gulps.

"I don't think I can do this," Julie hisses at Flynn, when they spot him at the bar, nursing a drink with his bandmates like he usually would (they did their research). 

See, Julie’s been a fan of Luke’s for a long time. Ever since she heard ‘Now or Never’ in freshman year of high school, she’s been hooked onto their music- especially Luke and his voice and playing. 

She had their posters on her bedroom wall and had been that girl who would (when no one’s looking) press her fingers to her lips then press them against Luke’s image before going to bed. 

It was that bad. 

And Julie had probably fantasized on more than one occasion of meeting him and all the other scenarios you would picture in a typical Celeb x Reader scenario. 

And she’d like to think she grew out of it, now she’s in her mid-twenties and just casually listens to Sunset Curve, following up on their careers every now and then. 

But you can never really shake your first major celebrity crush. Hence he had been on her so called ‘Hall Pass’ list. 

(”You into rockstars, Jules?” Nick had teased her that night.)

Seeing him there, in the same place as her, is so surreal, but Flynn’s continued pinches to her arm remind her just how real this is. 

“This is ridiculous,” Julie crosses her arms, ready to bow out because what is she thinking? Why would Luke Patterson pick her up, of all people, at the bar? It’s like a supermodel runway in here, filled with girls more accomplished and famous. Her confidence is shaken a bit and she rethinks everything. 

"Nick didn't seem to have a problem when he did it," Flynn points out, “And girl, you look great. He would be blind to not want you.” 

The mention of Nick still boils her blood, which only reaffirms her plans for revenge. She’s still nervous but they both stand up from their booth and walk over to the bar. 

“You’re just saying that because you’re my best friend,” 

“No. You’re musician extraordinaire, Julie Molina! The world may not have heard about you, but they will one day. I bet that’s something you can talk to him about. Music? Lyrics?” 

Julie could use her songwriting credentials to her advantage, “I mean I guess-” 

“Quick, he’s getting up!” 

“Flynn, wait I’m not-” 

With a forceful push, Flynn sends Julie into the path of Luke Patterson, colliding into him and effectively spilling his drink all over her dress. 

“Oh my god,” Luke gapes at her, “I am so sorry-” 

Julie fans herself, shaking slightly from the fact she’s drenched and also that her freakin’ high school celebrity crush is looking at her, actually talking to her. 

But she recovers quickly, and she speaks, “It’s fine. Really. I guess I’m just... clumsy.” She shoots a glare at Flynn, who merely winks and retreats to their booth. 

Luke grimaces and takes her by the hand, leading her somewhere, napkins in his other hand, “Here, let’s get you cleaned up. Again, I’m sorry. Hate to ruin a pretty... dress.”

It’s the way he eyes her that catches Julie off guard. He’s... not talking about the dress, is he? 

Julie reels it back in tries her hand at a joke, “I wouldn’t call this a dress. I feel like fancy leftovers in this thing.” 

Luke stifles a laugh, “Okay, I mean I wasn’t gonna say anything but yeah. I guess it’s a bit tin foil-y.”

“Not your style?”

His gaze drifts over to her one last time, “Well, any way to take a meal back home is fine by me. I mean-” Luke scrunches his nose, wincing, “I didn’t- I didn’t mean it like that. Shit. That was too... much. Are we-” he laughs nervously, “Are we still... talking about food?”

“Unless you just called me a meal. Then no.” 

The look in his eyes say that he’s absolutely mortified, “...yeah. I think I did. I was hoping that was a nightmare.” 

“Nope, it definitely happened,” 

“Feel free to slap me,” 

Julie giggles, somewhat delirious because she hasn’t tried to flirt with him but here Luke is, flirting with her. Or trying. And failing. Like a far cry from the suave rockstar she had pictured him to be. 

“No need. Just, can you-?” she points to the napkins he’s holding hostage. 

“Oh yeah. Here,” They stop in front of the coat check, and he hands her the napkins so she could try herself off with the best she can.

Suddenly, a weight falls onto her shoulders, she looks up and sees Luke draping a jacket over her- his presumably. 

“You looked cold,”

Julie wraps the jacket tight against her, relishing in the warmth, “Wow, thanks.”

Luke smiled and stepped back, “Just so you know, if I made you feel weird in any way, I’d like to throw out my third ‘sorry’ of the night. Nothing has to happen though. So, just say the word and I’ll leave you alone.”

Whew. Um, okay. Julie stands there, faced with this decision. 

The compliments aside (she will revisit those later), Luke’s giving her an out. Any reservations she has about moving forward with this plan, this is her chance to leave. 

She could just treasure these amazing few minutes for the rest of her life. This could be a story to tell friends at a dinner party, about the time a rockstar lent her his jacket. Would be up there with the time Jack Black passed her on the street and said “Nice hat!”. 

But-

Maybe she wants to see where this goes. 

“All this talk about food is making me hungry though...” she says and Luke lights up, “I could go for a bite to eat.” 

Luke snaps his fingers, “I know just the place.” 

*******

Half an hour later, Julie and Flynn are in a smelly alleyway with the guys from Sunset Curve, in line for a street dog cart just a couple blocks away. 

“An Oldsmobile?” Julie gawked after hearing Luke and the guys describe the delicacy, “Are you trying to poison me?”

“I swear by it,” Luke insists, taking her hand and moving them up in the line. Flynn sees this and doesn’t comment, but Julie’s starting to get used to Luke doing that, “You have to try!”  

Julie doesn't know when she got over her initial starstruck, but by now its so easy to treat Luke like a regular person.

Well, celebrities are all regular people in the end, but more so now that he and his friends, have their sleeves rolled up, smiles wide, ready to dig into what may be the most disgusting hot dog she has ever seen.

Julie takes a bite out of hers and her eyes widen. Wow. It's not terrible.

"Ayy! We got another one, boys" Reggie laughs, noting her reaction.

"Told ya" Luke needles her sides and she giggles, ticklish. Her knee jerk reaction is to playfully shove him, but in the process accidentally smeared some mustard onto his face.

Luke goes to lick it off with his tongue, making funny faces as he did which amused Julie even more.

"Here," she takes a napkin and wipes at his cheek, "Now we're even."

The whole group gets to talking over by the couches, while Flynn chats up the other boys, Julie and Luke are sequestered in their own corner, and yes, eventually the topic switches to music.

"Wait, so you know Rose and the Petal Pushers?" Luke chokes out, "Like everyone I talk to hasn't heard of them!"

"Yup. Have their record actually" Julie beams proudly, censoring out the part that its her mom's band and hence she has one of the few records ever released.

Luke is floored by that and continues to poke her brain for music and Julie finds that their spiels go on naturally, that she could probably talk with Luke for hours and hours.

Which ends up happening. Flynn had already made her escape, having texted her to come home safely, the boys had gone too, leaving them in the nearly empty lot.

When the food truck closes down for the night, they end up taking a stroll down the streets of L.A, talking and getting to know each other.

Julie learns so much about Luke, things she's never heard about from the press- like his songwriting practice, that he cries at Finding Nemo, and that he can do a cartwheel only when drunk.

And in return Julie shares with him her crazy college stories, how she misses her mom sometimes, and that she is encyclopedia of commercial jingles (a fact Luke exploits by rapidly quizzing her at random moments)

Somehow they end up near the beach, with Julie pointing out the different stars she could see, but finds that Luke isn't looking at the sky.

"Hey, Julie..." He gets her attention, "I had a really good time tonight."

"Me too"

"So... would it be alright, if I kiss you?"

Julie's mouth parts, speechless. It happened. Holy shit it happened or... is happening. She has Luke exactly where she wants him.

She could only nod and Luke takes it as the sign to lean in, but just as his lips is about to brush against hers, she freaks-

"Wait" she steps back. Luke opens his mouth, "No. No more 'sorry's from you. This one's one me. I'm sorry but... this- this" She sighs, "I have to be honest with you."

Then she tells Luke everything- Nick, The Hall Pass, her plans for tonight- basically admitting to using him.

When she's done, she expects for Luke to get angry, to leave in a huff and never want to see her again.

That's not what happens.

"This Nick guy sounds like a piece of work" he says.

Julie nods slowly, "Yeah... I guess he was. So maybe that's why I did it. But I don't think I could have gone through with it. Like I don't think we're together, me and Nick but-"

"You wouldn't want to do what he did. Because you don't want to hurt people," Luke surmises, understanding, "And by doing that, that means you're a better person than he is."

"I guess"

"No Julie, you're a good person" Luke insists, "Man, I think that makes me like you even more."

Julie laughs, "God, if my high school self could see me now..."

"You were a big fan?"

"I'm not having this conversation right now with you,"

"Okay cuz now you got me curious-"

Julie swats his shoulder but it doesn't deter the guy from snickering.

On a more serious note though-

"I think..." Julie hums, "I think this means that I got some stuff to work through. Before I could start considering... this."

"I understand"

"But thank you... Luke. For tonight"

"It's been real, Julie,"Luke smiles and pulls her in for a half hug, "And you should keep the jacket. Looks better on you anyway."

****

Julie goes back to Flynn's that night and her bestie's still awake, wanting all the deets. But there's not much to tell. Nothing happened.

She shrugs off the jacket and resigns to the couch, not caring that her makeup is still on. She's about ready to pass out.

Her phone dings.

She pulls it out and sees two notifications.

luke_patterson is now following you

luke_patterson is requesting to message you.

Curious, she accepts the request.

'here if you want to talk, Tin Foil :P'

Julie rolls her eyes and collapses onto the couch, sleeping with a smile on her face.

She doesn't know it now, but the oncoming years would be filled with more messages back and forth, meetups with their friends for more shady street food, building a solid foundation of friendship and eventually, when Luke asks again if he could kiss her, Julie would eagerly prop herself on her toes to close the gap.

Yeah, Julie's high school self would definitely be screaming...

[lalijinx]

Stranger Things Fic

Genderswap Steve Harrington --> Stephanie “Stevie” Harrington 

This is an unedited rough draft, but a certain someone said I should post it anyways. ;)

Dust Off Your Highest Hopes

Stevie Harrington’s parents always wanted a boy

In fact they thought she WAS going to be a boy

Her room is painted blue and while she doesn’t have anything against the color, at home it’s a reminder that her parents will always be disappointed

But she tries any way - she can’t not

She plays softball and track and swim team

She’s lean and wiry from all the sports and dresses like a tomboy - still fashionable, but she doesn’t wear skirts or dresses unless forced

Despite always wanting a boy, the Harrington’s still have. A lot of ideas of what’s Proper for a girl

Stevie doesn’t fit those either

She flirts, and makes out with a lot of guys to keep her Queen Stevie reputation

Stevie meets Nancy Wheeler and She’s fascinated

Nancy is prim and proper and dainty and delicate

She’s everything Stevie could never be

She’s the prettiest girl Stevie has ever seen

She doesn’t know how to handle these sudden butterflies

Barely understands what it means, and whatever inkling she has is shoved deep down

And yet

Her eyes follow Nancy

Stevie eventually can’t stay away, and approaches her after class

She has a stumbled excuse about asking for help in English class

Nancy looks a little surprised at first, but she tucks a strand of long hair behind her eye while clutching her books, and her big blue eyes look up at Stevie and smiles and Stevie beams

They meet in the library at lunch and Nancy really does help Stevie because she wasn’t lying about her essay but they talk too

Stevie finds herself giggling a lot more than usual but she chalks it up to the surprisingly sharp wit from Nancy

She looks picture perfect but there’s strength behind her eyes and Stevie wants to follow her anywhere

They meet up a few more times before Carol and Tommy start to get suspicious

Stevie invites Nancy to sit with them at lunch and she surprisingly accepts

It’s a little awkward at first, because Stevie suddenly realizes has been acting differently with Nancy than she does with tommy and Carol

But Nancy rallies, and Tommy and Carol tease Stevie about her suddenly caring about her grades and suddenly she’s back

She finishes the essay with Nancy’s help, and gets a better grade than she’s expecting.

She grins at the grade but her stomach is sinking

She realizes she doesn’t want Nancy to leave

She wants her to stick around, to be her friend, even though the word friend doesn’t feel quite right

She comes up with the brilliant idea to have a girls night at her house since her parents are away (again)

(It’s something she’s always secretly wanted but never knew how to ask for)

She invites Carol, and Nancy, and Nancy asks if she can bring her friend Barb, and Stevie shrugs as says “the more the merrier”

Inviting Carol was a mistake, or maybe she just never specified it was a girls only night, but Carol brings Tommy

Which.

Tommy is Stevie’s best friend but she had plans for tonight to include all the stupid things girls do at sleepovers on tv

(She hadn’t specifically planned for it to be a sleepover but she kinda hoped it turned into one)

Whatever. No one said Stevie couldn’t adapt and roll with the punches

So she breaks out the beer and sets them up on the pool deck with the radio playing in the background

Nancy and Barb show up shortly afterwards

Barb looks a little uncomfortable to be hear but Nancy smiles and Stevie pushes through the awkwardness

She also apologizes for Tommy on their way out to the pool

Nancy laughs and tucks away a strand of hair and says it’s fine

They all end up sitting by the pool chatting for a little bit before Tommy starts getting restless.

He shotguns a beer, and Carol does the same and then they both look expectantly at Stevie

She follows through without looking at Nancy, unsure what she’ll think

Except as she’s finishing the beer, Tommy is challenging Nancy and before Stevie can say anything about how she doesn’t have to Nancy is grabbing the pocket knife and gulping down the beer

Stevie stares slack jawed and feels a flush crawling up her face

She hopes its covered by the dim lights and alcohol but she can’t take that chance so she shoves Tommy into the pool and falls in after

The water is cool on her heated face and she stays under a moment longer before pushing back to the surface

Nancy is laughing when she emerges and Stevie beams, even as Tommy splashes her as he moves to the side

Carol is also laughing as she reaches down to help Tommy up but Stevie can see the split second Tommy changes his mind and yanks back, pulling Carol in too

Carol shrieks and flails into the pool and the two of them are splashing and wrestling in the water

Stevie knows they have a couple minutes before they tune back in, so she pulls herself out and playfully shakes her dripping hair at Nancy

Stevie notices that Barb is still sitting stiffly in the lounge chair, and offers her a beer and the knife

(She doesn’t know Barb that well, but she’s Nancy’s friend and Stevie has a burning need for Nancy to like her)

Barb takes them hesitantly, looking between Nancy and Stevie as Nancy says she doesn’t have to

Stevie nods too, bc she’s not going to force her to drink but she drapes herself over Nancy dripping water and Nancy laughs and squirms and twists away but she’s already wet

A look of determination slips over Barbs face, and she attempts to shotgun the beer too except the knife slips and Barb lets out a hiss of pain

Stevie lets out an oh shit and Nancy rushes over to her friend

There’s blood dripping on the concrete but it doesn’t look stitches bad

Stevie runs to get the first aid kit and meets them at the door she shows them to the down stairs bathroom

She starts to goes back out to tell Carol and Tommy but they’ve made their dripping way inside already, making out and stumbling towards the stairs

They break apart just long enough to tell Stevie they’re going to be borrowing a guest room for the night, don’t wait up and then they’re gone up the stairs

Stevie chews on her nails, a habit that her parent s hate, but she can’t help the sinking feeling that the night is ruined

But then Nancy comes out of the bathroom and smiles shyly at Stevie and maybe not all is lost

Stevie abruptly realizes she’s still dripping water all over, and Nancy is damp and has blood on her shirt

She offers that Nancy can borrow some clothes since she needs to change anyway and her heart is beating a million miles a minute when Nancy nods and tells Barb to wait down here, she’ll be right back

They head up to her room and for the first time she loves the color blue as Nancy’s eyes sparkle the exact same shade

Stevie roots around in her drawers, trying to find something that Nancy will like

And then she turns around to ask a question and Nancy is right there, smiling and the question does on her lips because suddenly the butterflies are back and she knows what they are this time and before she can think through her actions she leans forward and kisses Nancy on the lips

(Stevie is not usually one to think first and act second but for one second before the panic kicks in she wishes sh was a different person)

She jerks back and her eyes go wide and she starts to stutter out an apology

Nancy is blushing but she’s not leaving and Stevie trails off as she smiles

“I’m just gonna go tell Barb she can head home, if ...that’s alright?”

Stevie nods and smiles, and she’s almost certainly blushing hard but for once she doesn’t mind

Nancy leaves the room and Stevie stands there stupidly grinning for a moment before she remembers she’s still soaked and scrambles to pull on pajamas (which end up being a soft tee and shorts because she doesn’t own much else in the way of pjs)

Stevie flops back on the bed and covers her face with her hands trying to wipe the stupid grin off her face

She might actually get to kiss Nancy Wheeler again, for real, and she understands that she was always hoping for this

She hears the distant sound of the front door closing and she can’t help how she bounces in anticipation and panics for a minute about how to act natural before shaking her head

Nancy hasn’t judged her yet.

She waits eagerly for Nancy to come back through the door.

And waits.

And waits.

The smile starts to slip off her face. The butterflies have turned into stone and her stomach is sinking with them.

Stevie gets up from the bed and heads down the stairs, hoping that maybe Nancy just stoped for a drink or a snack or something

The kitchen is empty and quiet.

Stevie heads back to the sliding doors and walks out to the pool hoping hoping hoping Nancy decided she wanted to swim after all and she didn’t just disappear, leaving her waiting behind

But the pool is quiet.

There’s nothing there except for the empty cans and the blood drops from Barb’s hand.

Stevie claps a hand over her mouth when a sob escapes involuntarily

Her chest feels tight, and she angrily kicks away one of the empty cans

It skitters across the concert and splashes into the pool and Stevie sinks down onto a lounge chair, hand muffling her sobs and she can’t keep them in, tears trailing down her face

She had really really gotten her hope up, higher than she even realized, and the come down now that Nancy essentially stood her up is hard

But she’s Stevie Freaking Harrington. It’s just as well, she thinks angrily. It’s not like she could actually date Nancy in the open. Her parents certainly wouldn’t approve, and Hawkins isn’t known for being open minded.

She angrily swipes the tears away and storms back into the house, grabbing one of her fathers whiskey bottles on her way back to her room.

She’s had enough of tonight and drowns her feelings in alcohol and if she cries into her pillow no one will know.

(Jonathon is out in the woods looking for his brother. He knows there’s something going on and he knows sometimes the camera sees more than the eye.

So he’s wandering the woods when he hears shrieking and just as he gets close he hears it turn into laughter

He heartbeat settles slightly but he still raises his camera to his eye

He doesn’t know yet what happened to Will so right now he’s documenting everything. Even if he’s pretty sure Stevie Harrington had nothing to do with it

He is a little surprised to see Nancy Wheeler and Barbra Holland hanging out with Stevie and her crowd

Not that he keeps up with the school gossip but he’s pretty sure Nancy and Barb don’t run in the same circles as Stevie Harrington

He snaps pictures almost automatically as he watches Carol and Tommy wrestle in the pool and Barb cut her finger on a beer can. Stevie, Nancy, and Barb go inside, and Carol and Tommy follow shortly, obliviously making out.

Jonathon sighs, frustrated with everything as he checks the settings on his camera again

He not sure what he’s hoping for out here but he can’t not do anything  

When he looks back up, Barb is sitting by the pool, alone, one hand pressed to the other

He raises the camera and takes another photo to test the settings

Movement catches his eye on the upper level and he moves his lens to follow it

He sees Stevie and Nancy smiling at each other in the window and snaps a picture out of habit

In the next second he sees Stevie lean forward and kiss Nancy and Jonathon goes red and fumbles his camera in his embarrassment and shock.

He picks it up and retrains it back toward the house just in time to see Barb giving Nancy a quick hug and heading back into the house.

Nancy stays by the pool and smiles at nothing and Jonathon sees a blush rising on her cheeks

Jonathon is suddenly struck by how beautiful she is, with the pool lights dancing along her flushed face, and snaps another picture before he suddenly remembers all over again that Will is missing and he doesn’t have time for this

When he looks up again Nancy is gone.)

(He hasn’t left yet, the realization that taking photos in the woods was a stupid idea to find his brother rooting him to the spot.

He flinches and sinks lower into the shadows when he hears the skittering of a can and looks up to see Stevie Harrington sitting  on the pool chair in shorts and a T-shirt and starts when he realizes she’s crying

He’s never seen Stevie Harrington cry before, and his jaw goes a little slack as he watches her sobbing into her hand.

He’s just about to awkwardly convince himself that he should go see if she’s okay (he may not particularly like her, but she’s sobbing ) when she stands sharply up, swiping her face angrily and storming back into the house.

Jonathon lets out a breath he didn’t realize he was holding and moves carefully away from the house. He still wants to develop the photos he took, even if they’re almost guaranteed to be useless. He’s can’t stop thinking that if there is something, he has to try. )

Stevie wakes up hung over, but it’s a Wednesday and she’s an old hat at disguising it

She covers up the bags under her eyes, brushes her teeth, fixes her hair and grabs her sunglasses on her way out the door

She still feels like her stomach is filled with stones, but no one else has any reason to suspect that so she pastes a smile on her face and plays up the party girl image

Stevie isn’t sure what she’s going to say when she sees Nancy but she lucks out and doesn’t see her in the halls at all

She does see Barb, alone, and something niggles at her but she pushes it aside, even if Barb gives her an impressive side eye

Turns out she should have paid more attention because Barb pulls her aside into an empty classroom on her way to lunch

Stevie pulls her hand away and scowls at her - Barb is one of the only people who might have an idea why Stevie is in a foul mood, and she drops the personable party girl act

Barb is scowling back, and starts talking before Stevie can come back with something cutting

“I don’t know exactly what happened last night, but you need to apologize to Nancy-“

“What did I do!?” Except she knows what she did and guilt is curling around her chest to tangle with the hurt

“I don’t know, but she sent me home, and now she’s not in school and she won’t even answer my calls, so obviously you must have done something after I left!”

Confusion stops her panic cold.

“What are you talking about”

“You know exactly what I’m-“

Stevie interrupts her, “No, I know, I mean... I thought she left with you.“

Barb stares at her.

“What?”

“I don’t know what you’re trying to pull here...” but even as Barb says it, she trails off, unsure, something on Stevie’s face giving away her sincere confusion.

“I — she left. I thought with you. You’re saying she didn’t go home with you last night?”

“No.”

Stevie stares at her. Barb stares back.

“She didn’t stay with me — I mean at my place. I just assumed she left when you did. She didn’t exactly tell me when she did.” Stevie mutters the last part, looking away as her face flushes, but it’s just her and Barb in an empty classroom so of course she sees it.

“Nancy doesn’t have a car. “

Stevie looks back at the non-sequitur, temporarily relieved that Barb is choosing to ignore anything Stevie gave away.

Stevie quirks an eyebrow. “So?”

Barb sighs. “So, I drove her to your house last night. And she told me she was going to stay the night. So I left. Alone. “

“She, uh—“ Stevie takes a breath and holds it for a second, letting it out in one big rush. “She just said she was going to tell you to head home. And then... then she never came back up.” Stevie looks down at her feet. “I assumed she changed her mind or something and just left with you.”

Barb looks a little worried now.

“That’s not like Nancy.”

“Maybe she walked? Or got another ride? I don’t know.” Stevie is rapidly approaching her limit for this conversation. She was already feeling raw from last night, and rehashing it all with Barb makes her feel uncomfortably vulnerable.

“Look.” Stevie points her finger at Barb. “I don’t know what Nancy did. All I know is she didn’t hang around my place last night, so maybe she bailed on both of us.” Stevie shakes her head. “And I don’t care. Nancy’s a big girl, she can do whatever she wants.” The lie tastes sour on her tongue, but she spins around and stalks to the door, and stops, hesitating with her hand on the handle.

“When you do see her...” Stevie doesn’t turn around, doesn’t want to see whatever is on Barb’s face right now, “Tell her I’m sorry.”

With that, she yanks open the door and exits, flipping her sunglasses back over her eyes. They can hide more than bags and light sensitivity, and no one has to see Stevie Harrington pull herself back together.

TBC...