A/N [from 2019] Woohoo! 300 reads baby! Thanks to the people who've voted and added this story to your Reading List!

Now, a Question of the Day: Would you rather live in Hawkins, Indiana or Pawnee, Indiana? I'm a Pawnee Goddess and hardcore Parks and Rec fan myself, but I think I'd rather live in Hawkins. Fighting monsters is way cooler than fighting raccoons and Eagletonians imho. 

July 2020 Update: Wowee I have a LOT more than 300 reads now. Thanks so much to you amazing readers!

{The Monster, Part I}

Alice flew—well, not literally, like Lucas just had—through the streets of Hawkins on her bike. She wanted to meet up with Nancy and see if she and Jonathan had found the "monster" they were looking for. She couldn't spend another second with Mike and Dustin; they were dead set on discussing "rules of the party" and how to apologize to Lucas, and it was getting a little too medieval for her. Besides, they kept bringing up the fact that Alice hadn't been able to use her powers to heal Lucas.

Not like I need any more reminders, Alice thought.

When she made it to Maple Street, she saw Steve "Good Hair" Harrington's car parked outside. Lo and behold, Tommy H. and Carol—the two worst people in the world—were leaning against the hood while Steve climbed toward Nancy's window.

"Well, well, well," Tommy said, "what do we have here? Little Orphan Annie out for a bike ride."

"Hello, Dickhead," Alice said. "Mrs. Dickhead."

"Me-ouch!" Carol said. "What's got you all riled up?"

"Nothing your pea-sized brain could comprehend," Alice shot back.

She dismounted her bike and started wheeling it up the driveway, but before she could ring the bell and ask Mrs. Wheeler if Nancy was in, Steve shimmied back down from Nancy's window and stormed towards his car.

"Oh, hi, Alice," he said. There was an angry glint in his eye and venom in his voice. "Here to see Nancy?"

"Yeah, actually," Alice said. "I need to borrow her chemistry notes for my makeup test."

Damn, Alice thought, lying is coming way more naturally to me. Should I be worried?

"Well," Steve continued, clenching and unclenching his fists. "I'd come back another time. Nancy's a little preoccupied right now."

"What do you mean?" Alice said. Her eyes flicked to Nancy's window.

"Oh my god," Carol said, "is there someone up there?"

Steve nodded grimly.

"It's Byers," he spat out. He turned to Alice and said, "Did you know about this?"

"Know about what?" Alice said, raising an eyebrow. "I'm lost."

"Wow, you're really naïve," Tommy scoffed. "Byers is up there in Nancy's room."

"What did you see?" Carol said, intrigued.

"He was putting his arm around her," Steve said, running a hand through his hair. "You paint the picture."

"She's screwing him!" Tommy said with a laugh.

"Shut up, Tommy," Steve muttered.

Tommy and Carol cackled like hyenas, laughing about "Nancy The Slut." Alice refused to believe it.

"No, no, that's not right," Alice said, wrinkling her nose. "Nancy's crazy about you—trust me, she wouldn't cheat. Maybe you just misread the situation—"

Steve let out a hollow laugh.

"'Misread the situation'?" Steve said. "Wow, Alice, Tommy's right. You are naïve."

"I'm not naïve," Alice said, feeling her cheeks heat up. "I know Nancy!"

"If you know her so well," Steve said, leaning in closer, "then why don't you look through her window and see for yourself."

Alice wasn't sure how to respond. She knew Nancy and Jonathan were getting close, but that was because of the monster hunt. Not because they were falling for each other. Right?

Steve looked frustrated, and upset, and pissed off all at once. He rubbed his forehead and said, "Listen, Al, you and I are friends, right?"

Alice's eyes widened and she nodded.

"I mean," she said, "I guess."

"Well," Steve huffed, "friends don't lie to each other, correct?"

Alice thought of Eleven.

"No, friends don't lie."

"Then tell me the truth," Steve said, crossing his arms. "Did you know about Nance and Byers?"

What was she supposed to say? 'Yeah, I knew all about their epic team-up and monster hunt, and I know about the weird shit going on in town. Oh, did you know I'm a super powered freak?'

"Geez, Harrington," Alice said, choking out a strained laugh. "You're really giving me the third-degree here. What are you, a cop?"

"Answer the question!" Tommy said from behind her. He and Carol were on the edge of their seats wanting to see if Alice Henderson knew about Nancy's nefarious deeds.

"I think they are working on a school project together," Alice said slowly, avoiding Steve's gaze.

Steve rolled his eyes.

"Wow," Steve said. "You're a terrible liar."

He shoved his shoulder against hers on his way past and opened his car door.

"Steve, wait," Alice said. "There's a reasonable explanation, I'm sure of it—"

Steve hesitated before getting in the driver's seat. He desperately wanted to believe Alice was right and there was nothing going on between Nancy and Jonathan. A voice in the back of his head nagged at him, though, telling him Jonathan was the kind of guy Nancy really wanted to be with. Byers was smart. Steve was just a stupid jock with no future, and everyone knew it.

"See you around, Al," Steve said. He got in his car and started it up, ignoring Tommy and Carol's obnoxious laughs and trying to drown out the noise in his head.

Alice watched him drive away. She felt bad for Mr. Good Hair. He wasn't the worst person she knew, and he really did care about Nancy.

Alice biked home, wondering if Nancy and Jonathan really were together. Maybe monster hunting was an aphrodisiac.

Alice parked her bike in the carport and headed into the house, trying to sneak past her mom in the kitchen.

"Alley-Cat?" her mom called. "Is that you?"

"Dang," Alice muttered. "Yeah, it's me."

Mrs. Henderson entered the front room with her hands on her hips.

"It's after curfew," she said. "Dusty's been home for hours. I've been worried sick!"

"Sorry, mom," Alice said. "I was with some friends at Nancy's house."

"Who? Do I know them?"

"Oh," Alice said. "Um, well, Steve Harrington and—"

"Steve Harrington?" Dustin shouted. He had been eavesdropping from his room, and at the mention of the coolest kid in school emerged into the living room. "Why the hell were you with Steve Harrington? He's a douche."

"Dusty!" Mrs. Henderson scolded. "Watch your mouth!"

"Yeah, Dusty," Alice said, trying to slip past her mom and go to her room. "Put a nickel in the swear jar."

Dustin rolled his eyes, and Mrs. Henderson stepped in front of Alice.

"Well, I know Mrs. Harrington from the PTA," Mrs. Henderson said, "and from what I've heard, he seems like a very nice boy."

Dustin mimed gagging behind their mom's back, and Alice stifled a laugh.

"I hear his friends are trouble, though," Mrs. Henderson continued. "That Tommy Hagan smokes cigarettes!"

"So does half of Hawkins High," Alice deadpanned.

Mrs. Henderson raised an eyebrow.

"But not me, though," Alice said quickly.

"That's right," Mrs. Henderson said. "I know you and Dusty are angels—"

Dustin continued to fake-gag.

"—but I don't want you spending time with bad influences," Mrs. Henderson finished.

"Got it, Mom," Alice said. She faked a yawn. "Listen, can we give this peer pressure chat a rain check? I'm exhausted."

"Of course, honey," Mrs. Henderson said.

Alice and Dustin headed toward their rooms, until their mom stopped them.

"Oh, by the way, Alice," Mrs. Henderson said, "someone called for you today. A Rebecca Piper? She said she wanted to meet you tomorrow. Something about a newspaper ad?"

Alice's heartbeat quickened. She turned to back to her mom, poker face in tact.

"Oh, really?" Alice said casually.

"What did you put an ad out for?" Mrs. Henderson said, voice strained. She already knew the answer.

"Would you believe me if I said I'm hiring a personal assistant?" Alice said sheepishly.

"I don't want you meeting with a stranger," Mrs. Henderson said firmly.

"But Mom!" Alice said, ignoring the fact that she sounded like a petulant child. "She could be my birth mom! Or know who she is! Come on, you've got to let me go!"

"No!" Mrs. Henderson said. She pinched the bridge of her nose, frustrated. "I'm not letting you go alone. This could be a scam, she could just want money—or it could be a kidnapping plot! I don't want you getting taken—"

"Mom," Alice said loudly, "I can handle myself. I'm almost 16!"

"Which means you're 15!" Mrs. Henderson yelled. "So a child!"

"I need to know where I come from!" Alice said, voice rising in pitch.

"Why?" Mrs. Henderson shouted. "Aren't you happy with Dusty and I?"

"Yes!" Alice said. "But that's not the point! I'll never feel satisfied until I know where I come from and why—and why—"

"And why what?" Mrs. Henderson said, arms crossed.

"And why she gave me up," Alice said, voice barely above a whisper.

The room got deadly quiet. The only sound that could be heard was Mews loudly and obnoxiously licking herself.

Dustin, feeling the tension, cleared his throat and stepped forward.

"Ladies," he said, "let's all just relax—"

"Shut it, dork," Alice mumbled.

She turned on her heel and marched into her bedroom, slamming the door and locking it. 

Alice angrily kicked her desk chair and let out a strangled cry of frustration. She continued kicking it over and over and over again until the anger gave way to sadness. 

Alice curled up in a ball by her bed as the tears fell.

{Edited July 7, 2020; Reposted October 16, 2024}