CHAPTER TWO:

PARTY POOPER

LEE BREATHED DEEPLY, staring into her mirror in her room as she patted down her dress. She was getting ready for her first high school party and she was nervous. Sure she was excited but being there with Steve was different.

It hadn't started as much but throughout Lee Jones' time in Hawkins, she began to fall for the popular jock. Sure, it was her best friend's boyfriend but she always thought he was attractive. And he knew her well. No one else had ever known her well enough– besides Nancy. Which made it harder for the blonde to fall for him.

"You still goin'?" Lee was pulled from her trance as her mother's thick British accent brought her out of her trance. The young blonde smiled sheepishly, tucking a piece of loose hair behind her ears as her mother entered her room.

"I just don't know what to wear." It might be unusual for most teenagers to tell their parents about a party involving alcohol but Lee was new to parents and parties. Thinking it was best to ask her family. Her father was a bit reluctant but her mother was ecstatic that Lee was making friends.

Thirty minutes later after tearing apart the girls closet, the two women finally settled on an outfit. Music by Earth, Wind, & Fire was blaring from the record player in her room. The glow of Lee's lamp on the desk radiated throughout the room, landing on the teenage girl who was trying on her dress. It was a light blue long sleeved dress– what Lee wore when she went to church for the first time.

"Amelie Jones, you're going to be the grooviest girl at this party." Her mother announced with a proud smile, watching her daughter twirl around in her blue dress.

Amelie was excited for this party and to visit with Nancy, Steve, and maybe Jonathan Byers if he showed up.

She just didn't realise how the night was going to end.

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LEE WAS A BUNDLE of nerves as she sat in the car with her mom.

"Be sure to call me if Nancy can't take you home." Lee's mother told her as they pulled up to the house. Lee had no idea who was throwing the party.

She agreed to her mother's terms before stepping out of the car and walking up the driveway, her heart beating fast. Lee opened the front door that was opened a crack, walking into a party that had already started. Everyone was either lined up against the walls drinking and talking or dancing.

The blonde girl navigated through the hoards of teenagers until she located Nancy and Steve dancing the night away. She joined them, a smile on her face as she danced. Her blonde hair flew around her as she shook her head to the beat of the music.

Cheering erupted from the backyard as a teenage boys burst in, in front of the trio, the new kid, Billy. A boy yelled out at Steve, showing off Billy Hargrove to him.

"We got ourselves a new Keg King, Harrington." The boy smirked at Steve while another boy joined them.

"Yeah, that's right!"

"Yeah. Eat it, Harrington." Each teen boy stared the other down and Lee watched nervously as the tension between Steve and Billy grew.

Lee frowned as Nancy pushed past the boys, leaving her friends behind. Lee was hesitant in following her friend but didn't want to be alone next to the boys.

"What's in this?" Nancy asked a teenage boy who drank the liquid she was looking at. Lee stood silently beside her friend, judging the boys toga costume made out of floral drapery.

"Pure fuel! Pure fuel! Whoo!" The boy burped loudly as he yelled to her his response. Lee stood there awkwardly watching her friend take a cup of the liquid. Steve approached the two girls, a concerned look sent Nancy's way as she gulped down the alcoholic beverage.

"Hey–Whoa, whoa! Take it easy .Take it easy. Nance, Nance, Nance–"

"We're just being stupid teenagers for the night. Wasn't that the deal?" Nancy spat at Steve and Lee's eyes widened at her friend's rude tone to her boyfriend. The girl with brunette hair chugged down her drink before walking away towards the dancing crowd, leaving a frustrated Steve with Amelie.

Lee stayed silent, watching her friend walk away– Hoping Nancy was okay.

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STEVE, NANCY, AND LEE RESUMED DANCING together and Lee felt mored worried. Nancy's movements began to get sloppy and it reminded the blonde of her past foster homes and how her foster parents would become drunk and violent.

"Steve," Lee tugged on the boys sleeve, trying to catch his attention. "Nancy's gone!" Steve's attention snapped to Lee at her words, looking around to spot Nancy heading back for more alcohol.

"No, no, no. Get off." Nancy told her boyfriend as the tall boy tried to keep her away from drinking excessively.

"No, you've had enough, okay?"

"Screw you!" Nancy muttered at him as she tried to dunk her red cup back into the alcoholic beverage.

"Nance, I'm serious." Steve told her with a frown. "Hey. Hey. Hey. Stop. No, I'm serious. Put it down."

"No!" Nancy was beginning to sound like an obstinate toddler.

"Nance, put it down."

"Steve! Stop."

"Aren't you going to help?" Nancy slurred at Lee who stood watching the two fight. She didn't want to intervene on the fight between the two as it escalated.

Everyone around them became silent as her drink spilled all over her while Nancy was distracted. "What the hell?" Nancy exclaimed loudly, glaring at her boyfriend.

"Nance. Nance, I'm sorry." Steve apologised, following his girlfriend out of the room. Lee followed silently, hoping everything was okay between the two of them.

Lee sighed as she saw the door close on her face. Yet another door shut between her and her friends.

The young blonde hated secrets.

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Steve barged out of the bathroom, storming down the hallway until he entered the only empty room. However, it wasn't empty. Amelie exited the built in bathroom, surprised to see Steve sitting on the bed.

"Steve?"

"You've always been there for me, Amelie." Steve sighed, starting up a conversation. "I know I've been a shitty friend to you and I have no excuse. I'm sorry my relationship got in our way."

Lee frowned, sitting beside him. She stayed quiet for a moment to think of a response. "I don't blame you, Steve. I didn't put much effort into our friendship like I did with Nancy."

"Still, I should've."

"It's okay, Steve. We can start now," Lee suggested with a smile. "It was a bit shitty since you and Nancy were always making out when you were my first friends but it's okay–"

It wasn't okay. Her first real friends were always too busy for her, she just lied. Lee Jones was an unselfish girl who knew that others had priorities– she knew she wasn't one of theirs. Maybe, eventually she would be.

"Yes, let's start now." Steve told her with a smile in the dim lighting of the room. Lee hadn't looked at the room properly but it was an empty guest room with the slight glow from doorway's light lit Steve's face softly. "Nancy and I have a few secrets and she's been dying to tell you but she can't. That's why she's been acting this way."

"Really? Why doesn't your girlfriend ever tell me that?" Lee asked sarcastically, laying down on the bed, her arms spread out. She hated secrets.

"She's not my girlfriend anymore." Steve announced after a moment of silence. Lee sat up quickly, turning to question her friend but she didn't have time to because–

–Steve Harrington kissed Amelie Jones.

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