A/N: Sorry it's been so long since I've updated. I've been busy with some original works.  Also sorry for typos. I don't have an editor. I do all my editing. 

Bex looked in her vanity and sighed. She had her cheer uniform and her long blonde hair in a high ponytail. She was so tired of the way she looked. Her, her parents and her brother all had that signature Carver blonde hair. They all dressed a certain way to keep their picture perfect. It was starting to make her feel sick to look at herself in the mirror, knowing that her true self was hidden behind long blonde locks and her green and gold uniform.

If she were being honest, she didn't really like cheer. Her mother was a cheerleader in highschool and apparently that meant Bex had to be a cheerleader as well. She tried her best to enjoy it because she was forced to do it.

"Rebecca honey, you're going to be late!" Her mother called from downstairs. Bex sighed and got up from her vanity and grabbed her backpack and walked out of her room and down the stairs where her mother met her at the bottom.
"Are you feeling better?" Her mother asked. Bex stared at her for a few seconds, confused before she remembered that her mother thought she was sick all last night.
"Oh! Yeah...much better." Bex said.
"Are you sure? You seem a little out of it this morning."
"I'm fine." Bex shrugged.
"Are you ready to go?" Blaire asked as she walked over to them.

"You don't ride with your brother anymore?" Mrs. Carver frowned.
"No mom. I don't." Bex sighed. "I have to go." She said.
"But you haven't had any breakfast." Mrs Carver fussed
"We'll stop and get donuts." Blaire said.
"Donuts??" Mrs. Carver asked in apparent disgust. "That is way too much sugar and fat for breakfast."
"I'll let you in on a little secret." Blaire said and stepped closer to Mrs. Carver.
"That's why they're delicious." She whispered.
Bex snickered. "Come on Blaire lets go." She said and walked out the front door.

"I totally forgot your truck wasn't here." Bex said.
"Well shit.. Me too. Are you going to spaz if we are late?" Blaire asked.
Bex thought for a minute and shook her head.
"Nah. Old me would. New me doesn't care." Bex shrugged.
"New you?" Blaire snorted as they started walking.
"More like..the real me." Bex said. "I'm tired of being who everyone else expects me to be."
"Well that's all good and stuff but just make sure you are doing this for you, and not trying to get Eddie to like you more. Because I can tell you right now, he will like you regardless."
"It is for me. I'm going to the mall after school with Chrissy to buy some new clothes. She's going to pick me up after I finish tutoring Eddie. Do you want to come?" Bex asked.
"Sure. But only because I want the pizza in the food court." Blaire smirked. "Wait. I heard your Dad this morning grumbling about church."
"Probably because Wednesday service was canceled this week. He takes it personally when church gets canceled for anything." Bex rolled her eyes.

"So why don't you have your own fancy car?" Blaire asked.
"Because I can't drive." Bex shrugged.
"What? Dude, I could teach you if you wanted."
Bex shook her head. "I've had seizures since I was a kid and fell off a jungle gym and hit my head. I worry about getting one while driving. I could really hurt someone."
"Oh shit. Sorry." Blaire said. "Are we talking like full on convulsions?"
"It's rare, but they happen sometimes. Mostly I just look like I'm zoning out and then I get really tired and my brain is foggy." Bex said. "They're called focal seizures."
"Oh. That kind of sucks." Blaire said.
"It does." Bex agreed.

A car pulled up beside them and the passenger's side window rolled down. Robin Buckley poked her head out the window.
"Hey Bex, do you guys need a ride?" She asked.
"Sure!" Bex said and looked at Blaire who looked completely frozen. She'd never seen Blaire like this. She nudged her shoulder.
"You coming?" She asked.
"Uh.." Blaire said taking her eyes off of Robin for the moment. "Yeah." She said.
Bex opened the back door on the passengers side. Blaire got in first and slid in sitting behind Steve, and Bex got in and shut the door.
"Thanks guys." She said.
"Anytime Bexie, you know that." Steve said, looking in the rearview as he started driving again.

Robin turned around in her seat so she was facing Bex and Blaire.
"Is the cheer squad helping with the Fall festival too?" She asked Bex.
"Yes. The basketball team is doing the dunk tanks, and we are all paring off and helping with different stations. Chrissy and I are running the balloon pop game. What is the band doing this year?" Bex asked.
"Same thing that you guys are doing. I'm running the ticket booth and the rest of the band is helping with the carnival games." She shrugged. She turned to Blaire and smiled.
"Blaire Nolan right?" She asked.

Blaire's eyes widened.
"Uh..." she paused and looked to Bex for help. Blaire had always seemed like she was way more confident than she was acting right now. Bex just smiled and nodded.
"Yes...I am Blaire." Blaire said and then sighed in embarrassment lowering her head.
Robin chuckled.
"I saw your last Boxing match. You totally smoked that guy and he was huge compared to you!" Robin exclaimed.
Blaire looked back up so fast Bex was surprised she didn't get whiplash.
"You watch boxing?" She asked.
"Yeah totally, I think it's cool and it's a good way to make some extra cash." Robin shrugged.
"How?" Blaire asked.
"There's a lot of betting that goes on in the crowd. I always walk out with at least 200 bucks." Robin said.
"How do you make that much??" Blaire asked.
"Easy. I always put my money on you." Robin smiled.

"Robin, turn around before you get me a ticket!" Steve sighed.
Robin turned back around in her seat.
Bex looked at Blaire whose face was beet red but she had a small smile on her face.
"I don't need a ticket because you want to flirt." Steve said.
Blaires eyes widened.
"Flirt??" Robin screeched.
"You know that's what you were doing, don't even try to hide it." Steve laughed.
"Was not." Robin mumbled and sank down in the passenger's seat.

Steve's car began stalling out.
"Ah come on man not again." Steve groaned and pulled over to the side of the road as the car died.
"What's the problem?" Blaire asked.
"I couldn't tell you. I just replaced the damn battery thinking that was the problem." Steve sighed.
Blaire opened the door and slid out of the car and walked around to the front and opened the hood. Steve looked back at Bex.
"Is your new friend a mechanic or something?" He asked.
Bex shrugged.
"Maybe?" She said.
Steve quickly got out of the car in fear for his car
"Look, I know she's a little rough around the edges but she's all I got." Steve said.
"Then you should take care of her better, Harrington. When's the last time you changed your oil?" Blaire scoffed.
"Me? Change the Oil?" Steve questioned. "I haven't personally done it."
Blaire rolled her eyes.
"When was the last time someone else changed your oil?"
"Last year...sometime...I think?" Steve said.
Blaire took a deep breath.
"Okie dokie then." She said.
"Is that the problem?" Steve asked.
"Not likely. She is running a bit hot though there might be a problem with the thermometer. Blaire said and closed the hood. "The trailer park is not very far away. We can push the car there and I can use my truck to give you a jump, but I recommend taking it to the shop this weekend to get it looked at. If I had to guess, it's a bad alternator. I work Saturdays at the shop and I can get you a discount. And an oil change." Blaire smirked. Bex and Robin both got out of the car.

"What's going on?" Robin asked.
"Well, we are going to push the car to the trailer park, let it cool off a bit and then Blaires is going to use her truck to give me a jump and we will be back on the road so I can get you guys to school."
Bex looked down the road at the city bus approaching them
"Or...we can skip." She said.
Blaire, Robin and Steve all looked at her, not expecting those words to come from her mouth.
"Oh come on, it would be fun. We are late anyways." Bex shrugged. "We could go to the mall."

The bus stopped in front of them and the door opened.
"You kids need a ride?" The driver asked.
"Yes. We do." Bex grinned and hopped on the bus.
"Bex, come on. You have to go to school." Steve groaned.
"When did you become such a snore?" Bex asked and walked further into the bus.
"Welp, I'm not comfortable turning teenage rebellion Barbie loose on the town just yet." Blaire said and stepped up on the bus.
"You guys coming?" She asked.
"Hell yeah!" Robin said and followed Blaire.
Steve threw his hands up.
"Always the damn babysitter." He groaned and got onto the bus.

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bex walked ahead of everyone else as they were exploring downtown Hawkins as the Mall wouldn't be open until noon.
"What has gotten into Bex?" Robin chuckled and nudged Blaire.
"You think this is bad? You shoulda seen her last night at Eddie's trailer puffing like a dragon." Blaire smirked. "She's a very sheltered rich kid who got a taste of Eddie..and Eddie's world and now she's just riding the high."
"She got a taste of Eddie?" Robin said and scrunched her nose.
"Oh! I mean.. They kissed. I didn't mean she...well I mean I didn't see her do anything like that...not that I would be watching...I just-" Blaire was cut off by a giggle.
"Relax. I knew what you meant." Robin smiled. Blaire just kind of looked down and mumbled to herself.

Robin bit her lip. She knew undoubtedly that she had, had a crush on Blaire since the night Steve took her to that first boxing match, but Blaire always seemed so unapproachable, up until today, she was too intimidated to talk to Blaire in fear of, much more than rejection, Blaire was known around the school for being Brutal and inconsiderate of others feelings, but now that she had actually talked with her a little, Blaire was like a completely different person than the entire school made her out to be.

"Hey, are you going to be at the fall carnival at the end of the month?" Robin asked.
"Well, I'm not in any of the extracurricular activities that would make me required to be there, so I hadn't really thought of it." Blaire shrugged.
"I'm running the ticket booth until 6...I was wondering if maybe you'd want to hang out? Maybe ride a couple of rides? But I mean if not.. That's totally fine." Robin said. "I mean.. Gosh I don't even know if I'm reading the signals right but I kinda feel a certain way about you and If I'm crazy you can tell me and I'll back off...but I feel that you feel a certain way about me too."
Robin blurted out and took a deep breath to recover from her long winded explanation.

Blaire stopped walking and looked up at Robin.
"You aren't crazy." Blaire said and her face turned beet red. "I do feel a certain way about you too. I have for the last two years but I was always afraid of rejection. I didn't know if you liked..you know, girls too." She added.
"I was afraid of rejection too. You have a reputation at school of being.." Robin started
"I'll be the first to admit, I'm an asshole, but the jocks and pom pom princesses have made it sound like I'm a lot worse than I actually am." Blaire sighed.
"No, I get it! Now that I'm actually talking to you, I realize that you aren't that mean and scary." Robin gave a small still nervous smile.
"Just don't tell anyone." Blaire smirked. "If they think I'm mean and scary they leave me alone."
Robin chuckled.
"I wont say a thing."
"Good." Blaire smiled. The two of them stood there in silence just staring at each other.

Steve turned around pausing the effort to keep up with Bex.
"Hurry ughp slow pokes! I'm having a hard enough time keeping up with Bex."
"Always gotta ruin the moment." Robin mumbled. "We're coming dingus don't get your panties in a twist."
Blaire laughed. "Dingus. I like it."
"It's fitting I think." Robin smirked.
"Totally." Blaire agreed.

Blaire and Robin caught up with Steve.

"What are we doing first?" Blaire asked.
"There used to be a small diner down here somewhere. When we were younger, my grandpa used to come visit every saturday morning and take Jason and I out for breakfast..eventually he voiced his concerns about the way my parents were raising us to be spoiled brats and they stopped letting him visit, and I haven't seen him in years." Bex frowned.
"Sounds like O'Malleys." Blaire shrugged.
"Yes that's it!" Bex said.
"It's right around the corner." Steve said. That was all Bex needed to hear before she was taking off again.

Bex waited for everyone to catch up when she stopped right outside of O'Malleys.
"Who's hungry?" Bex asked. "My Dad is buying." She smirked.
"I could eat." Steve shrugged and followed her inside.
Robin started walking in too but noticed Blaire's hesitation.
"You coming?" She asked.
"Yeah...yeah. It's just..my mom used to work here. She was murdered two years ago right about where we are standing. It was a drive by shooting and its a cold case now."
"Holy shit...Blaire I'm sorry." Robin said.
"If you don't want to go in I'll wait out here with you."
"No, its okay. I'm going to go in but I haven't been here since the murder so I just needed a minute." Blaire said.
"Of course." Robin nodded. "We'll go in together?" She asked and held out her hand.
Blaire nodded.
"Together." She said and took Robin's hand and they walked into the diner.

Bex and Steve were inside, talking to a tall man with shaggy ginger hair and a beard to match.
Blaire knew him to be the owner Thomas O'Malley.
"I never forget a face." Thomas said. "Little Rebecca Carver is all grown up." Thomas smiled.
"How is Robert doing?" He asked referring to Bex's grandfather.
"I haven't been allowed to see him in years. He and my parents had a falling out." Bex frowned.
"I'm sorry to hear that. He's a great man. Still comes in every saturday and orders the same thing." Thomas said.
"Could...you tell him hi for me next time he comes in?" Bex asked. "And..that I miss him?"
"Of course." Thomas smiled. "Let's get you two table." Thomas said.
"Oh theres two more of us." Steve said and nodded at Blaire and Robin.

Thomas turned around to look at them and for a moment he looked like he saw a ghost. He walked over to Blaire and Robin.
"You look...just like your mother." Thomas said. "I thought I was seeing a Ghost."
"Nope..just me." Blaire shrugged.
"Where have you been kid?" He asked and pulled her in for a hug, and much to Bex's surprise Blaire kind of melted into it. This was obviously someone she knew and trusted.
"I've been around. I'm staying with the Carvers." Blaire said.
"I saw that your Dad had been arrested but they wouldn't give me information on where you were. Last I heard they were shipping you off to Maine to live with your Dads brother. I'm glad you got to stay." He said.
"Me too." Blaire said and pulled away from the hug.
"You kids are hungry?" Thomas asked.
"Starving." Bex said.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was lunch time at Hawkins High and Jason had not seen his sister all day. Come to think of it, he hadn't seen Blaire either and he knew then that Blaire had dragged his sister into some kind of trouble and they were skipping.
"Did you hear from Rebecca at all today?" He asked Chrissy as she sat down at the table with him.
"No, I haven't. I'm sure she's just playing hooky with Blaire." Chrissy said.
"You say that as if its not a problem." Jason said.
"Give Bex a break J, how many times have we played Hooky?" Chrissy said and put her hand over his.
"Thats different Chris." Jason sighed. "Rebecca's a good girl. Or at least she was until He got involved." Jason said and glared at Eddie's table. "I bet he knows something." Jason said and stood up.
Chrissy sighed heavily as she watched Jason approach Eddies table.

Eddie looked up at Jason's angry eyes.
"Ah, Roid rage. What can I do for you?" Eddie smirked.
"Cut the bullshit Munson, where is my sister?" Jason barked.
"I haven't seen her today, but if I had to guess, she and my warlock took a sick day." Eddie shrugged.
Jason just held his glare on Eddie.
"This is all your fault and that Prick of a teacher Jones. If she told him to do his own job, she wouldn't be acting crazy." Jason seethed.
"Shes a 17 year old girl skipping school. I don't think that classifies as crazy. At least not in my world." Eddie said.
"You keep my sister out of your world Munson. She doesn't belong there." Jason said.
"I can't help it if she wanders into my world. Maybe if Mommy and Daddy didn't keep her so sheltered this wouldn't be a problem." Eddie said.

Jason slammed his fist on the table.
"I could kill you Munson. No one would miss you. No one would even care."
"Bex might." Eddie smirked.
Jason reached across the table and grabbed Eddie by his shirt.
"Jason!" Chrissy exclaimed and tried to pull him away. "Jason stop!"
"Keep my sisters name out of your mouth freak." Jason said and let go of his shirt and stormed away.

—---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bex was loaded with shopping bags. Steve was actually carrying some of them...and complaining the whole way as they were walking the mall.
"When your Dad finds out how much money you spent he is going to freak out." Steve said.
"He wont even notice the money missing. He makes as much as I spent in a few days." Bex shrugged.
"Besides, I needed a new wardrobe. I'm tired of my clothes. They're so....boring." Bex said.
"You know, with the new wardrobe, you need new hair, I've got a friend, her name is Melody. She's a hair stylist." Blaire offered "I can see if she can squeeze you in this weekend?"
"That would be amazing!" Bex grinned "Thank you!"
"No problem. Thank you for the new boots." Blaire grinned "I've wanted a pair of these for so long."
"They look amazing on you." Bex smiled.

"What time is it?" Robin asked. Steve moved the bags he was carrying so he could look at his watch.
"2:45pm. We gotta get back to get ready for work."
"We will take the bus to the trailer park and then we will ride in my truck to where your car died and I'll give you a jump." Blaire said.
"Good deal." Steve nodded.
"Oh! I have to get to the library for my tutoring session with Eddie." Bex exclaimed.
"I'll drop you off at the library." Blaire said then I have to get to the gym. Since my Dad is in jail I took over teaching his Wednesday youth boxing class. I'm sure your brother will pick you up."
"If not I'll have Eddie take me home." Bex shrugged and smiled.
"Because that will go over well." Blaire snorted.

—------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When they got to the spot where Steve's car died, Blaire got out of the truck and lifted the hood.
"I'm going to see if she needs help." Robin said.
"Sure you are." Steve chuckled.
"Can it dingus." Robin said as she got out of the truck.
"Are you going to help too?" Bex asked Steve.
"Actually I'm gonna hang back and talk to you for a minute." Steve said.
"Oh. Okay. whats up?" Bex asked.
"All these changes you are making.. The clothes..the hair. Its not all for Eddie right?" Steve asked.

"No. Its not. Its for me. I'm tired of living up to the expectations of being a member of the Carver family. The perfect clothes the perfect blonde hair, always keeping a smile plastered on my face whether I mean it or not. I'm so tired of it, its making me sick. This is strictly for me. I think I was born into the wrong side of the world...I mean you know our world, the rich kids who get away with anything because their parents have money."

"Its not that bad of a world to be in Bex." Steve said.
"My whole life I've felt that I just don't fit in. Sure, I've got the popularity, I'm the cheerleader, some people even call me the princess of Hawkins high. But that's not me, Steve. I've tried so hard to pretend this is what I want, but its not. I just want the freedom to be me. Who I truly am. And I know that sounds tacky as hell but.."
"It's not tacky. I just wanted to make sure all these changes you were making were for the right reason. And I know your brother can be hot headed but I know he cares about you deep down."
Steve said.
Bex gave him a half smile.
"Maybe." She said. "Thanks for always having my back Harrington." Bex said.
"No prob Bexie." Steve said and then jumped as Robin knocked on the window.

Steve turned to the window as Bex was giggling.
He rolled down the window.
"Yes?" He asked.
"Start the truck." Robin smirked.
Steve scooted over to the drivers side and started the truck and then Blaire started his car and got it running again.
"Blaire is a lifesaver." Steve sighed. "You and I need to get to work before we get fired."
"Well what are you waiting for Dingus lets go."
Steve got out of the truck and Blaire got in and tossed her jumper cables in the back seat.
"Okay lets get you to the library." Blaire said

—-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Bex walked into the Library and to her surprise Eddie was at their table, with his text book out and a notebook. Bex smiled and walked over to the table.
"Sorry I'm late." She said and sat down.
Eddie looked up and grinned.
"I'm glad you didn't decide to play hooky on me too." He said.
"Was I missed at school?" Bex asked and smirked.
"Well, your brother definitely noticed." Eddie replied.
"Oh that will be fun when he picks me up." Bex chuckled and got out her text book.
"I see you got started with out me. Mind if I look at what you've done so far?" Bex asked.
"Oh. sure." Eddie said and slid his notebook too her.

Bex looked down at the paper.
"You are really catching on to this." Bex said. "I'm impressed, out of the six equations you've worked, you only got two wrong and they're honestly just simple mistakes." Bex said.
"Well, maybe I just have a good tutor." Eddie smiled.
"Or, maybe you had the ability to do this all along on your own. You just needed to make an effort." Bex said.
"Well don't tell Jones. I kind of like hanging out with you." Eddie said and winked.
"Only kind of?" Bex asked.
"Okay, I really like hanging out with you." Eddie chuckled "But now that you are here, Algebra is the last thing on my mind if I'm being honest."
"And what is on your mind?" Bex asked.
"The way it feels when I kiss you." Eddie said. Bex felt her face turning bright red.
"Oh! Um.." She started but Eddie leaned in and took her breath away with a kiss. He pulled away.
"Whoa." Bex said.
"A good whoa I hope." Eddie said.
"Definitely a good Whoa" Bex grinned. "Now Algebra is the last thing on my mind as well."
"Well, Jones said he won't be at school the rest of the week, so no test this week." Eddie shrugged.
Bex shut her text book. "Well then screw Algebra." She said and scooted closer to Eddie and planted her lips on his.
Eddie tangled his fingers in her blonde locks, deepening the kiss.

Bex couldn't remember a time, that a kiss ever made her feel like this. She felt like she was floating with the clouds. The two of them only pulled away for a few seconds to breathe before joining their lips together again.

Someone cleared their throat, and Bex and Eddie looked at the angry librarian pointing to the sign on the wall that said No Public display of affection.
"Oops." Bex said and looked at Eddie, whose lips were tinted from Bex's lipstick. She giggled.
"What?" Eddie asked.
"I like that color on you." Bex said.
"Yeah? Well its smeared all over your pretty little face." Eddie grinned. Bex grabbed her bag and opened it, grabbing her compact mirror. She looked at her face and laughed as she tried to wipe it off.

"Can I ask you a question?" Eddie asked.
"Of course." Bex said. "Whats up?"
"What..are we?" Eddie asked.
Bex tilted her head.
"What do you mean?"
"Well.. obviously you like me, and.. I really...really like you. I guess what I'm trying to ask is.." Eddie sighed.
"You're asking if we are a thing? Like..together?" Bex asked.
"Yeah." Eddie said. "Are we?" He asked.
"Well, I don't quite think we can turn back now, and there is definitely something between us, but..I want to keep it between us for now. I want to be able to enjoy us without my parents or my brother ruining it and in order to do that, we have to keep our relationship a secret just for a little while." Bex said. "Is..that okay with you?" Bex asked.

"Oh, yeah for sure. Your brother threatened to kill me because you didn't show up for school today I don't think I want him knowing about us anytime soon."
"What??" Bex exclaimed.
"It's no big deal. Its not the first time one of them threatened my life." Eddie chuckled. "The jocks are all hot headed assholes."

"I'll tell him to leave you alone. He has no business threatening you." Bex frowned.
"Don't you think that may lead him to figure out whats going on between us?" Eddie asked. "I mean, He may eat, sleep and breathe basketball, but you sticking up for me could get you into trouble too." Eddie said.

"I'll figure it out, I'm not going to let my brother or his asshole friends torture you anymore." Bex said and put her hand over Eddies.
"I promise." She smiled
Eddie smiled at her and squeezed her hand and then looked at the entrance and quickly pulled his hand away.
Bex followed his eyes and sighed heavily as her Brother walked into the Library and over to their table.

"Its nice to know that you can skip school, but still make time to tutor the freak." Jason said.
"Like you've never skipped school." Bex rolled her eyes.
Jason clenched his jaw as Bex stood up.
"And let me find out you've threatened to kill Eddie again." Bex said and poked his chest. "Whats going on with me has nothing to do with him. Its all me and its time you learn to accept that from here on out, changes are going to be made. I'm sick of living a lie." Bex poked his chest again and Jason grabbed her wrist.

"Ow! J!" Bex hissed as he squeezed her wrist. Eddie stood up.
"You wanna let her go man?" Eddie asked.
"Things are changing huh?" Jason asked. "You're sick of living a lie?" Jason asked. "Then find your own way home tonight." Jason said and let go of Bex and stormed out the door.
Bex held her wrist and winced. Eddie walked around to Bex.
"Are you okay?" He asked.
"Yeah.. He's never grabbed me like that..I've never seen him that angry." Bex said.
"I'm telling you that whole basketball team is doing roids." Eddie sighed and took Bex's delicate wrist in his hand.
"Roids?" Bex questioned
"Steroids, in small doses it helps performance...in big doses...it makes people rage." Eddie said.
"But that's cheating." Bex said.
"They don't care. They just want to win." Eddie said. "Do you need me to give you a ride home?" Eddie asked.
"I don't want to go home right now, can we go to your place?" Bex asked.
"Sure." Eddie nodded. "I think my uncle is home tonight so you'll get to meet him and we'll get some ice on your wrist."
"Okay." Bex smiled.