Mary arrived at Tina's party with a scowl on her face and a whole vibe of bad attitude. She parked diagonally, not bothering to even try lining it up against the kerb.

      She had slammed her door shut and got out, instantly storming up the pebbled path with such a look on her face that it were as if her Halloween costume were actually herself the year before; the mean girl in charge.

       She barged by a couple that were making out on the steps, making the girl yell 'watch it!' up at her, but she kept going without an apology. She walked into the crowded house, pushing by many people that tried to greet her but she ignored them all.

       She reached the kitchen, having no idea that from across the way the likes of Billy Hargrove and Steve Harrington had spotted her entrance and briefly stared over at her. Steve had formally been dancing with Nancy whilst Billy was lingering in a corner and smoking a cigarette; but she had managed to catch both their attention with her entrance.

       She moved straight for the table where multiple red solo cups lay and bowls of punch sat. She grasped a cup before scooping up some of the foggy liquor from the bowl and downing it in the one go with her head tipped back.

        She scrunched her face up as the alcohol burned its way down her throat before she scooped up some more, then grasped a bottle of vodka that had less than half in it.

       Suddenly, a pair of hands resting on her hips made her jump and the liquor missed the cup, "Shit!" She yelled, jumping back and right into the persons chest; she now had a cup full of vodka and little punch and a table soaked in alcohol that could have filled one more cup.

      The boy behind her rested his face in the crook of her neck and she clenched her jaw, "You're looking smoakin' tonight, Hopper." Billy Hargrove's voice whispered in her ear, his lips inches from her skin and she exhaled deeply.

      She yanked herself free of him, ripping his hands off her hips, "What the hell is your problem, Hargrove?!" She yelled at him, throwing her hands up, "How many times do I have to say I'm not interested until you take the hint?!"

      Billy smirked, "As many times as it takes till you realise you don't really mean it." His voice was challenging, trying to tempt her and she held his gaze, glaring at him.

      She shook her head, "You couldn't handle me."

       He stepped closer, enclosing her against the table and his body, "I think I could." He argued.

       She swallowed hard, "You couldn't." She insisted seconds before Billy was being forcefully yanked away from her and the boy stumbled back a few steps — clearly not sober.

       Steve was at Mary's side in an instant, glaring hard at Billy, "Stay the hell away from her, man." He ordered, gesturing at him with the cup of punch he was holding between his fingers.

       Billy laughed humorously, ignoring Steve and looking straight at Mary, "Whatever, Harrington," He made a move to leave before looking over his shoulder at Mary. He smirked, "Whenever you decide to stop being such a boring little shit and claim your Queen of Hawkins title again — I'll be waiting."

       Mary's chest heaved as she watched Billy go before she grabbed her cup, overflowing with alcohol and began to down it. Steve's eyes widened and he grasped the cup away from her mouth, making her spill some, "Wow, Mare! There's plenty of time for that, why don't you slow it down a —"

        Mary chuckled humorously to herself, throwing her head back, "Oh my god! When did we get so — so infuriatingly boring?!" She exclaimed, laughing through her words, her eyes wide and jaw tense. Steve stared at her, "How the hell did the King and Queen of Hawkins end up such bores?" She asked him, her shoulders slouching in defeat.

       Steve's mouth opened and closed, looking as though he couldn't quite find words. He threw his hands up once he finally had, "Because of Nancy and Charlie," He admitted and she nodded her head. Steve quickly tried to explain, "Because they're the better half of us — and because we want to be deserving of them." He told her and she scoffed, now grasping a fresh cup.

       She pushed it into the punch, "You know, sometimes I wonder if they're deserving of us," She told him honestly — she wasn't even drunk yet, just speaking what she thought. She turned to Steve with the cup raised to her lips, "We're always there for them, always. We help them and we support them and the one night we want something to go well, what happens? Where are they? Where's Charlie and Nancy right now?"

      Mary was frowning, Steve was now looking over at Nancy that was in the crowd of teenagers, dancing drunkenly. He sighed, "So, what's your plan, Mare?" He asked her and she smirked up at him, a twinkle in her eye.

      She stepped closer to the boy, holding his gaze before raising the cup in her hand, "I say that for tonight we forget about both of them and we get shit-faced." She was whispering, her eyes on his as he stared down at her quizzically; he wondered what Charlie had done to spark that kind of mindset.

      But then he glanced back over at Nancy that was stumbling as she twirled and then to the cup in his hand. Then he downed the contents and Mary cheered him on, "Eat your heart out, Harrington!" She fist pumped the air as he finished the drink, screwing up his face.

      Steve blinked, as if if it would clear the taste in his throat. He pointed to her cup, "Your turn, Hopper." He challenged and she cocked one eyebrow slyly at him before tipping her head back and letting the alcohol slip down her throat, although some trickled down her chin.

       She swallowed the last drop and pulled the cup away, crushing it in her hand before dropping it, "Yes! Yes baby!" She exclaimed as she jumped on the spot, Steve hollering along with her.

      Their sudden loudness brought the attention of many — even Nancy that seemed to scowl before going back to twirling in endless drunken spirals.

        It felt as though hours had passed, however it had only been two and Mary and Steve were in fact shit-faced. Mary was up on the dance floor with Steve whilst Nancy had slipped outside for some fresh air — Mary hadn't went though despite being hot, instead she had abandoned her Pink Ladies jacket from the heat on a sofa.

       Steve took Mary's hand, twirling her under it and she stumbled against his chest, laughing loudly and throwing her head into his shoulder as he breathed heavily, his face resting in the crook of her neck, her back to his chest.

       She closed her eyes, moving against him to the bass of the beat. Their bodies were pressed against one another, feeling the heat radiating through their skins but still they didn't move away — the pair were absolutely intoxicated by this point and all morality had gone out the window.

      Mary sipped at the cup in her hand, so drunk she no longer felt the liquor burning down her throat. One of Steve's hands were on her hips as she swayed them side to side with the rhythm.

      She looked over at him, resting her head on his shoulder, "You having fun, yet?" She called into his ear, her lips inches from his skin but still, the music was so loud it was a struggle to hear her.

      Steve made a moan of agreement and she grinned, now turning to face him she pushed one of her hands through her hair and swayed her hips whilst Steve moved his body to the music in front of her.

      Mary moved closer, a wide smile on her lips. She was having a grand time — the most fun she had since Summer. One of her arms hooked around Steve's neck, "What colour is Nancy to you?" She asked him, moving her face closer to his and the boy scrunched up his, inching forward.

       "What?"

      "What colour is she!" She clarified, "When you're around her, what colour comes to mind — what colour does she make you feel?" Mary was clearly getting drunker by the moment; it were the only time things like that slipped out.

       Steve furrowed his brows before grasping onto her and pulling her away from the madness of the dance floor. He found a more secluded spot in the porch area, "Why does it matter what colour I think Nancy is?" He wondered and she screwed up her face.

        "Curiosity!"

       "I don't know then — yellow? It's bright, like the sun. I — I don't know, Mare, I'm drunk not a poet!" He exclaimed as they leaned against the sun doors, where no one else seemed to be lingering; they were either inside or at the far end of the garden and no one was paying attention anyway. Steve inched closer, "What about you? What colour is Charlie?"

      "Pink!" She yelled enthusiastically, nodding her head before taking a swig of her drunk, "It's a colour that makes me feel all mushy and girly! That's how Charlie makes me feel. Like pink," She paused, frowning a little before she slid down the wall and Steve followed her move, joining her, "What about me? What colour am I?"

     Steve rolled his head on his shoulders drunkenly to look at her, "You?"

      "Yeah, me! Your designated — but hot bestest friend in the whole world!"

       Steve didn't need to think it over, "Blue." He told her instantly, trying to look serious, though his hair was on his forehead and his eyes were half-shut.

      Mary's mouth flew open, "Blue?! You know that's the colour of the depression flyers at the doctors, right! You trying to say I'm depressing, Harrington?" She yelled in horror, leaning into his side slightly; she almost fell against him completely but managed to stay upright.

       Steve furrowed his brows, shaking his head, confused she'd even think that, "No, no. Blue is a colour that makes me think of certainty — and I'm always certain about you, Mare. I never have a doubt about you." He told her, tilting his head and Mary tilted her own to catch his eyes.

       She stared at him, lips parted. She smiled a little, "In that case, I suppose you're blue too. I can always count on you, Steven — always, without a single doubt," She told him, her words a hazy slur. She licked her lips, "You never let me down." She whispered, her face inching closer to his.

      Steve was smiling at her drunkenly and tiredly. He copied her move and got a little closer. His eyes momentarily found her lips, "You ever thought about it? What us kissing would be like?" Steve asked her and she blinked slowly, her eyes still on his that was solely focused on her painted red lips, "You ever wondered what us being together would be like?" He clarified.

      Mary licked her lips, only drawing more attention to them, "I suppose so — a few times yeah, it has crossed my mind," She admitted before turning her head away from him, but he continued to stare at the side of her face, "We know each other so well, we're perfect for each other. But — But it would be too predictable, wouldn't it?" She turned agin, meeting his eyes.

       Steve's voice was low, breaking a little, "Would it kill us to be predictable for once?" He whispered. Mary breathed out as he moved closer, "For once, let's be predictable... I want to know what it's like being kissed by you." He was opening up, telling her thoughts he had in his mind for years — having no clue he was actually doing it.

      Mary was staring at him with such a look of vulnerability, curled hair framing her face and eyes blinking slowly. Steve's hand found her face, his thumb brushing over her soft skin. She swallowed hard, "I'm afraid to kiss you, Steve Harrington." She confessed in a small tone, her doe eyes locked on his.

       "I'm terrified to kiss you, Mary Hopper." He whispered back, though his face still slowly arched towards hers and she found her eyes absentmindedly fluttering shut — neither of them considering the consequences a kiss could cost either of them.

       Their lips were inches away from meeting in the middle before Mary felt her stomach clench and churn. She quickly jumped up, rushing onto the patio before she threw up the contents of her stomach over the fence and onto the grass.

She gagged and coughed, her eyes watering before Steve was behind her, rubbing her back gentle. She boy scoffed ever so slightly, "Or maybe we don't be predictable." He joked and the girl cleared her throat, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

She spotted a cup abandoned on the fence and picked it up, gulping back the leftover contents to rid herself of the foul taste in her mouth. She cringed, sticking her tongue out, "Looks like my relationship with alcohol is over." She said, her voice sounding stuffy and nasally.

Steve chuckled, still rubbing her back. He scrunched up his face, as if suddenly remembering his girlfriend, "I — I better go check on Nancy, make sure she's not throwing up somewhere too." Mary looked over her shoulder, catching Steve's gaze. Truthfully, a little part of her felt jealous that Steve was leaving her to get Nancy; especially after trying to kiss her only moments before.

She turned back, flexing her jaw, "Steve to the rescue." She said in a flat tone the boy didn't pick up on.

He patted her back one last time before walking backwards — he almost tripped over his own feet and barely managed to stabilise himself, "See you later or whatever — bye!" He quickly ducked inside the house, leaving Mary standing alone to process her thoughts.

She suddenly scrunched up her face, tangling her hands through her hair and holding them on her head; she had almost kissed her best friend.

                             ———

      Oh, Mary Hopper you poor soul, you really do have the knack for getting yourself into trouble!

      Idk of any of you ship Steve and Mary, but it's pretty important that I make sure none of you all know who Mary ends up with ;)! So far though, who do you want Mary's endgame to be?

         [ also sidenote: imagining the scene of Mary and Steve dancing is so hot. That is all ]