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˚⋆ ┊ ADVENTURES IN BABYSITTING ┊ ⋆˚
☆⋅⋆ ─ act i. don't you want me, baby?

CHAPTER ONE - 352 days later...
( episode one ; madmax )

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⠀ ⠀ GETTING BACK TO NORMALITY AFTER ALL Peyton had encountered last year seemed impossible from the start. Because, how do you just forget about fighting a creature with no face from another dimension?

Watching her peers move as if nothing happened was like torture.

Because to them, nothing happened.

none of them knew the truth about what happened to Will. Or Barb. And it was quite literally a life or death decision for her to share that information. Even with her best friend. All Joey knew was that Peyton, Steve, Jonathan and Nancy had all gone through something traumatic, along with all of their younger siblings.

What that traumatic thing was? Nobody was allowed to share.

Not unless they wanted to ruin the lives of themselves and their loved ones.

But there was one good thing to come out of the traumatic, and extremely platonic, bond formed between Jonathan and Peyton that night.

It reintroduced Bob Newby to Joyce Byers.

Now, Peyton was not at all ready for her father to be dating again. But, if she was going to pick anyone to be her mom, it would be Joyce. Mrs. Byers was kind, and truly cared about her boys. I mean she quite literally went to hell and back to save Will. The same couldn't be said for Peyton's own mother.

Things weren't always terrible between them. Growing up, her mom used to take her to playgrounds, win her toys, dance to Fleetwood Mac in the living room as they span like the vinyl on the record player. But something changed. If she was honest, Peyton didn't even know what happened between her parents, but they reached a turning point. And one affair after the other; there was no turning back. Bags packed, mommy dearest left to go God knows where with God knows who, all while Bob Newby was left with two kids and a broken heart.

School was especially cruel after that. People liked to talk. About the Newbys. About how they weren't surprised a woman like that left a guy like Bob. The more she heard the more certain she became that her mother's last name was kept through spite rather than sentiment. But Parker was proud to be a Newby.

Although part of her resented Will and Jonathan for having such a wonderful mother, Peyton knew that their childhood suffering was matched. Where she was handed an asshole mom, they'd been given a shitty dad. In a way, she was glad the toxicity of the past had led Bob and Joyce together. Still, she wished her mom had left her and Parker with more than just childhood trauma.

And, on Peyton's part at least, terrible taste in men.

Peyton met Billy on the few occasions she had driven Will and Parker to the arcade. And, being hormonal teenagers, they easily found ways to keep each other well entertained when waiting for their siblings to return.

Dating wasn't exactly the word Peyton would go for when describing her relationship with Billy. But, after a while, it wasn't so casual that they were still seeing other people. On her side, anyway. But at least she had bragging rights because, of course, the girls of Hawkins High were swooning at the sight of a firm ass in tight jeans.

Unlocking the door for her little brother, Peyton stepped out from the driver's side, simultaneously quizzing her brother, "Got everything you need?"

"Yes," Parker groaned, rolling his eyes at how causally his sister would mother him

"And your lunch?"

"Yes, Peyton," he snapped, although his young teen attitude more amused rather than agitated the surprisingly calm blonde

"Alright!" she smirked, hands up in feigned surrender as she asked, "Need a ride home?"

Parker shrugged, "I think so,"

"You think so?" repeated Peyton, clearly looking for a straight answer so that she wasn't stuck waiting in the parking lot, although Parker had already started to back away

"If I'm not here in ten leave without me," recognizing Billy's engine, Peyton glanced up to see his car at the side of the parking lot, eager smirk a stark contrast to her brother's disgusted expression

"Ten minutes," she repeated, glancing at her brother who only rolled his eyes, clutching the single arm of the backpack slung over his denim-clad shoulder.

"Whatever," rushing in the opposite direction of his sister's (not)boyfriend, Peyton gave up on her attempt to reason with the teen, deciding instead to cross the parking lot to where Billy had now gotten out of the car, seemingly going through the same argument with his step-sister, Max.

Skating away without even saying 'hi' to Peyton, or 'goodbye' to Billy, the young redhead followed closely after Parker, much slower than the girl on the skateboard.

Peyton only sighed, brows raised as her gaze followed Max until she finally got close enough for Billy to tug on the belt loops of her jeans, "Hi,"

The Hargrove barely gave her a chance to utter a greeting in return before his needy lips landed on her own. Kissing Billy in front of everyone made her giddy, knowing there were eyes of both hatred and jealousy glued to the back of her head. Peyton soon found herself pulling away, taking the cigarette he'd quickly put back between his lips and placing it between her own

Quick to notice that both Steve and Nancy had gotten out of their car to inspect the source of the overly loud engine, Peyton made a point of draping Billy's arm around her shoulders. She flicked the cigarette to the ground, slipping her hand into his back pocket when her gaze lingered on Steve for just a moment too long for her so-called fling's liking

"Who's that?" he questioned, tearing her gaze from the Harrington boy with a raised brow. But Peyton remained less than eager to explain who Steve 'the hair' Harrington was, choosing instead to plant a distracting kiss on his lips before replying

"Don't worry about it," leading Billy into the school, Peyton couldn't practically feel the heat from Steve's furious glare on the back of her head. But, as far as she was concerned, she had no reason at all to let that jackass even cross her mind.

❀ུ۪

⠀ BRIGHT ORANGE PAPER MET PEYTON'S HAND EAGERLY as she looked up to see a false smile painted on Tina's face. Walking out of a classroom used to be an easy task before there were parties every five minutes. But, like Peyton gonna pass up the opportunity to get dressed up and completely hammered on Halloween

"Be there," Tina smiled, reaching across with a more genuine look for Joey. Grinning back, the cheerleader gladly accepted the invitation, clutching her books to her chest in contrast to her careless, and bookless, BFF. The so-called 'Queen of Hawkins High' (who had no association with King Steve, thank god) Josette Martin.

Theirs was a preschool friendship that never faltered no matter how many obstacles stood in their path. And although his swim captain status meant his seat was beside Ms. Martin at the lunch table, that didn't stop her from flipping him (and Tommy and Carol and whatever other dickheads they were sat with) the bird and sitting with her real friends. A quality that Peyton truly adored about her brunette best friend.

"Come and get 'sheet faced' ?" questioned Peyton, clearly as unamused as her step-brother as she overheard Nancy begging him to come to the party. Although, Peyton had gotten to know the eldest Byers boy long enough that she could say, without a doubt, that a Halloween party was quite literally his worst nightmare. But, she also knew that he had a very anything for Nancy attitude that even the Wheeler girl herself had yet to pick up on

"What, don't wanna at least keep an eye on asshole Hargrove?" teased Joey

Scrunching the paper in a ball to shove into her pocket, Peyton only rolled her eyes, arms folding as she scolded the cheerleader, "Stop calling him that,"

"When it stops being true, I will," the brunette remarked, grin only widening when she earned a playful nudge from her increasing irritated friend, "you don't even like him,"

"I don't have to like him," Peyton smirked, "I just have to tolerate him. It's not like we have much time for talking anyway," she shrugged, brow raised as she watched the cogs in her rather innocent best friend's mind turn

"Gross, Peyton!" Joey exclaimed once she realized, giving her friend yet another joked shove as they both giggled in amusement. Laughter slowing, Peyton and Joey rounded a corner to where Steve had Nancy pressing him into the lockers for a forceful kiss

"Speaking of gross," muttered Peyton, the amused look on Joey's face faltering slightly as she knew just how mean the Evans girl could be when it came to Steve. But, seemingly behaving herself, Peyton waited until they were a little bit past the kissing teens before she called back, "Try not to suck her face off, Harrington!" spinning on her heels, Peyton met Steve's angered glare with a challenging smirk, brow raised at the way Nancy's shoulders shook with laughter

Eyes following until she made her way around to lean against the locker beside Nancy, the brunette opted to close it so that she could actually see her friend. A mistake that left the easily irritated blonde in the direct eye-line of the other rather easily agitated teen, "Bite me, Evans," Steve's eyes narrowed as though a comment like that could do anything other than amuse her

"Good one," tone dripping in sarcasm, Peyton grinned in a way that made Steve's blood boil. Letting Peyton just walk away felt like losing. Nancy had done a lot in changing him into a better man, but that didn't mean he'd managed to surpass all of his douchebag tendencies

"Asshole," he challenged, unsure if their comments were truly hatred or just playful banter but he sure as hell was doing a good job of ignoring the God damn it you should know better glances from Nancy.

And Peyton, not even bothering to stop her causal saunter down the corridor, shot back, "Dickhead," mimicking his tone and head tilt.

But he just couldn't quit, "Douchebag,"

Peyton rolled her eyes as her amused grin began to falter, "Why don't you do us all a favor and shut up?"

"Yeah? Why don't you come over here and make me?" confidence in his tone had her grinning again, tongue running over her teeth as her arms folded to hide her clenched fists.

"Guys!" Nancy sighed, all evidence of the hopeful smile once gone as the only one left with a shit-eating grin was Peyton.

"Ooh," shooting a teasing wink, the beach-blonde let her love of tormenting Steve get ahead of the part of her conscience that told her fake flirting with her friend's boyfriend was a dickhead thing to do, "Don't start something you can't finish, Harrington," clearly teasing, Peyton couldn't help but notice the slight shock behind his fiery eyes. Head shaking in disbelief, Steve only folded his arms, looking away in masked defeat as Nancy finally came to his rescue. Peering around the open door of her locker, she shot Peyton a short glance, smile on her lips contrasting her firm eyes. Sighing knowingly, Peyton only mirrored the look right back, lopsided smile painted on her lips, "Love you, Nance,"

"Bye, Peyton," Nancy matched her sing-songy tone, with no maliciousness behind her words as she wiggled her fingers in a half-assed wave.

Linking their arms together, Joey couldn't help but snicker as she glanced over her shoulder at the increasingly aggravated Harrington boy. But Peyton was only happy to be walking away. Not that she didn't enjoy Nancy's company. Only, hanging out with Nancy meant hanging out with Steve and, if she was honest with herself, she'd rather shit in her hand and clap than force herself to spend any unnecessary time around 'King Steve'.

❀ུ۪

⠀ A TIGHT GRIP AROUND HER ARM WHILST on her way to class was than a surprise for Peyton as she suddenly found herself being pulled into a janitor's closet. Although the regularity still didn't stop her from gasping in shock, her breaths heightened as she stared at the young man that had pulled her towards him so harshly.

Billy.

"Hey!" she exclaimed with a giggle, nose scrunched as her fingertips reached up to fiddle with the buttons of Billy's jacket, "You scared the shit out of me!" a playful shove was only met with Billy's almost too tight grasp around her wrists, turning her once cute nose scrunch into a rather flirtatious lip-bite.

Without warning, Billy grasped Peyton, rather harshly, by the waist, lips landing on hers as he pushed her up against the shelves behind them. Gasping when the small of her back hit the cool plywood sticker of the school's cheap shelves, Peyton couldn't help but smirk at the young man's incessant neediness. She'd barely realized he'd pulled away until their foreheads pressed together, hot breath like dull wind swaying in her hair

"Let me take you out tonight," smile fading, Peyton pulled back to let the back of her head rest on the folders behind her,

"I can't," pausing to scan Billy's features, the air in the tiny closet grew tense as the hands gripping Peyton's waist tightened, "It's movie night at the Byers tonight,"

Excuse greeted with a less than understanding eye-roll, Billy ran his tongue over his lips, brows knitting together in exaggerated confusion, "And you wouldn't rather hang out with me than those freaks?"

"Hey," hands meeting Billy's shoulders to deliver a light shove, Peyton found herself avoiding eye contact altogether as she began to fiddle with the lapels of his jacket, "Don't be a dick," - although that was his default setting, "It's important to my dad, alright?" looking away from her, Billy only shrugged, the same act all guys do when things don't go their way and they want to act like they don't give a shit, "Didn't your dad try this kinda thing with you and Max?"

Something in Billy snapped after that. Like a kid having an internal temper tantrum. Peyton had often noticed how he'd close up on the rare occasion she brought him his step-sibling. She caught on quickly that it was a touchy subject for the testosterone-heavy teen. But, quick to shrug off any emotion, Billy backed away, still in close enough proximity for their legs to brush together yet not so close that the flame of his zippo would catch her golden curls upon lighting his cigarette.

"Tried," smirk mingled with an amused grimace as smoke swirled from Billy's nostrils into the air, creating grey clouds in the enclosed, windowless closet that hazed before the single, swinging lightbulb above them, "She's a bitch,"

"She's thirteen," argued Peyton in disbelief

"And?"

"And, cut her some slack," quick to come to her defence, Peyton didn't understand his incessant need to be a dick to Maxine. She was a good kid "Come on, all this must be difficult for her too,"

Too.

Definitely a big mistake, that word. Why imply that anything in the world was difficult for Billy Hargrove.

"Whatever," inhaling again, the Evan's girl's eyes stung from the cloud aimed her way, breathing in the secondhand smoke with watery eyes as she stifled a cough

"What, are you mad now?" Peyton couldn't help the anger in her tone. She'd never trod on eggshells for anyone, and she hated that she'd started to for a man she knew was going to be trouble

"No," - highly unconvincing, let's try that again - "No," kind wasn't exactly a word that sprang to mine when Billy used a softer tone with her. It always felt more manipulative than thoughtful, "Have a fun movie night," hands snaking back around her waist, Peyton's anxiety remained unaltered as she felt a playful pinch at the exposed skin above her waist

"Ow!" the blonde squirmed, hands slamming into the ever-amused Hargroves shoulders for what felt like the hundredth time during their closet make-out meet-up alone, "Don't do that!"

Protests were met with an innocent shrug as the heat from the end of the cigarette simmered beside Peyton's ear, "What?" Billy's high-pitched, sarcastic question was left unanswered when a tight tug on his jacket brought their lips together once again. Leather protected her shoulders from being covered in ash as it cascaded from the orange tip of burning tobacco.

And this time there was nothing left to say. Nothing left to do but each other, savoring every minute as the countdown for the bell ticked in her mind.

FINALLY a first chapter !!

in the drama stages atm but excited for the supernatural side or stranger things (even tho the relationships and character development is the most fun for me to write ngl)

gonna also go ahead and apologize for spelling mistakes bc i've proof read as much as i can but lmk if u spot any!

idk if i can do daily chapters but i'm gonna try and get some more up by the weekend :D

ty for reading and voting
and commenting it really does make my day!

<3