Summer passed, and soon enough, school started. Laurie is officially in her senior year of high school and her last fall semester is almost over. The past few days have been fall break, and tomorrow school starts again. Early decisions for college are coming up, and while also trying to work and keep her spot at the top of the class, she has been a very busy chick.

She had already sent her applications to her top choices earlier in the month, and now she's reading over Steve's college essay. Marking up some things here and there, it's not as bad as his first draft. Luckily that boy has her and Nancy both top of their class, working to make sure he can get into a good college. So he doesn't need anything else for his parents to criticize him.

It's about midday when the bell on the front rings. She looks up from the paper and is taken aback when someone new walks in. Working at the arcade for almost five months, she knows all the people that come in and out. This person is definitely new, and so is the car that quickly pulled out of the parking lot that dropped her off.

"Um, excuse me." The red-haired girl stops when Laurie calls out to her. "Hi, um, I'm Laurie, and I was just wondering...are you new in town?" She notices how the girl is standing, slightly moving, and very closed off. "Is it that obvious?" Laurie smiles kindly at her, which seems to help a little. "No, it's just that I've worked here for almost five months, and Hawkins is also depressingly small. I know all the people that come in and out of here." The girl nods before looking down at the ground.

"I'll do this again. Hi, I'm Laurie and welcome to the Palace Arcade. Since we are coming up on school starting back after fall break, today is the last day to get the top high scores on Centipede and Dig Dug for a grand prize of your choosing." This made the girl look up; it piqued her interest.

"As you are new, you get one free play at those two machines," She bends down and grabs the special tokens, "we also have an amazing snack station and prize section. The food is surprisingly good for arcade junk." They both laugh, and she notices the girl's skateboard. "Huh, not many girls skate around here. Be sure to give the boys some hell, yeah?" The redhead nods with a big smile as Laurie leans off the counter.

"I'm Max, Max Mayfield."

"Henderson. Laurie Henderson. I have officially told you my name three times. I'm sorry." She says, laughing, and Max laughs along with her. "Are you going to middle school? If you are, then you should meet my brother and his friends. His name is Dustin. He's a sweet boy. He needs someone to toughen him up. I'm too nice for that." Max nods before heading off to play some games.

A smile still on her face, she can't help but feel that the girl will be around for a while.

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The sound of blaring music makes Laurie look up as the same car that dropped Max off pulls into the parking lot. She squints to see if she can make out the driver's appearance but can't seem to.

Max quickly runs from the main floor to the counter with a huge smile, "As long as no one beats me, then I'll get the prize, right?" Her eyes widen when the girl continues to look at her confidently and with a huge smile. "Max, you mean to tell me. That you got the top score on both games on your first visit?"

"Yep, Mad Max. Check 'em if you want. It was great talking to you, Laurie. See you later." She calls out before walking out of the door. She checks the computer, which shows the scores on each machine, and her jaw drops. Max didn't just beat Dustin's high scores but crushed them.

Her feet quickly take her out the door, and the car is still there. "Max!" She calls out, running to the car, "Are you some pro gamer and not telling me? Dustin spent all of the Fall break getting those scores." She says with an impressed smile as the scent of smoke reaches her nose. Then, looking over to the driver's seat, she feels her heart stop. Oh my god.

"Uh, Laurie. This is my stepbrother Billy. Billy, this is Laurie. She works in the arcade." Max explains awkwardly as the two teens look at each other. Billy's face twists into a cheeky smirk when he looks the girl up and down. "Nice to meet you, Laurie." She blinks at him as her cheeks flush red, "You two, Mayfield."

"It's Hargrove." He says his voice is a deep calm that rushes through her body. She nods with a small smile, "Yeah. Um, anyway. You should be good to go in the first place because there is no way that Dustin can beat those scores with the small amount of money he will find around the house. So don't worry too much, skater girl." She ruffles her hair softly before pushing herself off the car.

"What time do you get off tonight, darling?" The nickname makes her heart go over time as her throat dries up. "Uh...um-I get off at 7:30. I might have to take my little brother home, though, if he comes around." Billy nods as he finishes a cigarette. "See you around, darling." Max waves goodbye as he drives off quickly.

Taking a shaky breath, she walks back into the arcade, quickly grabs the phone, and dials Nancy's number. "Nance, we got a situation."

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As the day turns dark, Laurie is still at the arcade because Keith decided to work her almost the whole day. She didn't care; more money for her. Three flashlights show through the window, and she smiles as Mike, Dustin, and Lucas pull into the parking lot on their bikes.

She sees Joyce's car pull in and closes the magazine she was reading as she waits for the boys to come in. Will is talking to his mom in the car as the other three walk in, "Hey sis, how's my prize looking?" Dustin's face shows a confident smile, and her heart hurts just a little as she knows the reality. "I cannot tell, Dusty. You know the rules. Now, go and save the princess. I'm sick of hearing you complain."

Will walks in soon after and joins his friends after greeting her at the desk.

A few minutes pass until she hears Dustin whining about the overpriced bullshit game he lost at. "Henderson! No kicking the machines!" She calls out before going back to her magazine, ignoring the middle finger she got from her brother.

Hearing him yell again, she follows his voice and then almost laughs. "Laurie! Did you know about this?" He practically screams at her, and she nods. "What the hell? I worked all fall break for this shit! Who's Mad Max?" She gives him a slight shrug before walking off. "You better not try and prostitute Nancy or me off to get information!" She calls out before checking the time. She sees that it's almost time for her to leave and quickly heads to do her last-minute duties.

After she gets everything done, the boys argue with Keith, but Will is missing. She quickly heads outside to see the Byers boy looking terrified. "Will? Hey, buddy." She shakes him slightly, and he comes back to reality. "Hey, sweet dude. What's wrong?" She asks, moving some hair out of his face. "Nothing, I'm okay. I just needed some air." He says as Mike comes running out.

"Go back inside and enjoy. You can use my tab if you need." He nods as she gives him a quick hug. Both boys run back inside. She watches to ensure they are okay and doesn't even notice the same car from earlier pull in. "Well, aren't you motherly?" Billy's voice breaks her out of her trance as she looks over at him.

"Oh, hey." He notices how nervous she is. "Are you okay, darling? You're acting like I'm going to attack you or something." He bites the tip of his tongue and smirks as she shivers slightly.

"Yeah, I'm fine." She says while trying to calm down. "Just had a really long day in more ways than one." She jokes, and he chuckles. "Do you want a ride home, or can I just keep looking at your pretty face?" Her cheeks heat at his words.

"I don't want to impose." She says, wrapping her arms around herself, "I offered, now come on." His voice is like velvet as she considers the offer. She gets into the car on the passenger side and quickly closes the car door.

"Where are you headed, pretty girl?" He questions, looking over at her. She gives him the address and then squeals when he suddenly takes off. His laugh makes her blush more as she quickly puts her seatbelt on. "I should've warned you. I go fast." He smirks at her while continuing his speed. The music is booming, but she's not complaining. On the contrary, it's surprisingly thrilling to her. "You're fine. I like it." She comments, not thinking anything of it. She gets comfortable in her seat as the drive goes quiet except for the music.

"So, are you going to Hawkins High?" She questions, looking over to Billy, wanting to get to know him better. "Yeah, I'm still trying to get used to the area." He gives her a glance before going back to the road. "Okay, I won't be boring anymore." She says, laughing as she sits up. "You're not–"

"Between Princess Diana, Madonna, and Brooke Shields. Who'd be the first one you'd say yes to if they wanted to fuck?" She questions, looking over at him. "Okay, you did a full 180 on me, princess." He says, chuckling as she laughs along. "Damn, I would have to say, Brooke Shields. Something about the innocent look gets me." She nods as the information processes.

"Now you, between Nikki Sixx, Joe Elliot, and Bon Jovi." She hums. "Well, I would go with Bon Jovi. Nikki seems like a good choice, but I have no idea what that man is carrying. I rather not have to worry about an STD, and Joe is just not my type." Billy bites his lip as he keeps his attention on the road.

"I'm guessing you're also going to Hawkins?" He looks at her with a small smile which is a change from what she's expecting from him. "Yep, senior year. Gotta love it." They both laugh as the music from the radio flows through the car. "I'm a senior too. I might need some help finding my way around." She blushes at his offer, "I could help if you need it." He smirks as he pulls into her driveway.

"Your palace awaits, princess." He says, putting the car in park. She laughs while grabbing her stuff, "Thank you very much, kind sir. Be safe going down the roads as fast as you do." She playfully scolds him, which brings laughter out of him.

She leans over and kisses his cheek before quickly getting out of his car. He watches her with a slightly opened mouth as she walks through the front door leaving him in awe.

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Sitting in the back of Steve's car the next morning. Laurie waits for Nancy's input on Steve's essay, the same one the girls have been helping him with all semester. She keeps an eye out for the familiar Chevrolet Camaro that belongs to the boy from last night.

"It's crap, I know," Steve says, his voice being frail and sounding almost as if he was going to cry. "No, it's not crap," Nancy says, trying to make him feel better. "Steve, it's a lot better than what it was before. Of course, no essay is going to be perfect." Nancy nods in agreement, "It just needs some reorganizing." Steve sighs, frustrated as the girls try to cheer him up. He knows the essay is horrible but can't figure out how to improve it.

"Can I mark on it?" Nancy questions, and Steve nods. She looks over at Laurie, and both girls start to tell Steve what he can do to fix the essay. "So, in the first paragraph, you used the basketball game versus Northern as a great metaphor for your life." Nancy starts. "But then, around here, you started talking about how your granddad's experiences in the war. And I..." She stammers, "I don't see how they're connected."

Laurie looks over at Steve, "It connects because...because, you know, we both won." He explains as she tries to think of things. "Harrington, you could reorganize it in a way as to say that because of your granddad's experiences in the war you heard growing up," Nancy hands her the paper as she looks it over. "You felt inspired by his leadership, and it reminded you of the game with Northern because you had to use leadership as well. While they are completely different circumstances, they flow into each other as one. You both achieved your goal using leadership skills." Both of her friends look at her, stunned.

"What? I love to read and connect things. I can connect the Carter administration to the start of the Great Depression if given enough time." Nancy smiles at her while Steve continues to look stunned. "When is it due?" Nancy asks, looking over at her boyfriend, who is snapped out of his shocked state by her voice. "It's tomorrow for early application. Can you come to help me tonight?" Nancy shakes her head, "We have our dinner tonight, remember?" Laurie leans into the backseat as she lets the couple discuss that situation.

Ever since Nancy found out the truth about Barb, she has been riddled with guilt and has dragged Steve to a weekly dinner with Barb's parents. On the other hand, Laurie has been quietly dealing with losing her best friend because she has way too much on her plate to grieve genuinely.

She watches as Steve starts to get frustrated because of everything piling up, and Nancy does her best to calm him down. She gives his shoulder a comforting squeeze before playing with her nails.

Riding to school with them is fun until they start to argue, which is something they've done a lot of recently. It's none of her business; she'll be there to comfort them if needed. That's her role as the mutual best friend.

A car engine revving catches their attention, as well as booming music. All three get out of the car, and a smile appears on Laurie's face when she sees the familiar blue Chevrolet Camaro and a fiery redhead in the car.

Billy is the first out of the car with a cigarette hanging from his mouth as he looks around then Max gets out. She skates to the middle school as Billy finds Laurie leaning on Steve's car. She gives him a small wave which gets returned for a smirk as he walks away. "Who's that?" Nancy asks, looking over to the girl. "That's Billy Hargrove and Max Mayfield. They're new in town. Max came by the arcade yesterday, real gamer." She says before walking towards the school, leaving her friends to think over the new information.

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About mid-way through the day, Laurie is at her locker looking for her notebook when someone leans onto the locker next to her. Not noticing who it is but having a pretty good feeling, she laughs as her feet rise to her tiptoes to get deeper into the locker. "Steve, look. You have that dinner with Nancy tonight. We can work on your essay during your free period." Her body freezes when a deep chuckle sounds beside her. "I think you got the wrong guy, darling."

She looks over to see Billy smirking at her while leaning cooly against the locker. "Sorry, I'm so used to Steve being the one to come and annoy me between classes." She jokes before sighing, frustrated. "Who's Steve? Should I be jealous?" Her eyes roll as she turns to give him her full attention. "Why would you need to be jealous? Plus, he's my best friend." Also, the guy she's been in love with since she could remember, but she's not gonna tell him that. He shrugs before pushing off the locker and then reaching up. He pulled out the notebook she was reaching for with ease and a teasing smile.

"Thanks." She gives him a soft smile as she closes her locker, her eyes not leaving his. "What are you doing for Halloween?" He questions, putting his left hand on her locker, blocking her from leaving. "The plan, for now, is to make sure my brother and his friends are safe when they go trick or treating." She explains with a slight shrug.

"Well, how about you come with me to this Halloween party instead of that?" He asks, pulling out an orange flyer. Taking it from his hand, she reads it over and then frowns; Tina's annual Halloween Party. "I don't know. These things aren't my style. If anything, I'd like to stay home, eat a crazy amount of candy, and watch scary movies." He looks at her weirdly. Why stay home when you can party and have way more fun?

"You can come to this one, at least. It'd be nice to see you all dressed in a little costume." He leans forward as her cheeks heat up. His eyes bore into hers as he smirked, "What'd you say, darling?" She smirks as she stands straight, "Yeah, why not?" He grins at her before kissing her cheek. "Great, see you later, sweet cheeks."She takes a deep breath as he walks away and heads to class.

Steve smiles at her as she walks in but notices that she seems more relaxed than usual, "Hey, everything okay?" He whispers, leaning over to get closer to her ear. "Yeah, I'm fine. Are you and Nance going to Tina's party?" He shrugs, "Maybe. Why do you wanna go?" He asks as the bell rings. "Possibly." She replies as their teacher walks in and starts class.

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"Dusty, I can't tell you who MADMAX is. That goes against all the rules of the arcade." Laurie argues with her little brother as she wipes off a machine. "Come on. You have to tell me! It's like a sibling code or something." She rolls her eyes as she turns to clean the machine behind her.

Dustin stormed into the arcade about 20 minutes ago and has not let her side since trying to figure out who MADMAX is. She would love to tell her brother that a skater girl broke his precious high score in one afternoon, but this is too much fun.

A loud groan emits from the boy as she laughs. "You are no help, and I don't ask for much." Turning on her heel, she raises an eyebrow at him. "You don't ask for much? Who's your coin supplier, huh? It's obvious when Miss. Jeanie is about half her weight now." The youngest Henderson rolls his eyes, "Look, I just need to know who my competitor is so I can prepare!"

"Competitor? Dude, MADMAX beat your ass!" Pulling at his hair, he finally walks away as she smirks. "Don't go too far, Dustin. I'm driving you home." She calls out as the boy screams from the snack area.

Finally done cleaning the machines, she walks back to the front as someone walks through the door. "Welcome to the Palace Arcade. Don't mess anything up, or we will charge you." She says, not looking up as she puts away the cleaning supplies. "I don't have any money on me, darling. Can I pay you some other way?" Quickly looking up, her eyes widen when Billy's familiar frame comes into her view.

"Billy, what are you doing here?" She smiles at him as she leans on the counter. "I was driving home when I saw your pretty face from the road and wanted to come in to say hi." Her cheeks heat up at his words, "You need to stop making me blush, Hargrove. It's not a good look for me." He smiles at her complaint before leaning on the counter as well, their faces only a few inches apart.

"I like how you look when you blush, you're like a cherry, and I love cherries." He winks as her face goes brighter. She hides her face in her hands while a shy smile appears on her face. Gently grabbing her wrists, he moves them from her face. She looks up at him through her lashes. His heart picks up a little when their eyes connect. "See something you like, Hargrove?" She teases, which breaks him from the small spell she had him under.

"I definitely do." His answer is confident and sound. He really doesn't have a shy bone in his body as he kisses both of her palms. "Woah, who the hell are you, and why are you so handsy with my sister?" Dustin's voice scares them both. Looking over at the curly-haired boy, his arms are filled with junk, but it quickly falls to the floor as he goes over to them. "Hands off, she's not looking for anybody." He says, trying to pull Billy's hands off of her wrists.

"Dusty, oh my god. I'm so sorry about him." She says, looking at Billy. The boy releases her wrists with a small smile, "It's no problem. Who's the little guy?" Dustin glares up at him, not liking the feeling he's getting from him. "I'm Dustin. Her brother. Now leave her alone. We're leaving. Right?" Laurie looks at the younger boy with a small smile. "Yeah, we gotta go. I'll see you later, Billy." She says, grabbing her jacket as Dustin picks up all the snacks. The young boy glares at Billy before walking out of the arcade, "I am so sorry about him. He tends to get very protective. Acts like he can actually fight." He chuckles and shrugs his shoulders. "It's fine, uh, I guess you have to go now. Wouldn't want to rumble with the kiddo." He jokes, which makes her smile. "Thanks for understanding. Here, as a gift." She takes his hand and then grabs a pen. He can't help but look at her, writing down her number on his hand.

"There, you can call me anytime. No promises that Dustin or my mom won't answer, but you should be fine." She grabs his shoulder as she leans up and kisses his cheek, then leaves. He watches her walk out while sliding on her jacket and keeps focus on her until her car is out of the parking lot.