Risky Business ｡ Stranger Things

12 : The Shining

Prue's anger didn't ebb away like the tide of the ocean but stayed shimmering under her skin during her morning class of biology. Her anger mixed with disbelief at what Patrick's words meant: that Billy Hargrove had lied to her about Patrick cheating the night of Halloween, which had resulted in Prue's black satin dress falling and then her falling into Billy Hargrove's arms. Then the disbelief would vanish in a cloud of smoke when she remembered the type of person Billy Hargrove was: an asshole. Her anger would return then and she would grit her teeth and her skin would heat up with the fires of Hell. Not even Selena Moreno could break through Prue's haze of anger, even with gossip about Nancy Wheeler and Jonathan Byers, who both were absent from class again.

"I bet they're having a little lover's trip," Selena was saying as flashes of dewy skin pressed against golden skin and Billy's lips travelling down her throat attacked Prue's mind. "I just feel so bad for Steve, you know? Golly gosh, he probably doesn't even know yet! He doesn't deserve that," she continued, twisting her pencil around her fingers, but Prue wasn't paying attention to her dear friend. How could she when all she saw was Billy's blond curls mattered against his forehead in the darkness only broken by slivers of moonlight through her lounge room's blinds?

"Yeah, that's really terrible," Prue muttered, her teeth catching her bottom lip as she bit down too hard with a new wave of anger and fresh humiliation broke over her. Both heated emotions stemming from Prue believing Billy's words about Patrick when she didn't even know Billy Hargrove and certainly didn't trust him. And she definitely didn't now. She wanted to blame the alcohol but she hadn't swallowed all that much on Halloween, and she wanted to blame The Incident of Halloween on just being swept up in the moment or even blaming it on her confusing-non-break-up with a drunk Patrick Turner in a dim hallway, but Prue couldn't. So, blaming Billy Hargrove was what her anger was cemented in.

"What's ticking around in that mind of yours, Prue?" Selena was asking as the teenage girls were walking out of class. Prue's eyes were scanning the halls for a blond boy with the Devil hiding behind his pale eyes. A boy she wanted to unleash her anger at.

"Nothing." Nothing but anger and memories of her sexual mistake with Billy Hargrove.

Selena tilted her head to the side. "I know something it up, and it's okay if you don't wanna share just yet. But know that I'm here and that the truth always finds a way into the light of day. The same goes for gossip." Selena's voice was pointed but calm as she tossed her mane of dark hair over her shoulder.

"You're not going to press me for more details?" Prue was astonished at Selena's calmness at not knowing something. It was the beginning of lunchtime, and students poured into the hallways, jostling the pair of girls standing still.

"Not yet, but only if you give me a hint," she blinked, her blue eyeshadow glittering on her eyelids.

"Oh, you know, snapping bubblegum, breaking bones, murdering a boy. Just the girlie stuff," she offered to Selena, her sarcasm heavy like the anger threaded around her heart.

"Well, do what you gotta do, then come find me and Ronnie at lunch afterwards," Selena replied with a small smile before adding with a wiggle of her fingers. "Try not to get blood on your cheer uniform!" Selena was lost in a sea of students instantly and Prue turned, her eyes trying to locate the boy targeted with her anger. The hallways were emptying as most students were gathering in the cafeteria or milling outside to catch some November sunlight. As she strode through Hawkins High's hallways her anger was building, intensifying and it was almost blinding. To the point, she didn't see the person exiting the locker rooms and collided when them.

Prue muttered out a swear word as arms wrapped around her forearms, steadying her. The scent of soap wafted through the air.

"I'm sorry," Steve Harrington said, letting go of Prue's arms once she was standing still.