Jonathan called after Armani as she shut the door to his car and walked towards the school, she stopped and turned back to him, "yeah. I guess" she nodded. "My dad's probably going to try and tag along with your family anyways. Make it seem like we're not two households." She said rolling her eyes. Jonathan sighed and nodded, turning to walk towards the photo development room.

"Holy shit no way. He's making you guys spend Halloween together?" Sage suspended her disbelief as she and Armani made their way to first period.

"Yeah. He's totally out of it if he think's I'm spending another day with Jonathan Byers." Mani shook her head, stopping at her locker.

"If it makes you feel better, my mom is making me be part of a family costume. I'm just going to sneak out though. You are too, right? We need to go to this party!" Sage flipped her hair, holding out the paper invite, giving a small squee as she leaned against the lockers.

"Yeah if I can get out of having to chase after Will's 12 year old science geek friends" Armani spoke before getting slapped in the arm by an over excited Sage.

"Check it out! That's Billy Hargrove! I heard he moved here from California because his parents got a divorce. That's six feet of pure sexy" Sage whispered as the two girls turned to watch the new found king walk down the hallway.

"Psh. More like six feet of tight jeans. Those have got to be his moms" Armani let out a chuckle before watching the boy lower his sunglasses and stop in front of them.

"I don't believe I've ever had this much pleasure in meeting a girl." He spoke up to neither of them in particular as Sage straightened up, puffing out her chest. "Billy Hargrove. You are?" The mullet wearing boy asked Mani as he extended a hand, much to Sage's dismay.

"Armani Newby." She spoke plainly, showing no interest in being wrapped around the boy's finger as she denied the hand shake.

"Armani, huh?" He raised his brows before taking the colored paper in Sage's hands, paying no attention to her.

"Are you heading to this shit tonight?" He asked the brunette.

"Possibly. Why, do you need someone to call your mom afterwards?" Mani asked with a sly smile as the boy looked up, surprised with her answer.

"That's sweet." Was all Billy said, shoving the paper back at Sage before making his way through the crowded halls.

"God he is so hot, isn't he?" Sage said with a sigh as she clutched the paper to her chest.

"Seriously, Sage? He ignored you, not to mention he's totally going to use any girl he can get." Armani rolled her eyes, turning her head to see Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler walking down their way.

"Now I understand. You don't want to commit to Billy incase Steve and Nancy come some dramatic end! Oh, I knew it." Sage clapped her hands excitedly as she watched Armani.

"You really think i'm still caught up on him? It's been over a year." Mani spoke, rolling her eyes as she closed the locker door, turning to look at the smiling Steve.

Sage only gave a smirk, "I don't think. I know."

—

Steve joked, Armani sighed. She had spotted Steve Harrington and Nancy Wheeler sitting at a table with notes sprawled around it, and Steve had so graciously asked her, "Mind sharpening that for me?".

"Doesn't seem like I have a choice" she spoke, turning to sharpen the pencil before heading to hand it back to the boy.

"Do you understand any of this?" Nancy asked as she gestured to the Calculus work, "i missed the lesson the day before and this idiot doesn't remember any of it" she pointed at Steve who raised his hands in surrender.

"Hey don't blame it on me! I was busy thinking about our costumes for the party tonight." He spoke with a smirk as he kissed Nancy's cheek.

Armani's cheeks flushed a deep shade of red, she shook her head to keep from becoming more embarrassed. "Yeah, actually. It's one of the few things I get" she gave a light laugh, taking a seat across from them when Steve gestured to it.

"Oh I remember this now!" Steve nodded, "this was the day Mr. Reeves yelled at me." Nancy gave the two a confused look before the boy continued with a terribly accurate imitation of their teacher. "Harrington! Stop staring at the back of Newby's head! You'll go cross eyed!" The three shared a laugh, Nancy let out a sigh, standing up to sharpen her pencil.

"Hey check this out" Steve pulled out a colored piece of paper, "are you heading to this?" He asked, raising a brow at Armani.

"No clue. My dad's idea of a good halloween is having me run around with Jonathan Byers and his brothers geek gang" she shrugged, giving Steve a small smile, "I don't even have a costume."

Steve shook his head, "no you're going. If camera boy won't take you, I'm sure someone will. What's the deal with him anyways? Are you two like brother and sister now?" He asked, giving Armani a sympathetic grin as he remembered what had occurred the year before.

"No. That's not it. My dad's just with his mom is all." She shook her head lightly, the thought of having to live with Jonathan gave her the creeps.

"Well if your new not-family ever gives you trouble, I'm either at Nancy's, at my place, or here." He offered, Armani looked up from the paper and nodded with a smile.

"Thanks, steve"

"It's no problem, Mani" he said, his hands reaching to hold hers for comfort when she turned quickly.

"Nancy, are you okay?" She spoke loudly, Nancy shook her head as she came out of whatever she was thinking about.

"Yeah. Yeah I'm good." She took Steve's hand and lead him to another room, Steve turning to shrug at Armani and giving her a quick hand motion to follow them.

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