Jessica drily commented, in the midst of tossing peanuts into the air and attempting to catch them in her mouth. Nancy ignored her words, frantically highlighting sections of her notes.

"What look?" Ringo questioned in confusion, her feet placed comfortably on the chair next to her. They were in the library with the intention of doing some hardcore studying, but the only one truly doing anything was Nancy.

"The 'I'm thinking about Steve' look," Jessica rolled her eyes, failing to hear the frustrated clearing of Nancy's throat - a blatant attempt to get them to be quiet.

"Bold of you to assume I'm ever not thinking about Steve," Ringo shrugged, doodling squiggles in the margin of her notebook.

"Okay," Nancy huffed, looking up from the table and placing her highlighter down. "There is a reason I didn't invite you guys in the first place to come here, and that's because I wanted to study for my chemistry test in peace. Because that is what a library is for."

Ringo and Jessica met eyes at her rant, biting their cheeks and covering their mouths to stifle a laugh as the girl returned to her notes. A few moments passed before Jessica got bored again, eyeing the dazed expression Ringo wore.

"I bet you're thinking about doing it," Jessica pointed out, eyebrows furrowing at Ringo's reaction as the blonde visibly stiffened.

"Erm," she stared to reply, shaking her head quickly and avoiding eye contact, "nah. I was just thinking about my mom's cooking, it's pizza night. That's basically sex, though."

"Oh my god," Jessica eyed her carefully, a wry smile lifting up her lips. Nancy once again slammed down the highlighter, ready to chew them out for disrupting. "You guys haven't done it yet."

"Really, guys-" Nancy began, before breaking off to look at Ringo incredulously, "wait, you guys haven't done it?"

"What?" Ringo laughed nervously, giving away all her usual telltale signs of lying. Eyes darting from left to right, random chuckles. "Are you kidding? We do it all the time! Like rabbits! So much that we had to stop before my upper half disconnected from my lower half!"

"I can't believe you two haven't done it yet," Jessica snickered. "With how close you are I thought you'd have done it before you were even officially together."

"Steve and I done it before we were officially together," Nancy chimed in.

"Thanks," Ringo sarcastically drawled, "I remember! I was freakin' downstairs!"

She dropped her pen with a clang, slumping forward with a downtrodden expression as she gave up her rouse. It wasn't a lie, they really hadn't done it. Seeing as December was finally upon them, Ringo and Steve had been official for almost six weeks. It wasn't even that long of a time, but given both Ringo and Steve's history, she assumed it'd have happened already.

It wasn't like they were completely abstinent, but the build up had been going on for so long now that they were almost nervous to initiate anything, in case it didn't live up to their heightened expectations.

"I just don't know what to do," she ranted, "I've never been in a serious relationship. I don't know how these things go."

"Well, the boyfriend whips out his sexual organ with which to promptly penetrate you- but not before smartly covering it with a-" Jessica was cut off by a pen being flung directly at her.

"Shut up!" The blonde rolled her eyes.

"Look, sometimes these things just happen slower than others. It'll happen at the right time, just go with the flow and don't stress," Nancy consoled her, placing a comforting hand on her elbow. She truly was the mediator of their group, always the levelheaded source of advice.

"Exactly," Jessica agreed with a nod. "Stop stressing, you'll make it ten times harder if you overthink it."

"I just don't want him to get bored," she admitted insecurely, cheeks flushing red at the confession.

"Bored?" Nancy scoffed. "Of you? Steve is so head over heels for you he'd carry you from here to Timbuktu just so you could see the sights."

"Yeah," Jessica smirked with amusement, "and when it happens, you won't like it. Because he's straight, and white. And a man. But overtime, your acting abilities will become so well-rehearsed, you'll even convince yourself that you're actually enjoying it."

"You're such a bitch," Ringo breathed a laugh, already feeling less nervous about the situation with her friends reassurances. Nancy caught their attention again, when she suddenly shut her notebook with a sigh.

"There's no point, I'm never going to concentrate with you two around," she complained, leaning back comfortably in her chair. "I have to work at that Snow Ball Dance tonight too."

"Gross," Ringo screwed up her expression. "Doing what? Making sure they keep their hands on each other's shoulders? You cockblock."

"They're kids, Ringo? And no, dishing out some punch."

"Good luck with that," Jessica chuckled. "Every preteen boy in there will be leaving his date on the bleachers to talk to you. Or every girl, let's not forget our lesbian prodigies."

"Inclusivity queen over here," Ringo teased with a smirk.

"Someone has to think of them if you straight girls won't," Jessica bantered in return, leaning back in her chair with her arms over her chest.

"Hey, I never said I was straight," Ringo held her hands up in defence.

"Oh yeah!" Jessica gasped dramatically, pointing as if realising something. "I forgot about your lesbian girlfriend, Steve."

The group dissolved into giggles after that, closing their notepads and recapping their pens as they decided no work was going to be done with this lack of motivation.

✵

"Ringo, come on!" Steve hollered from his open car window, peering out as she teetered down the steps in front of her apartment. Ringo narrowed her eyes in response, expression morphing into a frown when saw a curly mop of hair in the passenger seat.

Leaning down to look through Steve's window, she raised an eyebrow and pointed to the back.

"Get in the back Dustin, you're the kid," she demanded, much to his displeasure.

"Oh come on, Ringo!" He groaned, looking rather dapper with his suit and quaffed hair. "I wanna look cool getting out of the car, not looking like my parents just gave me a ride! Please!"

"Fine, Jesus," she rolled her eyes, opening the back door and clambering inside. "No need to be such a lil bitch."

Steve had offered to give Dustin a ride to the dance, the newfound companionship between them forever bringing warmth to Ringo's heart. Of course, she couldn't help but tag along when she heard that Dustin was dressing up.

"Hey," Steve defended, smirking in amusement. "Cut the kid some slack, he's nervous to show off his new bad boy persona."

"Dustin, you're hardly bad you once stuck your fingers through an electric fence to save a trapped caterpillar," the blonde rolled her eyes.

"As opposed to what?" Dustin exclaimed. "Leaving him to die?"

After a few moments of comfortable silence, the Henderson boy twisted in his seat to look around at Ringo again, a mischievous look in his eye.

"So," he began, straightening up his jacket, "you sure you don't wanna come in with me? You'd be the hottest girl there, especially on my arm."

"Slow your roll, Tom Cruise," she chuckled.

"Hey," Steve held his hand out, the other remaining on the wheel, "leave my girlfriend out of this, you're already trying to win another girl you don't need mine too."

"Max?" Ringo questioned confusedly, grimacing at the blush arising on Dustin's cheeks. Oh no, she thought. Max very clearly seemed to like Lucas at the minute, but perhaps she was wrong.

Never mind, she thought. She was never wrong.

Steve pulled up in front of the school, which was already lively with students walking in and out, the sound of music vibrating through the air. Pulling the car into park, the blonde unbuckled her seat belt and leaned into the front, fixing a twirl of his air that had misplaced.

"Hey," Dustin groaned, batting her hand away.

"Oh let me fix you up," she rolled her eyes, tugging at his shirt collar and rubbing at a persistent piece of dirt on his face. When finally satisfied, she leaned back to get a full look at him, hands cupping over her chest with pride.

"Look at him," she awed, wiping away a non-existent tear. "They grow up so fast. Flash me the gnashers."

Dustin did his signature purr, showcasing his gummy smile and eliciting a giggle from her.

"Maybe don't do that inside," Steve warned, biting back a laugh. "So remember, when you get in there..."

"Pretend like I don't care," Dustin finished for him, giving him a nod of acceptance.

"You don't care."

"I don't care."

"There you go, you're learning, my friend."

"I don't approve of this message," Ringo voiced with narrowed eyes. "Steve's don't care attitude was for a meaningless 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am.' If you genuinely have feelings for someone, you don't act like they're not there."

"Don't listen to her," Steve shook his head. "She's a girl."

"Exactly!" She waved her hands in annoyance. "Dustin's not exactly trying to impress a guy is he? Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course."

"I'm taking Steve's advice," Dustin shrugged. "Sorry, Ringo. He managed to get you, he's doing something right."

"Exactly," Steve agreed, flashing her a proud grin.

"Oh, he didn't get me by pretending not to care," she rolled her eyes.

"Uh, yes I did."

"If you say so," she played off, a wry smirk appearing on her lips afterward. "Hey Steve, do you think you might be able to carry my school bag tomorrow? I've had a really bad back lately..."

"Yeah, no problem babe."

"A-ha!" She shouted loudly, causing them both to jump. "I told you!"

Dustin ignored their antics, choosing instead to focus on his reflection in the rear view mirror above them as he nervously prodded his hair.

"Hey," Steve tutted when he noticed, slapping his hand over the mirror to hide the reflection. "Come on man, you look great, okay? You look great."

"So handsome!" Ringo chimed in, leaning in from the back to peck an encouraging kiss against his cheek that left him red-faced and giggly.

"You're gonna go in there-" Steve began.

"Yeah, you're gonna go right up in there!" Ringo added.

"And look like a million bucks!"

"Look like a million freakin' bucks!"

"And you're gonna slay em dead!"

"Dead, dead!" Ringo continued, beaming excitedly as Dustin seemed to relax under their encouragements.

"Like a lion," he purred again, much to Steve's chagrin. When he finally left the car and booked it inside, Ringo and Steve watched on like proud parents, hoping that whether or not he managed to 'get the girl', he'd have a good time anyway.

Ringo climbed in from the back seat through to the front shakily, Steve's hand reaching out for her to grab onto until she manoeuvred forward. When she got to sit down, her eyes refocused on the dance, almost full of envy for the experiences she knew the kids would be having.

"I never went to these kind of things," she admitted sadly, tone less excitable than before.

"What?" Steve asked in surprise.

"Yeah, nobody ever asked me and I didn't want the only person who did ask to come pick me up at a trailer park," she revealed, forcing a smile onto her lips to ease the tension, something she always did when talking about things that affected her.

"Well we can't have that can we?" Steve asked, leaning over and resting his hand on her knee as he took off driving again.

"Where are we going?" She questioned curiously.

"Somewhere," was his cryptic response, smirking wickedly as if he had a secret. "I have something to tell you as well."

✵

They had arrived at an empty field Ringo felt she had been to before, but couldn't quite place a finger on. Steve pulled into park, leaving his headlights on and clambering out of the car, waiting for her to follow.

"Where are we?" She asked, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut.

"You don't remember?" He gasped over-dramatically. "This is the field where we had that bonfire over a year ago. Remember? The night we met."

"Oh yeah!" She realised, leaning her back against the closed door as Steve returned inside the car and fumbled around with the glove compartment, a quick glance through the window and she saw he was flicking through cassette tapes.

"Back when you were a 'big-bird looking motherfucker'," she sighed wistfully at the memory. They really had come a long away from snide remarks and glares.

"I don't remember you saying that?" He hummed.

"Oh, I said it."

"Anyways," he went on, finally finding the right tape and taking it out of its box, shoving it into his tape deck and turning the volume knob around.

Any Way You Want It by Journey began to flood through the car speakers, catching her by surprise. Steve came around to her side of the car, grinning excitedly.

"I remember they played this at all the dances I went to when I was their age," he told her, holding his hand out towards her. "And now that we've found out your life is sadder than the Elephant Man," he paused as she let out a loud laugh. "Now you have to dance with me."

"Well, I never turn down a dance," she shrugged, sliding her hand into his as the chorus began to hit.

They could have made it a cheesy romance-worthy scene, slow dancing in a field to a classic tune while they gazed into each other's eyes. But they weren't a cheesy romance movie, they were Steve and Ringo.

Steve was spinning Ringo around and around by her hand until she felt nauseous, her hair flipping around wildly and feet occasionally stumbling over the other. Eventually he let go of her hand to bust a few moves of his own, shimmying his hips and making circles with his hands. Ringo burst out laughing at the sight, her amusement catching onto Steve as well.

By the time the song finished, they were both red-faced and panting, stumbling toward the hood of the car to sit down on and relax for a moment.

"You're a dork, Steve Harrington," she chuckled again, blonde hair fanning out on the windshield as she lay against it. He sat up at her words, eyes remaining fixated on her face. It was now or... well not never, but certainly not in the immediate future.

"Hey Ringo?" He prompted, catching her attention.

"Hmmm?"

"I just wanted to say..." his voice faded away, the slight nervousness in his tone causing her to sit up as well.

"What?" She asked worriedly. He stared at her for a moment longer, and the nerves began to wash away. This was Ringo, after all. He would never have any reason to be insecure in front of her.

"I loke- goddamn it! I did it again!" He shook his head in frustration, completely ruining the moment as she let out a howl of laughter once more.

He let her continue on until her chuckles calmed down, playfully shoving her by the arm.

"I'm sorry," she wiped underneath her eye. "Do continue."

"I love you! Alright!" He shouted, just happy to finally be able to say the word without fumbling over it. He kept his eyes on her, searching for any sign of a negative thought or reaction. But her grin only widened, if that was possible, as she leaned in and pressed her lips against his in a quick, but reassuring kiss.

"I love you too," she admitted, the words enough to lift the weight of the world off his shoulders. "Thank god you said it, I was starting to think I was in the friendzone."

"We are literally dating."

"Hey, you never know."

Steve rolled his eyes teasingly and leaned in to cup her cheeks with his cold hands, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose before meeting her lips again.

They broke away after a few seconds, his eyebrows furrowing when she saw she suddenly had a nervous demeanour.

"I'm ready to have sex if you are!" She suddenly yelled, looking everywhere but at him.

"What?" He sputtered, "here?!"

"No! Not here, Christ it's Winter and I'm not doing it in your car. That's where the kids sit," she huffed, cheeks flaming red with humiliation.

"Good, because I think we'd crack a windshield if we did it here," he sniggered, concerned again when he noticed her bite her lip nervously. "Where did that come from?"

"I just..." she sighed, tucking her blonde hair behind her ears. "I don't want you to get bored of me thinking I don't want sex. I do, I just don't know when it's the right time."

"Ringo, if I wanted you for sex I'd have left a long time ago because you're that much of a handful," he teased, smiling when she saw her fight to hide a smile. For reassurance, he pressed another kiss to her forehead. "When it's the right time, then it'll happen. Stop pressuring yourself. I just told you I am in love with you."

He spoke the words proudly, still sounding foreign coming from his mouth to Ringo's ears. She searched his eyes for any hint of a lie, but couldn't detect any. The thought made her almost want to cry. She never expected to find someone like Steve in her whole life, much less to love and be loved by him.

Even after all she had been through in her life, she'd go through it all again if it meant she could end up feeling this way forever.

Steve lay back against the car once more, tugging her down to curl into his side for warmth. A trip to an open field in December may not have been a particularly good idea he realised, it would surely snow any day now.

"So," she smirked wryly, leaning up on elbow and chuckling lowly, "I heard you have feelings for me."

"Once again," he sighed, "we are literally dating and I literally just said I love you."

"Hmm, you never know."

✵