Stare. [Steve Harrington x Reader]

Chapter One: Skipping Class

Tuesday, October 30, 1984

It had been a long and uneventful school year after fighting supernatural creatures at the end of last year. It was just before Halloween now, and this year was mine and Steve's last year at Hawkins High before we graduated.

I sat in the back of Steve's parked car. Nancy was in the passenger seat, and Steve was in the driver's seat. We were in the parking lot of Hawkins High School, and Nancy was reading Steve's college application papers as I sat looking out the window at students walking past.

"It's crap, I know." I heard Steve say to Nancy.

"No, it's not crap," Nancy said back to him, looking up from the paper.

Us three became closer over this past year. "It's not good," Steve said, putting himself down again as he shook his head.

"It's going to be. Just-- it needs some reorganising." Nancy said as she looked at Steve. He then sighed.

I looked over Nancy's shoulder at the application paper. "Can I read it?" I asked Steve.

He looked over at me for a second before he answered. "Yeah, I guess." Nancy passed it over to me with her pen.

I skimmed it, and after a few minutes, I began speaking. "So, in the first paragraph, you used the basketball game versus Northern as a metaphor for your life, which is great. But then, around here..." I pointed at the paper before circling it. "...you start talking about your granddad's experiences in the war. And I-- I don't really see how they're connected." I looked up at him.

"It connects because-- because, you know, we both won." I looked at him with a straight face, and then I looked back down, nodding my head.

"Do you think I should start from scratch?" He said after I hadn't said anything.

"No. I mean...when's the deadline?" I asked him as I passed the papers and pen back to Nancy.

"It's tomorrow for early application." He held my eye for a few seconds before he looked away from me and towards Nancy. "Can you come and help me tonight?" Steve asked Nancy, and I fell back into the car seat with a sigh.

"We have our dinner tonight, remember?" Nancy said to Steve.

"Oh my god!" Steve exclaimed, blowing raspberries as he looked away from Nancy.

"We already cancelled last week. You don't have to go. Just work on this." Nancy spoke.

I watched the two speak to each other.

"No, no, no. What's the point?" Steve says, grabbing the paper from Nancy suddenly and scrunching it into a ball.

"Hey, calm down."

"I'm calm. I'm calm. I'm just being honest. You know, I mean... I'll end up working for my dad anyway."

"That's not true." Nancy shook her head.

"I don't know, Nance. Is that such a bad thing? There's insurance and benefits and all that adult stuff. And if I took it, you know. I could be around for your senior year."

"Steve..."

"Just to look after you a little bit. Make sure you don't forget about this pretty face." Nancy looked away and chuckled. "Nance, I'm serious." They both leaned in and kissed each other. "I love you."

"I love you, too." They said to each other. This car was starting to feel claustrophobic.

"Oh, gross," I said as I opened the door and got out.

I heard Nancy and Steve laugh from inside the car. The cool fall breeze hit my face as I shut the car door and turned around to lean against it.

A shiny blue car drove into the parking lot with loud rock music playing as it moved slowly and parked a bit away from us. Nancy and Steve both got out of the car to also watch.