Long Live ~ Stranger Things

8. Epilogue

Once the initial shock of not being attacked by Demodogs wore off Inez and Steve climbed out of the hole. Inez went up first, the kids helping her up, and then she helped Steve out. After finally being back on safe ground everyone just sat in silence for a long time. They had just escaped death for the dozenth time in a single week.

"Wait, first you liked my sister and now my cousin!?" Mike yelled out after taking in the moment. The rest of the kids started laughing as Inez and Steve became embarrassed.

"I guess he's got a thing for Wheelers." Dustin joked. Now everyone but Steve was laughing.

Max was next to make a comment mid laugh while nodding towards Mike. "Watch out, you might be next in the next few years."

The headlights of Billy's car suddenly shone directly at the group. Everyone, still in hysterics, covered their eyes with their arms. And then seconds later they turned back off again.

"Okay, ha-ha, enough with the jokes already. Everyone get in the car." Steve tried his best to cover up his embarrassment. "And I'm driving."

⁂⁂One Month Later⁂⁂

For the first time in history Hawkins was the talk of not only Indiana but the whole country. Nancy and Jonathan released tapes that showed that the U.S. Department of Energy had some involvement in the death and cover-up of Barbara Holland. It went down as she died due to exposure to an experimental chemical asphyxiant that had come from Hawkins lab. The world got to finally see at least a small bit of the evil that ran through the small town. And even though what was released was only a small portion of the truth, it was still enough to finally close down the lab for good.

And while this had happened Inez had a month she would have never expected. Not long after their tunnel confessions Inez and Steve were officially together. Steve spent two weeks working up the courage to ask the girl on a date and during it Inez was the one to make them official. Though Steve would insist that wasn't true. And during this month, on their second date, Inez offered to teach Steve a few things in archery. He was absolutely horrible at it, which he would not admit to anyone, but he had a good time at least trying. Steve then took a weekend to teach Inez how to play baseball. Within a day she had nailed basically every aspect of it and Steve then used this to brag to anybody who would listen. He had a girlfriend that was good at archery and baseball, obviously he had to tell everybody about it.

But the two put all sports aside for their third date as the two volunteered to drop Dustin off at the Snow Ball the middle school was throwing. The idea was for Steve to pick up Inez, then they'd pick up Dustin, drop him off, and then spend the next hour or two eating a massive amount of junk food in the school's parking lot. Inez had come up with the idea originally and when she told Steve he had the biggest heart eyes the girl had ever seen. And so the two were doing just that. Steve had just picked up Inez and the two headed to Dustin's house.

"I thought you'd appreciate the front seat." Inez laughed when Dustin made a comment on why she was in the back when the teens pulled in the driveway. She thought it was a nice thing to do as it was a special night for him.

Dustin did take the front seat and in no time the three pulled into the parking lot of Hawkins Middle School. The sound of music blaring and kids chattering could already be heard from inside. And from what the three could see the inside was entirely decked out from floor to ceiling.

"All right, buddy, here we are." Steve spoke as he parked the car. "So, remember, once you get in there..."

"Pretend like I don't care." Dustin nodded.

"There you go. You're learning, my friend. You're learning." Steve praised.

Inez then leaned in between the front seats and highly pushed Steve's shoulder. "I am once again asking you to not listen to anything he tells you."

"Hey, I ended up with you." Steve defended.

"That's because you finally just told me what you felt."

Steve scratched the back of his neck in embarrassment. "Yeah, okay, that is true." Steve then noticed that Dustin was checking himself out in the mirror. " Stop that. Come on. You look great, okay?"

"Yeah."

"Okay? Now you're gonna go in there..."

"Yeah."

"Look like a million bucks."

"Yeah."

"And you're gonna slay 'em dead."

"Like a lion."

"Good luck, buddy." Inez patted the boy on the shoulder.

Dustin then got out of the car and then turned back around. "I have the coolest unofficial parents ever!"

"Yeah you do!" Steve yelled back. Inez laughed as she went around the car to take over the passenger seat.

The two then continued their plans.... They proceeded to eat every bit of chocolate and candy they each brought. Steve much preferred this date compared to the archery one.