ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟᴀꜱᴛꜱ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ ☆ ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇ ʜᴀʀʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ

002.

[1983]
002.stand by me

By the time she had gotten home from school, there was a certain boy standing in her driveway, tapping his foot anxiously.

"I could have driven you home, Lewis."

"I can walk fine, Steve." She sighed, grabbing the house key from her bag, walking up to her front door. "What are you doing here anyway?"

"I heard the rumours about a missing kid and wanted to make sure you were okay." He spoke, stuffing his hands in his back pockets of his jeans.

She sighed and pushed the handle down, walking in and  leaving the door open behind for Steve to enter. "Why are you actually here, Steve?" Annabelle let out a frustrated sigh, dropping her bag on the kitchen table. "I'm busy."

"Busy with what?" He furrowed his brows.

"Going to see Jonathan."

Steve clenched his jaw, letting out an airy chuckle. "Byers? The loner with the camera?"

"No, my friend who's interests are photography." She turned to him with a stern look.

Annabelle walked to the kitchen, checking for a note on the fridge of when her mom will be back. When she turned round to leave, she was stopped by Steve in front her her, blocking her in with his hands beside her face, leaning to the wall, caging her in.

"Why are you in rush to go there, Annabelle?"

The blonde looked up to him, making Steve's heart beat a little more. "His brother is the one who's missing." She said before ducking under his arm and walking away.

"That's why you were called into the office?"

"Are you going to Nancy's?" Annabelle was quick to change the subject so that she could leave to make sure her other friend was okay.

"Soon." He replied, walking to table and snatching the keys from her. "But first, we're going to go get milkshakes, because you are probably gonna forget to eat and your mom isn't here." He grabbed his car keys out and stood in the doorway, waiting for the blonde to exit so he could shut the door.

"But I need to see-"

"Nope. Food first, then I can drop you at there house. deal?" He smiled to her. Annabelle looked back to the kitchen, biting her lip and closing her eyes before letting out a sigh and agreeing to go.

They hadn't said a word after getting into the car. Steve tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, glancing to the side to see Annabelle looking out the window.

"So, uh... how's school?" He didn't know what to stay so stuck with that, glancing to look at her. He knew she had Kaminsky's class and thought of how the tests were impossible.

"Fine... How's Nancy? Didn't think you'd pick her as your next lady obsession." A small smirk rested on her lips.

"It's going great and just because I chose to go out with someone doesn't mean I'm obsessed. Why don't you ask that to Liam?"

"Liam?" She turned to look at him with furrowed brows. "What about Liam?"

"Seriously?" He chuckled, looking to her and seeing she was serious. He looked back to the road before continuing. "Have you not seen how in love he is with you. He's totally obsessed with you, Lewis. The poor boy follows you like a lost puppy."

"That is not true. We've friends for years okay. It's not like that." She shook her head, leaning back in her seat.

"So your telling me that if you kissed me he wouldn't be jealous?"

"I think Nancy would be." She shot back with a smirk, arms crossed over her chest. Annabelle was very much not in the mood right now.

"Okay, yeah. If I wasn't with Nance then?"

"Are you just trying to see if I would kiss you?"

"Stop avoiding the question and answer." He laughed.

"Umm... Maybe." She sighed. "He's protective sometimes and your the king Steve Harrington of Hawkins High. Of course he would be concerned and -"

"Jealous." Steve cut in.

"If he kissed me would that make you mad? Jealous?" Annabelle was getting slightly annoyed, why was he bring this up. Hell, why is he even here and not with Nancy. "Yeah. You're my friend. But I wouldn't be jealous over it, cause I'm not in love with you."

Something about the last words didn't feel extremally right, with either of them, but the two chose to ignore it.

"Okay, fine. Now can you please tell me where we are going?"

"Peter's."  It's a diner at the edge of town, that's a little run down but the best place for milkshakes.

"Why are you taking me out anyways?" She asked after silence consumed the car.

"My dad's away on a business trip with my mom. I was going to help Nancy study later but before that I wanted to check that you were oaky and I'm hungry. So kill two birds with one stone. See your okay, get food."

"Hmm. " She hummed in acknowledgment and clicked the radio on. Glass of heart by Blondie blasted on the radio. She changed the radio station and Stand by me by Ben E. King came on. A small smile spread across her face and she turned the volume up.

"This?" He asked sceptically. Annabelle didn't answer as a smile light up her face at the classic 60's song played out the radio.

"when the night has come." she started to song to the sing. "and the land is dark and the moon is the only light we'll see."

Steve looked across to her, seeing her move her head to the beat, a smile on her face as she sang the lyrics. A smile made its way up to his lips.

"Just as long as you stand stand by me." She began singing louder, her eyes closed and she moved her shoulders, dancing to the song, feeling carefree.

"You're crazy." He chuckled, shaking his head, looking back to the road.

"Oh stand by me, stand by me." She ignored him but got louder and held her hand in a fist to her mouth like she was singing into a microphone.

"or the mountains, should crumble to the sea. I wont cry I wont cry no no no I wont shed a tear just as long as you stand by me."

If felt like the world slowed down a minute. The wind blew from the window, messy up their hair. Annabelle sang louder as she turned the radio up and Steve was content, smiling at her.

"And darlin darlin darlin." Steve joined and the pair was now screaming out the lyrics, very off key. "Stand, by me oh  stand by me."