𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 | 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧

005

005- the junkyard

"I said medium well!" Lucas yelled as he approached the Junkyard, Steve and Dustin dumping the leftover  meat on the ground. "Who's that?" Steve asked, looking towards Max, who walked alongside Lucas. "That- is my sister."

Everyone began to help gather sheet metal and scraps to help be more prepared for Dart's arrival, Dustin and Lucas walking off to talk about something in private. "Max- why are you here?" Indi asked, slight concern in her voice. "Why are you here? And where were you last night?" Max questioned, moving sheet metal and standing it against a bus.

"Hey! Dickheads! How come the only people helping me out are Indi and her random sister who just appeared. We lose light in 40 minutes, let's go. Let's go, I said!" Steve rushed the two boys away from their conversation. "All right, asshole!" Dustin scoffed.

They continued moving metal and rolling barrels, Steve trailing a line of gasoline across the grass. When they finished, they all got in the bus and shut the door behind them. "So.. are we just waiting for them to get here?" Indi asked, sitting down on one of the seats. "Waiting for them to follow the trail." Dustin said. "It's getting dark, we need a lookout." He suggested. "I mean- I can be the lookout but I don't really know what I'm looking for." She looked around the bus. "I can go with you." Steve said, standing up.

"I cannot believe we're doing this." Indi climbed up the ladder, climbing on the top of the bus. "We are going to die. I cannot believe I'm going to die in a bus, with Steve The Hair Harrington and bunch of middle schoolers." She said, rubbing her temples.

"Well if we die we'll die on a bus." Steve said as he finally climbed up. "You are seriously no help Harrington." She glared. "Hey, we aren't going to die." He laughed lightly. "How do you know that Harrington?" She asked, giving a light smile.

"Because I just do." He said softly, a whisper almost.  The corners of his mouth turning up to give a reassuring smile. They made eye contact for a split second before turning away. In that moment, she had never seen someone look so soft, so delicate, so ethereal. And for a moment, the silence that had consumed both of them was almost comforting, in a way. The way his skin looked so soft and his eyes lit up whenever the moonlight hit the right angle. Almost as though the events of today hadn't happened and like she wasn't about to cry 5 minutes ago. She stopped herself from this unusual thought and began to wonder why she was thinking it in the first place.

She cleared her throat. "Thank you... for the reassurance." she pressed her lips into an awkward smile, earning a light nod from Steve. "I'm sorry- about everything. The whole running you over with my car, and then dragging you into this shit show." He said, picking at his fingers.

"Steve-" she said lightly, causing him to look up at her. "You don't have to apologize. I should've looked both ways." She laughed. "And I would've found out eventually, I mean Max is my sister." I shrugged. "Yeah." He nodded. "So why did you guys come here? I mean.. didn't you guys used to live in like California? Why Hawkins of all places?" He asked.

"I don't really know." She said truthfully. "I guess it's just the farthest place from my dad. My mom wanted to 'start fresh' with my stepdad but it just made things worse. Billy's always been a complete ass, but now he's just angry all the time. I guess he just takes it out on everyone else since he can't with his dad and my mom. It's just overwhelming silence even if someone is speaking, you know?"

"I get that.. the whole silence thing." He spoke softly. "I guess everyone is angry. Max is angry, I'm angry.. at the circumstances. I just- I never want to end up like Billy, I know Max doesn't either. I'm just so sick of everything changing. I'm sorry, I- I kinda just dumped that on you." She laughed, trying to diffuse the mood.