Let The World Go By || Steve Harrington

Walsh Family Game Night

Home. Parents, sister, and me. All under the one roof. Playing board games because it was a Friday night and those were Walsh family rules. Since Mom and Dad had decided that their 18 and 13 year olds needed more than just check-ins about their grades. 8 more months. Then I could go to school, get away from board game Fridays. When there was a knock at the door I quickly sprung up, volunteering to grab it so that Dad's turn didn't get interrupted. One of the trick or treaters from last night was at my door.

"Is she here?"

"What- who? What? Stephanie!" I just yelled to my little sister, figuring that must be who the kid was asking for, figuring she wasn't looking for my Mom.

"Who is it?" I knew Mom was likely fuming that one of her little friends had come to interrupt game night.

"Mike Meyers." That was who the kid was dressed up as last night. I didn't ask her name, didn't want to know it. I knew enough people, I didn't need middle schoolers in the mix as well.

Steph quickly came running to the door. I didn't know if she knew who Mike Meyers was or if she was just excited about the reason to get away from the game of Monopoly going on in the dining room. I sat back down in my chair when the phone started ringing. It was my turn so Dad went to answer the phone. As I rolled double 5s and started moving my piece I heard him groan loudly.

I landed on Boardwalk and quickly scanned to see if anyone owned it yet. Mom had Park Place, but Boardwalk was unowned. I gladly handed Mom the money for the property before Dad loudly sighed again. "Everything alright honey?"

"When did our daughters get so popular?" Me. The phone was for me. Who the hell was calling? I didn't exactly have a riveting social life since my whole plans tonight was Monopoly. Sure I'd invited Steve but at school today you wouldn't have known I had been his shoulder to cry on the last couple days.

Going to answer the phone I just said; "Yeah?"

"Lucy! Thank goodness I had the right ones! It's Nancy." Groan, it was the only reaction I had to Nancy Wheeler. I couldn't help it. "Trust me I get it. I need a huge favor."

"I don't do favors Wheeler." My tone was deadpan, there was no friendliness with Nancy. She'd hurt me, and then despite that decided to hurt Steve as well. Me? I don't care, but don't hurt the guy who's too good for that shit.

"Please, consider it. I'm trying to help Will Byers." The kid who died but didn't? Why the fuck would she care? Wait, Mike and Will. That's a duo I'd heard Steph mention, which makes sense. She actually likes her little brother's friends I guess.

"Before I agree to shit-" I was quickly cut off by a voice from the living room.

"LANGUAGE YOUNG LADY!" Dad. Of course they were listening. There was no such thing as a private conversation in this house.

"Before I agree to anything, what is the favor you need?" I rolled my eyes at my dad, if I knew for a fact he wasn't watching I would have flipped him the bird, but I didn't currently want to deal with that.

"Who was that?" Paranoia, that was paranoia in the Wheeler girl's voice.

"My Dad, you interrupted game night. Now what do you want Wheeler?" I wasn't her friend. I didn't want to be, she'd hated me. Why would I help her now?

"I need you to cover for me. If anyone asks I'm sleeping over at yours until I'm back." I laughed. Not a belly laugh, it was moreso like a laugh and a scoff had a love child and it escaped my throat.

"Where are you actually?"

"I can't tell you."

"We're not friends Wheeler. Why should I help you?" A reach was an understatement. Me helping her? Not unless the world was ending and hell froze over.

"Because you know there's more going on with Barb than people accept." That I actually agreed with, especially with Steve's reaction to the mention of Barb yesterday. There was no way there wasn't more to it than that.

"So you two really did bang." Humor, and the fact I still don't like her.

"What?! No! She was my best friend, my sister."

"I didn't realize that kind of relationship meant anything to you." Cold like the snow that was due to start falling any day, she hadn't cared that Steve was like my brother. Why should I buy that she cares about Barb outside the idea of a mystery to solve.

"Walsh, I told my Mom I'm at yours for the weekend. If you don't cover it bites us both in the ass."

"Listen to perfect Miss Wheeler, having a Walsh sort of mouth on you." She didn't curse, at least not at school. I could remember at least twice before she and Steve became official where she called me foul for my mouth.

"Do what you want, but if you don't cover we're both screwed." The line went dead. I placed the phone back on the hook and just shook my head. Steve, I needed to talk to Steve. Maybe they'd made up and he was involved. Maybe that was why she was using me as a cover.

I sat back down at the table, rolling the dice seeing Steph's piece off the board. I guess Mike Meyers was important enough to get away with stealing my sister. The phone started ringing and my father stormed over too it. Ah yes, this was a much more accurate representation of the Walsh home. Passive aggression and quiet shit talking. The conversation in the kitchen was muffled and honestly I couldn't care.

More knocking at the door. I went to answer it as Mom just lit a cigarette at the dining room table, giving up on the evening. Opening the door I was facing Steve Harrington. "That offer to join game night still on the table?" He had a pizza and flowers in his hand. I just moved out of the way, gesturing for him to come in.

"Mom, Dad! Steve is here. He brought grub." I heard Mom mutter a shit and I figured she was quickly trying to put out her cigarette.

"Mr and Mrs Walsh it's so nice to see you."

"Steve sweetie we've missed you!"

That. That was what my parents wanted to be. A happy family, whose kids had respectable happy friends, and they all were just one big extended family. Watching Steve with my parents just reminded me of the fact he was still the King of Hawkins. Yet none of this was the reality. Steve clearly wasn't with Nancy so he probably didn't know why she asked me to cover for her. Dad had just been cursing at whoever was on the phone. Mom was sneaking cigarettes and acting like there wasn't smoke coming from under the table. No such thing as the perfect happy family.