Hypotheticals

15-Phone calls

sorry this chapter changes between past and present tense im tired

Steve has the day off. It's been a week since Dustin went to the hospital. Steve  has definitely felt better recently, knowing he was back home safe. He sits on the couch, aimlessly flipping through television channels. With Robin and Eddie at school, along with all the youger ones, Steve really had nothing to do. As if someone was reading his mind, the phone rings. He gets up and walks slowly to the kitchen. He picks up the screaming phone and puts the reciever to his ear. 

"Yeah?" He suddenly feels a bit queasy. The last time he was off and got a phone call, it didn't bear good news. "Steve hi!" The voice on the other side of the phone revealed to be Nancy. Why was Nancy calling him? 

"Oh hey Nance- wait aren't you in class right now?" A small laugh comes from the other side. 

"Lunch." Oh right. 

"What's up?" He taps his foot on the floor impatiently. he and Nancy never talk anymore, and he was kind of over the conversation already. 

"I- I was wondering if..." Steve could feel it coming next, he'd been around the block."If you wanted to maybe try again? Maybe we could meet on a day you aren't working, or after one of your shifts. Only if you want to of course." She exhales hard. So does he. How does he break this to her? They used to have great chemistry. Until they didn't. 

"Steve? Are you still there?" She asks. 

"Oh yeah uh, Nance, about that. I don't think I can. I found someone. I fould someone real special and I don't want to give up on them. I'm sorry." That wasn't that bad. 

"Oh okay, yeah no thats alright, good luck. Goodbye Steve." The call ends with a click and then the dial tone. He puts the phone back on the wall. He could hear the crack in her voice within her last words. His heart ached for her. Is that how he will feel upon telling Eddie how he feels? All the more reason to keep it surpressed deep down.

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Eddie always goes home before his shifts at Family Video begin, so Steve knew he would catch him there. He dialed in the number that was burned into his mind. Steve spent late nights memorizing those numbers. Normally he had the piece of paper with him at all times, but he couldn't find it today. The phone rings. Someone picks up. 

"Hey Eddie, it's St-" He was cut short by the voice on the other end. 

"Don't call call back here, sissy." A gruff voice garbles at him. He put the phone back confused. Someone just called him a sissy, and it sure as hell wasn't Eddie. Or at least he hoped. He just wants to talk to Eddie for a bit. He decides he will go pay him and Robin a visit. 

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Steve walks through the doors, shrill rings emitting from above his head as he does so. He is easily scouted out by Robin who is busy with a customer. She gives him a signal, just give me a sec, and he nods. He walks around the small store and peeks into the storage closet. Where is Eddie? He was always at work on time, so far. Robin rigns up her customers and turns to Steve. She gives him a hug and greets him. 

"Steve! How was hanging out with Eddie? What'd you guys do?" Steve thought back to the night prior. The deep, emotional, hypothetical conversation the two had. The way Eddie kicked him out hastily. The asshole with his high beams on driving towards Eddie and Max's trailers, passing awfully close to his car. 

"It was fun we talked about- about um movies and music. And school." Steve didn't want to tell her about the conversation they had. He felt it ws too intimate to go throwing around. She looked slightly dissapointed. Steve wonders if she had been lookng for a certain answer. 

"Where is Eddie?" Steve asks, changing the subject. there was a change in her expression, like she remembered something. "I was going to ask you that, he didn't show up at school today either. He actually has a good attendance record, for someone like him. Claims it's his year, or something." Steve grew worries. He also chose not to share the fact that Eddie did not answer his phone, or at least he didn't get a clear idea of what the phone call was. 

Eddie didn't show up to work for the whole shift. Since he was planning on staying anyway, Steve took over Eddie's shift. When he went home he called Eddie's house again, only to recieve no answer. He goes to bed, but doesn't sleep well. Where is Eddie?

Same thing the next day. Before he left he called Eddie's phone. No answer. Steve called Robin, and reminded her to keep an eye out for Eddie. He went to work. Customers flowed in and out. He helped some of them, he left others be. He cleaned empty shelves and sweeped the floor. When Keith showed up to relieve him he walked out and gt in his car with out saying a word. He drove home, anxiously awaiting the phone. He called Eddie when he got home. No answer. He called Robin and she picked up almost instantly. 

"Robin?"

"Steve!"

"Anything?"

"No he was a no show, again." Steve exhaled, frustrated. Where the hell his he? "Steve it's alright, we're going to find him, okay?" Steve nodded, even if she couldn't see it. Steve went to bed, fighting tears. First Dustin, now Eddie. 

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It is now Friday afternoon and Steve is driving home. Steve is driving home and Eddie is walking. Eddie is walking fast. Steve is driving home and the rain begins. Eddie is walking fast, and he's getting rained on. 

Steve and Eddie are going home.