FREAK ; steve harrington

1.4

Rose crept down the stairs. A yawn escaping her mouth. Steve looked up from the counter. A bowl of cereal in front of him, there was another next to him. He nodded at her silently. She half smiled at him sitting next to him, and sliding the bowl over to her.

The milk rocked in the bowl.

"Thanks." She felt like she was obligated to say it. Steve set down his spoon.

"Anytime." He said his eyes staring forward. He barely slept that night. He was awake staring out his window. Thinking about Nancy, Jonathan, even Rose. The look in her eyes when she told him everything. The way she protected him when she has always hated him and his friends.

Rose ate the cereal, the pair sitting in silence.

"On the way to school could you drop me off at my house? I would prefer to not show up at school in your clothes." Steve nodded picking up his bowl and wordlessly brushing pass her. Rose eyed him, how stiff and tense he was. She pushed her bowl away crossing her arms over her chest.

"Either you are mad at me or you're scared. Which is it? Oh-dont tell me, you are still thinking about Wheeler." Steve leaned up against the sink counter. His face solem, and serious. He glared over at her. Rose scoffed standing up and walking iver to him. Her bowl of just milk in her hand. She stood up to him, their chests almost touching. She reached around him dumping out the milk and leaving the bowl as he did. She smirked up at him patting his arm.

"Dont sweat over her Harrington. You weren't there, she saw the monster first hand, her best friend is missing in that place. She was terrified. Then I forced her to leave me there. Jonathan doesn't have the balls to make a move on her anyway." She shrugged walking away. She went to the laundry room down the hallway.

Steve last night must've ran the washer and dryer. She opened the dryer pulling out her clothes from last night. They were stained dark. Splotches of dark patches were all over the cloth.

"Damnit." She cursed pulling out her jean jacket. She loved that jacket. She shook her head tucking the clothes under her arm and walking back out.

"Are we ready to go or do you still have to do your hair?" Steve rolled his eyes turning around to cover the smallest smile that pulled up onto his features.

"Lets go Red." She glared at the back of his head. That damn nickname will annoy her until she's dead.

---

Steve and Rose were silent throughout the drive to Roses house. She had her head leaned against the window. Her eyes scanning the woods.

Steve would glance over at the girl ever so often. He then would force his eyes away. Steve pulled up into Roses driveway, Rose already unbuckled.

"Thanks Harrington." She mumbled squinting out the window avoiding his eyes. He kept one arm of the wheel the other resting on the middle counsel.

"Thanks for saving my life." That made Rose look over at him. She smirked at him opening the door.

"Bye Rose!" He called knowing it would bother her. She flipped him off behind her careful to not show the smile on her lips. Steve laughed backing out and heading to school.

Rose opened the door sighing out.

"Jean." She called. No answer. Someone did step out through. Eleven stepped out in Roses old clothes.

"Hey." Rose said softly. She walked over to the girl rubbing her head. Eleven smiled following the teen into her room. Rose took notice of her messy bed making it that Eleven slept in her bed the night before.

"Boy." Eleven stated, sitting on Roses bed. Rose glanced over her shoulder tossing her now stained clothes onto the floor.

"Steve. A lot happened last night and he got caught in the middle." She explained leaving out certain details.

"Date?" Rose choked on her spit coughing. She hit her chest looking at the younger girl in alarm.

"No, no we-uh-I don't even know if we are friends." Eleven tilted her head not believing Rose. Rose made a face.

"What? Not believing me? What about Mike hm?" Then Elevens face fell. Rose noticed and walked over to the girl.

"What happened?" She grew protective of El, and now that she knew that she was alive it was worse then when they were in the lab.

"Lied to him." Rose put a hand on the younger girls back.

"Lied about what?"

"Gate." Rose sighed her hand falling. She pulled it back into her lap.

"And he got mad over that? Those three shouldn't even be looking for that gate. They'll get killed." Rose scoffed standing up and going to her closet pulling out clothes. She was already late and didn't care if she would miss her first class.

"I told them. They didn't believe." Rose nodded taking off her shirt. She couldn't care less about changing in front of Eleven.

Elevens eyes fell to the scars on the older girls back.

"Hurt?" Eleven reached to touch it. Rose jumped back before looking at Elevens eyes. Rose nodded pulling on a clean shirt.

"Got caught, damn things clawed me. Took weeks to heal, left a pretty nice scar though?" Rose tried to lighten the mood.

Four claw marks were across her back. From her shoulder blade down to to the beginning of her hips.

Rose pulled up clean pants and put on her shoes.

"Where's Jean?" She finally asked looking over at Eleven. Eleven shrugged.

"Gone when I waked up." Rose nodded standing up.

"I gotta go to school. Stay here ok?" She pointed at Eleven. The girl nodded laying back down. Rose smiled then turned and left.