Stay or Go

Chapter 24

I am in a dark hall, there aren't any lights anywhere. I feel the walls as I start walking and I realise it's dirt. I'm underground. My chest tightens when I realise and my heart falls to my stomach. Why the hell am underground? How did I even get here?

Swallowing hard I press on. I'll have to find an exit eventually, there is no way all exists are sealed. Something I learned from Heaven, there is always a way out.

I make my way through all of the twists and turns that the tunnel gives to me. My heart is picking up speed the longer I am down here. I wonder if anyone has realised I'm gone, has Dustin? Or Jonathan? Or Nancy?

I stop at a dead end, I spin around to go back but freeze in place as I hear a growling sound. Darkness, really darkness seems to set in then and my hands tremble a little bit. I turn around and giant black talons are reaching for me.

I cringe away but the talon reaches around and strokes down my jaw gently. "I have great plans for you Lorelei Henderson." Says a grating voice, a shiver runs down my spine and I flinch.

I gasp awake, my whole body sweating and my bed sheets tangled underneath me. Someone groans from the floor and I look over the side of my bed "Steve?" I ask. He sits up and rubs his eyes tiredly. "Why are you here?" I ask swinging my legs over the side.

"I stayed, remember? Jesus, did you drink more then me?" He answers standing up. He grabs his jacket and I follow him to the window "you gonna talk to Nancy today?" I ask leaning against the wall. He sighs and shrugs his shoulders "probably, I mean. I need to know what she actually think.' I nod and slide up my window. "See you at school Steve." I say as I watch him climb down and over to his car.

He stops and waves at me, I smile and wave back before he climbs into his car and pulls away.

-

"Was that Steve Harrington I saw sneaking out of the house?" Dustin asks as he pours his cereal. I bite into my own "no." He gives me a look before going to get the milk from the fridge. "You know he is with Nancy Wheeler, right?" He continues.

I roll my eyes and drop my spoon into my bowl. "I know that." I say gently "we are barely even friends." Dustin scoffs and sits down opposite me "and that's why he was sneaking out."

I look down at my bowl and say "Dustin...." I look over at my brother "mind your own business." He snorts and I throw my spoon at him. Dustin dodges it narrowly, clutching his chest "Lorelei, you are a very violent person." I role my eyes and stick my tongue out at him.

A car horn sounds outside and I leap up "that's me, see you around loser." I say to my brother. I reach the front door as I hear him call back "see ya nerd." I smile and exit the house.

It's quite sunny for a fall day and I squint against the brightness and head for the car. "Hey gorgeous." Billy says as I slam the car door shut, I roll my eyes and sit back in my chair. "Hey Billy, thanks for the ride." He nods and we speed off towards school.

-

I am watching the senior year boys play basketball in gym and I have got to say I am enjoying the view. Steve and Billy seem to have marked each other as their targets for the match as they keep going at each other rather violently. Harrington has the ball as Billy races towards him, he runs straight into the blonde who starts to block him. "Harrington, right?" Billy asks panting slightly "I heard you used to run this school. That true? King Steve, they used to call you, huh? Then you turned bitch."

I watch as a look of concentration falls onto Steve's features before he lets out a panted breath and replies "hey, maybe you should just shut up and just play the game." Billy does something that makes Steve fall over, he takes that opportunity to snatch the ball and shoots it into the net. I lift my head up and cup my mouth with my hands "better luck next time Harrington." He looks up at the bleachers where I am sitting and gives me his middle finger causing me to laugh and earning him a shout from the coach.

Nancy appears in the doorway that leads to the rest of the school looking a mixture between angry and nervous. "Steve!" She calls out and the brunette whips his head round, spotting her instantly and follows her out. Once he is gone Billy looks over at me and winks, I roll my eyes before waving my hands in the air as though they have pompoms in them like a cheerleader.

When Steve finally appears again he looks upset and on edge slightly. I tie my hair up messily and make my way down off of the bleachers. "Hey, Henderson. Wait up!" I look over my shoulder and see Billy racing towards me "fancy going to see a movie later?" He asks gently. I scrunch up my nose and push my bag further up my shoulder "what, like a date?" I ask transferring my weight from one foot to the other. Billy looks behind him and scratches the back of his neck "no, just uh two friends hanging out."

He gives me the smile I know gets him in a lot of trouble, partially with women and I sigh heavily smiling back at him. "Just two friends hanging out." I cave and his smile become more genuine. He tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear and steps backwards "I'll pick you up at 7 pm sharp, gorgeous."

-

"You can't go out with Billy Hargrove tonight." Steve says as I slam my locker shut, I frown and look over at him "I'm sorry?" I say clutching my books tightly in my hand. We start down the corridor, dodging people trying to get to their classes. "You can't go out with him tonight." He repeats as though it is painfully obvious, "and why not?" I ask timing my head back slightly to look at him again. He hasn't snapped out of his mood from gym "because he is an asshole!" Steve says throwing his arms up in the air in annoyance.

I roll my eyes "it's not like its a date Steve, we are just friends." This catches him off guard as he stops at the door to my next period "it's not?" He asks, his voice going soft and I shake my head "no, so you can cool your big brother act." I slip into my classroom. I sit down next to Nancy in my regular seat and she looks a little glum too. I lean over and tap her gently on the shoulder "Nance, you alright?" I ask and she runs a hand through her dark brown hair in frustration. "Apparently Steve and I had an argument last night." She tries to keep her voice low "and apparently I said our relationship is bullshit and now just because I won't say I love you to him he assumes I mean it when I'm sober."

Sucking in a breath, I turn in my seat so I am completely facing her "Nancy, I will admit, your argument last night seemed pretty bad." She bites her lip anxiously "but I'm sure you two will work things out, you always do." She shrugs and slumps down in her chair as though defeated "I don't know about this time Lori, he seems pretty upset." I don't have a chance to say anything else as the teacher begins the class.

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