𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

009

Ignoring my crush on Steve Harrington was my number one priority as I walked around the mall trying to find anyone that 'looked like' a Russian spy. Robin was left to take over Scoops and Dustin and Steve were hiding in a bush somewhere. They figured that I could be the one to walk around the mall pretending to be unaware and see if I could spot someone, so far no luck.
The only thing I'd seen that was weird was Mike Wheeler moping on a bench.

That is until a soft hand tapped me on my shoulder and I turned around swiftly to come face to face with Fred Benson. He was a sweet guy, very nerdy like me and he was scrawny with messy brown hair and glasses. All things considered, I thought he was quite cute.
I shared several classes with him at school and found him to be very sweet as well.

"Ruby!" He cheerfully explained, large smile on his face as he fixed his glasses and began to speak, "what a coincidence bumping into you!"
I laughed and lowered my head for a moment, the thought of someone being happy to bump into me confusing my brain, "yeh well! Robin is working at scoops ahoy so.." I trailed off hoping he understood, but instead he went bright red, "r-Robin? Is.. working at scoops ahoy?"

The boys face looked hot as he stuttered and I gave him a smirk and raised brow, "yeh.."
"Oh.." he nodded, "cool, cool.. cool.."
I couldn't help but laugh, Fred Benson was crushing on Robin, and she'd find it hilarious.
Not in the mean way and nothing against Fred but Robin tended to find any romantic interest funny, so after a while I did to, knowing the inevitable rejection, it was easier to laugh through it.

Was that mean?

I guess I wouldn't want anyone to laugh if I admitted I was crushing on Steve Harrington, (despite my internal protest,) I knew exactly what they'd think if I let someone know.
Ruby white? The ugly girl in choir? God she doesn't stand a chance.

No.
I shook my head as Fred waved and walked off, people like me and people like Steve didn't end up together.

***

(POV SHIFT - THIRD PERSON)

"You see anything?" Dustin questioned as he peered over the bushes with Steve Harrington, who was staring at passers by through bulky binoculars.
"I don't even know what I'm looking for.." he grimaced as Dustin lifted his brows and gave his older friend a look, "evil Russians?"
Right.. Steve thought as he rolled his eyes, "I don't know what evil Russians look like."
Dustin mumbled something about being blonde and unhappy but Steve was busy peering around the mall at all the girls.

"Damn she's hot," he let out as he watched a tanned girl sit by the water fountain, listening to her Walkman and tapping her feet as she spoke with her friends.
"If you're not gonna focus, give me the binoculars." Dustin sighed, done with Steve's antics, the guy needed to stop looking for a girlfriend so much, it was getting frustrating and kinda sad?

"Besides I don't get why you're looking at girls when you have the perfect one in front of you," Dustin let our angrily as Steve continued watching through the binoculars, knowing exactly what was coming next.
"Seriously if you say Ruby again.." Dustin had tried it with Robin but no dice.. but when he had teased Steve earlier about his co workers best friend Steve had a weird reaction.. one Dustin could only associate with a crush.
"Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, RUBY!" Dustin repeated getting louder every time as his older friend protested, "no- no- no- NO!" He looked down from the binoculars and at his smaller friend, "I don't- no man! She's not even my type.. she's not even in the ballpark of my type!"
Dustin scoffed, Ruby White.. a girl that was smart, beautiful and kind, wasn't his type?
And he said just that, "so smart and beautiful isn't your type?"

"Har har Henderson," he looked around before leaning in and lowering his voice, still annoyed, "for your information, she's still in school, and she's weird!" Dustin gave him a look, "and she, she hates me!" He let out louder this time before scoffing and turning away, his hair bouncing as he did, "not that I care because..I just don't ok!" he turned back to his friend, "And she can barely get three words out, I don't like that ok? She's too shy, and when she's not shy, she's too hyper!" Steve was contradicting himself a lot, clearly flustered as he tried to convince his younger friend of his lack of feelings towards Ruby.

"I mean she's in choir! That's a bad look, plus some weird D&D club," Dustin's eyes lit up at the mention of his favourite game, but Steve ignored this, "just- no."
Dustin smirked, "you know it's a bit weird you know her whole schedule Steve.."

Steve blushed, yes, he may of asked around about Ruby white at school and found out a couple things.
"No- I just know everyone at school man," Dustin scoffed, "you knew Ruby White before this?"

"Yes!" No. Steve didn't even remember the girl.
"Uh huh," Dustin answered looking back out at the crowd and the two didn't talk for a couple minutes as Steve scanned over everyone through his binoculars, eyes still on the pretty girl by the water fountain before she got up and walked away, causing his eyes to glance over to a pair who stood talking near the benches.

His eyes narrowed as he watched them and before he could help it he angrily let out, "Jesus Christtt" he seemed like he was moaning in anger, which he was, "is that Ruby talking to that nerd Fred Benson?"
He stayed staring at the pair as he noticed Fred blushing and felt a small not in his stomach that he didn't quite understand.

"God what happened to standards?" He let out, feeling frustrated at the scene in front of him.
Why did he care? Ruby White was just.. Ruby White, just Robin's nerdy friend who happened to hate him, Robin's nerdy friend who he'd just spent ten minutes nervously convincing Dustin that she wasn't his type.
But despite all of that, he couldn't help but notice how pretty she looked as laughed along with Fred Benson and tucked strands of brunette hair behind her ears.

Dustin rolled his eyes and snatched the binoculars off of his older friend, "you are the worst spy you know that?" Once the younger boy had the binoculars around himself instead he gave Steve another sarcastic look, "you know for someone you just spent 10 minutes trying to convince me you're not in to.. you seem to be jealous."
The boy smirked and wiggled his eyebrows at Steve, who only scoffed and turned away from his friends, eyes resting on Ruby and Fred once more, that horrible feeling still in his stomach as his jaw clenched,
"I am not jealous!" The fluffy haired boy let out, "uh huh," Dustin ignored, "just.. worried for her!" Steve was lying through his teeth now trying to find an excuse, "I mean, the guy drives like a maniac!" Steve was flaring his arms around now as he spoke, drawing attention to the two so much that Dustin had to physically lower the older boys hands, "why do you even know that?"

Steve frowned, "he drives past my house, dangerously may I add!" Dustin scoffed once more as he began to peer through the binoculars, "I doubt she'll be getting in his car any time soon Steve."

Steve rolled his eyes once more and stated matter of factly, "you can never be too careful."
"Yeh, sure." Dustin smirked into the binoculars as he thought about everything he had just heard.
Steve Harrington was definitely crushing on Ruby White, he just hadn't realised it yet.

***

A/N
Ok ngl the drives like a maniac bit has probably been the darkest joke I've ever made 💀
So.. Steve and Ruby are crushing huh? 👀