Strange Love / Steve Harrington

Chapter 3: The Hangover

Clara woke up the next morning to the sun shining in her eyes. She squirmed back and forth before realizing it was daytime. She sighed heavily as she got off of the living room couch before she walked upstairs of the Harrington household. She walked upstairs, looking for Steve's room to see if Nancy was in there.

She swung open one of the doors to see a shirtless Steve putting on a pair of jeans. "Oh shit, sorry."

"Oh no. You're fine." He said tiredly, buttoning his jeans.

Clara opened her eyes after closing them, looking to Steve. "Where's Nancy?"

"She went home." He answered.

"That bitch." She muttered under her breath before shutting Steve's bedroom door.

She walked back downstairs and grabbed her backpack that was sitting on the couch. She put the backpack on her back, ready to head out the door when she heard a voice called to her. "Hey, Clara." She turned to see Steve standing at the top of the stairs, now fully-clothed. "I can give you a ride home."

"That'd be great." She responded gratefully as Steve rushed down the stairs. "I feel like the sun is burning my retinas out of my head."

"Your first hangover?" He guessed as he slipped on his shoes.

"No." Clara shook her head, slipping on her shoes as well. "I've had many actually. This just feels worse since I drank 4 beers last night."

He opened the door for the girl politely, leading her to walk out. Steve shut the door behind them before they both walked over to his car. Steve hopped into the driver's seat while Clara hopped into the passengers seat.

She sat there with her cupped hands, shielding her eyes from the sun when Steve handed her a pair of sunglasses. "Here. It will help block out the sun."

She hesitantly took the sunglasses out of his hand and placed them on her face. She smiled slightly at the sight of the not-so-bright sun before Steve started pulling out of his driveway.

As the car ride went on, there was uncomfortable silence between the two. They've only had 3 conversations with each other, the 3rd one being from last night. Clara got tired of the silence and spoke up. "Did you fuck my sister?"

"What?" Steve's voice became high-pitched. "No!"

Clara rolled her eyes at his terrible lying. "You totally did."

"Yeah." He confessed quietly.

"You know she lost her virginity to you?" Clara revealed to the boy. "As I said, if you break her heart, I'll break you in half."

"Yes, Clara." He sighed before looking to the girl quickly. "I know." It was quiet once again until Steve spoke. "Are you a virgin?"

"What? No!" Clara replied truthfully. "I've probably had more bitches than you."

"Oh yeah, sure." He said, not believing a word she said.

"It's true." She claimed as they reached her home. "I bet I could even pull more ladies than you."

He pulled over to the side, near the front yard before he parked. "Oh really?"

Clara unbuckled her seatbelt before opening the car door. "Yeah."

"Is that a challenge?" He questioned Clara as she hopped out of the car, ready to walk away.

She stopped in her tracks and turned back to the boy. She leaned her arm on the car door with a smug look on her face. "Maybe." He looked away with an amused smirk on his face. "Bye, Steve."

She shut the car door without getting an answer back from the boy before she walked towards the front door of the Wheeler house. She practically stumbled her way through the front yard. Her legs felt like jelly after the car ride.

She pulled her house key out of her bag when she reached the front door. She unlocked the door before opening it slowly. She snuck through the door quietly before she shut it behind her. She turned around, thinking that her sneak-in was successful when she noticed her mother, standing at the bottom step of the stairs.

"Oh, hey mom." She greeted her mother casually.

Karen crossed her arms over her chest, looking at her daughter with an angered expression. "Nancy told me everything."

"Oh." Clara breathed out. "Cool."

"Cool." Karen repeated her daughter's words in a mocking tone. "What has gotten into you?"

Clara tilted the sunglasses down to her nose, looking her mother in the eyes recklessly. "I don't know. Life sucks so I'm just drinking away my problems."

"Is that true?" Karen asked Clara, worriedly.

"Sort of." Clara shook her head lightly. "Have you ever thought that after dealing with everyone's bullshit, I'm done being used like a toy?"

Karen's face softened as she looked at Clara. "Sweetie, you could've talked to me."

"You're always busy with whatever your doing." Clara responded. "I don't want to be a burden. Dad sits on his ass all day, my sister is too boy-crazy to think about anyone but herself, my brother is dealing with his friend being missing and Holly is well... 3!" Clara took a quick break to take a breather. She felt tears starting to form in her eyes. "I have no friends! All the girls at my school are either bimbos or sex-crazy. I'm just so sick of everything! I hate it."

Clara stared at Karen, glassy-eyed from the tears welling up in her eyes. Karen rushed over to her daughter quickly and wrapped her arms around her. Clara hesitantly embraced her back before crying into her mother's shoulder.

After talking with her mother, Clara went upstairs to her room to see Nancy standing in the hallway. "What were you doing with Steve?"

"He gave me a ride home." Clara rolled her eyes, irritated at her sister's jealousy. "Unlike you."

She brushed past Nancy like it was nothing, making Nancy scoff lightly.