𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌𝐒, steve harrington

09. the photo

━━The blonde girl walked through the front doors of the school with her bag around her shoulder. People chattered about Will Byers, Summer knew for around a month now. Really, she only knew about from Nancy. Not even Steve or Stacy really knew much about the kids disappearance. Something made her uneasy about the subject. Making her feel guilty in some way.

"Hey, Steve." Nancy smiled as she walked up to Steve. Planting a kiss in his cheek, before exchanging waves between her and Summer. Summer felt happy for Nancy, since Nancy and him were happy together. After all, Nancy is one of her friends that she had since the move.

      She walked just a few ways down to her locker and shoved her bag in. First period would be starting soon and the buses were just pulling up. Meaning, teens came barging into the school. She looked around and saw someone familiar in the distance. Jonathon Byers.

    He held a gaze onto the floor and looked like he had no sleep. Again, Summer felt really guilty. There wasn't much she can do besides talk to him. That's even he'll talk to her back.

"Hey,"she mumbled with a frown and sat next to him on the bench. Noticing glares from Steve and the group. Before looking back at Jonathan who sat there, motionless. "I heard what happened."

"I'm pretty sure everyone does." He sighed while shaking his head slowly. Placing both hands in his hair, avoiding eye contact with her. "And I know what happened to him."

"Wha-"

"Yo, Summer. I suggest getting away from him. He's just a freak like the rest of his family. Disgusting." Tommy smiled and cackled before walking with the group some more. Steve didn't seem to notice either.

"Listen, if you need help and want to talk. I'm here. Also, what do you mean by you know what happened?" She asked with a gaze, just filled with curiosity.

"I'll tell you later, maybe." He replied and got up before walking the other way to class. Confusion rose in Summer, wondering what he meant. What did he mean? Did he kill his brother?

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

      At lunch, Summer sat with the group as they talked. She zoned out and wasn't paying much attention as she moved the corn around her tray. Not saying or doing much of anything.

"Summer." Steve called, "Summer, are you ok?"

"Oh, I'm.. I'm fine." She looked at him as the cafeteria suddenly got louder around her. She shivered from the cold. "Is it cold in here to you guys?"

"No," Steve said looking up at the ceiling. "You haven't said anything at all. Are you actually ok?"

"Yeah," she lied. As she felt someone tap their finger on her shoulder. Looking right to her was Nancy, who had a semi-serious expression on her face. Before passing a piece of paper to Summer under the table, making sure no one noticed.  Summer nodded her head and slid the piece of paper in her front pocket.

The school day has ended and Summer remembered the piece of paper from her pocket as she walked out into the football field.The note was written in rather small handwriting, knowing it was written by Nancy. It said, ' Meet me at 10:00 p.m. at my house with Jonathan. We have something we need to talk about.'

     She walked home, the sky was cloudy. Looked as if it was going to rain. By the time she had gotten home, it was dark out. Even though it was 6:00 p.m. With it being real close to being winter time, it has gotten dark early. Which was also normal in Michigan since they were in the same timezone and area.

"Why are you late?" Mr. Tremaine asked with his arms cross around his chest. "You were supposed to be here at 4:00. What took you so long?"

"My friends ditched me and I had to walk. I'm sorry," she lied with fear expressed on her face. As he noticed her father shaking his head and sighing. She was scared in what he will say or do.

"Those kids," he sighed and sat down at the kitchen table. "Just go upstairs and do your homework. Dinner will be ready in 30 minutes."

"Ok," she mumbled as she walked upstairs and walked into her room. It was cold and sorta empty. Many of the things in the move, she had lost. Leaving her with a desk, a few art supplies, clothes, and a few posters. She sat on her empty bed, remembering to meet up with Nancy and Jonathan at 10:00 p.m. Of course, she'd have to sneak her way over.

She knocked on Nancy's window and saw Jonathan. He slid the door open for her entrance and she nodded at him before sitting on the floor. "Where's Nancy?" She asked, noticing Jonathan panicking. Not calm or depressed but scared. Really scared.

"She's in the shower," he replied while looking down at the floor. "I..I saw something. Something no one knows about. Something that might've taken Will."

"What do you mean?" Summer asked, noticing the shakiness in his voice and expression. Generally she wanted to know but deep down, she didn't.

"I don't know, that's the problem. It had no face, it was all slimy. Its face opened up. I just don't know what it was."

     Nancy walked into the room and waved at Summer. She was dressed in pajamas and her hair was all messy. "We have a lot to talk about." As she headed to her dresser to bring out a picture. A picture that seemed as if it was torn and taped back together. Nancy laid it flat onto the bed, the three of them surrounded the photo.

"When was this?" Summer asked with confusion and examined the photo. "Who even took this?" She but her bottom lip and moved her hair from her face.

"Jonathan did and the picture was taken a few days ago."

"I- " Summer didn't have much to say. She didn't think Jonathan would do such a thing and she found that unsettling. "I see something." She pointed to the corner of the photo where a dark figure was placed.

"I used to think it was a bear but after today, I don't think it is."

"What do you mean?"

"Jonathan and I went into the woods and we saw the creature. And I know. I just know, that it killed Barb and has Will."