Why Him? || Steddie

Chapter 1

     Walking into the school, there was the usual cliques walking with each other to class. I wasn't sure if I was becoming a pro at spotting them, or if it was just that obvious.

  Jason's crew being fairly easy to spot from their letterman jackets from the previous year's basketball team. "85" marked their arms like a badge. They took what they did too seriously.

   I hated that a kid I met over the summer D&D meet was in the group with them, but as long as he did no harm to us, I'd look past it.

   The band kids, you wouldn't automatically spot. Robin was in this group last year. They're a bit weird, but they do make a lot of noise.

     Arguably not as much as the theatre and choir kids though. Always trying to get someone to notice their "talent"...I can't say that I was never part of the guilty party though. Thinking about it makes me want to simply curl up and die.

   The science kids were a little bit more quiet. Another kid in my club was in that group. He was nice enough. It's kinda hard to get to know someone only over one to two sessions though.

   The popular kids or the party people kinda disbanded last year. Steve was the guy for that...but lately, he's been more focused on Robin and some of the people from my D&D group. It was strange.

    Then there was the losers. I found myself in that group now. But that was where I felt safe. That's where my friends were from the band, and the other people that didn't have a group, where the people that I know were...and that's where I belong. It's been that way for as long as I've been in Hawkins.

Suddenly I felt a tap on my right shoulder. I turned to see who it was to find no one, so I looked to my other shoulder. I knew immediately who it was. No one else would do that besides him. "Henderson, what is it? Don't you need to get to class?"

      Dustin awkwardly clutched his backpack as he was practically running to keep up with my tempo of walking. "Eddie... so uh... bad news....Can we delay our D&D game tonight? Lucas has the first game game of the season and-"

     "Dude! Absolutely not! Sorry Henderson but an enemy is on the horizon and we need to establish that the party must go on even without one... we'll just have to...find a replacement until he can join the party permanently."

     Dustin stopped in his tracks "going on without Lucas? Are you sure? I mean he's been with us for multiple campaigns and-"

      "Positive Henderson. It's only been two times. We can easily fit him back into the story. Find a replacement for tonight. I'm counting on you" I shot him a quick finger gun before continuing to head down the hallway to my destination.

    Dustin sighed and looked over to his friends far behind that I hadn't seen until now. They all just shrugged as he walked back over. There was a few murmurs before they all continued down the opposite side of the hall.

     Sorry dude. D&D waits for no one. Hopefully he finds someone before our campaign's new villain. They're gonna need all the help they can get. Vecna's not an easy defeat.

      Walking into Chemistry, I was immediately met with some familiar faces. Well... I wouldn't say completely familiar as to the fact the first time they talked to me well...ever (nicely)... was this morning, but I recognized them.

     Robin and Steve were talking to each other over in the corner. Robin pushed Steve's shoulder and leaned her head back laughing. Steve awkwardly laughed and ran his hands through his hair.

    Whatever it was sounded like a great conversation. I've never had a friendship like that where I could just talk with them in public and laugh like that. Well...not for a while at least. Like I said earlier. Must be nice.