Why Him? || Steddie

Chapter 6

    If someone had told me that I would have Steve Harrington fall asleep snuggling with me on Halloween night even a few days ago, I would have laughed in their face. Sure, we've been talking more since the beginning of the school year, but after the picnic table incident, it was the last thing that I would have ever guessed.

   I wanted so badly to tease him about it. Go on about how I have charm that could make Steve Harrington's knees weak with a few drinks...but that just wouldn't be true. It wasn't like he flirted with me. Sure, there was the cuddle...but his words really could have been taken in a multitude of ways. He only said that I was familiar, and that it was causing him to have a crisis.

   That and even thinking about the incident made my face feel like it was on fire. I wished that I was that cool where I would feel nothing towards it, but Steve... I'm convinced it was the nickname. No one had called me that in years, and then he had to go and say it so nonchalantly as if he's been calling me that for years.

   I wished that this was something I could count on, but it just wasn't. Not that long ago Steve was with the others shoving me in lockers. Sure, summer could have changed him...but that's only a few months. I can't let my guard slip down. I'll go on like nothing even happened unless Steve brought it up himself.

    "Hey Steve?" I turned my head to face his. It wasn't the best position to see him, but I didn't feel like removing my arms and face from current position it was at on the desk.

    "Yes, Eddie?" He whispered back, still taking notes as the video played up front.

    "Would it be alright if I stopped by Family Video? I've been really bored after school and I was hoping to find some new movies, but I wanted your permission so I didn't bother you while you worked." I inevitably removed my head from the table to smile at him. He shouldn't have to worry about what I think. Halloween was just a drunken haze...don't think about it, Harrington.

    "Oh. Uh...Yeah. Sure" His cheeks turning a light red at the question before letting out a huff as he had accidentally stabbed his pen through the paper.

    "You know, teach doesn't like pens in this class." I let out a small laugh before lifting my backpack from the ground to rummage through it.

    "I know...I just couldn't find any of my pencils before she started the video. I guess it's better than nothing."

    I quickly stuck my hand out with a chewed up pencil. It was an embarrassing habit that I had formed over time, but all of my pencils were like that. Even the new ones that Wayne had bought me for the school year. "I know it's kinda gross but uh..."

   "No no..." Steve delicately lifted it from my hands. "Thanks...really"

   He...really appreciated it even with it beaten up? Was he just being nice? Was he that desperate for a pencil that he would deal with my saliva ridden one?

  The classroom suddenly was filled with silence as the teacher let out a large sigh near the television that she had pushed pause on. "Everyone, please pass your notes to the front. Make sure your name and class period are at the upper right hand corner"

   I gazed over my notes that I had been secretly copying off of Harrington before giving the approval and passing them to the front. With that, the bell rang. Causing me and Harrington to go our separate ways.

   As I walked down the hall to my next class, I couldn't help but feel like I was being watched...but no matter where I looked, there wasn't a single eye on me. It...was really off putting to say the least.

   "They're all watching you. They know what you did." The deep voice rang into my ear, sending a chill down my spine as I shot my face towards all of the possible directions of the hall for the familiar voice. I knew it would be impossible. He's gone. There would be no way of hearing him. Not without me seeking him...but it felt so clear. It didn't feel like a memory. It felt like...