bittersweet | steve harrington

20. selfish

"So it's gonna be forever? Or it's gonna go down in flames? You can tell me when it's over, if the high was worth the pain"

Angie got out of the house, the wind of the sea greeting her, the sweet salty taste on her lips and the fresh air calming down her headache.

He didn't kiss her. He couldn't have. He wouldn't.

The thoughts were rushing in faster then she could make it up, her hands in her hair as she walked around the entrance of the house, not knowing what to do with herself now.

The door of the house opened right a minute after her, Steve standing there. Only moments ago she left the house, excusing herself politely to take the confused thoughts out of her head.

He had his lipstick on his lips, that's not a coincidence. It couldn't be.

"Angeli?" Steve stormed out after her, "is everything ok?" He asked, his hands grabbing her shoulders, making sure she's looking at him properly. Angie shook her head.

"Why don't you tell me, Stevie?" She mocked his nickname. Using her hand to clean off the bit of lipstick that was stuck to his lip.

His mouth slightly opened, a look of shame in his eyes. He breath deeply.

"I didn't." He swore, calming down from the rush he was before, taking his hands off of Angie, who quickly took a step back.

"You didn't?" She asked, crossing her arms. "You didn't kiss her, but you have her lipstick on your lips. It makes so much fucking sense Harrington" Angie spit.

She might have seen angry, but she wasn't, it was just summer fling, right? He had every right to do whatever the fuck he wanted, and Angie couldn't care less.

"Fucking hell. She kissed me, Angeli" he promised. "I pushed her off immediately, I didn't even think much of it! It's a game" he kept saying. Angie's breath tensed up.

"Are you really so fucking blind Steve? She isn't even here for Eddie, it's been so clear since that day at her house" Angie mumbled, her hands running through her hair as she turned her back to him.

A confused look went up on Steve's face, he looked at Angie. "Since what day?" He asked.

"What?" Angie turned back to him.

"Since what day?" Fuck.

"Steve"

"How did you know?" He spit, looking very confused now, yet he was absolutely burning inside, flipping over the fact Angie knew what was going on and didn't say anything at all.

"How did you know, Angeli?" he asked again, in more of a whisper now. Angie's eyes were set on the floor, she couldn't look at him.

"She told me" Angie whispered.

Steve turned around, his mouth open in a laugh, his hands pulling his hair. He looked mad. Angie had seen him mad at her before, as they have had their ups and downs, or mostly downs, most of their lives. But this was the first time she ever felt guilty for lying to him. She felt responsible, more attached, it wasn't just a bored teenager fight about who will sit where.

"You've known since that day and what you haven't even said anything? What the fuck" he kept saying, his head shaking in confusion. "You know how much Eddie likes her, this isn't some bullshit Angie, why didn't you tell me?" Steve stormed, his eyes tried catching hers, but she wouldn't look back, her eyes still stuck on the ground.

"I didn't want to lose you" Angie whispered, after a minute of silence.

"Nothing would have happened between me and Anna, you know that"

Then, it was all so simple, Steve understood everything completely. He absolutely hated himself at that moment, for being so blind about everything that has been going on, the laughs, the strawberries, the game. Angie.

He chuckled, looking at Angie, who was now looking at him. "Steve please-" she started, until he cut her off.

"That night. The cuffs. It was just to make you feel better, wasn't it? It was never about us. you just wanted to get back at Anna for something she hadn't even done yet"

Angie didn't answer, biting her bottom lip. There was absolutely nothing she could say right now that will make this right. Steve was right after all.

"You are so fucking selfish James, you always have been" were Steve's last words, before he went back inside the house, joining the rest.

Angie didn't leave her room the morning after. Last night, after Steve went back inside, she couldn't bring herself to do the same, she didn't want to see anyone. And now, in the morning, she wasn't planning on leaving her bedroom anytime soon, not wanting to bump into Anna before she leaves or worse, Steve.

She spent her morning rolling around in her bedsheets, alone this time. Her hair was a mess, her eyes puffy and red and her expression tired. She didn't know what to, what to say.

Steve on the other hand, woke up early that morning and tried his best to keep himself busy, because then he might not think about Angie, or Anna, or anything.

Last night, when he got back inside, he hurried to the living room, to find Anna and Eddie sitting in the corner, quietly conversing with each other. He understood perfectly what he missed all this time, she never liked Eddie, she wasn't talking to him like she was to Steve, more friendly, less flirty. Steve hated himself so much for being so blind, and Angie more for not talking to him about it at all.

He was vulnerably hurt, the night with the cuffs, the kisses at Anna's house, it was all to make Angie feel better with herself, and just the thought of it ruined him.

He wanted to warn Eddie, but that seemed like a very hard thing to do when Anna was right beside him, so he decided to wait for the morning.

"I'll see you next time?" Anna asked, smiling cutely at the two boys as they walked her to the door. Angie was still asleep at the time, and Vickie and Robin were crushed on the couch.

Steve nodded, trying his best to keep his distance from Anna. Eddie on the other hand, hugged her and said a sweet goodbye to her that made Steve scrunch his nose in disgust.

When the door closed after her, Steve let out a deep breath, chuckling. While Eddie was completely blushing.

Steve couldn't help but pity him. He breath deeply before just going to it.

"Hey man? I need to tell you something. It's not good" Steve just spit it out, throwing his hand over Eddie's shoulders and walking him away from the door. And for the next ten minutes of explaining and for the rest of that day, Eddie didn't say a word, which was the least unlike Eddie thing in the world.

Steve knew him and Angie couldn't be just fine after that, and Angie, who was still rolling on her bed, knew it too. But they both knew they just need time. How hard that'll be, living in the same house for another month.