𝙘𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙧𝙮 𝙥𝙤𝙥! 𝙨𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙝𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣

SCENE THREE. the game is on.

"please go away." she whimpered, bringing a hand to her mouth as she shook. and he shut the door. light disappearing from the room once more. he knew that she didn't want anyone to see her like this.

"you okay?" he softly asked. trying not to step over the line, he didn't want to handle the wrath of a crying cheerleader. especially not of piper parker. apparently she was a scary girl. pretty, but scary.

"no, no i'm not alright." she spat as she stood up, so fast he watched her sway. reaching out to grab her, to help steady her. but she was quick to swat his hands off.

"steve?" he questioned, watching as she looked up at him with those tearful eyes. he hoped she wasn't crying because of him, because of what happened in the cafe. noticing a small bit of mash in her hair, reaching up to pull it off her. fingers brushing past her cheek as he did so.

"i can't believe have found piper parker, the queen of hawkins high, crying over some boy." he laughed stepping away, trying not to think about how their cheeks had flamed up. that's harrington's girl, he had to remind himself.

"i'm sorry by the way, about your food." he whispered as the two returned to silence. before remembering that meant she hadn't ate. grabbing a chocolate bar out of his pocket.

"it's a bit melted." he laughed as he held it out for her to take. their hands almost touching as she took the chocolate bar off him. giggling a little bit as she wiped away the tears.

"it's fine, i'm sorry for calling you a freak." she softly whispered. and a stray bit of his hair fell over his face, and it was her turn to reach up. brushing the curl behind his ear. she was cold, it almost made him shiver. and the door opened, the two jumping away from the other. turning to look at the girl stood at the door, she was face away from them. talking to her friends.

"trying to find parker, we need to get this routine nailed for tonight. and where is chrissy?" the two heard the girl and her friends talking. she hadn't seen them. and she shut the door, walking off after her friends. piper's eyes blown wide, practice.and without another word, piper left the room. leaving eddie standing there all alone in the dark room. surrounded by the scent of berries, the linger cold touch of her fingers on his cheek. and he breathed out. oh fuck. he was fucked. and the chocolate bar remained in the pocket of the girls cheer jacket. even as people start to fill the hall. as the cheer girls smiled and laughed. waving pom poms and doing flips. piper had just landed the flip when she spotted him. ridiculous hair and doe like eyes. holding onto another girl. it was steve.

"does it bother you that we might win a championship right after you graduated?"

"you know, yeah that's an interesting point. thank you so much for bringing that up brenda." he commented as he lead her to the bleachers. throwing a look over to the girl who physically had to pull her eyes of steve harrington. how could he. how could he come waltzing in looking as pretty as ever with some girl on his arm. you broke up with him. and she let that same dumb basketball layer twirl her as their routine came to a end. steve ignoring the pang in his chest as she laughed. everyone sitting down as someone walked up to the speaker.

"singing for us, is a very special guest. all the way from nashville. our very own tammy thompson."and the crowd burst into cheers. piper's face lighting up with a smile as she turned to look up at robin in the band section whose mouth hung open. making the girl laugh.

"we love you tammy." piper exclaimed, causing robin to burst out laughing. even steve couldn't help the grin on his face. and tammy begun singing. piper trying to stop herself from laughing out loud. robin starting to talk to the girl beside her. how cute. and soon the game had started, the girls cheering on the basketball team. it made lucas glad, sure max or his friends may not be there. but piper was. she was there shaking pom poms and cheering his name the second he was put on the court.

"let's go lucas!" she screamed as he ran on. leading jason to another hoop. and he could hear steve too. cheering him on. a child of divorce. he could feel time slow as his hands gripped the all. feet planted hard against the floor of the court, the sweat on his brow. the clock counting down as he jumped. the ball leaping from his finger,s. the people standing up in the crowds. and then piper cheering his name as the ball bounced in the hoop. she was first to reach him, helping the basketball team lift him into the air as every screamed for joy, and she was there with him. just like he was the only one who noticed how steve and piper eyes lingered on one another for too long as people piled out of the hall. following the basketball team and their cheerleaders outside. he could hear the team taking around him but it just turns to static as he found the hellfire club leaving the school as well. he was torn, even piper could see it. between his old friends, and his new friends. which reminded piper that she had to go see max. ignoring that chrissy was lead to eddie's van as she got in her own car. ignoring it till she saw him the van park up opposite max's place. and eddie leading her into his 'castle' as piper helped max feed the barking dog.

weird.

not her problem.

and how wrong she would be.

and that's when she heard the soft chime of a clock. sounding identical to the one in her dream. looking up at max to find the girl looking at her funny. and then the lights flickered.

"chrissy." a distorted voice called, but it seemed only she had heard it. because max was still looking at her with worried eyes.

"chrissy." piper mumbled, and max's brow raised. and piper was up. ignoring max's shouting as she ran for the door. piper could have sworn hearing eddie cry before she crumbled on max's porch. fading to darkness.