Star Crossed Lovers (STEVE HARRINGTON)

Rainy days

Murph's POV:
I was listening to AC/DC, it had been a week since Dustin had spoken to me, I hadn't left the basement because of it. I expected him to strop for a day maybe two but the week mark had hit and I'd began feeling equally as annoyed. Dustin didn't understand that normal 16 year old sisters don't raise their little brothers, it stunned me because Mike and Nancy were a perfect example of that and even then he admired Nancy so.

I was eating jello and sat feeling sorry for myself, the song slowed to a stop as I repeated it on my walkman, I sighed feeling extremely bored but not wanting to go upstairs. After a mental fight on whether to suck it up or not, I did and made my way upstairs. Jonathon had been hanging out with Nancy every so often and him and Steve had even become civil. It was a weird situation but I guess it worked for them.

While they sorted things out between themselves, I pitied myself wondering why and how I had somehow become the bad guy in all of this. But I had an opinion on this and a big one at that, Dustin was my little shit of a brother but that didn't mean I was going to let him throw away our relationship. For some reason though I couldn't bring myself to make the first move, maybe because I'd spent most of my young adult life raising him and he was being really ungrateful. I can understand all he wants is to be treated like an adult but he isn't, he's 12 years old.

Groaning, I lazily chucked the jello pot to my side and lay down flat on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. I took the headset off to give my ears a rest when I heard knocking on the door. "MURPH!" Dustin's voice called out, I sighed before standing up and making my way up the stairs to then opening the door. He pushed past me and came down and made himself comfortable. "I've been calling you for like 20 minutes... Can we hang out?" He asked, I narrowed my eyes before sitting next to him.

"What do you need?" I asked, knowing full well his stubbornness (a trait both of us unfortunately shared) wouldn't have allowed him to usually act this cordial. He gritted his teeth a little before twisting his neck around and finally saying "Can you drive me to Mike's please?"

I inhaled a little before looking up at the door. "Get your coat on." I stated as he stood up and awkwardly made his way upstairs to go get his backpack and coat on. I had a hand over my forehead as I felt myself craving a cigarette more than ever. I knew I had to be strong though, despite his current annoyance aimed towards me, I knew I had to do this for Dusty.

I got up and fumbled my keys around before leaving them hanging out of my mouth, I slipped on a jacket over my pyjamas and pulled myself upstairs. The light streaming through the windows shone in my face as I winced having only come upstairs when it would be night time. I had only come up when I needed food or the restroom, I refused to risk seeing her or him in fact. Clouds were gathering as I noticed through the windows, the weather looked as moody as me.

"Okay let's hurry it up." I sighed, clapping my hands. He jogged over to me with his hat slanted on his head, I straightened it out and walked off outside with him following behind me. We got in the car in quiet, mom nowhere to be seen, I knew he'd only asked because she wasn't here but I didn't care, he needed me and I was there. He clicked his teeth as he slipped his seatbelt on in the back.

I played the music from my stereo and pulled out of our driveway. "So... I was being serious. I want to hang out with you." He mumbled to himself, I wanted to chuckle at his guilt but stayed quiet. "Are you staying the night?" I asked ignoring what he said, he took a deep breath and I saw him nod in the mirror. "you know the drill, when you need a lift you ask Mrs Wheeler if you can use their phone and then you call me." I vented, he hummed in agreement as I continued driving.

As we pulled into the front of their house, I put the car in park and waited for him to gather his things. He clicked his seatbelt open and opened his door, I wound down my window and said. "Be safe." He nodded and began walking off when I called his name again "Dusty!" He stopped in his tracks and turned around to face me. I motioned for him to come back and he stood beside my door, his head poking in. It had began raining a little, not too heavy but I could tell it was about to get heavier.