𝐙𝐄𝐑𝐎 ★ steve harrington²

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐅𝐎𝐔𝐑 : sheet-faced

𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 : 5.0k

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐋𝐘, 𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐑𝐘 𝐓𝐄𝐄𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐑 𝐈𝐍 𝐇𝐀𝐖𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐃 heard about Tina's Halloween Bash. Cars lined every inch of the driveway, forcing Gordon to have to park out on the street instead. However, even from where they were parked, Owen could hear the pop music blaring from within Tina's house. A shock of anxiety ran through Owen's heart as she stepped out of the car and realized that she was actually going to be attending one of those notorious house parties she had seen in movies. There were just so many terrifying opportunities for awkward or unwanted social interactions. Although her anxiety may have initially cemented her in place, the smattering of goosebumps that began to decorate her exposed legs brought forth a jolt of motivation to actually head indoors.

"Let's get inside before I freeze to death out here," Owen muttered, hurrying the two boys along as she began to make her way towards the house. She wasn't even paying very close attention to how close Leo and Gordon were behind her as she weaved in between all of the cars lining the driveway. Toilet paper was strung between all of the trees surrounding Tina's house, acting as one of the house's only decorations. However, the costumed high schoolers milling about the front yard were enough of an indicator for the holiday. Barely any other details about the house's exterior stood out to Owen, who was solely determined to make it out of the cold as soon as possible.

Everything became very real the moment Owen pushed the front door open, instantly coming face-to-face with a house full of teenagers in all kinds of costumes. It was an overwhelming sight, especially paired with the floorboard-rattling Top 40 music. She had stopped in her tracks, allowing herself a moment to take it all in before deciding on her next move. Strangely though, Gordon slid past her and moved further into the house, as if he was here on some sort of mission.

"Hey! Where are you going?" Owen shouted to him from over the music.

"Gonna go talk to a friend, okay? I'll catch up with you guys later," Gordon responded before disappearing into the crowd of dancing bodies. Who the hell would he possibly know at this party? His words suddenly brought Leo tumbling back into the front of her mind. Did Gordon seriously expect her to be able to entertain his hot college friend until he decided to return?

Owen's head turned slowly to check if Leo was still standing next to her. Part of her kind of hoped that he had just dissolved into the crowd like her brother had just moments before. It would have certainly been a lot less stressful for her. However, much to her dismay, Leo was still standing right beside her, just as shirtless as he was the last time she looked at him. But now, his eyebrows were raised as he stared at her expectantly, as if prompting her to make the next move.

Perhaps if Owen had even one more ounce of confidence, she might have delivered some clever and flirty line at that moment. But just looking at Leo made her brain turn to mush, apparently. So instead, she deserted him at the front door and sped towards the kitchen in search of a drink. She was going to need the relaxing effect of alcohol coursing through her before she could even begin to speak to Leo.

Owen rounded the edge of the island in the kitchen, not even casting a cursory glance back at Leo as she did so. Unfortunately, this decision just led her face-to-face with Steve Harrington instead. He was standing alone in the kitchen, propped against the counter and looking strangely forlorn for a guy at a house party.

But that wasn't even the worst part.

Owen's eyes widened in horror as she instantly recognized his costume. Of course, Steve had gone as Tom Cruise's character from Risky Business too. Their only saving grace from the curse of accidentally matching Halloween costumes was the fact that they had chosen two completely different scenes to pull inspiration from. Steve had forgone the exposed leg look for a gray suit jacket and sunglasses that hung from the neck of his black t-shirt. Honestly, it was just as easy as the costume Owen had chosen, but way less revealing. The unhappy sigh that blew from her lips was masked by the bass of the current song as she approached the fog-decorated punch bowl beside Steve.