wonder - steve harrington

part nine

As we ran the ground rumbled beneath us. Steve grabbed me making sure I was stable. I grasped his arm and my body was pressed against his chest. Once it stopped demogorgons growled and echoed through the tunnels.

"What was that?" Asked Max.

"They're coming." Mike said. "Run. Run!"

And we did we yelled at each other to run faster and hurry. My legs throbbed from running and my lungs burned, but I was full of adrenaline and wasn't gonna stop anytime soon. I saw the rope and quickened my pace. Steve and I helped the kids up first me, Dustin, and Steve still weren't up yet and they were rounding the corner towards us. I hugged both Steve and Dustin towards me and they just ran right passed us.

-

Barb finally had her funeral after her being dead since the beginning of all this. I felt awful for her family and Nancy who couldn't tell anyone.

Will was alive, we all were. Billy left me and Max alone. Which is a plus. The gate was closed everything was okay.

Steve and I hadn't really talked since that day. About us or anything really. But today was about the Snowball and getting me and Max ready. Me and Nancy decided to help together. Max and I were in the bathroom together getting ready. I was placing pins in her hair.

"So you and Lucas are a thing now?" She smiled wide and shook her head. "Don't move." I laughed. "So what's been going on between you two then? Do you like him?"

"A lot." I smiled and looked over my shoulder, Max did the same. Billy was looking at us with not a hateful face just calm and more loving. I turned back around and nodded.

"There, you look beautiful."

"So, since you asked me questions let me ask you questions." She sat on the lid of the toilet and looked up at me as I touched up my hair.

"Go on ahead."

"Do you like Steve? I mean I would assume you do, I mean you kissed him. But just asking." I smiled a half smile and looked at her.

"Yes. But he still has feelings for Nance." I looked back into the mirror. "So until he figures it all out, I won't go chasing after him." She nodded and looked down at her hands. "Come here." I pulled a delicate gold necklace from my box and put it on her. "There, now I need to go. Nancy and Johnathan are picking me up to set up, mom is taking you correct?" She nodded.

"Should I kiss him." She covered her mouth when she said it.

I smiled a wide smile and lifted my chin. "If you don't, you owe me." I pointed at her and walked out the door.

I ran out to the car quickly and Nancy smiled and waved. "Hey thanks for picking me up, I didn't want Max to have to sit in there alone while we got it ready."

"No problem. Don't worry our brothers are going separately too." Nancy said smiling at Johnathan. She looked back at me. "How is everything?"

"Um, honestly good. Billy is chill now, Max seems okay. But then there's-" I trained off and she nodded knowing who I was referring to.

"Hey. He'll come around, he always does." She squeezed my hand and smiled. "But right now let's not worry about him, we are supposed to have fun and watch our siblings awkwardly dance."

Once we were fully done I realized we got done at the perfect time. Kids filed in through the doors and they smiled taking it all in. I was with Nancy talking to this guy that was also helping, and pouring punch when I looked out the door and saw Steve looking out the window towards us.

We made eye contact and I managed a half smile, I didn't know if he was looking at me or Nancy. Which made my stomach drop and my smile. I turned my head away and involved myself in the conversation. When I looked back he was gone.

Dustin walked past our table and gave us a salute. "Hey Nance. Hey Iz."

"Hey." We both looked at one another then another kid came up to us.

"What's in this?"

"Pure fuel." Nancy said passing it to him. I looked at Nancy to say something but she was smiling and looking at Johnathan. I stopped myself and just poured myself a cup of punch.

Soon a slow song played and everyone paired up and began to waddle to the song. God it was hilarious, I tried my hardest not to bust out laughing. But as I looked I saw Max and Lucas dancing too, then Will and some girl.

I looked over and saw Dustin crying in the bleachers alone.

I elbowed Nancy. "Nance, do you wanna dance with Dustin or should I?" She smiled at me.

"I was already going to, that girl was being a bitch." She walked over to him and began slow dancing with him.

I went over to the table next to Mike, I didn't think El would show. "Hey. I'm sure she will come. You know how Hopper is, just give her a few more minutes." I placed my hand on his shoulder then in she came. Mike stood and went towards her. I smiled like a proud mom watching everyone together.

Eventually it all came to an end, and for the last thirty minutes I didn't even stay in there. I just went into Johnathans car and cried. I don't know why, I think it was a mixture between Steve and those few days hitting me.