Star Crossed Lovers (STEVE HARRINGTON)

II

Murph's POV:
"Murph wait!" Steve called behind me as I damn near sprinted to my car. He'd ruined it all, the entire friendship gone and down the drain because stupid Steve couldn't keep his mouth shut.

On one hand those three words had caused excitement and relief in my chest at the fact that he felt that way about me. But that was short lived when I realised what that meant. It meant Steve was no longer my friend and maybe he had other intentions the entire time I thought we were friends.

Hypocritical of me, I know but I couldn't help it. I wanted to relish in our friendship for a little while longer before he exposed himself to me like that. Those three words meant more than anything to me, they were the last three words I'd heard from my dad, they were the three words I chanted to Dustin every single day. They were the three words, someone who actually meant them, should've said to me.

Steve didn't love me, he loved the idea of me. I was not going to be the person he settled for because he couldn't have Nancy. Tears stung my eyes as I swung open my door and Steve quickly caught it with one hand. Bare feet and eyes widened like a raccoon, he took my hand and desperation filled his orbs. "I didn't mean it like that.... I mean.." I cut him off by slipping into the drivers seat and slamming the car door shut.

It was only when I locked the doors I saw him scoff a little and back off from the door. Simply disturbed by how today had turned out, I began pulling out of his drive without sparing him another glance. Then I went home.

".... The kid is called Max and he's beating us in every goddamn game-" I was barely paying attention as Dusty ranted to me but I caught the last part. "Hey, language." I scolded as I heard him apologise under his breath. I never usually cared but today I was irritable and that meant Dusty unfortunately got the not so nice Murph.

"Can we eat dinner in the basement?" He asked, honestly I wanted exactly the same thing. "Yeah you go set up a movie and I'll call the pizza place." I offered, he grinned and then hopped down stairs to go set up. Before I made it to my phone it rang noisily.

"Go away." I spat into the phone and then hung up. When it finally calmed down I dialled the number of the pizza place near our house and ordered two large Meat feasts. I was about to eat my feelings and have no regrets.

While Dustin set up, I grabbed some water from the fridge and chugged it to try and calm myself. Steve had said he loved me. Did he even mean romantically or had I freaked out over nothing? Jesus if that was the case I'd put a bullet through my brain at the next intersection. Thoughts sprinted around my mind at a thousand miles per hour and even when I sat with Dustin I couldn't focus entirely on the Smurph movie he'd picked out.

The doorbell rang and I sighed before lazily getting up and making my way to the door. Peeking through the keyhole I felt a little better seeing it actually was the pizza guy and not Steve being the usual over stepping boundary, dramatic person he could be at times.

I handed him the money and muttered for him to keep the change before kicking the door and jogging down with the pizza's.

We ate and watched the move with a few comments about the style of animation and our thoughts on blue creatures. Dustin was asleep with pepperoni dangling from his lip as I chuckled and wiped his face. I grabbed the boxes and shoved the left overs in the fridge before wiping down the surface and hopping in my bed, Dustin was asleep on my couch and I had wrapped him in a blanket just in case he got cold.

As I switched off the lamp and turned to the side I couldn't help but wonder what Steve had meant. The way I saw it was, he couldn't have Nancy who was obviously his first option so now he was just going to settle for me. And as much as I didn't want to admit it, that hurt me. A lot. I'd never really been that insecure, sure there were times I wished my stomach didn't bloat after eating and my skin was a bit clearer but I never actually over thought the skin I had been born in.

Maybe because I never had a reason to. But since this 'friendship' with Steve, I'd become more aware of the differences between me and Nancy. Her light, bouncy, healthy hair in comparison to my dark, straight and drab hair. Her soft button nose and pink cheeks in comparison to my pale skin tone that lacked red blood cells and protruding nose. She was small and petite and I was tall and boyish, no curves and no appealing figure.

I was slender and she wasn't, she was cute and I was simply not. We were two sides of the same coin, complete opposites. Steve couldn't possible love me when he'd loved her. If he had genuinely loved her, he can't have stopped. Love doesn't run out, it's not finite. Contrary to popular belief, love was a timeless, universal emotion. An emotion that could only be felt at full force, full potential. There was no half assing, love. Love was real and loud, it was noisy around you. A concept I hadn't fully grasped, not romantically anyway.

I was afraid of what was to come, I had already acknowledged the fact that me and him were done. No more friendship, no more anything. I couldn't be the girl he settled for. I wouldn't do that to myself, it'd be like breaking my own heart and I was too damn prideful to do it. And with that thought floating around my mind, I relaxed my body and closed my eyes, drifting off to sleep.

The next day:
"MURRRPH." Dustin whined as I groaned noisily and covered my head and ears with my pillow. His talkie was static with connection and three knocks from upstairs pulled me awake. I huffed before swinging my duvet off my legs and lazily jogging up the stairs to see who was at the door.

When Jonathon's sheepish smile appeared from the side window, a breath I didn't know I was holding in released. I swung open the door and moved aside with my hand raised, dramatically welcoming him in. "Morning Jonny." I yawned, as he shut the door behind him and said "Mornin' Murph." I filled up a cup of water and practically chugged it before spinning around and facing Jonathon.

"I gotta freshen up, there's pizza in the fridge. Help yourself." He nodded, watching me as I walked away and made my way to the bathroom. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I prodded at my face, poking it. That's when the insecure thoughts spilled out as I wondered if my freckles were too spread out or if my nose was too witch like, was I pretty? Or was I an aesthetic?

With a huff and a puff, I hopped in the shower and got started on my morning routine, taking some extra time just for comfort. God knows I needed it. When I was done, I rushed out and found Jonny slumped on the couch with the tv on. His eyes found mine as I walked out and he titled his head slightly indicating to me that he already knew what had happened.

"How did you know?" I asked, taking a sip of coke as I sat down beside him, leaning my head on his shoulder. He inhaled deeply before leaning his head on mine and telling me what he was told. "It doesn't matter, I just know you're feeling like shit right now and I hate it." He comforted, my eyes were heavy with bags and my entire body lazy with exhaustion.

"I can't be the person he settled for because he cannot have her." I sighed, my chest expanding with hurt. Jonathon inhaled sharply as he hummed the tune of a song. I drifted off into a deep slumber as I felt his one arm remain around me and the other cover us both with a blanket.

PLEASE TELL ME SOMEONE GOT THE LITTLE WOMEN REFERENCES.