"either way, we're not alone..."
In which Sophie Hargrove struggles to close off her heart, especially when she starts to let Steve Harrington in.
STRANGER THINGS
SEASON TWO - SEASON FIVE
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Billy left without them that morning. He claimed he had to go in early for basketball practice, but Sophie could tell he was still mad about the day before. Part of him had a right to be since she had practically abandoned him in favour of their stepsister, someone he despised. But then she thought that he kinda deserved to feel shitty. Couldn't he understand that the more he chose to hate others, the less he'd see of his own sister?
She debated the thought of even going to school at all. The bruise was worse today, appearing more black than purple -- it would take a few days before the normal colour of her skin would return.
Sophie sat cross-legged on her bed, dressed and ready to go, but she couldn't convince herself to move. It's just that when Steve caught her out, it was all her worst fears coming to light. What if more people asked questions today? She couldn't handle that.
Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft knocking at her bedroom door. She looked up, slightly befuddled. "Come in."
The door opened, revealing her stepmother on the other side. In her left hand, she held a plastic bag by its handles. "Morning."
"Oh, hi, Susan." She sheepishly greeted her, confused as to why she was there. "Did my dad send you or...?"
Susan shook her head. "No, your father's gone to work so I thought it best to take you and Max to school today."
"Okay." Sophie didn't know what else to say, wishing she had fabricated an excuse to stay home. Her stepmother remained, her eyes scanning the room in silence. Two fingers tapped at her thigh in an unrhythmic movement. Her stepdaughter stared back, lowering her brows. "Do you need something?"
"No, no. I was just checking if you were all right. You didn't come out for breakfast this morning." Susan mentioned.
"I'm not hungry." She hoped Susan wouldn't clock her lie. And though her stomach growled in fury, she suppressed the noise by leaning forward and pretending everything was fine. Sophie eyed the bag swinging by her stepmother's knees. "Is that all?"
"Oh, um..." She fumbled at the plastic bag, shifting towards her. "I -- well, I thought I'd return your things."
She opened the bag and Sophie peered inside, her lips parting. Everything her dad had taken from her vanity -- the right items to cover up her bruise. "But I thought-"
"Sometimes, Neil doesn't think before he acts. I'm beginning to see that." Susan placed the bag in front of her. "I don't want you going to school in this state."
It was rare to see someone other than Billy go against Neil's orders. Another thing she couldn't understand about Susan was how she could ever fall in love with a man like her father. She thought hard about why this kind, gentle woman would ruin the life of her and her daughter by letting this man into their world.
