"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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Sophie waited by the front door for her young stepsister, her arms wrapped over her chest as she shivered in the cold. Other than her denim jacket, she didn't have a coat to wear. Her dad declared a new one to be a waste of money, so Billy gave her an old one of his; she didn't like fitted jackets anyway.
She rocked on her heels slightly, sucking on the corner of her lip as she wondered if Max had fallen asleep again. But Sophie could recall the troubling look on her face when she was first awoken -- unless she just imagined the whole interaction.
But then a door creaked down the hallway, and Max emerged, clutching her skateboard under her arm. Sophie cleared his throat, brushing lint off her jacket with a light smile. "Hey, what is it you wanna-?"
"Not here." The girl spoke with a hushed tone, marching past her.
Max unlocked the door, opening it as quietly as possible. The girls strolled out, Sophie following her down the front steps and onto the road. The strawberry blonde kept peering back at the house, gritting her teeth and cracking her knuckles.
Sophie stared at her with a parted frown. "Is something wrong?"
"No, it's just-" She bit her bottom lip, looking straight ahead. "Wait until we're far enough away, okay?"
With a slow nod, she answered. "Alright."
Whatever it was she wanted to talk to Sophie about, Max didn't want anyone else to hear, and that only caused her concern to grow. She had never been this secretive before -- not for a long while.
They walked on in silence, wandering through their empty neighbourhood with hunched shoulders. Max's grip on her skateboard tightened over time, her posture rigid. During their walk, Sophie debated whether or not she should have left a note for their parents. Then again, everyone knew Max visited the arcade often. But on the other hand, her dad and Billy were always suspicious whenever she left the house, thinking she was going to visit a boy.
It didn't make sense. Neil never wanted her around, yet he feigned concern about her whereabouts. She knew he held a scant love for his little girl, so when he pretended to care, it only filled her with rage.
As they entered the busy streets of Hawkins, making their way through flocks of townspeople, clouds parted above their heads and spilt shining sunlight onto the road before them. Sophie caught up to her nervous stepsister, lightly chuckling. "I'd say we're pretty far now."
Max didn't respond, only slowing down a little. She glanced behind them, eyeing the passing cars as if she expected one of them to be Billy's.
Sophie tucked her hands into her jacket pockets, flicking her tongue. "So, um, what do you want to talk about?
The headstrong girl remained silent at first, digging her blunt nails into her palm. Her stomach was in knots, and when she swallowed, it was thick and dry, burning at the back of her throat. She released a raspy sigh. "I'm gonna run away again."
