Brave Like You (Steve Harrington)

Twenty-Four.

I tried to chug the water from the water fountain as Candy and Robin discussed the movie we just watched. Candy was confused about what we saw, so she was asking, "Why is it called Back to the Future?"

"He went back in time," Robin said, as if it was obvious. "He has to go back to the future because he's in the past. So the future is actually the present, which is his time."

Candy simply responded with, "Whoa."

I looked up and noticed the glass ceiling of the mall. It was so trippy. The way the lights were shining was so cool. It was like beams of light shining down at us. I walked, my gaze fixated upwards. The girls both followed me, and they looked up as well.

The ceiling lights were so trippy. They looked like lens flares coming down at us. It made my whole body feel like it was spinning around. I stared up at them with my one good eye.

After a moment, we all felt sick, and we ran into the bathroom to throw up. After we were done vomiting, I heard Candy get up and head over to Robin's stall. I sat in mine for a minute, trying to collect myself.

"The ceiling stopped spinning for me," Robin said, "Did it stop spinning for you?"

"No," Candy said, and it sounded muffled, like her face was covered. I pictured her sitting next to Robin with her back shading the wall and her head in her knees trying no to get sick again.

"Yeah," I said, "Do you think we puked it all up?"

"Ask me something," Robin said.

I asked her the first thing that came to my mind. I didn't know why this was the first question that came to me. It could be the drugs in my system, or it could be the fact that we're in the bathroom right now, I didn't know. What I did know, however, is that I couldn't think of anything else, so I asked, "When was the last time you peed your pants?"

Both of their voices came out at the same time as they said, "Today."

I laughed. I couldn't help it, I didn't expect that answer. "What?"

"When the Russian doctor took out that bone saw," Robin said.

"Yeah," Candy agreed.

We all laughed, I heard some shuffling around in the girls stall. "Okay," Robin said, "My turn."

"Hit us," I said. "What you got?"

"Have you ever been in love?" She asked, and I sighed loudly.

I answered honestly, "Yeah, I think so, when I was with Nancy."

"Are you still in love with her?" Candy asked. I knew that question was coming from Candy. She's been obsessed with that since she and I became friends.

"No," I said, answering honestly again. "Not even a little bit."

"Why not?" Robin asks curiously.

"Maybe because I found someone who's a little bit better for me," I said, and even though they couldn't see me, I was smiling to myself. "It's crazy, she's someone who I never really would have thought twice about, but as soon as she was on my radar I felt so stupid for not realizing how awesome she is sooner. She's amazing, and funny, and smart. She challenges me way more than anyone ever has, which is new to me but I have to admit I like it. She taught me way more about being a good boyfriend than Nancy ever did in just a short few months. She knows her worth, and she won't settle for anything less. I respect that so much about her, and I don't think I ever told her that before, actually."

"Are you talking about Candy?" Robin asked.

"Yeah," I say, and I nod even though they can't see me. "I am talking about Candy."