Stay or Go

Chapter 42

Once we get back to the Byers house the kids collapse on the sofa. I shrug off my jacket and pad down the hall to the bathroom, before I can go inside someone grabs my wrist and turns me around. "Hey." Steve says staring down at me with big brown eyes, my expression softens slightly "hey." I reply. Steve scratches the back of his neck nervously "we haven't really had a chance to speak." He tells me "about the whole..." I know he is alluding to the kiss we shared on this porch.

"Ok." I say slowly, leaning against the doorframe and folding my arms "what did you want to talk about?" He sucks in a breath, his face going slightly paler with nerves "I was wondering if I could take you out on a date sometime." A smile broadens on my face at the sight of Steve Harrington in a position I never thought I would see him in. I tilt my head to the side and soften my eyes slightly "sure." I say and this seems to catch the older boy off guard "wha-what?" He stutters and my smile widens. I take a step towards him and throw my arms around his neck "sure Steve, I'll go on a date with you." A matching smile appears on his face as he kisses me deeply. I pull him into me, wanting to feel his body pressed against mine for as long as possible.

We pull away just as we hear Dustin shout "ew! Dude! That's my sister!" Steve and I go slightly scarlet before we step away from one another. "I'm gonna go wash up," I say and slip inside the bathroom. Inside, I lean over the sink, letting both the hot and cold tap run for a little bit, filling it up. Then I duck my head and scoop up some water, splashing it on my face. Just as I do that I hear a whispery voice "Lorelei." My head snaps up and I look behind me using the mirror. Nothing.

I shrug it off and lean back over the basin only to hear "Lorelei, I have something for you." My head snaps up again and I spot Rosemary laughing at me through the window before disappearing. Without hesitating I slide up the window and silently climb out, knowing that if I went through the front door I would get asked millions of questions and Steve would try to come with me. I stalk towards the forest, I catch glimpses of Rosemary's hair trailing behind her.

Once we reach a clearing I finally see all of her as she stops and turns to face me. "What do you want?" I ask gritting my teeth, I haven't been able to fully rest since we left to fight the upside down and I am wound pretty tight. The other girl just smiles prettily and tilts her head "I thought you would be in a better mood." She muses gently "after kissing Steve like you always wanted." I stiffen. "What?" I ask blinking in confusion, Rosemary steps forward with a mischievous glint in her eye "you know." She says, looking down and admiring her nails "I expected more from you." She snaps her head back up and glares at me, all pretence was gone now.

"The professors went on and on about how you are the best and that we should all admire to be like you but then you were fooled by a little bit of my power on a guy you have a crush on." She says, my chest starts constricting "not very smart is it?" She bites. I try not to give her the reaction she wants, even if I know deep down she is telling the truth about manipulating Steve. "Is that all you want?" I ask keeping my voice laced with boredom "is that why you took this job? Because you want to prove you are better than me?" Rosemary clenches her fists at her side. Her whole body shook "I want Richard to know how much stronger I am than you." She admits finally.

This makes me laugh and Rosemary goes slightly red at the admission. "This is about Richard?" I ask and she nods her head, looking away "he still loves you." She says her voice wobbling slightly "even after you betrayed the Academy he still wants to be with you. He doesn't notice me but if I come back with your head he will have to admit I'm better and the professors, they'll see too." I shake my head and look down at the ground for a moment. "You are deluded, Rosemary." I say "you think you want the status that is the most powerful at the Academy can bring but you're wrong. It's the worst thing that can possibly happen to you."

Rosemary seems a little taken aback by this but I continue "you think it's all power and glory, being sent on mission after mission but it's not. You have less freedom, you don't have free will and you certainly have no time to pursue romantic relationships." She shakes her head but I press on "you are also subjected to more tests. More rounds of shots, electricity, drowning. You name it, you get it." She bares her teeth at me and steps forward "that's not true." She spits and I tilt my head "I'm not?"

She shakes her head again and attacks me.

Of course, the fight ends up with her, in pieces on the floor. I collect logs and put them into a pile, I then stack Rosemary's body parts on top and use the lighter in my pocket to start a fire. I step back as it goes up in flames and I head back to the Byers place.

-

Once there I notice everyone standing and sitting in the living room looking nervous as hell. I open the door and I am instantly jumped on by almost everyone. "Where have you been?" Hopper demands, his voice rising above the rest. I shrug off my boots and let my hair down from it's ponytail "I had something to take care of." I storm past everyone back towards the bathroom. "You had something to take care of? That's bullshit." Hopper shouts storming after me, Joyce right behind him "are you hurt?" She asks her motherly instincts taking over.

I look over the blood on my arms and I shake my head "it's not mine." I reply shutting the bathroom door. There is silence for a few minutes and I fall onto the floor, finally stopping for the first time in almost 2 days. There is a light knock on the door "Lorelei, it's Joyce. Can I come in?" I wipe the tears from my face and reply with a yes. The bathroom door opens slowly and her redhead peers around the wood "hey." She says lightly before coming fully inside. She sits on the edge of the bath and I lay my head in her lap "oh sweet girl." She says as I start crying.

She strokes my hair comfortingly and for a split second I wish Joyce Byers was my mother, I know my own mum would never do this for me. Not after dad died, she became a different person, detached from reality.