The One || Steve Harrington

The Vanishing of Will Byers

Ten hours of a Dungeons and Dragons campaign was draining, but not as draining as the two weeks the party spent planning it. Did Georgia understand D&D? Not at all. Did the party try to teach her? Constantly. She was more of a viewer when it came to games, especially when the party took D&D so seriously. She'd been on the receiving end of Mikes's tirades far too many times. It wasn't enjoyable, and it was tiring.

However, it was good money, considering all she had to do was watch the boys, and she got paid by the number of kids she watched at a time. She couldn't complain. The boys were good company. Lucas and Will were her favorites; if she were forced to admit it, she'd deny it until the end of time, even though they, and Dustin, preferred to bike home instead of get a ride. She'd follow them until they each turned down their streets before heading home herself. Hawkins was a very quiet town, after all. It was safe. Nothing really happened here.

It was after ten when she arrived home. The faint glow of the television was all Georgia could see through the half-closed blinds, which meant her father fell asleep on the couch after a few drinks like usual. The question was, did she try to convince him to move to his room or let him sleep on the couch? Probably the latter. She didn't particularly feel like dealing with a drunk tonight.

Not again, at least.

The Autumn air was brisk as the wind blew, and the trees and bushes surrounding their cabin bristled. It was eerie and incredibly dark. The only sound and distinctive noise came from the jingling of her keys as she undid the locks.

The cabin was messy as usual, and the smell of smoke lingered. He gave up smoking for not even two days. Disappointment filled her chest.

She couldn't help but laugh at the ashtray on the table across from five beer cans. Cleaning all morning the day before was clearly a bad idea and a waste of time.

Everyone deals with grief differently, but it'd been five years.

If she could keep going, he could, too. Hopper still had her, after all. He didn't get to stop being a father. It wasn't a job you could up and quit. He could clean up his own mess; she was going to bed after the warmest shower of her life.

Her wet hair dripped down her back as she moved toward the ringing phone, quickly picking it up before the sound woke her father, who didn't even stir on the couch. He was that far gone.

"Hello," she said softly, moving forward to close her door. 

"Georgie, you won't believe what happened," Nancy's excited voice all but squealed through the phone.

Georgia plopped onto her bed, grinning. She crossed her feet and picked up the discarded magazine from last night.

"What happened in the forty minutes I left your house while you were speaking to King Steve," she giggled.

Nancy sighed through the phone. "You know he hates when you call him that."

Georgia nodded, though she was the only person in the room. "Yes, that's why I call him that."

"Georgia!" Nancy scolded the girl. "Why do you always try to annoy him?"

Georgia shrugged. Annoying Steve was her second nature. It was as easy as breathing and quite fun. His eyes would scrunch, his face would flush just the slightest, and if she was really pushing him, his left eyebrow would twitch. It was adorable.

"Don't call me Georgia, Nancy," she deflected. "It's my favorite pastime."

She'd known Steve and the rest of the Harringtons for as long as she could remember. She grew up with him. Her mother used to be close to Steve's mom—the best of friends, almost sisters. The two dreamed of having their children fall in love. It was good her mom was gone, in a way, because she would've never seen that happen, especially not if Georgia's best friend was dating him.