Short Stories 2022

Just a push - R.B

"She refuses to hear me out, Em." She bit her nail as Steve spoke, she felt bad about him being in the middle of it. But who else was she going to trust to see if Robin liked her, he already admitted she was gay. Well he'd say he thought she was, saying she'd have dated him if she wasn't.

Which always made her roll her eyes, "if she doesn't wanna hear it. It probably means she doesn't see me like that." Emily and Steve had an interesting bond, they had dated. For about two years, but then they started falling apart.

Both realizing they were only together because they were too scared to let the other one go. It was during all the upside down business, it took a bit. But now they were as close as they could be, "I think she does. She's just being Robin."

Emily smacked him in the arm, he only chuckled. "What it's true! She's overthinking and you're her friend she doesn't wanna freak you out." She whined, he rubbed her back. "I still think you should just walk over and just lay one on her."

"When has that ever worked?"

Steve shrugged, "worked on me back then." That got a smile out of her, he copied it as he knocked shoulders with her. "Course back then you were going in blind, but I swear she likes you." He grabbed her hand to stop her from biting her nails, intertwining them so she couldn't do it again.

She eyed Robin one more time, who was on the other side of the basement chatting happily with Nancy and Eddie. Before bringing her attention back to Steve, "you really think so?" At first it had felt weird to bring up her crush on his best friend.

But he had actually pointed it out first, then from then on it was hard not to talk about it with him. "Yeah, I mean who wouldn't want ya?" He winked at her, she rolled her eyes and looked away from him. "But if you don't like that option, just ask her to hangout. Then whoa everyone seemed to cancel so it's just us."

"We've hung out by ourselves before, Steve." They hung out a lot, sure Steve would tag along most of the time. Or Eddie would pop in, but if everyone was busy it was just them. They had the most similar schedules, "nothing's happened then. So it won't happen now."

He made a noise of disagreement, still not satisfied that this was the conclusion. "Let's talk about something else, like...you and Eddie, huh?" He let out a one laugh, looking at her very unamused. The group glanced at him, it made her giggle.

"You think you're so funny, there's no...me and Eddie." He dropped his voice, sagging in his seat at that. He was hopeless, positively hopeless. She only stared at him, willing him to break. "Okay! Maybe I want there to be, but it ain't gonna happen."

Emily hummed, "you're starting to sound like me. Where's that blind optimism?"

"Died when Munson first looked at me." She let out a surprised laugh, his eyes widened at realizing what he just said. "That's not- crap..." He took his hand away to cover his face with his hands as he slid further in his seat. He had yet to admit he liked Eddie, always saying he was straight.

From a mile away she could guess he liked him, "for that realization of crushing defeat. I owe you a drink, be right back." She patted his leg before she bent forward to get up, he slid his hands down. Pouting at her as he crossed his arms like a guilty child.

She made her way towards the cooler, trying to find his favourite. "Should I be worried?" Emily looked over her shoulder, it was Robin. She stood up quickly, wincing when she hit her head on the cooler lid. "Oh shit, are you okay?"

"Totally! Um worried about what?"

Robin smiled, "you and Harrington? Rekindling the old flame?" Emily had to laugh, her shoulders sagged in relief. That was never gonna happen, did they all think that?