The One || Steve Harrington

The Gate

She wasn't wearing Georgia's old clothes but dressed in sort of an emo fashion, from the waist up, with dark eyeliner and eyeshadow around her eyes.

Mike was the first to move, running at the girl who hugged him just as tightly as he hugged her.

"I never gave up on you," said Mike, his voice airy. "I called you every night. Every night for-"

"Three hundred, fifty-three days," Eleven finished. "I heard."

"Why didn't you tell me you were there? That you were okay?" Mike rushed, his voice rising.

"Because I wouldn't let her," said Hopper. "The hell is this? Where have you been?"

Georgia brushed past Mike, pulling the girl into a hug.

"If you ever scare me like that and just disappear, I'm not..." she paused, trying to come up with a threat. "I'm not making midnight brownies anymore."

"No," said Eleven, her eyes narrowed as she scanned her expression for signs of a lie. "You wouldn't."

She wouldn't. Brownies were the best dessert.

"I'm so glad you're okay. Don't you ever disappear without telling me," she whispered, pulling back to check the girl's head. "Someone introduce you to gel?"

The girl's hair was slicked back with a wet, dry, and crunch look to it. It was probably crunch to the touch.

"You like?" Eleven asked, reaching up to touch her hair.

"I like it," Georgia hesitated. "But I love your curls. The makeup, though, now that is interesting."

"Bitchin,'" said Eleven, a small smile.

"Definitely," Georgia agreed. It was something, but if Eleven liked it, she liked it.

"This is cute and all, but where have you been?" Hopper pushed, gently moving Georgia aside as he neared Eleven and hugged the two girls.

"Where have you been?" Eleven refuted. "I was there. Georgie was there. Where were you?"

"You've been hiding her," Mike said. "You've been hiding her this whole time!" And the boy shoved Hopper into the girls, who turned around. "And Georgia, you helped him. You lied to me!" He moved to shove her as he did to Hopper moments before.

"Hey! She didn't tell you because I wouldn't let her. If you're going to be mad at someone, be mad at me." Hopper grabbed Mike's hands. "Let's talk." His voice left no room to argue, and within seconds, he was dragging him out of the room.

Steve was quick to move, hugging the girl just as Georgia had. "Gonna be giving me a run for my money with this whole hair you got going on," he laughed before pulling back. "You okay, not hurt anywhere?"

Eleven shook her head no. "I like your hair, though," she said, reaching up to touch it.

It was clear to everyone watching that Steve had met Eleven on numerous occasions before tonight if he was allowing her to touch his hair. Only Georgia touched his hair.

Steve stepped back, allowing Lucas and Dustin to take his place. Max stood awkwardly behind the two boys, watching the interaction, feeling like a stranger.

"We missed you," said Lucas and Dustin.

"Missed you too," said Eleven.

"We talked about you pretty much every day," said Dustin.

They pulled back from the hug, and Eleven stared at Dustin. She reached forward and put her hand to Dustin's mouth, poking him.

"Teeth," said El.