IN WHICH...
"You don't love him Nancy! You know that as much as I do! He's hurting, let him go. Just admit that you're in love with Johnathan and let Steve go." Rose doesn't know why she's fighting so hard for this. Nancy huffs out a breath of air...
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Jim pulled into the Byers driveway. He looked in the rear view seeing no difference between Rose and Steve. Dustin whispered to the kids to get out, the four of them going up to the house. Jim put a hand over his mouth leaning his elbow on the door.
"Rose?" His voice was barely loud enough to hear. Steve glanced over at his eyes looking at them through the mirror. He looked to Rose, she acted like she didn't hear him. Jim felt the bump in his throat that he swallowed down. "She loved you, that was one of the last things she said." Roses head slowly turned to his direction. Her eyes were bloodshot. Blood dried from both her nostrils, wiped across her cheek.
Rose licked her lips turning to the backdoor.
"You, help with them. I'll help her." Steve volunteered himself, he heard Jim sigh, Rose getting out of the truck standing there staring up. Jim nodded pursing his lips, he was kicking himself for not being able to help her on his own. She was his responsibility now, he promised Jean that. He couldn't forget about Joyce either, and Bob.
Steve scooted out the back of the truck pushing the back closed. Rose had her arms wrapped around herself.
"Hey, let's get inside." He spoke softly to her. She swallowed, nodding wordlessly. He followed her up, everyone already in the house already. Jim was at the door holding it open for the two of them. When Steve stepped up onto the porch Jim put a hand to his shoulder. He didn't say anything, but, it said alot.
Jim tugged the door shut, locking it. Rose wondered off down the hall. She mimicked Joyce, who just a few seconds ago did the same thing. Everyone tried not to look, but they did. They stared, they stared with pity. They stared at how Steve followed her too without a second glance to them. Nancy noticed that most of all.
When Steve found Rose she was in what he assumed to be Johnathans room. Her back was to him on the bed. He assumed she wouldn't talk, he didn't expect her to.
Steve sat on the opposite end, twisting to look at her. Rose was the first to move, she scooted to the wall. Pulling her knees to her chest. Droplets of tears falling onto the blanket.
"Its my fault." Her voice croaked. Steve straightened up, scooting up the bed to be closer. He shook his head repeatedly.
"No, no no. Don't say that...none of this is on you." She sniffed, a tear slipping down her cheek.
"I told her I was at the Byers when I left with you and Dustin, I didnt want her to worry." She played with her jean jackets sleeves, her legs falling to cross over each other. Her eyes drifted down to her hands. "She must've went to see if I was with them, to check on me. Then Jim and-she tried to help." Her voice broke. Steve's face fell, his brows pulling together. He watched her fall apart into tiny peices.
"A-and now she's-shes-" She couldn't even say it. "Shes...gone." She wiped her eyes, she shoulders shaking. Its all started to crumble. Steve scooted up wrapping his arm around her shoulder. She cried into his jacket. Her arms covering her face. She burried her face into his neck, he could feel her hit breath, and tears slipping down onto his skin. He wrapped his other arm around her tucking in his legs.
