Need

The Kings

That dream happened to put almost as much fear into me as actually being there again. 

And Nancy definitely noticed. 

If it wasn't her constant staring that gave it away, it might've been the fact that her eyes moved between me and Billy every time she was in seeing distance of either of us. Then again, we didn't spend a lot of time near each other today.

Eventually when I was standing at my locker- alone- she finally came up to me and very subtly asked for an explanation. 

"What's going on?"

My head came off of the locker, the same pain in my neck from this morning still pulsing at every move. "What are you talking about Nance?" She couldn't have any idea that I had a nightmare, especially about that. However, her eyebrows rose as if I had called her an idiot and she crossed her arms. "I'm talking about the exhausted look on your face, the extra appendage you grew almost a month ago that somehow is missing from you today, how jumpy you are. Now, what's going on?" 

"Respectfully Wheeler, I really don't think me and Billy are around each other enough for you to call him an 'extra appendage'. And another thing, I'm allowed to have a rough day now and then, can't be perfect all the time." I crossed my arms mimicking her position and leaned against the locker. "You haven't had a 'rough day' since I've known you, Steve. We've been through way too much for you to start hiding stuff from me. I need to know if somethings wrong." 

She says we as if the two of us together have been through a lot. The two of us? No. We've been through two things together, and they both fought to destroy what will I had left. 

"Look I just had a rough night Nance, okay? Everything's fine, don't worry so much."

As I finished talking, Jonathan walked up to the both of us and stood next to Nancy shooting a wary glance between us. "Good! Byers please tell your girlfriend to get off my back." His eyes shot wide and a small smile twitched on to his lips. Nancy's scowl only grew deeper as she looked at the both of us, "He's lying to me Jonathan." 

"Well then that probably means he doesn't want to talk about it right now Nancy, leave the man be." He put his hand softly on her waist and tried directing her away and her head titled at me. 

"You remember what happened the last time we tried to act like everything was normal, Steve? It didn't end up up going very well, I'm trying to be there for you, I want you to talk to me." 

I stood there motionless. I can't believe she'd bring that up. I can't believe she'd use that against me. Like it's my fucking fault her friend died. Like it's my fucking fault she lied to me. Like it's my fucking fault I just wanted to try my fucking best for us to live a normal fucking life. 

I pushed off the locker and my eyebrows knitted together, looking at her as my feelings started coming in and her uptight face loosened. I stood until I towered over her and the two of them stepped back, "you know what Wheeler, you want to help me? Then-"

"Woah there Stevie! Isn't this just heartbreaking?"

Jesus fucking christ.

I turned just my head towards him and closed my eyes to roll them. 

Standing about three feet away from me was Tommy Hagan, Carol, and Billy. 

To Billy's luck, Tommy actually has a bigger mouth than him, so it wasn't my 'extra appendage' that I wanted to punch in the face right now. 

"Get the hell out of here Hagan." 

His smokers laugh choked out and he smiled at me, "why? You gonna try to fight me again King Steve?" He stepped close and poked at my chest, "last time I checked, not only did you run from me, that freak beat you too."