Just friends?

Chapter 22 : Morse Code

Steve's Pov

I was having a really hard time being around Sof. I had never seen her as broken as I have seen her today. 

We were currently alone together inside of the shed beside her house. Everyone had been taking trips back and forth from here to the house because they were taking everything out of the shed. 

Sofie and I had been tasked with stapling paper, cardboard, and anything else we can find to the walls of the shed. 

She was being insanely quiet and it was making me nervous and the atmosphere was awkward.  

"Hey, you okay?" I asked her softly. 

"I'm as okay as I can be right now." She sighed. 

"You know I'm here for you if you need anything, Sof. You've had a hard day." 

"I know. I'm okay, Steve. I'm just happy you're here." She looked over at me and smiled softly. 

"I'm always gonna be here for you." I replied quietly. 

She nodded and turned away from me, beginning to staple things to the wall again. I did the same. Everyone else started coming back with more things to cover the walls and got to work. Before we knew it the shed was unrecognizable. 

Sof had walked away from me and was helping her mom and Mike set up the chair where they were going to put Will. I watched her stand up once they were done and look around the entire shed. Making sure it was completely covered and that there was nothing he could recognize. 

Once she was satisfied she turned and nodded at Jonathan. He left the shed and came back a few minutes later carrying Will. He set him down in the chair softly and Sofie bent down to pick up the rope. She started tying him to the chair and the pole behind him. 

I watched her sigh and pet his head before standing and turning around and walking over to me. 

"Will you go outside with me real quick? I don't want to be alone." She whispered. 

"Yeah. Yeah, let's go." I put my hand on the small of her back and guided her towards the door. 

I followed her as she walked to the front of her house and walked onto her porch. She sat down on the edge and patted the spot next to her. I sat down and looked over at her. 

"Why are we out here?" I asked her softly. 

"I just needed to breathe. I don't know if this is going to work. Steve, what if the Mind Flayer took all of him already? What if Will never comes back?" She started crying. 

I quickly wrapped my arms around her and rubbed her back, trying to console her the best I could. 

"Hey, this is gonna work. Will is still in there. He just needs a little help. He needs his sister to believe in him. He can do it. This is gonna work, Sof." I reassured as I wiped away her tears. 

She nodded and leaned her head on my shoulder. There was a small gust of wind and I felt her shudder beside me. 

"Sofie, are you cold?"

"No, I'm fine." 

I rolled off my jacket and draped it over her shoulders. She immediately put it on. 

"I thought you said you weren't cold?" I laughed. 

"I'm not." 

"Then why did you put on my jacket?" 

"Maybe because I just wanted to wear your jacket." She looked over at me and smiled. 

God, she's so beautiful. Sofia Byers deserves the world.