𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

033

"I'm really sorry!"

He laughs at me, his simple, sweet honey laugh, "Ruby why are you apologising so much?"
My eyes are wide as I stare up at the boy I love, confusion escaping through the look on my face, "because.. I can't go to the game? And you'll be alone.."

Steve just smiles, "you have other things you have to do, it's ok rubes, we'll hang out after." He eases my anxiety easily just like he always seems to do and I forget the rush of fear that ran through me. My mother always seemed disappointed in me, my teachers were disappointed in me, Miss Kelly was disappointed in me, I guess I was scared to add another person to the tally.

"Besides Robin will be in the stands doing her band thing anyways, it's okay!"

"Really?" I breathe out and he nods, causing me to fling myself into his embrace in which he gladly accepts pulling me close and placing a gentle kiss on my forehead, a well known explosion of butterflies appear in my stomach, "I'll tell Lucas you're rooting for him ok?" He mentions when we finally pull apart, only because he's being ushered to go in to the gym for the game.

"Please do."

***

THIRD PERSON POV

"Sorry I'm late! But too be fair it's only ten minutes and I did have to stop in the hall to-" Ruby rushes in on a strange scene, a small girl facing head to head in a battle of the genius with Eddie. They both turn to face her, Eddie snapping his sharp eyes her way and smirking while the girl turns, a sort of attitude in her every step.

"Ruby?!" Every ounce of guard this child had fell when her friend stepped into the room, the little girl ran into her sister-figures arms and flung herself around her, "Erika! What are you doing here?" She pats her on the head and the girl backs away, "these nerds needed a sub for my stupid brother."

"White.. you know this child?" Eddie watches the interaction closely and Ruby realises for a moment that she can't outrightly say the way Erika and her met, she doubted Eddie would believe that fantasy could sometimes leak it's way into the real world, he much preferred the imaginary tales instead. Real monsters were too scary.
"I'm her babysitter," it wasn't a complete lie, Ruby had babysat Erika a couple times after the mall fire, it was easy money for just sitting there and playing My little Pony games.
Although Erika's story's could get rough, Fluttershy had just divorced 'Mr Sprinkles' after all.

"So you're the sheep's caretaker, brilliant, you can teach her if she fails."
Ruby knew this was a horribly stupid remark for Eddie to make, Erika was great at dnd, her luck with the dice gods was beyond the known, Vecna was surely going down now.

"It's a level 14 game Eddie," Ruby announces confidently and he smirks, the idea of the high level surely perishing the characters, especially Erika who must be below the other members levels, "her character is level 14."
The brunette girl shrugs as Erika stares at the gothic boy in front of her, watching as he twitches slightly in defeat.

The small girl walks forward, confidence seeping through her every step, "are we gonna do this? Or are we gonna keep chit chatting like it's your mummy's book club?"

The room falls silent, a fear reminiscent in every member except one. Until the curly haired boys eyes light up and a soft, playful smile appears on his usually sharp face, brightening his features in the soft glow of the lights.

He extends a hand, "welcome to Hellfire."

***

Every squeak on the floor indicates another win for the Hawkins High Bulldogs and with Steve Harrington in the audience, tensions were high. He was the old captain after all, he had to be impressed.