Other Friends

Chapter 11 - Dumb Feelings

Bella was home alone per usual, just doing homework when a car honking its horn broke her concentration. Confused, she looked out her window, only to see Windy's car. Quickly putting on her shoes she goes out and gets in her friend's car. "What's up? I thought you were looking for Mews today?"

"Mews is dead, my mom doesn't know and it's Dustin's fault." Windy explains quickly. "You know where Liz is?"

Bella blinks taking in all the information. "Probably with her new boyfriend. Pause, rewind. Dustin killed Mews?"

Windy sighs, "Yes and No. Remember Dart? The thing that the kids lost in the school?" she nods, "Well, Dustin found him, told no one and it accidentally ate Mews. Now it's locked in our basement till we get a hold of Hopper, but no one is answering Dustin's Code Red..."

"So, you came to get me?" Bella questions.

"It was you or I deal with Dart alone, while Dustin looks for the others." Windy points out.

"Ah, fair enough. So does Dustin have a plan?" Bella asks.

"No, I was sort of hoping you might." She says with a slight wince.

Bella sighs this time, leaning back in the seat. "Give me a sec." she says, getting out of the car and back in her house. She grabs her bat she left in the dining room. She goes to exit again, but pauses seeing Steve's jacket on the coat hanger. He forgot it. She grabs it and puts it on before exiting with the bat.

"Is that Eddies bat and Steve's jacket?" Windy questions making her friend flush.

"Eddie gave it to me when he figured I was alone a lot, and... and Steve left it here." she admits.

Windy starts to drive back to her place and gasps. "He was inside!"

"He spent the night." Bella whispers, looking away from her friends' look of shock.

"Bella!" she says before laughing in disbelief. "Look at you go."

"Nothing happened." She defends herself, but Windy just chuckles. "I swear. We just talked, he made breakfast, and we went to school."

"Did he sleep in your room?" Windy questions but Bella didn't answer, just blushed again. "Oh my god! I didn't know you liked Steve like that."

Bella laughs, "I don't like Steve."

"Sure, you don't." Windy says with an eye roll.

"I don't! Besides, He's still with Nancy. Remember?" she says.

Windy chuckles, "You are so into Steve Harrington. Look at you getting a crush. Thought I'd never see the day." she teases.

"I've liked people." she says in a defensive tone.

"You have never told me a single person you've liked." Windy tells her, she glances and sees her friend's slight pout. "Okay, who did you use to like?" Bella was silent, making Windy giggle, "See you can't name one."

"I liked Eddie." Bella says defensively.

Windy's eyebrows shoot up. "Really? Did you ever tell him?"

Bella clears her throat, "No. By the time I realized it, Liz already asked him out. I wasn't going to ruin that for them with my dumb feelings."

"Hey, your feelings aren't dumb... Do you still like him?" she asks curiously.

She shrugs, "Sometimes he does something, and I feel like I could fall back into that crush zone but... No, I don't think I like him like that anymore." she lets out a small scoff, "Besides, could you see Eddie dating me?" she points out.

"Well, he's sweet, so yes." She says, making her friend roll her eyes, "I don't blame you for liking him. Steve on the other hand..." Windy says and Bella groans.

"Can we please stop talking about Steve?" She asks, covering her face to conceal her ever growing flushed face.

Windy laughs, "Sure. No more Steve." As she says that, she turns into her driveway only to see Steve's car. "About that..."

Bella looks up and her eyes widen at his car. "Oh god. Is this a set up?"

Windy raises her arms in innocence. "I didn't know he was going to be here."

Her friend groans but grabs her bat, "Let's just go deal with your cat killer." Bella says before getting out of the car.

Windy wasted no time to follow, the two going around the house only to see Steve and Dustin standing over the locked basement doors. "I don't hear shit." they hear Steve say as he shines a light on the doors.

"He's in there." Windy calls out, making the two boys jump.

"Geez!" Steve shouts, shining the light on the two girls making them squint.

"Sorry. I'm assuming you're here for the cat killer as well?" Bella questions, raising her hand to block the light.

"I'm starting to think the cat killer isn't even real." Steve says moving the light back at the doors.

"He's real!" Dustin and Windy shouts in frustration.

"Its face opens up like the Demogorgon." Windy explains.

"It killed our cat!" Dustin quickly follows.

Bella's eyes widen as she looks to her friend. "And you wanted me to come here!?"

"We have a better chance in numbers!" Windy defends herself.

"You so owe me." Bella groans.

"Yes, I will owe you, what do you-" Windy is cut short.

"Guys!" Dustin shouts, making them look at him. "Deal with this later!"

Steve sighs, "You gotta key for this thing?"

Windy reaches into her pocket and tosses him the key. "Have at it."

Steve opens the door as Dustin holds the light only to be met with nothing on the stairs. "He must be further down there." Dustin comments and Steve just looks at him annoyed. The pre-teen grabs Bella with the bat and shoves her in his place next to Steve. "You two have fun. We'll stay up here in case he tries to escape."

Bella glares at the boy, "You owe me, so much."

He just gives her a nervous smile, "Totally."

With a sigh the two teens slowly descend the stairs. Bella having to take the flashlight, lighting the way before them. Steve was able to find a light once they reached the bottom, allowing the two to look around better. "Holy shit." he whispers, using his bat to pick up something.

Bella turns around and sees what looks like shedded skin. "Gross."

"Steve!" Dustin's voice calls from the stairs. "Bella?"

The pre-teen gets no response, making his sister anxious. "Bella, I swear to god." She says.

At that the flashlight shines on them, making them jump. "You two need to come down here." Steve tells them.

The two quickly make their way down and Steve shows them the skin. "Oh, shit." Dustin says in shock.

"That's not it." Bella says and shines the light at the tunnel making them look at it with wide eyes.

"What the hell?" Windy whispers as they slowly walk over to the hole in the wall.

"No way. No way." Dustin says in disbelief that Dart escaped.

"We're so screwed." Bella says.