𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 (Steve Harrington x fem!OC)

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐘𝐖𝐎𝐆

I entered the kitchen for breakfast, and came across my dad making Elle's favorite, a "Triple-Decker-Eggo Extravaganza." I scoffed a little.

"Is she mad?" I inquired. 

"I was late. Are you okay?" He muttered. I nodded, smiling contentedly. I had extra time that morning, and used my extra time to make myself crêpes with whipped cream and strawberries (my favorite), and a massive pot of coffee to hopefully cure whatever was left of my hangover. Dad stared at me for a bit, ensuring I was alright. After all, I didn't usually go from sobbing into his uniform to happily smiling and humming to myself in one night. It just wasn't like me. He assumed I was being truthful, and sat at the table.

Midway through cooking my last crêpe, a slamming sound behind made me jump, I turned around to see El grumpily walking into the kitchen. She plopped down at the table with Dad, and slowly picked at the heap of waffles and junk food in front of her.

"Good, right?" Dad asked. She nodded, and I smiled over at her, while placing the strawberries inside my crêpe. I put my food in a small Tupperware container, and poured my coffee into a thermos.

"The best part is - it's only 8,000 calories!" I joked, grabbing my keys, making sure to kiss Dad's cheek and ruffle El's hair on my way out. "Love you both!"

I closed the car door behind me, and glanced over at my tired reflection in the rear view mirror before staring in front of me. Sure, I could keep a calm act around my Dad and El, but I couldn't stop thinking about it.

The party. Jonathan. Nancy.

Steve.

Shit. Steve!

After taking a few bites of my breakfast, and screaming a couple times, I began driving, hoping, no, praying Steve wouldn't bring it up.

Arriving at school, I narrowly avoided a clearly hungover and angry Billy Hargrove, and trudged through the hallways. I opened my locker, looked at my reflection once more, and took my books out. As I slammed it shut, a familiar, brown-haired boy was standing right next to me, making me jump.

"Steve! Shit, you scared me." I caught my breath. He furrowed his brow. He looked just as exhausted as me. "Is this about last night? 'Cause I can assure you, I won't tell anyone about Nan-"

"Hey, hey. I'm not upset." He assured. "I just wanted to apologize for laying all of that on you and... um, yeah, while you were drunk."

I wished I could simply reply, but a certain awkwardness hung in the air, making it uncomfortable to even move. The tension was thick and I didn't even understand why. "Oh. It's okay. You know I've kept bigger secrets. It's nothing really. And, you know, it only took a whole pot of coffee to cure my hangover. So, don't you worry about it. Act-" Steve interrupted my rambling.

"Good. Okay, see ya." And with that, he walked away. 

I stood there, in the hall, basking in my current loneliness, looking for something to take my mind off of the situation. I caught sight of Jonathan, and when I tried to approach him, he simply glared over at me and picked up his pace. I wondered if I had done something last night that I didn't remember, but I couldn't really think of anything. At lunch that day, I ate by myself in my car, blasting the music. Once school finally ended, I drove home in complete silence. This day had been awful. Hopefully El could cheer me up. 

When I arrived, the door to the house was wide open, making my heart beat faster. I grabbed a large stick before entering the house.

"El? Are you here?" I tightened my grip on the stick, noticing no one in the main area. I opened the curtain to the empty bathroom, and also found nobody in Dad's, El's, or my room. Realizing that El had left, I gasped, went outside, and ran around the woods for a solid hour looking for her. 

I reentered the cabin and fell to my knees. I couldn't believe El was gone. Had someone taken her? Or had she run away? What if the bad men found her and took her somewhere? Or the government found out about her? With all of the possibilities running wild in my mind, I allowed the tears in my eyes to fall. I could remember when Dad first found El, and told me. And, of course, the events that followed.

~~~

"We have to move?? Why?" I followed him through the trailer to his room.

"To keep her safe." Dad stated.

"'Her?' Who's 'her'? El? You... you found her? Finally?" I gasped and covered my mouth, sitting down on the bed in shock while he rummaged through his closet. He nodded. "Okay then. I'll pack..." I plainly said, standing up.

~~~

Dad opened the door and I coughed up some of the dust that flew into my mouth. He nervously explained to us, "My grandad used to live here, long time ago. I mainly use it for storage now. Lot of history here. So, uh, what do you girls think?" He asked for our approval. I glanced over at El, who stayed silent. Dad continued, "It's a work in progress, you know? It's, uh... It takes a little imagination, but, uh.." 

Sensing his nervousness, I helped. "Once we fix it up, it'll be nice." I smile down at the little girl who smiles back.

"Real nice." Dad sighs, regaining his calm. "This is you new home." He affirms, looking at her happily.

"Home." El sighed quietly.

~~~

Dad turned on the record player, and the all-too-familiar song began to play. Dad muttered various 'oh, yeah''s and other happy phrases, as he goofily danced around the dusty cabin.

"Dad, anything but this!" I laughed. He grabbed my hands, and made me do something that looked like dancing, obnoxiously singing the lyrics at me.

"Come on, kid! You forgot the lyrics?!" He shouted over the loud music. "And they say..." He began singing. I smiled, and gave in to his request.

"You don't tug on superman's cape!" I sang loudly and happily.

"You don't spit into the wind!" Dad sang back. I glanced over at El, holding my hand out to hers. Feeling her cold hand join mine, I spun her around.

"You don't pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and you don't mess around with Jim!" I sing, El giggling at Dad's dance.

~~~

"Now, this is called a trip wire..." I heard Dad say, from my spot on the porch, a shawl wrapped around my frame. The phone rings and I run inside to answer it. Dad let me get a phone for my bedroom in the cabin, so I wasn't completely cut off from the outside world other than school.

"Hello?" I ask, playing with the wire between my fingers.

"Hey, Callie." The familiar, frustrated voice says.

"Hey, Steve. Can I help you?" I said happily, laying on my stomach on my bed, kicking my feet. 

"A negative times a negative is a..." He said, clearly seeking the end of the sentence.

"Positive." I replied.

"Yeah, that's what I was gonna say. Y'know, just reminding you, in case you forgot." 

"Sure, Steve. Thanks for reminding me."

"'Kay, thanks, bye."

"Wait, Steve?"

"Yes?"

"Why don't you ask Nancy? She's smarter than I've ever been. I'd think she'd be your first choice for help."

"Well, I don't wanna seem stupid, y'know." He said sadly. 

"But that shouldn't matter, should it? She shouldn't care, she loves you." I assured.

"Of course. Look, I gotta go." He replied fast."

"Okay. Bye, Steve."

"See ya."

~~~