ocean eyes ✧ Billy Hargrove

[ 030 ]

As they made their way through the dark, misty night, heading toward Steve and Daphne's cars, Daphne's thoughts drifted, fixated on the fact that she had a date with Billy that evening.

The frustration gnawed at her—she couldn't even call him to cancel. She and Steve were a few steps ahead of the kids, who were engaged in their own conversation, mostly about Dart and the creatures they'd encountered.

Steve noticed Daphne's distant expression. "What are you thinking about, Byers?"

Daphne sighed. "I should have had a date tonight... I think I won't make it." Her voice was laced with disappointment.

After all the chaos, Billy was the one thing that had brought her some happiness recently, and now it seemed like she'd have to miss out on that too.

Steve gave her a sideways glance, his tone half-joking. "Well, you'll see Hargrove tomorrow, okay? But now please, stop looking at me like that, you're breaking my heart."

Daphne smiled weakly, locking her eyes into Steve's. "Yeah, sorry."

After a moment of silence, Steve raised an eyebrow, his voice embarrassed. "I have just one question. Is his hair better than mine? Is... Is that why all the girls at school are drooling over him?"

Daphne chuckled, the question making her smile purely. "Harrington, that's a very silly question! Nobody has better hair than you! They're so freaking voluminous—they're just perfection."

Steve grinned, his confidence visibly boosted. "Oh, well, thanks, Daph. Now that we clarified that, I just want you to be happy. So... If he ever breaks your heart, I'll cut his dick off."

Daphne laughed, appreciating his overprotectiveness. "I love it when you're overprotective. You're my best friend, you know that?"

"Yeah, I know," Steve said with a cocky smile. "I'm pretty awesome."

"And very modest, too!" Daphne added, rolling her eyes, with a little smile on her face.

They both laughed, momentarily forgetting the danger surrounding them and the situation they were stuck into. But their attention was soon drawn back to the kids' conversation.

"Well, he's molted three times already," Dustin was saying.

Steve frowned, not quite understanding what the curly haired kiddo was saying. "Malted?"

Daphne corrected him with a smirk. "Molted, Stevie. It means that he shed his skin to make room for more growth."

"Exactly," Dustin said, nodding. "Like hornworms."

Max, curious, asked, "And when's he gonna molt again?"

"It's gotta be soon," Dustin replied. "When he does, he'll be fully grown, or close to it, and so will his friends."

Steve's face grew serious. "Yeah, and he's gonna eat a lot more than just cats." Lucas's eyes widened. "Wait, a cat? Dart ate a cat?"

Dustin quickly backpedaled, stuttering. "No, what? No." Steve cut in, his tone flat, not realizing that Dustin wanted to keep that a secret. "What are you talking about? He ate Mews."

Max looked at them confused. "Mews? Who's Mews?" Daphne clarified, looking at the girl. "It's Dustin's cat."

"Guys! Come on!" Dustin interjected, clearly uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was taking.

Lucas narrowed his eyes. "I knew it. You kept him!" Dustin stammered, "No. No... I... He missed me, he wanted to come home."

Lucas wasn't buying it and was so mad at him, they could see it in his eyes. "Bullshit!"

Dustin threw up his hands in exasperation. "I didn't know he was a demogorgon, okay?"
Lucas seized on the admission. "Oh, so now you admit it?"

Max tried to diffuse the situation. "Guys, who cares? We have to go."
Daphne agreed, her tone firm, willing to go away from the woods. "Yes, come on, it's late."

But Lucas wasn't done. "I care! You put the party in jeopardy. You broke the rule of law!"
Dustin shot back, "So did you!" Lucas was taken aback. "What?"

Dustin pointed an accusing finger. "You told a stranger the truth!" He flashed his light in Max's face, making her scoff. "A stranger?"

Lucas's face turned red cause of his anger. "You wanted to tell her too!"

"Yeah, but I didn't, Lucas, okay? I didn't tell her. We both broke the rules of law, okay? So we're even. We're even."

Before the argument could escalate further, a distant screeching noise pierced the night. Steve and Daphne exchanged a look, their senses on high alert. They followed the sound, trying to determine its source.

Lucas and Dustin were too absorbed in their argument to notice. "No! We're not even. Don't even try that. Your stupid pet could've eaten us for dinner!"

"That was not my fault!" Dustin retorted.

"Guys?" Steve tried to get their attention, but they kept bickering. "Shut up, for God's sake!" Daphne snapped, silencing them.

Everyone heard the screeching now, growing louder. Without hesitation, they all started moving toward it, flashlights cutting through the thick fog that blanketed the area.

Max, her nerves frayed and her look scared, tried to stop them. "No, no, no. Hey guys, why are you heading towards the sound? Hello? Hey! Shit."

"Max! Come on!" Daphne urged, pulling her along. They pressed forward, the fog enveloping them as they strained to see through the gloom.

"I don't see them," Dustin muttered, his flashlight beam wobbling in his shaky grip.

Lucas pulled out his binoculars, scanning the city. His voice trembled as he made a grim realization. "It's the lab. They were going back home."

Daphne's heart sank. "Shit! Shit! My mom and the others are there. We have to do something!"

Steve shook his head, his voice tense. "Daph, we can't do anything. If we go there, we die, and we get them killed. We stay here, go to a safe place, and wait for them."

But Daphne's mind was made up. "No way, we're going to the lab."

Steve sighed, knowing he wouldn't change her mind. "I'm not going to make you change your mind, am I?"

"Nope. Now walk." Daphne went over to Max, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as they started walking together.

She was determined to keep Max and the other kids safe, no matter what awaited them at the lab.