𝐀𝐔𝐑𝐀 ✶ Steve Harrington

16 | 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐚𝐧 𝐞𝐧𝐝

CHAPTER SIXTEEN,
the beginning of an end.
⋆.ೃ࿔*

      WHEN STEVE HARRINGTON saw the car waiting for him, he couldn't believe his eyes. The brand-new ride gleamed under the streetlights, far more expensive than anything he'd ever driven. His jaw dropped, impressed beyond words. Despite the fact that all their lives were in danger, the thrill of getting behind the wheel of something so sleek and powerful distracted him.

        Now, it was up to Dustin to guide them, relying purely on his memory to get them to their next location. Steve drove in silence, the faint hum of the engine the only noise breaking the stillness of the night. He was growing more impatient with each passing minute, squinting through the darkness as unfamiliar trees and winding roads blurred together.

       "Jesus, how far is this place, man?" Steve finally utters, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. He shot a glance at the rearview mirror, where Dustin sat in the back seat, staring out the window, trying to recall every detail of their designated location.

       "Relax, we're almost there," Dustin reassures his friend, leaning forward slightly, confident despite not having any physical map to work with. He sounded cool, but Steve could sense a slight edge in his voice—like he was still piecing it together in his head.

      In the passenger seat, Emmy exchanged a look with Steve before turning around to face Dustin. She couldn't help but think back to the time when Dustin built that device to communicate with his girlfriend, Suzie (it was only a few days ago). The whole thing had always struck her as a grand, romantic gesture—a little over the top, but sweet in a way that only someone like Dustin could pull off. "Suzie must be a special one, Henderson," She tells him with a teasing smile. "I mean, if you built that thing and set it all the way up in the middle of nowhere just to talk to her?"

     Dustin's face lit up at the mention of Suzie, his chest puffing with pride. "I mean, nobody's scientifically perfect, but Suzie's about as close to perfect as any human could possibly be."

       As for Steve, he gave a slight nod, subtly agreeing, though he kept it to himself. Deep down, he felt the same way about a certain someone... but he did so quietly, his feelings hidden beneath the surface, unnoticed by the others. But in his heart, he couldn't deny the truth.

       Erica, sitting beside Dustin, rolled her eyes, unimpressed as always. "She sound made-up to me," She comments, her voice flat, barely hiding her skepticism. She turned to the others, deliberately ignoring Dustin. "She sound made-up to you?" The young girl questions, eyebrow raised, clearly inviting everyone to doubt this mythical girlfriend who, conveniently, none of them had ever seen. The Sinclair girl never hesitated to voice her opinions, no matter how blunt or harsh they could be.

       A brief, uncomfortable silence filled the car. Steve's eyes stayed on the road, but he felt the tension thickening around them. Dustin's claim seemed a bit far-fetched, especially when they had no proof beyond his word. But Steve didn't want to be the one to crush Dustin's enthusiasm. Not now, when things were already complicated enough.