𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

043

I'd never been in a colder house, other then my own in winter when the heating broke. Other than when my mother and father wrapped me in blankets and sung me to sleep. Other than the day my father died, I suppose the house felt pretty cold that day too.

The Creel house however was a different kind of cold.
It was eery and made you feel weak in the arms, in your bones. It made you feel like all the blood in your body had stopped running and you were a walking time bomb, but I was the latter anyways.

Steve had automatically proclaimed the place was creepy, and I couldn't deny it.

But it felt like I was supposed to be there, like the hallways echoed to me, held me within their grasp so I couldn't escape. I know Max felt the same way by the solemn look in her eyes.
But then she glances at something else, horrified.

"Hey guys?" She calls out to us, "you all see that right?" We follow her eyes to a large grandfather clock, broken yet still beautiful, standing in the hallway.

We definitely see it.

"Is this what you saw?" Nancy questions causing me to sneer, "ew are you telling me that's what I'm gonna see next? Gross."
Steve gives me a playful glare at my lack of seriousness and I nudge his arm. "I know he's evil but the lack of interior design is scarier."

My boyfriend snickers besides me and it's Dustin's turn to shove his arm, obviously telling us to be more serious.

"Ruby's right though," Robin speaks up, "like it's.. just a clock?" Confusion runs through all of us.

"Why is this wizard obsessed with clocks.. is he like.. a clockmaker? Or something..?" The question from the handsome man besides me makes me snicker, failing at holding my laughter as I know full well Steve was being genuine in his question.
He looks at me with big puppy dog eyes and I stop snickering, patting his arm in reassurance, small smile on my face as I reply, "Think you cracked the case Steve."

"Ok everyone stay in groups, Ruby you're with me and Robin, girls have to stick together."
I nodded, understanding her worry and logic and following behind her as I hear Steve and Dustin bickering down the stairwell we've just rushed up.

"We're just.. always partners!"

"You have a problem with that?"

"No I just-"

"You just wanna be with Ruby!"

"Well.. it would just be nice to mix things up once in a while!"

"Oh you are so whipped! Crushing on the girl you're already dating! What's so bad with me as a partner-"

They continue to bicker as I smile to myself, love filling my chest.
As we scramble through the rooms for a while I notice Robin has taken to rushing ahead of me and Nancy, leaving us alone in the corridor poking at random objects.

"I spoke to Robin." She speaks out of nowhere, surprising me as I dust off a painting on the wall with my hand, "oh yeh?" I don't turn to her, too emerged in my own thoughts and the surroundings. Especially the small whispers I'm occasionally hearing.

"About Barb." She clarifies, "I didn't know you were friends."
Realisation dawns on me that she wants to have the dreaded conversation about my past right now, but I'm too drained, being targeted by an evil wizard will do that to you.

I ignore the statement and fake surprise, "I didn't know she would tell you we were friends," I kick at a piece of tarmac on the floor and briefly turn my head as I nonchalantly reply, "you must've gotten pretty far with her, well done."

"Well- uh- yeah I suppose we're better now, aired out our grievances."
She's flustered by my attitude, stuttering over her words in awkwardness. The idea that I could make Nancy Wheeler feel awkward would explode younger me's mind.

"It's just.. if you wanna talk about it-"

I interrupt her, not trying to be rude but exhaustion over taking my attitude, "look Nancy I'd love to talk about this but-"

I'm about to explain when I hear frightened shouting that sounds like Steve and before I know it I'm rushing over and patting spider webs from his shoulders, trying not to roll my eyes over his apparent fear of bugs.

"It was a black widow Ruby!" He clarifies, obviously insecure and trying to seem more valid in his fear.
"Yes, yes, I heard you the first three times, now just stand still!" I pat down his hair, dusting away the cobwebs. "I got it! I got it!"

We hear a voice from behind us, "if there's a spider nest in there you're never gonna find it until the eggs hatch and all the babies spill out." It's Robin messing with Steve and I laugh along with her as he suddenly pats through his hair frantically, "not cool Robin!"

She laughs and walks past us, "what a baby."

"What's wrong with you!" He calls after her before rolling his eyes and looking down at me as I brush through his fringe, his eyes gazing down full of love, "it's nice you, Robin and Nancy are cool, you got a real girl power thing going on there."

I snicker at the girl power comment, "yeah, yeah it's nice.." a sigh releases from my mouth unintentionally, "what's wrong?" He knows me too well.

"It's nothing! She just.. Nancy.. asked about Barb, I think she wanted to talk about it. Her." The topic makes me feel more flustered then I'd like to admit.

He places his hands on my arms, gently, lovingly, rubbing the skin in small circles to calm me down, "you know you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, it's completely your choice."

I nod solemnly, "I know.. I know.. the only person I really spoke to about it was Miss Cook."
Suddenly I'm pulled into his arms and happy butterflies fly into my chest, he's patting my head, running soft fingers through my hair. "I know my love.." he almost whispers the words and we stay like that a moment before we hear Dustin's voice calling for us and pull slightly apart, my arms still in his.

"Hey, maybe when this is all over we can go out for lunch with Robin, Nancy and Jonathan, when he's back."
The mention of the future fills me with fear and a sudden deep sadness in my gut, what if I'm not here when this is all over?
But Steve's optimism, it's refreshing, so I nod in reply, "it would be nice to see Jonathan, we were close before he moved."

Steve suddenly laughs nervously, "oh yeah, I forgot you were like super close.. or whatever. Jonathan's cool. Coooool guy.."
Sarcasm laces his words and I know he's joking around, but I'm still amused, "Steve Harrington are you jealous?"

He ruffles my hair, "oh shut up Ruby White."

"Guys! I've been calling you!" Dustin emerges from the hallway and we unfortunately break apart, none of us happy about it.
As I walk past Dustin giving him a smile and scatter down the stairway, I hear him make a whip sound to Steve before my boyfriend replies with a genuine,
"Oh shut up."