LIFEBOAT ✧ billy hargrove

SEVEN

A shitshow. That was the only term that Emily could use to describe their situation. She and Steve had broken apart, deciding that they'd be better friends, and she could tell that he was still heartbroken over Nancy, who was running off somewhere with Jonathan Byers, supposedly trying to solve the case of Barbara Holland. That wasn't necessarily the awful part of what was going on. Apparently, there were monsters running around and killing people, according to Steve's summary that she'd been given, and she'd then been shoved into the backseat of the car, while Steve drove and Dustin rode shotgun.

"Where are we going, exactly?"

"You'll see when we get there, hot stuff." Dustin turned and winked to her from the front seat.

And that is how Emily ended up walking on the train tracks alongside Steve and Dustin, both boys carrying a bucket a raw meat, and tossing pieces on the ground as they went.

"All right, so let me get this straight," Steve started. "You kept something you knew was probably dangerous in order to impress a girl who... who you just met?"

Emily snorted at his words.

"All right, that's grossly oversimplifying things." Dustin retorted, rolling his eyes.

"I mean, why would a girl like some nasty slug anyway?" The older boy asked, somewhat rhetorically.

"An interdimensional slug? Because it's awesome."

"Oh yeah, I'm sure it's totally awesome when it's ripping your face off, D."

"Oh shut it, E."

"Well, even if she thought it was cool, which she didn't, I... I just... I don't know. I feel like you're trying way too hard, man."

"Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, all right?"

"It's not about the hair, man."

A laugh sounded from Emily and Steve rolled his eyes.

"Isn't it, though?" She grinned.

"Not helping, Em. The key with girls is just... just acting like you don't care."

"Even if you do?"

"Yeah exactly, it drives them nuts."

Emily gave a snort, followed by an eye roll.

"Yeah, I'll say."

Both boys ignored her.

"Then what?"

"You just wait until, uh... until you feel it."

"Feel what?" Dustin looked up at the older boy with one brow raised slightly.

"It's like before it's gonna storm, you know? You can't see it, but you can feel it, like this uh... electricity, you know?"

"Oh, like in the electromagnetic field when the clouds in the atmosphere-"

"No, no, no, no, no. Like a... Like a sexual electricity."

"Oh."

"You feel that, and then you make your move."

Emily rolled her eyes and laughed at the conversation, earning a slight glare and a smile from Steve.

"So that's when you kiss her?"

"No, whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down, Romeo."

"Sorry."

"Sure, okay, some girls, yeah, they want you to be aggressive. You know, strong, hot and heavy, like a... I don't know, like a lion."

"Mmm."

"Well Steve, you certainly have the mane for it." The girl nudged him."

"Oh my god, anyway. Others, you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a... like a ninja."

"What type is Emily?" The youngest looked at her.

"Yeah, Steve, what type am I?"

"Oh, aggressive, totally aggressive. Those nerdy types, you know?" He joked, earning a shove and a glare.

"What about Nancy, what type is she?" Emily was curious as to how he'd answer the latter of Dustin's questions.

"Nancy's different. She's different from other girls. So is Em, if I'm being real, but you know how I feel about Nancy."

"Yeah, she seems pretty special, I guess." Dustin said, looking to Emily to make sure she was okay with the turn of conversation, even though she was completely unfazed.

"Yeah, she is."

"But this girl's special, too, you know? It's just, like, something about her."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey, hey, hey."

"What?"

"You're not falling in love with this girl, are you?"

"Uh, no. No."

"Okay, good. Don't."

"I won't."

"She's only gonna break your heart, and you're way too young for that shit."

A moment of silence went by before steve let out a loud sigh.

"Fabergé."

"What?"

Steve pointed to his hair.

"It's Fabergé Organics."

     "Use the shampoo and conditioner, and when your hair's damp.. It's not wet, okay? When it's damp..."

     "Damp."

     "You do four puffs of the Farrah Fawcett spray."

     Dustin laughed softly and Emily joined him having been the only one to know his hair routine until then.

     "Farrah Fawcett spray?" Dustin asked incredulously.

     "Yeah, Farrah Fawcett. You tell anyone I just told you that, and your ass is grass. You're dead, Henderson. Do you understand?" Steve turned to Dustin and Emily punched his arm as he threatened the boy.

     "Yup." Dustin nodded.

     As the trio walked, Emily leaned down slightly to whisper into Dustin's ear.

     "He's all talk, kid. He's just so protective of his hair." She laughed.

     "I heard that!"

     "You were meant to."

     The three teens carried on small conversations as they made their way to the junkyard, and Emily had no idea what was to come as they walked. All she hoped was that everyone stayed safe.