One

Chapter Five - part two

   Once the Wheeler's got home, Nancy and Phina went to change into more conventional clothing. Phina put on some warm maroon leggings and a long sleeve black shirt, then threw on a grey zip up hoodie with her leather jacket over it. The weather had been getting colder and colder, if they were going to be out in the forest, at night, she wanted to be prepared.
   Phina looked around her room, looked for anything that could be used as a weapon. She thought of an obvious weapon that she possessed, but she couldn't let Nancy, or even Jonathan, see it. So she settled for a nice wooden baseball bat. She'd been in softball during her freshman and sophomore years, one of the best players on the team, but she had quit, because no one really cared for her to be there, mostly, they were afraid of her, due to her reputation.
   Phina had always been called the weirdo of Hawkins, and it was due to what happened when she was five. Hikers had found Phina, almost frozen to death in the middle of the forest. When they had gotten her to the hospital, and warmed up, they tried to figure out where she came from, where her family was, but she couldn't remember. The only thing she could was waking up to the sound of the hikers shouting.
   The Wheeler's had adopted Phina into there family, and they all loved her so much, that they sometimes forget she isn't actually related to them.
   The rumors about her started almost as soon as she began school, everyone either hated her or feared her, and no one hated her more then Carol. Phina never let it get to her, because she knew that she was loved, by her family and the Byers. Even though she had a wonderful family, and the Byers', the bullies still got to her, and one day, she snapped.
   Phina had always been a hothead, but she had always let people push her around, but when Carol pushed to far once in sixth grade, she stopped letting it happen. Carol had smacked Phina on the playground, the first time anyone had actually laid a hand on her, and Phina saw red. When Carol brought her hand down for a second hit, Phina's own hand had shot up and grabbed Carol's wrist, twisting it back so hard and fast that the bone in her arm snapped clean in two.
   Everyone that had witnessed it was to scared to say anything, so everyone had agreed that Carol fell, and Phina had done nothing. This event hadn't stopped Carol's bullying, but it had built Phina a reputation, and no one laid a hand on her, not unless they had a death wish.
   Phina shook her head, leaving her own thoughts and went downstairs to meet Nancy. Her sister was in the garage, taking practice swings with one of Mike's old baseball bats. To say she wasn't good at it was an understatement.
   "How's it goin' there sis," Phina asked her mockingly.
   "Fine," Nancy grunted as she swung again.
   "Don't let your body move so much, you'll fall forward," Phina told her, "get a good strong stance with your legs, only move your upper body enough to get your swing going."
   Nancy continues to practice her swing, improving a little bit from Phina's help. Phina hops onto the hood of her fathers car, and lays back.
   Phina listened to her sister swing, the whistle it made as it cut through the air. She also listened to the noise of nature, the last few birds singing in the trees, the winds accompaniment. Nature was soothing, if you truly took the time to enjoy it, you'd find yourself at home. Phina felt at home when she was surrounded by nature, more than anywhere else, even with the Byers.
   Phina hears Nancy swing again, and then Steve Harrington's voice shout, "woah woah woah, hey!"
   Phina jumps up, her head snapping towards Steve. He has his arms up and was looking at Nancy, but when he heard movement, looked over at her. Her steely glare was set on him, and, he wasn't going to lie, it burned. She was still unbelievably livid about what he did to Jonathan, he knew that she would be, but being under her harsh glare made him squirm.
   "What are you doing here," Nancy askes.
   Steve lookes back at her, "What are you doing?"
   "Nothing," Nancy lies, badly.
   "I hope that's not for me," Steve points at the bat.
   "Her's isn't, mine just might be," Phina grumbled, swing her bat up to her shoulder and hopping of the cars hood.
   Nancy glared at her sister, "no no. I was just thinking about joining softball. Phina was giving me pointers."
   "Oh. Well uh, listen, I'm very sorry. I mean, even before you threatened me with a baseball bat," Steve jokes, walking past Nancy to lean against the car.
   "Ok?"
   "I mean, I panicked. I was a total dick," Steve explains.
   Phina's glare deepens and she pushes away from the car to lean against the wall, "no shit?"
   Nancy ignores her and snorts, "yeah. You were."
   They look at each other for a moment, an awkward silence between them, that had Phina cringing.
   "Did you get in trouble with your parents," Nancy asks.
   "Totally but, you know, who cares. Screw  'em," he says, "any news about Barbra?"
   Nancy shakes her head, Steve continues, "parents heard from her, or?"
Like you care Harrington. Phina thinks to herself, her eyes still burning with fire. Her anger at him was still stoked high and she knew it would not go down for a long time.
   Nancy shakes her head again, Barb was still gone, but she was going to save her best friend.
   "Hey listen, why don't we, uh, why don't we catch a movie tonight, you know?" Steve pushes off the car and walks closer to Nancy. "Just kinda pretend that everything's normal for a few hours. All The Right Moves is still playing!"
   Phina rolls her eyes and Steve catches it. He realizes that he should probably apologize to her too, but he just knows she won't listen to a word that comes out of his mouth.
   "You know, the lover boy from risky business," Steve says to Nancy, pushing Phina away from his thoughts.
   Nancy laughs awkwardly, "yeah."
   Phina can't help it anymore, she can't listen to this. She pushes away from the wall harshly and exits the garage. Phina swings her bat around and takes a few swings, the movement swift and smooth. She faintly hears Steve start singing but she tunes him out. Did he have to be so outrageously annoying all the damn time?
   After being rejected, Steve leaves the garage, singing again. Phina heard him and grits her teeth, swinging ever so slightly harder. Steve looks at the girl and sighs.
   "I know you don't really care, but I am sorry for what I did to Jonathan and his camera. It was stupid," he apologizes weakly.
   Phina swings again and grunts, "yeah? Why don't you apologize to Jonathan, he'd probably actually forgive you."
   Steve's face falls even more, both the Wheeler girl's rejections hitting home, "I'm sorry."
   "Yeah! You said that already Harrington!" She turns to him furiously. "And you know what! I don't really care. You're right, you fucked up bad, really bad. Did you know I bought that camera for Jon on our ten year friendship anniversary? No, you didn't, because you have no care in the world for the people you hurt."
   She hadn't realized that she had stepped closer to him, she didn't care, she leaned in even closer to his face, "now why don't you just leave before I make do on that threat."
   She lifts her bat for emphasis, meaning it completely. He looks at the bat and pales, rasing his hands in surrender.
   "Ok," he nods, "I'll leave."
   Phina spins on her heal and storms back towards her sister. Steve watches as she goes, giving Nancy a little wave before leaving like promised. Nancy opens her mouth to say something, to reprimand her, but Phina gives her a look.
   "Don't start with me right now," she growls, and then sighs, "just don't."

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