Shatter [Jonathan Byers] Stranger Things II

XXXII: Console

con·sole

verb

comfort (someone) at a time of grief or disappointment.

Part of Emilia's nature was to help people when they needed it, although she never would have said that should someone ask for a defining trait. Due to her consistent lack of friends, she never was able to reach out and help people. But when she was little, back when things were easier in elementary school and middle school, she recalled helping other people. A crying boy with a scrape on his knee, she'd tend to until a teacher spotted them. A girl sitting alone on the bus, huddled up and showing similar introverted attributes that Emilia did, she'd smile at and maybe even sit beside, even if they didn't say a word to the other.

She remembered trying to console Jonathan when Will had gone missing, how hard it had been to say things that she knew might not be true, like that Will would be fine. And yet she had been there for him, she had helped him find Will, she had supported him even when things had gotten difficult for the both of them. Even when she was terrified of the monster that was out there, she still ventured into the woods to check Castle Byers with Jonathan. She was by his side when he needed her most, offering all she could that would help him come to terms with the situation. She'd fought a monster to help him get Will back.

Helping people was the most altruistic thing a person could do, it felt good to give with nothing in return. Even if gratification meant that the helper was not truly altruistic, it was as close to it as possible. And so that was why Emilia pushed herself off of the wall and walked towards Steve, who had reached the bottom of the stairs, trying to look cool instead of broken.

"Hey, Steve," Emilia said calmly, reaching her hand out to touch his arm. He looked drunk, perhaps too drunk to notice her.

His flinch when she touched him suggested that he was distracted. "Oh, Emilia..."

"Do you need a ride home?" She asked, knowing that he was not in a state to drive. She glanced around at the party-goers and realized that a fair few of them would get behind their wheels tonight and drive home. The thought made her cold all over, but she couldn't stop every single teenager in Hawkins from being idiots.

"Where's Nancy? Have you seen Nancy?" He asked as he spun around looking for her.

"She went home," Emilia decided to omit the fact that she had supposedly gone home with Jonathan. "I think maybe you should, too."

He fished out his keys, but Emilia grabbed his wrist. "I'll drive."

"No." He shrugged her away. "I need my car."

"Fine, I'll drive your car then," she offered. She didn't mind if her car was left behind overnight, no one would vandalize that piece of junk. Only wanting her friend to get home safely, she would figure out how to get to her own place later. All that mattered was that Steve didn't do anything stupid. Emilia had already done her fair share of stupid at this party, and she didn't want anyone else that she cared about be a part of teenage stupor.

Steve leaned back, as though he couldn't see Emilia that close, then dropped the keys into her hand. She clutched the cold metal, and then guided Steve through the hoard of sweaty bodies and out the front door. She quickly scanned for Billy, wary of him, but luckily didn't spot him. Relief flooded her, for Billy would certainly cause another scene if he saw Steve with Emilia. Already she was risking rumours being spread, but she knew that they didn't matter. Just like the meanness caused by Carol, it didn't matter, and certainly wouldn't when she left Hawkins and moved to New York with Jonathan.