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CHAPTER THIRTEEN | THE NEW NEW KID
WARNING: homophobic slur (q***r as an insult) used in dialogue - sixth paragraph from the last
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when will i come into my strength?
-horror of total persecution // christine lavant
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"Ease on the gas! Ease on the gas!"
"I am!"
Sunday, October 28, 1984: also known as the day Jackie Hanlon would probably kill Steve Harrington and herself. Making good on his promise to Peggy, Steve decided today would be the day he took Jackie out to learn how to drive. And it was not going well.
"Jack! Jack, pull over for a sec, okay?"
Sighing, Jackie took her foot off the gas and pressed it down completely on the brake. The car skidded to a harsh stop in the empty parking lot and they both flung forward against their seatbelts. Wincing, Jackie rubbed at her collarbone and turned to Steve with a sheepish smile.
"I'm sorry."
The look of irritation Steve had been wearing slipped away. His eyes turned big and soft while he smiled at her.
"It's fine," he said, obviously trying to offer her some sort of assurance. "You'll get the hang of it soon enough. You don't need to be so nervous, you know."
"Yeah," Jackie groaned, slumping down in the seat. She took her hands off the wheel and flexed her fingers, trying to make sure they were still solid. "It's just— what if I'm driving down the highway one day and my body decides it doesn't want to be solid anymore?"
"You worry too much." Steve reached out and grabbed her hand. He waved their interlocked hands in front of her face. "See? Solid."
Rolling her eyes, Jackie concentrated on her hand and allowed it to fall through Steve's.
"You did that on purpose."
"Maybe." Jackie shrugged, not looking at Steve.
"So, you can control it."
She sniffed harshly, feeling the familiar sensation of blood beginning to drip.
"Not all the time." She kneaded harshly at her temples and sighed. "I don't know what's happening to me and I don't know how to control it. Sometimes, I just make weird things happen. Like, I made a soda can explode once. And one time, I accidentally crushed a metal table."
Steve arched an eyebrow at her. "So, you're like an X-Man?"
Jackie had to laugh. Her abilities were something she and Steve never really talked about. He just knew she had them and that she didn't know how to deal with them most of the time. This was the first time she was really opening about about this, and he just had to compare her to a comic book character of all things.
