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CHAPTER TWENTY SIX | PLAYING NORMAL
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so shall the world go on, to good malignant, to bad men benign, under her own weight groaning.
-paradise lost // john milton
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It was the strangest thing— having to go to school and pretend like the world didn't almost stop spinning on Saturday, like she and Steve didn't both face what they'd thought would be certain death at different times on the same day. When they pulled up to school and got out of Steve's car, Jackie with the long, deep cut on her cheek and Steve with his face practically destroyed, the eyes of nearly every student were trained on their faces. Not wanting to put on a show for anyone, Jackie gripped Steve's wrist and pulling him into the school and didn't slow down until she reached her and Steve's lockers.
"What the hell happened to you guys?" Shelly said, sliding up to them, jaw nearly hitting the floor. "Steve, why is this an annual occurrence for you?"
Clearly, she was also remembering this time last year when Jackie first moved to Hawkins and Steve had gotten his ass beaten then too. Wordlessly, Steve shrugged.
"And, Jackie! Did you get knifed or something? Literally, what the fuck?"
"It's two separate things," Jackie said, gesturing from her face to Steve's.
"A little context would be wonderful right about now, you know," Shelly said, a fed up look on her face. "Jackie Hanlon, as your best friend I think I'm owed a little insight into your life."
Rolling her eyes, Jackie thought up the quickest, easiest lie she could. "I got attacked by a cat on Saturday."
Or, rather, something that ate a cat...
"It's not important," Steve said, shutting his locker with an audible sigh once Shelly rounded on him. He looked down at Jackie and smiled. It was a smile that said I'm fine. I'm okay. I love you. "I gotta go talk to Mr. Deacon about my paper. I'll see you in homeroom."
"Okay," Jackie said, leaning against the cool metal door of her locker. "See you."
He pressed a quick kiss to her cheek and hurried off to the English classroom. Jackie watched his back until he disappeared down the hallway and when she turned back to Shelly, the blonde was gaping at her yet again.
"What was that?"
"What was what?" Jackie asked innocently.
"That! The little kiss! The look he gave you!" Shelly was just about swooning. "Holy shit, Jackie!"
Rolling her eyes, Jackie let her head fall back against the locker and she chuckled quietly at Shelly's enthusiasm.
"We, I don't know, got together, I guess, on Saturday."
