Jailbird || Stranger Things

thirty-four ➵ grown

"Mrs Hargrove?"

    "Teresa?"

    "Yeah, hey, look. Billy's car broke down. My dad and I are helping to fix it. Max was at the arcade and I was working so I was keeping an eye on her, but I had to tow his car. My dad's the chief, and we're currently getting it fixed as a favour with he guy who fixes the police vehicles. I'm really sorry, I know it's the middle of the night but this was the easiest way."

    Max listened from the sofa as Teresa leaned her forehead against the wall and talked to the wife of the reason she was put into juvie in the first place.

    "Is she okay?"

    "She's perfectly fine. I just thought I should call as soon as possible. I just gotta call her in, can you give me two seconds to get her here?" Reese asked, opening her eyes and lifting her head to wave the girl over.

    "Thank you."

    As she handed the receiver to Max, Teresa covered the speaker, lowering her voice. "Tell her Billy is talking with my dad to pay. Apologise for not letting them know, and blame it on me, not Billy, okay?" she asked, Max giving a small nod. "If Neil talks, just listen. Tell him you guys didn't know I lived here because I only just started."

    "Okay," Max replied, her impatience getting the better of her. Reese let her have the phone and made her way outside, her movement followed by Steve's gaze.

    "Hey!" Dustin hissed, widening his eyes at the older boy, who glanced over at him. "Go!" he nodded to the door where Reese disappeared, throwing in a wink for good measure. Steve was unable to hold back his smile, shaking his head as he looked over the other boys.

    "You losers all right?"

    "Just go!" Dustin groaned, Lucas and Mike snickering at his tone. With a last point at the boy, Steve did as asked, and left through the front door.

    Teresa laid across the front of the Camaro, resting her head on the windscreen as she lit a cigarette. She didn't turn as she picked up on Steve's footsteps, but once he took a seat beside her, she exhaled the smoke, and opened her eyes.

    "How's your head?" he asked, refusing as she offered a new box of cigarettes. She didn't really think Billy would mind if one or two turned out to be missing from his pack. He probably wouldn't even notice.

    "Stupidly much better. Not the best, but better than when I arrived," she turned her attention towards him, her lips lifting in a soft smile. "How's your eye?"

    "Not sure how I'm gonna explain it to my parents but not painful."

    She nodded, turning her head back to look up at the stars, Steve leaning back and doing the same beside her.

    Teresa raised her cigarette, taking another drag, before she exhaled again. "What a mess, huh?" she sighed.

    "In the space of like three days, I lost my girlfriend, got beaten up by my best friend's ex boyfriend, exterminated almost literal demons, and became the babysitter to a party of kids. Anything else you wanna add to my plate?" Steve asked with a bitter chuckle, pressing a finger gingerly to his eye to test the pain. "You know, at least I didn't call Nance a whore this time. Or tell Jonathan he was the reason Will's in this state."

    Teresa let out a choked laugh, coughing as the smoke got caught in her throat, making her sit up. "Jonathan was the one who hit you last time?" she asked once she got her breath back.

    "I was an asshole. I deserved it," he shrugged, turning his head to her. "You want help patching up your neck?"

    She stared back at him, eyebrows furrowed with a small smile on her face as she scanned him. "You're not curious?" she asked quietly, her lips stretching a little wider.