Risky Business.

007. demogorgan rampage

chapter 007 ,
demogorgan rampage

LUCY WASN'T SURE HOW MUCH she liked the idea of Lucas sitting on top of a bus as 'lookout', but she figured she would much rather be alerted if there really was a man-eating lizard coming at them, so her caution quickly simmered down. She, Dustin, Steve, and the new girl Max sat inside the bus, windows boarded and doors barricaded. Night had fallen, and the only source of illumination they had was the lighter Steve was messing around with.

Max glanced between Dustin and Steve. "So.. you really fought one of these things before?"

Steve just gave her a noncommittal nod.

"And you're like, totally, one hundred percent sure it wasn't a bear?"

"Shit," Dustin said, "don't be an idiot, okay? It wasn't a bear. Why are you even here if you don't believe us? Just go home."

Max stood from her seat, giving Dustin a slight glare as she moved towards the ladder to the top of the bus. "Someone's cranky. Past your bedtime?"

Once she had climbed all the way up, Lucy said, "Well, wasn't that nice?"

"That's good," Steve told Dustin. "Just show her you don't care."

Lucy raised her eyebrows. "What, you told him to act like that?"

Steve nodded. "Ladies come flocking when guys play hard to get."

"Really? I wouldn't take any love advice from you, Harrington, seeing as—"

"Okay, okay." Steve stopped messing with the lighter and put his hands in the air. "I just thought that maybe middle schoolers would need different approaches to love."

Lucy looked to Dustin, then nodded up to the roof. "Go tell her you're sorry and you were a dick."

     Dustin grew defensive, stammering out excuses, but Lucy shook her head decisively.

     "Now, Henderson."

     He flipped her off, then started to climb up the ladder to the roof, leaving Steve and Lucy alone once again. She collapsed into one of the raggedy bus seats, sitting diagonally from Steve, watching him play with the lighter.

     He glanced up at her. "You're good with them. The kids."

     She shrugged, exhaling a sigh. "I have practice."

     "Leo have girl problems?"

     Lucy tilted her head to the side, her lips parting. "Not... really. But they all act the same way when they're in love: They're all douchebags. Girls their age are not into it. Speaking from experience."

     "But girls our age are?"

Lucy rolled her eyes. "No, Steve, no girls are into that."

"Well, it's a good thing I'm not a douchebag."

"Not anymore."

"Hey, I was never a douchebag," he said defensively, sitting up. "Not that I can remember, at least."

"Please," Lucy scoffed. "You were probably the biggest of them all."

"Was not!"

"Why did I break up with you?" Lucy wondered to herself. "Hm.. maybe because you were being a douchebag."

"Okay, one time," he said, holding up his pointer finger. "One time, I was a douche. Doesn't mean I always was."

"But you were."