The babysitters club|| Steve Harrington

39

"Pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up" With each passing second, Matteo's anxiety was growing. His fingers drummed on the wall next to the phone. Steve and Robin stood near the railing, looking down at the rest of their friends.

For better or for worse, the three of them had bonded together like a pack of stray cats that can't be adopted separately. Getting tortured, drugged and tied up in a Russian bunker will do that to people.

"Come on, come on, come on, come on—"

The line just rang. A steady ringing noise that filled Matteo with rage.

"Please, please, please, please, please"

His mom couldn't be dead. She couldn't. She just couldn't. He refused to believe that. Just the thought of it was enough to make him want to break down here and never get back up.

"Mamma?"

"Matteo?"

Not her. Not her. Not her. Why wasn't it her?

"Hey, dad" He swallowed instead, eyes prickling. "Is uh— is mamma home?"

"No, she... she's at Nicole's. You know that"

His dad's voice should have comforted him. Instead it made him feel like he was going to cry again. His throat was scratchy and his eyes hurt. He wasn't sure if he had any more tears left to cry now.

"She still hasn't come back?" His voice cracked halfway through, "When's the last time you talked to her?"

"Matteo? What's going on, son? Are you crying?"

"No— I mean— Dad, when's the last time you talked to her?"

"Yesterday." His dad answered. Matteo could almost imagine the way his lower lip tucked in when he was deep in thought. His dad was home so that probably meant it was already very late at night. "Nicole picked up, she sounded sick. Lucia... she sounded... She's fine. I'm sure she's fine"

But she wasn't. Matteo knew she wasn't. He had tried Zia Nicole's house four times already. No answer.

All Matteo wanted to do was rewind time, but that wasn't possible. He didn't ask for such a big problem, but he had to make sure no more people got hurt because of this Mind Flayer.

"Matteo, what's going on? Where are you? You haven't been home in two days"

"I'm fine, dad" Matteo lied, looking at Steve. The boy looked at him with sad eyes. Matteo sniffed, "I'm with Robin. Don't worry about me. I—"

He hesitated.

Whatever happened now... he had no way to predict the future.

"I love you" He choked out. "I just... I need you to know that"

"I... love you too?" his dad chuckled, sounding confused. "Don't know where this new love is popping up from, but just stay safe"

"I will" He lied again. "Love you, dad. Bye"

He cut the call. Sighing heavily. His mind felt sluggish, like it was going slow on purpose to avoid the truth. If he moved slowly enough, he might be able to go back in time.

Robin's eyes were trained down on their group. Steve lifted his head again.

"Hey" he said hesitantly, "I'm sorry—"

"Don't" Matteo shook his head. "Nothing we can do about that now. We need to stop this thing before more people get hurt. That's what he have to focus on."

"Still" Robin insisted, "If you see her and she's like a monster or something, do I have your permission to smack you in case you do something stupid?"

Matteo chuckled dryly at that, he could count on Robin for things like that.