SHORT CIRCUIT. [STEVE HARRINGTON]

CHAPTER TWO.

CHAPTER TWO.
WRITTEN DOWN.

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ALL THAT LEE could hear was the sound of her shoes cuffing the pavement below her. She cupped her hands, bringing them toward her mouth in an attempt to warm them. The second night spent in the woods was a frigid one, especially with her lack of protection from the midnight temperatures of the November. Her feet ached, her stomach was growling, and she needed some form of heat if she were going to do this for another couple of days.

In short, Lee was less than happy.

She glanced up at the building before her. She was in the middle of a nearly abandoned parking lot, with only three cars scattered in various spots. She looked around for some sort of sign to tell her what the building was. As her eyes scanned the area, her heart stopped.

The same car that she had totaled, fixed and run away from was sitting a little ways away from the building. And, as luck would have it, Steve Harrington was exiting the building as Lee began to back away.

She turned her back quickly, sore legs taking her as fast as they would allow. Maybe he won't notice you, she thought. People must walk around here all the time. This isn't any different.

She had never been a lucky person.

"Hey!" came his voice from behind her. Lee didn't turn back. "Lee! Is that you?" No. It's not me. Go away. "Stop!" Lee heard his car door squeak as it opened and slam when shut. The engine ignited and revved as the car rolled closer to her. "Hey!"

She finally looked at him, turning her head to see Steve driving the car right beside her, at a speed that kept up with her pace. She widened her eyes, moving away from him. "You're crazy!"

"I'm crazy?" he asked, turning his wheel slightly to follow her. "I'm not the one who threw up a forcefield and ran off into the woods to get away from me!"

"Good reason!" she replied, motioning between her and the car he was driving around her. To person on the outside, this situation would have looked a bit insane and rather suspicious.

Steve rolled his eyes. "I was just trying to help you," he reasoned, pressing lightly on his brake pedal to slow down, careful not to get too close to Lee.

"Why?" she inquired, posing the question she had been meaning to ask Wednesday night.

"Why what?"

"Why help?" she asked, pointing to herself.

Steve would be lying if he said he hadn't asked himself the same question. Why did he want to help her? It was a question that the back of his mind knew the answer to, but something that his conscious didn't want to admit. It was something that Lee didn't need to know about.