i love you ✧ S.HARRINGTON

ten.

Steve came from the backyard, his eyes roaming all over the house. For the first time, he realized the amount of papers scattered all over the wall. The house was in reck and in hands of Margaret and Steve, mostly Margaret. She sat on the floor with max while max vented about her confusion as to why El didn't speak to her.

"It's like, it's like I'm invisible. To both of them and I try to get them to talk to me and it's just impossible." Max sighed as she let Margaret play with her hair, combing it back in different angles.

"Mike isn't easy to please but he'll come through, I'm sure of it. Just because you can't talk to Mike, doesn't mean the rest aren't there for you either. I mean, lucas seems interested and Dustin, occasionally, but-" Margaret watched as dustin and Steve made noise in the kitchen. "I'm sure everything will follow through."

"Mike doesn't want me in the party."

"Party? What party?" Margaret asked.

"Like their group. They call it some stupid party." Max sighed and made her attention towards the kitchen. Margaret smiled before getting up and making her way over, she watched Dustin began throwing everything out of the freezer.

"Dustin!" She grabbed the box of eggos he was just about to throw, "What on earth are you doing?"

"I'm freezing the demogorgan-"

"Why?!" She swiped her bangs out of her way and saw as he continued to throw everything on the ground.

"Why? What do you mean why? It's an interdemen-"

"Dimensional creature, yes. Dustin. I know." She groaned.

"Great, so you catch the point" he smiled. Margaret shook her head and began walking back to the living room, with her hands on her sides she began to think.

"Alright" she raised her voice, "joyce is gone and I'm in charge-"

"We're in charge" steve corrected while struggling to shove the demogorgan into the freezer, the loud noise of jars colliding into each other and the rocking of the fridge gave all the kids the same expression. She closed her eyes bitting her lip and turned to watch as steve continued his struggle, "dustin, help, you mind giving me a hand" he gritted his teeth.

"What why-"

"The door Dustin, close the door." As they both attempted to get the creature inside, steve gagged at the slime on his jacket before they slammed the freezer door completing their mission. The two looked over, steve leaning against the fridge while Dustin just smiled.

Margaret turned back around and cleared her throat, "anyway, since we won't be doing anything till they get back, lets begin putting ourselves to use and clean this house up." The kids groaned at her offer.

"They're kids Mar, not slaves." Steve whispered next to her ear.

"Harrington," she sighed before looking at him, "you- smell" she furrowed her eyebrows.

"What?"

"What is that?" She looked at the slime driping from his sleeve, the kid brought it up to the both of them before gagging and keeping their distance away from his arm. The kids just watched as they stared and made comments, with confusion in their eyes they then chose to ignore them.

Lucas grabbed a broom and began sweeping the window shreds as max grabbed the pan and waited for him to get every single piece onto the red plastic tool. Dustin began picking up the stuff he threw on the ground and mike started pace up and down. After 15 minutes passed, they were still minding their own business as steve and margaret began tearing the paper off of the walls.