Stranger Things Have Happened- Steve Harrington x OC

The Quarry

Jonathan had promised he'd try to piece together the photo I'd seen of Barb so we could see if we could find any clues from it.

Meanwhile, I was cycling madly over to Mike's house, very aware I was nearly five minutes late and praying the party hadn't gone without me. As I turned the final corner, I could make out some very frustrated looking teenagers in the distance, and I yelled to them as I pedalled faster.

As I skidded to a halt next to them, I tried to catch my breath, panting, "I'm so sorry I'm-"

"Late?" Mike supplied, unamused.

I held up my index finger for them to wait before wheezing out, "It was for good reason, if that's any consolation."

"What reason?" Lucas asked, arms crossed.

"I was breaking Steve Harrington's nose," I panted.

Smiles broke out on all the kids' faces, and a chorus of 'no way's hit my ears as I was offered three fists to bump as El frowned, not really understanding what was going on.

"Before we get going, though, I need to make a quick call," I said, spying a pay phone a little way up the road.

"To who?" Dustin asked.

"Hopper," I supplied, without an explanation as I headed towards the phone, the party following me armed with question after question.

I put ten cents into the machine and dialled the station.

"Hello," Flo picked up.

"Hi, Flo, it's Gracie Henderson. Is Chief Hopper there?"

"Sorry, honey, he's out doing some research into a case," she supplied, "Can I take a message?"

I battled in my head for a second about whether I should press to tell Hopper directly, but pretty quickly, my need to help Barb won out; "Sure. Flo, I think I need to report a missing person."

"You think?"

"Yeah. She hasn't been at school today and her Mom was under the impression she was because she hasn't seen her since yesterday."

"Okay, honey, give me the name and I'll radio him as a matter of urgency," Flo promised.

"Barbara Holland," I replied.

There was a pause.

"Honey, I'm so sorry," Flo said, "I'll let him know now. You take care."

"Same to you," I said, hanging up the phone.

I turned back to the party.

"She's missing too?" Dustin asked, appalled.

"Yeah I left her at that party last night to come home, and Nancy seemed under the impression she'd left with me because nobody else saw her after that," I replied.

"This is messed up," Lucas muttered.

We all nodded.

"So, where are we headed?" I asked.

Soon we were walking through a much less dense part of the Hawkins woods, crunching our way over autumn leaves as we all pushed our bikes along, following El's directions to find Will. Mike and El were leading, while I brought up the rear with Dustin and Lucas.

"So what happened to Mike's chin?" I whispered to the boys, knowing Mike would only get embarrassed and defensive if I asked him outright.

"Troy tripped him, and he fell and hit his chin on a rock," Dustin whispered back.