freaks | steve harrington | book 1

erica, the new member - 013

robin nodded her head. "exactly. it turns out the secret room needs air, just like any old room!" she took the cap off of the marker. "and these air ducts, lead all the way..." she drew a big line through the map. "... here." she circled the secret room on the map.

steve unscrewed the air vent cage. "flashlight?"

dustin handed him a flashlight.

"thank you." steve shined the light in the air duct. "yea, i don't know man, i don't know if i can even fit in here, it's like super tight."

"i'll fit. trust me, no collarbone remember?" dustin said.

steve stepped down from the ladder.

"uh, excuse me?" robin looked at me confused, but then turned to steve.

"oh yea, uh, he's got some disease or something. it's chrito-uh-"

dustin was trying to fit in the air duct.

"...something, i don't know. he's missing bones and stuff. it makes him bend like gumbo."

i rolled my eyes. "you mean gumby?" i snapped.

"i'm pretty sure it's gumbo."

"steve just shut up and push me!" dustin yelled.

"ok." steve rolled his eyes, and turned around to help dustin fit.

"what do you see in him?" robin turned to me.

i huffed. "trust me, i've been asking myself the same question since november."

"not my feet dumbass! push my ass!" dustin shouted.

"what?"

"TOUCH MY BUTT! I DON'T CARE! COME ON!" dustin kept squirming and trying to shove himself into the vent.

"i'm pushing!" steve screamed back.

"PUSH HARDER! COME ON!"

i looked at robin, and we both had the same look on our faces.

steve picked up dustin's legs. "i'm gonna shove you, ready?"

"you're gonna shove me?!" dustin panicked.

"1! 2! 3!" steve counted. he tried to shove dustin farther in, but it wouldn't work.

"shit!" dustin grunted.

the bell from the front of the shop rang.

"ahoy ahoy! hands on deck! hello?! ahoy! get over here and serve me some samples!" erica demanded.

i looked back at my cousin, and she gave me the same look.

we both were thinking the same thing.

★。／｜＼。★
☆。*。☆。

erica shined the flashlight through the duct. she stepped down from the ladder, and faced the four of us. "hm, yea, i don't know." she said.

"you don't know if you can fit?" i raised an eyebrow.

"no, i can fit, i just don't know if i want to."

"are you claustrophobic?" robin asked.

"pff, i don't have phobias." erica sassed.

"ok, what's the problem?" steve snapped, and then he crossed his arms.

"the problem is, i still haven't heard what's in this for ERICA!"