I Know The End ✸ Steve Harrington

iii. dead or alive

"What?" Tommy questioned through a mouthful of food, getting a confused look from Carol as well.

"Barbara." Josie raised her brows, "Red hair, glasses. She's not here today."

Nancy perked up in her seat, "She wasn't with you last night?" Clear worry settled in her voice.

The girl shook her head. "We were planning to leave so I went to get my jacket and she was just gone. So, assuming she went home last night, I called her mom and she wasn't there." Josie could no longer ignore the feeling of worry settle at the pit of her stomach.

"I seriously have no idea what you're talking about." Tommy snorted, getting a pointed look off the two girls. God, he was such a dick.

Steve caught onto the looks on each of he girls' faces and kicked Tommy in the shin under the table, "Come on, don't be an ass, man. Did you...Did you see her leave last night or?"

"No, she was gone when we left."

"Probably couldn't stand listening to all that moaning." Carol added, starting to feign moans loudly causing her boyfriend to start hunching over in laughter and join in, making the whole conversation now very uncomfortable.

Sighing in defeat, Josie noticed Jonathan lingering outside of the cafeteria, looking in through the doors. "I'll see you later, Nance." She muttered, grabbing her lunch, she moved swiftly through the students sat at their tables, catching up with the Byers boy. "Hey, Jonathan!"

"Hey, look at those two. I think the freaks are in love." Carol muttered mockingly as they all watched the duo talk to one another, a small smile decorated on Josie's face.

"Jesus, that's tragic." Tommy laughed, only being joined by Carol and gaining a small snicker from Steve as Nancy stayed silent, watching the two friends walk away from the cafeteria.

"These are awesome, Byers." Josie complimented, flipping through Jonathan's recent pictures he had taken, minus the one's he had hidden away while the two exited Hawkins High on their way to the parking lot. "Do you mind if I keep this one?"

The photo was from a week prior, they were all over at the Byers house engaging in a pillow fight, their appearances shown as disheveled with them all with bright grins on their faces, rosy cheeks as they were all breathless from laughing too hard. Josie couldn't help but smile at the photo in her hand — it was all of them together, just being kids. "This one's definitely my favorite."

Before Jonathan could respond, Josie found her smile faltering at the group huddled around his car. No surprise, it was Steve, Carol, Tommy and a new addition, Nicole, staring at the two coming closer. "Hey, man."

"What's going on?" Jonathan uneasily asked, now clutching his bag tighter to his body.

"Nicole here was, uh, telling us about your work." Steve's eyes flickered over Josie's puzzled expression, "And we'd just love to take a look. You know, as...connoisseurs of art."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Jonathon rushed out, trying to shove his way from the group only for his bag to be snatched from him by Tommy. "Please just give me my bag."

"Tommy—" Josie made a grab for the bag, now in Tommy's clutches, but it was yanked back and thrown over to Steve.

"Don't try and protect your freaky boyfriend, Henderson." Steve scowled at the girl, "Man, he is totally trembling. He must really have something to hide." Pulling out a small stack of pictures, he leaned back against the car, flicking through photos that were taken from the previous night.