fast car | STEVE HARRINGTON [2]

26. one way or another

"I feel like a shit friend right now being so far away when you're going through this," Jessica huffed a breath of air in frustration. "Look, the second I get back we're having a Ringo day. No, a Ringo week. We can go and see those horror movies you love, throw rocks at roller skaters in the park, Hell we can even visit the Worlds Largest Ball of Paint up in Alexandria if that's what you want. I know you're in a lot of pain right now with everything going on with Steve, but I just want you to know that no matter what happens I've always had your back and always will."

Ringo couldn't bring herself to reply right away, the lump in her throat making itself known as she took several deep inhales to stop herself from crying. She was so sick of crying. But how could anyone not cry hearing those words from her best friend's mouth, knowing it was likely some of the last words she'd ever hear?

"Okay..." she finally choked out, knowing if she said much more she'd explode and then Jessica would really know something was wrong and be in her car, speeding down the highway to be with their group.

"Alright, give me a call later okay?"

"I will, love you Jess."

"Love you too Rin."

The blonde all but slammed the phone back into its place, leaning against the wall next to it as she concentrated on steadying her shaky breath. Closing her eyes for a second with a hand splayed over her heart, she was just about able to calm herself down before another panic attack arose. There were a few difficult conversations she had to make in the little time she had left, and each one was more difficult than the other.

Trailing back downstairs to the basement where the others were waiting, Ringo searched for Steve - who had promised her he'd take her to her mother's house so that she could see her family for potentially the last time. She had already been out all night without warning, and knowing Julia it was highly likely the mother was calling up Hawkins Police Station to see if her daughter was incarcerated once again.

"Hey," she greeted the teenagers when her search came up short, "where's Steve?"

"He's with Nancy in her bedroom," Dustin revealed, prompting the blonde to narrow her eyes. Perhaps it was the lack of sleep, the insecurity of her relationship or simply Vecna's impact on her mental health but something about Dustin's words rubbed her the wrong way. These were her last hours on this Earth, why were her boyfriend (potentially) and her cousin (his ex-girlfriend) holed up in the bedroom?

Pushing off to leave the basement, only stopping to give Max a comforting squeeze on her shoulder on the way past, Ringo was a fast-moving blur as she stomped through the hallway and onto the staircase. However upon setting foot on the first stair, her determination began to dissipate and fear settled in instead.

What if she was about to walk in on something?

Slowly, she took each step closer carefully, hand shaking slightly as it gripped the bannister on the way upstairs. Ringo couldn't shake the feeling that had arose once again - something was wrong. Try as she did to reel in her racing thoughts and remind herself that this was simply Vecna's impact, her attempts were in vain.

The door to Nancy's room wasn't fully shut, about an inch open when Ringo arrived. With bated breath she reached her hand out and gently pushed it open further, to unveil an image that sent her world crashing down on top of her.

Steve and Nancy.

Their lips were locked in a passionate kiss, his hands scraping through Nancy's hair as if he had known how much Ringo loved it when he done it to her. They hadn't yet noticed the blonde standing in the doorframe. Or didn't care to notice, her mind taunted. Funnily enough, if anything this had reinforced in her mind that she really did love Steve. For if anyone else in the world had cheated on Ringo Wheeler, she'd have grabbed the nearest object and bludgeoned both parties into a messy heap. But Ringo didn't want to hurt Steve. She didn't feel anger or fury, all she felt was complete and total heartbreak.