DONTMAKEMEFALLINLOVE || Billy Hargrove, Stranger Things

Season 4 Bonus Chapter V.

"Thanks," Steve nodded and stepped on the ledge of the boat.

"Steve," Nancy paused, "be careful."

The two exchanged a look only delusional ex-lovers would. Soon after, Steve dived into the water. Diana rolled her eyes after he dived in. Oh, run me over! "Gross," Diana mumbled.

"Gross," Robin said at the same as Diana. Diana caught Robin chucking a cigarette from Eddie's fingers and flinging it into the lake. The girls were grimacing for different reasons, but at least Diana could cover her disgust with Eddie's smoking habit.

It'd been almost a minute since Steve went under. Diana tried not to worry; after all, he was swim captain apparently. He's full of shit. How can hold his breath for that long down there?

It was well over two minutes. Diana's leg couldn't stop shaking up and down, and she couldn't even remember when she started shaking. As she gazed into the water, she realized she was doing the same thing Steve had been doing earlier. Fuck this. Where is he?

Diana jolted up from the boat. The nerves were going to eat her up if she didn't act on them. She began to untie her converse. "Now what are you doing, Diana?" Eddie voiced aloud, his anxiety laced in his tone.

"This is taking too long," Diana stated, "I should've never listened to him, swim captain my ass—"

Steve rose from the water in a rush. They all jumped back from the boat; Robin gave a small scream, Eddie cussed out Christ, Nancy slid away, and Diana was splashed by the water. "What the fuck, Steve–"

"I found it," Steve interrupted.

"You found it," Nancy repeated, relieved.

Robin happily told the kids through the walkie-talkie, "Steve found the gate!'

"It's pretty wild," Steve expressed, "it's more a snack size than mama size, but it's still pretty damn big–"

The boy was suddenly pulled back down the water. Steve struggled to hold onto the ledge of the boat, but he was only forcing the boat to lean on its side. Diana tried to wrap her hands around Steve's wrists, and she was able to hold onto him for a split second before whatever was down there forced Steve to succumb to it. Diana almost held onto Steve long enough to be pulled into the lake with him, but Nancy pulled her back by the waist. "NO," Diana shouted, the water slowly settling calmly.

"STEVE," they all screamed in unison.

"WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT MAN?"

"STEVE!"

"STEVE!"

"We have to go in, " Diana yelled at them, "c'mon, let's go!"

One by one, there were off. Nancy jumped in headfirst, her body no longer visible in the water. Robin next. Diana made sure Nancy and Robin were far enough to dive in, and she waited to see if they needed help. Diana stood over the ledge, her heart pounding. It was definitely nerves, but also a thrill; if this was the way they went out, then at least she'd have died doing something good. Stupid, unthinkable, and painful, but good.

Eddie stayed back. "Goddamn it," Eddie whined, "this is so stupid! Shit, shit, shit!"

Diana had never even gotten close to a gate before; she hoped she never did. So many people she knew had gone in the other world, and never came out the same–Billy never came back the same. She feared what was on the other side. But the fear of Steve alone in there was far worse. Diana looked backed at the boy. "C'mon Eddie don't back out now," Diana held out her hand, "this is no place to die."