Eye of the Storm ✇ Steve Harrington

Chapter Four

Nora hadn't been sure how randomly showing up at Scoops Ahoy would go, so she thought she was ready for any outcome. For Steve to be happy to see her, for Steve to tell her to get lost, for all the possible awkwardness that may come along with it. And still, she found herself in a situation she wasn't expecting.

Standing off to the side, she waited, just as everyone else who'd been in line behind her. She waited while the two Scoops Ahoy employees argued about who'd be the one serving ice cream in the front of the store.

"You just took your break, Dingus! It's my turn!" The brown-haired girl, dressed in the same company uniform as Steve, argued with him. Nora could remember seeing her around the halls of Hawkins High, but unlike her earlier encounter with Eddie, she couldn't remember this girl's name.

"I can just go and come back some other time." Nora tried to jump in when, instead of arguing back, Steve let out an annoyed groan and a short silence somewhat spread between the two co-workers.

"No, no, no." Steve quickly jumped at that, deciding to act before Robin could stop him. So, he simply grabbed Nora by the shoulders and started pushing her in the direction of the back room before the other girl could react.

"Steve, it's really no big deal. I can come back when you're less busy." Nora couldn't help but give out a small laugh. He seemed open to talking, that was at least a good sign. Much better than having him tell her to leave.

"I want to talk to you, so I'm going to talk to you." Steve announced as the two found themselves in the backroom of the ice cream shop. "And Robin's gonna take care of the customers for a few minutes." He added on as he moved to the open window which provided them with a view of the shop itself. Which he proceeded to close just as Robin opened her mouth to protest again.

When he did so, some of the sounds coming from the crowded mall were tuned out, leaving the two standing alone in the back room, a certain awkwardness soon spreading through it as they remained silent. Unsure of where to look, Nora let her eyes scan around, focusing on one thing in particular as soon as she saw it.

Unable not to point it out, she looked between the board and Steve, curious what the exactly the "You rule vs. You suck" table was counting. Whatever it was, someone really sucked.

"Ignore that. Just some weird Robin thing." Steve was quick to grab the whiteboard and turn it around, so the things written on it were obscured. He definitely didn't feel the need to explain to Nora how Robin was counting all the times she thought remained oblivious to girls flirting with him when they came into the ice cream shop. He wasn't oblivious, he just didn't flirt back.

With the board placed out of view and no conversation to build on it, the two soon fell into an awkward silence again. And it seemed to stretch on for forever. Even if, in reality, it was only a few seconds before both of them tried to break it. At the same time.

"I didn't-"
"I just want-"

Steve probably started a millisecond before Nora did, but by then it was too late to stop her. Instead, they both stopped around the same time once they realized they were talking over each other, and it was all unintelligible.

"You go first."
"You should-"

They tried again after a couple of moments in silence, both trying to tell the other to take the lead. And again, they spoke over each other. Nora couldn't help but let out a small laugh at how much of a mess this was turning out to be. Maybe she'd been too optimistic when it started.

"I can wait." Steve had a smile on his face too, obviously just as amused as she was, but he used the chance while she was laughing to say something without being tuned out.

His motion for her to go first had Nora's laughter dying down rather quickly. She was happy to go first. That way maybe she'd change his mind about what he wanted to say if it was something bad. She hoped she could change his mind from saying something bad.

She had to try.

"I'm sorry about what I did before I left. It was stupid of me. I was just nervous about Chicago and thinking about college and the future and all that and I got in my head. But it really doesn't have to change anything. Because it didn't mean anything, not really. Just nerves. So, we can just pretend it never happened. Because we're great as friends. And that's what I want us to be. Friends."

Even if everything she said was a load of bullshit. But she'd rather pretend like it meant nothing and was a mistake than lose her best friend because he freaked out at the thought of her liking him.

"Really?" The stunned expression on Steve's face was somewhat hard for the Hargrove to read. And his monosyllabic questions weren't really helping her figure out what he was thinking. "Friends? Just friends?"

"Yeah." Nora nodded her head eagerly, hoping she was making it look like she was thrilled with the idea of just staying friends. "No need to make a big deal out of it. Because it really wasn't. A big deal."

"Pretend like it never happened?" Steve still didn't give her a straight answer. He just continued to parrot what she'd said in surprise. Nora really didn't want to think of how he might've reacted if she'd been honest about her feelings if this was how he was receiving her words now.

"I think it's for the best." She nodded her head again. "But I get it if it's too awkward and you don't want that. I can just leave you alone. I mean, I did just get a job in the mall so we might run into each other. So, please don't think I'm stalking you or something. I just thought-" She continued to ramble on the longer he stayed silent.

"No!" But he quickly interrupted as soon as the suggestion of staying away from each other registered in his mind. "I want to be friends. I do." He finally gave her an answer and Nora could physically feel the weight lifting off of her shoulders.

"Really?" She couldn't help the hopeful smile which spread over her face at that.

"Yeah."

No! Not really!

But he couldn't say that. Steve knew he couldn't say it. It was a good thing Nora had gone first or he would have said it. He would have said that he didn't kiss her back just because he was surprised. She didn't give him time to react. But he wanted to kiss her back. He probably would have used some line about trying it again or something. But he didn't.

Because it didn't mean anything. She just wanted to be friends. He could be just friends. He didn't want to be just friends. But he could do it. Better than the alternative of nothing at all.

"Friends sounds great." He added, hoping to put some more pep into his voice. He didn't want to risk her catching him lying. That would just ruin everything and make it awkward.

"Great." Nora announced happily.

"Great." He tried to mimic.

And then they fell silent again. And it still felt awkward.

This time, the silence wasn't broken by them but rather the window of the store opening to reveal an annoyed Robin standing on the other side. "Do you plan on getting back here any time soon?"

"Yeah, yeah." Steve nodded his head quickly. The excuse of getting back to work was a great way to keep Nora from figuring out something was wrong. And so he headed right for the door.

With his back turned, passing by Nora, he didn't notice the curious look the Hargrove was giving his co-worker who leaned over the wall and through the window, grabbing hold of her board. He didn't see Robin add another mark to the "You suck" column. If he had...

Well, this time she'd be right.

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So... Who wishes Steve had gone first?