Steady

Dawn

Nodding towards the patch of woods behind the school, Steve alerts the others that he and Eddie are walking away and that they will come back later. Robin watches them anxiously, hoping that whatever they will do or talk about in those woods won't end up in Eddie getting hurt.

Pacing across the grass, the metalhead scrutinizes his friend's back with a deep frown on his brow, wondering what he needs to say that's private enough for them to discuss it aside.

As soon as they reach the picnic table, Steve hops onto it and sits down, patting the space next to him as an invitation. His friend follows his direction and stares at him in silence, perplexed by the solemnity on his traits.

"I don't know how to sugarcoat things, so I'll just say it," Steve speaks up. "I'm moving to Boston in August. My parents gave me the green light this morning, so I'm signing the lease in the next few days and I'm transferring to Family Video there."

A crack.

Progressing and slithering deeper into Eddie's heart.

As though a lightning bolt struck him, he jumps onto his feet, as if Steve's words pushed him off with an unsuspected force. His eyes growing bigger at the revelation, he finds himself paralyzed, unable to make a sound, except for the whistly breath he draws in. Inhabited by a fire raging inside his chest, destroying everything on its path, all he can do is open and close his mouth until he finds the strength to speak.

"You're kidding me, right?" he scoffs although he knows the answer before he even phrases the question. "To Boston? What for?"

"I wanted to follow Nancy."

Letting out a nervous chuckle, he rubs his fingers against his lips as he walks back and forth, quickening his pace while the questions fly across his mind, out of reach and incomprehensible.

Flashes of instants dear to his heart parade across his mind. Steve and himself laughing to tears on his cot. Them sharing a bag of chips while watching a movie at Family Video. Them chatting in Steve's BMW. Them smiling at each other as their eyes meet across the parking lot. Them rubbing their knuckles onto each other's scalp, holding the other by the neck. Them singing stupid songs when they're alone. Them singing when they're not. Them screaming their lungs out. Them blushing at each other. Them crying on each other's shoulder at 7-Eleven. Them holding hands. Them swimming together. Steve removing a lint from his long hair. Steve tucking him in. Steve touching his skin. Steve pulling him closer in bed, caressing his back.

All of that. All those moments. None of them will be repeated.

Steve is leaving. Leaving him.

Out of breath and squeezing his eyelids shut to make the images disappear, Eddie's voice rises again, weakened by the unbearable pain.

"Since when is that your plan?"

"Weeks."

"Weeks?!"

The ache fades into anger within a heartbeat. He glares at Steve with flaring nostrils, willing his limbs to stop shaking to no avail.

"You're shitting me, Harrington," he blurts out with a crack in his voice. "Please, tell me this is just a massive dump of a joke."

"It's not," Steve croaks. "I'm going."

Clenching his fists and resisting the urge to yank his hair out of his scalp, Eddie muffles a scream, feeling tears gathering above his eyelashes.

Betrayal is the only word he can put on the situation. How could Steve have known for weeks and not shared that with him? Was it because he didn't consider him as a trustworthy friend?