𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 [𝐬.𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧]

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐱𝐭𝐞𝐞𝐧

The wind was calm as Steve's BMW rolled into the woods in the early afternoon the next day. Dustin, Steve, and Laurie planned to hunt for Dart in the woods with buckets of raw meat to take him back home, hopefully. Laurie wanted to kill the lizard thing, but Dustin was adamantly against it, and Steve didn't care either way.

While handing Dustin two buckets of raw meat, she grabs the third; Laurie puts her bucket on the ground and helps Steve find what they need before they set off as Dustin talks to Lucas on his Walkie-Talkie.

Steve stuffs his bat into his bag as she places some of her daggers onto her holder before she places extras into her bag. "You're using the ones I got you for Christmas." Steve says with a wide smile, "Yeah, they're pretty good." She teases with a wink as she stands up. Then, sliding on her bag, she grabs her bucket as Steve closes the trunk and Dustin gets off the Walkie with Lucas.

The trio walks down the old railway dropping chunks of meat every few steps. Dustin and Laurie walk side by side as Steve trails a little behind, trying to wrap his head around the story he was told by Dustin when he picked them up this morning.

"All right, so let me get this straight. You kept something you knew was probably dangerous to impress a girl who...who you just met?" She stifles a laugh because he summed it up pretty well. It's adorable seeing Dustin have a crush on someone. "All right, that's grossly oversimplifying things," Dustin argues back, but they both know that Steve has it down pretty well.

"I mean, why would a girl like some nasty slug anyway?" Steve asks, making Dustin think for a second, "An interdimensional slug? Because it's awesome." Laurie rolls her eyes at her little brother. "The thing is, though, she didn't like it. So take it as a learning experience. You now know one thing she doesn't like, which gives more room to find what she does like." But she explains with a hopeful smile and expression to try and cheer Dustin up, but it doesn't work.

"I don't know. I just feel like you're trying way too hard." Steve pips in, "Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, all right?" Dustin quips back as Laurie sighs. "And they ignore me again." She mumbles as she picks up her pace to get away from the boys.

"It's not about the hair, man. The key with girls is just...just acting like you don't care." Laurie stops in her tracks as Steve's words hit her ears. She slowly turns, but the boys don't notice as she's a good distance away now, "Even if you do?" Dustin asks, completely taking in everything Steve says. "Yeah, exactly. It drives them nuts." Gripping the bucket tightly, it takes everything in her not to chunk it at Steve's handsome square head. Is that way he hasn't asked her out yet? Turning her back to the boys, she continued on her walk in front of them but slowed down a bit to make sure she was in hearing range.

"Then what?"

"You just wait until, uh...until you feel it."

"Feel what?"

"It's like right before it's gonna storm, you know?" Steve takes a breath before he continues, "You can't see it, but you can feel it, like this, uh...." He tries to think of the words, but there are too many. Most he can't say around a thirteen-year-old. "electricity, you know?"