The Darkness Inside You (Steddie)

Summers On Uranus

"My parents took me to Paris two summers ago," he said. "My dad was angry the whole trip. In the airport, we saw two men kissing and my dad just lost it. It was supposed to be a fun family trip, but he just complained the whole time."

"Did you know that there are two and a half million rivets in the Eiffel Tower?"

"Really?" Eddie nodded. "Why do you know all that stuff," he asked with a laugh. "Ever since we met, you just spout these weird random facts."

"I don't know," Eddie answered with a shrug. "I like to read and you learn random things when you read."

"Tell me something else," Steve said as he knelt next to the stack of worn paperback books under the window. "Just something random that I wouldn't know."

"Summers on Uranus last twenty-one years." Steve looked up, surprise on his face. "When glass breaks, the cracks travel about three thousand miles per hour." Steve stood up and went to where Eddie was standing. "Approximately a dozen people a year are killed by vending machines in the US."

"You failed twelfth grade last year, yet you know all this stuff."

"I didn't fail because I'm stupid," Eddie said almost defensively.

"No, I'm sorry. That's not what I was implying." He shook his head. "Forget I said anything. Mind if I get that shower now? I haven't had one since Sunday."

"Sure," Eddie said. "Go ahead."

While Steve was in the shower, Eddie stashed his suitcase in the back of the closet then went outside to clean out his car. He pulled a garbage can from behind the trailer and dumped the milk crate and empty bottles into it along with all the junk food wrappers. Steve had apparently been living on potato chips, candy bars, and whatever else he could buy in a convenience store for the past several days. Eddie laughed. He'd done that a few times, but it was his choice. He couldn't imagine that being his only option.

Eddie decided right then that he was going to make Steve dinner tonight. He and Wayne took turns cooking and tonight was supposed to be Wayne's night, but Eddie wanted to cook for Steve. And since he hadn't come home the night before, it wasn't really fair that Wayne had to cook three nights in a row, so Eddie would do it. He was sure Wayne would welcome it. Wayne hated cooking.

Steve joined Eddie at his car just as he was putting the floor mat back in the car after cleaning the dried vomit off of it. He leaned against the car and smiled at Eddie. Eddie leaned next to him, close enough that their shoulders were touching and he nudged him gently.

"You look a lot better."

"I feel better," Steve said. "My hair was driving me crazy."

"Steve 'The Hair' Harrington," Eddie laughed. "I hate to admit this, but even beat all to hell and your hair filthy, you were still hot as shit."

"Thanks," he answered while blushing. "You didn't have to clean out my car. I was going to do it." Eddie shrugged. "Are you going to school tomorrow?"

"Nah," Eddie answered. "I was just going to stay home with you."

"I think I want to go to school."

"Those are words I've never said," Eddie laughed. "You've already missed four days. What's the point of going on a Friday?"

"I've got two tests tomorrow."

"Yeah, I guess you should go," Eddie sighed. "Thanks for ruining my excuse for missing another day." He nudged Steve again to let him know he was only teasing him. "Did you know that last year four and a half percent of all tenth to twelfth grade students in America dropped out?"