EAT OR BE EATEN ✮ STEVE HARRINGTON

S:2 Walking on Wires.

• October 1984

Almost a whole year has passed since Will was found and things are still getting weirder because now my room has an extra bed in it.

"Jo?" The little voice behind me stuttered to get out.

"Yes, El?"

The little girl tugged my arm softly, pulling me out of my bedroom and into the kitchen. Without her even saying it, I knew what she wanted.

"Do you want me to teach you how to make waffles?" I asked her. She nodded and watched me carefully."Okay, so you take two out of the box..."

"Two?" She repeated.

"Yes, only two at a time." I answered then continued. "Then you put them in here, like so, pulling this down until it pops back up."

I demonstrated and she leaned on the counter, trying to get a better view.

"Once it pops up, you have to wait a bit so you don't burn yourself. After you wait a minute or so, you can eat them."

She pulled them out of the toaster then took off, probably completely ignoring my demonstration. I sighed then walked back to my bedroom to finish getting ready for school.

El's been living here for a couple months now and it's been going better that Dad and I thought it would. The only thing is we can't tell anyone she's here.

"I gotta get to school but I'll see you guys later." I said, running into the kitchen to kiss dads cheek and Elevens curl head of hair.

"Bye, kid." Dad said, still getting ready.

"Bye." Eleven says.

✮

I pulled into the school parking lot and noticed an unfamiliar Camaro next to my usual spot. There was a curly haired boy in tight jeans, smoking a cigarette next to it. He must be new.

"Hey, sweetheart." He said, as I got out of my car.

"Hey." I said back, grabbing my bag.

"What's your name?"

"Johanna. You're the new guy, right?"

"Mhm." He answers, puffing smoke from the side of his mouth. "I'm Billy."

From the corner of my eye, I saw Nancy and Steve watching us from inside Steve's car, across the lot. I headed inside the school, leaving Billy to finish his cigarette alone. Nancy ran up to me with Steve following behind her. Jonathan was already inside waiting for me.

"Jo!" Nancy called, catching up to me.

"Hey Nance."

Over the summer we hung out a lot more. Jonathan, her and I would get dinner at the diner across town together every Sunday night.

"Hello?!? Am I the only person who saw the new guy flirting with you?" Her jaw was practically touching the floor.

"Not this again, Nance." I sighed.

"I swear, ever since the summer it's like everyone is constantly staring at you." She smiled as Steve joins her side, listening.

"Yeah, you did get kinda hot over the summer." Jonathan says.

"Gross, dude." I gagged and playfully pushing his head to the side.

"See! Don't you guys think the new guy likes her?" Nancy egged on.

"Maybe." Jonathan answers.

"He seems like a jerk." Steve shrugs. "You can do better than him."

"Steve, you were a jerk just last year to Jonathan." Nancy reminded us.