SINISTER ~ STRANGER THINGS (2)

CONSPIRING GIRLS

"I've been better, but I don't think I have a concussion," she puts a thumb up.

"What's 17 times the square root of 91 divided by 4?"

"38.25," she answers quickly, as Mike comes back downstairs with an ice pack, handing it to her. "Too easy."

"Just to be sure, we should keep an eye on you for the next two hours," Will suggests.

"Go to sleep," she waves him off. "I'll read The Outsiders again."

"But-"

"I'll stay up with her," Mike shrugs. "It's just two hours."

Will agrees, turning over and falling asleep soon after. Bianca flips through the book rather quickly, purposely avoiding Mike's piercing stare.

"You're gonna burn a hole through my head," she lowers the book in exasperation.

"Sorry," he looks away, embarrassed.

"It's fine, it's just- What do you want?" she puts the book down completely.

He almost confesses everything he should've said the other day, but in fear of the vulnerability that would require, he stays silent, simply shaking his head.

Not even attempting to hide her disappointment, she shrugs going back to her book.

For the next two hours, they continue this dance, both looking at the other when they weren't paying attention, until Bianca drifts off to sleep.

_____

About three hours later, Samantha leans against a shelf in the elevator, growing increasingly uncomfortable.

But very glad she peed before they checked the room out.

Steve sits next to her, moving careful as to not wake anyone else up.

"Are you alright?" he nudges her shoulder, concerned eyes refusing to leave her tired ones.

"I didn't intend to spend all night in a Russian elevator, but I'm alright given the circumstances."

"Sorry about that," he winces.

"Hey, getting us stuck in here was a group effort," she chuckles, despite not finding much humor in the situation. "We should've never asked Erica to come."

"Hey, we didn't know. You didn't know," he shakes his head. "We're gonna get out of here just fine, okay? Then she can go to Tina's or whatever."

"We better. I have a date tomorrow," she grins.

"What a coincidence, so do I," he plays along. "You'd love the girl, she's way out of my league."

"Oh, really? Any other compliments you'd like to give out? I have some free time," she looks around the room.

"Well, she's super smart. No one seems to give her credit for it."

"It's the pom poms," she shrugs.

"Right," he chuckles. "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier."

"I yelled too. I get it. When you panic, you get loud and your voice gets all pitchy. Oh, and you get super red," she laughs.

"My voice does not get pitchy!"

"Sure it doesn't," she shrugs, her lips curved into a smirk. "I don't care about Tina!"

She begins to mock him, laughs breaking through as she does so, while he can't help but smile himself.

"Oh, okay. I'm gonna puke, I'm gonna puke," he puts on a high-pitched voice, mocking her as well.