¹𝐌𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐆,𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧 ✔

006-goodbye, steve

CARLA ALMOST DIDN'T GET UP THAT MORNING.

Not only because she hadn't gotten home until past midnight the day before, but because of the events that had gone unfolded. Because of the kiss she'd shared with Steve Harrington.

Carla cringed at the memory. There was no way she could go to school like this. Not with Steve's lips engraved on hers, his touch etched upon her skin. The want to kiss him again burning her mind.

This whole situation was messed up.

Kissing Steve had set her off. She'd been doing so well at pushing down her feelings, but the minute her lips met with his, it was like she was starting completely over. Like she'd lost all prior progress.

Because now, all she could think about was Steve. The way she felt when she kissed him, the way her skin yearned for his touch. His touch was like a disease to her—it was festering, the yearn for it growing and growing until it finally overcame her, and caused her to do something stupid.

A yearn that Carla wasn't sure she'd be able to contain for as long as she wanted.

She'd considered faking sick that day, or acting all depressed. After all, she'd lied about being at the Byers' to be able to get out of the house—which now, she felt terrible for—and could probably use them as an excuse again.....say something about how Joyce was getting worse—

No. That was wrong. She was not going to use Will's disappearance as an excuse. That wasn't what it was to her.

So, with that solved, she'd just suck it up and go to school. Carla would act tough and just suffer through the school day without talking, looking or even walking near Steve—yes, not even walking was allowed. Then, she wouldn't be risking getting too close.

But, Carla knew that no matter what route she took, Steve would always find a way back to her.

Jonathan had called during breakfast to tell Carla that he wouldn't be able to drive her to school that morning.

While upset, Carla understood and didn't press. Joyce was probably half hysterical and needed the support of her son, or maybe Jonathan just needed the morning off—the day off, just to think about everything that's happened.

But, that left the Wheeler with the option of riding with her mother and her sister. A great idea after what happened the night before.

Of course Carla wouldn't reveal what happened to Nancy. No, that would be her and Steve's secret to the grave. It would just be....awkward.

"Girls, are you ready to go?" Karen asked her two daughters, picking Holly up in her arms for the ride.

Carla gave a short nod and walked past her mother to the woman's car, hopping in the passenger seat without bothering to ask Nancy if she wanted it—the less conversation, the better.

But, Nancy too seemed rather quiet that morning, and didn't bother to argue as she took the back seat. Why she was so quiet, Carla didn't know. Steve hadn't told her.....right?

Karen opened the other passenger side door, securing Holly into her car-seat with a confused look, noticing the quietness between her two daughters. Now, the mother knew that when they started high school, the girls had grown more distant—they were becoming young women, figuring out who they were, getting their own lives. Within the past month and a half that tension had only grown, nevertheless, she'd never seen them so....silent. Usually, they'd at least spark up some sort of conversation.