Emma || Steve Harrington/Billy Hargrove

016. Figuring it Out... Kinda

A/N: so sorry that this took me so long to update. I've been running around like crazy doing stuff for school and this just sort of slipped to the bottom of my priority list. I promise not to let it happen again any time soon! thank you all so much for the support you've given the story though!

Also! I'd still love to hear who you want Emma to end up with! Anyway, this is just a little filler chapter, but I hope you enjoy it!

*Emma's POV*

I didn't talk to either of them for a week after the little stunt they pulled. I wasn't angry because they both liked my company or because they both wanted to be my friends. I was mad because they were being idiots and trying to solve a situation that wasn't violent with violence. They'd both tried to talk to me at school and they'd even shown up at my house once or twice, but I really didn't want to see them. Instead, I focused on my job babysitting Jane, school, and making better friends. I'd been spending a lot of time with Nancy and Jonathan and, honestly, I sort of regretted not getting to know them better earlier.

About halfway through my second week ignoring them, I decided that I might be being a little bit immature and I didn't want to be a hypocrite. I asked the both of them to meet me, but separately. I couldn't risk them beating on each other again. Billy and I talked first. I asked him to meet me out front after school. I remember feeling increasingly nervous to talk to him. When the time came to talk, he got to where we were meeting before I did. I gave him a nervous smile as I walked up to him that day.

"Hey," I muttered.

"Hey," he said, "Listen, I'm really sorry. I know what I did was wrong and I understand why you've been so angry with me. I shouldn't've pushed Steve that night I just, I don't know what came over me."

"I'm sorry too, I've been super immature about this whole thing," I sighed, "can we please just forget it all happened and go back to being best friends?"

"Just best friends?" He asked.

"Yeah," I gulped. I didn't know when, but I'd come to the conclusion that all I wanted from either one of them was friendship. That was all I could handle right at the moment. The school year had come and gone, and we were very close to summer vacation where I'd be leaving and going back home for the duration of the break. I didn't think being in a relationship was ideal, and I explained that to him.

"Wow," he said in a confused voice. My guess is he was still trying to understand this whole situation, "Okay. Can we try again when you get back? Please?"

"If you still feel the same way about me and things work out, yeah," I smiled, "I gotta go, but I'll see you around." I gave him a quick hug and started walking in the direction of my house.

I felt a little more relaxed after talking to Billy, but I also felt like shit because of Steve. He hadn't actually done anything wrong that night, yet I still kind of blew up on him. Steve was a total sweetheart and I felt awful about not hearing him out especially after he'd just confessed his feelings for me the day before.

As soon as I got home, I got to doing my homework so I could go see him and talk to him. It didn't take me too long, which was nice. I grabbed my mom's car keys from the counter, her and my dad had left town for a conference allowing me to be able to drive her car around, and made my way to Steve's place. I saw his car parked in the driveway and quickly went over to knock. Steve's mom answered the door.

"Hi Emma," she smiled, "Steve is up in his room, if you just want to head on up."

"Hi, thanks Mrs. Harrington," I said as I started going up to his room. I stopped in front of his door and went to knock, but stopped when I heard Steve's voice on the other side of it.

"No, I know Nance, but I just feel like I really messed up, ya know? I should've just kept ignoring Billy or walked away and gone to go find her," He was talking about me to Nancy? "I just feel like I gave Billy exactly what he wanted and now Ems won't talk to me and I'm really upset by it." I smiled to myself a little before knocking. "I'M BUSY MOM," he yelled. I let out a laugh.

"It's not your mom," I yelled back. I heard him hang up his phone and run to the door.

"Emma," he said, "Hi."

"Hey," I smiled up at him, "Can we talk?" I asked.

"Yeah, of course, come in," he said, opening up the door a little bit more to allow me inside his room. We sat on his bed, and it was dead silent for a few minutes before I finally decided it was time to speak up.

"I'm sorry," we both said at the same time. We looked at each other and just laughed.

"I know why I'm sorry, but why the hell are you?" he questioned.

"I've been an ass to you and Billy this past week," I sighed, "I think I overreacted about what happened at the party."

"No, no, no," he said, "We shouldn't have fought."

"But I shouldn't have ran out on you like that," I said. He opened his mouth to protest again, but I cut him off before he could. "You know what, can we just agree that we were both in the wrong on this one and promise to not let it happen again?"

"I'd really like that," he smiled. I smiled back at him. He stared into my eyes for a moment before he started leaning in. I felt my heart rate pick up and I turned my head as quickly as I could, making his lips collide with my cheek. He pulled away and gave me a confused look.

"I'm sorry," I frowned, "I don't think we should do this. At least not right now."

"Why not?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper.

"We're so close to the school year ending, Steve," I began, "You graduate and I go back to California for three months." He still had a confused look on his face, "There's a lot going on and I just don't think it's the best time to start anything."

"You're probably right," he sighed. We talked for a little while longer before I decided it'd be a good time to go home.

The month leading up to the end of the school year was pretty good. Things seemed to be going back to normal between me and the both of them, which was reassuring. I left Hawkins on a good note and excited to come back that August.