Don't Blame Me ➵ Steve Harrington

twenty six

They kept walking until the reached Steve's BMW. It was covered with snow but instead of opting for a brush, Steve began to wipe the windshield with the sleeve of his winter coat. Dylan stood a stone's throw away and watched him.

"So, what do you want to do this afternoon?" His teeth were chattering now but he was trying to hide it. "Maybe wanna catch a movie?"

"I'd love to but I don't have time," she said with a shrug. "Nancy's helping me study for the History midterm. Let's go to Midwest. I want a shake."

"It's snowing."

"So?"

Despite his initial hesitation, Steve sat before her the straw of a vanilla milkshake between his lips. Beside her was a strawberry one of her own.

He took a big slurp from his straw and looked to her with a wide-eyed gaze either from curiosity or brain freeze. "Why are you getting Nancy to tutor you in History anyway? I thought you were passing that class."

"I am," she nodded. "With a C. I want a B plus. It looks good on applications."

"Applications?"

"To college." She said slowly, somewhat teasing him.

"Oh yeah, that." He talked even slower. "I thought you weren't going?"

Dylan shrugged, her eyes shifting outside to the falling snow. "I don't know, I thought maybe I'd try— do something smart, something Barb could look down on and smile about."

"That's really nice, Dyl," he smiled. "Really nice."

Heat rose to her cheeks, an unfamiliar feeling. "It's a pipe dream honestly. Just a thought I had."

Steve leaned over their booth and kissed her gently on the mouth. His smile from earlier stayed, her's grew.

"You should come over later." He said after the moment passed. "After your study session. My parents aren't home—you could tell your mom you're staying at Nancy's."

"I'd like that."

Awhile passed and the two walked out of the diner, their arms linked together at the elbow. She lit up a cigarette with her free hand and Steve feigned disgust and they continued with their usual banter. This consisted of Steve telling her to 'keep that shit away from him' and her telling him where to go in response.

Steve dropped her off in front of her house, she gave him a brisk kiss and hurried out of the car. If she delayed any further, she'd definitely be late meeting Nancy. They parted with one last wave. Dylan ran up her front porch and threw the door, she grabbed her keys hung on the wall and yelled for her mother.

Marsha Holland peaked her head out from the kitchen's entryway. "Yes, dear?"

"I'm going to study at Nancy's, she's helping me with History," Dylan told her mom. "It might take awhile. I might spend the night."

Her mother gave her a nonchalant wave and told her to have a good time before disappearing back into the kitchen.

Walking up to Nancy's house, alone, was an odd thing. Dylan had decided she liked the girl, after years of pretending to be irritated by her perfection, but she was still Barb's best friend. It felt weird not being a tag-on, a third wheel.

Mrs. Wheeler answered the door and directed Dylan upstairs to Nancy's bedroom. Nancy was sprawled on the bed, her phone lifted from her night stand, chatting with someone happily. Once she noticed Dylan she hurriedly said some goodbyes, revealing it was Jonathan on the other side, and slammed down the receiver.

"Ready?" Nancy teased. They knew each other well enough that Nancy was quite aware of Dylan's hatred for academics.

Soon there was a flurry of books and papers spread across Nancy's comforter, both of which were highlighted on coordinated colours. This was something Dylan would usually poke fun at but to her chagrin, it actually seemed to help. Mrs. Wheeler had brought them up a tray of sandwiches and some tea not too long after they started and Dylan was starting to feel wired from all the caffeine.

"You know," Nancy looked at her seriously. "You're not so bad with dates. You've got a good memory."

"Thanks." Dylan said unsure.

"Seriously," Nancy continued. "What's the hardest part of school for you?"

Dylan thought to herself. A moment passed. "I guess... understanding it all. I don't really get most things. Then I get frustrated."

"Exactly! You have trouble digesting too much information but you're great at remembering so instead of thinking so hard about everything," Nancy lifted a brow. "Why don't you first just start memorizing? Not just History, Math, Chem, too. Memorize and the rest will come."

Studying with Nancy had somehow lifted her confidence. She all but bounced up Steve's front steps. She didn't bother knocking, knowing his parents weren't there.

"Steve!" She called for him.

It was only seconds later he came into view at the top of the staircase. He gave her a goofy grin. She returned it. Dylan met him up the stairs and he immediately pulled her into a tight embrace before grabbing her hand and pulling her into his room.

"I picked up some movies," he told her. On his bed laid the tapes—Scarface, Return of the Jedi, and Baby It's You, which was obviously intended for her. "And I got a TV up here for Christmas, remember?"

She nodded and picked up the copy of Baby It's You. Steve seemed disappointed but unsurprised by her choice as he slipped it into the player.

Steve loaned her a pair of shorts to wear as well as on of his basketball shirts and he put on a pair of pyjama pants. They piled under the covers on Steve's double bed.

The movie ended and Steve let out a noise of disgust. Dylan rolled on her side to face him and he did the same. "What?" She asked. "Didn't like it?"

"I did until it ended," he proclaimed with a little to much excitement. "That's bullshit! What? We watch the whole movie and they don't even end up together? Then why did I invest myself in their relationship?"

Dylan couldn't help her laughter. "I thought it was cool. Different."

"It's bullshit," he said with a shake of his head. "All that and for what? She says she's not in love with him, she loves him in a different way. Bullshit, man."

"That's life, man," she continued to giggle at his display. "Things don't always work out."

"Yeah, thats life. I don't watch movies for life," he still sounded disgusted as he spoke. "I watch movies for happy endings and lightsaber battles."

"God, you're such a idiot."

He rolled his eyes but leaned over to kiss her. She laughed into his touch. They laid like that for what seemed like forever, hands intertwined, the blanket pulled over their heads for so long they started to sweat, continuously meeting in the middle of the bed to leave short, constant kisses for the other person. It was comfortable; Dylan never felt that way with anybody. It was completely quiet in the room and she couldn't help but wish she knew what he was thinking. A part of her was sure he could feel it too, the comfort, the safety, the assurance. But she was never too sure about anything, she was usually wrong, especially in relationships. Though, this time— maybe she wasn't. It'd be nice to be right for once in her life.

She thought briefly about asking him to put a record on but decided the silence with him was good enough. They had spent all winter break almost alone in a room somewhere, sinking into the other person. January came too fast. Dylan really could lay here forever. For once in her life, she liked being someone's girlfriend, it wasn't for show, it wasn't for the fun of the fling. It was because she genuinely wanted to be there. It was an unfamiliar, scary feeling but in little moments like this, she decided to go with it.

HELLO, I have finally updated! I apologize for the long delay. Also I apologize if this is kinda a lame chapter for SUCH a long delay. Thank you for all the votes and comments, it really makes writing this more inspiring!