GLORY DAYS ｡STEVE HARRINGTON

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE ; FOR STELLA

"Alexei died," she whimpered, choking out a thick sob. Steve leaned forward and pressed his lips to her forehead. "I should've seen the man coming; I should have done something, but he got me too. Alexei died right in front of me, and there was nothing I could do about it. I--"

Her voice broke and she cried hoarsely, drawing the attention of the others in the food court. Hopper and Joyce shared a solemn expression, knowing the trauma the young girl had dealt with in the last twenty-four hours. Murray stared with a sullen frown on his lips, realising how much he cared for the girl he had known for only a couple of days. There was something about her; something that drew others in and gave them a sense of hope. She was special, that was for sure. 

"Star?" a gentle voice interrupted Stella and Steve's moment. Stella lifted her head slowly, trying to focus through her blurred vision to see Mike standing before her. He'd had another growth spurt over summer, which made him appear disproportionate and lanky, but he was still Mike. He was still the Wheeler boy who lived next door and gave her a hard time. Behind him was Will, Lucas and Dustin, with Eleven and Max a little further away. 

Stella violently rubbed at her eyes, only making her skin more irritated. It had gotten a little old, her trying to make herself seem strong in front of the children she'd devoted so much of her life to. "Hey, you guys alright?"

"Hell no," Lucas joked, before stepping forward. "But that's not why we're here. We're here for you."

"Mike said you're going to college after summer finishes," Eleven continued, her arm looped across Max's shoulders. She'd been injured too, though before Stella could ask, she held her hand up. "I'm fine. But we wanted you to know that it's okay for you to go."

"We'd planned a farewell party for the end of summer with all these speeches and shit, but we figured it would be better to tell you now how much we love you, since you've been shot and life is short and all that bullshit," Dustin said, clasping his hands together in front of him. "So, uh, Stella. I wasn't born here, I moved here a little later on, so I wasn't as close as the other guys were. You introduced me to the party and since then we've all been best friends. You're the glue of the group, and I want you to know how thankful I am for everything you've ever done for me."

"You walked me to school on my first day at Hawkins Middle," Lucas smiled lopsidedly, scratching the back of his head. "I would've ridden my bike with the others but I was way too nervous. You asked me if I wanted to hold your hand, and even though I said no cause it would've been embarrassing, I love you for it. You've driven me to the arcade more times than I can count, and sat through a shit-load of sci-fi movies that you've hated but pretended to enjoy for the sake of all of us. You're amazing."

"You made me feel like I was ordinary when I felt anything but," Will continued, tucking his hands into his short pockets. "You've never given up on me, and you make sure I'm happy and safe without being controlling or overbearing. You bake us cookies when we're sick and learn the rules of D&D to make sure no one gets left out of anything. Usually when people say everything's gonna be okay, I don't believe them, but when you say it, I do."

"You're my sister," Max piped up, a widespread grin on her face. "You were the first person to talk to me when I came here, and you never once thought I was weird, or made me feel like this wasn't my home. I can come to you with literally any problem and you're there to help me, no matter what. You never hesitate when someone's in trouble, and you've taken care of us as if we're your own kids."

"You always believed in me," El noted, wincing a little as she shifted on her feet. "You made me feel like I belong. You never judge me for anything bad that I do, you just find a way to help or make me feel better. Thank you, Star."

Mike was the last to say something. "You're my best friend. You've dealt with my shit longer than anyone. You know every single thing about me and you've never once made me feel stupid or bad about myself. You're honest, and kind, and you care about everyone no matter what they've done. You give everyone a chance, and that means the world to kids like us, kids like me. You're literally the greatest person ever to exist. You're like...superman, or Princess Leia. You've given up so much time to be a good friend to all of us, and without you we'd probably all be dead or dumbasses. I love you, Star. And I know you're probably thinking that you can't leave us, but it's okay. You've taken care of us this long, now it's time to take care of yourself."

Steve rubbed circles with his thumb on Stella knee, his own tears welling up in his eyes. He knew she was an important figure to the party, but he never truly realised the impact she'd had on their lives. She was a constant, someone who never shied away from giving help or advice. She truly was a good person. 

She was Stella Collins. 

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