STARCROSSED ▷ steve harrington

06. dig dug

CHAPTER SIX - DIG DUG

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"SO YOU DON'T have a crush on Dustin or Lucas?" Jackie asked with a teasing smile, and Max chucked a pillow at her from the bed, but she easily caught it and threw the object right back. "That is not an answer."

"No!" She protested, freckled cheeks heating up.

"Really? Cause I think Lucas is pretty cute, and I'm like ninety percent positive he feels the same way about you."

"Shut up," Max grew serious. "Besides, Billy doesnt want me to be around him."

"Ugh, screw him. Since when have you ever listened to our sweet, sweet step-brother? Never."

"I'm mad at Lucas anyway," Max went on, staring at the floor as the thumbed the pillow absentmindedly. "They treat me like garbage. One minute we're friends the next they're off going into the AV room to spill secrets like little school girls. It's dumb."

"Boys are dumb," Jackie corrected. "Especially at your age. They don't get better, but they do gain some sort of common sense. Just wait. Besides, who ever said they're not gossiping about how cute you are?"

Max rolled her eyes with extreme annoyance, although Jackie could see the blush forming on her face anyway as she smugly opened the magazine on her lap.

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After dropping Max off at the arcade, Jackie made her way towards the Wheeler's. Nancy had suggested that the two of them hung out to have a study session to catch Jackie up on the work she missed the first month of school.

She re-read the address Nancy had written down on a piece of paper to double check that she hadn't just parked her car in front of some random person's house, and climbed out of the car to cross the front lawn, bag slung over her shoulder. She didn't even make it halfway before she falter upon seeing a familiar face turning away from the door.

"Oh, perfect," he shot her a grin. "I could use someone like you right about now."

"Dustin?"

"Jackie?" Another voice called out from behind her. She furrowed her brows and spun around.

"Steve?" Dustin and Jackie questioned in unison. The three of them gathered together.

"This is great timing," Dustin commented. Jackie gave Steve a look when she saw the bouquet of flowers in his hands, and he returned it innocently as if he didn't know what she meant. "Are those for Mister or Misses Wheeler?"

"No," Steve answered, clearly confused.

"Good," Dustin snatched the flowers from him, and Steve sputtered.

"I thought you were done with Nancy," Jackie accused, her brows lifting in suspicion. Steve shrunk back at her gaze.

"I am, I was just coming to apologize."

"Apologize for what? Her not loving you?" Before he had time to respond, Jackie looked to Dustin. "And actually, speaking of the devil, I'm supposed to be studying with Nancy right now, so Dustin could you please tell us what the hell you're stopping us for?"

"I need my flowers back, man," Steve complained, and went to reach them just as Dustin moved his hand away.

"Nancy isn't home," the younger boy announced.

"Nancy isn't home?" Jackie repeated in confusion. "But we-"

"Where is she?" Steve cut her off. Jackie glared daggers in his direction.

"Doesn't matter," Dustin waved them off. "We have bigger problems than your love life and grades right now. You still have that bat?"

"Bat?" Steve was taken aback. "What bat?"

"The one with the nails," Dustin clairifed, sounding annoyed.

"I'm sorry, why the hell do you have a bat with nails?" Jackie questioned, eyes flickering between the two of them as her confusion only grew. The boys glanced at her, and then back at each other in sync, and Jackie almost laughed at their twin expressions.

Dustin turned, "she still doesn't know?"

"Figured you and your motley crew would've told her by now, so no. I signed a contract. I legally can't say anything."

"Excuse me, can someone please explain what is going on?"

"I will in the car," Dustin stated. Jackie hopped into the passenger seat as Steve and Dustin climbed into the car as well. "My house."

Steve put the gear in drive, and took off in the direction of Dustin's house. She turned in her seat so she could watch them both. "So..." she began. "Explain before I throw myself out of the car." 

Dustin sighed, and leaned forward from the backseat so his head was where the console was. "You're lucky you're sitting, nobody wants to be told this why they're standing up." He took a deep breath. There was a weird sort of tension in the car now. "When Will disappeared last year, it wasn't because he was lost in the woods."

Dustin went on to explain, and Jackie listened to him with wide eyes, and when he was finally finished they pulled up to his house just as she leaned back in her seat. "Holy shit."

"I know right? It sounds totally crazy but-"

"It totally does. I mean seriously? A monster from a board game? A girl with the power to move shit with her brain? You could literally be an author or something." She tried to hide her annoyance and how she felt like she was being toyed with. She wondered if this was how kids felt when adults didn't tell them anything. "But now that the story time is over, care to inform me with what is actually happening?"

Dustin raised his brows. "So you don't believe me?"

"Dustin," Jackie said a little impatiently. "Did you hear yourself? Why would I fall for that crap?"

"Jackie," Steve spoke softly, turning to face her seriously, which shocked her. Steve Harrington had never been serious in all of the two weeks she knew him. "He's not lying. I've seen this thing myself." Jackie blinked, staring at his face to scan his expression. She was usually good with reading people, but now she didn't know what to believe. Maybe Steve was just a good actor, and he and Dustin thought it would be a good idea to prank the new girl. Were they really pulling her leg?

Steve went on without missing a beat. "Which brings me to my next question, why the hell do you need the bat with nails again?"

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authors note

(rewritten as of 3/15/21)

sorry this is so short! i couldn't find any place to put jackie without her character seeming out of place.