╰┈➤ chapter two;
not destined to be a hero
── •✧• ──
"YOU'RE reading that dusty encyclopaedia again?" Addy asked as she walked into Viola's room, the strawberry blonde hunched over the book that sat on her desk. "Boring." She muttered, grabbing Viola's shoulders and pulling her out from her seat.
"Hey!" Exclaimed Viola. "I was reading that."
"I can see that." Said Addy, grabbing a pair of sunglasses for her and herself before pulling her friend out the room. "But we're going outside today."
Viola groaned, tilting her head back. "All we ever do is go outside. Can't I stay inside for a little while?"
"It's summer! We have to enjoy it while we can."
"Fine, whatever." Mumbled Viola under her breath, letting Addy drag her to the bus stop where they waited for the bus to come pick them up. "If we used our bikes, we would already be there." She remarked after twenty minutes of standing.
"Bikes are for little kids." Said Addy.
Viola rolled her eyes. "Not necessarily. My cousin and his friends use bikes all the time."
"Who's your cousin again? The Hende-what now boy? Isn't he friends with Will the freak Byers and the other weirdos?"
"Dustin Henderson. And they're not weird. Weird things merely happen to them."
Addy raised an eyebrow. "Byers came back from the dead."
"At least he came back." Viola snapped, regretting it immediately. Addy's face fell at the reminder of Steph, and she scoffed before stalking away.
Viola took a deep breath and leaned against the bus stop pole, closing her eyes to process yet another destructive conversation she had no please in having. Her eyes snapped open when she heard the crack of a branch not too far away, a face hiding behind a bush across the road.
A small smirk grew on her face. "You can come out, y'know." She called.
The person stood from behind the bush, revealing the one and only Dustin Henderson. He made his way to Viola, who brought him into a hug as soon as he crossed the road.
"Woah! Hey!" He said, patting her shoulders. He had over heard Viola's and Addy's conversation and he knew his cousin was shaken so he did his best to comfort her.
"Look at you, all grown up now. How was camp?"
Dustin beamed. "Great! I got a girlfriend!"
Viola gasped. "No way."
Dustin nodded. "Yes way!"
Making a proud face, Viola hung her palm in the air for a high five. "That's my man, Dustie."
── •✧• ──
She really didn't want to know how her life came down to visiting Steve Harrington per her cousins request. Viola was stuck with wondering about her life choices, especially when Dustin walked up to the counter in Scoops Ahoy, way too happy.
"Hi." He said to Robin who looked as if she were to fall over.
"Hi." She boredly responded.
"I'm Dustin. This is Viola."
"I'm Robin." She smiled, warily glancing at Viola.
"Pleasure to meet you. Is he here?"
"Is who here?"
At that moment, Steve burst through the door, a smile taking over his face when he met eyes with Dustin. "Henderson." He stated in disbelief.
Dustin laughed and Steve walked around the counter, jumping in joy. "Henderson! He's back, he's back!"
"You got the job!" Exclaimed Dustin.
"I got the job!" Steve did a flute impression and jumped up to Dustin, the pair slapping their palms together in a weird handshake.
Viola raised an eyebrow. "I remind myself and others everyday that Dustin and his group aren't weird but then I witness shit like this."
Robin glanced at the girl and hummed, her gaze going a bit lower than what was counted as usual. She tore her eyes away and looked back at the weird pair. "How many children are you friends with?" She asked.
Steve opened his mouth to say something, but then he realised that his only friends were children.
── •✧• ──
"No, no way." Steve said as Dustin told him about his girlfriend. "Hotter than Pheobe Cates?"
"Hey, you never told me that!" Exclaimed Viola, raising an eyebrow at Dustin.
Dustin awkwardly shrugged. "Sorry, must've slipped my mind." He turned back to Steve. "Brilliant, too. She doesn't even care that my real pearls are still setting in. She says 'kissing is better without teeth'."
"Wow. That's great! I'm proud of you, man. That's kinda romantic. That's like, wow."
Viola almost laughed. "Dude, if you can't say anything then don't force the words."
Dustin took bite of his waffle cracker that was sticking out of the ice cream dish, relinquishing in the taste. "You get to eat any of this, anytime you want?"
"Yeah." Answered Steve. "I mean, sure. Besides, it's not really a great idea for me, y'know. I gotta keep in shape for the ladies-"
"Yeah, and how's that working out for you?" Questioned Robin from where she was cleaning the tables.
"Ignore her." Stated Steve.
"She seems cool." Said Dustin.
"She is." Replied Viola, leaning her chin against her hand.
"She's not. So, where are the other knuckleheads?"
Dustin shook his head sadly, digging his plastic spoon into the melting ice cream. "They ditched me yesterday."
"No." Said Viola and Steve simultaneously, disbelief pure on their features.
"My first day back, you believe that shit?"
Viola shook her head, "You want me to find them and crack their bones?"
"No, no, don't. I swear to god, they're gonna regret it. Big time. When they don't get to share in my glory."
"Glory?" Asked Viola.
"Yeah, what glory?"
Steve glanced around the tables before scooting closer to Steve and Viola. "So last night I was trying to get in contact with Suzie and I..." Dustin placed his hand over his mouth and muttered something that neither Viola nor Steve heard.
"What?
He said it again, glancing around the place to make sure no one was looking at them.
"Say it louder."
"I intercepted a secret Russian communication!" Dustin said loudly, making the place go quiet as everyone looked at them.
"Geez." Muttered Viola. "Shut up."
"Yeah, okay that's what I thought you'd said. What does that mean?"
Dustin sighed as he went to explain. "It means that we could be heroes. American heroes."
"American heroes?" Asked Steve with a smirk.
Dustin nodded.
Viola frowned, as she remembered the things she did, the animals and people she was forced to hurt. "I could never be a hero." She stated sadly, looking down at her hands. The hands that had caused so much harm.
"Just think." Dustin continued. "You could have all the ladies you want and more."
"More?"
"And more?" Questioned Steve. "I like more. What's the catch?"
"No catch. I just need your help."
"With what?"
Dustin zipped open his bag, before pulling out a red dictionary, a smile on his face. "Translation."
── •✧• ──
AUTHORS NOTE;
i kinda dont like the cover :/ I might change it if I start hating it more