The next day, mom went out looking for Mews at Loch Nora again. We're going hunting. Hunting for Dart that is. Dustin has been repeatedly calling a code red through his walkie talkie, annoying the shit out of me.
"Guys code red! I repeat, code. Red! Can someone please answer? Seriously, guys. Code r-"
"Dustin, would you please... shut the hell up." I say walking into his room. "You're giving me a headache."
"No one is answering Dani!" He says, throwing his walkie onto his bed. He starts tying his shoes. Once he's finished, he stands up and throws up his arms exaggeratedly. "What the hell else am I supposed to do?"
"Just wait it out, I'm sure someone will check in sooner or later."
Before he can respond, we hear a car horn outside.
"Grab your shit, Steve is here." I say as I leave.
**
"Hey." Steve says to me as I sit in the passenger seat.
"Hi." I smile back at him. "Dustin will be out soon. He's running a little behind."
He responds with the nod of his head. An awkward silence engulfs us, causing me to look anywhere but at Steve.
"Listen about the other day..." He begins to say.
Oh, God.
Looking down at the floor, still not making eye contact, I spot a bouquet of flowers by my feet.
Are those for m-
"It was a misunderstanding."
Shit.
Subconciously nodding my head, I can't take my eyes off of the flowers. I'm not even paying attention to what he's saying because I already knew that this was all too good to be true. Those flowers aren't for me. They're for Nancy.
"Danielle, I'm s-"
"It's okay." I say, trying not to shed some tears. Choking them back, I mustering up the courage, and look at him. "I understand."
"You do?" He asks a little confused.
"Yeah." I whisper.
Looking down, he smiles a grateful smile. "Thanks." Steve says not taking his eyes off of the floor. Slowly, his smile fades. He takes notice in the flowers laying by my feet. "Oh, shit." He mumbles.
Before he can say anything else, Dustin quickly opens the back door, scaring Steve and I.
"Did you get the meat?" He asks Steve.
"Uh. Y-yeah I got it."
I move my gaze to the passenger window, never taking my eyes off of the outside world as we drive away from the house.
"Here's the plan." Dustin says.
**
Steve, Dustin, and I eventually make it to the railroad tracks. Steve unlocks the trunk and starts grabbing the supplies. He gives each of us yellow cleaning gloves. After we put them on, we start unloading the buckets of meat from the trunk.
"Dustin. This is Lucas. Do you copy? Dustin?" We hear coming from Dustin's walkie in his backpack.
Dustin, with his head set on, stops helping, and speaks Into the microphone. "Well, well, well, look who it is."
"Sorry, man. My stupid sister turned it off."
"Well, when you were having sister problems, Dart grew again, he escaped, and I'm pretty sure he's a baby Demogorgon."
Once Steve and I are done unloading the trunk, he starts packing his bag. He shoves the gas can inside and then grabs his bat. Steve also puts it in his bag, causing the bat to stick out of the top. We still haven't said a word or even looked at each other since our conversation in my driveway.
"Wait, what?"
"I'll explain later. Just meet me, Dani, and Steve at the old junkyard.
"Steve?"
"And bring your binoculars and wrist rocket."
"Steve Harrington?"
"Alright." Steve says as he closes the trunk. "Let's go."
"Just be there, stat. Over and out." Dustin says, ends the conversation
Each of us grab a bucket of meat and we start making our trek through the woods.
**
The three of us are walking down the old railroad tracks, with me leading. I stay a little bit further from the boys. As of right now, I want to try and be as far away from Steve Harrington as possible.
Steve and Dustin start their own conversation, leaving me to my thoughts.
I'm never eating meat again. I say to myself as I keep throwing out small chunks onto the tracks.
Apparently, I've been in my own world because how in the hell did I not know Dustin has a crush on a girl? I listen in on his and Steve's conversation.
"I mean, why would a girl like some nasty, slug, anyway?" Steve asks.
"An interdimensional slug? Because it's awesome." Dustin states.
It is most definitely not cool.
"Well, even if she thought it was cool, which she didn't, I... I just... I don't know I just feeling like you're trying way too hard."
Girls like it when guys put in effort Harrington.
"Well, not everyone can have your perfect hair, all right?" Dustin says defensively.
"It's not about the hair, man. The key with girls is just... just acting like you don't care."
What the fuck?
"Even if you do?"
"Yeah, exactly, it drives them nuts."
"Excuse me?" I say dumb founded as I quickly turn around.
They stop in their tracks at my sudden outburst.
"What?" Steve asks me a little defensive. "I'm just giving him advice." He gestures to Dustin with his free hand.
"Yeah and the wrong kind." I state as a matter of fact. I turn to look at Dustin, who looks so, so, confused.
"Dustin, if you really want a girl to like you. Don't listen to anything Steve says."
"Hey, that's good advice!" Steve says offended, causing me to lock eyes with him.
"No, it's not! You're teaching my little brother how to be a douchebag!"
Steve looks at me stunned as I turn my attention back to Dustin.
"Any girl likes it when a guy puts in effort. Show her how much you like her. Get to know her and see if you guys have any common interests. Leave her notes. Buy her flowers." At this point I began listing things I only wish Steve would do with me. "And be nice to her! Because I can tell you from experience, that no girl likes a douchebag." With that being said, I turn around and continue walking, throwing chunks of meat back out onto the railroad tracks.
The sound of leaves crunching behind me indicate that they too, starting walking again.
"Then what?" I barely hear Dustin ask Steve.
Did he even hear me?
"You just wait until uh... until you feel it..." Steve says also ignoring my spew.
Nope.
"Feel what?"
"It's like before it's gonna storm, you know? You can't see it, but you can feel it, like this, uh... electricity, you know?"
"Oh, like in the electromagnetic field, when the clouds in the atmosphere-"
"No, no, no, no, no. Like a... sexual electricity." I hear Steve say a little quieter.
"You're digging yourself a deeper hole Harrington!" I yell back as I continue to throw meat.
"How can she hear from that far away?"
"I don't know?" Dustin responds.
"Anyway, you feel that and then you make your move."
"So that's when you kiss her?"
"Yes!" I shout back again.
"No!" Steve shouts back at me this time. "Slow down, Romeo. Sure, okay, some girls, yeah, they want you to be aggressive. You know, strong, hot and heavy... like a.. I don't know, like a lion."
I roll my eyes at his utterly stupid response.
"But with others, you gotta be slow, you gotta be stealthy, like a... like a ninja."
"What type is Nancy?" Dustin asks.
God, I really don't want to hear this part.
Nancy's different. She's different than the other girls.
Of course she is.
"Yeah, she seems pretty special I guess. What about Dani?"
What?
"What?"
"Oh come on, I know you guys have a thing for each other."
This time neither Steve or I say a word.
"Listen, I may be young and a little bit naïve to relationships. But I'm not stupid. You guys are acting different towards each other today versus yesterday. So... what kind is Dani?"
"Um... well -" Steve starts, but I cut him off seeing the path to the junkyard.
"Oh, look!" I stop in front in front of the path, causing Dustin and Steve to look my way. "We're here."
**
Their conversation stops once we step foot on the junkyard.
"Oh, yeah. Yeah, this will do." Steve says as he takes off his stupid sunglasses, that he in by no way, looks good with them on, and walks away from Dustin and I. "This will do just fine. Good call dude."
With a smile on Dustin's face and a blank slate on mine, we follow him, continuing to spread out the meat. Once we felt like we spread it out enough, Steve chose a spot for us, to dump the rest of the meat in a pile.
"I said medium-well!" We hear Lucas shout from a distance.
The three of us look over to see him and... a girl. She looks a little familiar? Wait, is that...
Billy's sister.
They start to make their way over to us.
"Who's that?" Steve asks Dustin.
However, Dustin doesn't respond and just stares at the girl... almost sadly?
Steve and I glance at each other with an understanding look on our faces. That's her. Billy's sister is the girl Dustin has a crush on.
**
Dustin and Lucas went off somewhere to talk while Billy's sister, Steve, and I start to make a shelter using the run-down bus.
We were putting old pieces of tin on the broken windows, when Steve walked away.
"I'm Max." Billy's sister speaks up.
Turning my attention to her, I notice that she actually looks nothing like Billy.
"Hi." I say back. "I'm Danielle, Dani to most."
"Yeah, I've seen you around school. You're Dustin's sister, right?"
I smile as she gives me a hand with a big piece of tin. "Yeah, I am. And you're Billy's sister, right?"
She goes a little quiet as we carry the tin and prop it up against the front of the bus, starting a pile.
"Step-sister." She quietly corrects me.
"Oh, really? I don't know what Dustin has told you, but I was adopted, so I kind of understand."
"Cool." She says just when Steve, Dustin, and Lucas come over and help.
"Alright." Steve says clapping his hands. "Let's get to work."
With that, the boys start helping Max and I board up the bus with the remainder of the tin. Then, five of us roll old, empty, barrels down the hill. Steve grabs the gas can out of his bag and makes a trail from the pile of meat over to the bus as Max and I move stuff out of his way. Max picks up a ladder and we decide that we can use it to get on the roof of the bus. It's light enough for her to carry, so she goes and props it up against the roof exit on the bus.
We finish before the sun sets and make our way into the bus. Steve and I were last to go in. Before I could step foot on the bus, I'm pulled away by Steve.
"Danielle, can we talk real quick?" He asks.
"Sure." I sigh and he drops my hand.
"Okay. I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. I didn't mean to lead you on or anything. It's.. It's just with this whole shitshow with Nancy and everything... I'm confused."
"Steve, I meant what I said in the car earlier. I understand. I mean, yeah, sure my feelings are hurt a little bit. But it's okay. Truthfully, I shouldn't have overstepped either. Nancy and I have been friends for a long time, I don't know your guys' current situation. So, in that sense, I over stepped and I'm sorry too." I say quietly. "And I'm sorry for saying this too, but I'll probably always have feelings for you. I mean who doesn't have feelings for Steve 'The Hair' Harrington?" We both let out a dry chuckle.
Smiling I continue. "You and Nancy deserve each other. Don't blow it."
"Thanks, Danielle. Who knows what the future will tell though?" He says a little smugly.
"Don't get ahead of yourself Harrington." I joking scold him and start walking back to the bus.
"Oh, it's Harrington now?" I chuckles as he jogs a little to catch up. "What happened to Steve?" He says teasingly.
"Oh, shut up." I say smiling as we make it to the doors of the bus. He lets me go in first with his hand out. "Thank you..." I say as I take the first step.
Looking over my shoulder, "Steve." I say and make my way into the bus.
**
It's dark and a little foggy out now. Lucas just made his way to the roof of the bus to keep a look out.
Dustin, Steve, Max, and I are sitting down in the bus. Steve is messing with his lighter as I sit next to him. Dustin is pacing around and Max is sitting in the back of the bus. Watching Dustin pace is making me dizzy.
"So, you really fought one of these things before?" Max asks Steve and I.
"Yeah." I say while Steve nods his head.
"And you're, like, totally, one hundred percent sure it wasn't a bear?"
"Shit. Don't be an idiot. Okay? It wasn't a bear." Dustin yells at her.
"Dustin!" I scold him
"Why are you even here id you don't believe us? Just go home."
"Geesh. Someone's cranky. Past your bedtime?" She says to Dustin as she climbs up the ladder.
"That's good. Just show her you don't care." Steve tells Dustin.
I nudge his shoulder and say, "Really? Didn't we already discuss this."
Steve just shrugs his shoulder and we continue to watch Dustin pace.
"I don't." Dustin says.
Steve winks at Dustin from behind me.
"Why are you winking, Steve?"
Steve shrugs his shoulders again and looks away.
"Stop." Dustin says.
The more time passes by, the more I can't help but feel nervous. Steve seems to sense this.
"Hey, you okay?" He asks me quietly.
"Yeah... just a little nervous I guess. I mean who knows how big Dart is now?"
"It's gonna be o-" Steve goes to say but is cut off by a loud screech coming from the junkyard.
Here we go.
Dustin, Steve, and I look through the guarded window to see if we can get a better look.
"You see him?" Dustin asks.
"No." Steve and I respond.
"Lucas, what's going on?" Dustin shouts.
"Hold on!" Lucas yells down to us. "I've got eyes! Ten o'clock! Ten o'clock!" He screams
"There." I point out.
"What's he doing?" Dustin asks.
"I don't know."
"He's not taking the bait. Why is he not taking the bait?" Steve asks.
"Maybe he's not hungry?" I question.
"Maybe he's sick of cow."
Steve backs away from the window and stands up. Dustin and I both look at him, silently questioning. Steve walks away from us and grabs his bat with nails.
"Steve? Steve, what are you doing?" I ask following him. "Steve?"
He turns back to me and holds up his lighter. "Stay here and get ready."
With that, he tosses me the lighter and opens the bus door. I quickly follow Steve, after handing Dustin the lighter. before he can get off the bus, I grab his arm. "I'm coming with you, you'll get yourself killed."
"Go back Danielle." He tells me sternly.
"No." I say, folding my arms over my chest.
"Danielle, we don't have time for this!"
"Exactly! So, I'm coming with you!" I scream as I shove past him, through the door. I step off of the bus and turn back towards Steve.
Steve holds a very shocked, yet pissed off look on his face.
"You'll need me out here." I say still trying to convince him. "I have powers remember? I'll be able to protect you as you go ape shit with your bat on this thing."
Steve doesn't take long to decide. He quickly joins me outside. With our guards up. Meaning Steve's bat and my hands, we walk forward to where Dart was spotted. As we step closer, my body begins to rack with nerves.
Protect the kids. Protect Steve. Don't get eaten.
As I repeat those words to myself, Steve lets out a whistle. "Come on, buddy." He starts to swing his bat as he continues to whistle.
We step up to the pile of meat that we dumped there earlier. "Come on, buddy. Come on, buddy." Steve continues to say.
"Come on, Dart. Dinner time." I anxiously say. "Human tastes better than cat, I promise."
We can barely make Dart out in the fog as he stands in front of us. Growling. Steve, still swinging his bat, takes a couple steps closer. I follow, my hair blowing from the sudden breeze. The breeze blows away some of the fog, we can see Dart more clearly now.
"Holy shit." I whisper to Steve. "He did not look like that yesterday."
Dart is way bigger and looks even more like a Demogorgon.
Steve holds his bat up, ready.
"Get behind me." I state, stepping in front of him. With my hands up, I'm ready to send this fucker back to the Upside Down.
"Watch out!" We hear Lucas shout out to us.
"A little busy here!" Steve shouts back.
"Three o'clock! Three o'clock!"
Hesitantly taking our eyes off of Dart, we look to the right. Another Demogorgon, that looks exactly like Dart, jumps onto a run-down car. On either side of the car, there are two more.
"Guys! Dani! Steve! Abort! Abort!" Dustin yells from the bus.
A loud growl comes from Dart, causing us to look back at him. His mouth opens and he runs straight for us. Thinking quickly, Steve pulls us out of the way, barely escaping rows, upon rows of sharp teeth. We land on the ground, missing another Demogorgon, as it files through the empty windshield of the car.
"Steve run!" I shout as I blast Dart away from us.
"Dani, run! Steve, hurry!" The kids shout from the bus.
After blasting two more Demogorgons away, Steve grabs my hand and pulls me to my feet.
We make a break for it. Demogorgons, hot on our trail, as we hurriedly run to the open door.
"Guys, hurry!" I hear Max scream.
Putting my hand behind my back, as Steve steps on the bus, I'm able to blast them away. We jump into the bus and Dustin quickly closes the door. The Demogorgons don't give up as they're now crashing into the door, nearly knocking it down.
"Shit!" Dusin screams.
"Are they rabid or something?" Max screams
Steve grabs a piece of tin and holds it against the door with his feet.
"They can't get in! They can't!" Lucas screams.
Suddenly the entire bus shakes and we scream. Everything stops for a slight second before an arm busts through the tin.
"Shit!" Dustin screams
"To the back! I yell at the kids and they hurriedly run to the back of the bus.
Steve is beating the Demogorgon's arm with his bat. I blast the Demogorgon away, allowing Steve to get up.
"Is anyone there? Mike? Will? God! Anyone!" Dustin yells into his microphone.
The Demogorgons start crashing into the bus from all different directions. I fire my powers at them, trying my best to keep them away.
"We are at the old junkyard and we are going to die!" Dustin continues to scream.
Silence consumes us as we only pay attention to the large dents that are being put into the ceiling, followed with a bang. It's walking to the escape hatch. Max looks straight up, in terror, as Dart is now right above her. She lets out a piercing scream and I quickly run in front of her with my hand up, about to blast it.
"Out of the way! Out of the way!" Steve says shoving me back. He holds his nail bat up to Dart. "You want some?" He screams at Dart. Who lets out a terrifying roar in response. "Come get this!"
Roaring, Dart slowly starts to lower himself down the ladder, only for him to stop. He drifts his attention off of us and gets off of the ladder. Dart lets out a frightening howl and jumps off of the bus, shaking it as he does so.
All of us freeze as we listen to them run away, growling in the distance.
"Is everyone okay?" I ask.
"Yeah." Everyone but Steve responds. Instead he starts to walk to the door. We follow trailed after him. Steve opens the door, with his bat up, and we all, slowly, step out of the bus.
"What happened?" Lucas asks.
"I don't know." Max says.
"Steve scared them off." Dustin says.
"No." I state stepping out further into the junkyard. "No way." I continue as I turn around to Steve and the kids. "They're going somewhere."