________
c h a p t e r t h i r t y - t h r e e
"Okay, we should probably head out, you know how Mom gets when you're home late," Sam wipes her hands, standing up. "I'll drop them off then meet you at yours?"
"Sounds perfect," he puts some cash on the table, leading the group back out into the parking lot.
"Please follow the speed limit and no putting lip gloss on while driving," he warns as the girls get in her car.
"Sir, yes, sir," she salutes, chuckling as she does so. "I would appreciate if everyone would stop questioning my license."
"We would appreciate not feeling like we're gonna die every time you're behind the wheel," Bianca retorts.
"See you in 30," Steve leans in the window, kissing her softly.
"Bye," she smiles, pulling off.
As soon as she does, Robin practically loses her mind. "You have to tell him. I can't keep this secret any longer."
"You said you're good at keeping secrets!" Sam retorts.
"I am, but it's been almost three weeks, and he keeps asking me if I got my acceptance letter yet, when I know he really just wants to know if you did."
"Okay, I'm sorry. I know it's wrong," she sighs, turning onto Maple Street. "I just don't know how to tell him."
"You really think he'd be mad at you for that?" Bianca raises an eyebrow.
"No, he won't be mad. He'll be completely supportive and so happy for me, but it's secretly gonna be killing him. I'm not just going to Indianapolis, I'm going to New York. We can scratch visiting on the weekends off the board."
"If I know Steve, I know he's probably gonna fill up that poor Beamer every Friday and drive those 12 hours. All because he loves you," Robin assures.
"I don't know... I just... Give me another week. I'll tell him, I swear," Sam parks in front of her house, letting Bianca out.
"Please make sure she upholds her promise," Bianca holds her hands up.
"I'll try, your sister is excellent at avoiding things. Fly safe."
"That she is."
"And again they talk about me like I'm not right here," Sam sarcastically remarks, before getting out.
She pulls Bianca in for a brief hug, reminding her, "Remember to call mom when you land or she'll have a heart attack, try not to kill Mike, and tell Will... Tell Will and El I said hi."
She has a lapse in memory at the end, knowing she wanted to tell Will something specific but simply couldn't remember what for the life of her.
"I can promise you I'll do two of those things."
"Hey, that's a majority, sounds like a win," Robin sticks her head out the window.
"Whatever, be careful. Oh, and please have some fun," Sam raises her eyebrows in accusation, getting in the car.
"I'll stop at that shave ice stand just for you," she calls, walking up the driveway.
As she fishes her keys out of her bookbag, she notices a tiny drop of red on the porch, just under where she was standing.
Immediately, she reaches for her nose, and surely enough, she was bleeding.
"What the hell?" she furrows her eyebrows, wiping her nose off.
She then unlocks the door, greeting her parents at the kitchen table.
"How was the game? We heard Lucas made the winning shot!" Gianna cheers.
"Yeah, he did. It was really cool."
"Where are your friends? We figured you guys might want celebratory dessert after tonight. Just like when you guys used to win the science fair."
"Uh, not tonight," she shrugs. "They didn't come."
"Not even Max?"
"No," she shakes her head, hanging her jacket in the hallway closet. "She's still kinda dealing with the whole Billy thing."
"I understand," Leo smiles softly, clearly thinking of his now pronounced dead best friend.
"I'll take one though. And I'm sure Robin and Steve will finish them off next time they come by," she reaches for the cupcakes, taking a bite of one.
"Just one, you have an early flight tomorrow."
"I know. Goodnight," Bianca throws away the wrap, heading upstairs.
She calls Max once she finishes her shower, frowning as the dial rings. She almost gives up, putting it back in the holder when Max picks up.
"Hey, sorry, I was feeding the dog."
"No worries, just wanted to check on you."
"Check on me? Why?"
"Well, you seemed super down today, and you always seem a little down, but today it was like, tenfold."
"I'm not down. I'm fine, really."
"Well, when I get back, we should have another sleepover. Feels like it's been ages," she sighs.
"Yeah," Max smiles. "Yeah, that'll be fun."
"Great! Well, I've got an early flight-"
"How was the game?" the redhead blurts. "Sorry, I just..."
Bianca grins mischievously at that, knowing there was some tension between the two since their break up. "He got the winning shot."
"That's really good. He's serious about this, isn't he?"
"Yeah, I think so," she smiles. "Just talk to him, Max. I know you're going through a lot right now, but we're all here for you. You don't have to shut us out."
"I know. I'll see you soon."
"See you," she hangs up, flopping back onto her bed.
She was staring at the now painted ceiling, contemplating everything that seemed to be different these days as Gianna walks in.
"Hi honey," she lays down as well, also staring at the brush-stroked constellations.
"Hey," she flatly responds.
"You okay? You looked miserable walking through the door."
"Just tired. I'm gonna head to bed, actually. You know, early flight and all," she clams up, reaching for her lamp.
"Oh, okay," Gianna inspects her face a while longer, hoping to get a clue of what was wrong. "I'll wake you up at 5."
"Thanks Mom."
"Mhm," she nods, lingering by the door. "You know you can talk to me. I was 14 once too."
"I know. I really am tired, ma."
"Okay, goodnight."
_____
Meanwhile, Sam was knocking on Steve's front door, awaiting her boyfriend with a grin.
He opens the door with a smile to rival hers, immediately pulling her in for a kiss. "I missed you."
"It's been twenty minutes," she teases.
"More like twenty years," he retorts, holding up two movies. "I borrowed Sixteen Candles and Fast Times. What are you in the mood for?"
"See, I find it very funny how we entertain this question every time I come over as if we don't... lose our focus twenty minutes into the movie?" she takes off her shoes and letterman.
"You say lose our focus, I say focus on more productive activities," he shrugs.
"Oh, productive. I like that word," she nods, walking up the stairs alongside him.
She then walks in the bathroom, taking the bow out of her hair, immediately sighing at the release of tension from her scalp. "My head has been killing me all day."
"Everything okay?" he frowns, running his fingers through the strands.
"Yeah, just a long day I guess. One too many flips," she shrugs. "Shower will probably help."
"Oh, I bought more of that body wash you like," he smiles.
"The lavender and vanilla one?" she gasps. "Have I ever told you you're the best boyfriend ever?"
"Wouldn't hurt to say it again," he gives a smug grin, as she pulls his collar down, planting a kiss on his lips.
"I can do you one better. Wanna get in with me?"
"I thought you'd never ask," he shuts the door, pulling his shirt off.
______
"One water and a super soft blanket for the lady," Steve walks back in his bedroom, met with Sam, now dressed in his shirt, sketching something on the bed.
"Thank you," she reaches for the glass, returning to her sketch as he lays down next to her, head peeking over her shoulder.
"What are you working on?"
"Nothing really. It's not that great," she tilts her head at the intricate spiderweb drawn across the page.
"Why a spiderweb?"
"I don't know. Most of the time I just draw whatever I can't get out of my head," she shrugs. "I think something's missing."
"Well, where's the spider?"
"I don't know."
"Sam, you're scaring me."
"I've been having nightmares. Guess it's to be expected with everything we've been through, but these feel different."
"Different how?" he sits up.
"I can't figure it out yet. But in these dreams, I feel like... like I'm caught in a spider's web, but I never see the spider."
"How long has this been going on?"
"You know they come back on and off, but these have only been happening for a few days," she responds, looking down in embarrassment. "It's stupid."
"It's not stupid if it's bothering you. How much sleep have you been getting?"
"Like a couple hours each night."
"God, Sam," he tilts his head, sympathy in his eyes as he wraps her in his arms, laying back down. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"Just stay here, I guess," she takes in a breath, placing the sketchbook in her bag and laying back on Steve's chest. "Would you ever leave Hawkins?"
"Depends. In this hypothetical scenario, are you leaving with me?"
Actually, it's the other way around, Steve.
"Sure," she nods. "In this hypothetical scenario, we're leaving together."
"Oh, then without a doubt."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I mean, the kids would understand, you know? Hawkins sucks," he shrugs. "Where'd we go?"
"Hm, anywhere. It's a hypothetical, so, it doesn't really matter."
"Yeah, well last time you asked me about a hypothetical scenario, you ended up doing exactly that."
"Well, this time is different. I'm just wondering," she shakes her head. "No reason."
"... Okay," he narrows his eyes, not quite believing her.
Instead of asking anything else, she opts to wrap her arms around him tighter. "I can't believe this time two years ago, we weren't even speaking."
"Promise we won't do that again," he sighs. "I can't imagine not having you by my side all the time."
"Me either," she holds up her pinky finger. "You and me?"
He chuckles, wrapping his own pinky around hers. "You and me."