THE MONSTER
***
"You're an asshole, Steve Harrington."
***
MADISON WAS walking around town, a bag of groceries in her hand. She was humming along to a song she had heard earlier that day. She had had a good day so far. Of course it was hard to have a good day now.
Madi looked over to see Jonathan and Nancy. She thought about avoiding them before she heard Nancy's voice, "Mads?"
Madi turned to her, "What?"
"You might want to see this.." Jonathan yelled from the other side of the street. Madi shrugged and walked up to the two, "What's up?"
They both just looked up sadly. Madi followed their gaze and gasped at what she saw.
On the movie theater sign, in big red spray painted letters was,
"All the Right Moves starring Madison the slut Andrews."
Madi felt tears coming on, but she just wiped her eyes and started to walk away.
"Madi wait!" Nancy called after her.
"No, Nancy. Just...let me go." Madi said, walking home.
*
For the first time, Madi was grateful her father wasn't home, she didn't want him to see her like this. She closed the front door behind her, put her hand over her mouth, trying to hold back her cries.
But, she couldn't. She croaked out a sob and took a deep breath. She didn't understand. Who did this? Her mind drifted to Steve, although she wished it hadn't. Steve was a known douche around Hawkins, and Madi knew it. She knew better than to trust him.
"What were you thinking?" Madi asked herself, shaking her head. She moved to her kitchen, throwing the groceries where they needed to go, trying to get her mind off of what she just saw. She tried to convince herself it wasn't a big deal, but it was to her.
When she went back to school, people will be talking about it, they'll joke, and whisper behind her back. She just wanted it all to end and it hadn't even started yet.
And to think, she was starting to like him.
A couple hours later there was a knock on the door. Madi jumped up and composed herself, and opened the door. There stood the one and only, Steve Harrington.
He looked...rough. He looked as if he had gotten into a fight. He had a cut on his lip, a black eye, and a bleeding bruise on his cheek, his precious hair was also in shambles.
Madi was about to shut the door before Steve put his foot out to stop it, "Hold on, I just want to talk." He said pleadingly.
Madi rolled her eyes, "There's nothing to talk about Steve.." She said quietly.
"Please, just let me explain..please." Steve said.
Madi, being the too-nice person she was, opened the door all the way and yanked him inside, "Okay, talk."
Steve looked at the girl in front of him and felt his heart sank to his shoes.
"Tommy...he...wrote what you saw on the theater sign..." He said, looking down at his feet.
"Why?" Madi asked, not fully believing him.
Steve ran a hand over his hair, careful not to touch the painful bruise over his eye and forehead, "He...thought we were messing around. Like I was cheating on Nance, with you." He explained.
Madi looked at him confused. Now that she thought about it, she understood why he'd think that. Steve had been spending an awful lot of time with the ginger recently, and not with his 'girlfriend', Nancy Wheeler.
So alas once Madi realized it wasn't him, she softened up a bit, and looked at him amused, "You're an asshole, Steve Harrington."
Steve shook his head, "Not denying that.." he mumbled.
"C'mon let's get you cleaned up." Madi insisted, grabbing his hand and leading him to her bathroom, "sit." She said.
Steve hopped up, sitting on the marble counter, swinging his legs back and forth. Madi grabbed her little first aid kit out from under the sink, before turning to Steve, "So, what happened?"
"I uh, got into a fight." Steve said sheepishly, looking down. Madi tilted his chin upward and dabbed a wet cloth onto his lip, cleaning the cut a bit.
"With who?" Madi asked curiously, getting some ice for his black eye.
"Um—ah!" Steve winced as Madi placed the bag of ice on his eye.
Madi's eyes widened, "Sorry sorry sorry!" She said frantically.
Steve nodded, "It's fine."
"So who did you get in the fight with?" Madi asked.
"Jonathan Byers." Steve mumbled, but Madi heard. She furrowed her eyebrows, "Jonathan? Why?"
Steve sighed, "He assumed I was the one that wrote that on the sign, I said some things I shouldn't have, one thing led to another, and bam! A punch was thrown."
Madi frowned, they were fighting, because of her.
"I'm sorry.." she said, pushing his hair away from his face. She felt that this was partially her fault.
Steve frowned, "No no, don't be sorry. It's not your fault at all! If it's anyone's it's mine." He said seriously.
Madi put away her first aid kit and smiled, "alright you're all done! Just keep that ice on it for a few hours. Oh! And the swelling on your lip should be down by tomorrow as well."
Steve jumped down and smirked, "Thanks doc."
Madi rolled her eyes, "Whatever Harrington."
Steve smiled that damned smile that made Madi's heart jump, before walking to the door, "I uh, gotta get going.."
Madi nodded, "Yeah, I'll, see you at school."
Steve smiled and walked out, not before yelling, "Bye ginger!"
"Bye asshole!" Madi yelled back, a huge grin on her face. It was crazy, how despite the day she'd had, Steve could smile and make it all better.
*
Madi stood on the Byers front porch, knocking. She had been standing there for about 10 minutes, and was about to leave, before the door opened and she saw Joyce Byers, standing with a cigarette between her shaking fingers.
"Um, hi Joyce. Is Jonathan home?" Madi asked softly.
Joyce shook her head, "No, he's out."
Madi nodded and peaked inside to see letters painted onto the wall, and Christmas lights strung everywhere.
"Um...is everything alright Joyce?" Madi asked, concerned.
Joyce's eyes widened as she looked behind her, "Um, yeah! Everything great but listen I have to go...do something. It was great to see you!" Joyce said before quickly slamming the door.
"What was that about?" Madi asked herself as she walked off of the porch.
***