*Previously*
Many hours later, in Hawkins, Indiana.
Unlocking the door to the most familiar yet unfamiliar house I grew up in, I'm met by the crash of now scattered glass. There's four figures in my house I can register before I feel a strong strength clasped around my arm, pulling me right back the freezing outside. I stumble across the front yard trying to gain back my composure and as soon as I do I'm met with the pupils of my mother, Hopper, Dustin, and Steve.
I knew something was coming.
I just wasn't expecting to have Steve hurl me across freezing pavement.
"What the fuck Steve," I shout, my blood boiling and tears threatening to fall down. Not because of his grip, but because of frustration and anxiety.
With every inch of my gaze watching Steve's next move, his breathing slows down with his mouth opened before I'm hit with another impact.
The impact of his arms around me in embrace.
"You've really fucking done it this time Henderson." He says, muffled through my hair. All the words I never expected him to say when I came back. Though the shock is enormous for me, the thought of him reacting like this makes me finally return the tight embrace back.
"Get inside now," I hear from behind us, a voice I could be intimidated by.
Pulling away from Steve, I'm met with the figure of Hawkins finest chief; Hopper. Steve grabs my hand and leads me into the living room of my own house. The door slams right after, but it doesn't affect me once I'm met by the eyes of the person I need the most.
"Dustin," I mumble but I can't even process all the blues in life as my arms are around him, tighter than ever. A tear prickles down my face, and even more fall once I feel my brothers arms around me.
I pull away even though it's extremely hard to before I use the back of hands wipe away the hot tears.
"How fucking dare you Henderson," I hear Hoppers deep rowdy voice say, causing me to look at him, "you decide to disappear after you know what happened months ago; you decide to go missing when you're aware how much it affected your brother. Do you know much trouble you could get in?"
I know exactly what he means. He's just trying to keep it brief so my mother won't get suspicious.
"With what I found in your car and your mini vacation, I could send you to jail. One more toe out of line, just one more," he emphasizes, "you'll definitely be heading there."
Silently obeying, he takes one more long dirty look at me before opening the front door and slamming it after stepping out.
Who's next?
"Steve could you maybe step out for a while? Diana and I need to talk." My mother calmly says, my nerves rising due to her behavior.
"Yeah, I was just uh-gonna go buy some...um–bread! Yeah bread! I'll see you later Diana." He gives me a weary smile, before leaving. No one speaks until you could hear the sound of his car growing fainter and fainter.
"Dustin–go to your room."
Even Dustin obeys immediately, the wind being knocked out of him because our mother has never acted like this before. He's scared for his life and he didn't even do anything wrong.
"Diana Henderson. I never raised you like this. What is wrong with you? Are you trying to tell me something?"
"Nothings wrong mom," I snap back.
"Well great then. Until you shape up you'll spend double the days you were gone grounded. No car, no going out, no seeing that boy at all! Hell, I don't want you seeing that boy who dropped you off at all anymore! I don't even ask you for anything all the time and this is how you repay me! I will no longer be manipulated from you!"
"Manipulating you? You're never here most of the fucking time! Maybe if you weren't so soft things would be different," I reply back, my gaze on her, never breaking contact.
In my eyes I raised Dustin because of her disappearance all throughout the years.
"This isn't about me Diana. I don't even want to hear it or even look at you. Go to your room before I point out all the other mistakes you've done."
"Mother–"
"That's it!" she breaks before the icy blow of the flesh from the palm of her hand comes in contact with my cheek.
My curls are in my face, my jaw pinching. Though the slap was a hurtful surprise I don't let her see my pain. Instead I lift my head back up and pierce my eyes back at the woman who simply just financially provided for her children.
"You're extremely close to living on the streets! You're not leaving this house anymore until school starts again!" She shouts before one last glare and striding towards the front door, just to step out and slam it hard, so hard that the picture of Dustin on the wall crashes down to the floor.
With that I slowly turn around and start towards my room. Grabbing clothes from my drawers, I walk to the bathroom and quietly shut the door. Turning the nozzle of the shower on, I strip out of my dirty sweater and jeans and bra and panties.
Before the mirror fogs up I find myself staring at my reflection. I hate that I feel thinner than ever, I hate that my skin gets more lighter in the winter, I hate that my eyes are so red it looks as if I was crying blood earlier.
My steps take me into the shower, the hot water all over my skin. For a moment I just stand there, the only peace I'll ever have for a while.
•
Brushing through my wet hair on my bed, the droplets hit the back of my t-shirt. Too lost in thought, there's a small knock at my door. There Dustin stands, looking a bit shaken up and worried.
"Hey Dee," he quietly speaks, slowly coming to sit next to me. I notice that as he does, his feet finally can reach the floor.
"Hi Dusty," I reply, the guilt and burden finally falling upon my head.
"A-Are you okay?" He shakily asks.
Giving him a small smile, "I'm okay Dustin. Really. Remember I will take the bullet for you for anything. I go through that shit so you don't have to. I'm just sorry that you had to listen to it."
"I heard that slap..." he worriedly points out, looking at my cheek for any sign.
"Nothing your sister hasn't been through," I smile but it immediately fades away, "I wanted to apologize. I've always kept you away from pain, but I never realized that I too could hurt you. I haven't been the best nor have I been here for you lately. I've turned against you and left you at a really horrible time. I'm sorry for it all and all I ask is that you put your trust in me like before."
"It's fine, just...what exactly is it with you and that monster?" He asks; I know exactly who he's referring to.
"He's...nothing to me now really–right now I need to spend time with the people who have kept me sane–"
"Diana cut the bullshit, I know you have something for him. I know you could have any guy in the world but all of a sudden, after years, you grow a connection with Hargrove. I'm not going to interject with you relationship or whatever you have but the moment you come home crying is the day I'll be in prison for life," he states, his arms wrapped around me as I chuckle at his new violent thoughts.
"I appreciate the thought Dustin," I smile, glad to be back in contact with my brother, "now go shower and I'll have something to eat for dinner in a bit."
He stands up grim his spot before whining, "You know I didn't miss your bossiness..."
"Goodbye." I finalize with my middle finger. He returns the favor and leaves my room before I stand up and place my brush back into the drawer.
Suddenly I hear a faint voice calling my name.
I'm not going insane.
Then a knock at my window.
Slowly, I ever so slightly move the blinds only to find not an intruder, but a Harrington. Opening the locks from my window, Steve climbs inside but not without a hard time. It was much easier two years ago.
"Shit," he grunts, fixing himself after I close the window back up.
"Where's the bread?" I tease, but not really. I could've made some mean grilled cheese sandwiches.
"Oh! I–"
"Kidding Harrington," I cut him off as I sit back down at the edge of my bed. After a moment he does the same, starting, "I'm sorry."
Yeah, me too.
"I shouldn't have lashed out on you at the dance. It was a pretty asshole move–"
He shouldn't be apologizing so I cut him off once again, "No, I'm sorry. I was never completely honest with you and I'm the asshole here. Honestly I did deserve to be called out by you. I was thinking only about myself, especially when I left. I hate myself for leaving, even when we were just starting to reconnect again. I just hope you'd be willing to give me another chance?"
He chuckles before I feel his arm wrapped around me, pulling me down my bed with him, side by side. Laughing, I turn my head to face him, his face already having a smile plastered over it. My eyes then turn back to look at the ceiling, noticing Steve's initials he engraved with a permanent marker long ago.
Where did I go wrong?
Suddenly my heart stops beating when I feel his lips on my cheek.
No, it's not like that. He's the one that tore my heart to shreds.
"I–sorry. I just missed you."
Where's Nancy when you need her? She needs to come get her lover.
"It's fine just...god I don't know how to say this without you hating me–I'm sortofwithyournemesis." My voice says as quickly as possible, too overwhelmed to see his reaction.
"I figured that night...but when did he turn into your...friend?"
When did my hatred towards Billy disappear actually?
"I–I don't know actually. It just sort of happened."
"You know the best love is unexpected." He boasts out.
No no no. Hold on.
I can't possibly fall in love with someone in so little time. I'm not in love. How do I even know when or how I'm in love or if Billy's falling too? The last one ended up to be false.
"Trust me," I laugh, "I'm not in love."
I don't even know if he could love, actually.
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Tell me readers, how did you know you were in love? Please share.
Hmmmm, Steve has been getting a lil too touchy with Diana, don't you think?
Word count: 1893
10-13-18, 1:07 am
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this is unedited to lmk if you see any grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes.