YOU DON'T GOTTA LIE TO ME !
☀︎
DUSTIN HENDERSON HAD BEEN ON A SIMILAR MISSION AS HIS SISTER— FIND HIS FRIENDS. He had arrived at the Wheelers in search of Mike, and even was willing to settle on asking Nancy for help, but there was no such luck. Making his way across the lawn, he was ready to test his luck and head to the Byers despite them not answering their phone. That was until a car had pulled up to the curb.
Steve Harrington had jumped out of his car with a bouquet of roses in hand, reciting an apology and explanation he had practiced the entire way to the Wheelers. Today, he had wanted to speak to Nancy properly about everything that had happened at the Halloween party, but with about as much luck as Dustin— Nancy wasn't home.
Fixing his hair, the knots in his stomach continued to grow and his nerves had picked up in a way he never felt before. This was supposed to be easy and every scenario he played in his head, everything would work out. "Listen," he whispered to himself as he went over his speech once more. "I've been thinking and you're right. Maybe I like Alex, I don't know. I'm sorry..." His face had scrunched up in bewilderment with his own words. "I'm sorry? What the hell am I sorry for? I can like whoever the hell I want."
Making his way over to Steve, Dustin had gone against every logical thought in his mind, and went to ask for some help. "Steve," he called out. "Are those for Mr. or Mrs. Wheeler?"
"No," he said awkwardly as he looked down at the flowers. In return, Dustin yanked the flowers from his grasp and started to head towards Steve's car. Throwing his hands up, Steve couldn't believe that out of every scenario he had ran through of this situation— none had Dustin interrupting and ruining everything. "Hey! What the hell?"
"Nancy isn't home," Dustin called over his shoulder. "Besides, I thought you two were over."
"Not exactly," Steve said uncomfortably. "I-I guess I mean, I don't know. That's why I'm here. Where is she?"
"Doesn't matter. We have bigger problems than your love life."
"Yeah, which I'm trying to work out right now." Following after, he was pretty sure Dustin wasn't going to let him off so easily. "Honestly, man, you wouldn't understand what I'm dealing with here."
"All the girls are obsessed with you and there isn't enough Steve to go around. I really don't care," Dustin snapped. His needs were urgent, and he didn't care much for listening to Steve still hung up on Nancy. To him, they were an insufferable couple, but then again, he didn't know if he thought that only because he thought Steve as the most insufferable person he's met.
Still, Dustin's plans to leave and Steve's love life were both put on hold at the sound of Dustin's name being called. Each of the boys had turned down the street to see Alex slowing down her run as she approached. She had been drenched in sweat, growing red in the face, and in clear pain.
Dustin had seen right through that as he was more excited to see more help had arrived for himself. "Alex!"
Standing before her brother, Alex had hunched over with her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "I need Nancy," she breathed out.
Losing his smile, Dustin had looked at the two before him. "Seriously? I'm the one in the crisis and you two are here for Nancy. She's not even here."
"Son of a bitch," Alex whispered. Standing tall, she made her way over to Steve's car, leaning her back against it, taking in the coldness as a way of relaxing. "I ran all the way from the Byers."
"No ones picking up there," Dustin frowned.
"Don't worry about it. Bob's over," she said with a wave of her hand. "I ran over here for nothing."
An offended look had instantly popped onto Dustin's face. He shoved the bouquet of roses into Alex's chest, pushing her further up against the car. "Not nothing," he corrected. "I need your help with something at home. Do you still have your bat?"
"Whoa, you asked for my help first, and yeah, I have my bat if that counts for anything," Steve spoke up. He was willing to put his own problems on hold especially now that Alex had arrived.
"Sure, Steve, I guess you can still help," Dustin mumbled.
"Okay, but what are the flowers for?" Alex questioned. For a moment, she feared that flowers and a bat would lead to something dangerous— possibly even the thought of threatening Max with a bat if she didn't accept his flowers. Thankfully, that wasn't the case.
"They're from Steve," Dustin commented. Opening the back door of Steve's car, he slid right in and slammed the door shut to speed along the process. This had left the two awkwardly looking at one another.
Feeling the strange tension, Steve had hoped to fix the problem rather than embarrass himself in front of Dustin. "They were, uh, for Nance. I was gonna..."
"I really don't need the details," she said as the flowers lowered to her side. "Sorry Dustin interrupted your plan to win her back." Taking the flowers, she gently tossed it in his direction for him to catch. Turning back to the car, she pulled open the passenger side door just before his hand had laid on it, shutting it when she had only managed to open it a crack.
"Hey, we still didn't talk," he said gently. "I've been calling you nonstop and now," he looked down to her clothes in confusion. She had been in her jeans and a tanktop, yet still looked as if it were a hot summers day. "It was raining and you're running around Hawkins like that.
"I know," she whispered, nervously wrapping her arms around herself. "Steve, now might not be the best time. "I've been wanting to tell you but it's not normal and I can't drag you into it too."
"You can tell me. I could give a crap about normal," he said softly. He had taken a step closer to her, hoping she would see that she was allowed to be comfortable and open around him. It's all he wanted for them and instead, he felt he was losing her. "You know, you told me you were going to the nurse yesterday and you'd call. I already know Billy drove you after you wouldn't let me, so," Pausing, he looked away from her, already feeling his heart sinking. "So, yeah, you don't gotta lie to me about that too."
Alex's mouth opened as she tried to find the words but the anger inside her had the heat rise up. Picking herself up off the car, she felt Dustin start to open his door to call them in, but she had shut it just before he could. "Listen, I'm sorry, but you have to understand that I..."
"I've been trying to understand but you won't talk to me," he fought back. "I feel like I hear more about you from Billy Hargrove than I hear about stuff from you."
"Billy and I aren't exactly that great of friends. He's an ass and you'd see that if you stopped being one too. I just can't believe you'd make this about your problems with Billy."
Steve and Alex were silent as they stared at one another, trying to find out where it had all gone wrong. Before it had been easier and now it felt that everything between them had been falling apart because of secrets and Billy Hargrove.
Taking a step back, Steve lifted the flowers up, looking away from Alex with a small huff as he extended them out towards her. "Here, just take them."
"They're for Nancy," she said quietly as she turned her eyes off the ground.
"Sure, but not for the reasons you think. So, just take them."
Slowly looking over to him, Alex was hesitant as she took the flowers. Meeting his eyes, she felt awful for keeping everything from him for so long when he deserved to know. "I'm tired of fighting," she said.
"Me too," he whispered. However, the moment was ruined as Dustin laid on the horn, causing both of them to jump and remember they had created other plans. Giving Steve a small smile, Alex opened the door, already listening to Dustin's complaints about having to wait during a crisis.
Sitting back in her seat, Alex laid the roses on her lap as she took a deep breath of air. Already the car was heating up and she was beginning to feel sick inside. Her breath began to pick up as she closed her eyes to find some comfort.
Glancing over to her as he pulled away, Steve started to frown in concern. "Are you feeling okay, Alex?"
A painful look spread across her face as she felt the heat bubbling up side her. "I don't think so." She turned away from him, resting her head against the window as she watched the houses pass by and wondered how the wind would feel against her face.
Leaning forward, Dustin looked her over in disgust. "You look like shit," he commented.
Groaning, she sat forward, looking for any means of comfort. It felt impossible as the heat in the car had felt as if it were entrapping her. "It hurts," she groaned.
"What hurts?" Steve asked as he looked over to her. "Take off the seatbelt," he instructed, watching in quick glances as she wiggled in her seat for that small bit of comfort.
Unbuckling, she hunched over with her eyes squeezed shut. "It's so hot," she complained, the prickles of heat poking around her body.
Shaking his head, Steve thought of the heat as a good thing. "Should feel good. Outside in the rain in a damn tank top." Reaching over, he went to turn up the heat just a bit more. The mention of the chilly air outside had him shiver and in need of a little bit more heat to feel relaxed.
Leaning back in her seat, Alex groaned loudly as she smacked his hand away from the heat. "Stop," she instructed.
"Oh yeah. Dude, you do not wanna do that," Dustin said plainly.
Steve couldn't understand as he peeled his eyes off the road to check on Alex. As she had leaned back, she seemed more comfortable with the heat now off. She had stopped withering in her seat and settled into a calm state. Shaking his head, he turned back to the road. "Her fingers are turning blue. Your sister is probably freezing her ass off."
"Um, Steve, thanks. But I know my sister," Dustin said with annoyance, "Trust me, she goes nuts if it gets too hot. I closed a window and she screamed so loud I swear I went deaf for a few minutes. True story. I swear!"
"Yeah, sure. Whatever," Steve rolled his eyes, ignoring Dustin. His eyes darted from the heater to her and then he quickly turned up the heat to full blast before she could stop him. All he had wanted was to help her out, and for a normal person, they would need the heat in her condition.
"Shit!" Dustin leaped out of his seat, wrapping his hand tightly around her mouth. As soon as the heat hit her, Alex's eyes grew wide and muffled screams escaped her mouth. She started to claw desperately at her skin. Steve's car swerved from the sudden commotion and he watched in horror as Alex dug her nails deep into her skin, clawing away at her chest in pain.
"Turn it off, dumbass!" Dustin struggled against his sister as she jerked her body around in desperation. Steve instantly turned back down the heat making Alex relax more.
Steve was wide eyed with a strong grip on the wheel as a sudden fear flashed through him. "Will someone tell me what the hell is going on?"
"Sure! I'll tell you! You're a dumbass!" Dustin screamed at him.
Steve glared at him quickly, now noticing that Alex seemed more at ease, "Will you get your hands off her mouth? She seems okay for now."
Dustin slowly removed his hands, waiting to see if she'd break out into a fit again before turning to roll down his window in the back seat, "Roll down the damn windows and drive faster so it gets cold in here," Dustin instructed.
"What's going on? What's wrong with her?" Steve snapped his fingers in her faced a couple times until she smacked his hand away. She was in no mood for his annoyance when she had been taking in the cold air wrapping around her. "I'm fine," she mumbled. "Just shut up," Alex instructed, leaning further from the two in hopes to hear the Shadow Monster a bit better. His return had not been welcomed, but she felt she needed his words to find a sense of relief after the pain she had caused them both. It had been her fault for the overload of heat and putting him at ease would allow for her to be herself once again.
"Shut up? Rude," Dustin scoffed.
Steve took his eyes off the road for a brief moment to get a better look at her. Sneaking a glance, he saw her lips just barely moving, whispering so quietly that not a single word could be heard by either him or Dustin.
"She got pissed at me for shutting the window and did this exact thing. She'll talk to us eventually. Just don't bring it up again. She's super sensitive about it," Dustin said as he settled back in his seat. To him, Alex's behavior had seemed part of the norm lately. His mind had been elsewhere just as hers had, causing each of the siblings to know their was something wrong, but with their concerns placed elsewhere, they had failed to check on one another.
"Jesus, Dustin, you're her brother," Steve said in disappointment. He had always known Alex and Dustin to be too perfect of siblings that had actually enjoyed one another's company. Now, it hadn't felt that way.
Dustin scoffed, "You hang out with her more than me."
"Not lately," Alex mumbled.
"Well, I don't care about your relationship problems. We're both to blame, okay?" Dustin sat back in his seat, crossing his arms, "You're more to blame though," he mumbled under his breath.
"What the hell did you just say?" Steve turned back around to properly glare at Dustin who shot him a nasty look.
Hunching over, Alex wrapped her hands around her ears, trying her best to block out the discomfort the Shadow Monster knew would upset her the most. With the heat and terrifying thoughts, she groaned in pain. It had felt like an endless cycle she kept finding herself in and it only made it harder from keeping the truth from those around her.