"I can't believe you guys are moving tomorrow," Steve sighed as he tightened his arm around my shoulder.
"As soon as we get settled, I'll write."
"Promise?" He whispered.
I sat up and turned toward him. "Of course," I shrugged. "Once we get to our new house, I'll write you a letter and send it."
"I hate that you're leaving," Steve said, looking down.
"I wish I wasn't," I whispered. I took a shaky breath, knowing that if I didn't say this now, I'd never say it.
"Maybe you guys will move back," Steve said. "You said your father's job moving you guys was completely random. They could decide to move him back. Or maybe. . ."
"I have to tell you something," I blurted before I could talk myself out of it.
"Okay," Steve said with a small chuckle. "What's up?"
"Well. . . Since I'm moving. . . I should. . . I have to. . ."
"Y/N," he laughed. "We're best friends and you're leaving tomorrow. You can tell me anything."
"I'm in love with you."
The second those words left my lips, time froze. What happened next happened in a matter of ten, maybe fifteen seconds, but it felt like an hour.
His eyes widened.
He slowly unwrapped his arm from around my shoulders.
His mouth opened and closed, but nothing came out.
The look in his eyes told me everything. He didn't feel the same way. As soon as I realized that I had just told my best friend I was in love with him and he didn't feel the same way, everything sped up.
Before I could hear the cliche "You're my best friend and I care about you, but not like that," speech, I stood up and practically ran out of Steve's house.
The whole way home I thought about two things: the look on his face and the fact that he didn't try and stop me from leaving.
~•~
Four Year Later
I dropped the box onto the floor and started restocking. As I was using my OCD to make the shelves look presentable, I heard a voice I never thought I'd hear again.
"You put your mom down as a reference?"
"Why not? She's like super well respected."
"You're such a dingus."
What was Steve Harrington doing here?
I quickly tried to run back to the employee lounge but tripped over the box.
"What was that?" The girl with Steve asked.
"Probably just Y/N restocking shelves," Keith sighed. "She's always dropping those boxes even though I tell her that I CAN STOCK THEM LATER IF THEY'RE TOO HEAVY FOR HER!"
I rolled my eyes as he slowly raised his voice.
"Y/N?" Steve stuttered. "Like Y/F/N Y/L/N? I thought she moved."
"She moved back," Keith sighed dramatically.
I didn't hear the rest of their conversation. I was too busy trying to control my sudden anxiety attack rising to the surface.
Steve Harrington.
I haven't seen or heard from him since the night before I left. And the look on his face when he told me he didn't feel the same way about me is still stuck in my head. I went to sleep with it being the last thing I saw every night for years. Every once in a while, I still see it.
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Joe Keery Imagines
FanfictionJust a book of imagines about Joe Kerry and his characters. Take note that some content may not be appropriate for younger readers. Read at your own discretion. Chapters with an asterisk (*) in the title are meant for mature (18+) audiences. You do...