funeral grey ➤ steve harrington (slow updates)

008

✯¸.•'*¨'*•✿ ✿•*'¨*'•.¸✯

Knox hadn't spoken a word all morning, even though Steve tried. Her brothers tried, but she just didn't feel like talking.

She'd spent much of the night before with Kit and Charlotte after Steve had gone home. He had come straight there after she called, he had climbed in through her window and didn't say a word and just let her feel what she needed to. The next morning she'd woken up with an emptied well of tears and eyes nearly swollen shut.

None of them could believe it.

Knox would never admit it, but it didn't feel real. Not in the way that grief makes someone feel, in a way that felt like it was almost too obvious. They weren't even doing an autopsy.

Jonathan didn't come to school, but no one expected him to.

She hadn't heard a word from her father at all. She was used to talking to him at least over the phone every single day, but most of the time he stopped by the house. They had dinner together at Benny's twice a week. He had not even mentioned it, nor had he called. She knew sometimes he drank a lot and passed out, she knew better than to think that he was okay all of the time. She knew he wasn't. But he never disappeared on her like this.

She had thought about not even getting out of bed that morning. All she could think about was Will.

Knox grinned as she watched Jonathan hoist Will up over his shoulder. Will screamed happily as Knox began pacing in circles around them, his friends cheering her on to 'just get him already.'

The cake on the table said Happy 11th Birthday Will!

Knox baked it and decorated it herself, and made sure Will knew that every bit of it was made with love.

Barb had officially been reported missing that morning. Maybe it seemed urgent now that Will's body had turned up. Knox was disgusted by that thought.

"How well did you even know the kid, anyway?" Tommy asked.

Knox looked up from her untouched food and stared blankly at Tommy. She'd been sitting alone until Steve found her, Tommy and Carol had followed. She didn't want to deal with them, let alone be around anyone at all.

Knox had helped Joyce Byers with every birthday party for Will since she became friends with Jonathan. She sat and helped the boys plan their Dungeons and Dragons campaigns since they were eight. She sat with Jonathan and Will every time Will was upset because Lonnie never showed up. She had made every one of Will's birthday cakes since he was eight years old.

And now, she had to help his mother bury him.

"Fuck you, Tommy."

She stood up, snatching her bag from the seat and left them all sitting there speechless.

She quickly wiped a tear away as she pushed open the doors to the parking lot, not a single teacher daring to stop her.

She'd made it half a block away before a car pulled up next to her on the road.

"Go away Steve." she said.

"I'm not Steve."

She stopped walking and faced the driver's side window. Jonathan was looking at her sadly. Guilt began to trickle in amongst the grief as she realized she had just confused her best friend for a boy who was likely temporary in her life.

She hated to admit that she found herself a little upset that Steve had not gone after her. Her longing to see him gnawed at her like a guilty conscience.