SATELLITE [STEVE HARRINGTON]

heavy

"OKAY, SHE'S IN." Steve watched as Max vanished into Ms. Kelley's house.

Dustin, in the passenger seat, glared at him. "I'm missing collarbones, not eyes."

Steve huffed, not looking at him. He fidgeted with the band of his watch, worrying about Ginny. They'd been separated for maybe half an hour and they'd heard nothing from him.

"So," Dustin mused, glancing at him. "Are we gonna talk about... it?"

Steve looked up. "Huh? Sorry, talk about what?"

Dustin stared at him. "How you basically threw yourself at Ginny earlier today?"

"Okay, that's... That's not what happened," Steve scoffed.

"Pretty sure that's what happened. It was public. There were a lot of witnesses."

"Are you implying that I still have a thing for Ginny?" Steve asked.

Dustin shook his head and pursed his lips. "I'm not implying. I'm stating, because you still have a thing for her— a hideously obvious thing for her. I saw you guys holding hands under the table."

"I was just trying to protect a-a friend," the older boy insisted, biting his cheek.

Dustin just nodded, smiling knowingly.

"A friend, Henderson. Okay? I don't wanna find her in the morning with her eyes sucked out of her skull by this Vecna creep—"

"Oh, cause her eyes are too pretty for that, right Stevie?" Dustin teased, pouting his lips.

Steve glared. "Her eyes are amazing, so yeah— and I just want to look out for her—"

Dustin laughed. "You're bright red in the face right now!"

"No, I'm not!" Steve insisted, looking out the window. "I don't wanna talk about it..."

"Why'd you guys break up anyway?" the curly-headed kid asked.

Steve shook his head. "None of your damn business."

"Why though? Why, Steve? Why? Why? Why—"

"I don't wanna talk about it! I'll punch you so hard in your face your teeth will fall back out," he countered, rolling his eyes.

Dustin's smile dropped. "Whoa." Steve looked at him and he shook his head gently. "Too far."

Steve stared at him and his expression softened. "Not cool... Sorry."

"It's okay," Dustin shrugged. He looked down, and they fist bumped as a sign of forgiveness.

｡･:*:･ﾟ★ ｡･:*:･ﾟ

ON THE OTHER SIDE OF TOWN, GINNY LEFT HER HOUSE. After a brief, hushed argument with Erica, they discovered that their brother hadn't been home in days. This only made Ginny worry further. She told Erica to tell their parents she was fine and staying with Max for a few days, before she slipped out the back door.

She searched half the town for Lucas before she ever heard from him, and even then, it was just his voice through the walkie talkie, calling for Dustin.

"Dustin! It's Lucas, do you copy? Dustin!"

"Lucas!" Ginny called, screeching to a stop on the skateboard. She stumbled and answered him. "Lucas, it's Ginny!"

"Ginny? Why do you have Dustin's walkie?"

"I must've grabbed it by accident. Where the hell have you been?!" she demanded, rolling the skateboard along the sidewalk next to her.