FAMILIAR ↳ STEVE HARRINGTON

fourteen.

The plan had went off without a hitch, Steve and Christine never being caught as they pulled into the school parking lot. The only person that seemed to notice the two was one Billy Hargrove, who had been looking for the girl who had captivated him only two days earlier. The two of them entered the school building with one of them stressing greatly over the thought of seeing his estranged girlfriend, and the other without a care in the world, other than the fact that she didn't have her homework. They almost missed the bell, the two of them running off towards their first period class and leaving the thoughts of the night before behind them.

By the time lunch came around, Christine realized that's he had no way home, considering she didn't drive and she seriously doubted she could ask for a ride from Steve again considering he had practice. It was during this lunchtime revelation that Christine noticed that Steve was nowhere to be found and that Nancy was looking awfully upset at the empty lunch table. Therefore, the Wheeler girl decided that she knew exactly who to ask for a ride home from. 

Christine disappeared down the hallways of Hawkins High, her feet carrying her rather quickly as she tried to find the gym. It was only a few moments later that she heard a voice behind her, her stomach dropping when she recognized it.

"Christine!" Nancy called from behind her,  the girl in question stopping in her tracks. She turned to Nancy with a sickly sweet smile, the girl already giving her a raised eyebrows as she looked over her. Nancy was distantly familiar with the clothes she was wearing, but she couldn't  quite place her finger on why she was. Another thing was that she had woken up this morning to a home that didn't have a hint of Christine Wheeler in it, making her wonder how exactly her cousin was here and why she hadn't come home the night before.

"Drink a little too much last night?" Christine asked, furrowing her eyebrows as she looked at the girl. Nancy slightly faltered but quickly recovered, the banter between them was never anything new.

"Should be asking  you the same thing since you somehow ended the night somewhere other than your house." She had a questioning look in her eyes, one that she figured was enough to make an explanation fall from Christines mouth.  She awaited her answer in silence, her lips tightened into a straight line as she tried to get something out of her.

"I don't think it's any of your concern where I end up Nancy."

"Well considering I covered for you this morning when my mom was asking...I think it is." Nancy pried again, Christine letting out a sigh as she let the lie spill from her lips.

"Billy's. If you have to know. But maybe you should keep that one between me and you. Where you headed?" Christine finally confessed, Nancy believing her words  and silently judging her for it. Nancy pointed past her, her face falling as she realized she was about to have to talk to Steve.

"The gym."

"Me too." Christine said, moving to the side and letting Nancy lead the way. Once Nancy's back was turned to her  Christine flipped her off, silently screaming 'fuck you' at the back of her head. 

Nancy was quick to head into the gym,  Christine matching her stride as she spotted Billy across the gym floor. He had no shirt on, a sight that made her almost once again drop to her knees right there. But she refrained from it, catching the disgusted look that Nancy cast his way. The second person that Christine noticed was Steve Harrington, looking all but defeated as he looked at Billy who was celebrating making a shot.

"Steve?" Nancy called, making the man in question turn his head. His eyes landed on Nancy first before landing on Christine, both of them sharing a look as Christine pointed to Nancy while shaking her head. Steve sighed, walking towards the two of them and shaking his head. He pulled the towel off of his shoulder, pushing it into Christines stomach as he followed Nancy out. She grabbed it from there, closing her eyes gently as she realized that was partly his cry for help. She had no way to help though, he needed to get his answers himself.

Christine looked up from the towel, remembering what she had come to the gym to do. She straightened out, clearing her throat as she walked across the gym floor, the girl slightly lifting her chin as Billy seemed to finally notice her coming. The corners of his lips slightly lifted as some guy pay him on the back, the girl giving him a half smile as she spoke.

"Hey."

"Hello." He replied,  looking her over.  Something about her outfit was off today, but he didn't really care all that much, all he could think about is what was under it.

"I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor." He gave her an expectant look, the girl nodding her head as she continued.  She fiddled with the towel, using the dry parts to wipe off her sweaty hands as she mustered up the courage to ask him. "Could you give me a ride home?" Billy let out a dry chuckled, shaking his head as he thought about the little shithead he took home with him everyday.

"I'd love to but I have to take Max home."

"That's fine, I can sit in the back. I just really don't have any way home." Christine said, not entirely sure who Max was but seeing if there were dots there needing connected. She remembered getting an earful of a Mad Max. Billy contemplated it for a second, his eyebrows furrowing as he once again shook his head.

"How'd you get here this morning then if you didn't drive?"

"Caught a ride from my aunt, but she's working tonight. Please Billy, I'll pay you." He looked over her face for only a moment later, the boy running his tongue over his top row of teeth before looking down. He put his hands on his hips, letting out a sigh before looking back up at her with a smile.

"You're lucky I like you. Yeah I'll give you a ride."   He decided, realizing refusing her wouldn't be the best way to get to sleep with her. Which is something that he had been thinking about for days now.  She gave him a dazzling smile,  quickly walking off the court as he shooed her off. He started to play again, Christine watching him from the sideline with a certain  amount of awe at how hot he was. It was only moments later that Steve ran in, Christine faster than him  and grabbing him by the arm as he ran past her.

"Not so fast." She said, pushing the towel back into his chest. It was then that's he noticed how extremely upset he looked, his eyebrows furrowed as he looked almost as if he was going to cry. "Hey you okay?"

"I'm fine. Just—we can talk later." He said, pushing her hand off of his wrist and running past her. Billy did not let this small interaction go unnoticed, tucking that away from another time as he continued to play.

Christine shook her head as she watched after him, breathing out heavily as she realized his talk with Nancy must not have went all that well.  Finally she gave up, shaking her head and walking off with a certain kind of worry for her new friend Steve Harrington.