SWEET CREATURE//steve harrington

NINE

THE BELL ABOVE THE DINER DOOR DINGED AS THEY STEPPED OUT INTO THE COLD EARLY AFTERNOON. Steve turned back to look at Vivian, who was wrapping her jacket around herself instinctively. "Back to school, I guess," he complained, twirling his keys around his finger as they strolled down the sidewalk toward his car. Vivian found herself actually a little bit sad that they would have to stop hanging out soon. "What class do you have second period?" "Um, English-" Vivian responded, but she was abruptly cut off as a blur of curly hair and a yellow t-shirt barreled into them, nearly knocking them both over.

"What the hell?" Steve cursed, regaining his balance. There Dustin stood, majorly out of breath and grinning like the Cheshire cat. "Henderson, what in God's name is wrong with you?" Vivian breathed, trying to calm her heartbeat from the shock of his sudden arrival. Dustin frowned at the sight of them together. "Are you guys hanging out?" Dustin asked, clearly confused by the odd pairing. Steve's face went red, and he stuttered, "Um, kinda." Dustin looked at Steve, blinking. "Uh, okay. Whatever. I was looking for you," he said plainly. "What? Why?" Steve demanded, still absently adjusting his jacket from their collision. "Because..." Dustin trailed off, looking at Vivian warily. "I told her everything," Steve said simply. "What?" Dustin screeched. "I specifically said do not tell anyone!" "Look, man, I figured she might be able to help, I don't know," Steve argued. Dustin rolled his eyes. "Okay, fine, but we have more important issues than your inability to keep secrets right now," he said hurriedly. "Dart molted again." 

Vivian's eyes shot to Steve. "Dart is the evil lizard spawn," he explained. Vivian nodded. "Right." Dustin frowned. "For the last time, Dart is not evil. He's misunderstood." He pulled a pair of yellow kitchen gloves out of his back pocket. "And even though I'm kinda pissed you spilled the beans, the more hands we have for this the better." Steve gave him a confused look. "The more hands we have for what?" Dustin groaned in frustration. "Are you deaf? To catch that son of a bitch!" Dustin looked at the keys in Steve's hand. "Let's get a move on. Where are you parked?" 

Steve moved in the direction him and Vivian had been headed, toward his car. Vivian and Dustin followed. "Henderson, I am not taking you anywhere to catch a bloodthirsty reptile right now." Dustin scoffed. "Like hell you aren't!" Steve looked back at Vivian in disbelief. She could almost hear his voice. Can you believe this kid? She shrugged, smiling. "I have to get back to school, I have to take Viv back to school-" Steve argued as they continued to walk. "Steve, please. You and I both know you don't give a shit about school," Dustin dismissed. "As for Sweets, I can't say. She doesn't really seem like the studious type, though." Vivian punched his shoulder. "Hey, I'm studious!" she protested. "I used to tutor your punk ass when you still ate your boogers." Dustin looked at her, deadpan and unimpressed. "Yeah, about the goddamn water cycle." Vivian blew a raspberry at him. "Whatever." 

Then, despite Steve's objections, they were standing in front of his car. Dustin had followed them relentlessly, practically begging. "I can't believe I'm doing this," he mumbled to himself. "Fine, Henderson, I'll help you." He looked at Vivian, eyebrows raised. "As long as you don't care to miss English?" Vivian gave him a thumbs up. "Nope. Prepared for takeoff." Steve huffed, as if her education was his last-ditch effort at bailing. Dustin smiled widely as he slid into the backseat. 

Steve started the car and gave Dustin a questioning look in the rearview. "Where are we going exactly?" "The junkyard," Dustin answered, fiddling with something inside his backpack. "More specifically, the tracks outside the junkyard." "What? Why--Jesus Christ, man, what is that smell?" Dustin looked at them sheepishly as Vivian whipped around in her seat, disgust written all over her face. "It's, um, it's raw meat." 

"Dude, what the hell?" Steve cried, frantically rolling his window down. "It smells like death." "Well, it's been sitting in my bag for a day or so, so that's my bad." Steve gagged, keeping a white-knuckled grip on the wheel. "What do we need raw meat for?" Vivian asked, to which Dustin rolled his eyes. "Do I have to explain everything to you people? Like, seriously, connect the dots. Critical thinking, anyone?" Vivian squinted at him. "Watch your mouth, Henderson. Or you're gonna get a major ass-kicking and a lifetime ban from the arcade."