"The next words out of your mouth better be that you understand, Liza or so help me-"
"I understand" Liza nodded, fingers crossed behind her back.
~x~
In which Liza Henderson fights against the Upside Down with the help of her friends.
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~x~
At the Harrington house no one spoke in fear that Liza and Steve would start arguing again. They all avoided looking at the pair, Robin was even going as far as leaving the room of Liza and Steve were in it. Every time one of them made a noise, the others would tense up. Liza had removed herself from the house, the tension was suffocating her and she needed to escape.
It seemed like every time the group gathered here, she would find herself by the pool in the same spot. She stared up at the sky, cigarette in between her teeth as she held Dustin's radio. She wondered what Eddie was doing, how he was doing. She didn't want to leave him but he had told her he would be fine and she had to believe that he was right.
Someone came and sat beside her. Just by the smell of his expensive cologne she knew it was Steve. She didn't spare him a glance, she could still feel their argument buzzing through her skin and if she did look at him she wasn't sure she would have anything nice to say.
"Liza, please. . . Say something." Steve pleaded. He felt horrible. A part of him wanted his best friend back, another part wanted his girlfriend back. "Scream at me, anything but this radio silence, back there was the most you have spoken to me in months. Please!" Liza didn't even twitch at his words, just sat looking up at the sky. After what felt like hours of silence, Steve was about to give up and go back into the house when she finally spoke.
"A month." Liza stated. Her voice was deadly calm, detached in a way that made Steve feel small. "I waited one month for you to come and take me back. To say it was a mistake. To apologise. I laid in my bed and cried, hoping that you would come to my window. You never did. Robin, Mike and Dustin were the ones to drag me out of the house. Then one day, before my shift at Dexter's, I was going to swallow my pride and go to you. Then I watched as you flirted with some girl. You didn't even see me and I was right there. So I gave up."
"Liz. . ."
"I didn't run to Eddie, by the way. He came to me. I sat alone for barely two weeks before he came. What took you nine months to do, he did in two weeks." Liza finally looked at Steve, tears streaming down her face. "We aren't even dating, at least. . . not officially but he helped me, helped mend my heart. He didn't even want to push me, told me that if I didn't like him back that he would drop it completely. The feelings didn't come about until way after we broke up."
Steve swallowed thickly, his heart twisted painfully in his chest. He felt like a dick, he was a dick for ever doubting her. He wasn't expecting Liza to put it all out there like that, so he decided to put his heart on the line as well.
"Every girl I flirted with or took on a date. They were all the same. Ditzy, pretty. . . blonde. They were all half baked attempts to replace you. Not a single one made it past the first date. They just. . . weren't you." Steve grimaced. "I tried getting over you, even after seeing you with Munson. Nothing worked." Steve grabbed Liza's hand, his other hand coming up to rest on her cheek. Liza stared at him, a startled look on her face. Taking a deep breath, Steve continued his confession. "Liza, I am still in love with you. Completely and hopelessly devoted to you. I am willing to show you that I mean it, and I am willing to fight for you."
