Why Him? || Steddie

Chapter 2

The day crawled like a snail stuck on salt with all of the permission slips and reviewing class expectations...but finally... the day was over.

    Everyone was leaving their classrooms making the hallways super crowded and noisy. It wasn't specifically my cup of tea, but there wasn't anything I could do about it.

    It was easy to get overwhelmed with the screaming, talking, and slams of lockers and doors. Right when I felt like I was going to drown with all of the noise, a beacon of hope showed itself down the hallway.

I cupped my hands over my mouth to try and extend the sound from down the way as I swerved my way through the crowd. "Henderson!"

By some miracle, Dustin heard me over the noise and lifted his head to look around and see who called his name. I extended my hand as high as I could to show that it was me.

As I got closer, Henderson smiled awkwardly as he started to pack his stuff back into his backpack from his locker. "What's up, man?"

"How's reinforcement scouting going?" I brought my body weight onto the locker next to him and moved the locker door so I could still see him clearly.

Henderson laughed "you won't believe it but I found someone to cover Lucas for the time being... only con... is that they know nothing of the game minus a brief explanation I gave them...."

I sighed and looked down "well, it'll do I guess...but we're gonna have to convince the others this mysterious person is worth joining the party. Got what it takes?"

"This person is great I promise! I'm sure people will love him with  only a little convincing" He slowly smiled to show all of his teeth.

"Okay Henderson... just be prepared though. They can be brutal with new members." I patted him on the shoulder before turning around.

"Okay, okay. See you tonight man..." He sighed and closed his locker.

The attitude from this boy... I'd never admit it but he's going places. He reminded me so much of myself in my freshmen year. Full of hope. So I easily brought myself to trust him. Maybe enough to inherit the throne from me once I'm gone. Consider these...little tests.

Knocked out of my thoughts by a rough bump on the shoulder, I turn to see who it is and catch eyes with an unsavory face.

Jason Carver.

     There goes my hope of him forgetting I exist...

"Watch where you're walking, freak!" he yells as he continued down the hall continuously bumping into other people.

Shouldn't be running down a crowded hall if you don't want to bump into people, Jason

I'll honestly never understand what Chrissy would ever want with a guy like that. She didn't use to be the type to want that kind of person. She was kind. She was caring...and Jason was the opposite of that. I suppose love makes you blind. 

As I finished setting up my side of the game on the table in Dustin's basement, people started to slowly pour in. All so far familiar faces.

Time goes by as we chat amongst ourselves waiting for everyone to arrive. Some at the snack table while some sit around the table anxious for it to start, some hoping that Lucas will show up at any minute.

Gareth eventually speaks up from the corner of the snack table after putting his snacks down near his chair that he sat his dice and figurine he crafted by "I think we're all here but Lucas. I say we start"