ɴᴏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʟᴀꜱᴛꜱ ꜰᴏʀᴇᴠᴇʀ ☆ ꜱᴛᴇᴠᴇ ʜᴀʀʀɪɴɢᴛᴏɴ

023.

[1983]
023. nightmares

Annabelle had been alone at her house for an hour now. Every time she shut her eyes, all she would see was the Demogorgon. The upside down. All of it. Her mom wouldn't be back till the morning, so, she was alone in her house till then.

Looking over at the clock beside her, she realised there wasn't really any way she would be able to sleep tonight. Without so much of thinking it through, she got out of bed, chucking on her converses, grabbing her keys and leaving her home.

It was completely dark outside. Only the few lamps around and the moonlight shining her way. Her arms were wrapped around herself, mentally cursing for not grabbing a jacket to wear over her sweatpants and baggy top.

Arriving at her destination, Annie opened the gate, walking around to the back. Searching the ground for a pebble, she threw it up to the window above her. When no answer, she sighed and grabbed another stone, throwing it again at the glass window. When the window finally opened, the familiar figure emerged and looked down.

The second the boy saw Annabelle, he shut his window and jogged down the stairs, opening the back door to let her in. He came outside, rubbing his arms to try and keep away the cold November air. "It's three am, Annie. What are you doing here?"

"I-I couldn't sleep." Annie shrugged, looking down.

Steve sighed, walking over to stand in front of her, running his hands up and own her arms to try and warm her ice skin. "You're freezing. Did you walk all the way here?" She nodded in answer. "Annie..." He sighed in a slight disappointment and frustration. Deciding against a lecture, he asked "Do you want to stay here for the night?" She nodded slightly and he smiled. Wrapping an arm around the shorter girl, Steve guided her into the home.

Following the boy up the stairs, she paused outside his room. Steve walked back out a minute later, passing her one of his hoodies to her. "Thanks." Annie had a small smile on her lips, quickly slipping the thick material on.

The two were stood like that, not moving nor speaking till Annie finally decided to speak. "Can I stay here, with you." She finally admitted, looking up to meet his big brown doe eyes.

"Sure." A smile tugged at his lips.

The girl got in the covers beside Steve and looked towards the window, watching the stars.

"You can tell me about it. Maybe try and talk about it." Annabelle turned around to face the boy, finding he was already on his side, looking at her.

"I-I just keep seeing that.. thing." She started twisting her necklaces ibetwwm her fingers. "A-and what if you never came back. I would be dead. So would Nance and Jonathan. A-a-and we barely got away last time." Steve carefully took her hand away from the silver chains and intertwined there fingers together.

"But I did. I wouldn't leave you. I came back. I'll always be there, okay. Even if you hate me."

"I don't think that's possible, Ste."

She had a small genuine smile in her face. "And I'm sorry about everything. The whole ditching you in high school, the movie theatre. Just... just everything." Steve exhaled. Annabelle shrugged and looked down, snuggling more into the pillow with her hand still with Steve's.

"... The night you came over, me and Nancy had found a gate into the upside down, where the thing is from. It's like our world but not. It was horrible. We saw it and then It came after us... So we ran. We barley got out. I got pulled back. Whatever it was, was gripping my ankle... That was why Nancy was with J. She was so shaken up but I didn't want them to stay with me. And then you came over and... and thank you." Annabelle stopped herself from ranting more. Steve nodded and kissed her forehead. He knew that she didn't seem like talking about this further.

"Goodnight, Annabelle."

Exhaustion washed over the blonde girl quickly. Steve was still awake, brushing her hair out of face. He couldn't help but fall more in love with her. He didn't know it. If he did, he'd think it was stupid. He was dating Nancy Wheeler after all, and Annabelle's his best friend. However, the feeling he felt for her just felt.. right. Like it was meant to be. He was in awe of her, looking at Annie with admiration.

Throughout the night, Steve's arm was now resting over Annie's stomach, she was asleep on her back, facing the window. It was barely five am when the latter started to toss and turn in her sleep. It was so subtle, but she slowly got more fidgety. A soft mumble left her lips like a whimper. Her breathing quicker.

The sudden movements woke Steve up quickly. Glancing beside at the girl, he saw her distress. Sitting up, he nudged her shoulder gently, moving the hair out of her face with his free hand.

"Wake up. It's just a nightmare, Annie. You're okay."

A gasp left her mouth as she sat up quickly, clutching to the boy in front of her. He wrapped his arms around the blonde, making sure she felt safe. One of his hands rubbed her back and the other held the back of her head. "It's not going to hurt you. I'm here. You're safe." He kissed the top of her head, rocking her slightly so she'd calm down.

He was used to this. Her nightmares. When there friendship got to the point of sleepovers, he discovered her night terrors, mainly about her twin. He quickly figured out how to calm her down. He was a pro at this by now. But the longer she stayed over, he noticed her nightmares were slowly going away. He thought she was just getting better, getting older, but it was really that Steve just made her feel safe.

"You're alright, okay. Breathe." Annabelle scrunched her eyes closed, hugging his arm that was in front of her as she followed his breathing. "There you go. Deep breaths." When her breathing finally evened out, he pulled back enough to see her, his hands moving to cup her face so she'd look to him.

"It's just a nightmare. I'm here. I've got the bat here, too." He smiled, trying to make a small joke to distract her. She nodded and Steve wiped the tears off her face with the pad of his thumb.

Letting go, Steve went to move to grab something, but stopped when annie grabbed his hand. "Just need to get something. I'm not leaving." He sent her a reassuring smile and Annie just nodded, looking to her lap. Steve twisted back to grab something from the table beside his bed, turning back, he past it to Annie. A small smile on her lips, though her eyes still red and puffy. The Harrington boy handed her the Rubik cube. Seeing her content, Steve pulled Annie down with him to lie on the bed. She faced the window, fidgeting with the colourful cube in hand. He pulled her back to him, his arm around her waist to keep her safe.

"Your safe, Tinkerbelle. It's all oaky." He kissed the top of her head and pulled her even closer to him. She was in her own little world, focusing on the cube. Steve didn't mind she wasn't listening, he was glade she was oaky.. with him. Annabelle was alive and safe, here, in his arms.