Hawkins Unraveling

CH 4 : Lover's Lake

The drive wasn't long to Lover's Lake, but while Dustin, Max, and Robin were making a plan in the backseat, Steve and June didn't say a word to each other. June couldn't know for sure what his reasons were for staying silent, but she knew her own were because she didn't trust herself to be brutally honest around him just yet. In the year that she'd known him– really, truly known him– he had never hurt her like this before, but then again, she'd also never pushed back so intensely, either. They were caught in a stalemate neither of them understood, and it was awkward.

But as awkward as it was, neither Steve nor June made an effort to exit the car once he had brought it to a stop. The others all climbed out, already trying to figure out which house was more likely to be Eddie's hiding place, but the two of them stayed in the car. After a long moment of silence, it was Steve who spoke first.

"I don't know how I keep managing to be an even bigger ass with the more that I say and do, but I-I'm sorry, June. I have no right to be so intense."

"You have been an ass," June agreed. "A huge ass, really, and yes, you've been super intense and I don't know why, but it's not just you. I shouldn't keep being so stubborn or so cruel. You don't deserve my anger like that."

Steve was quiet, then, "I don't know why it's all happening now, why I'm acting like this." He looked up at the car's ceiling, a wry smile crossing his face. "Feels like how I'm acting is two years too late."

June winced. "Steve-"

"No, let me say this." He turned toward her, drew in and blew out a deep breath. "I should have done things differently with you back then. Before Robin. Before Starcourt. I wasn't-"

"You don't have to explain that, any of that," June protested. "You made it clear during our date." Our one date. "You weren't over someone– Nancy. I understood that then, and I still get it now."

"But I mean after that, too," he explained. "We just...didn't talk until Robin-"

"Because we weren't friends, and now we are," June said simply, wishing this conversation would be over. Now was not the time to be debating feelings, and her headache was returning with a vengeance.

"But it feels like I'm missing something!" Steve ran a hand over his face before looking at her. "What am I missing, June?"

If he had asked her that question a few days ago, maybe she would have had an honest, straightforward answer for him, but now she had nothing. She didn't know what she was missing either. Cool June would know exactly what to say and do, but Real June was struggling.

"Nothing," June admitted finally. "At least nothing that really matters right now. Later, okay?"

He nodded. "Later."

They moved quickly, catching up to where the others stood huddled around a door. Dustin was alternating between banging on the door and yelling at it. "Eddie, it's Dustin! No police, just us. We want to help! Eddie!"

Steve pushed Dustin back. "Clearly he's not in there."

"Or maybe he just doesn't trust that it's just us," Dustin argued.

Steve rolled his eyes. "He's not here, Henderson."

"He could be really high!"

"Do you really think the guy had enough time to pack his weed stash after Chrissy died? Honestly-"

"Guys!" Max called out from where she stood halfway around the house. The others followed after her until a metal boathouse came into view. "Think he's in there?"

"It's worth a shot," Robin replied, heading right for it. She dragged June along with her, pulling her in close. "So what happened in the car?"

June sighed. "Not right now, Rob. I promise I'll explain later."