Stand by me (steve harrington)

Chpt 52: Our Song

We all began making the long journey to Lovers Lake. Max and Lucas were ahead, Dustin and Eddie were trailing behind them whilst Nancy, Robin and Steve were at the back. I tried to stand next to them but the path was too thin.

I rolled my eyes as i just let them all go ahead. Steve looked behind him to see me trailing behind. He stopped walking for a minute and began walking next to me.

"You okay? You seem quieter than usual" he said. "I'm fine" i said unenthusiastically. Steve scoffed. "That was very believable. Well done."

I shook my head. "What do you want me to say? I'm terrified, i'm sick of this song playing over and over again, i'm tired of walking, i'm starving, i have no idea where my sister is and i'm worried sick, i feel like everyone's treating me different and i just want to go home? Is that what you want me to say?" i questioned angrily

Steve stayed quiet. "You know your not sick of the song" he said with a small smirk. I rolled my eyes. "Okay, okay, sorry. Come on. Why do you think people are treating me differently?" he asked.

"I don't know. I see you all just staring at me when i'm not looking. And Nancy and Robin are acting weird. I didn't know they were friends now" i said. "Yeah i didn't either. But they are now i guess. It's nice that Robin has a friend that's not just me and you though" he said.

"Yeah..." i said with a small fake laugh. "Wait... What do you mean you don't know where El is? I thought you were with her in California?" he questioned. Shit.

"I... I just meant... I don't know. I guess i'm just worried" i said. Steve nodded. "Well, i won't treat you different. Because your still just as annoying as you were when you left."

I smiled and nodded. "Thanks... I think. And your right by the way. I'm not actually sick of the song. It is my favourite" i said. "Our favourite you mean. And about the hunger thing, i'll get you a milkshake when all of this shit is done, all right?On me" he said.

As i smiled at Steve my eyes drifted over to Robin who was giving me an encouraging thumbs up. I looked at the floor quickly as we continued our walk to Lover Lake.

By the time we got there it was dark. "Okay, the compass is going crazy here which means the gate should be... There" Dustin said pointing to the lake. "You've got to be shitting me" i mumbled.

"Of course. The gate is inside of a lake. Of course!" Steve exclaimed in annoyance. "Whenever the Demogorgon attacked it left an opening. Maybe Vecna did the same" Nancy said. "Well... There's only one way to find out" Robin said.

Eddie grabbed the boat he had used the night Jason and his friends came to find him. It was shoved in a bush. We all heaved it out and dragged it into the lake.

Nancy, Robin, Steve, Eddie and i all got inside the small boat. Dustin began trying to step in until Eddie put his arm out in front of him. "What are you trying to sink us? This boat holds five people maximum" Eddie said.

"It's better this way. You guys keep an eye out on Max and we'll keep an eye on Joy" Nancy said. "You keep an eye out!" Dustin exclaimed. Nancy raised her eyebrows as Dustin did the same.

"It's my god damn theory!" Dustin snapped. "Hey! Stay here and watch your friend because you care about her. We'll be five minutes tops. Got it, Henderson? And cut it with the attitude!" i exclaimed.

Dustin rolled his eyes as he reluctantly stayed with Lucas and Max. We began rowing the boat trying to find any clues to where the gate might be. "Woah, woah, woah!" Nance exclaimed.

"What?" Eddie questioned. "The compass is going crazy right here. I think the gate might be under us" she said. "Guys? What's going on why did you stop?" Dustin asked through the walkie.

"Dustin your compass has gone from wonky to wonky with a capital 'aaah!'" Robin replied. "Does that mean it's close?" i asked. "Yeah. It should be right next to you now. Do you guys see anything?" he asked.

"Not yet. But we'll tell you when we do" she said. I looked to Steve who began taking off his clothes. "Steve, what are you doing?" Robin asked.

"Somebody's gotta go down there and check this thing out. Unless one of you four can top being a Hawkins High swim co-captain, a certified lifeguard for three years, then it's gotta be me. No complaints" he said as he pointed his finger in my direction.

"So what? Your just going to swim down there and knock on Vecnas door?" i asked sarcastically. "Yeah... Basically" he said. "Good. Just had to check and see if i was right" i said.

"Hey, i'm not complaining. I did not want to go down there" Eddie said as he took out a cigarette. As Steve took off his jumper my eyes drifted from his back and over to Nancy who was also staring at him.

I rolled my eyes slightly as i bit my tongue. Robin gave me a taunting smirk as she saw my reaction. "Hey... Good luck" Eddie said handing Steve a flashlight wrapped in a plastic bag.

"Thanks" Steve said taking it off of him. As Eddie began lighting up his cigarette, Robin grabbed it off of him and threw it into the lake. "Gross" she said. "Joy had one like an hour ago and you didn't say anything!" Eddie exclaimed.

"Yeah because she could actually beat me up. I think i could take you" she said. Eddie rolled his eyes. As Steve was about to jump in, i finally built up the courage to say something.

"Steve" i said. He turned around. "Just... Be careful okay. I still want that milkshake when you get back" i said with a small smile. He gave me a weak smile back as he dived in.

We waited for Steve to come back out of the water for what felt like hours even though it was about a minute and a half.

Steve finally swam up and grabbed the boat as he began catching his breath. We all let out a sigh of relief. "I found it" he said. "You found it?!" Nancy questioned. "Yeah. It's right under us."

"Dustin, you are a goddamn Einstein!" Robin said through the walkie-talkie. "It's pretty wild. It's more like a snack sized gate than the mama gate, but still it's pretty god damn big" Steve said.

As Steve was speaking, he suddenly got pulled down under the water. He pulled himself back up as he gave us all a worried look. "Steve... What the hell was-" i began to ask but was cut off by Steve getting dragged back down under the water. Yet this time, he didn't come back up.

We all began screaming and panicking. I felt my whole body go numb. This was not going to happen again. No one i love was dying tonight.

I took of my heavy jumper leaving only my light vest top and jeans on. "Joy. Joy no. What are you doing?!" Robin exclaimed. I ignored her as i stood at the edge of the boat.

"Wait, waitt, wait! Your not going in there, are you?" Eddie questioned. "Just... Wait here!" i shouted as i took a deep breath in. I dived into the cold water and began swimming down to the bottom of the lake.

As i swam further and further down, i saw a bright red light. When i got closer, i saw a small slit in the ground. It was the gate. I closed my eyes as i began trying to swim threw it.