Why Him? || Steddie

Chapter 45

As Dustin walked in front of me I couldn't help but cling onto him for dear life. I had already lost this numbskull once. I am not going through that again. For the love of god... no way I could do it. He needed to see Eddie again and that was the goal and then seeing us graduate and so much more.

As Dustin started to get into the crack between the two words, he looked up at me. "No offense, Steve, but can you let go? I kind of have to swim. Unless they drenched the lake...which honestly isn't very likely."

I rolled my eyes at him before nodding. Glad to see that the upside down didn't change how he talks to me... "Just be safe... okay?"

Dustin nodded before taking a deep breath and diving in. My heart raced as I looked to the others anxiously waiting for someone else to go in behind him. "Just go, dingus. We all know you want to." Robin shot my arm forward with a hit and a smile.

I nodded as I quickly got into the hole. It was freezing. Just like how it was when we were getting down here. I slowly tilted my head up to look towards the others. "Thank you...just be...careful, alright?"

"We'll be close behind you" Robin gave a soft smile before she pushed my head down with her foot. Classic... but I didn't breathe in before she did that...So I guess swimming fast is the answer to this dilemma. Well.. more like the only answer.

I quickly waved my arms towards what I believed was upwards. The lake still being pitch black which wasn't helping me with direction at all. I was losing breath... and fast. Come on. Where is the top of this thing?

I heard a splash as my face caught a breeze against it. I made it up. But where is Dustin? I turned my body in every direction as fast as I could trying to find him. My heart picking up pace the longer I cannot find him. Did I already lose him again?

As if fate wanted me to shut up, there was the feeling of wood up against my cheek. As I slowly looked up, Henderson was there with a big smile on top of the boat. "Were you scared for me?"

I hit the boat with my hand out of slight frustration causing it to slightly rock "Of course I was you dork! You were missing for 7 weeks. How can I not be scared of losing you again?"

"Hey! Don't pull a Jason and tip the boat, please! It was hard enough to find my way from under the boat last time. I'd rather not live through that again thank you very much."

"Hey!" I began to squint at him. "He tipped the boat in anger...I'd tip the boat in...I don't know not anger. Can you help me up though? It's freezing in here."

Dustin's smile slowly faded as he reached his hand out to help me onto the boat. "Sorry...Should have helped you out sooner. Can't tell you it's any better up here. We gotta hurry though. This boat can't fit everyone. Can't let them think I have favorites."

A smile started to slowly form on my face as I grabbed onto his hand to pull myself up and onto the boat. "Does that mean that I'm your favorite, Dustybun?"

Dustin's eyes widened before he shot both of his hands forward towards me "Hey now! I never said that, Steve." It was valid that he would be worried. I mean the rest of his friends weren't even that far behind.

I smiled and shook my head before grabbing the ores on the sides of the rowboat. "You didn't have to, Henderson"

Dustin shook his head and pulled down his wet hoodie before looking around at the borders of the lake. His eyes grew wide at all of the trees that had fallen since the last time that we were out here. I suppose he wouldn't know, huh? I began to slowly paddle to shore before breaking the silence. "Yeah...Vecna caused the ground to split open causing everything around it to collapse. It's all anyone in Hawkins is even talking about."