Crescendo || Steddie

Chapter 6

-Steve's perspective-

   "So...what made you interested in Metallica of all the bands?" I let out a small laugh as we went down the open road.

  "I dunno. Found them when I was in junior high and kinda just ran with it...gotta admit that I'm a little curious on how you got interested as well. Steve Harrington...listening to them?" Eddie raised an eyebrow before laughing and shaking his head "That doesn't add up. Hawkins star boy. Listening to that kind of thing?"

    I sighed before biting the inside of my cheek. He was right. The persona that I had put forward was definitely not one you'd expect that type of thing with. It's what people expected...but...I didn't want him to see me like that... I couldn't figure out why. "I'm more than just the 'star boy'"

   Eddie raised his eyebrow back into the questioning stance before leaning slightly forward to get closer to me. "Tell me then. What makes King Steve different?"

   It was a valid question. I mean, I was just like everyone else. I sighed as I turned the wheel into my neighborhood. "I don't know. I just...I'm not."

   Eddie nodded before looking out the window next to him in the passenger seat. He didn't say anything as we pulled into the driveway of my place.

   "Hey...this might seem like a weird question...and it's totally chill if you don't want to...but...would you want to go swimming?" I awkwardly blurt out as I guide my hand to the side of my house. The water was reflecting onto the outside wall.

   Eddie took a deep breath before turning back towards me. "Don't see how that would get to know me more...but hell...why not."

   I felt joy overtake me as I jumped out of the car. It was so stupid to get so excited over a simple thing like this. I knew that. But this is the place where acquaintances become best friends.

   Once I brought Robin here, it solidified the friendship. It's even where she...trusted me with her secret. Also where I made a complete fool of myself and said I had feelings for her, but that was besides the point.

   Maybe the pool was magic. Maybe it was the fact that it was just the two of you in a pool at night...but it was the place where friendships happened.

   And...that was my secret plan. Get him in the pool, and he'll never be able to escape me. We'll be friends by the end of the night, and he'll join my friend group.

    My much needing to expand friend group.

   Eddie slowly got out of the car while slinging his backpack that was previously on his lap across his shoulder.

   I grabbed onto his free hand to guide him over to the pool. It quickly became clammy to the touch.

  When I looked over at him, his face was beet red.

   I soon realized the mistake that I had made. I grabbed onto his hands like we were close friends...which we aren't. "Sorry...I didn't mean to embarrass you"

    Eddie yanked his hand out of mine to wipe it on his shirt. "No no it's okay...just didn't expect it is all."

   I let out a small laugh as I started going for the combination for the gate. "Sometimes I just...don't think?"

   Eddie leaned onto the gate next to me as I kept getting the combination wrong. "Go on."

   "There's not really much to go on about. I just act out what first comes to my mind...you ever get like that, Munson?" I looked up with a smile as the gate swung open with the correct combination.