Brave Like You (Steve Harrington)

Eight.

I quickly realized that I have no real friends. Last year I dropped Tommy H and his idiot girlfriend Carol. I don't regret that decision, because he was an asshole, but I realize now everyone I hang out with only hangs out with me because I am popular.

Well...not everyone.

I found Candy at lunch. I walked over to the table, and I made myself comfortable. "Hi, Steve," Candace greeted me.

Her long, dark chocolate colored curls were down today laying down her back and shoulders nicely. She was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a gray Hawkins High sweatshirt. She looked nice, and comfortable. I couldn't really tell if she was wearing any make up, because I'm a guy and I don't really notice or care about that, but her eyelashes look longer than they did over the weekend. So maybe she's got on mascara today.

"Hey Candy," I greeted her back, "This must be your friend Robin."

Candy nodded, "Yeah, Robin, you know Steve Harrington, right."

Robin didn't hide her distaste. "Obviously. He's been a grade above me my whole life. What happened to your face?"

"I decked Billy Hargrove in the face and he fought dirty so he could kick my ass," I say nonchalantly.

"He bashed Steve upside the head with a glass plate so he could get the upper hand."

"I see," Robin said, "Hate to sound rude here, but don't you have other friends to sit with at lunch?"

"Not really," I admit, "I kind of dropped them all for Nancy, which is fine since they were all dicks anyways. And now she and I are over, all I got is Muson here."

Robin's tone was sarcastic when she spoke again. "That's so sad. King of Hawkins High has no friends."

"I hate being called that," I admit, shaking my head, "It's so annoying. I don't want to be King of this place. I can't wait to get out of here."

Candy spoke up then, "And it's not true that he doesn't have friends. Steve and I are friends. We hung out all weekend."

I bite my sandwich and nod my head, "We did. I even asked her on a date and she said no."

Robin's jaw nearly drops open. She looked right at Candy, stunned. "How come you didn't tell me this?"

Candy shrugs, not letting her friend vex her. "I was going to right now, but now you know."

Robin didn't respond, so I took the opportunity to change the subject. "I was thinking of going to the Byers after school, if you'd like to join me."

"Oh, I'd love to," Candy says, smiling happily now, "I was thinking of passing some of my old D&D books down to Will. I think that it might cheer him up a bit. And they're not getting any use from me."

"He'd love that," I tell her, smiling slightly too.

"Oh my God, this is so weird," Robin says. "Steve, last week you never even looked twice at Candace. What the hell happened?"

"We ran into each other at the old junkyard," I say nonchalantly. "Candy fell asleep in the old bus, and I was there helping my friend Dustin look for his cat."

"How come I've never heard of anyone named Dustin?" Robin asks, her tone hard.

I didn't miss a beat telling the slightly altered version of the story. "He's in middle school. Nancy has a little brother, you see, he's in 8th grade. Dustin is one of Mike's friends. His cat went missing, and no one was answering his radio signal. So he came to me, asking for help."

"Radio signal?" Robin asks, her brown cocked.

"Walkie talkie,"I clarified, "They all talk on walkies to each other, it's kind of cute, actually."