the unknown | steve harrington

chapter ten: not-so end of the world

One Week Later

"It's been one whole week since normality returned to the small town Hawkins, Indiana, with some locals believing that satanic cults had caused the natural disasters and attracting rabid animals—"

"Turn it off," Daphne groaned into her cereal from the dinner table, Dustin nodding in agreement.

"It's just nice to know the horror is over," Their mother whined in the background, turning the TV off as she took in a deep, dramatic breath.

"Yeah, but they keep blaming Hellfire as though we summoned the devil," Dustin complained, "We had to suspend all play, it's wrong! It's discrimination!"

"Uh, I don't think that's discrimination," Daphne narrowed her eyes Dustin.

"Yes, it is, Daphne, not that you would be aware because you haven't left your room for the past week," Her brother pointed his spoon at her, to which she rolled her eyes.

"Everything's still on lockdown, there's nothing to do," She reasoned, although she knew it would be the key for her mother to interject.

"Actually, we could use an extra hand in the soup kitchen, and I'm sure the supermarket is opening back up tomorrow and—"

"Mom, can't you see I'm moping?" The older Henderson stood up from her chair and put the bowl in the sink. "I need to chill out before Mr Harris calls and asks me to come back in to work,"

"Or maybe you need to talk to Steve," The younger Henderson sang, raising his eye brows at his sister. "He's called by here every day this week and you've refused to see him everytime, you know he said nothing happened, and I believe him, Daph—"

"Of course you believe him, your head is so far up his ass—"

"Woah, woah, kids, just— come on, language," Their mom shook her head at the two bickering children. "Daphne you've been awfully down since all this happened, it's not like you, maybe you need to talk—"

"I'm not having this conversation," Daphne grumbled, "I'm not sad because of Steve damn Harrington, alright? I'm sad because the world went to shit!"

The older Henderson stormed off to her room, this was a far cry from the usual Daphne Henderson who was brimming with sarcastic comments and bubbles.

This Daphne Henderson struggled to see a purpose to her, after a full week of fighting the end of the world, of up and down emotions, of falling in love and then being betrayed, to then a week of nothing. She felt slightly bitter, which wasn't like her at all, and she needed to snap out of it.

Without psychoanalysing herself, Daphne on some level knew the extent that Steve had buried his way into her heart and soul, and also knew that finding out he and Nancy had kissed — even a minuscule second of their lips touching — had crushed every nerve in her body. Daphne didn't want to listen to Steve and talking his way out of it, even if it wasn't anything from him, because she feared the next time something like this would happen, she wouldn't be able to handle it. She had to protect herself.

Over the past week, she spent her time in her room, with Robin, or weirdly visiting Billy Hargrove and Max.

Billy had moved into the trailer with Max and her mom, and weirdly became a type of big brother to Max. Her mom was slowing down on her drinking — having Billy around helped keep her right — and Billy would continuously and shamelessly flirt with Daphne as she scoffed at every one of his attempts.