Dotson and Harrington |Steve Harrington|

Brownies |chapter 5|

"I brought you some brownies. I thought you and your mom could use some... comfort food after everything after today," she explained. Jackylen held out the plate of brownie to the boy with puffy red eyes.

"It's almost midnight," Johnathan sniffed. He opened the door wider for the girl, gesturing her to come in.

As the girl slowly entered the doorway of the small one story house, she could see a distraught mother weeping on the couch. Once the woman realized the presence of the girl, she started to frantically wipe her eyes and stood up.

"Johnathan. You didn't tell me your friend was coming over," the woman sniffed.

"Uhm mom... this is my new friend Jackylen. We met this morning," Johnathan said, introducing the two.

"Hello Mrs. Byers. It's nice to meet you," the girl said, shaking the hand of the woman. Joyce shook the young girl's hand and sat back down on the old musty couch.

Jackylen placed the plate of brownies on the small coffee table next to all the pictures of a young boy that Jackylen assumed was Jonathan's younger brother, Will. The young girl sat next to the grieving woman, and took her hand closest to her.

"Is this Will?" Jackylen asked Joyce, holding up a picture of Will. Joyce put a shaky hand to her mouth, and nodded as she sobbed. She grabbed onto Jackylen's hand tighter.

"He looks like a very nice boy. Is he friends with Mike Wheeler? I heard they play D&D together in the Wheeler basement."

"How do you know the Wheeler's?" Joyce asked, admiring the picture.

"I just moved across the street from them over the summer. I saw them riding down the street all the time. They were so happy." As Jackylen looked over at Joyce, she would see a line forming on her lips, rekindling all the happy memories of her son. Jackylen squeezed her hand tighter as she looked deep into her brown-red puffy eyes.

"You will find him Mrs. Byers. In the meantime," Jackylen said, whipping a tear from the woman's cheek. "I brought some brownies over. I made them with extra chocolate chips if you don't mind."

"No no not at all," the woman said, reaching over for a brownie. "That's just the way I like them." As she started to eat the fudge brownie, she looked at her eldest son. "Honey, can you please get your friend some coffee?"

"No I'm fine really Mrs. Byers. I had two cups before coming," Jackylen reassured her.

"Please call me Joyce," she told the girl, putting her arm on the girl, then looking back at her son. "Get this fine lady some tea. Do you like tea sweetie?" Jackylen nodded, as Johnathan's mother gave him the signal to go get some tea. Once Johnathan had left the room, Jackylen started to really talk to Joyce.

"Mrs. Byers..."

"Joyce please..."

"Joyce... How are you really feeling? Johnathan's not here. You can tell me." She gave a quick sniff before turning to the girl.

"Why do I feel like it's my fault my boy is gone?" Jackylen wrapped Joyce into a tight hug as she sobbed. Jackylen started to shush her as she stroked back her knotted brunette hair.

"It's okay..." Jackylen whispered. "Shh. This is not your fault. This is no one's fault. Okay?"

After about an hour of weeping, eating and crying, it was about time for Jackylen to head home. As she started to stand up, so did Joyce.

"Please sweetie take your plate back," Joyce said, trying to take the remaining fudge off.

"No please," Jackylen stopped her. "Please keep it. I already have plenty at home."

"Oh... are you sure?"

"One hundred percent."

Joyce gave a light squeeze on the girl's arm before she started to take off. As the girl started to head out the door, she turned back around to her new friend.

"If you need anything please just come and tell me, okay?" Jonathan gave a quick not before the girl headed out the door back home.

Once she parked the car and got out, he looked back at the Wheeler house. The porch light, flickering from time to time, all the lights nearly off but the one in Nancy and Mike Wheeler's room. And the one odd thing, still in its place.

Steve Harrington's brick red BMW 733i car that Adored so much. The one thing he wouldn't let anybody touch, other than his prized hair. Jackylen watched as the teal curtains of Nancy Wheeler's bedroom were pushed to the side, as the boy from the parking lot climbed out the window.

Jackylen gave a slight laugh as she closed the door to the car to head inside. She walked to the porch, but right before she could put the key on the keyhole. A voice called out to no surprise.

"Pinky!" Jackylen turned around to see Steve fixing the collar of his shirt, and combing back his hair with his fingers.

"Harrington. How was... 'studying' are you going to pass the test? What class was it in? Biology?" Steve scoffed as he started to open the driver side door of his car.

"You know Nancy told me things about you... Dotson. From what she told me. You are a very... bombardic person. She said you told her things about your past no one should know. Would you like to tell me those things now or should I just find out later?"

Jackylen scoffed as she leaned against the wood support of her porch.

"Why would you like to know?"

"Because you know lots of things about me. Why not make it even?"

"I barely know anything about you," Jackylen scoffed.

"Really?"

"Really."

For a moment there was a moment of silence before Steve spoke.

"I like the hair. It turned out... nice."

"Thanks... I guess." Steve gave a nod before heading into his car. But when he got in. A rush of guilt flooded him. He got back out of the car to look at the pink brunette, still standing on her oak porch.

"Are you free tomorrow night?" He asked.

"Yeah, why?" The girl asked.

"Okay... cool. I'll see you tomorrow." They bothered to share a nod before neutrality agreeing that they had places to be.

Steve got into his car and he backed out of the spot he parked. When he pulled out of the spot he stopped in front of Jackylen's house, and rolled down the window to wave goodbye before speeding off into the night, leaving a trail of dust and smoke behind him.

Watching as his red blinkers flashed as he turned the corner to another street. When Jackylen realized that he left. She sighed before heading back into the house, that unknowingly was destroyed to the bitter core. Glass everywhere.