Steve's Girl

Chapter 13 : The Clearing

"I told you this was going to be a huge waste if time." 

"It was still worth checking out." 

"Yeah. Getting slapped in the face was definitely worth it." I replied annoyed. 

We were driving back home. We stayed around much longer than we should have and now we were running a little late. We might as well just call mom and tell her that we ran away to see Lonnie and now I have a bruise on my face that isn't from being kidnapped. Everything was just perfect. Everything was just peachy. 

"Where are you going?" 

We had made it into Hawkins already, but Jonathan was driving towards the woods not the house. 

"Jonathan, what are you doing? Where are we going?"

"To where the cops found Will's bike." 

"Wait, you know where it was?" 

"Yeah, that's where we're going." 

We stayed silent for the rest of the ride. When we had finally arrived, I looked out the window. The entrance was completely blocked off. There were barricades and police tape. 

"Jonathan, I don't think we're supposed to be here." 

"C'mon Sofie. We'll be fine." 

"Fine, but if we die, I hope you know that I hate you." I said while climbing under the police tape and making my way into the dark woods. 

They seemed strangely familiar. It was so weird because first of all it was dark and also because I don't have any memory of coming to this part of town. 

"Do you want a flashlight?" Jonathan asked, scaring the absolute shit out of me.

"Why would you do that?!" I scolded. 

"Well do you want it or not?"

I yanked it out of his hand and turned it on. We were walking around looking for who knows what. 

"Jonathan, what are we looking for exactly?" 

"Clues. Clues of any sort." 

"I thought we were supposed to get home before mom did." 

"We are. She's supposed to get out late today." 

"Okay, but if she finds out I'm blaming you." 

Jonathan was walking around taking pictures of anything that looked strange. At some point he left me alone. I wasn't afraid. I spent hours and a night sleeping in the woods. I was also kidnapped so nothing really scared me at this moment. 

I was walking around looking at the trees and the stumps of trees that had been cut down. There were large ditches and many leaves on the ground. I was walking looking at everything and nothing when I recognized something. A fallen tree over a ditch. The same ditch me and Eleven slept in. I was walking towards the ditch, when I heard a scream. 

I turned and ran. 

"Jonathan!" 

"Sofie, over here!" 

I ran towards him and stopped once I reached his side. 

"Whose house is that?" I asked, looking at the house on the other side of the clearing.

"Does it look like I know?" Jonathan said while taking pictures of the house. 

"Is that... Tommy and Carol?" I said while taking a closer look. 

I started to connect the dots. This was Steve's house.  I had never been to his house at night before. But I recognized the back of the house. The pool and the window to Steve's room. Tommy and Carol were following Steve into the house. But there was someone else. Someone else was with them. 

"I saw something. I recognized it from the day I made it out." 

"What was it?" 

"The ditch I slept in. With the little girl I met, Eleven." 

"What does that mean?" 

"It means that wherever I was held, can't be too far from here." 

We were still looking at Steve's house. There was no more movement. The light to Steve's room flicked on. I watched him move across the room. I heard a twig snap behind us, and my head whipped around. 

I flashed the flashlight into the darkness but saw nothing. I was about to turn back around to look at Steve's house, but Jonathan pushed me forward and away from the clearing.

"What are you doing?!" I hissed. 

"It's time to go. I don't want you to see what I just saw." He breathed out sounding a little panicked. 

"Well, what was it?" 

"It's better if you don't know. Let's get home." 

Steve's Pov

She really was missing. It was everywhere. On the TV, on the newspaper, the bulletin boards, the light posts. Sofie was everywhere yet nowhere. 

Will was gone too. I felt like a large part of me was missing. I never realized how much time I spent with her. My days felt sad and empty. I swore to myself that this was all for winning the bet, but I have to be honest with myself. I missed her. I missed her so much. 

"'Steve, can you stop being so boring?" Carol complained. 

"Give him a break babe. His princess is missing, remember?" Tommy snickered. 

I didn't laugh. I wasn't giving them the reaction they wanted, and it was bugging them. 

"You know what we should do? We should have a little party at Steve's today." 

"That sounds like a great idea! What do ya say, Harrington?" 

"I don't know guys. I'm just not feeling it." 

"Look, all you need is a new chick." Tommy said. "Look how about her? Nancy Wheeler." 

I looked over at Nancy. She was nice and all, but she wasn't Sofie. 

"Tommy, I can't do that to Sofie." 

"What Byers doesn't know won't hurt her." 

I cannot believe I let him convince me to do this. It felt so wrong, but he was right. What Sofie doesn't know won't hurt her. I just have to make sure she doesn't find out. 

"Go invite her." Tommy said, while shoving me towards where Nancy was standing at her locker. 

I continued to walk over there nervously. I don't even know what I'm gonna say. I stood on the other side of her open locker and waited for her to close it. When she did, I instantly turned on the charm. 

"Hey Wheeler." I said with a small smile.

"Hi Steve." She replied, returning a smile. 

"So, my dad is out of town and my mom went with him because she doesn't trust him. So... are you in?" 

"In for what?" 

Tommy and Carol strolled over. 

"Big house, no parents." Carol said. 

"A party?" 

"Duh"

"It's Tuesday." Nancy said, while tilting her head in confusion. 

"Oh, my goodness! It's Tuesday!" Carol said to Tommy mocking Nancy. 

She watched them mock her for a few seconds, before she stood taller and said, "I'm in."