Steve's Girl

Chapter 26 : The Bathtub

"What are they doing up there?" Mom asked.

Mike had finally answered the walkie and Hopper was on his way to find them.

"They were chased. We have to bring them back here."

Hopper took the keys to Jonathan's car and left us here.

"So, is anyone hungry?" Mom asked to break the silence.

We all looked at her and then Nancy and Jonathan looked at me.

"I'm starving." I said as I walked into the kitchen with Mom.

Mom, Jonathan, Nancy and I sat and ate in the kitchen. We needed to get our minds off of the kids. Hopper was going to find them and they were going to be safe.

We sat in silence for a while after eating. I started pacing because they started to take long.

"What is taking them so long?" Nancy anxiously asked.

"Guys, they weren't close. You just need to give them a second." Jonathan said, while holding his head anxiously. 

There was silence throughout the living room again. We all waited and waited for what seemed like days.

Lights from outside lit up the dark living room. Nancy was the first to jump up and run towards the door. The rest of us followed after her. 

"Mike! Oh my God, Mike!" She let out as she ran to hug him. "I'm so glad to see you."

"Yeah, me too." He responded awkwardly. 

She pulled out of the hug and looked at him. Then she slowly looked over his shoulder. 

"Is that my dress?"

I couldn't see what dress she was talking about. Mike moved out of the way and there she was. 

"El." 

She looked in my direction and her eyes lit up. 

"Sofie!"

Everything felt like it was in slow motion. I knelt down and she ran to me. She gave me the tightest hug in the world. 

I held the back of her little head.

"Eleven, oh God. I thought I would never see you again. I'm so happy you're okay." I whispered to her. 

"I missed you, Sofie. You were my first friend." She whispered back. 

She pulled out of the hug and looked around. 

"Where is this?" 

"This is my house." I laughed in response. 

 "You stay here? With your Jonathan?"

I laughed again. "My Jonathan?"

"You said in the rainbow room. Jonathan."

"Yeah, El. Jonathan is here. He's my brother, remember?"

"Yes. Where is he?"

I turned around and looked for him. He was standing with Mom. 

"Over there. The tall boy in the blue jacket." 

We both stared at him until he looked in our direction. I felt El tap my arm. 

"He's not pretty like you." She whispered.

I burst out laughing. "El, you're too funny." 

Jonathan drew his eyebrows together, confused why we were laughing at him.  

Everyone started heading inside, and I pulled Eleven with me.

We all stood and sat around our small coffee table, listening to the boys explain where Will was hiding. The Upside Down. It was our world but not. But it didn't matter because we knew how to get there.