𝐓𝐀𝐊𝐄 𝐎𝐍 𝐌𝐄 || 𝘔𝘈𝘟 𝘔𝘈𝘠𝘍𝘐𝘌𝘓𝘋

40. oh shit

OH SHIT

March 24th, 1986
⏰ 1:30 pm, 📍Hawkins, Indiana

༺♥༻ "Max, Max!" Steve scolds as he runs up next to Max and Stephanie. "Seriously, I'm not joking, okay? I'm not driving you anywhere."

Max continues walking to the car. "Steve, if you think I'm going to spend what is likely the last day of my life in the armpit that is Mike Wheeler's basement, then you're of your mind. So either take me where I need to go or you're gonna have to tie me down, which is technically kidnapping of a minor. And if I live to see another day, Steve, I swear to God, I will prosecute."

Max pulls on the handle, finding out the door is locked. "Open the door."

Steve looks incredulous. "Uh, no."

Max narrows her eyes. "I know a good lawyer."

Steve scoffs and pulls out the keys from his pocket. "Henderson, that super walkie of yours better reach Pennhurst."

Stephanie walks over to the other side of the car and gets in, waiting for Max who suddenly seems to be in no hurry. She's just staring behind her. Stephanie assumes she just snaps out of it, since she gets into the car like nothing happened.

"You okay?" Stephanie asks, biting her lip as Lucas squishes into the backseat next to her, leaving Stephanie in the middle.

Max looks back at the Wheeler house. She leans in and lowers her voice. "I swear on my life I heard the clock again."

Stephanie's eyes widen. "What?"

Max nods and leans back on the seat, leaving Stephanie in pure shock.

Steve turns on the radio to try and drown out any awkwardness.

You talk a lot, but you don't say much

In the things you do

You're always right

In all our fights

Because no one else can shut you down

Stephanie plays with the corner of the red envelope, wondering only what could be written inside.

Steve parks the car and looks over his shoulder at Max. "This better be fast, Mayfield."

"Twenty seconds." Max assures, getting out of the car.

Now they wait.

To Stephanie, what was supposed to be twenty seconds feels like twenty minutes. She has a routine, check her watch, look out the window, check her watch, look out the window.

Steve nods towards Dustin's walkie. "That things got batteries in it, right?"

Dustin slowly turns his head to Steve. "I'm not even answering that question."

Steve does not get the hint. Not one bit of it.

"Yes, it has batteries."

A minute later, Stephanie sees Max run out from behind her house, looking behind her every few steps.

The four are sitting outside of the car, Stephanie on Max's side behind Steve.

"That was longer than twenty seconds." Steve remarks, watching Max come into earshot.

Stephanie hits Steve on the back of his head. "No, don't say that." She whispers, shaking her head.

Stephanie goes back into the car as Max follows her actions without a word. "What happened?" She whispers, not wanting anyone else to hear.

Max doesn't answer, she just gives a look. A look that Stephanie realizes the answer to her question.

————

༺♥༻ "Turn here."

"Here?"

Max nods as Steve turns to the Roane Hill Cemetery.

Where Billy is.

Steve stops the car and Max immediately gets out, a brown envelope in her hand.

"Max?" Stephanie follows Max outside, her mind moving a mile a minute.

Max stops. "Steph, please, wait in the car."

Stephanie runs up in front of Max. "Please just wait."

Max crosses her arms.

"I know something happened back there with your mom."

She looks away from the blonde.

Stephanie takes a deep breath. "Was it Vecna?"

Max nods, her evident fear makes Stephanie feel a cold run through her body.

Max looks down at the ground taking a shaky breath in. "I'm scared, Steph." She whispers, not letting her voice to louder.

Stephanie envelops Max into a hug, reminded of when they were in the Byers house two years ago, in the same hug they both never wanted to end.

"I love you." Max chokes out.

Stephanie's stomach flutters at the words, feeling like how she felt when Max came up to her for the first time in front of school Halloween week.

"I love you, too."

Max pulls away, wiping tears off her cheeks. "I'll only be a minute."

"Okay, Annie."

Max looks back with a half smile as Stephanie makes her way to Steve car snd sits herself on the hood, watching Max sit in front of Billy's stone.

Stephanie goes back to her routine. Watch, Max, watch, Max, watch, Max.

Steve looks over his shoulder. "Steph, she's gonna be fine."

"I know, I'm just worried." Stephanie blinks back tears, keeping her eyes locked on Max.

"Nancy and Robin better have this figured out before something bad happens." Dustin shakes his head, mindlessly switching through the channels on his walkie.

"What do you mean 'something bad'?"

༺♥༻
soupa short 🍲

(i actually don't like soup) (the word soup also throws me off)

6/28/23