Stranger Things Imagines

Reconnect

Do you ever pass the time by thinking about a lost friendship? In most cases, I'd say that I don't dwell on that stuff - but that's only because they were never really good friends or people in the first place. However, there is one that constantly slips into my mind. In terms of friends, he's the one who got away.

Steve Harrington.

We were best friends when we were in diapers and for several years after that. I knew everything about him, and he knew everything about me. Nobody ever knew us better than we knew each other. We were thick as thieves when we didn't have a care in the world - that's why losing him as a friend still stings to this day.

It's not like we had some big falling out. We just kinda grew apart. I didn't think that was possible. I'd never tell anyone, but I've shed many tears over this. If younger me was told how things turned out, she wouldn't believe you. It pains me to think about that innocent little girl getting the rug pulled out from under her.

High school is a whole beast, one far worse than the ones we used to 'fight' in the backyard. It can and will change you for better or worse. Steve fell into the popular crowd. He turned into a bad person, a bully who was at the top of the social ladder. This wasn't him. I could tell his newfound friends had a grasp on him, making him almost unrecognisable. Almost. I always held out hope that the Steve Harrington I once knew was still in there somewhere.

Where Steve thrived, I was fighting to survive. I didn't really fit it, and it took a long time for me to find somewhere I could safely exist. I thought about doing photography with Jonathan Byers, but I opted out after I watched some basketball player throw his camera at a wall - and that was before Steve broke his next camera. The idea of being cornered by someone stronger than me and having a camera that I can't afford to replace be broken chased me away from that plan.

Eventually, I landed on band class. That was the best decision I ever made. That's where I met Robin Buckley. From the moment I laid eyes on her, I knew there was something special about her. For one, she was nice to when nobody cared to show common decency. She was a breath of fresh air, and I clung to her like I was running out of oxygen. We quickly grew close - it's us against the world. After a while, Robin felt she could trust me enough to tell me her deepest darkest secret. My stunned silence scared her. In truth, I was freaking out because I realised we had something else in common, but I couldn't find the words. I never intended on coming out to her that day, but I'm glad I did. I love Robin. To this day, she's the only person who knows the truth.

When Robin first told me that she had started working with Steve, my brain was fried. Did I tell her about our history? Would Steve be the same as he was in high school? Should I ever visit her at work? Robin could tell that his name had sparked something in me, so I told her everything. She was a tad surprised before I clarified it was before high school horrors.

I never did go to Scoops when Steve was there. It feels stupid to admit it, but I've been scared to run into him. Considering how close we once were, it feels ridiculous to be anxious to see him. It used to be what I looked forward to. A lot had changed, and I just wasn't ready, no matter how much Robin said he had changed. I was desperate to be like we used to, but I just couldn't bring myself to face him. I still remember when Robin dropped the bomb that Steve was once again aware of my existence.

"You know, he talks about you all the time." She broke the silence as I turned the page in the book I was reading on her bed.

"Who does?" I refrained from starting the new page as I wondered where this conversation would leave.

"Steve." I can't really explain it, but my heart sunk at the mention of his name.

"Why's he talking about me? What's he saying?" I worried about a potential rumour.