𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩 [𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣]

[Haunted house]

With time passing, Steve eventually drove Cherry home, the silence in the car louder than ever. As they drove through the empty roads, Cherry couldn't help but feel a sense of dread creeping in. She knew her father wouldn't be pleased to see her coming home so late once again this week. However, before she could voice her concerns, Steve spoke up, breaking the silence. "You know," he began, clearing his throat, "I was thinking... It's getting late, and I don't want you to deal with any unnecessary shit again tonight." He placed a soft hand against her knee, "Why don't you just stay over?"

Cherry glanced over at him, conflicted yet touched by his consideration. "It's tempting," she replied, a chuckle escaping her throat. "But, seriously, my dad will worry and I just... I really don't want him to lose it again." She knew her father's temper, especially when it came to her late nights out. Yet, there was another layer to her reluctance, something she hadn't yet shared with Steve – everything that really went on at home, in California. While she hadn't explicitly told him anything, Steve could still sense the toxicity of her life at home.

So, he gulped and nodded understandingly, though a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, of course," he replied, his voice subconsciously rising an octave. "I get it. Family first." With a heavy sigh, Cherry watched as Steve pulled over, still a few houses away from her own. She turned to him, offering a small smile. "Thank you," she said, leaning in to press a quick kiss against his lips. Steve turned to her with a forced smile. "Tomorrow, same time?" He said, his voice still tinged with worry. As Cherry gathered her things to leave the car, she gave him a look. "Yes, babe,"

With her books now held tightly to her chest, she sighed, "I'll see you tomorrow morning," she said, her voice gentle. Seeing Cherry's figure start to disappear from view, Steve's grip loosened on his steering wheel. "Don't be late," he echoed softly, his voice carrying a mix of affection and longing. Cherry smiled, giving him a wave, "I won't," He watched intently as Cherry made her way to her front porch, his gaze lingering on the front door closing behind her for a moment longer before he reluctantly pulled away, driving back home.

As Cherry stepped into the house, the familiar sound of the TV blaring filled the air. She tensed, knowing that her father's reaction to her late return would likely be less than welcoming. Pulling her shoes off, she braced herself for his loud voice. As predicted, Neil's voice boomed from the living room, annoyance evident in his tone.  "Cherry, finally home?" The girl's heart sank, but she kept her composure as she entered the room, her expression guarded. "I was out with Robin," she replied, her voice steady as she avoided her father's gaze.

Her father's eyes narrowed, a scowl forming on his face. "Again?" he grumbled, his disapproval evident. Cherry fought the urge to roll her eyes, knowing that any argument would only escalate the tension in the house. Instead, she nodded tersely, offering a vague excuse. Cherry forced a tight-lipped smile, "I'll try to be home earlier next time," she replied, her tone neutral yet tinged with apprehension. Her father's scowl faded, his arms crossing. "Yes you will be. You're always out with that friend of yours," he muttered, his disapproval hanging heavy in the air. "I don't like it."

Cherry bit her lip, fighting the urge to defend her friend. She knew that arguing with her father would only make things worse. "Sorry, Daddy," she said quietly, her voice tinged with resignation. "Come here, Cherry," he commanded, his voice cold and authoritative. Cherry hesitated for a moment, her suspicions growing, but she reluctantly obeyed, her steps cautious as she approached her father. Before she could react, her father's hand shot out, yanking her wrist with a force that made her gasp in pain. As she stood before him, her father's grip tightened on her wrist, his nails digging into her skin.

"What have I told you about staying out late?" he hissed, his voice laced with anger. Tears welled up in Cherry's eyes at the pain radiating from her wrist, but she fought to maintain her composure. "I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice trembling with fear. "I lost track of time. It won't happen again." Her father's expression softened slightly at her apology, but his grip remained firm. "So, next time, be on time." he warned, his tone still harsh. Cherry nodded quickly, eager to escape his grasp. "I will," she promised, her voice shaky as she tried to back away from the older man.

With a curt nod, her father turned his attention back to the TV, effectively dismissing her and releasing her wrist. Cherry hurriedly retreated to her room, her heart heavy with a mix of relief and lingering fear. As she closed the door behind her, Cherry sank onto her and Max's shared bed, her sister likely at Hopper's cabin with El. Her hands trembled as she tried to touch her wrist, the are red and aching. Feeling the sting of tears threatening to spill over, Cherry took a deep, shaky breath, willing herself to calm down as if she was a child. "He's just trying to scare you," She assured, her fingers brushing over the growing bruise on her wrist.

Just as she was trying to compose herself, the door creaked open, and Billy's head appeared in the doorway. His skin was red, burnt from his days outside working by Hawkin's pool. He squinted as he took in Cherry's appearance, her hands wrapped protectively around her wrist. "What happened to you?" he asked,  a soft chuckle escaping him, though, his tone laced with skepticism. Cherry's eyes narrowed at the sight of her brother. "Go away, Billy," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, a mixture of exhaustion and frustration evident clear in her voice.

But Billy didn't budge, his gaze lingering on her bruised wrist. "What happened to your arm?" he asked, his smirk slowly leaving his lips. Cherry's jaw tightened further, her frustration evident in her tense body. "Please, just go, Billy," she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, a mixture of exhaustion and frustration evident in her tone. Ignoring her plea, Billy stepped into his sister's room, his expression a mix of curiosity and concern. His eyes narrowing, Billy reached out to grab her arm, intending to inspect the bruise. But Cherry recoiled, pulling her arm away from him instinctively.

"Just stop!" she exclaimed, her voice still quivering with fear and anger. However, Billy swatted her protective hand away, clearly determined to see what'd happened to her. "Fuck off, Cherry, let me look," he snapped, his tone harsh and impatient as he finally grasped his sister's arm. Cherry winced as Billy's touch exacerbated the pain, her breath catching in her throat. Her teeth stayed gritted together as she watched him eye the dark, angry, and bruising patch of skin, the edges fading into shades of purple and blue. "Did Dad do this?" he pressed, his tone tinged with a hint of disbelief.

Cherry sighed, her shoulders slumping as she nodded. "Yeah," she admitted, her gaze fixed on the floor. Billy let out an unsatisfied huff, dropping Cherry's arm without a word and heading out. His footsteps echoed down the stairs, leaving Cherry alone in her room. As she listened to the distant sounds of raised voices and pounding, a mix of anger and sadness washed over her. Billy and her father's arguing now filled the old house, only another reminder of the life she somehow could never escape. Her heart beat speeding, Cherry buried her face in her pillow, curling up into her bed as the tears she had been holding back finally spilt over.

She felt a sense of helplessness, like a child trapped in a haunted house with no control. And now, with the strained terms she and Billy were on, she felt lonelier than ever. The distance between them seemed insurmountable, and Cherry couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the thought of losing her brother's support, even if it was sometimes misguided. She sniffed, the yelling becoming a lullaby she had grown accustomed to, a background noise that had become oddly comforting in its own disgusting way. As the voices grew louder, Cherry found herself drifting off to sleep, now wishing she'd taken up Steve's offer.