𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩 [𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣]

[Cracking the Code]

They sat in the car, quiet and tense as they waited for Max outside of Mrs. Kelleys house. The only sounds were Dustin's nervous fidgeting in the backseat and the muffled thrum of the engine. Cherry stared ahead, arms folded tightly across her chest, her gaze unyielding as it remained fixed on the street outside. Steve, who glanced over at her with a mixture of guilt and frustration sighed. Seeing this, Dustin cleared his throat, trying to cut through the thick tension. "So, uh... crazy night, huh?" He laughed awkwardly, but Cherry remained silent, her expression unreadable.

Steve shifted uncomfortably, finally breaking the silence himself. "Cher," he began, his voice softer than usual, "look, about before—" "It's fine, Steve," she cut him off, her voice clipped as her eyes stayed on the street, not meeting his. Her words held a finality that stung, and Steve pressed his lips together, unsure what to say next. Before he could try again, the front door of Mrs. Kelley's house swung open, and Max emerged, striding toward the car as if she was running away from something. She slid into the back seat beside Dustin, her eyes hard as she twirled a set of keys between her fingers.

"Drive," she ordered, her voice flat. Steve started the car, glancing briefly in the rearview mirror. "Did she say anything?" he asked. Max shook her head, slipping the keys into her pocket. "Nothing that'll help. Just... drive." Dustin shifted beside Max, casting an uneasy glance between them all. Even he saw how hurt Cherry was—and that says a lot. The car rolled forward, pulling away from Mrs. Kelley's house, but the silence inside was anything but peaceful. Cherry sat stiffly, her eyes fixed on the road outside, refusing to look at Steve.

Dustin sank lower in his seat, ready to ask Steve to just drop him off at home. Steve stole a glance at Cherry, his hands gripping the wheel tightly. He knew he had to break the silence, even if it ended in an argument. "Cher," he started again carefully, "can we please talk about this?" "Talk about what?" she shot back, her tone low and sharp. "I already told you it's fine. You don't have to keep bringing it up." "Clearly, it's not fine," he countered, his voice holding a mix of frustration and concern. "You haven't said two words to me since... since I suggested going with Nancy."

She scoffed, crossing her arms tighter. "Since you almost ditched me, you mean." Steve let out an exasperated sigh. "I didn't ditch you. I thought it made sense for you to take the car—" From the backseat, Max leaned forward, her head poking between the seats. "You kinda did, though." Cherry shot Steve a pointed look. "Yeah? And I bet if it had been Dustin or Robin standing there, you'd have asked them to drive instead, right?" Her words were sharp, carrying an edge that cut right through him. "We're supposed to look out for each other, Steve. But I guess the second she's around, that goes out the window."

Steve's jaw clenched as he held back a response, searching for the right words. "That's not fair," he said finally, his voice softer. "I care about Nancy, yeah, but that doesn't change anything with you and me." "Doesn't it?" she challenged, finally turning to look at him, her eyes flashing with hurt. "Because from where I'm sitting, it looked a whole lot like you were ready to run off with her and leave me to deal with... whatever's out there." She gestured vaguely, her frustration spilling over. Steve frowned, fingers drumming anxiously on the steering wheel.