better by myself - steve harrington AU

chapter 3 - movie night

"E.T."

"Again?" I groaned, extremely annoyed. It was our mom's turn to pick a movie for movie night and she always picked the one Dustin would like. I knew none of them would enjoy anything I picked out so I always passed on the privilege of choosing to one of them. However, in this particular instance, we had watched E.T. every single movie night for three weeks time. And movie nights were frequent in our household. 

"You can't even complain, you never want to choose." Dustin had a wide, cheesy smile on his face as he left the dinner table to pick the movie out of our small VHS-collection by the TV.

I stuck out my tongue at him. He was right, there was no arguing about it. 

"I think it's a great choice." Steve chimed in, and I was made painfully aware that he was, indeed, still in my home. I rolled my eyes at his remark and slumped down into my chair. I pretended to be occupied by rolling the peas around on my plate with my fork.

It was an unpleasant reality, the one where Steve spent at least one night a week eating dinner with us and occasionally staying for movie night. Unfortunately, that was the reality I was currently residing in. It had been a few days since the science fair, and I hadn't spoken to him since. I didn't feel like I had to speak to him. I had nothing to say.

"Do you want some more food, dear?" My mother asked Steve. He gracefully declined and flashed her his kind smile that always made her giggle with giddiness. Sometimes it felt like she liked him way too much just to compensate for my extreme dislike to him. But then again, Steve had an undeniable likability to him that not even I could refute. 

I hadn't noticed how my eyes had stayed fixated on his smile then. He obviously had, because as soon as I realised and shifted my gaze back to my plate I swore I could see him smirking at me out of the corner of my eye.

Standing up, I grabbed my plate and walked into the kitchen to help my mother with the washing up.

"He's sweet, isn't he?" My mother sighed gleefully. I glanced over to the living room where the boys now sat on the floor, rewinding the VHS. In response I only nodded absentmindedly. Steve Harrington was, objectively, sweet. 

When we were finished, we joined them in the living room where they had fully rewound the tape and were now discussing the pamphlet Dustin had gotten about a summer camp for next year. 

"I don't think girls go to science camp, man." Steve stated, shaking his head. Dustin looked disappointed.

"You don't? Maybe girls from other schools like science more than they do here." He theorised hopefully.

My mother sat down in her recliner and Mews followed suit, immediately cosying up to her in her lap. I plopped down on the sofa next to Dustin.

"Nah, girls don't like science, I think." Steve said nonchalantly.

"That's the single-handedly stupidest thing I've ever heard." I interjected. They both turned to look at me.

"Would you go to science camp, Hannah?" Dustin asked.

"No," I answered simply. "I'm not interested in science." Dustin hung his head in disappointment and Steve let out a laugh as if he had been victorious.

"So girls don't like science." Steve said, matter-of-factly.

I glared at him. "Would you go to science camp, Steve?"

"No, but that's not-" He started.

"So boys don't like science?" I interrupted. Steve went quiet.

I shifted my gaze to look down at Dustin. "Some girls like science." I smiled reassuringly at him. "But regardless of if they are boys or girls, you're gonna make some friends at that camp who are just as nerdy as you."