Legendary | s. harrington (18+)

PART TWO

"I CANT believe you're going." Eve scratched at her forehead, plucking the pencil held between her teeth out of her mouth. She sighed, scribbling something down and shuffled her crossed legs a little so she could move her paper away from the pictures on Jonathan's lap.

"I know." She sucked the air in a little, nerves already building for such a hefty social interaction. She moved closer to Will in their little circle around the fire. "Any chance you want to come with me? Please?" Jonathan let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head.

"I don't think so." And then Eve nodded, defeated because Steve would be there with his controversial friends and Nancy and Jonathan would be stuck in a corner.

"Yeah." It was then Will looked up from what he was drawing, the soft drone of Jingle Bells in the background as it floated through the radio.

"You might have fun." He perked and Eve smiled, just at the sound of his young, happy voice.

"Yeah," she mused at the unlikely possibility, "I might do."

"Who's up for operation?" Eve squealed, though the boys groaned and raised her hand quickly.

"Can't," Jonathan gushed, "Eve's going to a party-"

"Jonathan." Eve hissed and the boy just continued, naturally.

"-I'm dropping her off." Eve's face scrunched up with confusion. This wasn't a plan they'd made.

"A party!" Joyce repeated, "With who?" Eve's cheeks flushed and she looked at her page. She whispered his name, cringing for the reaction about to follow.

"Steve-"

"Steve Harrington." Jonathan stated much louder than need be.

"Steve Harrington!" Eve shook her head, laughing awkwardly.

"It is not at all, what it sounds like."

"Oh, no it definitely is." Jonathan said.

"Eve doesn't like Steve like that." Eve turned, hands in the air.

"Thank you, Will."

"Course she doesn't."

"Jonathan, I don't." Jonathan was laughing and Eve's face was gradually more flushed with embarrassment, struggling to stand her ground with the motherly Joyce cooing in excitement, saying something about having to call Eve's aunt to know everything that had been going on since the gate and Jonathan, thoroughly enjoying himself.

"I'd love to play." Eve suddenly says loudly, bursting to escape the heat in her face. She stands up, walking up to the board and starts to place the pieces out.

"You're an idiot, Eve." Jonathan mumbles as he gathers himself up.

"It's not exactly Christmasy." Will says as he joins Eve's side, looking at the small cartoon man with holes in his body.

"I made him a little Santa hat, actually." And Joyce places a small red paper hat with a Tipex fringe and bell. She smiled wholesomely and so did the three around her. Everything had been different since Bob died. Joyce was struggling to be the same. The house was colder and quieter but the four of them made it as warm and as loving as they could. She was getting better, but slowly.

Jonathan did drive Eve, but he drove her home, not to the party. Eve needed to change and now, stood scowling in the mirror in her Aunt's bedroom with her fingers fiddling with the hem of her dress, she eyed it suspiciously in the mirror.

"I don't like it." Eve began but her aunt waved her off.

"You liked it on the hanger, you liked it when you put it on." Eve's frown deepened.

"The dress is beautiful." Eve stated, wiggling her toes in her black tights, "Just not on me." The dress was something Eve had bought herself for the ball at the Middle School she was supposed to be helping out with but Nancy had decided to help too and they didn't need Evelyn as well.

"You were happy enough wearing it around the house."

"Yes, because no one would see me then." Her aunt laughed and came up behind her niece, placing her hands on her small shoulders. She placed a kiss on her head and took a moment to look at the sight.

"These girls are not better than you, Eve." Eve's face reddened and her cheeks puffed with a response.

"I don't think they are, I just-" Linda shushed her response with her own words.

"You can look at them and see their beauty but yours isn't lessened by theirs. You don't have to wear or look the way they do, Eve. You know that right?" Eve shook her head, she didn't care to look like they do but admittedly, sometimes, it did cross her mind. She leant into her Aunt's hold. "God, you look like your mother." She breathed, twirling a strand of her hair around her ageing finger. Eve smiled, and leant her cheek into her aunts hand. There was a honk of a familiar horn outside and Linda's face brightened.

"He's here!" Eve shook her head.

"It's only a house party, auntie." Her aunt was having none of it, she grabbed her niece's hand and headed for the stairs.

"And a party none the less!"

"Leave her, Linda." Her uncle's humoured voice travelled up the stairs, opening the door to a well-groomed Steve Harrington dressed in jeans and a soft blue jumper, not one bruise on his handsome face. "I'll be near that side of town," Henry said as Eve joined his side at the door, "If you need anything at all-"

"I know," Eve giggled and fled quickly to the car waiting outside.

"Hello, stranger." Eve said, climbing into the passenger seat, the door having been opened for her.

"You look lovely." Steve said with an unexpected intensity and though Eve politely smiled and moved her innocently blushing gaze from him, Steve stared a moment too long and distracted himself by turned his key in the ignition. His breath short.

"So do you." Eve said quickly, and chuckled with nerves. "But I hate you, so much for this."

"You don't." Steve said, flashing his teeth and reaching into the back of his car, lifting a six-pack of beers that were far too familiar to her.

"Where on earth did you find them?" Eve grinned, her heart warming furiously despite the cold winter air. She thought of those cans in her fathers large hands and the small ball that he'd take out of them. She collected them for no reason, but the thought of one clanking inside that metal again made her smile brighten in a way Steve had never seen.

"Mr Summers!" Steve shouted out of his window as he reversed from the drive. "Catch." And he threw one of those cans to the man standing in his uniform near the porch, his callous hands wrapping round the cold metal unwilling to let it go. He stared at it for a long moment, seeing his older brother's hands wrapped around one in his minds eye. He wiped his mouth and lifted his glazed eyes thankfully to the brown haired boy looking out of the window. He nodded and all his teeth were suddenly on show in one large grin. He waved them goodbye.