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CHAPTER FORTY THREE " BILLY SUCKED "
STEVE'S DRIVING WAS MUCH SCARIER THAN USUAL, his erratic behaviour being enhanced by Dustin's lacklustre directions and demands.
"So, you made this radio tower thing for your girlfriend?" Dylan asked, amused. Dustin then repeated the story for her benefit, with her being the only one not to hear it a million times.
"Yup! Her name is Suzie!" Dustin gave her a wide grin, distracted for a moment. "She's not allowed to date non-Morman's so this was the only way I could talk to her."
Dylan laughed. "That's sweet, kid."
"Yeah, yeah, we're all really happy for you, Henderson," said Steve, teeth gritted. "But where do I go?"
"Turn left! Now!"
"There's no road here?"
"Just turn left!"
Steve whipped the car left, sending Dylan and Dustin to the other side of the vehicle, crushing a very displeased Erica.
She shoved Dustin. "Get off, nerd."
Dylan didn't laugh but she wanted to. Steve floored it up the grassy hill, (Your Love is Lifting Me) Higher and Higher ironically blasting from the stereo.
"We're not gonna make it! We're so not going to make it!" Shouted Robin, who was white-knuckling the side of the passenger door.
But they did make it—sort've. They only had to walk a little bit further up the hill, the TODFTHR getting stuck in the grass near the top.
When they reached the top, Dustin checked in with Murray. Dylan sat on the grass, not having much to do, and she was joined by Robin and Erica.
Robin sat in front of her, cross-legged. "Sooo, Dylan, how's California been?"
"Beautiful, sunny, no Mind Flayer trying to kill me..." Dylan said lightheartedly. "But I did miss home. Has Hawkins been this crazy ever since I left?"
Robin shook her head. "Nope, not at all," she pointed at Steve who was still standing a few feet away from them. "Unless you call scooping ice cream with this one crazy. Which, actually, it can be."
"I bet," she locked eyes with Steve. "He can be a bit of a handful."
"And you can't?" He shot back.
She didn't break their eye contact. "I didn't say anything about me. I know I can be a handful sometimes."
Dylan wanted to talk to him, really talk to him, alone and not in the middle of a crisis, but the most she could do there and then was try to convey to him she was sorry for the hurt she caused and that she was happy to see him.
Steve coughed, turning away from them. "Sometimes. That's putting it lightly."
