Steve Harrington imagines

Heather

Word Count: 1.5k
A/n: so this is kinda sad, it's based off of Conan Gray's song Heather. I tried to make this very gender neutral, I'm not sure if I did a good job or not, this is the second fic I've ever wrote that's gender neutral but I used they/them pronouns. I hope you guys like it!

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"Are you sure?" You asked taking his coat out of his hands. You felt a warmth in you as your fingers briefly touched his. The warmth made you smile and blush slightly.

"Yes y/n, you're freezing just take it." He gave you a smile as you put on his coat. He eyes drifted past you as he stared at Heather McConnell. You saw how his eyes brightened up as he looked at her. The warmth that you felt left and your smile dropped. If only Steve knew how much you liked him.

Heather had Steve wrapped around her finger and she didn't even know it. He walked past you and jogged towards Heather. You sighed and shook your head. Of course he was just being your friend. You thought that maybe, just maybe this small gesture of him giving you his coat meant more than him just being a good friend.

A few months went by and you made no progress with Steve. You accepted that he wasn't interested in you and that he was interested in Heather. She slowly started hanging out with you and Steve more. They weren't dating, not yet. You saw how they looked at each other and you knew they would get together eventually.

You wished you could dislike Heather, you really did. But, she was too nice and she was so kind to you. She really was perfect for Steve but, you thought you were perfect for him.

After dealing with their constant flirting and pining and dealing with your own feelings of jealousy and love, you finally broke. You were all at the drive in, the night was colder than it usually was and you were freezing. Heather and Steve had all the blankets around them and you were about to ask Steve if he had a sweater that you could borrow. But then you saw him give his sweater to Heather. You wouldn't have freaked out except it was the one you gave him and for some reason that made it worse. You faked a stomach ache and told them that you were leaving. Before they could even ask any questions you booked it to the nearest pay phone.

You called your sister to pick you up, tears were starting to go down your face by the time she got there. When you got in her car, you let it all out. Your sister tried her best to console you until she got you guys home.

"Okay Y/n what happened?"

"He gave her his sweater! The one I got for him. Like it was no big deal. She's been the only thing he's talked about for months. Do you know how hard I've tried to be happy for him? But all I want is to be her. I wish I was Heather so fucking bad. I want to be the one that leaves Steve breathless but no the one person that does that is Heather fucking McConnell." 

"Y/n, it's just a sweater. You don't need to be Heather because your Y/n, you're a badass, you're hot, and one day you'll meet someone that you'll leave breathless. Steve might not be that person for you right now or ever. But, you can't do this to yourself anymore. You need a break." Your sister rubbed your back as you continued to cry. She led you up to your room where you eventually fell asleep. She was right, you needed a break from Heather and Steve and for now that's what you were gonna do.

The next day you woke up to your sister on the phone with someone.

"No, they're still asleep. They're exhausted, Steve so I'm not gonna wake them up." She was talking to Steve? You looked at the clock, it read 1:45. It was late, you basically slept the whole day away. You listened to the conversation your sister was having.

"I'll let them call you if they want whenever they get up. Bye, Steve." You heard her coming upstairs to your room.

"Steve called. I told him you'd call him later." You kinda felt numb at this point.

"Okay." That was all you said before going back to bed.

It had been a full month without seeing Steve or Heather. You felt better. You weren't necessarily happy, you hadn't seen your best friend in a month. But, you felt almost normal. You and your sister had gone to Melvald's, you were getting a few groceries for dinner that night. That's when you heard him. He called out to Dustin saying "Hey shit head, I'm not buying that either." You tried your best to avoid him but you ran into Dustin.

"Hey Y/n! How's it goin'? I haven't seen ya in awhile." He stuck his hand out for you to shake and then he pulled you into a hug. While you were explaining to him that you had to go, Steve popped up behind Dustin.

"Y/n, hey." Steve gave you a tight lipped smile. You waved at him and then walked out of the aisle to the cash register. As you and your sister were walking to her car. Steve called out your name and hesitantly you turned around.

"Hey Y/n, do you wanna grab lunch real quick, we could go to my house and talk? I mean like after I drop Dustin off. It's been awhile so I thought it'd be nice to catch up." You looked at your sister and looked back at Steve.

"Sure." You went to get in his car, forcing Dustin to get in the back. The car ride to Dustins was awkward. It was so silent, you could hear a pin drop. Dustin got out and you hugged him goodbye. The car ride back to Steve's was painfully slow and still so quiet. Steve pulled up to his house and you let out a breath that you didn't know you were holding in. You went in and sat on the far end of his couch.

Steve was the first one to break the silence. He cleared his throat. That's when you realized you had been avoiding his gaze.

"So, how have you been?" He looked uncomfortable when he said it. It made sense, just a month ago you two had been best friends that didn't feel the need for small talk and now you've gone a month without seeing each other and its like you just met for the first time.

"I've been good. How have you been?" You hated this, the small talk, the awkwardness. You hated all of it.

"I've been good, Heather and I are still together. The party's good, you probably knew that Dustin and Will say they call you all the time." You couldn't help but roll your eyes at Heather's name. That action didn't go unnoticed by Steve.

"Why'd you do that?"

"I didn't do anything." You knew he saw what you did but you were not about to get into this.

"Yes you did. You rolled your eyes when I said Heather's name. You just did it again." It was like an involuntary reaction to hearing her name.

"I thought you liked her, you guys were kinda friends." You ran a hand through your hair.

"I like her, she's great, you guys were like made for each other! So it's not that." You we're starting to get frustrated.

"Then what is it? Because all I know is that one night you were out with us and then you basically ran out and this is the first time I've seen you in a month."

"I wanted to be her Steve. I wanted you and I to be together. I'm so fucking jealous of her and it's been tearing me apart inside! Do you know what it's like to watch the person you're in love with fall in love with someone else? Because it fucking hurts like hell."
Steve was shocked by what you said.

"I had to leave that night because, I realized that you'd never feel the same feelings for me. I couldn't handle it anymore. I needed a break from everything and everyone."

"You should've told me. So that we could've figured something out."

"Why did you like me? Did you have any romantic feelings for me at all?" You looked at him expectedly.

"No but, we could've worked this out. So that way we'd still be able to talk to each other without the awkwardness between us."

"I am so sorry Steve but, I can't do this anymore." You
gathered your things to leave but, Steve stopped you.

"Y/n, please." Steve gave you a pleasing look. You turned back around and headed for his door. You gave Steve one last goodbye and you left. You ran to your house, you couldn't stop until you got home. When you got there, you ran to your sister and told her everything that happened. She rubbed your back and consoled you.

Maybe one day you and Steve could be friends again but not anytime soon.