Don't You Want Me? ✵ Steve Harrington

Prologue

The year was 1982, and Kimberly Henderson was dragging Steve Harrington down the dark streets of Steve's neighborhood.

"Jesus, I forgot how fast you can run," he panted, his fingers intertwined with her's as they sprinted.

She smirked, her long dark hair blowing in the summer wind. "I get lots of practice running from Hopper and Callahan." She pulled Steve behind a nearby bush, him landing on top of her. "Ouch!"

"Sorry," he whispered, quickly moving his hand off of where it had landed on her chest. He was about to roll off her when he heard Hopper's voice and was instantly too scared to move.

"Kim, I swear to God you're gonna send me into cardiac arrest one of these days," the chief of police grumbled.

Kim presses her lips together, trying not to laugh. Steve was just glad it was dark out so his best friend couldn't see how much he was blushing.

"Listen, I know the two of you are over there, so come out before things get worse, okay? Isn't better that I bring you in than Officer Callahan?"

Kim and Steve both closed their eyes, hoping he would just go away. Kim had to admit that he was right: she and Officer Callahan hated each other.

"Henderson, I know this is all one big joke to you, but you crossed a line this time," Hopper went on, a bit disappointed in his favorite little criminal. "You can't just break into a gas station in the middle of the night because you want to get snacks with your boyfriend."

Kim rolled her brown eyes while Steve's face became an even darker shade of red. "Stay down, Harrington," Kim whispered as she rolled out from under him and stood up. "It's a nice night, isn't it, Hops?"

He shook his head and tried not to laugh. "Where's your partner in crime?"

"I don't know," she lied, not looking down at Steve. "Guess he finally learned how to use that singular brain cell of his and ran off."

Steve glared up at her while Hop rolled his eyes. "Come on out, Harrington."

Steve was about to get up when Kim said, "He's not here, Hop. It's just me."

The chief chucked and shook his head. "I might hate that kid, but I know he'd never leave you like that."

"It's just me," Kim repeated, not wanting to get Steve in trouble for the millionth time that summer.

Hop sighed, still not totally believing her. "Fine. Just get in the car and I'll take you home."

"My mom always taught me not to get into cars with strangers, especially not at night," Kim said sassily, crossing her small arms.

Hopper groaned and rubbed his temples. "Life was so much easier before I knew the names Henderson and Harrington."

Kim smiled at the chief, leaning on the bush in front of her before realizing it couldn't hold her weight. After steadying herself she said, "Come on, you love us. We make your life more interesting."

Hop tried not to laugh again. "Fine, you're not my least favorite person on the planet, but the Harrington kid is truly the worst."

Kim forced herself not to look at Steve, able to picture his annoyed expression without having to look down.

"Now get in the car and I'll make sure your mom never finds out you got caught again," Hop said, opening the door to the cop car and gesturing for her to get in.

"Deal," she agreed, knowing her mom would probably kill her.

As she got in the backseat and Hopper climbed into the driver's seat, Kim saw Steve poke his head above the bushes. Noticing how worried he looked, she winked at him, letting him know that she was totally fine. Watching her ride away in the back of a cop car, all the young Harrington could think about was how he would do anything for that crazy, dark haired girl.

"Kim," Hopped said, his tone fatherly as he looked at her through the rearview mirror. "You really need to stop this. It was one thing when you and Harrington just stole a box of cigarettes and candy, but actually breaking in? You have a bright future. Don't go around messing it up."

"Yeah, okay," she rolled her eyes as she stared out the window.

"I'm not kidding, kid. I can only bail you out of trouble so many times."

She didn't reply as Hopper pulled to a stop a few houses down from hers so her mom wouldn't know what Kim had gotten herself into this time.

Before she could get out of the car, Hop turned around to look at her. "If you can't stop getting in trouble for yourself, then do it for your brother. Him and his weird friends really look up to you."

"I know," she sighed, feeling slightly ashamed of herself for the first time that night.

Seeing her expression, Hopper tried to make her laugh. "I don't know what I'd do if I had a group of Kimberly-Henderson-trained-delinquents running around my town."

"Oh yeah, you definitely couldn't handle that. I think it'd make Callahan quit," Kim smiled at him as she got out of the car and walked the rest of the way home.

Yeah, she felt a little bad that she had disappointed Hop and that she probably wasn't the best influence on Steve, but the rush she always got... It was better than anything. Just her and Steve doing something stupid and then sprinting away laughing. She walked into the house, expecting it to be silent, but she heard laughter from her little brother's room. She knocked on the door and the ten year olds inside quickly fell quiet, thinking it was Dustin's mom.

"W-we're asleep," Dustin said dumbly.

Kim laughed as she walked into her brother's room and sat down on his floor.

Her brothers friends smiled at her, all having a bit of a crush on the total bad-ass older girl. "Kimmy!"

"Ew," Dustin glared at his sister. "Go away before you give us all cooties."

"No!" Mike exclaimed quickly, blushing as she looked at him. "I-I mean, don't listen to Dustin." Mike and the other boys thought they were really good at hiding their crushes, but everyone could see how much they liked Kim.

"Don't worry, I rarely listen to my brother," she grinned as Dustin stuck his tongue out at her.

"How was your little date with Steve," Dustin teased, his voice sing-songy.

Kim grabbed Lucas's pillow and smacked her brother with it. "How many times do I have to tell you, we're just friends."

"Yeah, but you wish it was more," he smirked, shielding his face from another wack with the pillow.

"I-I think that any guy who doesn't think you're awesome is totally crazy," Will whispered, his face beat red.

"Thanks, Will," Kim said, knowing he was the sweetest out of her brothers' friends. She yawned, finally feeling tired after running about Hawkins with her idiot best friend. "I should go to bed. Night, dumb dumbs."

"She's totally into me," Mike smiled, leaning his chin against his hand once Kim had closed the door.

Becoming over protective, Dustin glared at Mike. "Dude, that's my sister."