Chapter Text
Summer of 1983 in Hawkins.
Two people are on a walk downtown, who were on a ‘date’. Two people who couldn't be closer to the end of a relationship.
“And I know he's my little brother but, goodness, I wish he’d just chill out sometimes.” You stated, your boyfriend nodding along to your rant without any input. His hand had fallen from yours nearly a block ago, his attention stolen not long after that.
“Steve!” You snapped in the boy's face, “Are you even listening to me?”
The boy in question blinked away the dumb look on his face but still didn't look you in the eye. “What? Yeah yeah, of course.” He assured you nonchalantly.
Except it was obvious he wasn't listening. He was staring, blatantly you might add, at a couple of girls in a store across the street.
It used to be him looking at you like that, when he only had eyes for you. All the shared moments from when you had first started dating were gone, since exactly two thirty-four last Wednesday.
That’s when Nancy Wheeler had shown up in a pretty little two-piece and stole Steve Harrington from right under your nose.
You hadn't thought much of it when Nancy and Barbara had shown up at the pool and sat down with you and Steve. You had been talking with Barb about school related things when you realized both Steve and Nancy were nowhere to be found. It had struck you as an odd occurrence but nothing more. It wasn't until five minutes later when Steve walked over from the snack bar area with Nancy in tow did you suspect something. Her red face and shy demeanor mixed with Steve's strut and over confident smirk practically wrote the story by itself.
“Then what did I say?” You demanded, knowing you were losing him. It wasn’t hard to see, he started ignoring little things you said and was flaking on dates, and when he was with you there was a constant, dreamy look in his eyes as if he wasn’t.
“I- Something-” He was floundering for an answer and you both knew it. It put a chip in your heart. You were losing him and there was nothing you could do about it.
“I’d like to go home.” You mutter as you turn back, keeping as much distance between the two of you as possible. One glance behind and you would have seen a certain brunette still watching through the store’s window.
The only thing playing on the car ride home was the piercing sound of silence, unfortunately it didn't last the whole drive. You had chosen to look out of the window instead of interacting with Steve, while he'd been fidgeting the whole ride and itching to say something. He opened and closed his mouth multiple times before running a hand through his hair. Keeping the other hand on the wheel, he turned to look at you. “I don't understand why you’re so mad about me just not paying attention about-...” His voice drifted off.
“My brother! I was talking about my brother!” You snapped. You were fed up with his bullshit. He wasn't about to gaslight you into thinking you were crazy about this situation.
“You talk about your brother all the time, excuse me if I don’t always listen.” He scoffed as he turned the corner to a different street.
“I don't care if you just hadn't heard all of it, it's not about that! But you and I both know that you would have heard if you weren't too busy checking out little miss princess Wheeler! Isn't that right?”
Steve rolled his eyes, “What? Are you jealous of Nancy? You are being so clingy, Jesus-”
Being clingy was something you struggled with and had always disliked about yourself. You had told Steve about that and it's left another chip in your heart at the fact that he would use it against you. But the fact that he had called you jealous was the straw that broke the camel's back.
“Jealous? You think I'm jealous? I should have no reason to be jealous because you're my boyfriend and I'm your girlfriend!” Tears pricked at your eyes and using the back of your hand, you angrily wiped them away.
“Jesus Christ, are you crying?” Steve glanced at you before he turned the last corner to your house. “You are overreacting right-”
You cut Steve off “No, you're not going to ogle at other girls and then call me jealous. This is bullshit, Steve!” You yelled.
“If you think it's such bullshit, why the hell are you still here?” He slammed on the brakes, “Here's your house, don't come running back to me.” He hissed.
You snatched your purse from the floor and threw the car door open.
“Don't worry, Harrington. I won't bother you and your little princess.” You spat before you slammed the passenger door. The sound of tires squealing and a revving engine getting quieter told you all you needed to know about where Steve was going.
As you made your way to your front door, it hit you that there would be no making up from this. Steve Harrington wouldn’t crawl through your window tonight with flowers and his head hung low, asking that you forgive him. He wouldn't catch you after tripping over your own feet in the hallways when it was crowded. There would be no more dates in the evenings where you would simply be with each other and do nothing. Every memory of him from this moment on would be forever tainted by Nancy Wheeler.
The reality of what happened finally hit as you closed the door and took off your shoes. Your purse fell from your hand while your tears fell from your cheeks, it felt as if your heart had shattered on the floor in front of you. Steve Harrington was gone. And he would never come back.
She came along, got him alone, and let's hear the applause,
She took him faster than you can say "Sabotage”
He was a moth to the flame,
She was holding the matches.