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( 𝘨𝘪𝘧: 𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘷𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺 )

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𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 𝗜𝗦 𝗦𝗢 𝗦𝗛𝗢𝗥𝗧, 𝗙𝗢𝗥𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗜𝗦 𝗦𝗢 𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚.

Halloween, 1984.

A lot had changed in a year. Emily Everglot's death had changed the town. A darkness had instilled itself in the hearts and minds of the people, setting the tone for the dark years ahead. Steve had been a wreck ─ decomposed like her rotting body. Guilt ate away at him and made him spiral. He stopped caring about the things he used to ─ he no longer kept his image of popularity, and soon quit the swimming team.

But he had found purpose. Bumping into Nancy and Jonathan, he learnt about the Upside Down and decided to join forces with the duo to seek revenge for what it had done to Emily. He thought maybe this way he could seek amends. But Will had returned, and everything had returned to normal, and Steve still felt this gap inside of him.

So he sought solace in Nancy Wheeler. And at first, the studious girl had been very eager, only having puppy eyes for the golden boy. But soon she realised how Emily was, and would always be, intertwined to his existence. Sometimes she would catch him staring into space, eyes out of focus and expression somber, and she would know he was thinking of Emily.

Such as in that moment as the two sat in his car outside the school. "Steve?"

"Hm?" he slowly pulled away from his trance, smile not quite reaching his eyes as he remembered what they were discussing. "Right, my college essay. It's crap, I know."

Nancy's beat of hesitance said everything. "It isn't crap. It just needs some reorganising. Can I make some notes on it?"

"Sure, I guess." Steve shrugged, sounding defeated.

Grabbing a pencil, Nancy began circling a few words. "Here, you use a basketball match as a metaphor for your life, which is great," she reassured him, "but then you mention your grandfather in the war, and I'm not sure how they're connected."

Steve stared at her as if it were obvious. "We both won."

Her eyebrows shot upwards, nodding. "Right."

"I should start from scratch."

"No, it's not that." Nancy argued, though not very convincing. "I just thing maybe choose a topic you feel more strongly about. I mean, why don't you write about Emily?" the flash of pain that drowned Steve's facial features made Nancy shake her head. "Sorry, I shouldn't have mentioned her."

"It's fine." Steve managed to croak out. The problem was, it had been nearly a year. A year and all it took was to hear her name out loud again for Steve to bleed again. At this point, he wasn't sure there's long enough. 

He was aware of what everyone else thought, that he should just move on already. And lord, did Steve wish he could. But more than anything, he wished that she was still alive because he missed her like mad. He missed talking to her. He missed her voice. He missed the way she laughed. He missed her golden hair. He missed. He missed. He missed. 

That's all he does.

But he has to hide it. So he plasters a smile and changes the subject. "So, you've got your costume for the Halloween party tonight, right?"

"I do, yeah." she confirmed, glancing at the watch strapped around her wrist. "We should be getting to class or we'll be late."

"Yeah, you start going, I'll be there in a sec."

Nancy opened her mouth to say something, then decided against it, exiting the car with her books held close to her chest. Steve began to watch her go, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel before his eyes drifted towards the side of the leather seat. The sight of the intertwined initials carved into the leather sends a feeling so painful that pierces his chest he nearly whimpers.

S + E

He remembers that day as if it were yesterday ─ he had carved every single memory of her in fear of forgetting. He had told her not to do it, if his father found out he'd murdered him. But Steve hadn't stopped Emily ─ he had always let her do whatever she wanted. 

Now, it just served as a reminder of the girl he couldn't save.

His eyes burn with tears. He hates it. He hates he isn't stronger than that. Hates the world for taking her away. Hates Emily for being what she had been, for burrowing herself so deeply in Steve's bones.

Turning the key, Steve ignited his car before driving off, deciding not to deal with school for the day.

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𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗩𝗘 𝗪𝗔𝗦 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗕𝗬 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘 𝗡𝗔𝗡𝗖𝗬 𝗔𝗥𝗥𝗜𝗩𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗧𝗬.

Dodging through the crowd, Nancy approached her boyfriend, who seemed to be glued to the table where the alcohol was, downing a beer before his eyes noticed her. He threw his arms in the air, nearly knocking a vase over as he slurred slightly. "Nancy! Join the party."

Pouring her a drink and spilling some of it, Steve staggered slightly before handing it to Nancy, who realised he already had drunk a lot. But before she could say anything, he wrapped his arms around her, and how could Nancy scold him? He hardly was very affectionate.

So she let it pass. But two hours passed, nearing midnight, and Steve kept drinking, waving off in dismissal Nancy's concern.

"Steve, don't you think you've had enough for tonight?"

"I'm fine, Nance." he hiccuped as he poured himself another drink, sunglasses tilted on the bridge of his nose. 

When he nearly tripped over, Nancy frowned, reaching out. "Okay, I think that's enough."

"Stop it! You're ruining my fun." Steve tried to put his drink away from Nancy, but as her fingers gripped on it, the red liquid ended up spilling over Nancy's white top. "Now look what you've done."

Gaping at him, Nancy shook her head in disbelief before storming away towards the bathroom. Steve hesitated, stumbling slightly as he glanced into his cup before deciding to go after her. It took him a while to find her, attempting to rub out the stain on her front. 

"Let me help." he muttered, grabbing some toilet paper but making a slight mess of it.

"Steve, stop." Nancy said, putting her hands on his. No anger remained in her voice, just a tone of defeat. She stared at him sadly, music pumping through the shut door. "I think we need to be honest, stop pretending."

He frowned slightly, pouting. "Pretending? I'm not pretending."

"Steve." Nancy persisted. "I mean, do you actually love me."

"Of course I do, Em─" Steve froze, widening his eyes as he realised his mistake. "Nance. I meant to say Nancy. That doesn't mean anything."

"It means everything." she argued, hurt. "I can't be Emily's replacement anymore, Steve."

"That's not fair, Nance." Steve clenched his jaw. 

"It is, Steve!" she began to get desperate. "I don't blame you for still missing her. But don't make me feel guilty for wanting more than what you can offer me."

"What do you want me to say?" Steve snapped. "That I still love her? Because I do! I love Emily Everglot ─ I always will. I thought you knew that. I thought you were fine with it."

What Steve didn't know was that the second he professed his love out loud, the clock had struck midnight, and a full moon shone directly over the town, stirring someone who was six feet under.

"I was." Nancy confessed, biting the inside of her cheek. "But I don't know if I can anymore. I'm sorry Steve."

Steve slightly shook his head in denial, tears stinging in the back of his eyes. He wishes he could scream into the darkness, take breath and prove he can breathe without Emily. But he fears he would fail.

So instead, he decides to run away, leaving Nancy behind as he staggered through the party, ignoring invitations of fluttering eyelashes. The moonlight guided his way as he tried to find his car keys, unaware that somewhere in town, a hand darted from its grave, crawling out.

He knew he shouldn't drive, but he was too drowned in grief to care. So Steve got into his car, speeding down the streets to get home and distract himself with sleep. But a sudden figure stepped into the road, making him have to break suddenly, causing skid marks on the concrete street. He blinked in shock, squinting slightly underneath the bright headlights before freezing.

He could recognise that golden hair anywhere.

In disbelief, Steve slowly stepped out of his car, removing his sunglasses to make sure he wasn't seeing things. Yet there she stood ─ Emily Everglot. A less pristine version of her, with tired eyes and muddy skin, but herself nonetheless. 

Her confused face broke into relief when she realised it was him. "Steve?"

Taking a step forward beneath his intense stare, she staggered slightly in tiredness, eyes rolling to the back of her head as she felt herself falling in exhaustion.

Last thing she remembered seeing was Steve darting forward to catch her.