Two.         Boobies

     Steve Harrington didn't really hate a lot of things, he was a pretty simple guy.

   A bag of chips made him happy on an off day.

   One thing he really despised though was closing up Family Video. Robin had band practice, so, he was here alone today. And he had a total of six minutes left before it hit eleven thirty, he was tempted to just close the store now. It was dead empty to be fair. But, there's always that small chance someone could just walk in—

Ring!

    Barf. Kill me now, man! Fuck..

    Steve's entire face turned sour at the ringing bell above the front door, someone was actually here. Lord so help me—

   The boy pushed himself from his slouching position against the counter, not even paying mind to the souls that had just walked in. He was looking down at his high tops, gently clearing his throat. It was girls, he could hear their giggles the moment they had walked in. "Hi, ladies, just to let you know we're closing in five minutes. Thank you." He was still staring down at his shoes, today had been beyond bland. He just wanted to head home, eat some pizza.

   "Well, I'm sure you could keep it open just a few more minutes? Please? Y'know, with a cherry on top and whatnot?"

   And whatnot.

   Steve froze. His heart fluttered a couple a times, his rebooting system done. His head snapped up, meeting a pair of soft blue eyes and a star filled smile. The short brunette leaned into the counter on her hands, "hi, Stevie."

   God, bless the universe. It's Vera Elodie Stonem.

   A goofy smile pulled at his lips, "hi, sweet thing." His words were squeezed to death with love and admiration. It had Vera's chest warm and fuzzy. Her smile widened even more, leaning up on her tippy toes to press a kiss to the boys cheek. "I know it's late, but we just finished up at the Diner on Sixth. I got you waffle fries!"

  God, I love this chick.

   Vera gently slid the plastic bag towards the boy, "so, anyway, we're having a sleepover tonight at Ella's. Pre Spring Break hang. Her parents are out of town for their 19th anniversary, and whatnot. So, the house is ours. I knew you were working, so we wanted to pick out a movie—"

   Vera's lips slammed shut at the voice suddenly overpowering her. Mia grinned from an isle, peaking over at the couple. "Vera means movies. Plural. As in four. Thanks, Steve!" The boy raised a brow, the couples gaze moving away from Mia Grant and back to each other. "You guys are going to watch four movies? In one night?" Vera shrugged gently, "I'm letting Chris pick out my movie too. I don't really mind. Just wanted an excuse to see you." He's melting. It's been nearly two years with this girl and he's still soaring; Vera Stonem was easy to love in the best way possible.

   "Oh, before I forget! Wanted to make sure .. You are taking me to school tomorrow? Right?" The boy smiled fondly, "yes, ma'am. Bright and early, seven thirty. Glad I get to see you in that cheer uniform before anyone else does." Vera scoffed, eyes rolling fondly. She leaned in closer to the boy, like she was going to spill a secret. "Steve, the uniform is one of the worst greens I've ever worn." Her voice was a mere whisper.

   The boy stifled a laugh, "not everything can be light pinks and pastel colors, Vee." The girl rolled her eyes, groaning a little as Ella crashed into her side. Steve was suddenly staring down at four tapes, two cocky beaming girls, a more shy one with a soft smile, and his girlfriend with her brows raised as she examined the movie choices.

   Steve gently cleared his throat, "you guys do know all of these movies have a shit ton of sex in them, right?" Vera's lips rolled into a straight line, oh Jesus Christ. Ella stifled a laugh behind her hand, Mia and Chrissy's gazes turning to Vera (who definitely was not looking at them). Steve huffed, "Vera shouldn't be watchin' all that."

   Ella smiled, "that's cute of you, Steve. Very Dad of you too."

   Vera sighed, her eyes lolling back onto the boy behind the counter. "Steve, I'm eighteen. Not a baby. It's literally fine. Can you just ring them up? Please, so y'know, you can go home." She was sending him her best puppy dog look— The eyes, smile, all of it, which always worked. The boy mumbled to himself as he did his job. Ella and Mia high-fiving behind their backs, Chrissy giggled as Vera stuck her tongue out at her.

   Mia was quick to swipe up the bag that was pushed towards her, "bye, Steve!" Mia & Ella's voice sounded out in unison, the bell above the door chiming. Chrissy sent the boy a soft wave, which he returned with a bye, Chris.

    "There just movies. I swear I probably won't even remember them by tomorrow, I'll be on a sugar high!" Sugar high, right. The boy rolled his eyes at the girls antics, fondly. "Whatever, Vera. Forgive me for trying to protect your mind from false advertising." He couldn't help and smile at her smile, and then she broke out into a laugh. "Right. I'll let you close up now. I'll see you tomorrow, Steve." The boy beamed, gently grabbing the girls arm as he pushed her closer to him— As close as you could get with a huge counter in the way.

   Vera hummed gently into the boys lips, his hand cupping her cheek, thumb gently running across her blushed skin. She leaned into his palm. And the two flinched away at Mia's car horn. Steve huffed, "I kinda hate your friends." Vera giggled, before she placed a peck on the boys lips. "I'll see you tomorrow, Steve! I love you!"

   I love you too, Vera Stonem.

Watching Chrissy Cunningham do drugs was kind of funny and weird. She was too perfect. Too clean. Well, that's what everyone else saw. Chrissy was just a girl who needed a break from time to time.

   And Vera had stuffed herself into a very serious problem? Yes. She had.

    She had been right: She didn't remember any of the four movies. Or Mia showing all the girls what her tits looked like. Or Chrissy throwing up so bad from too much popcorn that she passed out in Ella's bathroom tub. Or how Ella didn't have any drugs after she realized how quickly Vera was at it. Vera just wanted to get rid of her brain splitting headache.

   And what Vera seriously didn't remember was Ella calling Steve Harrington at six a.m. to come pick up his near moon girlfriend.

   She was so fucked.

Because Steve Harrington wasn't the one for drugs anymore, and he was 100% convinced Vera wasn't either .. Because she told him she wasn't doing anything.

A liar. A freakin' liar! Oh, fuck! I am fucked!

    Vera's glossy eyes blinked rapidly at Ella, the girl holding her up as she tried to pry open her front door. But, Vera kept flopping her body into the wood. "I-I can't believe you! M'we had a deal, Els! M'no Stevie!" Ella rolled her eyes, "I was supposed to have fun tonight too, dummy. Not take care of my three kids, so, tonight I'm shipping one of them off, because I can!"

    Vera felt like her face was melting, and in reality it was a little puffy. "Ella, I'm gonna kill you! Then after, Steve is gonna kill me!" Ella sighed, her arm letting go of the girl. Vera squeaked as she plopped on the floor, she groaned a little as her butt cushioned the fall. "Ow." Ella snickered as she finally yanked open her door.

    Both girls eyes falling on Steve Harrington.

The boy sighed, his eyes falling right on Vera (who was still on the floor). Her head titled to the side gently, "h-hi!" She squeaked out, it was a little too high pitch because Steve & Ella winced at its volume. Steve smiled gently, "hi, Vera. What are we doin' on the floor, hun?" The girl scoffed dramatically, her hands failing just as dramatically. "You tell me! Ella dropped me!"

    Steve hummed as Ella let the older boy in, his hands went straight for Vera. Slipping under her armpits as he gently pulled the girl up. Vera took a deep breath of Steve Harrington as her arms weaved around his waist. "You smell nice." The boy smiled gently, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Thank you."

   Ella smiled softly at the two, passing the boy Vera's book bag (a light pink bag, with one too many pins). "Thanks, Ella. Sorry for her mess." Ella cracked a smile, "please, she's the most sane one." Vera giggled at the words, "I saw Mia's boobies, Steve!" Steve's lips parted as he nodded slowly, "right."

   The second Ella's front door closed the dynamic changed. Steve's jaw hardened, and Vera's stomach bubbled up, and not in a butterfly kind of way. "So, what I'm getting from you is lying?" Vera groaned gently as the boy helped her into the passenger seat, buckling up her seatbelt. Her light eyes flickered to his dark ones, he had a brow raised. "I-I didn't lie.."

   The boy sighed, "you did, Vera.." He gently closed the car door, and her glossy eyes watched him round the car until he was in the drivers seat. She was quick to speak. "I-I just didn't mention that fact! That's all!"

  "Where did you even get drugs from?" The girl sighed, messing with her thin silver rings as she slumped into her seat more. "M'Eddie Munson." She mumbled the words, cheeks flushed. Steve blinked harshly, "Eddie Munson? Henderson's Eddie Munson?" Vera lolled her head over to look at the driving boy, "Steve, m'theres only one Eddie Munson in town. Yes, Dustin's Eddie."

    "I feel like you're out of your mind, recently? What's with the sudden urge to be reckless, huh?" He looked over at her for a second, and in his eyes she thought she'd find anger, but no. It was concern. Because Steve Harrington wasn't who he use to be. "Vee, we don't have the time to be reckless? Alright? Not in a town that sleeps too good at night."

   She got what he was saying. Their lives had been taken over by a world brought to them because of a little girl with superpowers, and whatnot.

  Vera sighed, lashes fluttering as she looked away from the boy. "M'sorry I lied.." Steve ran a hand over his jaw, he sighed through his nose. "It's fine.."

   She hadn't even realized but the two drove right by her house, a few houses down and they were at Steve's. Her glossy eyes looked up at the tall two story home. "What are we doing here?"

   Steve opened up her car door, a hand extended out to her. She took it gently, stumbling into his body as her sneakers hit the ground. "Parents are out of town, again. And your mom's home tonight. Figured this be a smarter idea."

    Vera looked over to the boy, "what about my uniform for tomorrow and my—" Steve smiled softly, it was a small smile, she almost didn't catch it. "Don't worry about it, Vee. I'll handle it."

Vera Stonem was a good kid. She didn't do the whole lying ordeal. But, she was a senior now, and for some reason she felt like she had done nothing with her life. Yeah, whatever, she saved Hawkins a few times. But, she hadn't done the normal thing teenagers do. Like get arrested at least once for something so minor, it was ridiculous. Or get beyond plastered at a senior party. The list could go on, and on.

Vera Stonem felt kind of like a freak.

She knew what actually lurked Hawkins. She actually knew how awful the town was.

The girls eyes we're screwed shut, tears threatened to slip past the cracks. There was chills all over her skin, and she was all covered in the wraps of Steve Harrington's boyish bedding. Why was she so cold? And what the hell was the sharp pain in the back of her neck?

The girls eyes finally fluttered opened, her eyes landing on the clock. She wouldn't be late, but if she stayed in bed any longer— She definitely would be. And they still had to pick up Robin.

Steve wasn't in bed. He hadn't been in hours. He couldn't sleep very well. There was this look in Vera's eyes, one he hadn't really seen before. And that worried him. There had to be something wrong with her, and something that she didn't even know was wrong.

"Good Morning.." The boy flinched at the sudden voice, turning away from his stove as his eyes landed on Vera. She was in her cheer uniform, hair in a half up half down situation (with the huge green scrunchie that she hated), her white high tops squeaky clean. Her makeup was lighter than it usually was on cheer days. "Thank you for getting all of this.." She gestured to her uniform. Steve had snuck into Vera's window last night after she fallen asleep to get her uniform for the Pep Rally.

"It's no biggie, Vee." The boy looked back at the stovetop, moving some finished eggs onto a plate with toast for the girl. She took a gentle seat at the kitchen high top. Spinning side to side, softly, in the bar stool chair. She sent the boy a thank you smile for the food.

"You gonna eat any?" The boy shook his head gently as he leaned against the kitchen counter. "Already did.."

Why did this feel so off? What's happening here?

Vera took a deep breath, lips parting. Though, her words never came out because Steve spoke up in a flash. Nerves laced his voice. "Are you, like, okay? I feel like somethings off with you? It's making me nervous— Like, y'know, if you found someone else or whatever.. That's cool, just like let me know—"

Vera nearly choked on toast. "Wait- What?" Steve's eyes finally met hers, they were wide and confused. Steve sighed, "Vera, I know somethings up with you. I just don't know what. So, like, if it's someone else, just let me know? I won't be mad, y'know that, I get it. Moving on and shit .. You can't control who you like, it just happens.."

In the mist of his (unnecessary) ramble, the girl had slid from the seat and made her way around the counter to reach Steve. He squeaked gently as she brought him into a tight hug, her arms had wrapped around his waist, her face hiding into the material of his shirt that covered his chest. His arms gently snaked around her, his chin resting on the crown of her head. "You seriously think I found someone else?"

Her words were muffled. Steve shrugged gently, she felt it. "I don't know .. I guess. It's just happened to me before, I don't know.." Vera frowned, gently pulling back from the boy. She looked up at him, eyes a little glossy, and he frowned softly. "Steve, you're the coolest guy I know. I love you. Nothing will ever change that. There's no one else, and I hope to hell there never will be. I wanna grow old with you, silly."

The boy let out a soft laugh, his hands gently cupping the girls face. "Vera Stonem, I love you." The girl beamed, leaning up gently on her tippy toes. His lips were soft against her own, and still, ever after all this time, her heart still jumped when he kissed her.

"No, but seriously. Something is off with you, Stonem."

The girls eyes widened a little, she swallowed hard. "Um, I don't know.." Steve frowned gently, taking a hand of her's in his own. "Vee, you can tell me.." The girl shook her head, "no, it's not that. I know I can tell you, can tell you anything. It's just- I don't know what's wrong with me, is the thing. Something just feels off.."

   Off?

    The car ride to school consisted of picking up Robin, who needed the mirror in the sunviser. She hadn't been able to do her makeup at home, because she slept past her alarm. So, Vera was shoved in the backseat. Completely laying down as she listed to Steve and Robin ramble. She had yet to put any input into the conversation, she was too busy reviewing the conversation she had with Steve this morning. He knew something was up. She also knew something was wrong with her. She just had no clue what—

    "It is seven in the morning, we have the stupid Pe Rally, and I woke up looking like a corps!" Robin spit out as she finished up her mascara. Dragging her skin down with a groan, she did not look like a corpse by the way. Steve scoffed gently, "you're worried about a Pep Rally? Expect me to believe that?" Robin looked over at the boy, brows raised. "Yeah? So?"

   Steve stifled a laugh, "so, we both know what this is about. This is about Vickie. And being next to her at the Pep Rally."

   Vicky? Who's Vicky?

     Vera shot up, startling the two in the front as she lodged herself in between the two. Her elbows resting on the console, chin resting on her balled up fist. Her twinkling eyes moved between the two, "who's Vicky?" Robin groaned, "no one—" Steve scoffed, "Robin is dying for Vicky! That's what!" Vera's eyes snapped towards the dirty blonde, who groaned. "Oh! Vicky in band with you! I have a class with her, she's super sweet!"

   Robin waved the two off. "We are not doing this right now. I refuse to do this with Hawkins It Couple, alright! Absolutely not." Steve groaned, "you gotta stop pretending to be someone else when you're around her. You just gotta be yourself."

   Robin scoffed. "You're literally quoting me to me. These are things I told you when it comes to the bubble gum princess in the back! You do realize that." Vera smiled at their antics. Steve rolled his eyes, "then maybe you need to listen to yourself. Ever think about that? I listened. Look at me. Boom. Back in business with Hawkins hottest girl!"

   Vera gasped as her cheeks faded red, "Steve Harrington, please! You are doing too much this morning!" Robin cracked a smile at the two. "That's cute guys, but it's not the same thing. Okay? Steve, you ask out a girl and she says no. Big deal. Nothing happens. Maybe your ego's a little bruised. I ask out the wrong girl, and bam, I'm a town pariah."

   Vera frowned gently. "I would never think you're a pariah." Robin smiled at the girl, "thank you, Vee. I appreciate that." Vera beamed.

   Steve rolled his eyes, "alright, yeah. I'd buy that, except Vickie is definitely not the wrong girl!" Robins groaned. "We just don't know that, do we?" Steve sent the girl a are you kidding me? look.