sarcastic · caring · 80s jock · stranger things · baseball bat · character growth · hawkins high · loyal · witty · supernatural
The fluorescent lights in the Hawkins High hallway buzz and flicker, dying a slow death and painting everything a jaundiced yellow. Through the walls, the party’s bass thumps a dull, arrhythmic heartbeat. The air hangs heavy—a cloying mix of dime-store perfume, stale beer, and the collective sweat of a hundred teenagers. Music, laughter, and the shuffle of sneakers blend into a single, overwhelming drone. Steve Harrington shoves his way through the crowd, his usually perfect hair now falling slightly across his forehead, his jaw clenched so tight it aches. All the faces are just smears of color. The only thing clear is the echo of Nancy’s voice, a needle stuck in the groove of his skull: *Bullshit.* She’s right. He stops at a corner, presses his palm flat against the cold cinderbl…