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Last year was something crazy. Absurd. Wild. Outlandish. And all possible synonyms Steve could think of. He and his girlfriend got into an argument and then made up; he took a beating from the school's lone wolf for talking bad about the guy's family, got into an argument with his friends, and felt awful for shit-mouthing the lone wolf's family and went to his house to apologize, only to find the place assaulted by an interdimensional monster. Then, Steve accompanied the loner to the hospital, where his little brother was recovering from his recent stay in the same alternate dimension from where the beast came. For everything to reach a perfect end, he bought the said loner a new camera but asked his girlfriend to deliver it instead out of fear the guy would reject his gift.
Damn. 1983 was one hell of a year. Hopefully, 1984 will be better—
"Oomph!" When turning a corner in the school's hallways, Steve bumped into someone, bringing him out of his train of thought. "Shit, sorry, dude, I wasn't—"
He stopped talking upon realizing who he bumped into. Said person had their head lowered, so Steve couldn't look at their eyes, but he didn't need to. No, he knew who it was.
Only Jonathan Byers walked around school with his head lowered.
Steve cleared his throat and quickly recomposed himself.
"Hey, Byers..." God, this is so awkward. They haven't seen each other since Steve and the others went to the hospital to visit Will. Steve doesn't even know what they are now; friends? People who often talk in a friendly demeanor? Mere classmates? Just two people in the same space? So awkward. "Sorry for bumping into you, man, I... Didn't see where I was going..."
Jonathan raised his face a bit, enough for Steve to see the other guy's brown eyes through his bangs, but he quickly averted his gaze.
"It's alright," Jonathan replied, his voice low and soft, almost inaudible. "I wasn't looking where I was going, too..."
Steve shook his head and waved his hand dismissively.
"Nah, it's alright. The fault's mine," He noticed something strapped around Jonathan's neck and immediately recognized what it was but decided to play dumb. "Nice camera, dude."
Jonathan's hand instinctively went to hold his prized new possession; a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips whenever someone complimented his camera. It brings a sense of warmth to his heart.
"Yeah... It was a Christmas gift from Na—"
"Right. Yeah." Steve inadvertently cut Jonathan off. He bought the camera. Not her. But was afraid Jonathan would have rejected the camera had Steve given it to him, so he asked her to do it for him. But part of him wanted to tell Jonathan the truth. Part of him regrets not giving Jonathan the camera himself. He wished he had. Maybe then they would have become friends.
Steve gently shook his head, pushing those thoughts away and focusing back on the conversation or whatever he was having with Jonathan. He notices the other teen is giving him an odd look, possibly wondering why Steve so abruptly cut him off and quickly regained his composure, diverting the conversation to another topic, "So... Uh, how's your brother? Is he okay?"
Jonathan's eyebrow raises ever so slightly. He didn't expect Steve to ask about Will and silently doubts if it was actual concern and curiosity or a mere polite but vain question.
"He's... Alright. Thanks for asking."
"Yeah, no problem," Steve replies while leaning against the nearby lockers and sending Jonathan a small smile to show him his concern was sincere, something Jonathan appreciates but doesn't show to Steve.
None of them say anything after that. Jonathan awkwardly shuffles while Steve purses his lips and looks around for a while when the bell rings. Jonathan is glad to finally have a proper excuse to get away from this conversation, but Steve is mildly disappointed. Jonathan is a mystery to him. An equation Steve can't decipher, a puzzle he can't solve but still refuses to give up.
"Guess we... Have to go." Jonathan breaks the silence with his low voice, sending Steve a quick gaze.
"Right, yeah. Gotta go to class," Steve nods. He doesn't want to go, though. This is the longest conversation Steve had with Jonathan - and the most proper, too. He doesn't want it to end. "Hey, maybe we can have lunch together? How's that sound?"
That makes Jonathan raise his head to face Steve properly. 'Incredulous' is the proper word used to describe his expression. Never did Jonathan think Steve Harrington would have asked for him to sit with him during lunch. It's weird, but Jonathan can't bring himself to say no.
"Uh... Sure. It would be nice, I guess."
Steve grins and nods, happy that Jonathan agreed to sit with him. It will be a great opportunity for them to properly talk, know each other better, and maybe even be friends - or at least acquaintances.
"Great! I'll see you at lunch then... Jonathan."
Jonathan nods, and for the first time in this conversation, his eyes remain locked on Steve's for longer than two seconds.
"Yeah. See you there... Steve."
They part ways, Jonathan goes to the right, and Steve to the left, towards his awaiting girlfriend, who's tapping her foot on the ground impatiently, but Steve's attention is not on her. He keeps glancing back to Jonathan's retreating form, watching his disappear amidst the sea of students.
This guy is a mystery to Steve, like an algebra equation that's hard to solve, like a puzzle with missing pieces, but Steve's not planning on giving up. No.
He will slowly, but surely, pick up the pieces of this puzzle and calmly decipher this equation that is this guy. Jonathan Byers.