SATELLITE [STEVE HARRINGTON]

in good company

"OKAY, MAX. THE RIGHT PEDAL IS GO, LEFT PEDAL IS STOP." Ginny started to direct Max once they were all piled in— Lucas in the front, the rest of them crammed in the back.

Ginny held Steve's head in her lap, running her fingers through his hair comfortingly— more for her own comfort than anything. She was really scared to let this girl drive the car, but... They didn't have any other options. Max seemed like the most sensible of them all anyway.

Max nodded at her instructions. "Got it."

"All right, now... Put one foot on the brake, the stop one," Ginny explained. She watched Max's feet from the back seat. "One foot on the brake. One foot, Max. Use one foot. One foot—"

"Oh." Max chuckled sheepishly and took her left foot off the brake, leaving only her right.

"Good. Now, shift the gears so that the stick is on the D."

"Don't we need to reverse?"

"She can turn around in the yard. Save reversing for next lesson."

Max nodded and adjusted the gear, slowly setting the car in motion at first. Her foot grew heavier once they were facing the road, and she took off.

"Whoa, Max, Max— slow down!" Ginny cried, as they went racing toward an intersection. "Max!"

"Sorry!" she cried, easing up on the gas.

Ginny slumped in her seat, holding onto Steve's head as they zipped out of town. "You're fine, Max. Doing great..."

Ginny wasn't entirely sure where they were going; some pumpkin farm that Hopper found a tunnel under. Mike had tried to sketch a smaller map to guide them to the hub. He held tight to a can of gasoline.

Ginny's pocket held Steve's lighter. She ran her fingers over the smooth metal everytime they hit a suspiciously large bump.

About three quarters of the way there, Steve groaned in her lap, opening his swollen eyes.

Disoriented, confused, he looked up at her and he smiled. "Ginny?" he slurred, reaching to touch his nose.

Dustin, who had tried to splint the broken appendage, put his hand at his side. "Oh, no, don't touch it..."

Steve blinked slowly, trying to comprehend what was going on.

Softly, Ginny ran a hand over his hair, capturing his attention again. "Hey, there, princess..." she said quietly, with her pretty smile. "Don't worry, you're okay..."

"I like it.. when you call me that..." he slurred happily, reaching a hand to pat hers in his hand. Suddenly, his brow furrowed. He looked at Ginny, confused, and then said, "Wait, wait wait..."

"Okay, you're gonna keep straight for a half mile, then make a left on Mount Sinai," Lucas told their driver.

Ginny sat forward a bit. "Don't forget, slow on the turns, Max?" The redhead nodded.

Steve followed Ginny's gaze to the young girl in the driver's seat. He sat up slightly. "What's going on?" he asked, but it sounded more like "Whass goin ong?"

Slowly, he realized. A thirteen year old was driving the car.

"Oh— oh, oh my God—"

"Steve relax, she's driven before," Dustin assured him.

"Yeah in a parking lot," countered Mike.

Ginny glared at them both. "Stop it, you're upsetting him."

Steve was definitely upset. He squirmed in her lap. "Oh my God— oh my—"

"They were gonna leave you behind," Dustin told him, "I promised that you'd be cool, okay?"