𝘼𝙪𝙜𝙪𝙨𝙩 [𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙩𝙤𝙣]

[Train tracks]

As Cherry and the group followed Steve, the boy leading the way on the train tracks, his flashlight danced along the rusted rails. The darkness of the night seemed to swallow the brunette whole, the cold night air clinging to her skin like a damp shroud. She shivered, walking closely behind him, her breath forming misty clouds in the frigid air. "I can't wait to get out of here," Max muttered, her voice barely above a whisper, as if afraid to disturb the silence. She went on, talking to herself as her footsteps echoed softly against the cold metal beneath her feet.

"Seriously, this place gives me the creeps," she admitted, her eyes darting nervously to the tress just beyond the reach of the flashlight's beam. "Would you keep it down?" Dustin snapped, irritation creeping into his voice. "Some of us are trying to concentrate here." Max bristled at the comment, her patience wearing thin. "Excuse me?" she shot back, her voice laced with annoyance. "I'm just trying to voice my concerns, unlike some people who are okay with being alone in the woods in the middle of the night!"

Dustin scoffed, "Oh, please, everything is fine! Steve is here," Steve glanced back, unaware of the conversation, "Hm, huh?" Lucas rolled his eyes, joining in. "You're not even looking where you're going, Dustin!" "Great, you too?!" Dustin groaned, "At least I'm not the one tripping over my own feet!" From the front of the group, Steve's firm voice cut through the bickering. "Shut up, shit heads!" he called back, his tone leaving no room for argument. Meanwhile, Cherry was lost in her own thoughts, reminiscing about everything that had just happened.

Was she dreaming—or rather, having a bad dream? Cherry couldn't shake the surreal feeling that enveloped her, as if she were trapped in some twisted nightmare from which she couldn't wake up. The events of the night replayed in her mind like a haunting reminder, each moment etched into her memory with startling clarity. It seemed impossible; it should be impossible. Cherry kicked a small rock, her eyes glued on the tracks and the leaves a top them. She could have died. God, Max could have died. Shit, Steve nearly did.

In California, sure, she hated the idea of moving to Hawkins, but she never imagined that the town would bring her such peril. Yet, here she was, teetering on the edge of disaster with each step she took. Unbeknownst to her, Steve Harrington was looking at her, trying to understand what she was thinking. He couldn't help but notice her teeth clicking together; whether out of fear or the cold, he wasn't sure. Without a word, he took off his jacket and offered it to her.

Feeling a nudge, Cherry looked up to see Steve's hand extended with his coat. Confusion flickered across her face as she hesitated, unsure of what to do. "You're cold," Steve stated simply, nudging her to take it. After a moment's hesitation, Cherry accepted the jacket, slipping it over her shoulders with a grateful smile, "Thank you," Steve nodded, his eyes meeting Cherry's for a brief moment before returning to the path ahead. He chuckled to himself, "I bet you want to go back home after that,"

He paused, "You know, from where you moved," he said casually. Cherry looked back over stunned that he'd remembered such a detail about her. "You remembered," She smiled, unsure how to respond to his unexpected insight. Steve chuckled softly at Cherry's surprised reaction, his eyes reflecting a warmth that mirrored her own. "Yeah, I remembered," he admitted, a sheepish smile playing at the corners of his lips. "It's not every day that a girl ghosts me after a party."

Cherry blinked, laughing as she tried to defend herself. "I didn't ghost you," she protested softly, feeling a pang of guilt at the thought. Steve laughed, "Well, you did kinda disappear," he pointed out, a teasing grin on his face. Cherry's cheeks flushed with embarrassment, realizing the truth in his words. "It was my brother," she confessed, her voice tinged with apology. "He was being an idiot. I'm sorry. I sent Robin to apologize, but I guess she didn't get the memo."

Steve waved off her apology with a shrug. "Don't worry about it," he said. "I was just joking. Although, I was a little butthurt when I didn't get your number," Cherry's blush deepened at his words, "You didn't ask," She giggled. Steve nodded, pursing his lip, "Oh, I did," he admitted, his tone laced with self-deprecation. A quiet moment settled between them as they continued to walk, the rhythmic sound of their footsteps echoing softly in the stillness of the night. "It's California," Cherry said softly, a hint of nostalgia coloring her words.

"I moved from California." Steve's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Shit, California?" he exclaimed, genuine surprise his tone. "You must hate it here." Cherry shrugged, a wistful smile playing at the her plump lips. "It's different," she admitted, her voice tinged with a hint of longing. "What brought you all the way out here?" Steve asked, his tone interested as he pointed his flashlight further. Cherry sighed, her gaze drifting to the darkened horizon. "Parents," she said simply, a note of resignation creeping into her voice. "They wanted a fresh start. Whatever that means."

Steve paused, his expression thoughtful. "Do you miss it?" he asked quietly, as if afraid of breaking the fragile silence that hung between them. Cherry glanced at Steve, her heartbeat quickening. "Yeah," she admitted softly, "Sometimes I do. But, mostly just the familiarity of it all." Steve nodded understandingly, his gaze lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. "Must be hard leaving it behind," Cherry sighed, her breath forming another misty cloud in the cool night air. "Yeah," she murmured, her voice tinged with sadness.

As they approached Steve's car, Max, Lucas, and Dustin ran towards it, each of them shivering from the cold. Cherry smiled gratefully at Steve's jacket draped over her shoulders. Steve tossed the keys to Dustin, who caught them with a grateful nod, fumbling to unlock the car door. Still walking beside Steve, Cherry hesitated for a moment before deciding to take a chance. She smiled to herself, almost sighing as she spoke. "My number is 415-727-7153,"