Chapter Two: Hugs?

Steve walked up the winding steps to Katie's house, grumbling to himself the whole way. Why did he agree to this? Yeah, he hadn't been laid in a couple months, but he had changed a lot from junior year. His best friend was now a toothless eighth grader, and his only friends at school were Jonathan and Nancy, even though he was pretty sure the last one was out of pity. Whatever. He knocked on her door and waited for a reply.

"Oh, hey Steve. Come on in." Katie motioned him inside. "Do you want something to drink?" He looked at her and nearly did a double take. She was in jeans and a form-fitting tank top, and when she turned her back towards him he couldn't make out a bra line.

"Uh, sure, some water." Steve glanced around the living room. It was pretty nice, they had a huge TV. He took a seat on the floral patterned couch and leaned back, thinking that maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. Katie came back from the kitchen with two glasses of water and handed him a floral cup. They must really like flowers.

"So, where's your backpack?" She asked him, raising her eyebrows up. "Or at the very least, your copy of Romeo and Juliet?" Steve laughed sheepishly.

"You know I don't have one of those. It's senior year, baby! Who cares. Let's just half-ass this project and leave this stupid place behind us." He smirked and put his feet up on the coffee table to help solidify his point. She stared at him, debating whether or not be amused or frustrated. He grinned at her, flashing his pearly whites in her direction. Damn, he was hot. And he knew it too. Oh well, Romeo and Juliet can wait she thought.

"Fine, if we aren't going to work on this project then why did you suggest we start today?" She questioned, suddenly wondering if he meant this as a date. She had heard what people were saying about him; apparently, Nancy cheated on him with Jonathan Byers of all people. Katie had no problem with Jonathan, in fact, they were friends. It was Nancy she wasn't so fond of. She had this insane moral compass and always treated you different if you did something she didn't approve of. Even though she went to parties and got wasted every once in a while. Total hypocrite. Anyways, Steve got knocked out of his throne when bad boy Billy showed up in town. He beat the shit out of Steve; he had two black eyes for nearly three weeks. Honestly, it was kind of sexy. The whole reason why Steve got his lights punched out was unclear, which intrigued Katie. Steve, in general, fascinated her.

Steve struggled to find an answer to her question. He wanted to sound cool but not like a douche. He was sick of that reputation and wanted to make a semi-better name for himself.

"Honestly? I thought you were hot and threw it out there." He seemed genuinely pleased with his answer. Katie's eyebrows shot up, she was completely caught off guard.

"Okay, yeah, no shit I'm hot. But what does that have to do with anything?" Her answer surprised Steve, usually whenever he said that girls would just melt into his arms.

"You seemed cool to hang out with, and I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm a little low on friends right now." He hung his head down, slightly embarrassed by what just came out of his mouth. Everyone knew he didn't have friends, so why was he self-conscious? Katie noticed his sudden shift from macho man to a vulnerable teenager and realized that maybe he wasn't just trying to get in her pants. She reached out her hand and laid it on top of his, trying to show some support.

"I'm always willing to make new friends. Why don't you tell me about yourself?" She said, trying to make conversation. He looked at her, almost confused by her question. He hadn't talked to someone intimately in a while, not since Nancy.

"Uh, well. I was born here; I really like basketball and sports in general. I-"

"Let me stop you right there," she interrupted. "I meant about you you, not what you like. What are your goals and fear and desires?" She smiled at him, her hand still on his.

"Uh, oh." He was becoming increasingly aware of her hand which was on his hand which was located on his upper thigh. "I guess my goal is to graduate college and start a family?"

"Steve Harrington, family man? Wow, I didn't see that one coming at all." She laughed for a moment, and then looked at him seriously. She seemed to study his face, and he had no clue where to look. He couldn't look down because then he'd notice that she wasn't wearing a freakin' bra. He ended up looking at her face, noticing how one eye had was bluer than the other. And her eyes weren't green at all. They were hazel in the middle, which was then surrounded by the color of the sea. "When was the last time you had a hug?" The question threw him off guard, and it showed on his face.

"Uh, I mean I hugged my mom a couple days ago?" She laughed, and shook her head at him. She took her hand off of his hand, and hugged him. He instantly melted into her, every muscle was relaxed. And, holy shit, she definitely was not wearing a bra. She pulled away after a couple of seconds but kept her face close to his.

"Feel better?" She asked, almost taunting him. Damn, this was going to be a long paper.