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CHAPTER THREE:

REGRET

     AMELIE TORE HERSELF AWAY from Steve Harrington despite her desire to continue kissing him. His lips had barely pressed her own when she realised that he had made a mistake.

"What are you doing?" Lee asked in shock, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

It was then, when Steve Harrington was close enough, she realised that he was drunk. You couldn't tell at first in the dark, especially after they danced, but now, his eyes were glazed over as he stared in horror, realising what he had done.

"You're drunk," Lee whispered, looking down sadly at the tipsy teenager. She had thought her first kiss with her crush would be magical— but it was a mistake.

A mistake she knew Steve would soon come to regret.

She knew he did, by the look on his face, and she felt hurt at the sight. His mouth opened and closed as he tried to find the right words to say to the blonde girl. He knew he totally messed up with his friend— Steve didn't even care about Nancy knowing about it. But as seconds went past, he realised that Nancy finding out could be a bad thing. Was Steve ready to give up on Nancy?

"I'm sorry," Steve whispered as Lee stared at her hands. She barely moved but she jolted in surprise as he scooted closer to her, his legs lined up against her own. Lee stood up quickly, knowing that talking about it might make her cry, and leaving Steve alone, was the right thing to do. "I didn't mean to–"

"I-I'm sorry— I-I gotta go." Amelie Jones stumbled over her words. She wasn't drunk but right now, she was embarrassed that she was a rebound.

And Lee fled the darkly lit room, leaving Steve Harrington alone to think.

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     AMELIE JONES FLED FROM THE darkly lit room, tears threatening to spill. She slammed into a couple outside the bedroom, muttering an apology at the angry pair who glared at her from disturbing their make out session.

"Lee! Lee!"

The blonde girl ignored Steve Harrington's call and continued down the hallway but was stopped by a warm hand encompassing her own.

"I–I'm sorry," Steve apologised as Lee glanced up to see a sincere look on his face. "Please, let me take you home." In his hands he held the keys to his station wagon, twirling the metal around his fingers. Steve wanted to make it up to Amelie, he just didn't know how.

"You're drunk," Lee accused the boy, squinting up at him. "You know what? I'll drive." She grabbed the keys from the tall boys hands, leading the way as the two of them weaved through the crowd to the front door.

As they left, Steve glanced behind, noticing Jonathan Byers helping a drunk Nancy Wheeler walk. And with a pang of pain to his heart, Steve Harrington realised that he wasn't the right guy for Nancy.

Maybe, there was someone else for him.

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     THE CAR RIDE WAS QUIET AS LEE drove the two of them. Her hands nervously tapped the steering wheel as soft music came from the car.

"You can take yourself home," Steve told her from the passenger seat softly. "I'll be sober enough by then to drive."

Lee nodded, not wanting to speak to him. She felt wounded after his kiss, unsure of what to do. She liked the boy, more than friends, but was upset because he was using her. Steve had barely broken up with Nancy– literally an hour previously. 

They arrived at her house, and to the surprise of Lee, Susan Jones greeted them outside the front door.

"And who is this dashing young man?" Her mother asked, sending a charming smile to her daughters friend.

"Steve Harrington, ma'am." He stuck his hand out in greeting, shaking the pleased mother's hand. "I better get going."

"What? Nonsense, you can come in and sleep on the couch." Susan chirped happily, as if it wasn't two in the morning. 

"Mother!" Lee practically died from shock. Sure, her mother was wild but to have a boy sleep over at her place? Unheard of.

"I'm not sure if I should stay ma'am." Susan practically swooned at how he called her ma'am.

Her British accent shone through as she spoke. "Darling, please, call me Susan."

Lee almost gagged at her mothers charming smile. "Okay mom, can we come inside?" 

It was Halloween in Indiana, the weather a bit chilly, leaving Lee– who was in a dress– shivering. Her mother realised that and ushered the two inside, closing the door behind her. Steve awkwardly stood in the doorway as Susan showed him to the living room couch. He settled on the couch, watching the two females walk out of the room and into a hallway. 

"Your father is asleep but I'll grab Steve some clothes." Susan told her daughter as they walked down the small hallway leading to the bedrooms.

"Here," Her mom passed a pair of her fathers clothes to her with a smirk set in place. "He's cute."

"Mom," Lee whined. "That's Nancy's boyfriend." She paused however, "used to be Nancy's boyfriend."

"Tred lightly," Susan told her daughter. "You can't ruin your friendship with Nancy just because this boy may like you."

Lee walked away from her mother, after placing a good night kiss on her cheek. She stepped back into the living room, watching Steve glance at the pictures sitting on the fireplace mantle. He had turned towards her, placing an elbow onto the mantle, about to open his mouth to speak.

The blonde girl dropped the clothes into his hands, and he turned to the teenage girl with a weak smile sent her way.

"Are you going to tell Nancy?" Steve asked as he turned to look at her. He felt bad asking that. He knew it was his mistake, and he should tell Nancy about it. Steve just didn't want to ruin Nancy and Amelie's friendship. 

"No," Lee barely whispered the word but Steve understood what she had said, nodding slowly.

Amelie felt her heart ache as Steve said goodnight. 

Maybe things will turn out differently.

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next chapter will be a bit more lighter, you'll love what I have in store . xx