"Was it...something I did?" Steve broke the silence between them, Christine groaning as he asked. She didn't want to get into it, because she still couldn't bear the thought of getting her heart ripped out by him again. But the longer they sat side by side in the car the more disruptive her heartbeat was getting, the harder it was to not have a reaction to being around him. She had been thinking about Steve for over a month now, what he was doing, who he was with, if he would forgive her for not talking to him. But she just never could bring herself to fix things.

"No Steve. It's not something you did. You're...perfect. You didn't do anything." Christine spit out, already wanting to clear the air and let him know that he was blameless in this.

"Then why have I not seen you in a month? You're avoiding me."

"I'm not avoiding you I just don't ha-"

"Cut the shit Chris. I know you. I have been by your side almost everyday for awhile now until a month ago and I don't know what's wrong. So if this is about what happened and what I said then I'm sorry. I don't want to lose you as a friend, I mean yeah Robin is cool and all but it's not the same. We're not me and you." Steve said, Christine looking over at him. She didn't know how to verbally express what she was feeling, how she didn't want to get hurt by him, how she wanted so much more than the friendship from him but she wasn't sure if he was ready yet. For the first time in a month she grabbed his hand, her fingers intertwining with his as she let out a deep breath. She pushed away all her inhibitions and fears, the girl looking over at him in all seriousness.

"Steve...I cut contact because I'm scared okay? Well I was scared...I don't know if I am anymore."

"What are you afraid of?" Steve asked, Christine instructing him under her breath to pull the car over. She knew she owed him an apology, a big one, and it was definitely important that she obtained his forgiveness. She had missed a month of his life, and now that guilt was beginning to eat away at her. Steve pulled the car into the parking lot of the ice cream shop, the two of them out of direct eyesight of the windows as he turned the car off. Christine knew she had to answer now, the girl letting out a staggering breath before finally deciding to own up and tell him the truth.

"I'm scared of this." Christine said, gesturing between the two of them with her free hand. Steve turned his body towards her, shaking this head in confusion at her words. "When I told you I loved you I meant it. I do. I still do. But I'm scared Steve. What if you're not ready? What if something happens and we fight and we hate each other? What if you're still not over Nancy? You know I can't be second to her, that the whole reason we called it off the first time. I won't be second to Nancy."

Steve reached across the middle, grabbing her by the head and making her look at him. He gave her a goofy smile, one she hadn't expected and then he spoke, his words carrying humor in every inch of them.

"You love me huh?"

"That's the only thing you got out of that?"

"No but that was my favorite part." He chuckled, Christines face still stoic and straight as she gave him a worried look. "Listen Christine...I am over Nancy. Actually getting over Nancy made me like you more because you actually gave me space and everything and I just-I...I'm ready now."

"Don't bullshit me Steve. I'm serious you better not be playing.." Christine said, her face fighting to break into a smile but her doubt keeping her from doing so.  He pulled her head a little closer, his face scrunching up as he spoke.

"It's not bullshit. It's not. I've been waiting 32 days for you. Actually I've been waiting 3 months for you.  Nothing about us is bullshit okay?" Steve felt like some missing piece of him was coming back together from this part of the conversation, finding a meaningful relationship that wasn't bullshit. Christine lifted her hand to his wrist, her eyes breaking into a really hopeful look. She finally broke into a smile,  Steve feeling his heart burst in his chest from the sight of it.

"Alright alright...so what does that mean? Where do we go...from here?" Christine said, dread filling her entire body as she asked the question. This was where they had went wrong the last time, but she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope that this time things would be different.

"Let's get married." Steve said in all seriousness, Christines face scrunching up at his words. He looks a moment to look at her reaction before bursting into laughter, the boy dropping this hands from her face and bringing them to his stomach as he let out a bellowing laugh.

"That's...an interesting plan." Christine said, giggling a little at the sound of his laugh. He calmed down, turning back towards her and speaking again.

"No I'm kidding.  I'm kidding. Well I'm not kidding I mean eventually we could probably do that but as of right now I don't know. But I just... let's take it slow, like in the old days."  Steve could already see his entire life with Christine, but he didn't want to scare her off too easily. He felt his nerves kick in as he looking at the deliberation on her face, the decision making happening behind her eyes.

"Take it slow...alright we could do that." She said, her lips turning up into a sweet smile. Steve nodded, the boy leaning forwards a little bit and gripping the wheel. He felt his nerves kick in from what he was about to say and do, so he sucked in a deep breath and then turned to look at her.

"I want you to be my girlfriends thought Chris. I can't spend another day  without you and I-"

"Wow okay...getting really sappy. Yeah Steve I'll be your girlfriend." Christine was nonchalant through the flurry of butterflies and the knots that were tying in her stomach. Steve let out a humorless chuckle at her comment before realizing she had said yes, his eyes widening. He felt as if there should be a cheering crowd, a parade, a school band commemorating their love but there wasn't and he felt like it wasn't enough for this spectacular moment. Steve Harrington had finally gotten the girl.

"Cool. So as my girlfriend I need you to do my dry cleaning and I have a pool so I need someone to cl-"

"Shut up." Christine said as he joked, the girl reaching across the middle and grabbing the back of his neck. She pushed their lips together for the first time in ages, a feeling that was so genuinely blissful and overdue that the both of them let out relieved breaths. Steve couldn't help but smile into the kiss, his hand going up into her hair as Christine draped her arm over his shoulder. Her heart was swelling with pure joy and love at the fact that she was finally exactly where she wanted to be and Steve was finally hers. Steve Harrington was finally Christine Wheelers boyfriend. And god was it a relief.

"Whoo!! I told you guys it would work!  And you didn't believe me! Why do you guys always doubt me!" There was a voice from outside the window, the two in the car breaking apart. Christine turned to looked behind her, Steve looking past her as he slowly dropped his hand from his hair. All six of the kids were standing outside of Steve's car, the girls giving Christine a nod of approval and the boys giving Steve a thumbs up. Christine groaned, the girl pushing her car door open and feeling the anger build up in her stomach.

"You little shits. I specifically said don't call Steve! And what did you do! Call Steve! Now I can imagine whose idea this was....Dustin." Christine said in a matter of factly tone, her gaze stopping on the boy,  he shrugged, his face covered in a cheeky smile  as he spoke.

"I mean...it seems like it didn't turn out too bad."

"Well I-"

"So are you two like finally together now?" Will asked, all of them glancing at Steve who was also out of the car now. He walked up beside Christine, dropping his arm down on her shoulder in truly dramatic fashion, his entire face filled to the brim with happiness as he spoke.

"Yeah, guys...this is my girlfriend." Steve revealed, all of the kids cheering as their trap plan had worked. It was impossible to try and convince Christine over the last  month to just go see Steve, so  it was great to see their hard work culminate into the ultimate goal.

"Alright settle down. Listen...did you guys get me anything?" Christine asked, everyone's faces dropping as they looked up at her. She took that as a no, a groan leaving her lips as she spoke again. "You guys are a bunch of little assholes you know that?"

"Yeah we know."

"Hey I'll get you an ice cream. Cookies and cream. Your favorite." Steve said, patting her on the back and then jogging past them all. Christine watched after him in pure adoration, although she didn't know how to act now that she had everything she wanted. He looked back at her over his shoulder,  giving her an excited smile and making her swoon  and sigh. Something about this afternoon had filled the empty hole she had had in her, the happiness being delayed but now hitting her full force, her lips turning up into a smile and her cheeks already starting to hurt. She was happy. Actually, genuinely, happy.