#thought I’d turn the tables a lil bit since you got me all flustered yesterday 🥰

[j00stkl31n]

Noo why would you say that there’s a masked selfie on your blog and your tatttoos after I told you that, not good for me🥴🥴

Awww you poor thing all worked up from my words just to get more flustered by my face. How cute 🥰

[skullrock]

the campers, chapter four - Steve x Reader

gif by @harringtown​

chapter four: the routine

series summary: Steve gets a job as a camp counselor at Camp Know Where, intending on using the summer to discover himself. When things start to go wrong at camp, the only people that can help him are the Party, Hopper, and his mortal enemy - you. [Enemies to lovers, angst, fluff, hurt/comfort]

chapter summary: The first week of camp is in full swing, bringing a few surprises with it.

warnings: swearin’!

word count: 4k (hehe)

a/n: this chapter encompasses the time span of a week so it’s a lil long and has some stuff happening but I hope you enjoy! things are spicin’ up but not like you’d expect! you can catch up on the series here! (ps Hop didn’t die in s4 because I said so <3)

===

Camp Know Where buzzes with excitement as the new campers file in on Monday. This is Steve’s first ever orientation - well, besides the one he just went through. He’s never been in a position like this, and he’s nervous as he checks people in. But it’s an easy job.

Until the Party walks in.

Steve stares at them all, mouth agape. El, Mike, Max, Lucas, Will - they’re all here, all carrying bags. Mike takes the lead, glaring tensely at Steve, as usual. Steve avoids him and looks at El. “Are you allowed to be here?”

She nods. “Hop’s letting me.”

Steve shakes his head and finds their names on the roster. He should have known, should have seen their names, but it’s actually a nice surprise. Well, except for Mike. But he’s happy everyone else is here.

“Where’s Dustin?” Lucas asks.

“Helping with move in.” Steve looks up. “Does he know you’re here?”

“It’s a surprise,” Will says, beaming.  

“That’s nice,” Steve says slowly. “Well, don’t be dickheads, okay? Don’t make my job harder for me.”

El shakes her head, but Mike scoffs, “You’re a counselor?”

Steve gestures to his shirt. “Did you think I just disappeared for the past two weeks?”

“I hoped so.”

Max hits his arm. “Come on, let’s go.”

They all step past the table, and Steve puts his head in his hands. They’re gonna kill me, he thinks. A part of him is really happy they’re here, though. He’s not sure if that means he really is fond of them, or if he’s just happy that he can keep them safe here. He straightens and continues helping others check in, directing them to their cabins.

You come up a while later, suppressing a smile as you approach him. He looks flustered, perfected hair now a mess. His cheeks are red and his brows are furrowed as he tries to figure out how many more kids are left to come in.

“How’s it going?” you ask.

He looks up and smiles softly. “So great.”

“It’s not all this boring,” you explain. “Or stressful. It’ll be fun soon, I promise.”

He rolls his eyes playfully. “You better not be lying to me.”

“What if I am?”

He thinks for a moment. “I’ll flip your kayak.”

You laugh - a loud, ringing laugh. Steve smiles, pleased to have earned it from you. He wants your friendship to go smoothly, he wants you to like him. After yesterday’s confrontation and subsequent confession of enjoyment, he was starting to think maybe it was going to work out. Maybe you both weren’t going to dislike each other.

You straighten, still smiling down at him. “I’d like to see you try, Steve.” You knock twice on the table he’s at. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

Steve nods, and you linger for just a second longer before heading off.

===

Steve continues to surprise you through the first week.

Though you still don’t get the appeal of him, you notice that many of the campers love going to see him for their intramurals. And he’s really good at teaching kids how to dodge a ball, or serve, or kayak. You’d never seen nerds so excited to interact with a jock, but they were, and it was actually heartwarming to see. You watched from the sidelines on your breaks as Steve helped teach kids tennis and soccer, his face red from the sun but beaming. He’d pause to wave at you before continuing, and you had a hard time prying yourself away from the scene. It was like it was in his nature to be a teacher, to care after others - and you’d never really seen that in a preppy jock before.

You also never expected a guy like Steve, known jerk, to be so good at interacting with kids.

You’re walking along the shore before dinner on Thursday when you hear shouts coming from the lake. You squint as you look out before seeing the source.

Steve had taught the kids a new game on the kayaks. They’d pass a ball with their paddles back and forth, and if they could get the ball into the seat of their opponent, they got a point. It was probably extremely dangerous, but the kids had fun, and so did he. He was soaked to the bone after every game, but his face hurt from laughing, and that was enough.

You watch from the shore as he and three other campers play, and you shake your head. Another counselor, Mia, comes up behind you and laughs. “He’s pretty popular, huh?”

“Always has been,” you say, turning to face her.

“He’s nice to watch, isn’t he?” She stands on her tiptoes to look past you. “I could watch that man’s arms for days.” You roll your eyes, and she frowns. “You don’t think so?”

You sigh. “He’s just… Steve. I don’t get the appeal.”

“You’re the only one, it seems,” she says, smiling again. “What is he, your villain origin story?”

It’s surprising how accurate the phrasing is. “It’s complicated.”

She shrugs. “You seem to get along well now, at least. Put in a good word for me, yeah?”

Your words catch in your throat as she walks away. 

Part of you does like Steve. You find enjoyment in him - he’s goofy, he’s funny, he’s kind, and he’s smart. But he’s also the person who made you cry every summer. He’s your childhood bully - how could you enjoy his company? You confuse yourself with your own feelings. It’s like mental gymnastics, trying to hang on to your anger and resentment while equally wanting to like him.

You shake your thoughts out of your head and walk off the shore, away from Steve and his charm.

===

The week ends on Friday, leaving everyone exhausted. The Party kept Steve busy when he wasn’t leading intramurals, draining him fully of his energy. They were going to watch a movie with Suzie in one of the recreation rooms, leaving Steve by himself. He was worn and tired, sunburnt and hot. But he still jogged up to you when he sees you after dinner.

“Y/N!”

You whirl around to face him, a friendly smile crossing your face as he comes up.

“Hey,” he says. “Haven’t talked to you in a while.”

“Just since Monday.”

He shrugs. “Felt like a long time.”

There’s a silence before you clear your throat. “How was your week?”

A wide smile spreads over his face. “It was amazing!”

You let him gush, because you’re genuinely interested. He tells you about how easy it is for him to talk to the campers, how he created Kayak Ball (“still working on a better name”), and how he’d made some friends with other counselors. Which leads him to ask, “Are you going to the bonfire tonight?”

Shit.

The annual First Friday Bonfire was tonight, and you’d forgotten all about it. It was usually a very spiritual experience - people would write stories from their past, things that bother them, share it to the group, and then burn the paper in the flames. It was like a reawakening - fire is cleansing, after all. Just last year, you’d wrote about the Steve standing in front of you, hair disheveled and grinning dorkily. You burned the paper and went on with your life.

You never expected he’d be here. It’s a bit mind-boggling.

“Yeah,” you say. “Are you?”

“If you are,” he says, suddenly uncertain. “I don’t really know -”

“Steve, everyone here loves you. You’ve made friends.” You hope the bitterness you feel isn’t being translated into your tone. “You can hang out with these people. They like you.”

He nods, frowning. “I know. It’s just….” He sighs heavily. “I’ve never had people… like me before.”

Your stomach falls as you remember what he had told you about - how he hadn’t talked to Tommy since junior year. These were the first adults he had interacted with in years; he was bound to be nervous.

“I’ll be there.” You reach out and squeeze his shoulder. “But you don’t need me. Everyone here thinks you’re incredible.”

“Yeah?”

“You’re the only thing the girl counselor cabin talks about.”

You see a blush creep up his cheeks. “Really?”

You don’t want to indulge him - you shouldn’t indulge him - but you do. “Every girl here has the hots for you. Maybe even some of the boys.”

Steve’s breath catches. “Every girl?”

You stare at him awkwardly. “Well - n… no, not every girl, but - enough.” You feel embarrassment creeping hotly through your veins. “Not - not me, if you’re thinking -”

“No, no,” he says, just as awkwardly as you. “No, I know that.” He smiles slightly.  “You hate me.”

A smile turns the corners of your lips. “Yeah. I hate you.”

“Right.”

“Right.”

A long and awkward silence ensues before he says, “Yeah - okay. I will see you tonight.”

===

Hours later, you saunter over to the counselor bonfire, located right off the shore of the lake. It’s a beautiful, clear night - a slight breeze rustles the trees and the fire licks the stars. You’re a bit late, and Steve’s nervous that you won’t show up. Despite this, he is literally surrounded by the female counselors, who are eagerly asking him about himself.

“Jesus Christ,” you mumble as you approach.

“Look who it is!” Josh shouts out as you near. “Y/N, we’ve been waiting for you.”

“You shouldn’t have,” you say dryly, entering the circle.

Steve pats the log beside him - he had saved you a seat. With all these girls surrounding him, he saved you a seat. He had to tell them, “hey, don’t sit there, it’s reserved,” while he waited for you to show up. It’s a sweet gesture, one that sends your heart beating a little too fast for your liking. You sit beside him, giving a tight lipped smile.

The girls all smile at you, as if it’s all some type of game. And you know why they’re so amused - you had dramatically cut them off each night when Steve would be brought up. You’d throw a pillow over your head and shout at them to just shut up already. They thought you weren’t immune to his charms, just as they weren't. You roll your eyes at them.

Josh hands you a piece of paper and a pencil. “We’re doing the burning ceremony in a few.”

You take the paper and pencil from him gently, sitting it on your lap. Beside you, Steve is clutching his paper tightly to his chest. You bite the inside of your cheek as you think about what to write down - you’d already metaphorically burned Steve last year. You simply write down my past with no elaboration, intending to feed everyone a fake story and then throw it into the fire.

Steve himself didn’t need to think very long about what to write down. His biggest regret was the way he had treated people. A nauseous jerk tugs at his stomach when he thinks about high school, when he thinks about Nancy and Jonathan, when he thinks about the mask he always hid behind. He’s reminded of it every single day here with you - memories that he can’t quite touch but that he knows are there. The feeling of guilt when he looks at you, at the way your brows furrow and eyes narrow at him. How, even now, the pleasantries hide behind past aggression.

He doesn’t blame you.

And maybe, perhaps, burning a piece of paper will make him feel better. It’s not much, but it’s more than he’s ever done.

You listen as everyone goes around and tells their story. Some talk about relationships, or mental health. Each story is met with support from the circle, almost like group therapy. When all comments are said, the paper is thrown in, and everyone claps and cheers as it burns. You can sense that Steve is getting more and more nervous as he gets closer to talking, and you wonder what’s on his paper.

When it’s your turn, you stand up. “I wrote down my past.” You clear your throat. “Uh - I’m not proud of who I used to be. I used to be so quiet and shy. But I’m happier now, and louder, and I’m not afraid of the space that I take up.”

Steve’s eyes burn a hole into your side as you tell your story. He remembers the girl you’re talking about. He remembers how quiet you were, always minding your own business. And his chest hurts when he realizes that he’s probably why you were that way.

It takes a lot of strength for you to not side-eye him.

Everyone tells you that they’re proud and you throw the paper into the fire, sitting back down and crossing your hands over your lap. There’s a tenseness between you and Steve, but no one realizes the connection.

Steve stands, his hands shaking. It takes him a second to find his voice.

“Um. Well, when I was younger - not younger, just a few years ago - I was a jerk.”

You tense up, staring intently into the fire.

“I was such a dick. I made the worst decisions and the worst friends. I used to follow the crowd, because I thought that’s what I had to do to make them like me.” He licks his lips and takes a deep breath. “And I knew it was wrong - I knew it was - but that’s not an excuse. I let it go on for too long, and I hurt a lot of people. And that really kills me each day.”

You squeeze your hands together.

“I’m trying so hard to not be that person anymore, and I’m glad that I’m not. I got away from those people and I found better friends. Friends who believe in me and like me for me.” He clears his throat and sniffles. “But I’m so worried that I’ll turn back into that person again. I know there are people who will always know me as that person, and that sucks.” His eyes land on the top of your head. “But not as much as it sucks for them, I’m sure.

“I’m just ashamed,” he continues. “I wish I could change what I did. I wish I could make everyone believe that I’m not that guy anymore. I wish I wasn’t so scared. Most of all, I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”

Everyone’s silent. Steve asks, “Do - do I throw it in now?”

“No,” Josh says. “Uh - wow. I don’t even know where to start.”

Steve feels the shame creeping into his chest again and bows his head.

“First of all, man, you’re allowed to change. You can change, and it’s obvious that you did,” Josh says.

Steve looks up, shocked at the validation.

“Yeah,” Nico, Steve’s roommate, interjects. “Dude, you’re one of the nicest, goofiest people I’ve ever met.”

A few yeahs echo around the circle.

“And it’s a good sign that you regret what you’ve done,” another girl, Emily, says. “That shows growth.”

You sit tensely, feeling cold in front of the fire. You know he’s talking about you. And you know he means what he’s saying.

You interject a few moments later. “What matters is that you’re trying to change. That’s the best you can do.”

Steve looks down at you, brows furrowing, but it feels like a weight has lifted off of him, freeing him. Feels like his collar bones aren’t cracking under pressure. His eyes are soft and filled with tears - he wasn’t expecting any of this.

You swallow hard, feeling your own tears swelling in your eyes. “And I think that - I think that it’s obvious you aren’t like who you were before.”

Never in your life did you think you’d say that, and never in Steve’s life did he think he’d hear it.

A few people agree, reinforcing that it’s okay for him to be ashamed, but it’s okay for him to grow, too. It’s a bit much for Steve, who makes a strong effort to not burst out into sobs. You can’t meet his eyes yet, but when he sits down after throwing the paper in, you reach for his hand and squeeze it. It’s more than the truce at the breakfast table - it’s an understanding. It’s forgiveness. It’s comfort. It’s friendship. You decide to truly, finally swallow your past, let the flames do their job, and embrace the new Steve.

Your hand leaves after just a second, but he understands the message, and you both smile the rest of the night.

===

It’s Sunday night now, and you’re doing rounds. It’s a little after one in the morning. You check on every cabin to make sure kids are asleep and safe, then decide to sneak a dip in the lake. It was a cool night, but the water was calling. You approach the pier but stop when you see another body already sitting on the edge, shoulders slumped.

You can tell despite the distance that it’s Steve, and you can tell that something’s wrong.

You make your footsteps loud so he can hear you coming, and you take a seat on the wood beside him. The lake is bright from the moon, and it illuminates on Steve’s sullen face. “You okay?”

He nods softly. “I just wanted to take a walk,” he says, but his voice cracks.

You frown. “Is that all?”

He doesn’t answer for a long time, but you can see that his cheeks and eyes are red and swollen. Finally, he whispers, “I had a nightmare.”

Steve had awoken in a sweat, kicking his sheets off of him and gasping for breath. It was another dream about the Upside Down, and it hit him unexpectedly and hard. Nico had stood over his bed, worry etched onto his face, asking Steve if he was okay. Steve brushed it off and said he needed to go on a walk. When he slipped outside, he cried, hugging himself as he walked to the pier. It was the brightest spot at camp, the only place he felt safe. He had learned the lake like the back of his hand in three week’s time, had found a home in it, and he went there to pull himself together.

A nightmare was a bit of an understatement - it had felt so real. He went weeks without one, happily, assuming the distance from Hawkins was helping. It was disheartening to have one here. Embarrassing, too. He wonders if Dustin or any of the kids had been having them.

The anguish on his face and cheeks is apparent and you whisper, “Hey,” taking his hand and squeezing it again. “Do you want to talk about it?”

He shakes his head numbly. He would like to talk about it, but knows he can’t. “Just a stupid dream.”

You frown. “It’s not stupid to feel scared.”

Steve sniffles. “I know.”

“But do you know?”

Steve stills, eyebrows knitting together again. “I… it’s hard to feel like it’s not stupid.”

You nod. “I know how you feel. Well, at least a bit.”

“Do you have nightmares?”

“No,” you whisper. Your thumb absentmindedly rubs over his. “But I have anxiety. And I know how it feels to think it’s stupid to feel that way.”

Steve nods. “I just kind of… push it down. I try not to bother people with it.”

“You’re not bothering people who love you for talking about it. Have you told Dustin?”

“Yeah, but… he’s got his own problems.”

You nod in understanding. After a few moments of silence, you say, “You can talk to me.”

He laughs solemnly. He wishes he could talk to someone about it. Someone outside of the people who were there, or outside of the shrinks that Doc Owens had recommended. Anyone with a new perspective. But he can’t, because the person he’d confide in would die, and he really doesn’t need that on his conscience. That’s not something you could burn in a fire and forget about.

“I’m serious,” you say. “I can help.”

Steve kicks his feet back and forth in the water for a few minutes. Then he looks over at you. “How do you stop being anxious?”

“You don’t,” you say, laughing. “It just gets easier to hide. But having friends helps, and loving yourself helps.”

“I don’t have either.”

You elbow his side gently. “You have friends, Steve. And I’ll be damned if you don’t like yourself by the time you leave here.”

He’s quiet again, then says, “It’s really hard for me to think of people as friends. It’s hard to think that people actually want to hang out with me. Tommy and Carol used me for money and an empty house.” He shrugs lazily. “The attention just feels so… superficial now.”

And it makes your heart ache, because maybe that’s why he won’t give in to the girls here. He thinks they don’t like him for him - they only like him for his looks. Even if he wants them to like him, if he wants someone to love, it’s hard to accept it. The realization ignites an odd anger in you; he doesn’t deserve to feel like this.

“Maybe,” you whisper. “But at least you’re aware of it, right?”

He nods and shrugs again. “I guess.”

More silence.

“Your speech on Friday…,” you say softly. “It meant a lot.”

“It didn’t have to -”

“But it did.”

He swallows and turns to face you. “I’m so sorry.”

“I know,” you say, rubbing his thumb again. “I forgive you.” You smile. “For real this time.”

He smiles, too. “Apparently, since you can’t stop holding my hand.”

You retract it quickly, holding it to your chest. You didn’t realize how long you’d been holding it, and you blushed deeply. “That doesn’t mean anything.”

“You sure?” he grins. “Because someone told me every girl here likes me.”

You kick water towards him and he laughs, kicking back. You’re happy to see the light back in his eyes.

“So Kayak Ball, huh?”

“It’s the next big thing.” He seems proud of it.

You hum. “So I’ve heard.” You splash water towards him again. “You gonna teach me?”

Steve laughs incredulously. “You want to learn?”

“Yeah,” you smile, shrugging. “Maybe I can stop by tomorrow on my break.”

He smiles widely. “You’re gonna get your ass kicked.”

You push up and reach out for his hand, pulling him up with you. “Let me walk you back to your cabin, okay?”

“You don’t have to -”

“I don’t want you to get lost in the woods.”

You walk together in silence, but Steve feels comforted. Like maybe he could go back to sleep when he lays down instead of worrying about dying.

“Hey,” you say when you approach his cabin. “Um… Mia? She wanted me to put in a good word for her.”

“As in?”

“As in, you should sit with her at lunch.” You wink. “She’s one of those ‘every girls’ that likes you.”

His eyes widen and then he smiles, shaking his head. “You mean it?”

“No, it’s a prank.”

He laughs softly and shakes his head again. “Well, thanks for the tip.”

You smile and nod. When you turn to walk towards your cabin, you say, “Goodnight, Steve.”

He waves after you. “Goodnight.”

===

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[classicallyelegant]

Chapter 2 anyone?

Hi again! Yes, I’m back to bug you all a lil more.....please forgive me! I got a fairly good report back on my first ‘chapter’ of my story and I admit.... I was SO worried about that. Since I did, I’m going to try to give just a lil more of a glimpse. Now, I have finished the story, but I am not confident to post the whole story unless someone asks for it. I am still editing it as well though. I’ve only changed a lil though....not much at all because I tried to edit along the way. So, I hope you enjoy......IF I get a good response, chapter 3 may go up.....We shall see!

I’m dressed in all white now. White pants and a white t-shirt. Seems there are a lot of people around, but I’m not sure why. We are in an even tinier apartment than mine. I’m sitting on a couch and my mind is wondering when I hear someone talking to me. It’s a lady and she asks me to take garbage out for her. To take it out, I have to cross a little courtyard and then around another building. I get up to go but a little girl, about six in age, says for me to wait for her. I look at her like a little sister, so I wait for her. We go down the steps together and are on our way to the dumpster. As we come around the building, there is another group of people watching us. They kind of make me uncomfortable with their stares and I try to hurry past them. Didn’t make it! One guy comes up and says he wants to help us. Huh? Help us? But he follows us anyway. Hmm… We find the dumpster and our work is done, so we start to head back. He keeps behind us but he starts to talk to my little sister. Asking her how she is and who I am. She cheerfully answers him but my face is red! When she says something about me being her big sister, he looks impressed. That’s when I notice his face. It’s him! OMG! What is this all about? He asks me if I want to take a shortcut. I’m hesitant but my little sister starts jumping up and down and goes with him, so I follow her, shaking my head. As we walk along this new path, he chats casually about me and himself.

Then as we go into the building, we come to this opening in the ceiling where he picks her up and puts her through. There are ropes for others to grab on to, but I know I can’t do this on my own, so I start to say I’ll just go around the other way. He kind of chuckles at me, then puts his arms around me and hoists me up. Man! I can feel my face burning! He swings in himself no problem then he leads us a little way but somehow my sister and I get separated. I look for her but he tells me she is fine and has found her way through. I don’t know why but I go along with him. His voice is so soothing and he is definitely nicer than the guy I saw earlier. He stays close to me but I just can’t bring myself to look at him much. My stomach feels like it’s full of butterflies. Why am I doing this? What is this torture? I admit I am a bit dazed by the way things seem. Then, I feel his arm around me again. He brings me back to where I am just up against him. What in the world?! He seems to be to holding me there. Oh no! Now what do I do? “This is nice, is it not?” He whispers in my ear. “I was hoping to get you alone.” AHAHAHAH! What?! Are you kidding me here?

“You…..you can’t be serious!” I spit it out but I’m bewildered beyond belief. “Surely ….you don’t …you can’t mean this.” I try to take his arm off me but I’m afraid I don’t have the strength. I want to turn around, but then I’m scared what that could mean too, so I stay facing forward. Unfortunately, his grip seems to tighten. Uh oh! This can’t be really happening!

“Do you really think I would lie to you at a time like this? Why else would I follow you around? I’ve been trying to get you alone since you came here. Don’t you realize that?” He says it tenderly as he seems to be talking into my hair. Gulp! Oh this is not good! Being so close to him, I can feel his lips almost on the top of my head, his warm breath. Then his other arm comes around me as well. How do I get out of this?

“Please! You’re kind of hurting me!” I’m trying to get away from him sure, but his grip is pretty tight around my waist. My head feels like its spinning and I have got to think quickly to get out of this situation.

“I’d never hurt you, Princess.” He’s cooing now. How did I get into this again? I even feel a soft kiss on my neck from behind, his nose moving my hair. No! I can’t swoon here, though, honestly - it’s a toss-up at this point! I can feel my knees buckling. No! Stop it! Must be strong! Must confront him…but…but I can’t! I can’t hurt him when part of me wants nothing more than to fall into him. What to do?! Eek! I mean – OK – so I do like him! I guess there’s no denying that now. Here he is almost panting for me, practically crushing me into him, and yet, I know this is wrong! This is not how this should be going! I have to……I have to……

“Good morning, Princess! Have a nice nap?” Russ is waking me up as he touches my face. It was all a dream! Oh thank goodness!

I groan a little then my eyes open to see Russ sitting on the edge of my bed again. He looks concerned. “You alright? Seems you were dreaming there…”

Big breath! Does he know? “No, “I work a weak smile onto my face, “everything is fine!”

“Glad to hear it!” He says. Hopefully he has no idea what I just imagined! I don’t believe it myself and I couldn’t possibly tell him!

“While you were sleeping there, we got a phone call for you. Seems your director has been looking for you, darling.” He says this so nonchalantly but I have no idea what he’s talking about! “Oh don’t worry! We told them you might need a couple days to recover.” He winks as he starts to motion toward the table. That’s when I smell the food! Russ fixed me a feast. Oh happy day!

“I figured you would be hungry, so I made you breakfast. Hopefully you like this better than the cereal yesterday!” He’s kind of snickering into his hands. He is so sweet! He puts his hands down as he says, “I know he meant well, but I am the cook after all! We have to get your strength back, but it doesn’t hurt for you to enjoy getting it back as well!” Good ole Russ!

I make my wobbly way to the table and dive in! Bacon, eggs, toast, hash browns! My, he went all out and it is so delicious. This very easily beats yesterday’s cereal! “Thank you so much! Oh that was so wonderful! I can’t remember being so spoiled!” And I am full!

“Aww, Princess! You’re too nice to me!” He tries to act bashful but I can see he’s proud of what I said. “So, are you feeling better now? I have to give my full report when I get back. You know who wants to know!”

“Oh really? If he wants to know, he should come himself.” I can’t help but laugh. Russ seems to see things as I do because he laughs too. “Well, don’t worry. My memory is still fuzzy and my legs aren’t all that steady yet, but I think I will be OK. I do apologize for being a problem to both of you!”

“No bother! I’m just sorry we didn’t seem to keep as close an eye on you as we should have. We shouldn’t have let you go out and meet him all alone. We both know he can’t be trusted. We just didn’t think of him that much.”

Woah! What?! Who is he talking about? ‘Let me meet him all alone?’ I am so confused!

“Who? I’m afraid I don’t know what you’re talking about, Russ.” I’m trying to figure this out but it makes no sense to me.

“Your director, Hun. That guy never could be trusted. See, you told Ma….uh…well you know who I mean; you told him that you were supposed to go meet the director at a restaurant. He tried to talk you out of it, but you said you would be fine.” Russ is even getting mad as he’s telling me all of this. There’s a cloud that comes over his face. “He always tries to move in if he thinks he stands even a fraction of a chance. Honestly! I don’t know where he gets off!” He shakes his head in a shudder.

“So let me get this straight…..you’re saying I was supposed to meet with a director the night I lost my memory. Hmm…I asked before but couldn’t get a straight answer. I wish I could remember better because I don’t recall any of this!”  How did this happen? Who was this guy? Obviously these two know him and they don’t like him. Why would I even tell that I was meeting him? I must have known something myself or maybe I was hoping for some sort of rescue. He must have made me mad if I went just to defy him. Seems we both play a lot of games with each other!

“If I had known at the time, I would have tried to talk you out of it too. I imagine you two got into a yelling match though. He always gets too flustered in such situations – especially with you, Maxey. I don’t know how you two work together when you’re almost always arguing with each other.” He touches my arm as he smiles at me again. We work together?! That means we are more than just neighbors…..well…..sigh! In other words, I can’t get away from this guy! Great!

Hey! Hold up! Maxey? That’s my name, right? Well, now that I think about it, I do recall hearing that. Matter of fact, I think I do remember hearing that name that night……where did I hear it? Who said it?

“My apologies, Russ. I guess I should have listened. I already feel bad about all of this because I had a feeling it was my own fault. Now, I know it was and…” I hide my face in my arms on the table. “I’m so very sorry!” My voice is muffled but I really mean what I said. I should have listened!

“Aww, Princess….don’t do this to yourself. If I know my guy, he probably ended up having the opposite effect of what he intended. You’ve always been rather strong and sure of yourself. You most likely thought you could handle things on your own. Thing is, no one is a superhuman. And that guy is not one to be trifled with all alone!” Russ is rubbing my arms as he tries to cheer me up. I can’t bring my head up to look at him though. They have both been so nice to tend to me since all of this came up and I know I ended up worrying them. Why do I do this? Such a loser! I am such a loser! I feel the tears coming down my face.

“Hey, Russ! They’re looking for you at the restaurant!” My door is opened as he comes to tell his message. I can’t look up! Not now! “What’s going on here?” He sounds puzzled.

“Oh she will be OK. Just got a lot to deal with. Guess I better get over there then. They can’t work without me!” Russ is as cheerful as ever!

“Oh OK! Well, you go ahead. I need to have another chat here.”

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