Daphne pulled the keys from the hook by the door, the familiar jingle echoing in the quiet house. She glanced back at her mom, Joyce, who was fussing over Will's jacket, making sure it's zipped up all the way. Will, standing by the door, looked a mix of impatient and amused.
"Mom, it's fine," Will protested gently, but Joyce wasn't one to be easily swayed.

"It's chilly out, I don't want you to get sick." she said, her voice full of that familiar mix of concern and love. Satisfied with the jacket, she finally stepped back, allowing Will to escape out the door.

Daphne led the way out to the car, her pace brisk. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows on the driveway as she unlocked the car. "Alright, everyone in," she called, sliding into the driver's seat. Will hopped into the back, immediately leaning forward between the front seats.

"So, after the arcade, are you coming to pick me up, or is Mom?" he asked curious.

Joyce, settling into the passenger seat, turned to look at him. "I'll be back to get you," she reassured him. "I'm just meeting Bob at the new diner in town."

Daphne smirked slightly at the mention of Bob, her mother's new boyfriend, but she kept her eyes on the road as she pulled out of the driveway. "And then I'll be meeting Steve," she added, more to herself than anyone else.

"Steve?" Joyce echoed, raising an eyebrow with a teasing smile. "Your best friend Steve?"

"Yes, best friend Steve," Daphne replied, rolling her eyes but smiling. "We're just going to hang out."

The drive was short, and soon the flashing neon sign of the arcade came into view. Daphne pulled into the parking lot, finding a spot near the entrance. She shifted the car into park and turned to Will. "Alright, kiddo, this is your stop."

Will beamed, unbuckling his seatbelt in a flash. "Thanks, Daphne. See you later, Mom!"

"Not so fast, Will. I'll pick you up in two hours. That's 9:00 on the dot, okay?" Mom said, she's been constantly worried since Will came back from the Upside Down.

"Okay, okay," he replied, tired of all his mother's recommendations; he just wanted to run to his friends.

"If anything happens, if you need to come home, just wake them to use their phone and call me or Daph. Okay? Don't—" Will interrupted her, knowing this all too well, "Don't walk or bike home. I know." He tried to get out of the car, but the sound of Mom's voice interrupted him.

Before with stepping out of the car Will asked, with a hopeful look on his face. "Daph, do you have any quarters?"

Daphne smiled, digging into her pocket. "Yes, wait a sec. Here, take a couple. Don't spend it all in one place."

Will grinned, taking the quarters. "Thanks, Daph! You're the best sister in the whole world."

"Yeah, I know." Daphne laughed.

"Sweetie—" Joyce said before being stopped again by Will, "Mom, I have to go. Bye Daph!"

"Have fun!" the big sister said. She knew that Will was capable of going out, but their mom was still traumatized from last year.

Daphne set the car in motion, heading to the diner where she would leave her mother. "Don't worry, Mom," she chimed in. "Will's got this. He's here now, so you don't need to worry, okay?"

"I know, I know. I just don't want to lose him again," Joyce sighed. "Are you sure you want to go alone to meet Steve?"

"Yes, Mom, you go and enjoy your date. I'll be back home in a couple of hours," Daphne reassured her. "Okay, fine."

The rest of the drive was silent. Daphne drove them across town to the diner where Bob was waiting. It was a cozy place with a retro feel, the kind that's a staple in small towns like Hawkins. She pulled up to the curb and turned to her mom.

"Here we are," she said. "Do you want me to wait, or...?"

Joyce shook her head, her smile widening as she spotted Bob through the diner's window. "No, you go ahead. I'll be fine."

Daphne watched as her mom stepped out of the car and headed toward the diner. For a moment, she stayed parked, making sure Joyce met up with Bob. When she saw them greet each other, she finally pulled away, heading toward her destination.

She drove through the quiet streets of Hawkins, heading to the outskirts of town where she and Steve often met up. As she turned down a familiar road lined with trees, she felt the usual mix of excitement and nervousness. Steve had been her best friend for years, but lately, he had been quite distant; she couldn't help but think it was because of his relationship with Nancy.

Pulling up to the spot where they usually met, she saw Steve's car already parked, waiting for her. Daphne took a deep breath and then stepped out to join him, the late afternoon sun casting a golden glow over the scene.

As Daphne stepped out of the car, she was greeted by the sight of Steve's easy smile. He was leaning casually against the side of his car. He was dressed in his usual laid-back style—jeans, a t-shirt, and that ever-present denim jacket that's become a trademark for him.

"Took you long enough," Steve called out, his tone teasing as he pushed off the car and walked over to her. There was no rush in his movements, just the comfortable pace of someone completely at ease.

"Yeah, yeah," Daphne replied with a mock glare, rolling her eyes as she locked her car. "Had to drop Will at the arcade and then Mom at her date with Bob."

Steve raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Oh, the infamous Bob. How's that going?"

Daphne shrugged, falling into step beside him as they walked towards a clearing they've claimed as their own over the years. "It's... good, I guess. Mom seems happy, which is nice."

Steve nodded, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. "That's good. I'm glad she's finding some normalcy after everything that happened last year."

"Yeah, me too," Daphne agreed, her tone softening. They walked in silence for a moment, the comfort of their long friendship making words unnecessary. The air was crisp, the scent of leaves and earth filling the space between them.

As they reached the clearing, Steve dropped down onto a fallen log, patting the spot next to him. Daphne sat beside him, their shoulders brushing. The clearing was quiet, except for the occasional rustle of leaves and the distant chirping of birds. It was peaceful, a little pocket of calm in the midst of everything.

"So," Steve said after a beat, turning to look at her with a grin that she's seen a thousand times before. "What's new with you?"

Daphne chuckled, shaking her head. "Not much. Just trying to survive senior year without losing my mind," Daphne said, her voice tinged with a mix of humor and exhaustion.

Steve chuckled, nodding in understanding. "Yeah, I hear that. Between college applications and trying to figure out what the hell we're supposed to do with our lives, it's like a full-time job."

Daphne sighed, leaning back on her hands and staring up at the darkening sky. "I know, right? It's like everyone expect us to have it all figured out already, and I'm just trying to make it through the day without falling asleep in history class."

Steve laughed, a warm, genuine sound. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, you're doing a hell of a lot better than I am. I'm pretty sure Mr. Prescott gave up on even pretending I'm awake in his class."

Daphne grinned, nudging him with her shoulder. "Maybe you should start bringing coffee to class. Or, you know, stop staying up so late watching those horror movies you love so much."

"Hey, those horror movies are what keep me sane," Steve replied, his smile widening. "Besides, who needs sleep when you have adrenaline?"

"True," Daphne conceded with a laugh. "But seriously, we're almost there. Just a few more months, and we'll be free."

Steve looked at her, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. "Yeah, but then what? The real world, where we have to adult and stuff?"

Daphne shrugged, a small, wistful smile playing on her lips. "I guess we'll figure it out when we get there. One step at a time, right?"

"Right," Steve agreed, leaning back and staring up at the sky alongside her. "One step at a time."

For a moment, they sat in comfortable silence, the weight of their future looming but not quite as daunting with each other by their side. They had been through a lot together, and no matter what came next, they knew they'd face it the same way they had faced everything else—together.

*******************

here's the prologue of this new ff, hope you'll enjoy it! i wanted to create this story about Billy because i haven't find a fanfiction about him that satisfied me completely and in english it sounds wayyy better; so here i am!!

love you guys,
maya <3