chapter twenty-four , Lets make a deal

a/n : BUTTERFLIESSSS

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August wasn't doing well.

It's now the summer of what was supposed to be her Senior Year. But after shattering Carol's nose. That achievement has imploded. She wasn't talking to Hopper and the only time she visits the Byers' house is when Joyce wasn't there. Gus would spend most of her days anywhere else but the cabin. Eleven noticed that Gus and Hopper weren't on good terms a few weeks ago.

They were all sitting at the table. Hopper made an Eggo Triple Decker Extravaganza. That was the one thing Gus and Eleven couldn't turn down. Even if they were mad.

But the entire time Gus was eating, she was silent. Then she left without giving Eleven and Hopper a glance. It felt like just because Gus was mad at Hopper, she was mad at Eleven too. And that made the young girl feel like maybe she did something wrong. But all she's been doing is helping Gus with her training. At least, she's been trying to. Eleven also had to get a grip on her powers as well. And both of the girls have not been doing well with that.

To everyone else it seemed like Gus had lost all motivation to do her best. Gus wasn't the kind of person to give up. So that made her friends worried. Fallon, Robin, and Nancy have been trying their best to get Gus back on the right track. But that was a difficult thing to do. Gus was a stubborn person. If she wanted something. She was going to get it and if she didn't want to do something. She wasn't going to do it.

"No..."

"Gus, come on." Robin hangs her head low.

Gus keeps her eyes on the spinning ceiling and softly snorts. "Okay, okay..." she sits up.

Fallon and Robin raise their brows.

"How about...hell no...?" Gus then laughs.

Fallon tangles a hand into her straight hair. "I can't believe I fell for that."

"Yeah, me neither." Gus cackles.

A soft knock is heard at the door.

"That must be Nancy." Fallon says.

"Wait—what?" Robin seethes. "You didn't tell me she was gonna be here."

"What, Nancy's cool." Fallon bunches her shoulders.

"Robin doesn't seem to think so." Gus voices.

"I just don't know her well and I think she hates me." Robin shifts in her seat.

"She thinks Nancy's a priss." Gus' words slur a bit.

"Oh, My God—I do not!"

"Robin?"

Robin looks at the Fallon and her jaw goes slack. "O-Okay. I might have said that."

Anytime it came to talking to Fallon, Robin always told her the truth. It made her stomach feel all knotty inside.

"Come in!" Gus raises a hand.

The door opens, revealing the brunette. "Hey, Gus. I've got study books!"

"Noooo..." Gus covers her face and her back comes into contact with the bed with a flop.

Nancy tilts her head at Gus' sloppiness. She looks at Fallon and Robin, "Is she high again?"

"Yes." Fallon sighs. "She was high before she got here."

"Because I knew you guys would keep me from the one thing that brings me joy." Gus points at the the three girls. "And I couldn't have that."

Nancy huffs, "So, no studying then." She sets her bag down. "Fallon, you straightened your hair again."

Fallon raises her brows, "Oh, yeah..." she tucks a strand behind her ear.

Robin shifts her eyes to Fallon and she could tell just from the way the corner of Fallon's eyes creased when she smiled she hated it.

"My mom made me do it." Fallon waves a hand. "She thinks it's...respectable."

"Well, that's bullshit."

Robin and Nancy look at each other. Then they look back at Fallon.

"You should be able to wear your hair however you want." Robin shrugs a shoulder.

"Well, my mom—"

"No offense..." Nancy sits next to the high girl, who was muttering to herself. "But, it's your hair. Not your mom's. Robin's right."

"Really?" Robin raises her brows.

Nancy smiles, "Really."

"Let's go wash your hair." Gus sits up.

"What?"

"Yeah! Let's stick it to Cynthia." Gus raises her arms. "Let's stick it to everyone! No one should tell anyone what to do with their bodies—fuck anyone who does!"

Gus slaps a hand over her mouth. "No offense to your mom. I respect her as a strong independent woman, but like Nancy and Robin said it's your hair, you should wear it however you want."

Fallon smiles softly and looks at each girl. She keeps her eyes on Robin's. "O-Okay..." the girl nods her head. "I'm gonna wash my hair."

"Yeah!" Gus hops off the bed. "Hell yeah!"

"Then let's get some pizza." Gus smacks her lips. "I could kill for some 'za."

"Please don't every say 'za, again." Robin wrinkles her nose.

"But pizza is two syllables. It takes so looong to say." Gus throws her head back and groans. "But 'za...that's so fast to say."

"I'm gonna go to the bathroom." Fallon stands up and walks toward the door.

"Fal, wait!" Robin calls out, following after her.

Fallon stops in the hallway and looks at the chestnut brunette. Robin closes the door behind her and meets Fallon's brown eyes.

"What's up, Rob?"

Robin opens and closes her mouth. "Uh, well—I was just gonna ask if you wanted me to help you wash the straightness out of your hair—I mean, wash your hair just your hair."

Fallon raises her brows and smiles softly.

Robin's mouth slightly opens. "I-I'm sure you are capable of washing your hair yourself, but I just meant like...if you needed some encouragement or—"

"Robin."

"Yeah?" Robin squeaks.

Fallon opens and closes her mouth before laughing softly. "I would love your encouragement with washing my hair."

Robin slowly nods her head, "Cool, cool, cool..."

Fallon motions to the bathroom door and both the girls walk in.

Nancy looks at the quiet teenager, who was staring at the ceiling.

"So...are you still not on good terms with Hopper, Joyce, and Steve?"

Gus let's out a soft chuckle. "Steve is your boyfriend. Shouldn't you already know that?"

"Well, he doesn't share that with me." Nancy looks at her nails. "He misses you, y'know?"

Gus raises her brows. "Really? He hasn't told me that."

"He wants to give you your space." Nancy states.

"How nice of him." Gus looks at Nancy and presses her lips together. "Give him a high five for me, 'kay?"

Nancy raises her brows, "Wow. You're kind of an ass, huh?"

"Oh, please!" Gus sits up and looks at her friend. "You love me."

Nancy smiles softly and nods her head. "You aren't wrong about that."

Gus snickers and lays her head against Nancy's shoulder. "You and Steve are good, right?"

Nancy's smile lessens. She stays quiet for a minute, thinking about her relationship with the Harrington boy. "I don't know..."

Gus pulls her brows together.

"I think about our relationship and all I can think about is...Barb." Nancy's voice starts to shake. "The alley. There is a lot of shit between Steve and I."

Gus lifts her head off of Nancy's shoulder and looks at her. "Doesn't that just make the two of you stronger?" She rubs her eyes.

Nancy shrugs a shoulder, "Sometimes couples can get through stuff and other times, couples can't."

Gus' eyes soften and she wraps her arms around Nancy's shoulders. "I'm sorry, Nance."

Nancy smiles softly and leans her head against Gus'.

Robin enters the room and stops in her tracks. "Am I interrupting something...?" She starts to back out of the room.

"Uh, just a little—bonding. That's all." Gus inhales, unwrapping her arms from Nancy's.

Nancy looks at Robin and softly smiles. Robin slowly nods her head, "Oh, okay." She claps her hands together. "Well, I am here to present to you—the coolest girl in the world."

Gus pulls her face back. "Who the hell is cooler than me?"

"Fallon Price!" Robin motions her hands to the door and steps aside.

Gus slightly opens her mouth, "Oh, yeah, Fallon is pretty fucking cool."

Fallon walks into the room with her now curly hair dripping wet. "I told her not to do this introduction thing..." she covers her face.

"Okay, but come on. You've been straightening your hair for weeks, how does it feel to just be yourself again?" Robin shrugs, her eyes bright.

Fallon's face heats up and her heart rate quickens. "It feels...really good." A smile twitches onto her lips. "I've missed it."

"But are we gonna talk about the fact that your mom is so going to ground you for this?" Gus let's out a soft laugh. She grabs the bag of licorice and places three in her mouth.

Fallon's smile drops and her eyes widen. Robin snaps her stern eyes over to the blunt brunette. And Nancy smacks Gus' arm.

"Ow!" Gus seethes. She looks at Fallon and notices her starting to freak out. "Oh, Fal, shit. Uh...I'm sorry. You're not gonna get in trouble—"

"I need my straightener." Fallon walks over to her makeup table.

"No!" The three girls exclaim.

Robin grabs Fallon's wrist and pulls her back. Fallon turns back to Robin and the short haired brunette lightly grips her arms. "Listen to me, you are perfect. You're perfect, Fallon."

"You should listen to Robin." Gus voices. "A few months ago, she didn't even like you."

Fallon and Robin look from Gus, then look back at each other. The curly haired girl swallows and she shifts. "Thanks, Robin."

Blush forms across Robin's face. "Yeah, of course, what are friends for?"

Robin takes her hands off of Fallon's and takes a step back.

"Sooooo..." Gus shrugs. "Pizza?"

The girls all look at each other.

"I could go for some pizza." Nancy shrugs.

"Do you guys want to stay over?" Fallon asks. "My parents won't be home for a few days. They're on a business trip thing."

Nancy raises her brows. "Okay—how do you and Steve not get along?" She tilts her head. "You guys have so many things in common."

Fallon frowns, thinking about her and Steve getting along. "We actually did get along for a moment. When we were planning Gus' surprise party."

Robin and Nancy nod their heads, but Gus blinks.

"Wait—what?"

"Yeah, Hopper brought us both together to plan you a birthday thing." Fallon informs the confused brunette. "But now, you aren't on good terms with either of them so..."

"Party's cancelled."

Gus purses her lips. "Well, I'm glad I was able to bring the two of you together for a short amount of time." She holds her arms out. "I guess I'm just that girl, huh?"

Everyone winces at her.

"Did she just—"

"Yeah, she did." Nancy nods her head and sighs.

"And she will never say that again." Fallon snorts.

Gus rolls her eyes and continues to eat her licorice.

☆

As soon as the front door opens, Gus holds the bags out to the boy. "I brought strawberries."

Jonathan blinks, "Uh, I'm sorry?"

Gus walks into the house. "Remember, I was gonna bring strawberries over so we could feed Randy."

"You're calling him Randy now?" Jonathan cranes his neck forward.

Gus purses her lips, "Yeah, everybody deserves a good nickname."

"And you think J is a good nickname for me?" Jonathan closes the front door and turns to the brunette.

Gus blinks and looks at Jonathan. "Do you want me to call you Jon?"

Jonathan wrinkles his nose.

"Jonny?" Gus takes a closer step to him and his back straightens.

"Uh—"

"Or just Jonny boy?—"

"J is fine."

Gus smiles softly, "Cool."

"Very cool." Jonathan clears his throat.

Gus walks to Jonathan's room and the boy takes a minute to breath. "So, after we're done feeding Randy the most amazing fruit he will ever experience. What do you wanna do?"

"Uh, I don't know—we could watch a movie." Jonathan suggests. "Or go out for coffee." He walks into his room and sees Gus taking the carton of strawberries out of the bag. "Or...watch the stars?"

Gus raises her brows and turns to Jonathan. "Didn't think you were a 'looking at the stars' type of guy."

"Well, we've done it before." Jonathan shrugs.

Gus takes a moment to look at Jonathan and he raises his brows. "Wh-what? What is it?" The boy inquires.

Gus slightly frowns, "Nothing—just thinking."

"All good things, I hope." Jonathan chuckles softly.

A smile twitches into Gus' lips and she bums softly. She looks back at the strawberries, causing Jonathan's smile to drop. Gus opens the carton, "I've already washed them, so don't worry."

Jonathan raises his brows. "You are really excited about this, huh?" He walks over to the brunette and grabs one of the strawberries. Gus pulls her brows together and grabs the fruit from his hands.

"Wha—"

"This is his carton." Gus shakes her head. "This one is ours." She points to the other carton in the bag. Jonathan raises his brows and grabs that carton.

"So, how are things with you and Steve?"

Gus rolls her eyes. "How are things with you and Nancy?"

"Good, actually. We're on speaking terms." Jonathan says. "I can't believe you're not on speaking terms with the person you like."

"It happens to the best of us." Gus snaps her eyes over to the boy. She walks over to Randall's tank.

"It doesn't happen to me." Jonathan voices before eating a strawberry. Gus turns to him and raises her brows, "That's exactly why I said 'the best'."

Jonathan's mouth hangs opens and Gus presses her lips together.

"Ouch." Jonathan winces, he walks over to Gus and stands next to her. "So, are you ever gonna forgive my mom and Hopper?"

"Yeah...one day." Gus sighs.

"And that is...?"

Gus shrugs her shoulders. "Uh, I don't know, one day...I guess." She tucks a strand of her hair behind her ear. "Whenever I feel like it."

"When does your summer school start?" Jonathan asks.

"I don't think I'm gonna go. So, don't worry about it."

"What?" Jonathan exhales a tired breath. "That could be the one way you graduate with Fallon."

Gus hands Jonathan a strawberry, he takes it and sets it in the small bowl in Randall's tank.

"Everyone wants me to fail, so I think it would be easier if I just...failed." Gus shrugs.

"August, not everyone in this town is against you, y'know? The kids want the best for you, Hopper, my mom, Steve, Nancy, Fallon, me."

Gus hesitantly meet Jonathan's piercing brown eyes.

"And I'm pretty sure you know more people than just us. Because you are an amazing person to know." Jonathan shakes his head in disbelief. "And the fact that you think the worst of yourself doesn't just hurt you, it hurts all of us." Gus slightly tilts her head.

"If you need me to help you study every day and night, I will do that. If you need me to drive you summer school, I will do that—August, I just don't want you to give up—"

Gus stands on her toes and lightly places her lips against Jonathan's causing the boy's breathing to stop for a second. She pulls away from him and raises her brows. "I knew that would get you to stop talking." She grabs a strawberry and starts to eat it. Gus looks at Jonathan, noticing his silence. He was just staring at the brunette, comprehending what just happened.

"Oh, shit..." Gus swallows her food. "I broke you."

The brunette slowly nods her head. "Uh, okay—hey, I'm sorry if I made things wei—"

Jonathan grips the side of Gus' neck and pulls her into a deep kiss. The brunette's voice gets caught into her throat, but she kisses the boy back. Gus touches Jonathan's arms and her hands start to shake. The strawberries slip from her hand and fall to the ground. Gus and Jonathan pull away from each other and look at the fallen fruit.

"Oh, dammit." Gus crouches down and starts to pick the fruit up. "I'm sorry."

Jonathan crouches down and picks up the fruit too. "No, it's fine..."

As soon as all the strawberries were picked up, Gus and Jonathan both look at each other; making eye contact. Jonathan's face becomes a deep red, thinking about what just happened. He picks up the carton of strawberries. "That can't happen again." The boy softly chuckles, his face and ears were a shade of dark red.

Gus frowns as Jonathan sets the strawberries aside. Jonathan wipes the palms of his hands against his jeans and Gus slowly nods her head. They both look at Randal eating the strawberry in silence.

"The people we both like are in a relationship..."

"With each other." Jonathan adds.

Gus bunches her shoulders and turns to the boy. "Wanna have sex?"

Jonathan looks at the girl and his mouth hangs open. "You...I say we shouldn't make out again and you ask to have sex?"

"I mean, I'm not saying lets have sex now." Gus shifts her body to fully turn to him. "I'm just saying whenever we want to...get it on--"

"Please don't say that." Jonathan groans. "Are you drunk?"

Gus chews on the inside of her cheek and smiles. "I am perfectly sober."

"You're high then."

"I just said I was sober." Gus cranes her neck forward.

"I just thought that since you got high so many times, that was your default." Jonathan shrugs.

Gus rolls her eyes, even though the boy had a point. "Honestly. I wish I was high right now. But I'm not." she presses her lips together. "Look, this may come as a shock to you, Jonathan. But, I am a virgin."

Jonathan blinks, "It's not really--"

"Ah." Gus holds up her pointer finger, silencing him. "And that kiss wasn't bad." she shrugs.

"Wasn't that your first kiss?" Jonathan asks.

Gus raises her brows, "Yes it was." No one knew that she and Fallon kissed. And as long as Fallon wants, no one was going to know.

"Then how do you--"

"I just trust you, dude." Gus says, covering her red face. A groans comes from her lips and her hands fall. "You had to make me say it, huh? If I were to have sex, I would trust you to...plow me--"

"Why are you saying these terms? Where do you get them?"

Gus shrugs, "Erotica."

Jonathan softly laughs. The boy then wipes his mouth, "Gus, are you sure you want to do that...with me?" he shrugs. "Won't that make our friendship awkward?"

"No!" Gus let's out a sputter while waving a dismissive hand. "See, if I were anyone else. It would definitely be awkward, because you're the most awkward person I know." she snorts.

Jonathan presses his lips together. He wasn't even going to deny it.

"But, I'm Gus. I can make this whole thing so unawkward. You won't even have a chance to make it awkward." Gus holds her hand out to the boy, waiting for him to shake. "So...whaddya say?"

"Just saying, if you say no. I won't be pissed." Gus presses her lips into a small smile. "I want this to be a consensual thing."

Jonathan keeps his eyes on Gus' hand, thinking. He knew that Gus liked Steve and this was just a way to get herself to stop feeling for him. That's the way the boy feels about Nancy. Besides, Gus and Jonathan always were a pair that just made sense. Everyone knew it, maybe this was something they could give a try.

The boy connects his hand with Gus' and shakes it. Gus raises her brows, "Oh, My God—I can't believe you said yes."

Jonathan rolls his eyes.

"This was just like an out of the blue moment." Gus holds her hands up. "Should I become a lawyer? Because—holy shit I convinced you, huh?"

Jonathan shakes his head, but he smiles. "I can't believe we made this deal."

"Yeah...and in front of Randy." Gus points at the reptile.

Jonathan snaps his eyes over to the turtle, who was still eating. "I've gotta say you were right."

"About the strawberries or the sex thing?" Gus asks.

"Both."

Gus smiles, "I love being right." She sighs. "Gives me a rush."

She then purses her lips. "Are you a virgin?"

Jonathan looks at the brunette with a deadpanned expression. "Who would I be having sex with, Gus?"

"I don't know. Yourself?—"

"Oh, dude—"

"Does that count as losing your v-card or not?"

Jonathan covers his ears and Gus rolls her eyes.

"You're gonna agree to a sex pact with me, but you don't wanna talk about it with me?" Gus crosses her arms.

"It's...weird." Jonathan says.

Gus sighs, "Well, you better get use to this, buddy. Because if we're gonna want to lose the big V to each other, we're gonna have to be comfortable." She touches his arms.

Jonathan slowly takes his hands off his ears. "Fair point..."

Gus arches a brow and Jonathan's jaw goes slack. "Hey, just think of this as a summer fling." She shrugs. "I've always wanted to have one. Why not with my close friend?"

Jonathan blinks at the girl and she tilts her head. "You...really trust me, don't you?"

Gus smiles and bunches her shoulders. "Yeah, I do. That's okay, right?"

A small laugh escapes Jonathan's lips. "That's more than okay, Gus."

Gus looks at the turtle. "Ya hear that, Randy? I'm gonna have sex with your dad."

"Oh, My God—why are you like this?" Jonathan's face becomes hot red.

Gus scrunches her nose and bunches her shoulders. "I have no clue."

☆

The girl opens the door, not seeing anyone on the porch. "Ha Ha—so funny."

The rocking chair moves out of the corner of the girl's eye. She snaps her eyes over to it and her jaw goes slack, seeing the short-haired brunette sitting there.

"He—"

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Gus stands up from the rocking chair. "Why do you have a rocking chair on your porch? It's giving 'olden days and I want everything to stay Conservative'."

"What? No, it doesn't!" Carol snaps.

Gus tilts her head to the side and Carol shifts.

"My parents bought it.

Gus points at the girl. "Bingo."

"My parents aren't...racist," Carol whispers.

Gus rolls her eyes, "Right and I didn't break your nose."

"But, you did."

Gus tilts her head to the sky and covers her face. "Fuck me, dude. You are so dense."

"Screw you! You can't insult me at my house!"

Gus takes her hands off her face and glares at the girl. Carol's eyes widen and she tenses. Gus' eyes shift to the large bandage over Carol's purple and yellow bruised nose. There was stitching across the bridge of her nose and the brunette's eyes soften.

"I'm sorry."

Carol blinks. "What?"

"I shouldn't have hit you, all right?" Gus stuffs her hands into her corduroy jacket pockets. "I was angry—as always. And I'm sorry for fucking up your nose."

Carol's face relaxes, but she was still taken aback by this apology. "If you're fucking with me right now—"

"I'm not, okay? I'm not." Gus puts more weight on her right leg. "I know how much your nose job was and I screwed it up."

"Yeah, you did." Carol leans against the doorframe. "My parents are going to have to pay for it all over again."

Gus presses her lips together and nods her head. "Yeah, what a shame."

Carol keeps her eyes on the brunette and she lets out a defeated breath. "I apologize too."

Gus knits her brows together. "Wait—what?"

Carol throws her hands in the air. "Yeah—I'm sorry. I mean, slut shaming you wasn't cool." She nods her head. "I should've learned my lesson when you knocked me on my ass in that alleyway last year."

Gus presses her lips into a firm line. No, shit.

"Then why?" Gus shrugs. "What did I ever do to you?"

Carol runs her tongue across her teeth. It was obvious she was reluctant to admit the truth. But, seeing the brunette in front of her, made Carol want to say something.

"Because...everyone likes you."

Gus rolls her eyes.

"You might not believe that because your self-esteem is absolute shit, but—"

"What the fuck?"

"—it's true, Gus." Carol sighs. "Everyone loves you. Even more than Steve."

Gus' back straightens. "Why the hell do we have to talk about him?"

Carol arches a brow, "Drama in the love department—"

"I will break your arm."

"Just teasing." Carol winces.

Gus folds her arms, "So, you were jealous or something?"

"Yeah—I was."

A smirk twitches onto Gus' lips. "That must've been hard for you to admit, huh?" She looks Carol up and down. Carol pulls her brows together and slightly pulls her face back.

"What—"

"You. Are jealous of me? Freak Number two?" Gus shakes her head and chuckles. "I think that confession just added five years to my lifespan."

"Eat my shorts, August."

"So, it's August now? Like, not even with the normal amount of malice in it?" Gus cocks her head to the side. "Wow, Carol. You going soft on me?"

"Screw you, Castillo. You asked for the truth. I gave it to you." Carol rolls her eyes. "Everybody basically hates me anyway."

"That so?"

"Tommy broke up with me too."

Gus frowns, "I'm sorry...?" she bunches her shoulders. "But, I'm also surprised--I mean, you guys are like the same amount of a bully."

"I know!" Carol holds her arms out. "But, apparently, since everybody hates me now...he's hopping onto that train too."

Gus purses her lips. She knew that feeling all too well.

Carol rubs her arm, "Everyone said that me talking about your parents was too far..."

"Well, what do you think?" Gus squints her eyes. "Do you think that was too far, Carol?"

Carol bites the inside of her cheek. "Yeah...I do." Her eyes meet Gus' stern hazel green ones. "I'm sorry, August. Seriously."

Gus slowly nods her head. "I appreciate your apology." She sighs. "To think, it only took your nose getting shattered and your popularity to go down the drain to get it."

Gus frowns and shrugs her shoulders. She turns on her heel. "See ya, Carol."

"Bye, freak."

Gus walks down the porch steps with a chuckle. But she stops, "Hey, Carol?"

Carol stops from fully closing the door and opens it again. "Yeah."

Gus turns to Carol and walks back over to her. "Who told you...about the flyers?"

Carol raises her brows, "Oh. I came up with the idea myself. Impressive I know—"

"I wasn't talking about the idea of the flyers." Gus closes her eyes and lets out a frustrated breath. "What I meant was...who told you about me liking Steve?"

"It's pretty obvious that you liked him, Gus." Carol shrugs. "But if you're asking me, who told me the story about yours and Steve's one millionth break up, Uh..."

She shifts uncomfortably and Gus pulls her brows together. "Carol—"

"It was Steve."

Gus' jaw goes slack and her brows raise. "I...I thought you weren't friends with Steve anymore."

"We weren't. But then he invited Tommy and I over to get drunk. But honestly, it was just him getting drunk and ranting about what he said to you and what you said to him." Carol explains. "Tommy was bored shitless, but I—obviously was not."

A bitter chuckle escapes Gus' lips and Carol's back straightens from the girl's sudden change in attitude.

"Thanks for letting me know, Carol." Gus pokes her tongue against the inside of her cheek. "I hope we never have to talk to each other again."

"Yeah? Well, me and you both, freak."

Gus presses her lips together and shakes her head. "Now that you admitted to being jealous of me...you calling me a 'freak' doesn't feel the same anymore." She shrugs. "See ya, loser."

Carol's eyes widen and she opens and closes her mouth.

☆

Gus rapidly knocks on the door and waits with her arms folded. She wasn't in any hurry. The brunette actually didn't feel anything right now, except sure about the words she was going to say. And she wasn't afraid to say them.

The door opens and the boy's brown eyes meet Gus' hazel green ones. His eyes slightly widen.

"August. H-Hi."

Gus presses her lips into a firm line. "I don't know why I still like you."

Steve raises his brows from her sudden statement. "I'm sorry?—"

"I mean, I get that I liked you when I was younger." Gus shrugs her shoulders. "You were amazing. You were my best fucking friend. But now..." she shakes her head. "...you'll do anything to satisfy everyone else. To hell with me."

"Whoa, Gus—come on, that's not tr—"

"I'm talking, Steve, okay?" Gus raises her brows. "You talked last time, but it's my turn now." She sighs.

Steve closes his mouth and Gus quietly scoffs.

"What have you ever done for me?" Gus asks. "I mean, seriously? All you have done is throw me to the side, try to use me, and humiliate me on multiple occasions."

"All you do is hurt me, Steve." Gus gives him a small smile. "And I have realized that you and I are never going to happen."

Steve keeps his eyes on Gus' misty ones.

"So, I guess this is a PSA for you. I am done chasing you, Steve Harrington." Gus exhales and it feels like a weight is lifted off her shoulders. "I'm done with you. I don't want to be your friend and I don't want to be your anything."

"You are my friend's boyfriend. That's it." Gus slightly squints her eyes. And it wasn't in the intimidating way she has always looked at the boy. It was in the way you would look at something that didn't matter to you. Steve didn't matter to Gus anymore.

Gus wipes her nose and lets out a soft chuckle. "That felt really good to say." She frowns.

Steve slightly opens his mouth. "I'm sorry, that I hurt you."

Gus scrunches her face. "You always say sorry." She purses her lips. "And you always repeat your mistakes, Steve."

"What did I—"

"You told Carol and Tommy about what you said to me." Gus raises her brows. "You told them that I was being inappropriate, right? And that's the reason why Carol made those flyers."

Gus watches as a crease forms between Steve's brows, signifying his confusion. "You probably don't remember because you were wasted. But you told them." She shrugs a shoulder.

Steve slightly shakes his head. "Jesus, I'm—"

"—sorry, yeah, so you've said." Gus swipes her lower lip across her tongue. "I should get home."

"August, please wait."

Gus glances at the sky for a moment. "Yeah?"

"What can I do to make it up to you—I mean, there has to be something, right?"

Gus scratches the side of her nose. "I don't think so, Steve." She presses her lips into a small smile. "I'm just, tired of people letting me down."

"Especially, the people I would least expect it from."

Steve's chest tightens and his breathing quickens. Gus turns on her heel and walks down the porch steps. The panicking boy watches as Gus gets in her car and drives away from his house.

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author's note.

Jonathan and Gus kissing in a tree...

Words : 5286