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[Because she's genuinely curious. She's heard some stories from the others, but never really dwelt on it because she hadn't known him then. But she does now. And Steve has -- become somewhat of an older brother figure for her, in the way Billy never wanted to be.]
[She just smiles, shaking her head again] When I say 'kind of friends' I mean our families were friends, or were civil to each other anyway. At the time I was the annoying little kid he had to keep company to keep our parents happy.
[Another head shake] And I don't really know what happened, but when he was starting high school and I was still in middle school, something changed and he became a twerp, and the Harringtons weren't welcome at my parents' parties anymore. I always kind of thought that was the reason.
[She knows the rumors now, and even at the time she'd known that her mother was a judgmental bitch, but it wasn't until Chrissy was in high school herself that her mother gave her any specific warnings about staying away from Steve. Though she has no reason to do so now. Didn't really then, either.]
Oh. [Right. It was kind of like a super exclusive club that Chrissy and Steve's families had been in. Maybe were still in. Except she knows that Chrissy's mom, at least, is awful, and she's not sure Steve's parents actually reside in Hawkins at this point. As long as she's been around, she's never seen or met them, and Steve never talks about them, which, she gets. When you have a terrible family sometimes it's just easier not to talk about it. It's not like anyone can really save you from your life.]
I mean. I heard stories about his twerp days, but. I guess he outgrew that.
He did, apparently getting punched in the face just once, real good, was enough to put him back to rights.
[She shakes her head, looking down at her hands for a moment] I shouldn't say things like that, it's rude. He probably had his reasons, and it wasn't like he was a saint in middle school, either. Though he definitely wasn't as bad as some of them.
Who'd have thought a punch to the face could snap someone back into being a human with emotions? [She's met a few that she might like to test that theory on...]
I mean. I think that's boys in general at that age. They're all idiots.
[Her brow creases a little] Is Lucas... doing okay? After everything?
[She hadn't really gotten to know him that well before everything had fallen apart, but he'd seemed like a good kid.] He always... well, I barely got to know him, but he seemed better than Jason and the rest of them, not at basketball, but just, you know, as a person. I always felt like they were going to drag him down somehow.
[Her smile slips now, into something more troubled.]
No. Not really. He's -- not sleeping much? [And the way he looks at her every time they have to part ways is -- gutting, actually. Like he's afraid he'll never see her again.]
I'm not sure he's even processed the stuff with Jason and the others, honestly.
[She just nods, considering the answer, gnawing briefly at the edge of her thumbnail again before deliberately stopping herself as she'd done before.] Are any of us really sleeping that much these days?
[She knows she isn't, and she doubts she's the only one. But she's not going to say as much, not when she's successfully deflected the conversation from herself again.] Maybe he'll get lucky and won't have to.
[Does she actually think such a thing is possible or even likely? Not really, but a lot of hope goes a long way in her experience.]
[She definitely hasn't been sleeping well. She's pretty sure she's not going to sleep well again for a long, long time. But she's a bit of a pessimist.]
[She does look a little sheepish, tucking her hair behind her ear with one quick little movement before folding her hands into her sleeves again] Well now that I've succeeded in just bringing us both down, we should think of a backup plan in case this one falls apart somewhere.
It's fine. It's...honest. [She shrugs. She's not the best at doing the whole emotions thing with people, but sometimes it feels a little easier with Chrissy. Eddie, too, for that matter.]
You mean if Steve's place falls through? [She considers.] Well. There's a lot of old abandoned buildings we could use if we needed to set up to practice.
[Probably not the woods, because that seems like it's just setting up for potentially horrible accidents.]
More like if everything falls through, if I can't find my kit, and if my brother can't get a new set, and if Steve can't let us use his place. [She gives a little shake of her head] I don't think that will happen, but it's always good to have a backup plan, just in case.
[It's not that she's a particularly anxious person, though that's definitely part of it, it's more that she's had to change plans at the last minute before, on more than one occasion.]
[She considers for a moment, fingers curling a little tighter over her thumb against her palm to prevent herself from gnawing at the nail again, it's already ragged enough. She does nod a moment later, all the same.]
Alright, secondary plan only when we actually need one.
Oh, I can. You don't have to say anything about it. But I figure it'll give you a chance to scope out the yard and make sure you think it'll work before I start bugging him about it.
Oh! Yes, that does make more sense. [Her brow creases a moment later] We'll have to be quick about it, though, if mom thinks I've been gone too long she'll probably call the reference desk to have them look for me, and if they don't find me, it means she knows when to expect me home by.
[Chrissy doesn't particularly like the woman either, especially with the changes that have been made in the household since Chrissy's worldview was irrevocably altered. But for the time being, it isn't like she really has a choice but to fall in line like always.]
Actually, let's stop at the reference desk on the way out.
[It's a quick conversation with the librarian, one Chrissy's familiar with -and who she knows is familiar enough with her family situation- to make a request of 'if my mom calls in the next ten or fifteen minutes, can you please tell her I'm still here, just in the bathroom or something? I need to buy myself a little longer to get home.' And with the promise made that neither she or Max are planning on starting trouble, the librarian assures them that she'll do just that, and Chrissy relaxes visibly] Thanks Denise, I owe you one.
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cheerybomb
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Date: 2023-03-29 08:44 pm (UTC)[Because she's genuinely curious. She's heard some stories from the others, but never really dwelt on it because she hadn't known him then. But she does now. And Steve has -- become somewhat of an older brother figure for her, in the way Billy never wanted to be.]
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Date: 2023-03-30 03:01 am (UTC)[Another head shake] And I don't really know what happened, but when he was starting high school and I was still in middle school, something changed and he became a twerp, and the Harringtons weren't welcome at my parents' parties anymore. I always kind of thought that was the reason.
[She knows the rumors now, and even at the time she'd known that her mother was a judgmental bitch, but it wasn't until Chrissy was in high school herself that her mother gave her any specific warnings about staying away from Steve. Though she has no reason to do so now. Didn't really then, either.]
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Date: 2023-04-01 03:58 am (UTC)I mean. I heard stories about his twerp days, but. I guess he outgrew that.
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Date: 2023-04-02 05:14 am (UTC)[She shakes her head, looking down at her hands for a moment] I shouldn't say things like that, it's rude. He probably had his reasons, and it wasn't like he was a saint in middle school, either. Though he definitely wasn't as bad as some of them.
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Date: 2023-04-02 06:37 pm (UTC)I mean. I think that's boys in general at that age. They're all idiots.
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Date: 2023-04-04 05:26 am (UTC)[A little shake of her head, a small smile caught at the corner of her mouth] But I guess we won't know for sure for a few years.
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Date: 2023-04-04 09:46 pm (UTC)[She kinda doubts they outgrow it at all. Max is grinning.]
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Date: 2023-04-05 06:04 am (UTC)[She hadn't really gotten to know him that well before everything had fallen apart, but he'd seemed like a good kid.] He always... well, I barely got to know him, but he seemed better than Jason and the rest of them, not at basketball, but just, you know, as a person. I always felt like they were going to drag him down somehow.
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Date: 2023-04-07 08:39 pm (UTC)No. Not really. He's -- not sleeping much? [And the way he looks at her every time they have to part ways is -- gutting, actually. Like he's afraid he'll never see her again.]
I'm not sure he's even processed the stuff with Jason and the others, honestly.
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Date: 2023-04-08 06:53 am (UTC)[She knows she isn't, and she doubts she's the only one. But she's not going to say as much, not when she's successfully deflected the conversation from herself again.] Maybe he'll get lucky and won't have to.
[Does she actually think such a thing is possible or even likely? Not really, but a lot of hope goes a long way in her experience.]
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Date: 2023-04-09 03:10 am (UTC)[She definitely hasn't been sleeping well. She's pretty sure she's not going to sleep well again for a long, long time. But she's a bit of a pessimist.]
Yeah, maybe.
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Date: 2023-04-09 05:28 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-04-09 08:12 pm (UTC)You mean if Steve's place falls through? [She considers.] Well. There's a lot of old abandoned buildings we could use if we needed to set up to practice.
[Probably not the woods, because that seems like it's just setting up for potentially horrible accidents.]
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Date: 2023-04-11 04:48 am (UTC)[It's not that she's a particularly anxious person, though that's definitely part of it, it's more that she's had to change plans at the last minute before, on more than one occasion.]
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Date: 2023-04-13 01:54 am (UTC)Well, I don't think we have to stress too much about it immediately if this plan doesn't work out. We'll come up with something.
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Date: 2023-04-15 12:43 am (UTC)Alright, secondary plan only when we actually need one.
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Date: 2023-04-15 01:56 pm (UTC)Let's go bug Steve.
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Date: 2023-04-18 10:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-04-22 02:03 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-04-22 06:23 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2023-04-23 06:46 pm (UTC)Fair enough. We'll be quick.
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Date: 2023-04-26 01:25 am (UTC)Actually, let's stop at the reference desk on the way out.
[It's a quick conversation with the librarian, one Chrissy's familiar with -and who she knows is familiar enough with her family situation- to make a request of 'if my mom calls in the next ten or fifteen minutes, can you please tell her I'm still here, just in the bathroom or something? I need to buy myself a little longer to get home.' And with the promise made that neither she or Max are planning on starting trouble, the librarian assures them that she'll do just that, and Chrissy relaxes visibly] Thanks Denise, I owe you one.
[That done, she offers Max an arm] Let's go.