The babysitters club|| Steve Harrington

7

Matteo almost regretted agreeing to help Steve and his weird child.

Almost.

Mostly because he wasn't even helping at all. Robin had pushed him out to help deal with the customers and make sure that Steve didn't break the register again.

What was the use of offering to help if he didn't even help at all?

"You really think she can do it?" Steve handed him the customer's money which Matteo placed in the register. "Robin— translate, I mean"

"Robin is... well, if she's anything, she's determined. Never backs down, never gives up. And stubborn as hell" Matteo said truthfully, "If there's anyone that can do it, it's probably her. Speaking of, I should probably go back there to help"

"No, I can't do the register stuff, you know that" Steve whined, "It just starts beeping and stops working and we have to call Larry, I don't want to call Larry"

"You, Steve Harrington, are a child" Matteo just rolled his eyes, "Fine, I'll stay"

Steve smiled for the first time because of something Matteo had said and it shouldn't have felt like an achievement. Steve smiled a lot, usually for dumb reasons. His smile would take over his features, his nose scrunching adorably, his light brown eyes squinting, just like Dustin's which made Matteo question if they were actually related.

"You guys are best friends, huh?" Steve said after a while, greeting another customer while keeping the conversation going.

"Have been for around two years, just friends though. I thought she was mean at first" Matteo took the money and counted the change. It felt weird to talk to Steve as if they didn't know each other at all, as if they weren't friends when they were five, as if they didn't literally go to the same school and sit in the same classes. The fact that Steve didn't remember him or Robin, sent annoyance sparking through him, "Well, she was mean at first, but she's actually really nice and funny"

"Nice? Robin?" Steve's eyebrows shot up, "Are you sure we're talking about the same person?"

"Yeah, you wouldn't know," Matteo scoffed.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Steve plastered on a fake smile to wish the customer a happy experience then frowned when he turned to face Matteo, arms crossed. Why did his arms have to look so good even in a fucking sailor's uniform?

"I mean... you're Steve Harrington" Matteo waved his arms pathetically, trying to explain.

"Yeah, that's my name, I'm aware"

"No, I mean. You were one of the most popular guys in highschool" Matteo closed the register and sighed, turning to face the blond.

"High School's over now, I'm nobody. I think I always was"

"Don't fucking start" Matteo rolled his eyes, "You've never been nobody, Steve. You never will be"

Matteo didn't know why Steve's soft smile felt so good to look at.

"My point is that you were popular, the teachers loved you, the students loved you. You have no idea what it's like to be like Robin and me"

"Band kids?"

"Something like that" Matteo snorted, "Bullied and ostracized. You've never been beaten up, you have no right to criticize her for being mean to you sometimes because it was you and people like you who made highschool miserable for us. Maybe if you got to know her a bit better, you'd change your opinion."

"My friends?" Steve looked taken aback, "You mean Tommy H and Carol? I stopped hanging out with those assholes"

"Yeah, the whole Nancy Wheeler thing" Matteo frowned, "I remember"