Steve falls from the top of the popularity ladder, hits every rung face first on the way down, and has no one to sit with at lunch so...
"I mean, no," Steve says, opening his locker. "No thanks. Go away."
Steve Harrington looks like someone tried to kick his face into the back of his skull. He looks like he can't take a deep breath without getting a glimpse of the afterlife, and yet. He's saying - "No. No??? No thanks, he says. I asked if you wanted to sit at my table at lunch and you say no? What the fuck does that mean?"
"That's a great grasp on the English language," Steve says, hobbling off to eat lunch alone. "I can see why you're repeating senior year."
All anyone can talk about the next day is how Steve is no longer on the basketball team. Eddie asks again because, "It's prime real estate, right there. At the best table in town."
"You think the best table in town is a wobbly cafeteria table that's permanently sticky?"
"The best table in town is in this school?" Steve clarifies. "Not at like, Enzo's?"
"Sit at my table during lunch."
"Sure," Steve says easily and then goes to eat in his car.
The next day, he's not at lunch. The day after that, he's not at school. Back in his car the following day, and then - "Get your ass off my hood, Munson."
"Come sit at my table," He demands, not moving from the hood of the car. "You're not better than us and you have no friends. Those are the only qualifications you need so let's go."
Steve doesn't bother to give him a response, just unlocks his car and slowly, very slowly lowers down into the driver's seat. He's speaking through his teeth in a pain-laced voice, "Do I look like I need friends, Munson?"
Steve rolls his eyes, "Wasn't aware you hated the friends you have."
"Because otherwise, it's pretty shitty that you're trying to make them targets by inviting me to hang around," Steve says. "In fact, maybe you should thanking me that I’m taking all the loser attention off you and your...loser friends."
Eddie tilts his head, let's what Steve said settle between them, and then grins, "Awe."
"You care about us," Eddie coos. "Steve Harrington: Nerd Protector. You're trying to keep us safe, cute."
That title is weirdly accurate and he doesn't know how he feels about it so, "Get out of here."
The next day, Steve walks out to the car with his lunch and...There are four nerds hanging around his car.
"Told the guys why you're being difficult," Eddie says when he gets closer. "We voted on it and you lost. Welcome to Hellfire."
