After throwing up all of the drugs given to you by the Russian guards, you’re on the floor of the mall bathroom. You asked each other questions. You asked if Steve ever loved anyone.

He gave a nod. “Yep. Nancy Wheeler. First semester, senior year.”

You nodded awkwardly. “Still?”

Steve shook his head, shrugging. “I think it’s because I found someone who’s a little bit better for me. It’s crazy. Ever since Dustin got home, he’s been saying ‘You know, you’ve gotta find your Suzie.’”

You laughed, but made it known that even you weren’t sure if Suzie was real.

"That doesn't matter.” He cut you off, looking down at the floor. “The point is, this girl, you know, the one that I like, it's somebody that I... I've been friends with for a bit. And I don't even know why I didn't say anything sooner. Maybe because I did want to mess up our friendship? Maybe 'cause Tommy H. would've made fun of me or..."

He paused, letting something between a laugh a scoff fall from his mouth. "I wouldn't be... prom king. It's stupid. I mean, Dustin's right, it's all just a bunch of bullshit anyways. Because, when I think about it, I should've been with this girl the whole time. First of all, she's hilarious. She's so funny. I feel like, this summer, I have laughed harder than I have laughed... in a really long time. And she's smart. Way smarter than me. You know, she can crack, like, top secret Russian codes and..." He met your gaze with a strange sense of resignation.

Oh. Shit. You. He’s talking about you.

“You know? She's honestly unlike anyone I've ever even met before."