Eddie’s boots pounded against the damp earth as he ran, his breath coming in sharp gasps. Behind him, she was there—eyes wide, hair tangled with the remnants of the Upside Down’s creeping vines—stayed close. Her hand brushed his, an electric jolt that he tried to ignore.

"Stay with me!" Eddie shouted over his shoulder, but his voice wavered with something more than urgency.

The others were ahead—Steve, Robin, Nancy, and Dustin—leading the charge back to the gate. But Eddie’s focus was on the girl beside him, her presence strangely calming amidst the chaos. The world around them was falling apart, but when their eyes met, it felt like a fleeting moment of peace in the madness.

They reached the clearing where the portal was supposed to be, but it wasn’t there. Panic flashed in Eddie’s eyes. He pulled her behind a tree, their backs against the rough bark as the creatures of the Upside Down closed in.

"Dammit..." he muttered, chest heaving. But then, her hand found his—firm and sure.

His heart skipped, a tightness forming in his chest. He glanced down at her, their faces close, the weight of the moment sinking in. His thoughts raced—he’d always been the outsider, never quite letting anyone in, especially not like this. But her... she wasn’t just some stranger from the Upside Down. There was something about her—something real.

Eddie swallowed hard, gripping her hand tighter, a knot of protectiveness growing in his chest.

"I won't leave you," he promised, his voice hoarse. The words felt like a vow, one he hadn’t expected to make. "I’ll never leave you."

As the sounds of the monsters grew louder, the realization hit him. This wasn’t just about survival anymore. His feelings for her, for the girl who had come from another world, were becoming undeniable. She wasn’t just another person he was protecting—he was falling for her, in the most impossible, twisted way.