"I think I should get home..."

It was the only real choice you could make… and you needed to make it while you had some semblance of a clear head.

“I think I should get home… going to a slumber-party right now is not a good idea.”

It takes some effort to say it, knowing the three of them will get to hang out with all the girls, but you just know that if you went along things would get very complicated.

“Alright, fair enough.” Max said, he and Jon nodding their heads.

Steve however was giving you a curious look. Usually you’d know the look Steve gave, years of high-school torment always preceded by the same stare-down. This however was a bit different, finding it hard to place exactly what he was thinking.

“Alright, well… let’s get a move on!” Jon suggests, walking back to the car.

Max follows and eventually Steve after a few more moments of staring at you.

Fucking creep…

You follow along, comforted by the knowledge that at least you won’t have to sit next to Steve - he’d never let anyone drive his car if he could help it. You open the door and hop in, Max sitting in the back seat with you and Jon taking shotgun up front with Steve. He puts the car in drive but then reverts back into park. You expect him to say something, but he simply stares silently for a while. Jon and Max share a glance before looking back to Steve, probably confused as you are.

“Hey, Steve... You were the one who wanted to get a move on.” Jon says, making a sweeping gesture towards the road.

Steve snaps out of whatever trance he was in and stammers an apology (The first every probably).

“Sorry, I was uh… how are we going to do this? We gotta drop her off but we need to get to the party.”

Max, Steve, and Jon all exchange looks before Max eventually looks back to you:

“Um, well... where do you need to be dropped off? Is it far from here?”

You try your best to give a general location in your neighborhood, realizing that giving your address may cause a few issues.

“Hm, that’s all the way on the other side of town…” Jon says, a bit of annoyance creeping into his voice.

It’s silent for a while, each one waiting for another to suggest a plan. Eventually - and surprisingly - Steve speaks up first:

“Alright, how ‘bout this: I drop you two off at the party, we find out what drinks and supplies the girls still need, and then I see about dropping off our lost little lamb here before coming back. That sound good?”

It goes silent once again. Max and Jon now staring at Steve in unison. Jon had an eyebrow raised but Max looks flat-out incredulous.

“You’d… actually take the time to do a good deed?”

“Oh, fuck you. Like I’d trust either of you to drive this thing.” Steve responds, his hands gliding across the steering wheel.

“There it is…” Max mumbles.

Another pause. The four of you silent. Again.

“… does that plan work!?” Steve asks again, raising his voice and throwing his arms out.

“Yes, Steve! It fucking works! Can we go?” Both Max and Steve responded in a similar fashion as Steve puts the car in drive.

You stay silent, not wanting to get involved. Max gives you one last look that screams “I’m really fucking sorry…” before you’re all finally on your way to Liz’s. And then, hopefully, back home to then tackle the issue of hiding from your parents for ~70 more hours…