YOUR SONG | steve harrington

048

"And then Alicia laughed. And it wasn't like a cheap, fake laugh either. It was like...It was like a real, genuine laugh. She covered her mouth and everything," Robin retold to Steve and Beverly from last night's game as they worked in familyVideo.

"Of course. It's my Muppet joke. It's hilarious," Steve replied and Beverly gave him a look.

"My point is that Alicia laughed and everything was just like...It was perfect."

"But?"

"But I'm having this problem where it's like, I should stop talking. I have said everything I need to say. But then I guess I get nervous, and the words — they just keep spilling out, and it's like my — my brain is moving faster than my mouth, or — or rather my — my mouth is moving faster than my brain. And it's like I'm digging this hole for myself, and I wanna stop digging, I'm trying to stop, but I can't. And I'm doing it right now, aren't I?" Robin rambled at the speed of sound.

"Pshh, no," Beverly brushed off.

"Yeah, you are," Steve said at the same time and they both shared the same glance.

Robin exhaled, leaning against the wall. "Oh, I'm hopeless." Steve followed her and leaned his own back against the wall as Beverly continued putting movies back on the shelves.

"Eh. Aren't we all?" Steve said to try and make her feel better. Robin shrugged, looking down at the ground.

"Well, I'd suggest to stop talking about the subject right now because Alicia and Carmen seem to be getting out of the car right...now," Beverly told them both, looking out the window to see her friends hopping out of Carmen's car.

"W-WHAT?!" Robin exclaimed, her eyes going wide. "She didn't tell she — she would be coming. Oh, my God, I look like total shit right now. I don't have any makeup on and my — my hair is a mess, I — Why are they here?!"

"Ummm...I may have told them to stop by," Beverly winced, feeling bad that Robin seemed to be so anxious about it.

"And you didn't think to tell me?!" Robin shouted, quickly going over behind the desk.

"I'm sorry! I didn't know it would be such a big deal!" Beverly apologized quickly following her.

"Robin, it's fine, seriously! You got this," Steve assured her, following the two girls.

"I-I need to look natural. Like, I didn't know she was coming. Well, I didn't know, but now I know, but I can't make it seem like I was watching her," Robin word vomited, and Beverly and Steve shared a look. "Where's the remote? Let's pretend we were watching TV." Robin quickly searched to find the remote before she found it, pressing the button to turn it on. "And then when she comes in I'll—"

"We're in the Forest Hills trailer park in east Roane County. We don't have a lot of details now, but we can confirm that the body of a Hawkins High student was discovered early this morning. Police have not yet released the name although we are told they're currently in the process of notifying the family," the newsperson said on the television just as Carmen and Alicia walked in.

"Did that say a Hawkins High student?" Alicia questioned, pointing at the television as it continued speaking. They all looked over at her, seeing her fearful expression. Beverly realized it was because Lucas was a Hawkins High student. "Did it say that?" she asked once no one responded.

"Yes, Alli, but don't worry, okay?" Beverly spoke up, making her way around the counter and over to her best friend.

"'Don't worry'? Lucas is a Hawkins High Student!" she cried out, her eyes wide.

"Yes, but he went to a party last night, right? And we know Jason and his friends, okay? They wouldn't party at a trailer park," Beverly said to the girl to hopefully calm her down.