𝐆𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐘 𝐎𝐅 𝐋𝐎𝐕𝐄 [𝐬.𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐨𝐧]

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐞

𝐉𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝟏𝟐, 𝟏𝟗𝟖𝟒

The summer before her senior year is a summer she has thought about and dreamed of since she was little. Hanging out at the pool, getting snow cones, taking her brother out for ice cream, and sing-a-long drives. That's not how her summer is going, though. Instead, she had to get a job to help pay for college, so here she is, working at the Palace Arcade.

It could be way worse. Her manager, Keith, is super chill but somewhat creepy. She's able to help her brother and his friends get as much gaming time as they need, the snacks are free for her, and it's airconditioned in the summer and warm in the winter. It's perfect.

Chilling behind the counter while sipping on a Dr. Pepper from the snack counter, a top hits radio station is on, which is a nice contrast to what it used to be when she first started. Keith is easily swayed when Laurie is involved, perks of being socially beautiful.

The bell on the door rings as it opens, but she doesn't look up from her magazine, "Welcome to the Palace Arcade. Please don't mess anything up, or we will charge you." Her voice is monotone as it's been a very long day. Summer is the peak season for all the kids in Hawkins to barge in and wreck chaos. "Laurie!" Four young voices yell out, and she smiles immediately. The highlight of her day has arrived.

"Well, my good sirs, how have my brave soldiers been on this hot day?" Will, Mike, Lucas, and Dustin lean on the counter and laugh at her attempt at an old English accent. "We're starving," Will says, hopeful. His big brown eyes bore into hers, and she sighed, "Byers, you truly know how to get your way." She jokes before walking them over to the snack counter.

"Remember, ten buck limit." The boys cheer in acknowledgment as she walks back to the front counter. A few minutes pass by, and the boys go to the main floor with some snacks and drinks in hand, talking animatedly about something. "Here ya go, sis," Dustin says, putting down a box of her favorite candies and another Dr. Pepper in front of her.

"Awe, Dusty. You're so sweet." She kisses him on the cheek before sending him on his way, "Don't forget! Top scores on Centipede and Dig Dug get free prizes until the end of summer!" She calls out with a big grin as the boys run to the machines. Some may call her weird for enjoying being around her brother and his friends more than most high school kids. But, hell, she only has three her age and one of them she's trying to convince herself she doesn't like because he's still dating her best friend.

Being around Dustin, Mike, Lucas, and Will are like being around a whole new outlook on the world. After everything they did last year, the boys still enjoy their summer. Even if you can feel the hole that El left after she defeated the Demogorgon, that was a sight to behold when Dustin told Laurie about El's death. The girl was a crying mess for a week, and she wasn't even that close to her besides meeting her once. She doesn't like death.

Breaking out of her daydream as the rings above the door, she's taken back by who walks in. "Harrington?" She asks with a small confused smile. "Laurie, good you're here. Since the boys left to get here earlier, Nancy said you might be." He grins, and her heart starts to beat faster. "What's up? Something wrong?" She questions as she leans against the counter.

"No, no. I haven't seen you since school got out, and we start back in a month. I wanted to see my best friend." She looks at him, "You drove all the way here just to see and hang out with me?" He nods. "All for little ole me?" Putting a hand over her heart and a slight southern accent in her voice, he laughs.

"I have my break in 10. If you can wait that long." She teases as some more people come in. "Now, please let me do my job." Steve quickly moves out of the way as she greets the people with a wide smile. He waits in the wings and appreciates how easily she welcomes people and helps those who come up to her. He gets so lost in his head that he doesn't realize she's standing right in front of him, calling his name.

"Steve, Steve, Steve." She continues to say, but the boy doesn't respond. She pushes his shoulder, "Sasquatch, are you on this planet?" She raises her voice, and it breaks him out of his almost trance. "Sorry, sorry. Also, don't call me Sasquatch." He complains while she rolls her eyes. "Look, I tried to get your attention for like 3 minutes. Calling you Sasquatch and giving you a little shove worked. Now, come on. I only have so much time." She grabs his wrist and pulls him into the main area.

"You want to spend your break here?" He questions while looking around. "Yeah, because it'll take more time to go somewhere. We have food, games, and almost everything you can think of." She stops at the one game she has been working on since she started at the Arcade, Donkey Kong.

"The bane of my existence." She mutters while stretching out her neck and arms. "This is how you're going to spend your free time? Darling, I'm right–" She shoves her hand in his face. "You can either be supportive or go get food because I am going to Lucas Sinclair's high score because I will not let the bandana boy beat me!" She doesn't wait for another word from Steve as she puts in a quarter and starts the game.

Since summer began, Lucas and Laurie have been trying to beat each other on Donkey Kong. It goes back to them constantly bumping heads because they're both very competitive. Lucas has had the upper hand all summer because he can play longer than she can, but not anymore. So today, she will beat his high score, which just so happens to be the high score on the game.

Steve leans against the machine and watches as she goes into a laser focus on the game. "Steve? What are you doing here?" Dustin asks, coming up to him, confused with Lucas beside him. "I came to see your sister, but it seems as if she and Sinclair have a bet or something," Lucas smirks when he sees Laurie focusing on the game. "Poor thing, she's never gonna beat me." His words come as one of the rounds ends. She glared over her shoulder before turning back to the game, "You better learn not to be so confident, Lu." She says, getting back into the rhythm of the game.

He goes to say something, but Dustin covers his mouth and drags him away, not wanting them to have one of their usual hissy fights in the arcade. As Laurie continues to her pace in the game, Keith makes his rounds.

Steve notices when the boy stays around Laurie's area longer than needed. He follows his gaze and tightens his jaw, "Hey, creep. I'd get to walkin' if I were you." He seethes out, and Keith doesn't say a word. The manager continues his rounds as Laurie takes a deep breath. "Okay, all I need to do is..."She mumbles as she does a maneuver that Dustin taught her and...

"Holy shit! Holy shit!" She squeals happily as she finally beats the game and Lucas' high score. Steve looks at her, surprised, then almost falls over when she tackles him into a hug. "I did it. I did it!" She cheers while tightening her grip on the boy, who holds her tightly. "I saw, doll. Sinclair's going to go broke trying to beat you." He ruffled her hair when he released her from the hug.

"Laurie, your break is over! Get back to the desk." Keith says, popping up out of nowhere, scaring the girl. "Yeah, yeah. No problem." She speaks quickly, waving the dude off. "He was staring at your ass earlier, by the way," Steve whispers. She looks up at him and shrugs. "What can I do? He's the boss, and we're good as long as he doesn't try anything."

She walks back to the front counter with Steve beside her, bumping into some kids along the way. "There is something you can do. It's called telling the owner." He says, then apologizes to another kid he bumped into. "I don't know who the owner is. As far as I know, Keith is the head dude. I have to suck it up until something better comes along. Hopefully, I can get a job there when that new mall opens this summer."

Steve puts his arms on the front counter as she walks behind it. Grabbing her drink, she takes a sip while looking at him. His heartbeat picks up when he looks at her lips wrapping around the straw before clearing his throat. "If anything happens, let me know. I'll figure out a way to ensure you're safe against that perv." She bites on the straw as she smiles brightly. "You know how to make a girl feel special, Sasquatch." He rolls his eyes when she calls him the annoying nickname but can't stay mad as she laughs at his reaction.

"Whatever you say, doll. I'll see you later. Don't do anything stupid." He says, walking out of the arcade. She smiles while watching him walk away.