𝐀𝐏𝐎𝐂𝐀𝐋𝐘𝐏𝐒𝐄 | 𝐬.𝐡.

𝟑𝟏. 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐤𝐬 𝐎𝐟 𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞

     They had finally gotten around to watching Animal House after Steve had spent a month terrorizing Lorelei about how it was only fair since he had watched The Breakfast Club with her. Naturally, the couple piled together under a blanket, heads rested against each other, and tired eyes focused on staying awake and enjoying the last month of summer vacation. 

     Somewhere along the movie, hand-holding had transformed into kissing - kissing had transformed into making out, and Animal House was long forgotten as Steve picked her up in his arms, a memory that still made Lorelei blush, and carried her up the stairs.

     Both of them had been so lost in kissing each other that they didn't even realize what they were doing until both Steve and Lorelei were lying amid her sheets, with only their underwear dawning their flushed bodies. Naturally, Steve had asked her if she was sure - if she really wanted him in that way - and despite the racing in her heart and the nerves, Lorelei nodded her head without a second of hesitation. She was never one for the cliches that came with modern romance, but Lorelei was certain that, in that night, she was exactly where she had always been supposed to be. 

     It wasn't like she had never done it before - with her having had an ex-boyfriend before moving to Hawkins. But still, it hadn't lasted long after her first time, and quite frankly, her ex had not been the best of partners - in more ways than one. 

     But with Steve - it was different. 

     Their relationship grew closer after that night, with secret sleepovers following long porch conversations accompanied by hot chocolate that Steve would make for them both. Or rather, he would buy and prepare from store-bought companies. Still, Lorelei was glad that they were taking things one step at a time, and she still felt like he was her closest friend, but now, he had been upgraded to boyfriend - and Lorelei still stayed awake at night blushing at the thought of calling Steve Harrington - once the last person she ever wanted to talk to - her boyfriend. 

     Then, more than ever, she was certain that one of her many theories about a string connecting people's lives felt confirmed. She thought about everything that had led to her dating Steve, everything that had brought them so close together. What if she had never babysat Dustin? What if she had just stayed at home while they were fighting the demo dogs back in November? What if she had taken extra shifts at the pool during summer, or travelled to visit her grandmother? Would they still have found a way to each other? Either way, it didn't matter - because he was there, holding her hand as they walked through the doors to Family Video. 

     "Uh, just to be clear," Robin said to Keith from across the counter. "We weren't fired, you know. The mall burned down and like- killed a bunch of people."

     "Thanks for sharing, didn't know," Keith replied in a monotone and overall uninterested voice. 

     Lorelei was standing a bit further from the counter as she watched her boyfriend and friend try to get new jobs after the old ones fell through. She would have gone with them in their job-hunting quest, but starting her senior year and trying to get into college was the only thing on her mind, so she decided that participating in school extracurriculars was more important than working at Family Video for the time being.

     "Three favorite movies. Go!" Keith pointed at Robin.

     "Um- The Apartment, Hidden Fortress, and Children of Paradise," she replied effortlessly.

     As she approached the counter a bit, Lorelei could tell that Steve had suddenly become nervous. His eyes flashed over to hers, the memory of all the times she had questioned his distinct movie preferences burning into his mind.