𝐝𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐥〡STEVE HARRINGTON

07

"Where did they go?" Steve exclaimed. "Right, right!" Andy screamed in response. She was almost certain that was correct.

Steve swung the car right down a side road but alas Jonathan's car was nowhere in sight. "Well done, Steve." Andy huffed sarcastically. "You got distracted and lost them."

"Me!?" Steve proclaimed, turning to look at the girl shocked and offended. "If you hadn't told me to go the wrong way we could have found them!"

Annoyed and defeated Andy fell back into her seat and crossed her arms in a strop. Steve sighed in defeat with a tut. He reached behind him, pulling a can of Cola from the back seat and started to drink it. "I'll take you home." He said after he swallowed.

He began the drive back. Andy felt beat. She was no closer to finding out the reason behind her dad's manic outburst and she was beginning to think she never would. Despite all of this, she began to chuckle into her hand at the ridiculousness of it all.

"What?" Steve asked, wondering what had made Andy suddenly fall into laughter. She rolled her head to face him, still snickering. "We're pretty bad detectives, aren't we?"

Steve couldn't stop a laugh leaving his lips either. "Yeah, we are."

They fell into silence but the irritation from before had gone and there was now a space for conversation.

"I bet Hawkins is pretty boring compared to New York." Steve said and Andy scoffed in reply. "You've no idea." She didn't hate the little town anymore. It was quaint, but she rather liked that about it. However, it wasn't the Big Apple where Andy had her life.

"Let me guess it was all parties every night on the Upper East Side?"

Andy threw her head back in amusement and the naivety at Steve's comment. "I don't actually live in the city, I live on the outside in the suburbs and Upper East Side?" She questioned raising her brows. "Have you met my dad?"

Steve laughed. "Good point."

"But yeah, Hawkins is definitely quiet. No mall, no McDonald's, do you even have a movie theatre?"

In utter offense, Steve spat the Cola he was still sipping on everywhere. It splatted against the steering wheel in front of him. "Um, yes! Hawkins movie theatre is the best theatre in all of Indiana!"

"Oh, I'm sure." Andy replied sarcastically. She seriously doubted that this little town had anything that great.

"You don't believe me?" Steve questioned unamused. "I'll prove it." Suddenly, he swung a hard right and they were off.

The car approached the movie theatre and pulling into a parking space Steve adjusted the gear stick and stopped. "I hope you're ready for the time of your life."

They walked into the theatre, Andy dragging her feet along the sticky carpeted floor in reluctance, although she was secretly a bit excited. The lobby was swarming and fast-moving. Children on tiptoes stared at the popping machines, grinning for their salty snacks.

The aroma of fresh-popped corn and hot dogs filled Andy's senses. Brightly coloured rows of candy sat rested at her eye level. "So, what are we going to watch?"

Steve scanned the ticket booth. "Well, our options are Return Of The Jedi or... Return Of The Jedi... Have you seen the others?"

"Yup."

"Great, then you get the tickets and I'll get the snacks."

Andy headed to the ticket booth and wondered about how if anyone saw her and Steve they'd think they were on a date. But this was definitely not a date. It was just two friends, no not even friends, they were acquaintances, trying to prove something to one another. If this was a date she certainly wouldn't allow her date to leave her buying both the tickets like Steve had just done.

For someone who got so many girls, he was pretty clueless.

After she got the tickets, Andy scanned the crowd until her gaze landed on Steve standing by the concession stand. Under his arm was the biggest bucket of popcorn Andy had ever seen. It was topped with a variety of candies and chocolate and in his hands also two huge cups of Cola.

"Really?" She laughed, making her way over to the extremely ecstatic boy. "I will allow you to take a piece or two if you're lucky." He teased.

"What a gentleman." She scoffed. She reached over and grabbed an enormous handful of salty buttered popcorn and shoved it into her open mouth. "Sharing is caring."

"Yeah well, share this." Steve grasped his own handful and playfully threw it at Andy's face. The few pieces hit and bounced off flying in all different directions. Her face straightened into a glare directed his way, before erupting into a huge grin. "Mouthbreather."

She grabbed another handful and chucked it back at him, one piece pegging him on the forehead.

"Ouch!" Steve cried and sprinted away. Andy chased after him giggling and they both arrived at the door to the movie. "After you." Steve said in mock politeness.

Andy walked in and Steve followed to their place on the red lopsided velvet broken seats. Andy thought it was good their seats were near the back since she imagined Steve would be the type to talk disruptively through the entire movie and slurp from his drink annoyingly loud.

She was right.

He'd jump, boo, cheer and every couple of minutes he'd turn expectantly and go, "Pretty good, huh?". Andy would respond with noncommittal grunts. She was enjoying the movie just fine, just not the running commentary that was going alongside it.

Andy reached into the popcorn between the two of them and at the same time so did Steve. Their hands bumped into each other clumsily and for a few seconds, they both enjoyed the sensation before pulling away.

"Hands off, Harrington. This is a two-person bucket and I'm not having you scoffing it all." Andy hissed in Steves's ear.

The movie continued and it had been a good twenty minutes since Steve had done anything bothersome or distracting. Andy finally settled in her seat to enjoy the rest of the movie in peace, until she felt the shifting of Steve's arm go snaking round the back of her seat.

She peered at him to see if he had been aware of what he had done. Although he was facing forward at the screen, he was smirking.

The lights went up as the film finished and people got up exiting the screen. Andy and Steve followed but out in the lobby, Steve's buzz went to a whole other level.

"That was amazing, right?"

Then, out of nowhere, he began shouting the theme tune. The whole of the Star Wars theme tune. Andy watched on amazed, entertained and a little horrified.

"Indeed you are powerful as the Emperor has foreseen."

And then there was the Darth Vader impression.

Andy had to bring her hands to her mouth to stifle her laughter. "Because you're cute people have never told you to shut up, but seriously, shut up."

Steve stopped and turned his attention to Andy, wiggling his eyebrows in her direction mischievously. "You think I'm cute?"

Andy's eyes widened and she stuttered. "No."

"Oh my god, Andy Hopper thinks I'm cute!" He squealed, the biggest smirk on his face.

Andy felt her cheeks burn. "Shut up and take me home, Harrington."

"Yes, m'lady."

The journey home Steve continued to tease Andy about her comment, while she ensured it was far from true and just an expression. But what she couldn't deny was the giddiness she felt the entire time.

A.N

Hi everyone! I hope you are all enjoying the book so far and beginning to love the character of Andy Hopper. Any comments are appreciated, whether it be a compliment or advice.

Lola 

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