Maybe I love you

4. All against one

The sun was just starting to set and Joyce could feel the evening wind tickling her neck, her hair standing at attention. She was by the front door of her house, her arms resting on the new wooden railing in front of her.

She closed her eyes and smiled in front of the sun so that she could enjoy this moment of calm. She opened them only when a familiar smell entered her nostrils. Hopper had been here all along. He smoked a cigarette while watching her silently.
Will and El were in the house choosing a movie to watch later. 

"Did you talk to them about the proposal I made to you yesterday?"

"Uh no... I was thinking about doing it when Jonathan gets back, but he's at the movies with Nancy."

"Is he coming home soon?"

"I think so, yeah."

There was a little silence between them, then Joyce glanced at Hopper, who was still leaning against the railing, as he always did. She gave him a questioning look so that he would finally decide to say what was on the tip of his tongue.

"I would be happy if you agreed to come."

She smiled, she knew he didn't like to talk about his feelings. He had changed. He was different. And sometimes she thought that maybe she loved him in a different way. She saw him differently, and when she caught him looking at her she thought that maybe he saw her differently too. 

Joyce had been thinking since the past week about what El had said to her and it haunted her.

Then she thought about the fact that Hopper had brought her a bottle of water yesterday because he was afraid she might get dehydrated and she thought it was more than strange.

And suddenly she realized that her thoughts were all connected to a single person : Hopper.

And that's why she didn't want to go to this weekend. Her heart wanted to, but her brain didn't. She was afraid of falling. But it was too late, it was him... 

She was afraid she'd make another mistake. And this time it would hurt a lot more than the last because it was Hopper. She hadn't had much luck with men... 

But it'll be different, a little voice repeated in her head. He was different.

"Joyce, are you listening to me?"

"Uh... what? I'm sorry..."

"Why were you smiling like that?"

"Was I smiling? No, I-I was just thinking about y-it doesn't matter."

"It matters to me."

"What do you mean?"

She made round eyes as a smile widened on Hopper's face. His face... with his blue eyes.
It was a beautiful, deep blue. And his beard... she wanted to run her hand through it, just to… know.

"I’d like to know what's going on in that head, like I used to."

"I-uh..."

"And I wonder what's more interesting than what I'm saying."

"Oh yes, you always say such interesting things." She joked, looking up at the sky.

—♡—♡—♡—♡—♡—

"Please, Mom. Sounds great!"

The Byers, Hoppers and Nancy Wheeler sat around the table discussing about Hopper's proposal for the weekend.

Will and El kept smiling and thinking about all the things they could do by the lake. Jonathan was whispering with his girlfriend. And they both seemed to be in favor of spending a weekend together.

Only one person at their table didn't seem to like the idea. And that person was the one Hopper most wanted to take there : Joyce.

At first he thought she'd like the idea, even hoped she would... But Hopper knew her, and she didn't seem to be too thrilled by the idea.

But when he had first talked to her about it, a huge smile had appeared on her face... before fading away shortly afterwards and she then asked him to go saying she was going to get fired because of him. He hadn't said anything, though. 

Then earlier, when he had spoken to her about it when they were both outside, Joyce had smiled at him again and he had sworn he saw her eyes shine, although it might have been due to the sun, but he was sure it wasn’t. 

It was as if one part of her wanted to come, but when the other part took over, she didn't want to anymore. She hadn't made it clear to him that she didn't want to, but he knew it, he knew her all too well.

Will and El watched Joyce with their little eyes, begging her through their eyes to accept.

Jonathan and Nancy also seemed to be waiting for her answer and Hopper hung on Joyce's lips.

"All right... it's okay", she cracked.

Hopper had a big smile as the two teenagers jumped out of their respective chairs at the same time to slap each other's hands. Then they went to Will's room to pack his things.

"Don't forget the bathing suits!" Hopper shouted before Will walked completely through the bedroom door.

Joyce raised her eyebrows in amazement.

"What?" Hopper asked as he saw the look Joyce was giving him.

"Are you serious?"

"Joyce, we're going camping by a lake, it's summer, it's extremely hot. What did you think? That we were going to watch the sun shine on the water during the whole weekend?"

"My dad has a two-person tent at home, I can bring it for the both of us." Nancy said, pointing at her and Jonathan, stopping the lightning Joyce had been throwing at Hopper since his last remark.

"Yeah, that would be great because I only have a four-person tent. So with yours we would be perfectly fine."

Nancy nodded her head when Joyce blew. Jonathan exchanged a look with his girlfriend who nodded again, they both got up at the same time and walked out of the house.

"What's the matter, Joyce?"

"I don't think I can stand having to be in the same tent with you for an entire night."

Hopper had round eyes. What the hell was wrong with her? He was about to ask her when she suddenly burst out laughing.  

"What's so funny about that?"

"Your face. It was just a joke. Easy, Hop."

"Oh..." he said with a sigh of satisfaction. He really thought he'd done something wrong for a moment.

"It makes me wonder if you have a sense of humor..."