And yes, as you could tell from the previous chapter, Steve's little crush on Y/N has turned into a big fat one. He's head over heals for her, even those little awkward times they have, were so nerve wrecking to them. Jesus, this man realized he really loved her more than Nancy when she got her acceptance letter from her preferred school, Purdue University. He still remembers that same day where Y/N was the happiest person on the planet, her hard-work, dedication, and determination payed off for school. On the other hand, Steve didn't get accepted to Tech University which made Y/N a little upset, but that night they spent it together and talked it all out. Just friends Which was when they both decided to apply for a summer job for the new mall opening in town. The first time they saw the uniforms they were going to wear for the company policy were hideous, they actually thought of resigning, but Y/N convinced both of them to stay in the job.
That's where Y/N met Robin Buckley, a girl she had a French class with last year, they had became friends on that same day they got the job and spent the night getting to know each other, leaving Steve out. Y/N felt great having a girl to hang out with whom she could trust instead of hiding her small crushes from Steve. To hide these secrets together, they used French as a code for them to only communicate since Steve didn't understand it which made the girls laugh all the time.
Dustin also left to a summer camp for a month which left Y/N a little saddened because Dustin was the only kid she loved the most and was like a younger brother to her since she doesn't have a younger sibling. But this made it easier for Y/N to focus on her job, actually, the kids always used the back from the shop to get a free entrance to the movie theater located in the mall.
Working at this mall had its pros and cons, but most entirely, Steve and Y/N's budding friendship could be at fault. They seemed to have drifted apart since it recently opened, Robin hung out more with Y/N and Steve, knowing he wouldn't have a chance with her, became flirty with girls coming in and out of the mall, separating them and not having that amazing relationship they shared. Anymore.
June 28, 1985: Hawkins, Indiana
Now, we are back to the present, Steve, Y/N, and Robin were doing the usual shift at Scoop's Ahoy Ice Cream Shop. It was also the day that George Romero's preview for Day of The Dead would be in theaters. The kids, who have all grown so much, especially Mike, all walked up to the counter.
"Dingus! Ladybug! Your children are here!" Robin shouted in annoyance.
Steve and Y/N opened the sliding door on the counter, "Again? Seriously?"
Mike rang the bell, Steve and Y/N led them in from the back into the hallway lead to the movie theater. The kids all walked to the back, Max and Lucas giving these kissy faces at Y/N and Steve, they always have said they were a good couple. Y/N glared at them and shooed them away.
"I swear if anyone hears about this!" Steve yelled.
"We're dead!" They all finished while they walked to another door, the group of kids who grew massively and matured, now all independent.
"We're going to get fired if anyone else find out," Y/N said as she and Steve walked back to the ice cream counter. "But I know for a fact, they aren't snitches."
"Yeah," Steve chuckled, ruffling his thick hair between his slender fingers.
The new Starcourt mall was filled with chatter and noise, malls have become really popular, leaving retail stores at the downfall in Hawkins. Scooping ice cream was Y/N's least favorite thing, but at least she's earning something instead of watching children. A few minutes later, when they went back to work with the buzzing crowds of children and teenagers, the power went out in the mall. The darkness filled the whole place, concerning everyone.
"Woah, that's weird," Steve and Y/N accidentally chirped at the same time. Robin looked around next to Y/N and they turned to find Steve trying to turn on the lights by flicking the light switch.
"That isn't going to work Dingus," Robin called out and shrugging.
"Yeah, if the mall is all connected, there's no power," Y/N agreed, Robin nodding along with her.
"Oh yeah?" Steve boasted while he continued to switch the lights on and off more aggressively. Y/N and Robin rolled their eyes and huffed.
Soon, the lights and fountains turned back on, everyone shrugged it off and went back to normal. Steve really thought that he was the one who turned the lights back on, "Let there be light," He said as he continued to do work. Y/N stuck her tongue out mockingly at him and Robin rolled her eyes again.
On the following day, it was a usual day of work for the trio, but Y/N knew it would be the day that Dustin would come home from summer camp. She was ecstatic and happy that her cousin would come home. Y/N decided she could pay a visit after work if she didn't come home as tired as yesterday. The malls were the biggest thing right now in their time and everyone in town was raving about it. Y/N wanted to have a day where she didn't work and she could go live her summer as a teenager before she went off to college. Y/N and Robin were in the back talking, but overheard Steve trying to get a date.
"Alrighty, one scoop of chocolate," Steve handed the pretty girl with her friend at the register, "That'll be a buck- twenty five."
Nodding, the girl who received the ice cream looked through her bag and gave him the money. "Purdue," Steve mentioned as he looked at her sweater with the letters written over it and received the money, "Fancy. A friend of mine is attending there as well."
"Yeah, I'm excited," The girl peeped and smiled as her friend giggled silently in between them.
"Yeah, you know, I considered it, Purdue," Steve noted while he pressed some buttons on the cashier, making Y/N giggle a little because she knows he didn't get into college, "But you know what? I-I really think I could use some real life experience before I hit college. See what it feels like a-a..... I don't know, see what it's like earning a working man's wage, you know what I'm saying?"
"Yeah totally," the girl sarcastically said and looked bored, while she licked her scoop of ice cream, her hand wrapping around her own waistZ
"Yeah, anyways, this is like so fun," Steve chuckled a little, giving a shy smile, "Kinda, we could hang out. Uh I don't know maybe this weekend."
The girl dropped her coins when Steve gave it to her and looked back up, with a confused look, "Yeah, I'm busy."
"Oh that's cool, I'm working here next weekend, the following week is better-"
"Uh no," She rejected and giggled, the girls began to walk away, "I'm sorry, I can't okay."
Steve was shocked and stuttered watching them strut away with a hoard of laughter, "U-uh I-I... this is my first day here."
"Je te croyais jaloux," Robin stated. She knew about Y/N's crush on Steve just after they spent the night together. Translation: "I thought you were jealous."
"Oui, mais je sais qu'il choisirait une autre fille, tu ne peux pas être fâché contre quelqu'un parce qu'ils s'intéressent à quelqu'un d'autre et pas à toi ," Y/N mumbled with a sad smile while she looked at Robin. Translation: "Yeah, but I know he'd choose some other girl, anyways you can't be mad at someone because they have an interest in someone else and not you."
Robin felt a little sad for her, and held her in a small hug, but got up and grabbed the whiteboard, they both made with the words, YOU RULE and YOU SUCK. She slid behind Steve and wrote a tally down on the YOU SUCK side.
"And another one bites the dust," Robin commented while Y/N stood there laughing with her arms crossed, "You are owe for six popeye."
"Yeah, I can count," He turned to face them and crossed his arm, noticing Y/N's perfect smile appear which made his heart flutter.
"You know that means you suck," Robin pointed out while she observed for Y/N's response.
"Yup! I can read too," He informed sarcastically, nodding.
"Since when?" She snapped back earning a big laugh from Y/N, "And ladybug's already taking the lead, with her YOU RULE, part."
"Haha, very funny," Steve walked up to them and leaned over to the counter to face them, "It's the stupid hat I'm telling you, it's blowing off my best feature."
"No, it's not, you still got that charm and that heart of gold," Y/N poked his cheek and he widen his eyes become a flush of pink on his face. They both smiled at each other, but Robin sort-of ruined the moment.
"Yeah, company policy is a real drag," Robin interrupted, leaning over against the counter, "You know, it's a crazy idea, but have you considered telling the truth?"
"Oh you mean couldn't even get into Tech and my douchebag dad is trying to teach me a lesson. I make three bucks an hour and I have no future, that truth?" Steve remarked earning a shove from Y/N.
"Stop being so pessimistic!"
"Hey! Twelve o'clock," Robin pointed out to some group of girls who were coming in, they all looked so pretty and defined in their beauty.
Steve turned around and faced the duo of girls watching him again, "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit."
"Go ahead," Y/N alleged with a fake smile, "Shoot your shot. Maybe you'll find that lucky girl."
"Yeah and you know what?" Steve threw his hat and Y/N caught it, "Screw company policy."
"Oh my god, you're a whole new man," Robin stated sarcastically.
"Yeah," Steve mocked making Y/N and Robin giggle. I mean Y/N was afraid to admit that Steve was probably right, the hat did blow off his best feature, but he looked gorgeous in Y/N's eyes no matter what.
"AHOY LADIES! I DIDN'T SEE YOU THERE." Steve shouted making the girls jump, "WOULD YOU LIKE TO SET SAIL ON THIS OCEAN OF FLAVORS? I'll be your captain, I'm Steve Harrington."
Robin cringed and Y/N uncontrollably laughed, while the girls get uncomfortable. Y/N loved the type of dork Steve was which made her feel good about her being a weird person as well. But watching him flirt with girls instead of her, his best friend, saddened one to.
"Can I get you a taste of cherry jubilee? No anyone?" Steve remarked.
Robin and Y/N walked over to the board and added one more tally to the YOU SUCK side.
"Wait, no," Y/N stopped her, grabbing her arm and counted out the girls, "Let's add a tally for every girl."
"Good idea, great minds think alike," Robin giggled and added 3 more tallies.
Maybe this friendships can probably have secrets even the readers don't know yet. Would there be confessions we didn't think about? Who knows, maybe this wild adventure can lead to reveals. These following days would be the day Y/N's life would really change. Who knows what could happen?