Y/f/m—your favorite movie
Dear diary,
It's been 8 months since it all went down (for the third time now). 8 months sounds like a long time, but doesn't feel like it. It feels like it all happened yesterday.
I miss the Byers a lot. Hawkins isn't the same without them. I've called several times and talked to El and Will, and sometimes Joyce. Mike is going to visit spring break, and I wanted to go with him, but Keith wouldn't let me off work.
I've finally saved up enough money for college, so maybe I can attend in the fall. I haven't mentioned it to Steve or anyone yet because I'm not sure which university I'll be accepted into. I've got to get on the application process, like, right now.
Everyone's doing okay. Lucas joined the Hawkins High basketball team. He's the best bench sitter on the team. Steve is proud of him. He likes to give Lucas pointers and show him some moves.
Lucas, Dustin, and Mike joined the Hellfire Club. Eddie was very happy about that. He's been wanting them as members ever since I had told him they were into D&D back in my sophomore year.
Max is still grieving the loss of Billy. Ever since Billy died, she's been much more closed off than usual. It's been really hard on her, especially since it's just her and her mom now. I've tried my best to be there for her. If she needed anything, I told her to come to me. She hasn't yet, and I doubt she will. She's not the kind to open up, even if she's really hurting.
All we can do is get by day by day.
8 months since the disaster also means 8 months I've been with Steve. 8 wonderful months. I never thought I'd say this, but I'm so lucky to have him. He really has made all the tragedies bearable. I know it's cheesy, but he's the light in my life.
A familiar horn honks. I shut my diary and cram it under my dresser, then grab my bag and head out the door.
Steve is parked on the side of the road in front of the house. I open the passenger side door and get in.
"Good morning," he says happily.
"Good morning. Why are you in such a good mood?"
A smile spreads across his face. "Ohhh... no reason. Do I need a reason to be happy?"
I buckle my seatbelt. "Judging by the size of your smile and the happiness in your voice? Yes."
"Y'know Keith isn't going to be in office today."
"What about it?" I ask.
"Nothing about it. Just telling you. Also, I have a surprise for you."
My brows raise. "Oh?"
"Yeah."
I wait a second, hoping he'll tell me more about it. "Are you gonna tell me...?"
"No."
"Okay."
Not knowing burns me up inside.
We drive to Robin's house to pick her up. There's a big pep rally gathering at the school today that she's going to.
He parks outside her house and honks. She comes out the door in a rush, her arms full of her band uniform, backpack, books, and trumpet in its case. The feathers on her hat in her arms keeps tickling her in the face. She keeps having to spit the feathers out of her mouth.
"I'm coming," she says, as she runs down the steps, almost tripping at the bottom. She throws the car door open and dumps her stuff into the backseats, then climbs in afterwards. "I'm here."
Steve looks at her in the rear view mirror. "You're cutting it close today."
"He's being a perceptive dingus today." She pulls out her makeup bag and digs through it, pulling out a tube of mascara. She uses the rear view mirror to see as she puts it on.
The drive to the school is short and rough. It's all back roads that either aren't paved at all, or are poorly made.
"Steve, slow down," I say, "you're gonna make Robin poke her eye out going over these potholes."
Steve slows down a bit and glances in his rear view mirror at Robin. "God, I've told you before not to be putting stuff on your eyes while I'm driving."
"It is seven in the morning, we have the stupid pep rally, and I woke up looking like a corpse," Robin says, pulling the skin around her eyes back.
"You're worried about a pep rally?" Steve asks. "Expect me to believe that?"
"Yeah? So?" She asks.
"So, we all know what this is about, okay? I'm not buying that bullshit. This is about Vickie."
"Absolutely not."
"Robin, don't even try denying it. It's so obvious," I say.
"You know what I think?" Steve asks.
"I don't care—" Robin begins.
"You gotta stop pretending to be someone else when you're around her, okay?" Steve asks. "You just gotta- you just gotta be yourself."
"You're literally quoting me to me, dingus. You do realize that."
"Maybe you need to listen to yourself. Ever think about that smarty pants? I listened. Look at me. Boom. Back in business. Dating the most amazing girl in Hawkins—"
"And I'm dating the most amazing guy in Hawkins," I say, grinning at Steve.
"Ew, save your lovey dovey for the bedroom." Robin shuts her compact. "Well... Back when you asked out a girl and she said no. Big deal. Nothing happened. Maybe your ego's a little bruised. I ask out the wrong girl, and bam, I'm a town pariah."
"M'kay, I'd buy that, except Vickie is definitely not the wrong girl."
"We just don't know that, do we?" Robin sprays peppermint spray in her mouth, making her cough.
"Steve's right," I say. "Remember when she returned Fast Times paused at 53 minutes, 5 seconds?"
"Yeah, yeah," Steve says, remembering that. "Know who pauses Fast Times at 53 minutes, 5 seconds?" He raises a brow at her. "People who like boobies, Robin."
Robin shuts her eyes and cringes. "Ew! Gross. Don't say boobies."
"Boobies!" Steve and I say at the same time.
"Not a big deal, okay?" Steve points to himself. "I like boobies—"
"I do not need to know about you and y/n," Robin cut him off.
Steve points to her, ignoring her comment. "You like boobies. Vickie likes boobies. Definitely."
"Vickie likes boobies. Vickie likes boobies. Vickie likes boobies," I repeat.
Robin groans and puts her head in her hands. "Not you, too."
"Everyone likes boobies!" Steve announces.
Object of My Desire starts playing on the radios and Steve turns it up.
"It's boobies!" He yells one last time over the music.
We pull into the crowded school parking lot. Everyone's excited about the basketball championship game tonight. Ms. Kelley directs everyone into the gym for the pep rally.
Robin gets out and goes to catch up with her band mates. Before Steve pulls off, I stop him, having spotted a blazing red head of hair in the crowd.
"What is it?" He asks.
"Max," I say. "Give me a second."
I jump out the car and jog over to her. "Hey, Max," I say, falling in step beside her.
She takes her headphones off one ear and smiles slightly. "Hey."
"You going to the game tonight?" I ask.
"No, I don't think so."
"Well, you should come. Steve and I are going, and so are the boys."
"I just... I don't really feel like it."
I understand how she feels, but I also know she needs to get out and do some things. She needs to stop isolating herself. She could use a distraction for one night.
I spot Lucas in the crowd heading towards the gym. I nudge her in the side. "Look how cute he is in his basketball jersey."
This earns a hard-to-come-by-laugh-lately from her. "You know we're back to not dating right now, right?"
I shrug it off. "Yeah, well... you guys are still cute." I put my hand on her shoulder, making her stop. "Hey, you know you can come to me, right?"
"Yeah." She nods. "Thanks, but I'm fine. Really."
I don't buy it, but don't press it either.
"Okay," I say. "I'll see you later."
"See you."
✶
The Family Video phone rings and Steve answers it. "Family Video—" he's cut off by whoever's on the line.
It's probably Dustin because he tends to do that. He's too impatient to listen to our company spiel.
"What, to hang out with you and Eddie 'The Freak' Munson?" Steve asks. "Uh, yeah, I'll pass."
"Eddie Munson?" I ask, sitting on the counter and sorting through some tapes. "I liked him, he was cool. What's Dustin up to?"
Steve holds his finger up, telling me to hang on a minute. "Ew. Ugh. Whatever." He plays with a slinky on the counter. "No, I really like this girl." He winks at me.
I bite my lip, trying to hide my smile and tame the swarming butterflies within me.
"Besides, I mean, I told Lucas that y/n and I would be there to support him," Steve continues, then sighs. "Dustin wants to talk to you." He holds the phone out for me to take.
I slide off the counter and take it. "Yeah, Dustin?"
"Lucas is out of Hellfire tonight for the game and we desperately need a sub. Could you please join? Just for the night?"
"No can do Dusty Bun. Already told Lucas we'd be at the game. Sorry."
Dustin sighs. "Eddie's gonna have our heads."
"Mhm. He will," I agree. The bell above the door dings and some people walk in. "I gotta go, we've got customers. I'll talk to you later. Good luck with Eddie!" I hang up.
The customers browse the aisles, looking at all the movies.
When I turn back around, I collide with Steve. "What are you—"
"So I was thinking," he begins.
I hop back up onto the counter. "That's never good."
"I was thinking—We close up at five. The game starts at eight. That's three hours of freedom in between. Don't go making any plans, because I already have."
"What kind of plans?" I ask. "Steve, tell me. It's killing me not knowing!"
"It's nothing fancy, so don't go getting your hope up," he says.
"I don't care about fancy, you know that."
He doesn't tell.
The day seems to drag on, but finally it's quitting time. Steve walks to the front door and flips the sign to say, Closed.
"What's your favorite movie of all time that you could see a million times?"
I think for a moment. "Y/f/m. The best movie of all time that I could watch all the time. Have you seen it?"
"I have not." He walks through some aisles, then holds up one of the tapes. "This it?"
"Yeah, but what are you thinking?"
He walks back over to me. "As smart as you are, I think you already know." He walks down the small hallway back to Keith's office.
I trail after him. "No! Do you want us to get fired? We're not supposed to go in there."
"Keith has the best TV and a VHS player already hooked up to it." He pulls a key out of his pocket and unlocks the door. I don't even want to know how he got the key.
He turns back to me and does a weird little dance shake. "Come on, live a little."
I roll my eyes. "Okay, fine."
I shut the door behind me. Steve puts the tape in and we sit down on the carpet in front of the TV. He presses play on the movie and the intro starts.
"It's not very romantic, but it was the best I could do right now," Steve says. He does the classic yawn and stretch to put his arm around me.
I lie my head on his chest and smile up at him. "It's perfect."
His brown eyes glance down at my lips. I take the hint. I start leaning in, but stop when I hear footsteps outside the door.
"Shit!" I whisper.
It's Keith, and we're fired.
"Window!" Steve jumps up and runs to the window. He slides it up and jumps through.
Keys jangle in the lock.
I throw myself out the window and into Steve's arms. He hurries and slides the glass back down and we take off running.
"That was too close," I laugh out, coming to a stop in an alleyway to catch my breath.
Steve runs his hand through his hair. "But we made it. Did you enjoy the first three seconds of the movie?"
"No, you were talking the whole time." I lean in closer to him.
"Maybe you should've tried to shut me up."
"Maybe I should try and shut you up now."
"Maybe you—"
I grab him by the shirt and pull him down. Our lips crash into each other and it feels like fireworks are exploding inside of me. My arms wrap around his neck. His find my waist and he pulls me closer.
✶
"Let's go, Tigers! Let's go, Tigers!" The cheerleaders chant.
The big championship game has rolled around. The gym is packed with students, parents, and anyone who wants to support the school. The music from the band is loud and the cheerleaders are working hard to hype everyone up.
Steve and I make our way to our seats. "You know what's funny?" I ask. We walk across the room to the bleachers.
"What?" He asks.
"How the team might actually win... after you graduated." A teasing smirk creeps across my face.
"Uh, yeah," he laughs, "that's an interesting point. Thank you so much for bringing that up." He stops to let me climb up the bleachers before him.
The principal takes to the microphone in the middle of the gym. "Everyone now please rise for our national anthem." We all stand up. "Singing for us tonight, we have a very special guest. All the way from Nashville, our very own Tammy Thompson!"
A gasp escapes my lips. Steve watches her walk across the large room with a look of dread, making me stifle a laugh. Both of us catch Robin's eye. She looks excited.
Tammy steps up to the microphone and waves grandly to the crowed. She begins singing the National anthem...
Badly.
Steve flinches at the girl's wails. He looks over at Robin. "Told you. Muppet," he mouths, slightly whispering.
I try hard to hold in my laughter. He's completely right, Tammy sounds exactly like a Muppet.
"Okay, she does sound like a Muppet," Robin whispers back with a light chuckle in her voice.
"Maybe she should go into voice acting instead of singing," I whispered, nudging Steve in the arm.
"Wow. She sounds amazing, doesn't she?" The girl next to me asks, watching Tammy sing in awe.
Steve looks at me, asking a silent question—did I hear her right? He makes a face, then looks out over the gym.
The song ends and the game begins. Baskets are made by both teams, but especially the opposing team. The scores remain close throughout the game, but we stay just behind the other team.
After some fouls and injuries, Lucas takes to the court for the first time.
"Go, Lucas!" I scream, standing up from my seat. He smiles at me, but looks embarrassed.
The minutes tick down.
Jason takes a shot but it bounces out of the basket. Lucas grabs it, running a bit down the court before turning around and jumping, shooting the ball.
Seconds are left in the game.
The ball flies through the air. Everyone watches with baited breath, on the edges of their seats. The ball goes in the net just as the buzzer goes off.
The Tigers did it. The Tigers won the championship.
Cheers erupt. The gym echoes the crowd's screams and ecstatic energy. Steve jumps up and down. He picks me up and spins me around. I grab his hand and drag him through the crowd taking to the gym floor.
It's loud and exciting. Everyone is trying to get to the team to congratulate them and praise them. Lucas is held high on the shoulders of his teammates, pumping his fist in the air.
I push through the crowd, making sure to keep a tight grip on Steve so I don't lose him.
"Lucas!" I shout. His head turns in my direction. "Lucas! Congratulations!"
His team sets him down and he comes over to me.
I hug him. "I'm so proud of you!"
His smile grows even wider. "Thanks, y/n!"
"That was awesome, man," Steve tells him, patting him on the shoulder.
The team swept him away again to go celebrate.