(THREE MONTHS LATER)
"So, is everything good on there?" Steve asks as he pulls into the parking lot of a Strip Mall. Robin says silent, her eyes roaming the resume as she climbs out of the car. Her eyes linger on Jessica's number. "You put your girlfriend down as a reference?" Robin asks.
Steve shrugs. "Yeah. Why not? She's, like, super well-respected and she's smart," Steve tells her getting out of his car. He shuts the door and walks over to Family Video. "Plus, everyone in this town knows and loves her-" Robin sighs. "You're such a dingus," she tells him as Steve holds the door to Family Video open for her.
The pair step in, immediately spotting Keith by the counter. He peers up from his bag of Cheetos and lets out a long sigh. "Hello. What can I help you two with today?"
"We're here to apply for a job," Steve says as he and Robin hands Keith their resumes. Keith licks his fingers clean before taking the resumes out of their hands. "Your last jobs was at Scoops Ahoy?" he asks in a monotone voice.
Robin nods. "Yes.
"Mm-hmm," Keith says, unimpressed.
"Uh, just to be clear, we weren't fired, you know. The mall burned down and, like, killed a bunch of people," Robin tells Keith who continues to read over their job applications. Keith rolls his eyes, lowering the resume down. "Thanks for sharing. Didn't know." He tosses the forms toward Robin and Steve. "Three favorite movies. Go," he orders, pointing at Robin.
"Uh...The Apartment, Hidden Fortress, Children of Paradise," Robin answers. Keith snaps his fingers and points at Steve. "You, go." "Favorite movies?" Steve questions. "Did I stutter?" Keith asks, appalled. "Uh...Animal House, for sure." Robin scoffs. "Um..." Keith snaps his fingers again. "Eyes on me, Harrington." "Yeah. Uh...Star Wars."
"A New Hope?" Keith questions.
"A new what-now?"
Keith sighs. "Which Star Wars?"
"The one with the teddy bears. Duh," Steve tells him before squealing like an Ewok. Robin sighs, dropping her head down in disbelief. "No? Uh...Oh, the one that just came out. The movie that just came out. The one with the DeLorean and Alex P. Keaton, and he's trying to bang his mom," Steve says with a chuckle. "The time...Yeah, those are my top three. Classics."
Keith stares at Steve in annoyance before turning to Robin. "You start Monday." He turns back to Steve. "You start never." Robin leans into Steve. "Will you just, um...Will you give us a minute?" "Why?" "Steve." Steve stares at Keith who makes a face at him. "Fine," Steve says, yanking his resume off the table aggressively and walks over to the windows.
Robin leans against the counter. "All right, you have to understand, Keith, I know his taste is a bit pedestrian, but the dingus has other qualities." "He's a douchebag of the highest order, Robin," Keith states. "He was a bit of a prick to us in high school, I'll grant you that, but he remains...a total chick magnet." "Yeah, okay, and this is relevant to me how?"
Robin gasps. "Uh, Earth to Keith. The ladies will come in just to see him. They'll come in in droves. Droves, Keith. We sold so much ice cream, they had to get a second shipment in from Michigan. Goddamn Michigan, Keith. And these ladies...These ladies are hot. They're so very hot. And there are too many of them for little Steve who keeps turning them down since he's so very much in love with Jessica Henderson. He needs someone to take these very hot ladies off of him. He needs assistance. He needs your assistance, Keith."
"What's in it for you?" Keith questions, popping a Cheeto into his mouth. Robin goes to answer when a clattering noise catches hers and Keith's attention. The two turns, seeing Steve bump into a Phoebe Cates cutout. "Goddammit," Steve curses, placing his resume into his mouth as he bends down and picks the cutout back up. "This is-Hm." He attempts to fix the stand.
Robin turns back to Keith. "He's, my friend. There's nothing in it for me." "Oh!" Steve exclaims, holding the cutout up. "Fast Times. Fast Times. Ever heard of it? Top three for me, Keith," he tells him as Robin lets a laugh loose.
"Fine. He starts Monday."
Robin turns. "You start Monday!"
"I start Monday?" Steve asks with a smile on his face.
++++++
Jessica bites her bottom lip to keep a smile from breaking out on her face as she sits with Dustin, the two listening to Max and Lucas sing Never Ending Story.
Max and Lucas both stop and looks over at Dustin who simply glares at the two. "Wait, did we get that verse right? It's 'unfold behind the clouds'?" Dustin nods. "Yeah, but you're butchering it, so could you please stop?" "So then join in, Dusty-bun," Lucas says, blowing an air kiss toward him. Jessica giggles as she closes the flaps of a box down and begins to tape it shut. "Yeah, come on, Dusty-bun, why don't you join us?" Max asks.
"You guys are so funny, you should be on Carson." "Can't we just hear your rendition?" Max asks Dustin who shoots it down. "No." "Please? Just one verse?" "Come on, Dustin. Give your friends what they want," Jessica tells him. "No. No way. It's reserved for Suzie's ears and Suzie's ears alone."
Max and Lucas glance at each other before breaking out into a song. Dustin flips the two off, waving his middle around. "All right, all right, stop it you two," Jessica tells Lucas and Max. "Let's finish helping the Byers pack, all right?"
"Yes, mom," Lucas drawls out making Jessica playfully roll her eyes.
"Hello?"
Jessica and Dustin turn their heads toward the door and see Steve walk in. "Hey Steve. It's about time you help us out," Dustin tells him. "I'm here now," he tells him, kneeling beside him. "By the way, I got the job."
Jessica gasps, holding the now empty packaging tape up in the air. "You got the job?!" "I got the job," Steve tells her with a smile. Jessica lets out a cheer as she tackles Steve who steadies his balance as he wraps his arms around her. "That's fantastic! Did Robin get it as well?" Steve nods. "We both start Monday."
Jessica grins. "So...do you get some kind of discount or..." Steve nods. "50% of snacks and free movies of my choosing." "Movie nights, here we come," Jessica tells him, planting a short kiss onto his lips. "Get a room," Dustin tells them.
"We just might," Steve tells him, earning groans from him, Lucas and Max. Jessica lightly nudges his arm. "We will not. Now help us pack," she tells her boyfriend as she stands up. "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to get us more packaging tape.
She walks down the hallway and picks up another roll of packaging tape. She hears faint talking coming from Jonathan's bedroom. She makes her way toward the room and pauses by the doorframe. "Aw darn, this room is taken," she voices as Jonathan and Nancy break apart.
"What do you mean?" Nancy asks.
"Dustin told Steve and I to get a room and-" Nancy holds her hand up. "Say no more." Jessica laughs. Nancy looks up at Jonathan, then back at Jessica. "I'm going to go help finish packing the living room up," she tells the two before leaving the bedroom.
Jessica steps into the bedroom. "Is that...everything?"
"I guess so." Jonathan sighs, placing his hands onto his lips as he stares around his empty bedroom. "Seventeen years of my life...packed up in one day."
"What if I just...convince Steve to let you crash at his house? His parents are almost never home." "I think..." Jonathan begins, turning around to face Jessica. "Steve and I might tear each other's throats out." Jessica lets a laugh loose. "I thought you two were best friends since you two were plotting Nancy and I to be friends again."
Jonathan smiles. "We're just friends."
"Hmm-hmm, just like how Nancy and I are just friends." "I'm glad you two are talking again." "Yeah, but it's not the same and we both know that's okay. The main thing is...we're trying." "Can I ask you a favor?"
"Depends on what the favor is...are we going to get arrested again?" Jessica asks, making Jonathan shake his head with a smile on his face. "Last I recalled, I was the one that got arrested." "Yeah, for defending my honor." "...I do it again, you know." Jessica smiles sadly at Jonathan. "I know. So, what's the favor?"
"Can you please just...be there for Nancy? You know, if she's feeling sad or if she's gotten into any kind of trouble-" "I got her back. You have my word." "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Jessica sighs. "Do you have to go?"
"I do."
"Then...whose rooftops will I lie on when I'm sad? I can't lie on yours anymore. The new owners would call the cops on me," she says making Jonathan chuckle. "You can lie on Steve's rooftops." "It won't be the same. Plus, that's our thing."
"Then come visit me in California."
"I'll take you up on that offer."
"Good."
"Good," Jessica says, taking a step forward and wrapping her arms around Jonathan's neck as he wraps his arms around her waist. The two stood in the middle of the room, savoring the last moments they would have together for a while.
++++++
After packing up the entire Byers' house, everyone was outside saying their final goodbyes. None of them knowing when the next time they would see each other again.
Jessica was the first one to step forward and hug El who immediately wraps her arms around her. "I'll miss you, El." "I'll miss you, Jess." The two girls step back, and Jessica walks over to Will who begins to cry as the two hug. "Hey, you know, I'm a phone call away if you ever need to talk about anything." Will nods and steps back as he goes to hug Dustin. Jessica walks over to Jonathan who was leaning against his car.
Jonathan opens his arms. Jessica walks toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist. Jonathan engulfs her into a hug. "I'm going to miss you," he admits. "I'm going to miss you more," she tells him, the two chuckling quietly. Jessica steps back and wipes her eyes. "You better call me."
Jonathan nods. "I will. You better keep your word."
"I will," Jessica tells him before going over to Steve just as Nancy walks up to Jonathan, the two sharing their goodbyes. Steve wraps an arm around Jessica's shoulder as he brings her into his side.
Joyce and El climb into the truck while Jonathan and Will get into the car. Nancy, Dustin, Jessica, Steve, Mike, Lucas and Max all stood together as they watch the moving truck peel out of the driveway. Jonathan soon follows after it with his car. He honks the horn and sticks his hand out the window, giving everyone one last wave before pulling out of the driveway.
As soon as the truck and the car were out of their view, each teenager went their separate ways. Steve and Jessica offer Nancy a ride home which she excepts while Mike, Dustin, Lucas and Max grab their bikes and peddle off down the road, enjoying the peace that was once again restored to Hawkins.
[Published 7/24/2022]
SEASON FOUR COMING SOON