"So what did you kiddos do after practice yesterday?"
"We went to Skull Rock."
"Oh? Just you four?"
"Yeah, but we met two guys, Ronnie and Corbin, who ended up playing with us," Scottie told her mom over breakfast.
"Sounds like fun," she laughed.
"Oh it was! Did you ever do that stuff when you were a kid?"
"We did similar things, but it was always kept secret from the parents. And boys never knew they were the topic of all the girls' conversations."
"So not too different from nowadays."
"No, but there were other things we did that I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"A mom's gotta have her secrets, I can't be responsible for all your mischief. Where are you going today?" She asked, as Scottie hurriedly finished her breakfast.
"I'm going out with Steve."
"Has he seen your hair yet?"
"No, I can't wait to see his face!" Her choppy hair was sticking up all over the place from sleeping on it weird, and she was still in her bare face and PJs. "I gotta go get ready. Are you going anywhere, mom?"
"Actually yes, I'm going to visit your dad at work."
"Oh that's gonna be so fun! Tell him hi for me, and don't tell him about my hair!"
Scottie picked out jean shorts, a black sleeveless T-shirt and her usual boots before going into the bathroom to apply eyeliner and style her hair. There really wasn't much she could do to it, but she put some gel in and then spiked it up so it looked intentionally messy rather than bed head.
"Anything, mom, before I go?" She asked an hour later.
"No, have fun sweetie! And drive safe."
"I will. Love you mom."
Before she went to meet up with Steve, Scottie stopped by the beauty salon and picked up some hair materials, because if it was going to be short, it was going to bleached, but she'd have to wait til next week to do it, because she was fully booked over the weekend. Then she hopped back in Elvis (her truck) and drove to the arcade to meet Steve. She wanted to walk in and surprise Steve with a big entrance, but unfortunately, she never even got as far as the door before,
"Scottie?" She stopped in the street and turned to see Steve starting at her from the parking lot.
"Steve!" She said as she ran towards him, smiling. "So, what do you think?" She gave him a spin.
"Of your hair?"
"Yeah! Do you like it?"
"Is that what you did at Skull Rock? Was this your idea?"
"No, but I mean, I was fine with it. What's the matter?"
"What else did Ronnie do to you? Did you lose your virginity too?"
"What?! No, of course not! Steve, how did you—"
"How did I find out? Cause you were gonna hide it from me? Ronnie is in one of my classes and he mentioned how lucky I was to be dating you, cause you wouldn't go out with him."
"Oh no. Steve, please let me explain."
"What is there to explain? You cheated on me with him, you wouldn't let me come. Do you know how long I've been watching you? How long I've wanted to ask you out? And when I finally got up the courage to ask you, when I thought you actually liked me back, you turn around make out with a random guy!"
"Steve, that's not what it was! We didn't make out and you know how much I like you. Please, let's just talk about this, I'm so sorry. I'd never do anything to hurt you."
"Except that you did. We're not done, I just can't talk about this with you right now. I'll call you later." As Steve walked away, Scottie just stood there watching him, knowing there was nothing else she could do but give him his space. She couldn't help but like him even more because he was willing to talk things through and call her later even if he wasn't up to it now. She drove to her spot, an old abandoned barn off the road from Hawkins, and thought about what she would say to him and how she was feeling. She sat there for a couple hours, crying off and on, until all her makeup was gone so she decided to go home. She drove silently home, no music, no talking to herself, no windows down. She looked out her window as she drove through Hawkins and noticed a little flower shop waiting for customers. She swerved off the road earning her a couple honks and pulled into the scented parking lot of the flower shop.
"Well good afternoon sweet heart," said an older woman with a slight accent, playing in the dirt. "How can I help you today?"
"I need flowers that say I'm sorry, that aren't too girly cause they're for a boy, and I need a big bouquet right now."
"Something go wrong with your boyfriend? Well, that's quite a specific order, but I think I have something that you'll like." She walked over to a vase filled with dainty white flowers. "These are called the Star of Bethlehem. Do you know its story?"
"Yes ma'am I do. The star of Bethlehem guided the shepherds and the three wise men to the manger where our Lord was being born. Is that what this flower means?"
"Part of it, yes. Like the star, it is bright and beautiful. It symbolises new beginnings and important truths. It's often used to apologise for something detrimental, that could destroy the relationship. But like the star, it will tell him that you want to start anew. If you send this by itself, it will be an act of simple yet unforgettable devotion, just like the shepherd at Little Christ's feet."
"We're new in our relationship, do you think it's a bit too much?"
"It depends."
"On what?"
"If you love him."
An hour later Steve opened his door upon hearing the doorbell ring, but when he looked outside, no one was there. Right as he was about to close the door, he saw what had been left on his doorstep. A single white flower, a Star of Bethlehem, and he cried. He stood in the doorframe, looking down on it with tears in his eyes, until he eventually picked up the flower, smelled it, and stepped inside. He dried his tears and dialled her number.
"Hello?"
"Scottie?"
"Steve?"
"Can you come over?"
"Yeah, I'll be right there."
When Scottie pulled into Steve's driveway he was sitting on the porch out front. She walked up as gently as she could, not strutting to draw attention to herself, not cowering as though she was afraid, not casually to make light of the situation, and not heavily as though she blamed herself for everything. But confidently and gently, ready to have a conversation and apologise. She handed Steve a pint of his favourite ice cream and a spoon and sat down next to him with her own. He accepted it without speaking, but she thought she noticed him try to keep a small smile down. They sat, eating their ice cream in silence, for five minutes before Scottie said,
"Steve, I'm so sorry. I know you need your space, so I'll go if you want me to, but I need you to know something first: I never fought with Billy." The mention of Billy's name was obviously not what he was expecting, but it caught his attention and he looked up at her. "I always gave in to what he wanted or he didn't care what I did. So we never fought. We stayed in a stale-mate our whole relationship, and while it may have looked like it worked, it really didn't. I was only temporarily happy, only physically happy, but without any arguments, we weren't wholesome and honest. You make me entirely happy. When I'm with you, I feel happy forever, I feel happy in all the ways one can be, and I know it's okay to be vulnerable with you. You're so honest and so near to perfect that I can be completely myself around you and while I never want to mess up, I'm not afraid to. I'm so sorry for what I did. I never made out with Ronnie or anything else. I kissed him at the end of the game as my final flirt and now I realised I was so wrong in doing that, even if it was just a game. I'm so so sorry, but I'm also so glad that you got upset."
"Don't lie," he said, after she paused. "You're never done flirting." She smiled. "What you did was okay, I know you like playing those types of games because you just have a flirty personality. I'm sorry I got so upset, even though I guess it turned you on." Scottie laughed and blushed. "But next time, I would like to be there so I can share in those experiences with you. I don't have to be by your side constantly, but—"
"Who said I didn't always want you by me? I understand, and thank you for being honest. I like you even more for it. It's not everyday you meet a boy that's man enough to talk about his feelings."
"I only want to talk about them with you. And next time, I won't jump to conclusions or run off so quickly. By the way, thanks for the ice cream."
"You're very welcome."
"And the flower," he said, looking deep into her eyes. She stared back, breathing heavily, but didn't say anything. "It was perfect, and only you would think of it."
"It told you everything I was too scared to say." And instead of asking her what that might be, he knew the thing she wanted right then was for him to lean forward, wrap his fingers in her choppy hair, and give her a solid, gentle kiss on the lips. So that's just what he did.