chapter one:
cruel summer (2)
NIGHT TIME
STAR COURT MALL
"YOU'RE LATE."
lucas said.
"sorry!"
mike apologized as he got off his bike.
"again."
"sam is waiting for us inside, and we're going to miss the opening." will spoke.
"yeah, if you keep whining about it. let's go!"
mike said as he starts to walk.
"if you keep whining about it. neh-neh-neh!"
lucas mocked.
"just please stop talking, dude."
"let me guess, you were busy..."
lucas started to making kissing noises.
"oh, yeah, real mature, lucas."
they all see sam standing by CAMERA REPAIR with her arms crossed, and a mad look on her face.
"i didn't cancel my plans with matt just for you to
be late again, michael." sam spoke as they all began walking together.
"i am sorry!"
"guess why mike was late, again..."
lucas said as he started to make kissing noises again. "oh el, i wish we could make out forever, and never hang out with any of our friends." he tries mimicking mike's voice.
"lucas, stop."
max spoke.
"why are you guys complaining about me kissing my girlfriend? sam and matt do the same thing." mike responded.
"uh, there's a difference. yes, matt and i make out but, we're on time to places we have to be at. you on the other hand, suck with time management." sam said.
"you really do."
will spoke.
they all were speed walking as they go down the escalators to make it on time to the movies. they push through everyone as they exchanged excuse me! and sorry! to the people. mike accidentally bumps into a girl.
"hey, watch it!"
she says.
"sorry!"
mike apologizes as everyone continues walking.
"yeah! watch it, nerds!"
erica called out.
"isn't it past your bedtime?"
lucas asks.
"isn't it time you, die!"
erica blurted back.
"erica!"
sam yelled.
"psycho!"
"butthead!"
"mall rat!"
"fart face!"
lucas sticks out his tongue and makes fart noises
with it. max grabs his arm causing him to stop, "oh, now that was mature."
the teens and older teen walk inside SCOOPS AHOY. robin groans as she saw the teens walk in. she didn't mind sam coming in, but the teens annoyed her. they come in 24/7. mike rings the bell on the counter countless of times.
"hey, dingus, sam and your children are here!"
she calls out.
steve slides the window open from the break room.
"again? seriously?"
mike's response is ringing the bell again as steve walks out of the break room, letting everyone in.
"hey, sam."
he smiles.
"hi, steve."
she smiles back and follows the kids into the break room. steve opens another door which led them into a shortcut to the movie theaters. so, they'll enter for free.
"i swear, if anybody hears about this-"
"we're dead!"
all the teens said in sync.
"i swear this is the last time, we'll ask for this."
sam said, before she followed behind the teens.
"oh, it's fine. you can go through here anytime. it's no problem." he responded quickly.
steve had the door open to the back rooms where shipment arrives, and robin could hear steve making a fool of himself.
"okay. see you around, steve."
she smiles as she ran to catch up to the teens.
"see you around, sam."
he says. he walks back to the break room and sighs as he closed the door. "jeez." he takes off his sailor hat tossing it at the table.
"i cannot pretend i don't like her. do you see how great she looks today? i can't just pretend to not having feelings for her."
robin groans as she walks out the front doors to the service counter. she already knows where this is going, again. steve follows her and begins to rant.
"i seriously don't know what she sees in miller. like have you seen him? the dude is not that great looking."
"well maybe because sam went for personality and not looks. she just got lucky matt is also a great looking guy. have you also, seen his mom? he got those great genes from her. if i wasn't a lesbian, i would totally date matt, too."
"his mom is pretty hot." steve said thinking about what robin said about matt's mom. "but that's not the point, my point is sam is blind, and i don't know what she sees in him."
"great personality. not an asshole. doesn't choose popularity over a pretty girl. doesn't humiliate her at dances. great smile. he doesn't whine-"
"okay, i don't whine."
robin chuckles. she looks at who's next in line, and it is steve's best friend in the whole world.
"twelve o'clock."
robin said before she had steve at the register and her scooping. he looks to see the one and only, matt miller walking to him.
"hey, harrington. haven't seen you in a while."
matt smiles.
"oh hey, same here. i haven't seen you since the eighth grade. i am surprised you still remember me."
"oh, i remember you."
he chuckles.
steve chuckles back, but inside of him he was boiling. "so, what can we get you?"
"it's for sam. can i get her a vanilla ice
cream, please?"
he enters the price on the register.
"that's it? no, sprinkles or chocolate chips?"
"no? just a vanilla ice cream."
"okay...i suggest to add the sprinkles just so the ice cream doesn't look so basic to her"
"the customer said no sprinkles, steve."
robin said in a stern voice before handing the ice cream to matt. "have a great rest of your night." she smiles.
"you too." he smiles back. then, he looks back at steve. "have a good day...harrington?" he says confused. matt was wandering why steve looks mad. he leaves the ice cream shop.
robin smile vanishes once matt was out of their sight and gives steve the look.
"i really want to staple your mouth shut."
▣ ▣ ▣ ▣
IT WAS THE NEXT DAY. axel was on the way back home with dustin in the backseat, and tara in the passenger seat. axel had to at least separate them because they've been glued to each other this whole summer, and he can't watch dustin kiss his little sister.
"so, what are you going to do?"
tara spoke.
"tell mrs. henderson."
axel respond.
"what? no! you'll get him in trouble!"
"well she is going to ask dustin how it went and i am going to have to tell her the truth because he's going to lie. then, she's going to ask how she didn't know any of this. then, i am going to have to explain to her that during registration instead of dustin putting his own mother's contact. he puts steve harrington and myself as the parents."
"this is gold leader, returning to base. do you
copy? over." dustin spoke to his mic trying to get in contact with the others.
no one answers.
"i repeat, this is good leader returning to base. do you copy? over."
no one answers.
"i repeat, this is goddamn gold leader-"
"henderson!"
"what?"
"calm down."
axel says.
"i'm in range. they should be answering."
dustin said.
"well maybe they forgot, everyone has been doing their own thing now ever since you two left for camp."
axel and the teen couple drove for couple of minutes on the road before arriving at dustin's home. they get out of the car as dustin's mom swings the door open, excited to see dustin and tara back.
"oh, the cutest couple in hawkins is back!"
she squeals as she hugs the teen couple tight.
"i miss you too, mom."
dustin said.
she lets go of them.
"so, how was summer camp?" she smiled at the kids.
"amazing!"
they both yelled in sync.
claudia has a confused look to her face. she can sense something was up with them. "really?"
"yes!"
"yes!"
"why are you two acting really weird?"
she asks.
"we're not acting weird, mrs. henderson. summer camp was just really fun! right, axel?" she says before nudging axel's arm.
axel hesitates for bit.
"the camp counselor had really great comments on them. she said they were the best in their group and their behavior was outstanding, mrs. henderson." he smiles as he lies to mrs. henderson.
"oh, that's great to hear! i thought i was going to be those mothers who receives phone call after phone call from the counselor." she said. "come on in, kids!" she waved to them before turning her heels to walk inside the home.
the trio waits till mrs. henderson looks away and axel pushes dustin, and points at him. "you're cleaning our drive away and cars for a week." he then points at tara, "and you too."
"you're the best brother."
tara said before hugging him.
"yeah. yeah. i have to go talk to joyce, i'll see
you two later?"
the teens nod as they wave goodbye to axel. tara follows dustin into his room as they throw their bags on the ground, and flunk onto the bed. they both sigh, "i'm so tired." tara spoke.
"me too."
dustin says before he turns his head to look at his beautiful girlfriend next to him. "you're really pretty."
tara turns her head to look at him as she began to blush. his compliments never fails to make her smile like crazy.
"and you're the most handsome man in this whole entire universe." she said before giving him a quick kiss.
"i want to keep doing these things. go on trips together, go to camp together, be heroes together, go on double dates with sam, go on double dates with max and lucas, become high school sweethearts. i will forever keep my promise, and never let you go."
dustin's promise to tara was they'll live happily ever after like those disney princess and prince movies. they intertwined their pinkies together at the snowball dance and promised each other.
tara lifts her pinky, so does dustin and they intertwined their pinkies together. "we'll live happily ever after." tara smiled.
"happily ever after."
dustin smiled back.
one of dustin's robot toys turns on, startling the couple as they quickly get off the bed. the robot was moving by itself along with one of dustin's artoo-detoo toy.
"what the fuck..."
tara cursed.
one of dustin's monkey begins clapping his hands, and two of his other toys move past him. one of his toys begins throwing balls at tara as dustin stepped in front of her, so she wouldn't get hit anymore.
all his toys move into a line as they leave his room. dustin grabs his farrah fawcett spray as the couple began to follow the toys out of his room. dustin was holding tara's hand as she walked behind him.
"it's just a dream."
dustin spoke. "you're dreaming."
"or maybe your toys are possessed."
tara says.
max, lucas, scott, el, mike, and will hide behind a wall in dustin's living room. el was using her powers to make the toys turn on and move automatically.
"now!"
mike whispers.
the toys power down, making the couple confused. dustin walks to his toys to check them. everyone started to sneak behind the couple with a banner. max began to count down as she signals them to blow on their noisemakers.
the couple scream as tara throws a punch to lucas's face as the banner falls out of his hand and he falls to the ground in pain. tara faces dustin as he sprays her with the farrah fawcett spray causing her to scream louder.
✮ ✮ ✮
"I REALLY WANT THIS TO BE PERFECT." axel rants to joyce about his future date with maria. "this is going to be our first date, and i want it to be unforgettable!"
joyce pulls a BIG SALE sign out of a box.
"well, take her to a nice restaurant. somewhere that has her favorite food. she's nice. she deserves to be taken somewhere great." she advises.
"nice? she's amazing! she's so smart, i don't think no one knows how smart she is as much as i do. if she gets nominated for a noble prize, i would definitely vote for her."
joyce smiles.
"aw, you're so cute, honey."
he smiles in response. "oh, let me help." he takes the sign from joyce's hand, and climbs up a small ladder.
"thanks."
"should i also bring her flowers?" he says as he hangs the sign behind the window.
"yes, flowers are a way to a girls heart. you should also take some flowers to her mom. that would be a great first impression."
"yeah, but maria is staying at her dads house. her mom lives in new york...can i give her dad flowers?"
"sure." joyce nods.
the bells to the door jingles as they both look to see hopper walk in. "are you busy?" he asks.
"you're our first customer, so..."
joyce responds.
hopper nods, but doesn't say a word. until axel realized why he was here. axel sighs. "what now?"
✮ ✮ ✮
"AND THEN EL, SHE JUST...SLAMS THE DOOR..." hopper rants. "right in my face."
"uh huh?"
joyce spoke.
axel was eating chips as he hears the same rant for the fifth time this week.
"you know, it is that smug son of a bitch, mike. he's corrupting her, i'm telling you. and i'm just gonna lose it. i mean, i am gonna lose it, guys."
"just take it down, hopper."
joyce said softly.
"they like each other, hop. what did you expect?"
axel spoke.
"well, i need for them to break up."
"that is not your decision."
joyce said.
"they're spending entirely too much time together." hopper gets up, and looks at axel. "you'd agree with me, right axel?"
"they sometimes are, but what can you do? they like each other, el deserves to be happy for once. the kissing is normal. don't act like you never kissed girls when you were a teen." axel responded.
"axel is right."
"but this is constant. they kiss like every second of the day. they can't be apart from each other for a couple of minutes. okay? that is not normal. i didn't even do that as a teen. this is unhealthy."
"you can't just force them apart. i mean they're not little kids anymore, hop. they're teenagers. if you order them around like a cop, then they're gonna rebel. it's just what they do." joyce said.
"so what, i'm just suppose to let them go do whatever they want?"
"we didn't say that."
axel says.
"we just think you should...talk to them."
"no. no. cause talking doesn't work."
"not yelling. not ordering. but talk to them."
joyce said.
hopper angrily tosses an item to the ground.
"have a heart-to-heart talk. it happened to me with tara and dustin. i use to yell at them, and saw no change. so, i went to joyce like you are doing, asked for advice. it worked. they stopped being so clingy with each other, and they learned about boundaries. it really works." axel said.
"a heart-to-heart? what is that?"
hopper questions.
"you sit them down, and you talk to them, like you're their friend. i find if you talk to them like you're on their level, then they really start to listen. and then, you know, you could start to create some boundaries." joyce explained.
"boundaries."
"yeah, but...hopper, it's really important that no matter how they respond, you stay calm and you cannot lose your temper." axel adds."
hopper sighs.
"uh...maybe you guys can do it for me? or maybe just you axel since she listens to you more."
axel shakes his head
"they need you to talk to them."
hopper groans.
"joyce? please, she'll probably listen to you."
she also shakes her head.
"no."
"yeah." he walks to joyce. "you could. you could come over after work. yes."
"no. it only works if it only comes..." she places a sales tag on hopper. "from you." she thinks for a second. "but..."
"but?"
"maybe we can help you...find the right words." joyce walks to the register as she pulls a notepad and pen.
✮ ✮ ✮
"ALRIGHTY, ONE SCOOP OF CHOCOLATE. THAT'S A BUCK TWENTY-FIVE." steve smirks to the two girls as he hands them their ice creams.
one of the girls hands him a five dollar bill.
"ooh, purdue. fancy."
"yeah, i'm excited."
she chuckles.
"yeah, you know, i considered it. purdue, but then i was like, you know what? i really need some real-life experience, you know, before i hit college, see what it feels like. kind like, uh, i don't know...see what it's like to earn a working-man's age while you work across from the girl you like...." steve rants as the girls give me a face of confusion. robin was in the break room. she places her hand on her face. here he goes again. "but she's with someone else because it sucks. like you just want to be him, but you can't. i think that's like really important."
"uh yeah, totally..."
she says weird out.
"yeah anyways, this was like so fun. we should kind of like you know, i don't know..." he hangs her change which drops out of her hand. "sorry...maybe hangout this weekend or...maybe next weekend."
"oh, i'm busy."
she answers.
"oh that's cool. i'm working here next weekend, so...the following weekends better for me."
"uh no. i'm sorry, i can't."
"okay, thanks."
the other girls responds as they leave
the shop chuckling.
"actually, this is my first day."
he sighs.
"and another one bites the dust." robin appears through the window with their YOU RULE & YOU SUCK whiteboard. "you are oh-for-six, popeye." she says as she writes the sixth tally of the day.
"yeah i can count."
he says annoyed.
"you know that means you suck."
"yep, i can read, too."
"since when?"
"it's this stupid hat." he walks up to the window. "i am telling you, it's totally blowing my best feature."
"or maybe because you keep bringing up the girl who works across from us, who you like, but has a boyfriend into the conversation or you can maybe tell the truth?"
"oh that the only reason why i am talking to other girls is to try to forget about sam, and my parents are very disappointed in me that i lost the one very pretty girl i had a chance with? that truth?"
robin chuckles, and sees who's coming towards them. "speaking of the princess..." she smirks.
steve turns to see sam walking towards their shop.
"oh, shit. okay...uh, how do i look?" he says as he touches his face.
"really bad."
"ha, very funny...you know what?" he takes off his sailor hat, and tosses it behind robin. "screw company policy. give me one of your mints."
"oh wow, you look like a whole new man."
she says sarcastically as she goes through her bag to find a mint.
"hurry."
"hold on."
"hurry!"
"hold on!"
she says as she grabs a small container of mints, and hands him one.
he puts the mint inside his mouth.
"watch this." he winks, and turns to see sam at counter.
"ahoy, sam!" he yells, startling her. "i didn't see you there, would you like to set sail in the ocean of flavors with me? i'll be your captain. i'm steve harrington."
sam chuckles.
"so, new work motto?"
steve stays silent, admiring sam. not breaking eye contact with her which she started to get confused. "uh, steve?" she waves her hands.
"sure, yeah new motto."
he responds.
"are you okay?"
she asks.
"yeah, of course. vanilla?"
he starts prepping her ice cream.
"uh, yeah...thanks?"
robin was in the break room silently laughing as he hears their conversation. "what an idiot." she says to herself.
"you know, you should really give the u.s.s butterscotch
a chance." steves spoke as he grabs a cone.
"you think? is it actually good like you say it is?"
"oh butterscotch is amazing. it'll bring a smile to your face. vanilla is alright, but it's just so basic." he continues as she scoops her ice cream. "you need that flavor in your life."
this isn't about ice cream.
she chuckles.
"thanks for the suggestion."
"no problem."
he hands her ice cream cone to her.
"i'll take butterscotch into consideration."
she pulls out a five dollar bill to hand him, but he refuses.
"ice cream is on me."
he smiles.
"are you sure? this is like the third free ice cream you have given me this week." she chuckles.
"yeah! you can get free ice cream here, anytime."
"oh wow. thanks!" she smiles as she licks her ice cream. "i'll you see, later then." she waves. "bye, robin!" she yells.
"bye, sam!" robin yells from the other side. she comes from the break room as sam was leaving the shop. she watches steve staring at sam as she made it to her work station.
"so we're just giving away ice cream now?"
she started.
steve sighs.
"let me guess, you're the butterscotch and matt is the vanilla?"
he rolls his eyes, and walks to the back room.
"shut up."
robin walks to her whiteboard, and draws a seventh tally mark. "make that oh-for-seven."
steve paces back and forth. "i don't get it."
"what don't you get?"
"one moment she likes me and now she's with miller. what happened?"
"well steve...maybe she finally knows her worth, and realizes she doesn't want to go out with a guy who was a complete asshole to her. believe me, i saw how you treated her after the eighth grade."
"well, thank you for making me feel better."
"anytime."
"so, what do i do?"
"what?"
"like what do i do?"
"you mean, what you should of done?"
"robin don't-"
"you should of apologized to her years ago and told her you always loved her. but instead, you decided to go out with nancy wheeler. and did that end well?...no. she broke your heart. which is something sam would of never done. but now, you get a reality check, and realize sam has always been the one, but you were too blind to see it back then. and it is too late because she's with someone else. so, i think you're going to have to deal with it and move on because they look really happy together." robin finishes.
steve knew robin was right. he has to move on. but
what he going to listen to robin?
no.
✮ ✮ ✮
"I KNOW THIS IS A DIFFICULT CONVERSATION TO HAVE..." hopper sighs. "but i hope you know that i...care about you very much. and i know that you-"
"eye contact."
joyce advises him.
he sighs.
"and i know that you...both care about each other very much. this does not sound like me at all."
"who cares? do you still want to see el and mike all
over each other?" axel join
hopper groans, and makes eye contact with axel.
"which is why i think it's important to establish these boundaries...moving forward." he looks down at his paper.
"no looking."
axel says.
hopper groans again.
"you're really acting like a mike, and i could kill you right now."
"see now that." joyce points out on his behavior. "that is going to get the teens to not listen to you."
"he's acting like mike!"
"that's the point, i have to pretend to be mike. so, you'll know how to deal with him." axel explains.
hopper exhales, and continues.
"...so we can build an environment...uh...where we all feel comfortable and trusted and open..."
"share our feelings."
joyce whispers.
"...to sharing our feelings— this isn't gonna work." hopper gets off his chair. "this isn't going to work."
"yes it will! i promise. oh, come on."
joyce encourages him. axel moves to sit on the chair in front of the adults.
"maybe i'll just kill mike." hopper said and looks at axel. "can i practice with you?" he asks.
"uh no."
axel answers.
"well i'm a chief police. i could cover it up, no one will know what happened to you and mike."
joyce places his hand on top of hoppers which made hopper look. "you got this." she smiles. "i promise."
axel notices hopper and joyce not breaking eye contact.
"guys, i'm still here." he says.
"you wanna have dinner tonight?"
hopper smiles at joyce which. axel's eyes went big not expecting hopper to say that.
joyce chuckles.
"you can give me some more pointers."
hopper smiles.
"oh...i...um..." joyce pulls her hand away from his. "i have plans."
"ooh."
axel mumbles.
"okay, sure."
hopper looks away.
there was an awkward silence between the two adults until the bells jingle from the store. "oh, a customer." joyce quickly walks away. axels sits himself on the counter next to hopper.
he pats his back.
"rejection. i get it."
hopper doesn't respond because he was busy staring at joyce which axel noticed. he kept looking at hopper and back at what he was looking at.
"no way..."
axel whispers.
axel realized hopper was
developing feelings for joyce.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
i am so sorry for the delay. i am really taking my time with this story so it turns out good! but hey, this is the start of DELCATE 3 ;)
what do we think of steve's hidden feelings
for sam? should he listen to robin?