A NIGHT TO REMEMBER
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ONE MONTH LATER
WITH A TWIST OF HER HAND, Andy finished applying the glittery pink shadow to the lid of Eleven's eye. She pulled away to inspect but ultimately admire her work. It was imperative she did a good job since tonight was the night of the snowball dance and Eleven would be attending with Mike. Andy had curled Eleven's short hair and smoothed the front of it back behind her ears, the way she liked it but with a girly touch Andy had added.
She placed her hands on her El's shoulder, guiding her towards the mirror to show her off. "Do you like it?" She asked, but her sister's face already told her the answer. She looked at her reflection in delight. "Yes. I love it." She answered with a beaming smile.
"Good, now let me get the dress." Andy squealed. In many ways, she was arguably more excited about the night than Eleven was. She ran out of the room towards her own, speeding past Hopper who lounged in his chair watching television and drinking beer. Somethings would never change.
Grabbing the dress from her wardrobe, she hid it behind her back before entering back into the younger girl's bedroom. Eleven looked up at Andy with excited eager eyes. "Show me, show me!" She chanted.
Andy pulled the dress out from behind her back and instantly Eleven's face lit up. It was pale blue with pink polka dots and trimmings, and a belt to go around the waist. Andy had gone all the way two towns over to find it and searched for hours. She had, of course, recruited Steve to help her. Since he was now her official boyfriend he had been promoted to her driver over Jonathan, which Jonathan couldn't deny being thankful about. Although, the two best friends did still spend time together, share music and then obviously argue about it. Again, somethings would never change.
In awe of her dress, Eleven stepped forward and took the material between her fingers. "Pretty." She whispered. She couldn't believe she was lucky enough to wear something so lovely and look so lovely herself. She practically erupted in glee. "Let me put it on!"
"Okay," Andy laughed, letting her take the dress. "Shout me when you're done."
Andy stepped out of the room, shutting the door behind her. She waited for Eleven to get changed, pouncing on the balls of her feet in anticipation. She looked to see what her father was watching on the T.V. An old western film, typical.
"I'm done." Eleven called from inside, drawing Andy's attention away from the screen. With no hesitation, she burst back into the room and instantly stopped in her tracks at the sight of Eleven. Her heart swelled in delight and eyes quickly filled with happy tears.
"Oh, El." She cooed. "You look so beautiful."
"Promise?" The young girl said, even though she herself had almost cried in happiness at her appearance, but wanted reassurance from whom she thought was the most beautiful girl in the world. Her big sister.
"Promise," Andy repeated with absolute conviction. "You're the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." She added, meaning every word. "Now let's go show Dad."
The two walked the few steps into the living room where Hopper still sat. Andy coughed, gaining the attention of her father. Seeing Eleven dressed up, Hopper's features brightened and his own eyes welled with tears, though he quickly rubbed at his eyes to get rid of them.
"Wow," He said, smiling proudly. "How great do you look, kid?"
Eleven blushed into her hand but gave a little twirl of her dress in agreement.
For a few more minutes they admired Eleven and her dress. They then had to search for a pair of shoes that Eleven could wear, which they eventually settled on as a black pair of pumps Andy had found thrown in the back of her wardrobe. Andy then grabbed the Nixon camera from the nearby shelf, thrusting it into the hands of her father before she and Eleven posed for photographs.
"Come on, Dad, get the keys. We're late enough as it is." Andy said, now stressing since she had caught a glimpse at the clock and seen the time.
Hopper and Eleven exchanged a look, raising suspicion from Andy. Indeed, Hopper stood from his seat but did not get the keys for his truck. "Actually, we have a surprise for you."
Andy narrowed her eyes at the two of them, wondering what they were up to, but other than the growing smirks on their faces they gave nothing away.
"Shut your eyes." Hopper ordered and Andy did so, even though Eleven crept up behind her and placed her hands over her eyes so that she could not see anyway.
Hopper took ahold of Andy's hand, uncurling it so her palm was facing upwards, exposing the scar that once was to lure a Demogorgon towards her. He placed an object in her palm and Andy closed her fist around it to feel. It was cold, like metal. Quite small, with a jagged, rough edge.
"Dad, I swear, if this is a pocket knife I'm thankful, but-"
"Andy, shut up," Hopper said, then continued. "Eleven, lead her to the door."
Stumbling, since Eleven's arms were barely long enough to reach Andy's eyes and they both kept tripping over their feet, they made their way to the front door of the cabin. Despite having lived there for over a year, Andy's instincts or knowledge of the place had not kicked in and she knocked into what she presumed to be the coffee table with a groan.
Still in darkness, Andy heard the door open and presumed it was her dad who did so. "Okay, you can look now."
Eleven removed her hands from Andy's eyes and Andy opened them, blinking a few times to focus in the light. On the yard in front of her was a cream Volkswagen Golf.
"SURPRISE!" Both Hopper and Eleven yelled in sync. Andy's face washed blank with confusion, as her brain ticked over to take in the information she could see from her wide eyes. Every muscle of her body froze before a grin crept onto her face which stretched from one side to the other.
"Is this for me!?" She exclaimed, looking up towards Hopper who nodded towards her hand. "Sure is, kid."
In her hand wasn't a pocket knife but in fact a shiny car key. Andy squealed in excitement, rushing towards Hopper and wrapping her arms around him tight. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She repeated ecstatically, then dashed out the door down to the steps of the cabin and to the car. She ran her hand along the metal of the vehicle in admiration. Her days of walking everywhere, or pestering either Steve or Jonathan for a lift, were long gone. Now she could drive herself. The world, or at least Indiana, was her oyster.
"Now go take your sister to her dance." Hopper laughed, chuckling at his daughter's reaction. He enjoyed seeing Andy so happy, she deserved it. He particularly enjoyed being the one to make her so. Maybe he had now finally made amends, even though his daughter never held any longlasting resentment.
Andy was eager to drive Eleven to the middle school but then she remembered her own surprise she had hidden in the bottom drawer of her closet. "One second." She called then rushed back into the cabin. Andy pulled the wooden photo frame from her drawer, admiring it for a couple seconds, and then stepped back out to the main room where her family was waiting for her.
Holding the frame in front of her she approached her father but she did not reveal its content. "I know sometimes it can be difficult to remember the past, especially when it's as painful as ours, but you can't forget it entirely. When we were driving to the lab you spoke about something I hadn't heard you say in years and even though it was upsetting, it was also in its own way extremely joyous."
She passed Hopper the frame and he turned it over, taking in the photo with a loud intake of breath. It was a photo of Andy, Hopper, and Sara in the very cabin they were in now. They were snuggled under a blanket, grasping large mugs of hot choco and huge cheesy grins on their faces. Andy's mom had taken the photograph on one of their weekends away before Sara fell sick. It was Andy's favourite photograph since for a long while it was the last time she could remember being truly happy. It was one of the only memories she had of her previous happy family.
Hopper's eyes welled with tears. Despite his best efforts over the years to block out the painful memories from that time of his life, he still remembered the day well. Seeing it physically in front of him hurt because he knew he could never have it again, but it also felt good. It was a happy memory after all.
"Sara is a part of us, Dad. I know it hurts so incredibly much to remember she's gone, but it hurts even more to not remember her at all." Andy spoke in a voice light with care. She pointed to blank space on the wooden wall next to them. "I thought we could hang it up there and over time we'd add to it. Pictures of our family now alongside ones of the family we use to have but will never forget."
Andy saw her dad's bottom lip wobble and he wiped his large hand against it, scraping the rough stubble on his chin. He gazed up from the photograph to Andy, a meek smile on his face. "That sounds like a great idea."
Andy smiled back at him. It must have been a long book, but they were on the same page once again.
Hopper fiddled with something on his wrist, wondering whether he should tell the blonde about it. He pulled back the sleeve of his jacket. "Andy, I want you to have this."
From his wrist he pulled off a small band, a blue one, he extended it towards Andy, who instantly recognised it. "Is that-"
"Sara's hair-tie, yes. After she lost her hair I couldn't bear to throw it out, so I've worn it ever since."
Andy stared down at the blue band in somewhat disbelief. "How did I never notice?" She asked and Hopper shrugged. "I think we both know that not noticing can be a lot easier than noticing sometimes."
He slipped the band over Andy's wrist, leaving his hand to linger slightly. Andy smiled down at it, then hugged her father. He hugged her back, kissing the top of her head. "I'm proud of you, Andy."
"I'm proud of you too, Dad." She replied.
They hugged for a few more seconds until next to them Eleven cleared her throat. "8-3-5." She said, telling them of the time. "Late."
***
On the drive over to the middle school, the girls listened to music loudly in the car. Andy wildly singing, Eleven bobbing her head alongside the music. She didn't know the lyrics of any songs, but that only meant Andy got the pleasure of introducing her to them.
They pulled into the school parking lot and parked in a space directly by the doors. From the car they could hear the music coming from inside and Eleven practically bounced in her seat with anticipation. She was nervous too, of course. This was her first school experience and she'd be surrounded by tons of people she didn't know, but she was more excited than scared.
"Here we are." Andy smiled, turning off her new car and looking to Eleven. "You ready?"
Eleven nodded her head eagerly in response.
"Now remember what I said. Make sure you talk to Max, because girls have got to stick together and no just kissing Mike all night." She teased, pulling a kissy face and Eleven blushed. "Embarrassing." She said, sending tiny daggers to her sister.
"Good, that's my job." Andy chuckled then nudged Eleven's shoulder. "Go have fun, alright? I'll be out here waiting for you."
Eleven nodded, stepping out of the car and Andy watched her go, clasping a hand over heart like a proud parent. El peered over her shoulder, looking for encouragement then sending Andy a little wave before heading inside.
Once she knew El had got in safe, Andy got out the car to find her own date for the night.
Andy saw Steve leaning against the hood of his car across the parking lot. She sauntered over to him, wrapping a strand of hair around her finger.
"What a surprise to see you here." She joked when she reached him. He was wearing a simple red jumper and jeans but the sight made her heart jump. She couldn't believe he was all hers.
"I know, just dropped my kid off at the dance actually." He shrugged casually, the tiniest hint of a smirk visible on his lips. "What are you doing here?"
Andy gasped in mock surprise. "Same! I just dropped my own kid off. They must know each other."
"How crazy." Steve continued with a smile at their game. "I'd for sure remember seeing a pretty face like yours around here."
Andy shrugged effortlessly "Maybe you weren't looking hard enough."
"I must ask, do you have a boyfriend? A girl like you cannot be single."
Andy smirked. "As a matter of fact, I do. He was meant to meet me here actually but he must have stood me up. That's surprising after how long it took him to make things official."
"Then he's a stupid, stupid boy." Steve sniggered. "He must be pretty hot though, right?"
"Meh," She shrugged and Steve's face faltered. "He's got this ridiculous hair and he's kind of dorky, but I like him all the same."
Andy giggled at her teasing and Steve's face from the obvious offence to her jokey comment. It was about time for her to have some payback.
He cleared his throat, regaining composure with a sultry gaze. "Well, I'm going to have to apologise to your boyfriend, because I really want to kiss you right now."
"You better then."
Steve snaked an arm around Andy's waist and pulled her in close so that her knees hit the bumper of his car. He cupped her cheek with his cold hand and pressed his lips to hers. They melted into each other as always.
They pulled away, giddy cheesy smiles on their faces when they looked at one another.
"I love you, dork." Andy grinned. They were unapologetically them for once and for all. "I love you too, crazy." Steve replied througholy smitten.
It was funny looking back on all that had happened. When Andy had first come to Hawkins she was a broken girl. She was grieving, furious about being sent away and struggling to cope with the immense amount of feelings weighing her down. She was so angry about being forced to live in the little town but in fact, that little town wasn't so boring after all and had made her the person she was always meant to be. In many ways, it saved her.
Yes, she was impulsive. Yes, she was emotional. But she was also brave and she was also strong. She was willing to do anything to protect the people closest to her, even risking her own life. She had become a skilled fighter, great babysitter (despite what Mike Wheeler said) and a sister all over again. The girl that once hadn't worked a day in her privileged life was long gone.
Now she had a family, great friends and a wonderful boyfriend she loved more than anything. Even though he was an idiot. Andy might still be impulsive, hot-headed and as emotional as ever, but she had come to see these as good things. Without those very things, she wouldn't have fought monsters, protected her loved ones and saved the world.
She was learning to embrace the glorious mess that she was.
And now she had Steve Harrington by her side to do it with.
Andy didn't know what other challenges would be thrown her way or what life was going to bring her over the next few years, but she knew one thing...
She was ready for it.
A.N
WOW - I really cannot believe that Part 2 of 'Damage Control' is finished! I am so proud of how far the book has come, I truly had no idea it would go this far. Writing and developing the character of Andy Hopper has been amazing, just like her I feel I have grown and changed as a person. I hope you are all as excited as I am to see how she fares in Part 3 and continue her and Steve on their next adventure. A huge thank you as always.
Lola
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