Stand by me (steve harrington)

Chpt 26: The Mall

One Year Later

It's been a year since Eleven closed the gate and everything went back to normal. Everything and nothing has changed. I dyed my hair a few times during the year. At first, i went back to pink, then to blue and don't even get me started on the green.

But now i just have the bottoms dyed purple. Hopper, El and i still live in the cabin in the woods and we're all happy. Well... Most of us are happy.

Now that El is getting older, she's becoming a teenager, and Hopper is not the biggest fan of that. Mike is here practically every day now.

Him and El are kissing like normal teenagers do. It's better than what i was doing when i was her age. But Hopper is livid every time he sees him.

In other news, Steve and i are still close. Probably closer than we ever have been. We spent the last few months of school studying for the final exams we have before college.

At the start of summer, we spent our days going to the movies, eating junk food and i even gave Steve his first joint. I got them from the local dealer, Eddie Munson, he's alright i guess.

I knew him a couple of years ago. We had some fun, but then he wanted more than just hook ups so i had to cut him off.

Steve and i now work at the mall! At first, we both went up for the same job at 'Scoops Ahoy' which is an ice cream shop. Steve got the job and i didn't.

When i found out, i kicked him in the crotch and didn't speak to him for a week. But then he told me he could get me free ice cream so i forgave him.

I now work at the escape room that's next door to scoops ahoy. It's fun i guess, but i mostly like it because i get lots of free time. Once i lock them in, i'm free for about half an hour. I usually spend that time with Robin and Steve.

Robin is Steve's co-worker. She's my first real female friend in a long time. I mean, i was close with Nancy but we drifted a lot. I heard her and Johnathan are dating now. Like, really dating.

But anyways, I knew Robin from around school, but i never spoke to her. She's in band and a year younger than me. I have to say, i do regret not getting to know her sooner.

But the most important thing that has happened this year, is i finally got my own walkman. I stole some of Steve's disks but i also bought some of my own.

Other than that, everything is pretty much the same. I was sitting on the couch with my dad as we watched 'Magnum P.I'. I was in and out of consciousness as i was falling asleep. Hopper was sitting next to me as he angrily shoved crisps in his mouth.

El was in her room with Mike as music blared. Hopper leaned back in his chair to see what they were doing. "Hey!" he yelled causing me to wake up.

El swung the door shut with her powers. "Three inch minimum! Leave the door open the inches!" he yelled. He probably saw them kissing. Hopper bolted up as he tried to open the door.

"El. Open this door. Open. The. Door!" he yelled. The door opened and he saw El at one side of the bed and Mike at the other. "What's wrong?" Mike asked with a smirk.

Hopper exhaled angrily. "Mike. Are you going to the cinema tonight?" i asked. He looked at the clock. "Oh shit! I'm late!" he exclaimed. He kissed El goodbye as he ran out the door.