A Deal With God

Chapter 14: The Cafeteria

Hopper wondered if maybe he should have let Quinn tag along to Eugene's farm the previous day. The extra set of eyes and hands would undoubtedly have helped but moreover, she would have kept him on time as she had her own plans that night. Eleven was still — understandably — upset with him for being late after he promised to be back by 5:15 so that they could watch scary movies and eat candy together. Since she never emerged from her room to have any of the candy he brought back, he sprinkled a random selection of sugary sweets onto the stack of Fluff-layered Eggos, hoping this calorie bomb for breakfast would appease her.

"Rise and shine," Hopper said, gently pushing El's bedroom door open. She quickly turned onto her side, facing away from him.

"So that's it, huh? You're still not talking?" He questioned, not really expecting a response.

"Alright, I guess I'm just gonna have to, uh, enjoy this triple-decker Eggo extravaganza on my own then," he declared, turning back to the kitchen. He heard rustling from her room and smiled softly when she emerged and made her way over to the table. He sat down across from her and proceeded to cut the sugary behemoth down the middle. She took a piece and started munching on it, clearly struggling to hide her little smile.

"Mmm! Good, right? And you know the great thing about it? It's only 8000 calories," Hopper joked.

"You visited him again last night?" Hopper asked after a beat, seeing the cord to the TV crossing the living room and going under her bedroom door.

"He says he needs me," El replied eventually.

"Want me to go check on him?" Hopper asked. Eleven shook her head no.

"I know that you miss him, alright? But it's too dangerous. You're the last thing he needs right now. You're gonna see him. Soon. And not just in that head of yours. You're gonna see him in real life. I feel like I'm making progress with these people," he told her earnestly, seeing the crossed expression on her face.

"Friends don't lie," Eleven said, leaning forward.

"What?" He asked perplexed.

"You say 'soon' on day 21, you say 'soon' on day 205, you now say 'soon' on day 326," she listed, much to his surprise.

"What is this? You're counting the days like you're some kind of prisoner?" Hopper scoffed.

"Five gets to go everywhere! She goes to school, and she hangs out with the Party, and she's free to go wherever she likes! When is 'soon'?" El seethed.

"Do you understand why Quinn gets to do all of that? It's because no one is looking for her, like they are for you," Hopper tried to reason.

"When is 'soon'?" El repeated the question.

"'Soon' is when it's not dangerous anymore," Hopper said, trying to be diplomatic.

"I can deal with the bad people," El tried to argue.

"Killing people that bother us isn't a solution! That's how you turn a problem into an even bigger problem. That's how you get taken away! That's how you put everyone that has ever known about you into grave danger. Is that what you want?!" He argued back.

"I want to see Mike!" El shouted, turning on her heel and going into her room, swinging her arm back to slam the door with her mind. Hopper rolled his eyes to the ceiling; this was not how he had hoped the morning would go. He finished his coffee, leaving the Eggo extravaganza on the table, and made his way over to the door, grabbing his coat and his hat on the way out.

— • —

"Good morning, Hop, I wouldn't take your coat off if I were you," Flo greeted him as he walked into the station. He stopped in his tracks, sighing deeply.