the view between villages // a stranger things choose-your-own-adventure

PAGE 21: I feel great!

WHEW, THAT'S A RELIEF. IT'S GREAT TO HEAR THAT YOU'RE FEELING GREAT! ISN'T LIFE SO LOVELY? LET'S GET INTO THE STORY.

March 21st, 1986

3:01 p.m.

Your shift at Melvald's today is nearly perfect.

You're upbeat, you're energized, your customers are all being polite and kind to you.

Despite all that, you're miserable, because you can't stop thinking about your boyfriend Steve and how all you want to do right now is be with him.

He stayed over again last night. He has every night this week. If it didn't feel too soon, you'd invite him to move in with you.

Maybe you should, anyway. But people usually say "I love you" before they begin cohabitating.

Steve's told you he loves you. He's the best boyfriend on the planet, so of course you love him too. But you can't actually say it out loud for some reason. It's too scary, and—

"Hey! Space cadet!"

You startle when someone snaps their fingers in front of your face.

"I've been calling your name for like, two minutes!" Alicia, your coworker, says. The two of you worked together at Waldenbooks too before the mall shut down. "What's got you so spacey?"

"Sorry," you say. "Just overthinking."

Alicia grins like the Cheshire Cat.

"Daydreaming about your boyfriend?"

"Kind of. I'm trying to build the courage to drop the L-bomb."

"Have you slept with him yet?"

"That's none of your business."

"So that's a yes," Alicia snickers. She gives you an earnest look and says, "The way I see it, you've already shown him your most vulnerable self. So showing it with words too shouldn't be any scarier."

You didn't know she had the capability to be so wise. You're about to compliment her for that very thing until she says, "Speak of the devil, your boy toy is calling on the office phone. Says it's important. Don't have phone sex on company time, okay?"

You ignore her inappropriate jab and beeline toward the back office of the store. Thankfully, no one else is back there so you have some privacy. Not that you are planning on having phone sex at work.

"Hey, Steve," you say. "Is everything okay?"

"Hey, you!" he says. "I just wanted to check in. How's your day going?"

"I'm good," you say. "Thinking about you."

"Aw, shucks," Steve says, cheeky as ever. "I'm thinking about you too. And about last night..."

You resist the urge to say something salacious about how you're going to do it alllllll over again tonight, remembering to bite your tongue when you realize the ever-nosy Alicia could be listening from the front-of-store phone.

"Listen," Steve continues, "Dustin just called Family Video and asked if either of us would play D&D with him tonight instead of going to the championship game. I hope you don't mind, I answered for you and turned him down."

"No, that's fine," you say. "I don't know the first thing about D&D. And I'd rather be with you tonight."

You can't see him, but you get the feeling your words have caused Steve to smile.

"I'd rather be with you too," he says. "Okay, that's all I had for you. I just wanted an excuse to hear your cute voice."

"Smooth," you say with a snort. "I've got to get back to work. See you tonight?"