Tension (Steve Harrington)

Chap. 56; Senior Year

Lauren walked with a pot of coffee in her hand, walking to a table with a smile on her fave to get to the table with the laughter of three older men. She topped off everyone's mug before making her way to another table to do the same. On her way out to put the pot away, Sydney backed out the kitchen door with a tray of food followed by Harrison with envelopes. "Hopper." Lauren took the envelope sticking it her apron.

"Thank you." She said as Harrison walked back into the kitchen, shuffling through the paper in his hand. Before she could ask him what she needed, he was gone. Sliding open the service window, she watched him run around the kitchen, saying names, having them to the respective people. "Harrison?"

"What?" He answered, continuing on his misson.

"I wanted to talk to you about the schedule switch." His shoulders dropped, and he looked over at where her voice had come from.

"Shit. You and Sydney are students, aren't you?" Lauren nodded. "When's school start?"

"Monday." He waved her over.

"Come here, get Sydney to cover your tables for twenty minutes." Lauren slid the window closed, looking to the girl that was coming back her way.

"Syd, you got my tables?"

"Yeah? Why?"

"I got to talk to Harrison about school." The curls on the girl bounced as she nodded a smile on her face. Lauren made her way back in the kitchen, getting a smile from Richie as she walked by into Harrisons office.

"So just assuming you want after-school five to ten?"

"Yeah, that works for me, but I'm going to need Friday night off along with Saturdays as a whole."

"Why?"

"My mother told this family I'd babysit for them." The first time she had watched them was when Diane dropped her off to watch the huge group of kids. The second was the Friday prior to this, where she went and stayed the night with them until the next night.

Everything she had on her plate was stressing her out. What's the first meeting the psychiatrist changed the original prescription she had given Bill. The new anti-depressants seemed to be helping her with the motivation piece but didn't help with the baggage. The talking piece was not as helpful as she remembered it being. She also reminded herself that everything takes time. The stress of working this job was a lot more than she had anticipated. After all, it's just a waitressing job.

But somehow, she is nearly working full time and barely following those child labor laws. The kids, when she babysit, seemed to be the only thing that wasn't the most stressful part, ironically.

"Fridays, can you work before school?"

"School starts a seven."

"Okay?"

"If you wanted me to work a full shift, I'd have to be here at like one in the morning."

"You would have to work a full shit maybe be here at four thirty?" Lauren sighed. She needed every cent she could get a hold of. If she was going to be to raise a teenage girl when she got back. That's why she didn't fight Diane about the babysitting. Along with the fact that they kids were adorable.

"Yeah, that's fine, I guess."

"Okay, I'll get you scheduled worked out. Give it to you as soon as it's ready. Do you want to bring Sydney in here?" Lauren stood up from her seat, walking out the door. Right ad Lauren opened the door she reached for the tray in Sydney's hand. "Your turn."

"Joy." She faked a smile, letting Lauren take the tray from her hand.

☆

Lauren put the key in the door, letting the dog in first. "Auggie!" Jennie yelled, dropping to her knees and waiting for the dog to run up to her. Once her leash was off, she tied into her arms. Standing in the kitchen, Diane motioned for Lauren to pull her headphones off.