Alice the Amazing ⇒ STRANGER THINGS

[32] Ahoy!

Steve Harrington wasn't happy wearing sailor's shorts.

He would trade his car for a better job in a heartbeat. He'd walk all over town if it meant he could look cool, and not like a total—

"Dingus!" Robin said. "You're a dingus."

"What did I do now?" he said, exasperated.

"You mixed the sample spoons with regular spoons," she said, holding up a bright red cup. "The sample spoons are supposed to stay behind the counter, not at the register."

Steve crossed his arms.

"Why?" he said.

"It's company policy," she said dryly. "Didn't you pay attention during orientation?"

Steve looked down at his shirt with disdain.

"No," Steve said. "I spent the whole time imagining burning this costume alive."

Willie Cooper, the third employee at Scoops that afternoon, chuckled and said, "I couldn't agree more."

Willie was only 15—just barely old enough to work in Indiana. He was desperately trying to fit in with the older kids, but he had trouble relating to them. He actually didn't hate the uniform, but figured hating on it would be a good bonding opportunity.

Robin finished reorganizing the spoons just as Maria, Quincy, and Alice entered the ice cream shop. They were carrying their backpacks and planning the first stop on their trip.

"I'm telling you," Quincy said. "There's this ice cream shop in Muncie we can't miss."

"That's forty-five minutes out of our way!" Alice protested. "We don't have time for that."

"We should make time!" Quincy said, eyes shining. "It's amazing."

Alice gestured around Scoops.

"We're literally getting ice cream now," she said.

"Alice Henderson," Maria said, "you can never eat too much ice cream."

"She's right," Robin said, relieved to see her friends.

"How's the first week going?" Maria asked the trio of sailors.

"It's fantastic!" Steve said sarcastically. "I definitely don't feel like an idiot."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better," Alice said, "you look adorable."

Steve's cheeks turned pink.

"Thanks," he mumbled. He then muttered something incoherent.

"What was that?" Alice asked, leaning closer across the ice cream counter.

Steve cleared his throat and said, "Blue Moo. I asked if you wanted any Blue Moo ice cream?"

Alice shook her head.

"I'm team strawberry," she said.

Steve scooped the pink ice cream into a Scoops Ahoy-themed cup.

"One scoop or two?" he asked.