DYNAMITE ► DUSTIN HENDERSON [2]

TWO

JASPER ENTERED THE CABIN ANGRILY, her Converse stomping against the creaky floorboards. She let out a heavy exhale of anger, throwing her backpack onto one of the dining table chairs. Whatever sadness and insecurity that had deepened in her chest during her escape from dinner now morphed into frustration and anger. And the only person in the room to witness the redhead's emotional state was Hopper.

"Um, hello?" The chief grunted in confusion, tossing another chip into his mouth. He was reclined back in his armchair and gazing up at his daughter with curious bright blue eyes that matched her own. "Can I help you on this pleasant evening?"

Jasper caught her father's inquisitive eyes, pressing her lips together tightly as she noticed the faint music pouring from El's bedroom. "I'm guessing Mike is here?"

"When is he not?" Hopper groaned, not bothering to hide his disdain of the Wheeler boy from Jasper. He outstretched his arm that was previously cradling a bag of potato chips. "Chip?"

"No thanks," Jasper declined, shuffling into the kitchen to fix herself a glass of water. "Lost my appetite."

"Ah, okay," Hopper nodded coolly, but he wasn't oblivious: he knew something was wrong. Jasper always had the tendency to show up unannounced at the cabin, but never at such a late hour and never in such an irritated mood.

"I don't want to talk about it," Jasper declared before Hopper could even begin to interrogate her. She was furiously gulping down her water, running restless fingers through her hair.

"Okay, well," Hopper quietly chewed on another chip, "let me know when you do wanna talk."

The redhead slammed the empty cup into the sink, wiping her dampened lips with her sleeve. "I'm just gonna take a nap in your room for a bit, if that's okay?"

"Yeah, of course," Hopper's voice softened, as he finally began to observe the exhaustion pressed into his daughter's expression.

"Thanks," Jasper nodded gratefully, hurriedly brushing past him and El's slightly ajar door. She knew better than to try to interrupt another infamous Mike and Eleven makeout session, which she had grown quite indignant to.

Of course, she and Dustin were guilty of having their moments as well, but never as consistently and as time-consuming. She prided herself into having a healthy relationship and still making adequate time for her friends. It was something she had been trying—and clearly failing—to teach El.

The redhead entered Hopper's bedroom, immediately being met with the stench of cigarettes and beer. "Damn it, Hop," Jasper cringed, noting the full ash tray and empty bottles on his bedside table. "Why can't you do this somewhere else?"

But the Hopper girl was too tired to make an attempt to dispose of the cigarette buds and glass bottles, and instead found herself clambering into the thick sheets of her father's bed. Besides the cigarettes and alcohol, she could also smell Hopper's cologne faintly on the bed, and it was a scent that comforted her.

"I can't wait for you to come back, Dusty," she spoke aloud to no one but herself. She allowed herself to shut her eyes and think of the curly-headed boy, and how he was probably off somewhere gallivanting with other science nerds. A smile quickly spread on her lips as his laugh played in her head, as well as the sensation of his lips on hers.