There's No Place Like Hawkins//Stranger Things. SH

FORTY FOUR

Suzie, Do You Copy?

The summer of 1985 was a particular hot one, which wasn't helped by the long trek through the woods that Catherine Henderson had to take each day. She had been tasked with the job of looking after El while Hopper was at work during the day. Cat didn't necessarily think of it as work, she saw it as being able to spend quality time with her newly found sister- which was nice because Dustin Henderson, her younger brother, was currently away at a science camp.

During the days with El, Mike would often be around and the two lovebirds would sit in El's room for hours. This would leave Cat feeling bored, leading to her spending practically all day on the phone to her boyfriend Steve while he worked at 'Scoops Ahoy' in the new mall. But, on the rare days when Mike wasn't there, Cat would sit with El an teach her how to write. It was this that led to Cat asking Hopper if he would pay her to tutor El, to which he agreed (mainly so she would stop asking him).

***

It was early evening when Cat left the Hopper cabin and cycled into town to the mall. She had tutored El all day, but decided to leave when Mike arrived. She did not need to see him kissing her sister. Cat cycled right up to the mall before hopping off her bike and leaning it on one of the bike racks. Making her way through the mall, she waved at Erica Sinclair and her little of group of friends before rushing into her favourite shop to see her favourite people.

"Hello, favourite person number one." She greeted to the blonde girl behind the counter as she leaned on it.

"Hey there, Cathy." Robin greeted, using her nickname for her newest friend. She handed Cat an ice-cream cone filled with her favourite flavour- chocolate chip.

Cat grinned, taking a lick of the sweet treat. "Thanks Ro. How've you been?"

"Good. It's really boring slinging ice-cream with your dingus boyfriend."

"Mmm, I bet. Speaking of which, is he still in the back?" Cat gestured to the room behind the back window.

"Yeah. He's been talking about you non-stop today. Just like yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that..." Robin rolled her eyes causing Cat to giggle.

"How many times did he tell you about how amazing I am?" Cat joked, moving round to Robin's side of the counter.

"About ten." The blonde teen turned round to serve a customer before turning back to her friend. "He did go on about how badass you were like seven times. Oh, and he called you cool like twenty times for spending your summer tutoring kids."

"Wow." Cat blushed slightly, using her inability to say words as an excuse to have another lick of her ice-cream.

Robin nodded. "You better go see him before he goes crazy from missing you."

Cat laughed and pushed the back door open, causing Steve to look up at her from where he was intently staring at the table. "Miss me?" Cat asked, taking a seat on her boyfriend's lap.