A knock from their cracked bedroom door made Joyce and Hopper bring their noses out of their homework. Greg was standing in the doorframe looking down at the two teenagers who seemed to be the center of attention for both his home and work life.
"You guys busy?" He questioned, noticing the books and papers scattered along the bed between the two.
"Not really, just finishing up some homework. Everything okay?" Hopper wondered, closing the dreaded algebra book in his lap and giving his full attention to his father.
"If y'all have a second can you come down to the kitchen for a family meeting? There's a few things we need to discuss." Greg watched as Jim stood from his bed and adjusted the shoulders of his flannel, the sight of a hickey on his son's neck making him grin. He had expected it. Both Jim and Joyce we're young. Hell, he could remember Mary leaving several on him when they were back in high school.
"Might want to adjust your collar, son." Greg laughed, tapping his own neck. He didn't miss Jim's ears starting to turn red as he turned from the doorway and headed back down to the kitchen.
Mary was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in her hand and a manilla folder resting in the center of the worn, brown, surface of the table they had received as a wedding gift from Greg's parents.
"They coming down?" Mary questioned, rotating the coffee mug in her hands. She was nervous for the first time since she could remember.
"Yeah, they're putting up their schoolwork first." Greg reached out and placed his hand on hers to help calm her nerves.
"It's going to be alright pumpkin. She might have to get used to the idea, but we've been taking care of her for years. Nothing is going to change I promise." The sound of feet coming down the stairs alerted them to the kid's presence and Greg gave Mary's hand one last reassuring squeeze before moving to the coffee pot to make himself a cup. The teens both sat down at the table and Mary smiled when she saw Jim put his arm over Joyce's shoulder. He was protective, just like his father.
Once Greg returned to the table, Jim was the first to speak. "So what's going on? Both of you are awfully quiet."
"Well, we have some news that concerns Joyce and the case," Greg stated, blowing into his coffee mug before taking a sip.
Both Joyce and Jim sat up straighter, neither of them sure if they wanted to hear what Greg and Mary had to say. Mary opened the folder and slid it in front of the teens, watching as Joyce pulled it closer to them and began to read. Mary and Greg held their breath for a few seconds before Joyce looked up at them.
"She signed her rights away? That means she can't take me? She can't make me leave?"
"That's right honey. No one can make you leave, but you know you're free to go whenever you want to." Greg stated, standing up and walking around the table.
"This section here states that Mary and I have temporary custody over you until your birthday. Then you will be a legal adult in charge of yourself. This section right here..." Greg turned the page. "States that Linda will not try to contact you. But it has her information in case you want to contact her."
Joyce sat in silence and read through the remainder of the pages not entirely sure how to feel.
"You alright Joy?" Hopper asked, moving to rub her back.
"I don't know honestly...I'm so relieved that she won't be able to make me leave, she won't be able to try to make me into something I'm not. But I also feel sad...I can't explain it. It's like I'm glad she doesn't have control, but I'm also sad that the woman who gave birth to me doesn't want a thing to do with me. Like I knew she didn't before, but this just makes it official."
The kitchen was silent with the exception of everyone's breathing and the occasional shuffle of papers, no one really knowing what to say. They all knew she had a right to feel this way, but that didn't make it hurt her any less. Greg cleared his throat, bringing everyone's attention back to him.
"I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted Joyce."
"Oh no, it's exactly what I wanted. She can't take me away from the people I love. It's just hitting me wrong for some reason." Joyce mourned, looking back down at the papers in her lap one last time before shutting the folder and sliding it back across the table.
"What are we doing for dinner mom? Is there anything I can do to help?" Joyce asked, officially closing the family meeting for the night. Mary looked back at Greg and sighed when he nodded his head.
"Sure honey, you can peel the potatoes."
Hopper watched Joyce in the bathroom mirror carefully, trying to gauge her mood while they brushed their teeth. She hadn't said much since the family meeting and he knew he should give her space while she was off in her own head, but he wanted to be there for her in any way possible. Quickly rinsing his mouth with water, he reached for the mouthwash at the same time she did and their fingertips brushed against each other, causing a blush to cover Joyce's cheeks.
"I miss seeing you blush over small things like that." Hopper smiled, wrapping his hand around her small one.
"I still blush, you just don't see it." She giggled, stepping into his embrace and resting her head against his chest with a sigh. Tonight had done a number on her emotions for some reason and all she wanted to do was crawl into bed and snuggle up to the one person she loved more than anything in the world.
"Come to bed and hold me?" She whispered against the cotton of his shirt.
"Lead the way."
"Whoever decided that High School needed to start at seven thirty in the morning needs to be shot." Joyce grumbled into her thermos. Like usual, they were running slightly behind in their morning routine, because Joyce had convinced Hopper to snooze the alarm three times before she unwillingly climbed out of the warmth of their bed.
"I couldn't agree more. Who actually wants to start learning this early?" Hopper asked, turning the heat up in his truck.
"Don't forget I have to tutor that new kid today after school." Joyce commented, taking yet another sip of her coffee. Very rarely did Joyce drink the bitter liquid, but it was literally the only reason she was coherent at the moment.
"That's fine darlin', I have practice today so we can meet up when we're both done. You want to meet at the library or the lockers?"
"Library is good, you'll probably be done before I am. From the way this guy acts in class it's going to take a miracle for him to pass."
Pulling into the parking lot at school, Joyce leaned her head onto Hopper's shoulder as he turned his truck off.
"What would I have to do to talk you into skipping today?" She sighed, dreading walking through those doors. She didn't want to deal with anyone today and it wasn't because of the bullying which had calmed down significantly since her and Hopper had went public, she just wanted to be alone with him.
"I wish we could, hopefully the day will go by fast and we'll be home before you know it." Taking her hand in his, Hopper brought her knuckles up to his lips and placed a lingering kiss on her hand.
"Come on beautiful, let's get this shit show started."
The library was quiet as usual with the small amount of visitors during the after school hours and Joyce sat at one of her favorite tables in the back corner. She had arrived ten minutes ago, wanting to get this tutoring thing going so she could actually see what this Lonnie kid knew. Glancing to her right, she noticed Karen Buono, a girl in her year tutoring a younger student.
After waiting for what seemed like forever, Joyce sighed and began to pack up her stuff. She should have known that Lonnie would bail on his tutoring session. It was hard for her to understand how someone didn't give a shit about their education, matter less their future. As she zipped her book bag shut, a panting figure came sprinting through the library.
"Sorry...needed a cigarette..." He huffed, trying to catch his breath as he threw his book bag on the table and took a seat. Joyce raised her eyebrow at him, the smell of smoke rolling off of his jacket.
"You're lucky, I was about to leave."
"Yeah sorry, I wasn't able to get one in after lunch so the urge was killing me. Where are we starting?" He haphazardly flipped through his textbook.
"I guess where we're at in class right now. What is it that your confused on with Hamlet?"
"I guess it's all this shit that's going on with Ophelia."
Hopper slowly made this way up the second flight of stairs heading toward the library and groaned. Practice had kicked his ass and he was sore. He would probably have to break down tonight and take a sit down bath to let his muscles soak in some incredibly hot water to ease the pain. The library door smacked against his arm when he entered and he winced, wanting nothing more than to wrap Joyce in his arms and go home. Navigating through the numerous isle of books, he found Joyce in her favorite corner, the tables occupied by Joyce, Karen Buono, and who he assumed was this Lonnie kid. Hopper listened in as Joyce went on about something in act three of Hamlet as he walked over to the table. When she looked up and noticed him standing there, a smile as wide as the Grand Canyon covered her face.
"Hey honey! How was practice?" She asked, getting to her feet and coming to place a kiss on his cheek. Hopper's hand automatically went to her side.
"It was good, just want to go home and relax. Coach really let us have it today. You ready?"
"Yeah, just let me grab my stuff. Oh, by the way Hop, this is Lonnie. Karen was tutoring a freshman and heard what Lonnie was struggling with and decided to lend a hand. Karen you of course know Jim. Lonnie, this is my boyfriend Jim Hopper." Joyce finally inhaled, her excitement evident in her voice.
Lonnie stood up from the table to shake Hopper's hand and the way he gripped tighter than a normal handshake didn't go unnoticed. He was trying to size Hopper up, so he put more pressure into his shake, showing him who the alpha was here.
"I need to be heading home too, I still need to finish that project for biology. When will you two be studying here again?" Karen questioned as she gathered her books into her bag. Joyce looked over at Lonnie, waiting for his answer.
"I'm available whenever. I just go home after school usually."
"Okay, so how about Tuesday? Does that work for everyone?" Joyce asked.
Hopper watched as his peers agreed on the next tutoring session before putting his hand on Joyce's lower back and guiding her toward the door. As an afterthought he called over his shoulder.
"It was nice meeting you Lonnie, and Karen, a pleasure as always."
School the next week passed in the same boring fashion it always did. The pressure to begin studying for finals was already hitting the seniors as they prepared to apply to colleges and jobs for the fall. On top of that, the wrestling finals were Friday night, making the coach stress about any and everything. He was constantly calling Hopper out of his classes, grabbing his attention in the hallway, and even found him at the lunch table. The behavior was starting to irritate him. He knew what the hell he was doing, he'd been doing these moves and routines since his freshman year. There was a reason that he had been made captain and he wished the coach would realize this so he'd calm the fuck down. Add to the fact that girls were still trying their damndest to win him over was just the icing on top of the cake. He couldn't walk down the hallway by himself without someone trying to run their hands down some part of his body. Saturday couldn't get there fast enough he thought.
When Friday came, Hopper felt like he couldn't deal with anything. The stress from the school week on top of the pressure of the match that night had him on edge. When his alarm went off, Joyce had to lean over him and hit the snooze button, because he didn't even have the energy to do it himself.
Joyce groaned, nuzzling her head into his shoulder, causing him to pull her closer. Whenever he could hold her he felt calm, like nothing could bother him.
"If it wouldn't count against my attendance I would say screw it and hide out in the treehouse all day with you."
"I wish. We need to go back there soon anyway, it's been a few weeks. Probably need to clean it and change the sheets."
A smile flickered across Hopper's face as he remembered the last time they went to the treehouse to 'clean'.
"I know what you're thinking, and we really do need to clean it." Joyce laughed, placing a kiss on his chest before climbing out of bed. She had gotten into the habit of sleeping in her panties and one of his shirts, and Hopper couldn't help but watch as his shirt rode up around her stomach, showing off her ass when she stretched. He felt his dick start to harden at the sight of her and quickly tried to focus his thoughts on something else. With a groan he sat up and rubbed his eye with the heel of his hand, the feel of cold denim hitting his leg redirecting is attention. Upon looking up, his head was enveloped in orange flannel. Pulling the shirt from his face, he ducked when a pair of socks came flying at him.
"You picking out my clothes for me now?" He laughed, finding Joyce digging through the drawer with his undershirts before tossing a black one on the bed near his feet
"Nope, I just want you to wear this outfit today because I'm going to wear these." She pulled out the jeans that Mary had bought her for Christmas and started sliding them up her legs. Hopper had been dying to see them on her knowing they were the tightest pair of jeans she'd ever owned.
"Fine, but if I wear this, you have to wear one of my shirts. Gotta show everyone that you're mine."
"Getting a little possessive are we?" She teased, grabbing one of the old shirts he had outgrown she thought would look good with her new jeans.
"Jim! Jim! wait a second!" Hopper heard an annoyingly familiar voice call out in the hallway and looked behind him, seeing the figure of Marissa pushing her way slowly through a crowd of people. When she finally reached him, her hand instantly went out to fix the collar of his shirt and he sighed, tired of women who weren't Joyce touching him.
"Hey, I just wanted to wish you good luck tonight at the match. I'm going to be rooting for you." She cooed, running her fingers down the length of his arm. Hopper couldn't take it anymore and jerked away from the contact, not giving a damn when he saw the hurt expression in Marissa's eyes.
"I really wish you would quit touching me Marissa. I'm with Joyce. We've been dating for months now and you know this, everyone in this shit hole of a school knows this." His voice grew louder with each word to the point where he was beginning to yell.
"Jim I didn't mean…."
"All of you females in the this school keep trying to hold my hand, you keep slipping stupid love letters into my locker and running your hands down my arm. I'm with Joyce! I'm not a prize that you get for being whore of the year, and I'm asking for the last time, for all of you to stop fucking touching me!" Marissa flinched away from his words, a look of fear in her eyes.
"I'm...I'm…sorry...I..."
"Hopper? What's going on?" Joyce called out through the crowd, their peers parting as she made her way toward her angered boyfriend and easily slid her hand into his when she finally reached his side.
"I'm saying this one time, and one time only. I'm with Joyce. I love her. If you're not Joyce or a guy, do not touch me. I'm not looking for a fuck buddy, a friend, or a hug from any female that is not Joyce Horowitz, are we clear?" Hopper's voice echoed through the now silent hall. Grasping Joyce's hand a little tighter, he lead her through the crowd of people and out the double doors, not speaking a word until they were under the bleachers.
"Hop, what was all-" Joyce didn't get to finish her sentence before she found her face buried in his chest with his fingers threading through her hair to pull her closer.
"I'm so tired of everyone in this school trying to get a piece of me Joy. All I want is you. Just you."
"And you have me. I'm not going anywhere Hop, I promise." She whispered, looking up to meet his eyes.
"Do you have time for a cigarette before you go to the gym?" She questioned, already digging in her front pocket for his lighter she loved to steal.
"Yeah, coach can bite my ass for all I care at the moment." He sighed, reaching into his pocket for their camels. Together under the bleachers, Joyce listened to everything that had been bothering him over the past week and offered what little advice and comfort she could to help relieve some of the stress he was feeling.
"You bring your camera for the match?" He asked, dropping the butt of his camel to the ground and crushing it beneath his boot.
"Yeah, it's in my bag. Gotta get those shots of you winning for the yearbook." She winked, taking one last drag from her cigarette. "I love you." Wrapping her arms around his waist to block out the cold wind, she took a moment to just feel him before they went back inside.
"I love you too Joy."
"Come on Jim kick his ass!" Benny yelled from the sideline.
Hopper was currently in the final round with their rivals captain. This match had been brewing for two years, both captains wanting to prove they were the better alpha in the world of high school wrestling. The feeling of her camera's shutter clicking inside the camera kept Joyce grounded and focused on her job. Get shot's of the match for the yearbook, and for her and Hopper's personal collection. Joyce zoomed in on Hopper's face as he held the opposing captain in a lock. She knew It wouldn't be long before he won, the other captain was losing strength by the second. Hopper skillfully pinned the other man beneath him out of nowhere and in a flash the match had been won.
"Way to go Hop!" Joyce yelled from her spot in the gym as she got a shot of the two captains shaking hands. She was lucky enough to snag one of Benny hugging Hopper and she hoped their relationship, even though strained, would return to some resemblance of normal. He needed a guy friend and Benny was the only one he'd ever been close with. When the trophy was handed out, Jim held it over his head proudly. After a long two year rivalry he had finally put the other captain in his place.
"Joyce we won!" Hopper yelled when his eyes landed on her.
"I know silly, I've been watching." She giggled as Hopper pulled her into a hug.
"Eww let go, you're sweaty." She whined, moving away from him and placing her camera strap around her neck.
"Sorry, let me go change and we can head home. I'm starving."
"I'll meet you by the truck okay?" She called after him.
"Alright honey, I won't be long."
Joyce smiled when she saw Hopper and Benny both talking for what she assumed was the first time since the incident. Snapping her lense cap back in place, Joyce followed the crowd out to the parking lot and pulled Hopper's flannel closer around her body, wishing she'd gotten his keys before the match had started. Leaning against the front of his truck, her mind went in several different directions as she thought about everything that needed to be done before the weekend was over. She had to finalize the page layout for the wrestling team, she hoped she got a clear shot of Hopper and Benny holding the trophy to add to the yearbook, she had to put the final touches on her English assignment on Hamlet and they still had to brush the horses when they got home. It just always seemed like there was so much that needed to be done, without enough time to actually do it all.
The sound of giggling pulled Joyce from her thoughts. Marissa and two of her sisters were walking toward their car and she easily overheard them talking.
"I just don't get what he sees in someone like her." Marissa sneered, making eye contact with Joyce.
"I'm just glad she got a pair of jeans that were made within the last ten years." Her youngest sister snipped as she looked down her nose in her direction.
Joyce felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up and she pushed off from the truck, placing her camera in the bed before walking over to Marissa. She was tired of people talking shit, especially people who didn't know a damn thing about her.
"If you have something to say Marissa, why don't you say it to my goddamn face?" Joyce questioned, picking up speed as she moved closer to the car. She didn't miss the glint of fear in Marissa's eyes, which wasn't a surprise. Marissa wasn't a girl to fight, all talk and no bite.
"There a problem here ladies?" A familiar voice called across the parking lot and four sets of eyes turned and landed on Lonnie who was making his way toward them, a cigarette between his lips.
"Just another bitch talking shit she can't back up." Joyce snarled over her shoulder.
Lonnie finally reached the four women and took a spot beside Joyce. "Three on one, shows a lot of class there ladies. Why don't you three get in your car and shove off huh? Don't want to mess up those pretty little outfits when she whoops all your asses." Lonnie commented, as he dropped his cigarette onto the asphalt.
The three sisters looked Joyce and Lonnie up and down before they raised their noses and climbed into their car, quickly pulling out of the parking lot.
"You didn't have to do that." Joyce stated, turning around to walk back toward Hopper's truck.
"Never did like girls that traveled in packs. You however, you're a loner and I like that. You're not afraid to say what's on your mind when you're pushed to that point."
"Thanks I guess." Joyce laughed, as she checked to make sure her camera was still safe in the truck bed.
"You take pictures for fun or for school?" Lonnie questioned, reaching for another cigarette. He offered Joyce one and she gladly accepted, needing something to counter the adrenaline pumping in her system.
"Both really, I'm a photographer for the school newspaper and yearbook, but I also love taking shots of nature, and just stuff around me." She exhaled smoke, watching as Lonnie let the tailgate down and climbed up, patting the empty spot beside him.
"Why does everyone here hate you? What did you do to piss them all off?" Lonnie asked, taking a drag off his cigarette.
"They don't like me because of how I dress, and I'm quiet and like to keep to myself." She said with a shrug. He didn't need to know anything more than that.
"Your clothes look fine to me." Lonnie rested his hand on Joyce's knee, rubbing patterns into the denim and red flags instantly began to flash in front of her eyes. She glanced around, secretly hoping Hopper wouldn't be much longer. By some miracle the gym door swung open and he emerged with his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans as he headed toward them. Joyce jumped down from the tailgate and practically ran into his arms where he caught her and spun her around.
"I'm so proud of you honey!" She squealed, hugging him close to her. Hopper slung his arm around her shoulders as they made their way to the truck and spotted Lonnie sitting on his tailgate.
"Everything okay Joy?" He whispered into her ear as they approached.
"Talk later." She whispered back.
When they stopped beside the truck, Lonnie jumped down. "Great match Jim, glad you guys won." He commented as he closed the tailgate back.
"Thanks, it's been a match in the making for two years now. You ready to go home Joy?" Hopper asked, putting emphasis on the word home.
"Yeah, I'm tired, I just want to cuddle up to you and go to sleep." Jocye replied, staring at Lonnie.
"Well the two of you have a good night then." Lonnie said, giving both Joyce and Hopper a two finger salute as he wondered to the other end of the parking lot. Joyce grabbed her camera out of the truck bed and cradled it to her chest. She knew Hopper was going to be pissed once she told him about Lonnie and would probably insist that she stopped tutoring him. Hopper opened Joyce's door for her and waited until she was safe in the cab before walking to the drivers side and climbing in. Once he had the engine running, and the heat on, he turned his body to face her.
"What happened?"
