Becky had two sides to her personality. Well, it was more one personality, in two different settings. She had to learn how to behave in certain settings almost exactly two years ago, when she moved to Hawkins to live with her dad.
Jim Hopper was a tough cookie, a cop, and very much an old-school kind of man. That said, like so many fathers, he had a soft spot for his daughter and was willing to turn a blind eye when needed. But for his sake, and the sake of harmony in the household, Becky did her best not to push his buttons and spare him the things she knew he wouldn't like.
She wouldn't smoke in front of him, but would light a cigarette pretty much as soon as the cabin door closed behind him. They both knew, of course, and no amount of draft would air out the smoke enough for Jim to not notice, but for the sake of harmony, he pretended.
Becky would save the makeup for when he was out of the house. She would remove cardigans, jackets, or any other outer layers only when in her car, pulling down at the side of her shirt to make her clavicle show just a bit more. She'd put perfume outside the house, and she'd save the pushup bra only for special occasions, and not for daily use.
Both of them made certain sacrifices, as Becky didn't want to break her poor old dad's heart, and Jim knew all too well that he didn't have it in him to be as accepting as some girl dads had to be. And for a while, they functioned like that, both behaving like ostriches with heads in the sand. But, certain things had to change with the arrival of Eleven.
Becky was beside herself back then, trying to understand how the hell they were supposed to live a normal life while harboring what essentially was a fugitive. She knew of El, having met her in November of 1983 when they were all bending over backward to find little Will Byers. The world they were all thrust into then was different from the one they thought was the only world they'd ever have to experience.
Fully aware that each and every one of them owed their lives to El, she wasn't dismissive of the idea of helping her - Becky was just confused as to how they would even be able to pull it off. And to that day, she still wasn't sure if Jim's idea was the best. But neither Jim nor Becky, nor even El herself, for that matter, had much of a say in it.
El was, essentially, her sister. And that took a while to get used to.
Not because of El - god no, the girl was an angel. It had a lot more to do with the fact that Becky once was an older sister, and then lost that role, in the worst way possible. As if that wasn't enough in itself, she had to watch it break her family apart, into pieces that were to that day unrecognizable, much less fixable. El was a surprise that Becky wasn't prepared for, but for the sake of the girl, Becky accepted it all as it kept being thrown at her.
El didn't have a normal childhood. From the little she felt comfortable sharing with Becky, it seemed she didn't have any childhood at all. She didn't get to experience friends, fights with said friends, kisses after playground boo-boo, first days of kindergarten, school, and all those things children her age had been through. It broke Becky's heart, so much so that she moved past her own worry and panic, and embraced the girl as much as she could.
Day after day, El would open up more and Becky waited for her, giving her as much space as she needed. And day after day, El would spend more time in Becky's room, asking more questions, learning more about what she referred to as the 'outside life'.
That too broke Becky's heart, and was a point of contention in their impromptu family. She was careful when asking for things, benign things, such as going to a party or two, as she didn't want to make El feel as if she was missing out. But at the end of the day, El was missing out, and Becky couldn't let her life rot away completely. She'd pick her battles carefully, willing to make certain sacrifices, but refusing to stop living her life.
It started with an outing or two - to the movies, to a house party, to grab milkshakes with Steve and Nancy, or to help Jonathan with his biology test. Then she insisted to get a part-time summer job, something that took some convincing. When Jim finally relented, Becky was ecstatic, and so was El, as she got to ask so many more questions than before.
"Why do you wear red on your lips for parties but this… pink brown for work?" she asked from her designated place on Becky's bed, as she watched her put on makeup.
"Well, red is very… noticeable," Becky tried to explain as best as she could. "You wear red when you want people to look at you, when you want attention. This color is something that we wear on regular days when we just want to look good, a bit better than usual, but not exactly draw attention to ourselves. It also depends a lot on what you're wearing. If it's like what I'm wearing now, just jeans and a shirt, I don't need much. If it's something nicer, then you want to make an effort with makeup. It also depends on the setting - school or work are not exactly places where you want to look super duper pretty. A party usually is."
"That is… very complicated," El decided.
Becky turned around to smile at the girl, but noticing the frown on El's face, she tosses her lipstick to the side and walks over to join the girl on the bed. With a kind smile, she takes El's hand in hers. "It's all just… stupid, general rules. You don't have to wear any lipstick, ever. You can also wear whatever color you want if you feel like it. Just because people are used to certain things, doesn't mean you have to follow them. Do your own thing. Never do things just because people expect you to do."
"Are you talking about makeup or about something else?" El asked. Despite not being well-versed in social cues, El was perceptive as hell. She notices a lot of things, much more than others do, and she picks up on details that would fly over most heads. Becky liked that about her. And it also reminded Becky to be more observant when she could.
"Both, really," Becky admitted, smiling in return to El. "There are… so many things that you will get to see, do and experience. And I promise I will lead you through most of those as soon as it's safe. I can't make any promises as to when that'll be, but I can promise that I'll be there for you. Sisters, remember?" she reminded the girl. It may not have started off normal, and they may have had some bumps along the way, Becky in particular, but it didn't change the nature of their relationship - they really were sisters, and Becky, along with Jim, was the only connection El had to the real world. It's not something she took for granted.
"Sisters," El confirmed, squeezing Becky's hand. "That lip color looks perfect, by the way," she adds, looking at Becky's face and making her laugh.
"Thank you, sweetie," Becky blushed. "I know it's just for work, but… let's just say I'm keeping my hopes up that I will see a certain customer."
"The one you were hoping to see last week?" El asked. Damn her and her perceptiveness.
"Yes."
"The boy from the party?" El was grinning at Becky then.
"Yes," Becky confirmed, giving El a pointed look. "I told you, I have no idea when I will see him again, or if he even wants to see me again. I'm just… moving on with my life with small, tiny hope of seeing him again."
That was… half-truth, as Becky knew fully well that she would be seeing Eddie by the time the new school year started. Hell, once they're back in school, she will be seeing him more than she ever did before, as they are bound to share some classes. However, there's still a whole summer before that happens, and she very much hoped to see him sooner.
Becky didn't feel too bad about not seeing him since the party, since the kisses they'd shared in the woods that night. After all, she didn't give him much to go on - all he had was her name and age. Her hope lay in him visiting the record shop at some point, or in the two of them simply running into each other around Hawkins. Mostly, Becky went about her days as she did before making out with Eddie Munson that one night - the only real difference was that she made an effort of looking her best even on days on which she usually wouldn't give her appearance much thought.
Her hair was pulled back in a bun, but it was just a bit messier than usual, in a cute way. Her makeup was toned down, but it was still there, and on regular days, she wouldn't bother with it. She still wore simple outfits, jeans and shirts, but the jeans were always one of the good ones and the shirts were always carefully thought out. The effort was there, that much was true, but it wasn't the only thing on her mind.
Especially not given that she didn't want her Dad to be onto her - she wasn't stupid enough to somehow bring Eddie Munson to his attention. Hell, if she was into a dude that was the valedictorian, she'd hesitate, knowing that Jim would go out with his cop dad act. Jim might have his flaws, but he is one perceptive Dad, and if he picked up on Becky getting all dolled up on a daily basis, he would find out the reason behind it, sooner or later.
Which was why El was sworn to silence - Becky told her she had met someone she liked, and kept the details very children-friendly. And she only did so because El, too, was too perceptive for her own good, and wasn't afraid to ask direct questions.
"Anyway, it's time to go," Becky sighed, turning around to face El as she put on her leather jacket. "I'll be back in time for dinner and Dad should be home sooner. Remember the-"
"Rules," El finished in her stead, rolling her eyes. "Of course."
"El, they're-"
"For my own good," El interrupted her again, in a tone that indicated that she was imitating Jim. Well, trying to imitate him - she still needed some practice before nailing it.
"God, you're turning more into me with each passing day," Becky found herself saying, and she wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. But when El smiled at her, she couldn't help but return the smile. Being a big sister might not have been in her cards for years, but Becky was ready to learn as they went. And if that meant having a little carbon copy of her attached to her hip, then that's what's going to be. God help Jim Hopper, though.
All things considered, Joe's Records was a pretty good workplace.
No uniform was required, which was a rarity when it came to stores in Hawkins. Becky also had an employee discount, which she took full advantage of, buying more records in the last few weeks than over the course of her whole life. And last, but not least, it gave Becky a chance to listen to music, the whole entire shift.
And, when she was the only worker in the shop, which was the case on most days, that meant that she was the one in charge of selecting the music.
Of course, she was mindful of what the masses wanted to hear - she would often put her own music taste on the back burner and put on something that she knew most people would enjoy. Especially in the afternoon, when the shop was the busiest.
That day, however, she wasn't so considerate. Simply put, Rebecca Hopper was sick and tired of Bruce Springsteen. To be even more specific, if she had to listen to another one of his singles that day, she would be willing to lock up the store and walk into oncoming traffic.
As soon as Robin Buckley, her occasional co-worker, and somewhat friend finished her shift, Becky changed the music as fast as she could. And while, admittedly, The Police definitely wasn't her number one band, she felt like listening to something relaxing and calm, but still good. She was swaying to the sound of the music as she sorted the shelves, one after the other, as no one ever really bothered with putting the records back where they found them.
Singing under her breath, Becky was a little too into her own little world to hear the bell above the door chime as someone entered the store. It wasn't the first time that happened, as they did play music non-stop, but it was the first time that the walk-in customer was no one other than Eddie Munson, who got a full few seconds of her dancing and singing around, under the assumption that no one was watching.
"I thought you were better than Sting," was his greeting.
Becky wanted to curse at him, startled by his voice, but she was as cool as a cucumber not even a full second later - it was, after all, the very boy she was hoping to see.
"You thought I was better than Sting?" she asked, smirking.
"Yeah," Eddie nonchalantly confirmed, walking right into her trap.
"Interesting," she smiled. "Does that mean you think about me often, Munson?"
Where she had the confidence to speak like that, Becky had no idea, but she suspected she gained some of it every time she would catch him by surprise - it would increase tenfold if she could cause a blush, too, and she did just then. Eddie Munson is the type of guy that walked into a room as if he owned it, only to cower away at the sight of a challenge. Becky liked that, in a weird way - it meant he was not always the same, that he wasn't as predictable as most people their age were. And he was still very much hot as all hell.
This time, Becky got it both - the surprise and the blush. She grinned at him proudly.
"I'm honestly not sure how I should answer that," Eddie chuckled, and Becky admired how he got in control of his reactions. Once the initial surprise dwindled down, he was playing along, even managing a somewhat cocky smirk, even though he knew he was outplayed.
"Well, I'd suggest you go for the truth. I'm a big girl, Eddie, I think I can handle it," she told him, returning that smirk, as she not so subtly made her way to the other side of the store, looking to stand behind the counter, knowing that he'd follow her there. And he did.
"I'd be lying if I'd say that you didn't cross my mind once or twice since that party," he admitted, casually leaning on the counter between them.
"Once or twice?" Becky laughed.
"I haven't counted," he flirted back. "But yeah, I did think of you."
"And yet you didn't find me before today," Becky pointed out the obvious. She was teasing him, but a part of her had hoped that he would move heaven and hell to find her the next day, or any of the days after that.
"I didn't find you today either," Eddie joked. "I just stopped by to get the new Slayer cassette, and lo and behold - Beck Hopper works at Joe's Records."
"Would it be too forward of me to call it your lucky day, then?"
"It wouldn't," Eddie replied, shaking his head as if he was trying to wrap his mind around what was happening. "Beck, I'm going to be very honest here. I think you're flirting with me and I'm not sure why. Am I going crazy or is this really happening?"
"Eddie, we already made out once," Becky chuckled. "Why would flirting be surprising? And yes, in case you still had your doubts, I was flirting with you. Still am."
"So, you're actually into me?" he asked. Good god, how many times does he have to check? "I never figured I'd be your type, I'm just confused," he added quickly, as if he could hear Becky's thoughts.
"I don't really have a type," Becky answered honestly, shrugging. "I either like someone or I don't, and more often than not, I don't. I like you, though. I think you are stupidly attractive and I think it's cute that it sometimes seems like you're not quite aware of that. Then again, sometimes you act as if you know damn well how hot you are. I like that I never know what I'm gonna get with you, and that you kind of seem like you like me, too. I'm single, and unless I'm missing something, you are, too. And if we're both single and both attracted to one another, why wouldn't we take full advantage of that and just… have some fun?"
Becky laid it all out. Flirting is fun, very fun actually, but Eddie clearly doubted her intentions, and she didn't want that. So, she decided to put it all out in the open, so that he knows what she wants and how she wants it, and he could decide if he wanted to participate or not.
He was quiet, and he was quiet for quite a while. The silence made Becky doubt her earlier confidence and certainty that he'd be likely to take her up on her offer.
"Eddie, it's totally fine if you're not into the idea," Becky starts, realizing that he won't be speaking up anytime soon. He was still wide-eyed, and Becky stuttered for a second, for the first time fully aware of what gorgeous eyes he had. They were so dark, so wide, making Eddie look as if he could keep no secrets even if he tried. "No promises, no demands. Just let me know so that I don't push it, yeah? And I don't want to waste my time either. I'd rather not keep my hopes up if they lead me nowhere. So… up to you. No harm, no foul."
Becky watched him, looking for any trace of a hint of what he was thinking about. As sure as she was that he was into her, she was growing less sure by the second about him agreeing to her proposition. It wouldn't be the end of the world - it's not like she had any actual feelings invested in the outcome. She'd get over it quickly, find something else to occupy her thoughts and smile at him in passing when she inevitably ran into him.
A refusal was totally manageable, but she wasn't sure that was what she was going to get. The gears in his head were turning, those eyes of his as wide as ever, staring her down. Becky felt as if she had offered him something much more than an occasional fooling around - he looked at her as if she offered him more than that. As if a million-dollar question was hanging above his head, Eddie Munson debated, and she waited.
As he was trying to somehow climb on top of her in the backseat of the Impala, Eddie somehow managed to hit his head against the window. "Shit!" he cursed, but it was barely heard over the sounds of Becky laughing. He was still rubbing at the back of his head, sending Becky a glare; his lips were spread in a smile, though, and somehow, the entire visual made Becky laugh even harder. "I'm glad my misery makes you happy."
"You're cute when you're angry, it's not my fault," she casually shrugged, leaning back so that she was almost fully laying on the backseat - an Impala was hardly an ideal location, but they had to make do with what they had. "Now, come on and start kissing me, I have 28 minutes of my lunch break left," she reminded him.
She never moved as fast as she did once he agreed. The door was locked, the sign was turned to CLOSED, and hand in hand they walked through the store all the way to the back parking lot, where the only car around was hers, and where no one ever ventures. It was as private as it could get, seeing as Becky didn't particularly feel like waiting.
"You're kinda hot when you're bossy," Eddie smirked down at her.
"Dully noted," was all Becky said in response before gripping his T-shirt and practically pulling him on top of her. He started laughing at her urgency, but the laughter quickly died down as they started kissing.
Finally, Becky thought. Finally, she was kissing him again. She had hoped she'd have a chance to do it again ever since that night, with Eddie haunting her thoughts like a demon she couldn't get rid of.
It was even better than she remembered. One drink wasn't enough to cloud her judgment by any means, but now that she was high on coffee, she was hyper-aware of everything. Like how soft his lips were, and how they were bigger than she remembered them being. Or how he very clearly washed his teeth right before visiting the store, as she could still taste the mint, mixed in with the remnants of cigarette smoke - a taste and smell she could get addicted to, especially with the added dose of Old Spice that he wore.
He smelled of Old Spice the night of the party, too. Becky just pushed that thought away consciously, not wanting to think of him every time she caught a whiff of it. It was completely and utterly useless, and if she could, she'd drown herself in the scent of him.
Eddie let Becky set the pace - she was the one who opened her mouth to deepen the kiss, she was the one who started moving her hands around his body, and he only did so after, as if he was waiting for a green light.
"Don't hesitate," she managed to utter through kisses. "I like your hands on me."
"Fuck," he barked out, but his hands gripped her thighs as she pulled him down, so that he was lying on top of her fully. "Beck, wait, what are the logistics of this?"
Becky stopped as soon as the word wait was uttered. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, I kinda got the message that you're not particularly interested in dating me, right?"
"Yeah, but it's not that I don't want to date you - I'm just not interested in dating anyone, really," Becky was quick to elaborate, as it sounded like he suspected that the problem was him, and not that she didn't want to bother with a relationship. He must have thought in that direction, as he looks somewhat surprised when she explains. "Maybe it's something I could tell you one day over a beer or two, but I just… I can't do the whole… hand-holding, lovey-dovey, Hawkins High Sweethearts thing. I just… want to make out and fool around with a dude I consider hot, and I'd very much like for it to be you."
Eddie thought about it, and Becky let him, despite the urge to kiss him stupid. The last thing she wanted to do was overstep, and he clearly had to process this. "Okay, I can get behind that," he finally decided, smirking down at her. "I'd be a fucking idiot not to, you're by far the hottest girl that ever even looked my way."
"Oh, shut up," Becky rolled her eyes. "You're hot and you know it."
"I am if that's what you say I am," he smoothly replied. "And um, before we continue… how… far do we want to take this?" he asked, suddenly turning sheepish. The way he went from smooth to careful was giving Becky whiplash, and somehow, still, she didn't mind it.
"Well, if you're asking about today, I don't think we have time for more than a makeout and some fondling," Becky laughed. "But if you mean in general, if you want to continue this and fuck, I hope you do, we're going wherever it's comfortable. I'm not a virgin, Munson. I'm not scared of that erection of yours that's pressing against my leg, either."
"Bossy and direct, okay, noted," Eddie blushed. "So… we're just going to… fuck around."
"If you're interested," she smiled up at him. "Eddie, the clock is ticking, we won't even get to the makeout part properly - I'm fine with everything as long as we keep it on the down low. I don't want my Dad to find out, as I would like for the both of us to live and see another day. We'll do whatever the fuck we want as long as we both agree to it, yeah?"
"Who are you and where have you been all my life?" he dramatically demanded
"I'm Becky Hopper," she laughed. "I've always been around, you just never looked."
"I looked, I already told you that - it's just that when I kept watching over your ugly teal backpack, I didn't exactly think it would lead to you palming my dick in the back of your car."
"Surprise, surprise," Becky joked as she pressed her hand against him a little firmer, but she was happy to realize that they had finally reached whatever their little fucked up agreement was. Eddie had a beaming smile, and he shook his head in disbelief before he bent down to continue kissing her, finally.
Becky was glad that all was settled because once he got yet another green light, he was not holding back as much. His grip on her body was demanding, and she reciprocated with every fiber of her strength. Before she knew it, his hands were under her shirt and she was doing her best to unhook her bra in an effort to help him out.
They won't have time for much more, but if he wanted to touch, she'd gladly let him.
"You are ridiculously hot, Beck Hopper," he laughed in disbelief and she joined in. As much as she wanted that since the party if a month ago someone told her she'd be canoodling in the back of her car with Eddie Munson, she would have laughed in disbelief.
"So are you, Eddie Munson," she smiled at him. "You fine with lovebites?" she checked quickly, not wanting to go too far.
"Fuck yeah," he laughed. "And if your dad can't know, then I guess…-"
"Yup, they're off limits for me," she confirmed, before pausing to think about it. "Maybe not everywhere, though…"
"Oh, you…" Eddie was at a loss for words, and Becky laughed again - she couldn't remember the last time she was laughing that much during making out, if ever. There was something about Eddie that made it easy and relaxed.
She knew what it was, too. Guys she knew and dated always had it in the back of their minds that they had to be the strong, macho man. And maybe Eddie has that too, but he isn't taking that role with her when they're physical, or even when they're flirting. He makes it feel like the playing field is more even, and Becky could… well, she could get addicted to it.
His hands were just about to reach under Becky's bra when he suddenly pulled away, breaking their kiss. He looked wide-eyed and panicked, making Becky jump, too.
"What? What? Is someone around?" she looked around frantically.
"Wait a second, Beck," Eddie started, pulling away from Becky. He hit his head again, at the very same spot, at the very same window, but he was too flabbergasted to even register it. "Your dad is the Chief of Police."
He forgot.
Becky wasn't sure whether she wanted to laugh or cry.