Chapter 11: The Unsigned Love Letter

IT was a quiet in Scoops Ahoy, Steve and Robin only having a handful of customers on the slow evening.

Over the thirty minute period of his break, striking out words all day long, deleting and trying again, Steve finally came up with something to write.

He wasn't crazy about it, but it was the best he could come up with. He was afraid that if he tried with it for too long, worried that the jitters would take over and he would end up not writing anything at all.

The brown haired male was never the type to write stupid love letters. It was all Dustin Henderson's idea. The boy in camp wrote to Steve, since they've been corresponding over the past few weeks. Dustin suggested that Steve first attempt to show her how he felt through writing if he was unable to do it to her face. The curly haired boy had attempted this method with Suzie, the girl he'd been crushing on ever since he arrived to the science camp, and surprisingly, it worked. So he recommended it to a reluctant Steve.

Once his break ended, Robin ringed the bell for Steve to get his ass out of the backroom. Fumbling with the paper he poured his heart into, the former King of Hawkins High jumped to his feet, and gently shoved the card into his sailor shorts pocket.

Once the door swung closed behind him, Robin's eyes fell on Steve. "What were you doing, Dingus?"

"Uhh... Nothing." Steve terribly lied, stopping behind the counter. Robin, by the cashier, rolled her eyes, not caring.

However, her eyes soon caught sight of something sticking out of Steve's pocket. This time it wasn't his scooper that had her attention but a piece of paper that looked like a card.

"What you got there?" She asked, curious.

Steve followed her gaze. He berated himself when he saw what held her attention. He was quick to shove the card he had inside a book he had on the counter. "Nothing." He replied, feeling slightly panicked.

It was a rather dull thing to get hung up over, but with her hyper personality, when something really caught her interest, Robin was not one to be easily swayed. "Relax, I won't make fun of you." She said raising a hand. "Sailor's honor."

Steve stared at her taking in her facial features. Not a single feature she had held anything that made him not trust her. Despite her tendency to make fun of him, he felt a sense of security with the blonde girl, so he reached for the piece of paper and carefully handed it to her.

He grew nervous as she began to silently read it.

Your hair burns like rays of the sun.I see, and I am lit.For you are beautiful beyond compare,The girl with crystal clear eyes and fire for hair.

Robin felt a sense of serenity go through her after reading the card.

Wow.

That was all Robin could think in her head. Steve actually wrote that? The dingus wrote that?

After a few seconds she was able to get a hold of herself. A light bulb went off in her head after re-reading the card again. Her gaze on him became unusually soft. "Is this for who I think it is?" She asked him, excited to hear his reply.

It had to be for Jean. It just had to.

Steve shook his head. "No." He lamely said. However, the knowing look Robin was giving him made him give into the truth. Like before he just felt like he could trust her with this. He ended up nodding his head "Yes." He answered her, lowering his eyes.

"How'd you know?" He asked.

"It's obviously about a redhead, so it was either her or Carol."

'Barf' Steve thought, visibly cringing. He didn't like to be reminded of Carol or Tommy Halos who were his former friends, not the company you want to keep. The thought of dating that shallow, rotten and selfish and self-absorbed girl literally disgusted him.

"You like Jean." Going back to the main topic, Robin realized with a smile. For some reason, in the inside she was gushing at Steve's feelings for the girl.

"That's actually kinda sweet. Now I understand why you had all those poetry books. I thought you had 'em in display to impress the ladies." She handed her coworker the piece of paper back. He received the card, his gaze still lowered in sheer embarrassment.

"It's really good, dingus. I'm sure she'll love it."

Steve "The Hair" Harrington actually blushed as he took hold of the card. He hid it inside his back pocket and then looked towards her again.

A dejected expression was to be seen in his face. "I hope so."

"Why didn't you sign your name on it?" Robin asked him. The bottom of the card just said 'secret admirer'.

The ice cream slinging girl was confused as to why he didn't want to take credit for his confessed feelings. Let alone not want to let Jean know it had been him who wrote her such lovely words.

"Because I don't think she likes me the same way." Steve replied, dispirited.

Robin could hear the disappointment in his tone of voice. She herself knew how it was to like someone who had no idea of their feelings towards them. Thinking about Tammy Thompson made Robin feel immeasurable sadness.

Not wanting to fall into depression, now of all moments, she fought to move through it and gave Steve a quick encouraging pat on the shoulder.

"Chin up." She said, lightening her voice a bit. The former popular guy sent her a suspicious look, unused to a non-sarcastic and condescending way of speaking coming from the girl.

"Just remember that in the end the underdog always wins." Although she was saying this to him, in a way she was also saying it to herself.

Robin could not believe she was consoling the great King Steve, the douchebag that never appreciated anything that came to him on a silver platter. But as she got to know him through their mutual daily job, she'd realized that Steve had lost his sense of self. Aside from his sarcasm and recklessness, a lot of his traits that he displayed in his high school years have disappeared from him. So, it was all too easy to sympathize with him.

"Oh, so I'm an underdog?" Despite cheering up, he looked incredulous at what she has come to call him.

"Look around you." She replied, prompting him to roam his eyes around the ice cream place and their stupid uniforms. "You are now."

Night time had rolled around. A day spent with the youngest Sinclair had proved to tire Jean out.

Jean had never mentioned her drowning incident at the pool to anyone, finding it was best to not make a big deal out of it. Of course, the occasional thoughts on the what the hell happened back there would find her way into Jean Grey's head and she would always manage to end up without an answer.

After visiting the Regis Hairstylists at Starcourt along with Erica and her friends, Jean would be concluding her daily mall visits upon entering the ice cream parlor. Erica Sinclair and her peers just couldn't get enough of the free samples.

Steve had proven himself to be positively busy with the cashier after a customer left. His nose crinkled as he pressed at various buttons in confusion at the machine. He was sure that no matter how many times would pass with him working here, he would never get the hang of it.

The brown haired male was so preoccupied that he didn't notice Jean's entry along with the group of kids.

Growing frustrated at the lack of service, Erica irritatedly pressed the bell on the counter a multitude of times.

"Ahoy!" Steve Harrington frantically greeted, surprised from the abrupt sound. He looked up and find a bemused Jean and moody young girls here for their daily dose of frozen sugar.

A wide smile worked Jean's lips as she took in the boy's mild (pleasant) surprise at her presence. "Well, ahoy to you, too, Sailor Steve."

Steve chuckled at her words, a timorous hand placed over the counter. "Hey, you." Steve properly greeted, with that large smile still drawn along his lips.

Jean's lips stretched even further, her pearly white teeth on display. She'd missed the goofy brown haired guy, even though they saw each other every other day, it had been a while since they properly hung out.

Smiling at one another, her beautiful green eyes on his brilliant brown ones, Steve tuned out his surroundings. This was the kind of relationship he wanted, he thought. With Jean; the person who could make him feel like all the tiredness of his day were being washed off just by a quick look at her, even if she didn't make his heart flutter every second.

Not missing the exchange between both teenagers, Erica grew nauseated and rolled her eyes, before thinking of using this to her advantage. "Can't you convince your boyfriend to give us free ice cream or something?"

The Sinclair girl's usual loud voice from beside Jean seemed to break whatever spell the redhead's eyes had cast on him and Steve jumped back, very aware of how hot his cheeks were feeling.

With an uneasy gulp, Steve gathered the courage to speak. "What?" Nervous chuckles left his wide open mouth, he stammered. "Uhh, w-what?"

Jean shook her head, growing flustered for reasons unknown to her. It wasn't the first time they were mistaken for a couple, so why did she feel like she was blushing at Erica Sinclair's inquiry. "Yeah, we're not-"

Steve's eyes were widening in panic at the ten year old's expectant gaze at them both. "Yeah, definitely NOT-" He denied vigorously, his voice raising significantly at the end causing the store dwellers to look at him with curiosity. "... Together." He trailed off, faking a shudder and a sound of distaste.

Jean was slightly offended, but she didn't show it. He didn't have to phrase it like that.

The ten year old raised her hand to signal them to cease from talking, it was disturbing how fidgety they've become -especially Steve.

"Don't get your panties in a twist, because frankly I don't wanna hear about how much you hate thought of dating her." She exclaimed, nodding her head to the much taller girl.

"What? No, I..." Steve's eyes widened. He quickly went over what he said in his head. After thoroughly thinking it over, he let out a huff. Damn this kid for twisting his words. Although it was his own fault. He should have thought carefully with what he had to say before speaking. Especially in front of Jean. But he was flustered. Steve looked at the telepath, his cheeks feeling hot from embarrassment. "Well, uh..." He gulped, nervously.

As much as she wanted to say it was no big deal, Jean was curious to hear what he would say to her. The longer she waited the more awkward silence began to fill the air. It was the only thing that could be heard...well other than Robin's low snickering. Unknown to Jean this only caused Steve to throw his coworker a discreet type of glare. Just as she was about to say something herself, a soft voice beat her to it.

"Well, I would be honored to date you." Robin said coming to the rescue, approaching the counter to stand by Steve.

It was a surprise to Jean that Robin had the been the one to end the awkwardness, saying what she said despite being a girl, but Jean smiled at her nonetheless. "Thanks, Robin."

The blonde nodded her head at her before averting her eyes away, sticking out her tongue to tease Steve.

From the side, Steve was inwardly berating himself at how lame he was being.

"Weirdos." Erica muttered, eating the free sample that Robin reluctantly handed to her.

The redhead stared longingly at the nautical three-scoop sundae before her. It had U.S.S. Butterscotch, Chocolate, and Very Berry Strawberry ice cream on deck - all topped off with three waffle cone sails. It was a Scoops Ahoy classic.

"This looks almost too good to eat." Jean grinned at Steve who offered her the treat. "Almost."

"Yeah? Well, go nuts." Steve said, placing an extra serving of crushed nuts by her, his cheeks notched upwards as he uttered the pun.

Jean stifled a laugh and shook her head at Steve's adorable idiocy. After Erica's mom came to pick her up, Jean stayed with Steve. The two of them were alone in the back room, while Robin was stuck outside scooping ice cream because Steve decided to take his break and be with the redhead.

"So, what are you doing tomorrow?" Steve queried, hoping that if she was free he could take the day off and hang out with her. In fact with his job and hers, he saw less of Jean and he longed for a day with her.

"Going to the community pool." Jean replied, spooning some of the (free) heavenly treat into her mouth and she relished at its coolness.

"Why?" He whined, Jean could swear that with that uniform on and his childish tone, he seemed like a child whining to his mother.

"I'm gonna be watching over Erica." She replied while giggling.

Steve slicked his hair back, elbows supported on the cold metal table. "I have a perfectly good pool at my house, you know that, right?" He desperately suggested, hoping she wouldn't go.

It was all because Billy Hargrove was working as lifeguard there.

"And Erica has about ten chaotic friends that are barely allowed anywhere, do you know that?" Jean announced. She was scared that if she brought them to his house, with no restrictions from the rules of the community pool, then all hell would break loose.

Steve groaned.

Then before he could protest even further, Robin's voice blared through the honeycomb-patterned window. "Hey, dingus, your children are here!"

"I think that's for you." Jean bemusedly indicated to the boy.

Harrington sighed, before getting up to his feet and walking to the partition. Jean curiously watched him from where she was seated as he slid the window open, his shoulders slumping. "Again? Seriously?"

To her mild astonishment, Max, Mike, Will and Lucas -of course, excluding poor El who was stuck at home and Dustin still in camp Nowhere- walked into the room in a rush, the door swinging closed behind them. "Hey, Jean." The four teens chorused.

Jean smiled at the group. "Hi, guys."

The other redhead approached her, happy to see her after a while of her absence. She knew she was preoccupied with the whole babysitting gig, but Max was growing tired of hanging with boys all the time.

"What are you guys doing here?" Jean asked as Steve stood by them, his hands placed against his hips.

"Catching a movie." Was Max's response, her eyes crinkling with happiness to see Jean after a while.

"Which we're insanely late to!" Lucas interjected, sighing in frustration. "Come on!" He exclaimed, walking up to Maxine and holding her hand to drag her along with them.

Jean's eyebrows could only scrunch in confusion at where the hell they went. That was not the way to the theater, she thought.

"Where did you just take them?" She curiously asked Steve once he returned.

"Oh, there's a secret passage from the back to the movie theater." After plopping by Jean's side, Steve answered.

"Are you mad?" He asked after seeing Jean tilting her head. The Scoops Ahoy employee knew that -from a technical aspect- what he was doing, sneaking in a group of kids every other night, was morally wrong.

Jean scoffed, here she was, eating ice cream that she didn't pay for, why would she judge what he did?

"Why would I be mad? If anything I'm a little jealous you've been holding out this life hack on me." She mused, eliciting a chuckle from Steve.

Realizing how late it must be getting, and the fact that Mike Wheeler was in the movies and no longer occupying the small space of Eleven's room, Jean announced, "I should get going."

"Why the rush? My shift ends in a bit, I could take you."

Jean brushed her crimson hair back, smiling at Steve's offer. "Yeah, sure. That'd be nice."

Seeing something on the wall that peeked her interest, Grey got off the chair and walked up to the board with the tally marks decorating it. She had her back to Steve and the boy's eyes darted nervously from her figure to her bag that was on the metal table. So he carefully and sneakily brought out the letter he wrote and creeped into her bag.

"It's been bothering me for a while, but that board needs context." Jean said, giving him a flinch and he abruptly tore his hand out of her bag before she turned around to look at him.

"Huh?" Steve asked, not quite paying attention at what she'd said, his mind bombarding with thoughs on how she would've reacted had she seen him slip that card in.

"Are you guys keeping score for something?"

Steve sighed at the board he loathed with a passion. "Uhh.. No, it's absolutely nothing. I mean it's probably Robin's. I don't know what that is." He rambled, denying any possibility that all the 'You Suck' lines were actually meant for him.

After getting scolded by Robin to get out and finish up the miserable minutes left on with their shift, a reluctant Steve unwillingly left Jean -who was reading a book to pass the time- in the quiet backroom.

The redhead appreciated the moment of silence enveloping her. It'd been a while since she was alone; spending her days with Erica and her nights with a giddy, lovesick Eleven.

Then out of nowhere, the lights went out.

Jean jolted in her chair, eyes flickering around in desperate need to find her lost sight. From the sound of it, it was a complete power outage because the music and noise that had been booming throughout the mall had been cut off as well.

"Jean, you alright in there?" Steve's voice broke the silence and Jean was grateful to hear him.

"Yeah, I'm good." She called out, her eyes beginning to adjust to the darkness. But a few moments later, her words proved to be null.

Goosebumps prickled across the back of Jean's neck. A headache was hitting her. Dizziness, too.

There was an unvoiced strangeness that wandered through Hawkins, that was rooted into the thick woods and bordered the town.

And Jean sensed it.

Once the power was back, the feeling had completely vanished. She couldn't even feel remnants of it anymore and she couldn't figure out what had caused it. But it felt wrong. Unbelievably wrong.

A/N:-Aaaand we're finally in season 3! *relieved breath* I didn't think we were gonna make itFeedback is always welcomed!