Opening day was probably, with no exaggeration, hell on earth.

Or at least, that's what Lucas would have said to anyone that asked.

The morning had gone fine. Dustin pulled up at the end of the Maple Street Cul-de-sac, where Mike and Lucas both groggily hopped in. They picked up Will, stopped for coffee at the gas station, and headed out. The sunrise was beautiful, the fair grounds were quiet, and everything was bathed in orange.

Then, the gates opened, and thousands of people filled through the ticket line and into the park.

It was by far the biggest opening day the fair had ever seen. So big that News trucks parked in front of the gates, and broadcasters interviewed people coming and going, along with Big John himself. There was no doubt that the attraction would be making front page headlines, as well as a lengthy special on the 6 o'clock news. You could practically see the dollar signs spinning in Big John's eyes.

Lines of people wrapped around their respective rides, all holding cotton candy and over priced soda. Little kids with balloons tied around their wrists would bounce from game to game, and in and out of the arcade. The incessant jingle from the nearby merry-go-round made Lucas feel like he wanted to rip his own ears off, but that was still nothing compared to the sounds spewing from his own booth.

The fake gunshot noises were bad enough, but the deeply accented voice of a man saying 'Saddle Up, partner' was what really threw him over the edge. It got so bad that he started absentmindedly mouthing along, earning him some strange looks from the games contestants, as well as Max who had apparently been watching.

That was probably the only saving grace.

Max was just as busy as he was. The midway was the least busy part of the park, but the turnaround of players was basically nonstop during the busiest parts of the day. Even still, she would pull faces at him, or make finger guns in time with the sound effects to try to make him laugh. It worked, by the way, he laughed every time.

He watched her hand out stuffed animal after stuffed animal, as well as several large blow-up trophies, and a select few of those massive teddy bears to cocky looking boys. Each one she gave out made her turn to Lucas and give a melodramatic performance that could only say 'Wow, babe, you shouldn't have' in the most sarcastic way possible. Complete with batting eyelashes and a hand placed over her heart.

During his far to short lunch break, he had come back with curly fries for her. She had been so happy that she punched him. A Max Mayfield seal of approval. When she had come back from her own lunch break, she got them both a snow cone. Hers turned her mouth bright red, and he made a point to tease her about it (and to remember that cherry was her preferred flavor).

In truth, Max made the chaotic opening day fun. All of the crowds and screaming children made the day go by quickly, but if it hadn't been for her standing across from him, he probably would have lost it. His heart went out to Dustin, who was probably being forced to deep fry things at lightning speeds, and to Mike who was probably spending the entire day trying not to throw up. At least Will's job was inside, safe from the dust and sun.

As the day began to slow down, after most of the families with small children went home, the midway started to feel more like a ghost town. Only a few people would walk through, most of them on their way to the gift shop or the arcade. Lucas didn't mind much, it gave him a chance to sooth his cluster headache, but it also gave him a chance to zone out while he (despite his best efforts) stared at Max, and think to himself.

His feet ached and he honestly felt a staggering amount of self pity. He felt grumpy and a little more then let down. Because of course.

Of course Lucas would be the person most excited about the fair, with the least exciting job there. And of course he would be directly across from the other game booths, with no real view of the fair in sight. And of course his booth would face the one that Max worked at. And of course his job would be so mind-numbingly boring, so monotonous and simple, that he would have absolutely nothing better to do then look at her all day.

Not in a creepy way, at least he hoped. Watching her in a way that would almost seem voyeuristic, daydreaming about her when she was only 20 or so feet away. It wasn't his intention, it had never been his intention, it was just that everything she did made him feel weak in the knees, and threw any of his senses out the window. So, maybe a little creepy after all, but he swore up and down (in his head) that it was unintended.

It was like he was under her spell. All day he snuck peaks out of the corner of his eye. Watching her laugh and cheer on people regardless of whether or not they won or lost. Watching her give small teddy bears to children who couldn't land a hit. Watching her stack up the milk bottles over and over again, and fan herself with her clipboard when the midday sun started beating down on them.

It had all started in 5th period History.

He had seen her around school before, mostly in passing when she moved to town at the beginning of freshmen year. She was pretty, sure, beautiful even, but he never thought much about it. Two years went that way, just another face in the high school crowd. Befriending the other new girl, El. She was cool, with an attitude that got her into trouble, and she skateboarded to school everyday and that made her interesting, but nothing major.

Then when junior year started, they finally shared a class, and things started going downhill.

She would sit in the back of class, staring out the window absently, drumming her pencil against her desk, her hair turning into fire whenever evening rolled in early. She was quiet mostly, but when she did speak, her words were weighted and venomous. Lucas remembers the day she made his heart start to beat a little faster.

He had been called on my the teacher, and asked to weigh in on the class debate about Christopher Columbus, and whether or not Europeans discovered America.

Lucas answered simply "Of course he did, it was uncharted and unknown to the rest of the world, and the Europeans were the first to document anything about it" The teacher nodded, and turned his attention to the back of the room.

"Maxine, would you like to add on to what Lucas said?"

Max turned from the window, a deep scowl already burned into her face.

"I think its stupid."

"What?" Lucas scoffed.

"I think its stupid. You can't discover something that already has hundreds of thousands of people living on it, and has its own developed cultures. And saying it was uncharted or unmapped is an ignorant misconception. Just because Europeans didn't have maps in their language, doesn't mean it was a place completely undocumented." And she turned back to her gaze outside as if she didn't just light Lucas on fire in front of an entire room of people.

The teacher probably said something about how Max brought up a good topic, but if so, Lucas didn't hear it. No one had ever really challenged him academically before, other than his own friends, and it wasn't often that someone could change his mind about something.

On the way out of class, Lucas found himself lingering a little longer than normal. Call it brain fog, or sluggishness, honestly he just wanted to see if Max would talk to him again. And she did. On her way out, she paused while passing his deck.

"It was fun debating with you, but next time you should really think of an argument instead of staring at me." She smirked at him, and her voice held no malice. She joked with him as if they were already friends, and boy did he want to be.

And then it became just another part of his everyday. Max. Who sat at the back of the room staring off into space. Who drew on her sneakers and rolled her eyes at the idiots in class. Max, who chewed on her lip one moment, and walked with the confidence of a rockstar the next.

Max, who debated with the passion of a public speaker. Who quoted activists and world leaders from memory without prompt. Who got perfect scores on test and papers without ever seeming to open her textbook. Max, who captivated a hopelessly enamored Lucas Sinclair for an entire year of 5th periods.

Other than that first day, the most she had ever said to him was when she asked to borrow a pencil, or when they were forced to participate in group discussions, and she more or less called him out on his misunderstanding of whatever topic they were studying. If it had been anyone else, he probably would have been furious, but Max was just so matter of fact about it, that it was hard to take personally. Basically telling him he was a dumbass, but somehow still making hearts spin around his head while he looked at her. Maybe it did make him a little mad, maybe even a lot mad, but it was also exciting.

Then came the faithful day, when the teacher assigned partners for an essay. He wanted her to be his partner equally as much as he prayed she wouldn't be. The universe must really like making him sweat, because sure enough, they were partnered for four weeks.

In most classes, Lucas would be the one to carry the assignment, but this was not one of those cases. Max had a passion for history, and not in the same way his dad did, but in a way that opened his eyes. Her perspectives were always so vastly different than his first inclination. Most of the collaboration consisted of Max sitting next to him, writing down pages and pages of notes and quotes from the text, while Lucas drummed his fingers on the desk and tried not to say anything stupid.

Max was smart. Like really smart. She pulled so much meaning from sentences and chapters that Lucas never caught. She would get so excited about finding little secret connections that she would beam down at the words below her and talk quickly as she flushed out backgrounds. She was crass, even rude at time, but she cared deeply about whatever interested her. Lucas hoped he might become one of those things she cared about, even if he would never in a million years admit it.

Because the fact of the matter was, they were living in completely different worlds. Lucas had lived in the same house, on the same street, had the same friends, and did the same things everyday since he was old enough to walk. He was pretty self assured, but he was also content with the normal. His friends weren't exactly the adventurous type, he managed his own fun, but it was never anything worth telling stories about.

Max, on the other hand, was a conundrum wrapped in a mystery. She would tell off total strangers with the grace of a public defender, but she was also really kind. She was tough and head strong, but also wore her heart on her sleeves. She had lived in different and cool sounding places, and did cool sounding things, but she also never bragged about them. Her and El were friends with pretty normal people, but we're definitely anything but normal themselves.

To say Lucas was mind boggled (and head over heels, no, face down in the dirt, infatuated with her) would be the understatement of the century, maybe even of the millennium. It was sickening, and no one knew better than he did.

So he stared at her. Like a freak, trying not to be a freak, but definitely being a big huge freak. The promise that they had made to one another to ride the Slingshot seemed like something that happened in a fever dream because he couldn't even imagine talking to her now. He wasn't exactly what anyone would call a ladies man.

The closest thing he had had to a girlfriend was the one time he went to summer camp, and kissed a girl by the lake. Looking back on it, he was pretty sure it had been a bad kiss, but he really didn't have anything to compare it too.

His dad always told him that he would 'find his groove', whatever the hell that meant, but the truth was that he wasn't looking. No one in Hawkins was as cool as Max, and no one even came close to making his heart stutter the way she did. He didn't even know if they were friends, because Max treated pretty much everyone she liked with the same nonchalant kindness.

He sighed to himself, wiping his face, and trying to clear his head a little bit. It was getting late, and the midway would be closing relatively soon. It always closed up before the rides to that Big John could come around and collect the money from each booth.

He did so about 15 minutes later, walking through with Star and clearing out each station, giving Lucas an odd look that made his skin crawl, before telling him and the others that they could head out for the day. He thought about finding Will or maybe going and checking on Mike when a flurry of orange walked into his periphery.

"Hey, Stalker, you wanna come ride the Scrambler with me?" Max asked with a self-satisfied smirk.

"Yeah totally!" Lucas jumped at the opportunity before her words hit him. "Wait... Stalker?"

"Well space cadet is too long and 'Stare-er' isn't a word, so Stalker will just have to do." She sighed as if she was doing him a favor. His heart rate sped up, so she had noticed. But, of course she had, he wasn't exactly being sneaky about it.

"What!? I dont- Im not-" He sputtered, pretending he had no idea what she was talking about.

"Yeah yeah yeah." She cut him off. "And you don't turn red when you get busted either, now come on lets go, I want to fit in as much as I can today. All part of the master plan."

He blinked at her, mouth open to protest, but she smiled and turned to walk away before he could finish. So he had been caught. At least she had invited him to go on rides with her. Maybe she wasn't totally creeped out. Right?

The lines for each ride had diminished substantially. Some people weren't even getting off, just riding over and over again because no one needed their seat. They walked to the Scrambler first.

It was one of those rides that spin you around in little carts so fast that you slid to one end when it went around, and then slid to the other end as it pulled you back in. It was one of Lucas's favorites.

His palms sweated on the lap bar as they were locked into place. Max was sitting so close to him, and as soon as the ride started, she was sent crashing into his side. She cackled, throwing her head back and cheering, and Lucas couldn't help but laugh too. Then it switch directions, and now he was crashing into her.

"Ow Jesus!" She chuckled. "Are you made of only elbows!?"

"Sorr- oof!" He began, and then the directions changed again, she flew into him with a thud that made them both gasp and laugh even harder.

Once the ride began slowing down, her hair was everywhere, stuck in her mouth and wrapped around her pink face. She giggled as she pulled it into a tight ponytail at the top of her head. Something about it made her look even more beautiful than she did before, and he wanted to punch himself for thinking it.

The went to the Tilt-A-Whirl next. Mike looked like he was about to pass out standing up, leaning on his fist over his control panel. He perked up and waved when he saw them, and then raised an eyebrow and sneered. Lucas gave him the finger, hoping Max wouldn't see.

This ride was a bit more tame. It still spun you around way to fast to be healthy, but on this ride the carts spun freely from one another. The centrifugal force pinning you to your seat as it moved up and over small bumps on the circular track.

They both clung to the lap bar as it got started, slow at first but getting progressively faster.

"Do you know the trick to make it more fun?" Lucas asked over the sound of the machinery and Max's laugh.

"Trick? What trick?" She scrunched her eyebrows at him.

"Follow my lead." He leaned as far as he could to one side, and she leaned too, so far that she was practically laying on his side. The car spun more quickly in their direction, and she gasped, understanding. She leaned back the other way and he followed, knuckles white around the bar. The car spun even faster now as they repeated the motion. Both screaming and cheering and flying around in circles.

"Holy shit!" She called out, pushing against him again to move the other way. He looked down the measurable distance between them and for the second time that evening he wanted to punch himself. Because all he could do was stare at the smile on her lips. She must have noticed, because she looked back at him and grinned smugly. "Take a picture, Stalker." Her words still heald no malice, and he couldn't help but laugh for no other reason than embarrassment.

When they got off, they walked shoulder to shoulder to several other rides, their hands grazing against one another. He pretended he didn't notice, and he prayed that she didn't notice either. He couldn't help but feel dumbstruck. Here he was, doing exactly what he had dreamed about doing all summer, with the girl he had dreamed about all year. It was crazy and stupid and wild, and he wanted to literally write her a thank you note the way his mother always made him write to his grandma at Christmas.

'Thanks for the best night of my life, Madmax, I can die happy now. Also you're cute and you make me want to explode. Sincerely yours, Stalker.'

If there was ever a time he was glad that people couldn't read minds, it was now.

It didn't help that she was just so much fun to be around. Everything she did oozed cool, and here she was, spending her time with him. She even seemed to be having a good time. Maybe it was just the Adrenalin of being spun around so many times, but she couldn't stop laughing. It also didn't help that she kept touching him. Whether it be being smushed together in small ride seats, or her leaning on him while waiting in line, or their fingers brushing against one another as they walked.

It was all so perfect and stupidly romantic.

The fair was all but closed now. They got off their last ride for the evening and decided it was time to meet up with their friends. They walked slowly, still dangerously close to one another, and the lights reflected off of her pale skin in a way that made his gut twist into several impossible to untangle knots.

They passed by the oddities exhibit hoping to find Dustin, but it was closed. Next to it was a shop Lucas had not seen before. A small caravan decked out in lights and symbols he didn't recognize. A massive sign sat perched on top, blinking in neon 'Fortune Teller'. He scoffed.

"What, you don't wanna know what your palm says about your future?" Max teased.

"Naw, I don't believe any of that crap." Lucas chuckled, shoving his hands in his pockets.

She hummed in reply as they walked past it. "Well I do," She finally added. "Maybe not all of it. Like palm reading makes me iffy, but i'm a sucker for astrology."

He nodded, trying to be understanding, but he was also not the type to shy away from his opinion. "I guess I just don't see how my birthday could tell me what kind of person i'm going to be."

"You don't think your place in the universe has any significance to you as a person? It's a lot more than just your birthday. It's everything," She gestured up at the sky as she spoke. "The moon, the sun, the planets. Each and every star, aligned in a specific way, significant to you. I just feel like it can't not matter."

Lucas pondered for a moment. In all honesty he had never given it a second thought. Wasn't it just the month you were born in? Wasn't it just some trashy way to sell magazines?

"I guess I never thought of it that way." He admitted.

"Well... When's your birthday?" Max turned to look up at him, as if trying to read him.

"September 13th."

"So that would make you... A virgo! Oh my god that makes so much sense!" She giggled. "Passionate, analytical, stubborn, hardworking. Thats so you."

"I mean I guess... but it's so vague, couldn't that be said about a lot of people?"

"Well sure, but it's so much more than that." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "One day we will sit down and figure out your entire natal chart and you will be convinced just like me. You are totally going to drink the astrology coolaid."

They had both unconsciously stopped walking, and were now standing in an empty part of the park. She was looking up at him and smiling almost mischievously. It was the same look she always had whenever she knew she had bested him during a debate in class. And, to her credit, she kind of had. Max was honestly so different from anyone else he had ever met, and if Astrology was important to her, then it wouldn't kill him to give it a shot.

"Sounds good." His voice was low, earnest.

If he didn't know better, he would have said that she blushed.

They found their friends a few minutes later. The guys, and El, all standing near the front entrance. Dustin was on one of his famous rants about who even knows what (symbiology of tea turtles and fish from the fragments Lucas picked up) and Will was humoring him politely. El was sitting up on the thin wooden entrance fence, her legs swinging while she laughed at something Mike had said. It was strange, worlds colliding in an odd sort of way that made Lucas feel... contented.

The group walked together towards their cars, talking about the day and the crowds and how crazy it had all been. They all agreed they were exhausted, but they all also agreed that they had had fun. Even Mike! Although that probably had a lot more to do with the fact that he and El held hands during the walk through the parking lot.

"Well, fellas," Max finally said as they reached Dustin's van. "It's been great, but i'm afraid I might catch the nerd virus and I just cant handle that."

"Awww Max! You love us!" Dustin swooned and she rolled her eyes, but didn't protest.

"Yeah yeah whatever. Oh! Stalker, text me later." She stated it firmly, like it wasn't a question, and he gaped back at her. "So we can figure out Natal Chart?" Oh. Right.

"Uh, yeah, n-no problem." He smiled, not knowing what to do with his hands, he gave her an awkward and misplaced thumbs-up. She raised an eyebrow at him but thankfully didn't say anything. Her and El just waved to the others and turned to walk to her car.

"Oh no... Someone quick, declare time of death." Mike said dryly from behind him. Dustin and Will hollered with laughter.

"I'm actually going to kill you." Lucas retorted with a grimace.

"I always knew our party would break up because you two fought to the death." Dustin shook his head and sighed. "They were so young."

"Whats a natal chart anyway?" Will asked.

"And why did she call you Stalker? Should we be concerned?"

"Its an astrology thing... I think?" Lucas admittedly hadn't paid much attention to the purpose, just agreeing with her in the moment. "And no, please never bring it up again."

"Oh I think we all know that we have to bring that up again." Mike crossed his arms.

"Anyway, guys! I was telling Will that we should camp out here one night! It will save us the drive and we can have a campfire and we can even ask the girls if they want to join us." Dustin rubbed his hands together excitedly.

It wasn't a bad plan. Camping was always something of a tradition for them. When they were little it would be in someone's backyard, and as they got older and they ventured further and further away from the safety of their parents. They hadn't got yet this summer, and it actually sounded like a perfect idea. It was anyone's guess if the girls would even want to join, but it wouldn't hurt to ask (and it certainly wouldn't hurt if they said yes).

They all agreed as they piled into the van.

The drive back was more or less silent. They were all tired, but the good kind of tired that comes from a job well done. Lucas realized at some point he had gone from hating the day to being over the moon that it happened. The reason, was of course Max. Which was totally stupid and lame, but also definitely the truth.

His dad had told him that 'working wasn't meant to be fun, but good coworkers make a world of difference', and that felt true. He was glad his friends had decided to join him, and he was glad that it felt like he was making new friends in Max and El.

They were dropped off in the reverse order that they had been picked up. Will hopped out and yawned before running inside. His mom waved to them from the doorway and Mike stuck his hand out of the window to wave back.

Dustin again pulled into the end of the cul-de-sac, hollering something about 'find your sleeping bags' before pulling away. Lucas looked up at Mike's house before his own. They had been neighbors their entire lives. In a strange way they were like brothers. Brothers who often wanted to rip each others heads off, but brothers nonetheless.

"So," Lucas said before either of them parted ways. "It seems like you're not hating the fair as much as you thought, huh?"

Mike's face soured for a moment, but then he smiled. "I guess not. It could be worse."

"Aren't you glad I talked you into it?"

"Yeah, actually, I am." He said earnestly, "But, don't let it go to your head."

Lucas chuckled and reached out to give his friend a playful shove. "Dont worry, im sure you will find plenty of reasons to complain."

"Oh shut up." Mike rolled his eyes, still smiling, and pushed back. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

Lucas walked into his quiet house. He could hear his sister watching TV in her room, but other than that, it seemed like everyone had gone to bed. It wasn't until laying down for the evening that he saw he had one unread text.

MadMax: Hey Stalker. I had fun with you today. Can't wait for The Slingshot. See you tomorrow :)

So maybe opening day wasn't all that bad. There would still be plenty of time to complain over rude customers and the summer heat, but if spending an evening with his friends, and going on rides with Max, was the outcome, then he was sure he could stomach it for the rest of the summer. Maybe even the rest of forever.

"See you tomorrow..." He sighed, contented, before falling asleep.

Hey everyone! I wanted this chapter to be a little bit longer, but I just couldnt get the length right, because what comes next would make it way to long. The struggles on writing lol. But that means that the nest chapter will be out in just a few days! Hope you enjoyed, and ill catch you next time!

-Allie