Steve had two nervous Henderson in the car. "Thanks for the ride, Steve. It's too kid-ish to show up to school on my bike. I don't think I'm going to be popular but it would be nice to be invisible." Dustin had been going on and on since he woke up this morning. Lee couldn't keep still. She is bouncing her legs while reading a textbook. "Rosalyn, you're shaking the car." Dustin felt his hair to make sure it wasn't messed up.
"Okay, sorry." She willed her legs to stop. She tapped her fingers against the door.
"Alright, I know this is a big day. The first day at a new school, but you guys are great. People are going to love you." Steve wants the tense air gone.
"I don't care if people like me. I need to do well. When I get home today, I'm going to get all the syllabuses to plan my semester out, then I'll feel better." She hoped the feel of impending doom would be lifted off her chest when she got it all organized.
"I don't need people to like me. I just want the douchebag jocks to leave me alone." Dustin had a girlfriend and friends. He didn't care if anyone less liked him.
"Okay, then what are we nervous about?" Steve asks.
"Failing." Lyn shut the textbook.
"Being bullied." Dustin didn't see why people had to go out of their way to be rude to him for liking different things than them.
"If someone bullies you, let me know I'll kick their ass." Steve looks in the rearview mirror at Dustin before looking at Lyn. "I'll help you study."
"You can't kick a teen's ass. You're not in high school anymore. You're not going to be suspended, you'll get arrested." She scoffs.
"How can you help her study, you barely passed high school." He snorted.
"Okay, I'm trying to be helpful here. Aren't you the one that was beating up middle school kids when you were in high school?" He remembers Dustin telling him about that.
"There were two of them and they weren't that much smaller than me." She defends herself. She let out a big sigh. "Maybe, it wouldn't hurt to make friends. We could make a study group and help each other with our homework."
"Yeah, friends make school worthwhile." He nods.
"Thanks." She leaned over to kiss his cheek.
"She feels better, what about me?" Dustin piped.
"Learn how to throw a punch." He parked in front of the high school.
"What shitty advice!" He got out of the car to slam the door.
"Have a good day, Sweetie!" She rolled down the window to yell.
"You got this, big guy!" Steve joined the fun. Dustin was mortified. He flipped them off as he ran over to Mike and Lucas.
Steve came home from work to find Dustin happily chatting with his mom about a senior who took him under his wing. "That's good for you, bud." He pats his shoulder. He bent down to pet Zoey who was begging for his attention.
"Yeah, Eddie is the best. If we can prove ourselves he'll let us join his D&D game. I heard it was so intense that one guy pissed himself playing." Dustin was shaking with excitement.
"Oh, Dusty-pooh, if they're that scary, maybe you should hold off." She coos.
"No, I'll be fine. I watch so many horror movies." He assured her.
"D&D… Eddie Munson. That guy is still there. He flunked again. This is his fifth time being a senior." Steve gasps when he realizes who he was talking about.
"I don't know about this guy, Dustin. If fails that many times, he sounds like a bad influence." She grew concerned.
"It is his third time being a senior. Education isn't for everyone. There are a lot of geniuses that don't do well in the classroom like Steve Jobs. He dropped out after one semester." He defends his new friend.
"Eddie is no Steve Jobs." He scoffs.
"No, he's an artist. He does creative writing, with the campaigns and he is in a band." He talks him up to his mother while giving Steve a side glare. He didn't want his mother to hate Eddie. She would forbid him from staying after school to play D&D. "Why don't you check on Lyn? She went to her room after she came home and she hasn't come out."
Steve put his hands up in surrender and backed out of the living room. He went down the hall to their room. He leaned against the door frame and took in the scene. She was sitting on the ground with four syllables surrounding her. She had a planner in the middle with different color pens and highlighters to plan out the next few months. "How did your day go?" He pushed himself off the frame to take a seat on the chair in front of the vanity desk.
"Good, I made an ally in one of my classmates. We have the same mayor and she's in two of my classes." She felt at peace organizing herself.
"Ally?" He tilts his head.
"I wouldn't call her a friend yet. I only had one day with her, so I don't know if that even counts as an acquaintance." She shrugs.
"It's a start. Robin got a crush on some girl in the band." He told her.
"Really? Do we know if she likes girls?" She asked.
"No, but we figured it out. We'll go to a game where the band is and you'll wear a low-cut shirt. If she likes girls she's not going to be able to resist that rack." He stares at her chest.
"Steve." She reached on the bed to throw a pillow at him.
"The guy is totally insane. I'm not sure I want to play D&D with him." Lucus didn't think it was worth the effort.
"Are you kidding? His games are legendary. His craziness is the reason for that. No offense to Mike but he's not insane so he doesn't have the imagination that Eddie has." Dustin agrees.
"How is not being insane offensive?" Mike squinted. "You never complained about my companies before…. But I do agree Eddie's campaigns are legendary."
"We would have got in if you didn't jump like a bitch." Lucas turns to Dustin.
"Excuse me, we all jumped." Dustin defends himself.
"Yeah, but we all didn't scream like a girl." Mike scoffs.
"Let's leave the past in the past and think of how we can impress him!" Dustin shouts.
Steve and Lyn walk in at that time. "Who are you trying to impress?" She asks.
"Eddie Munson." He told her.
"What? You're still talking to that wild-haired freak. He's been held back like two times. This is his third time being a senior." Steve put up three fingers. "Why do you want to impress him?"
"For Dungeons and Dragons. Did you tell him your last name?" Lyn asks Dustin.
"No, it never came up." He shrugs
"Well, tell him that. Threaten him in gaming phrases. He loves that." She advises.
"You know Eddie?" Mike asks.
"The guy used to sit with her at lunch, talking about books and writing. He would flirt loudly. He used to scream out how much of a genius she is." He grinds his teeth, remembering why he hated the guy.
"We're both fans of thriller/horror novels. And Eddie flirts with everyone. I mean everyone." Lyn shrugs. "Oh, that's another tip to get on his good side, when he flirts with you, give him a witty comeback." She turns to the guys.
"Do you still talk to him?" Steve asks.
"Are you seriously jealous?" She tilts her head.
"You used to let him sit with you. You never let me." He points his fingers into his chest. He didn't like being jealous of that freak but he was. He bonded with Lyn naturally from the start while it took him years. "He was the closest thing you had to a friend."
"He sat with me once in a while and I only did one campaign with him. His friends couldn't concentrate with me there." She felt like she was under a microscope with all the staring on her then and now.
"You did a campaign?" The boys were shocked.
"One, just to shut him up." She waves her hands to say it was no big deal.
"You went on a date with him?" Steve gasps.
"What? That is not what I said. A campaign is not a date." She stares up at him wondering how he got that.
"That's close enough for those losers," Steve got yells of protest. "You know I don't mean you!" He glares at the boys before turning to Lyn. "Did he ever try to kiss you?"
"No." She let out a nervous laugh as she walked away.
"Oh my god, he kissed you." Steve shrieked as he followed her into their room.
"Steve, you dated a hundred girls before me. You can't seriously be freaking out about this." She patted the bed for Zoey to jump by her side.
"I went with those girls because you wouldn't go out with me. You weren't going out with me because you were dating dumbass Eddie." Steve couldn't wrap his brain around this.
"He's not dumb. He's just lazy…. And I wasn't dating him. We watch horror movies and make out." She shrugs.
"Why him?" Steve threw himself down on the bed.
"Because he's Eddie. I could make out with him and he would be cool the next day. He is not a conventional guy." She knew Eddie wouldn't be an asshole or talk big to his friends the next day about her. He pretended like he was some douchebag rocker but he was a softie who happened to like dark things.
"How could you even get your face that close to the hairball?" He gags.
"His hair doesn't get the TLC yours does, but it works for him. He is handsome in his own way." She ran her fingers through his hair.
"Handsome, how?" He scrunched up his face.
"Steve, we don't have to do this. I don't want to hear what you found attractive about Nancy or any other girl you dated." She didn't see the point in them dragging this out.
"Well, I want to know." He assumed he was her type, but what if he was the exception.
"He has those big dark intense eyes and nice facial structure. He has that bigger-than-life personality and he is very charismatic." She lists.
He jumped off the bed. "You were right, I don't want to hear about this… You find me more attractive than him right?"
"Hey, I could only handle him in small doses, but you, I can't get enough of." She stood up to pull him into a kiss.
"Yeah?" He asks without removing his lips from hers.
"Oh yeah." She giggles, deepening the kiss.
The guys went up to Eddie's lunch table. "My name is Dustin Henderson." He announced.
"Why are you introducing yourself like you haven't been sitting here for weeks." He tilts his head before he processes what he said. "Wait… Henderson. Like Rosalyn Henderson?"
"That's my sister." He nods.
"The girl who ditch me for the popular crowd." Eddie would deny it but it stung when she started going out with Steve.
"When she started hanging out with Steve, he was no longer popular." Dusting corrected.
"Whatever." He waves his hand to say that he didn't care. "So, you guys are the ones that taught her everything she knows about D&D?" He asks. They nodded proudly. "Sit down already. I don't know why you're standing there." They quickly sat down. After a few interrogating questions about their knowledge and if they had a dark sense of humor, he invited them to a campaign.
Lyn and Nancy were exiting the gun range and walking to the cafe next door. They have been going there to unwind since the mall incident. "I need that." They sat down at the table after putting their order in.
"How is college?" She was excited to go next year.
"It's three times the work and moves at the speed of light. I'm getting used to the workload. It's easy for the classes I like. Science and English are a breeze. But, history and math it's mind-numbing." She thought she would be better at college. School was never challenging to her before.
"I'm sure you'll get to handle it soon." Nancy got up to grab their order.
"So, how have you been doing?" She asks when she came back.
"With school, everything is good. I love being an editor on The Weakly Streak. I've been keeping my grades perfect. I'm gonna be a shoo-in for my dream college." She forced a smile.
"So, why did you aggressively shoot the cut out in the head and private area?" She sips her coffee.
"Jonathan is getting distant. The calls and letters are getting short and vague. He is still saying I love you and I know he means it but I can't help but feel like we are drifting apart." She has been writing letters twice as long and calling twice as much to try and make up for it.
"He is crazy about you. He is probably busy with work, school, and family." She knew how loyal Jon was. He would never stray.
"I know, I can't wait for college. I miss seeing him every day. He is coming for spring break." She smiled.
"That's great. Is Fred still following you like a slobbering dog?" She teased. Fred worked on the school paper. The crush he had on Nancy was so obvious it was painful.
"Unfortunately. I know he doesn't mean to be harmful, well actually he does. But, he frequently asks how things are going with Jonathan. It's a constant reminder." She sighs. "How are things with your boyfriend?"
"Good, poor thing though, he's been a jealous mess with Dustin getting a new role model." She laughed.
"Who?" She asks.
"Eddie Munson. I'm sure you've seen them hanging out at school." She thought she would have known.
"I have, but to idolize him?" She squints.
"He's an older guy with tattoos and is in a band." She shrugs.
"Is that why you liked Eddie?" She wiggles her eyebrows.
"What?" She chokes on her drink.
"Come on, you guys didn't hide it well. You would get into his van and your car would stay in the school parking lot overnight." She honestly wouldn't have noticed if she didn't know the car that spent a good amount of time parked in front of her house.
"He's… he's good looking. He is charming." She explains.
"Eddie, who screams to scare random people, is charming." Nancy laughed.
"He is not charming to everyone. I think that is what makes it special when he is with you. I'm not ashamed of him or anything. I hid it because I didn't think it would be anything serious. I didn't want to be called a slut." She cringes when she realizes she said the name that was spray-painted about Nancy on the theater.
"Kind of defensive." Nancy stirred her drink.
"Ater the upside down, I couldn't pretend so I stopped talking to everyone who wanted a deep conversation. The only person that was for me was Eddie. By the time I came around to being somewhat normal, he didn't want to hear anything. I feel guilty because I could tell him that it hurt him." She wished she could have somewhat explained herself.
"Well, maybe you'll get the chance to clear the air since Dustin and he are friends." She took a bite of the tart she got.
"Maybe." She hummed.
"Hey Max," Lyn smiled at the red-headed through the screen door on the trailer.
"Am I going to have to get a restraining order for you to understand you can't pop up whenever you want?" She glares, not opening the door.
"Come on, I brought food." She held up the KFC bag.
"Alright." She opened the door to step outside. "Pass me a tender." After Lyn did that, she threw it to the neighbor's dog.
"So, how have you been watching anything new?" She asked after they took a seat at the picnic table.
"Only have basic cable, so I watch what I can." She would answer questions as long as they weren't personal.
"If you want to watch a certain show you could come to our house." She offers.
"Thanks." She bites into a drumstick.
"So, tell me about the music." She nodded to the earphones that were wrapped around her neck.
"How about we go to the car, so we can listen?" She nods to Darling.
"Why not?" She grabs the buckets.
"That movie was good." Dustin bounced out of the theater.
"Still thought we should have waited for it to go on tape so we could rent it with a discount." Steve had been more money conscious since he only had his income to spend.
"It was worth it. I love the song by Tina Turner. I'm going to buy the soundtrack just for that song." She hummed it. "It moved me."
"I don't know about that." Dustin and Steve shared a look.
"I never want to need a hero again." She felt every word of that song.
"I guess it does have that connection." Dustin thought about the lyrics.
"I don't get it." Steve tilts his head.
"I hope you never lose your hair." He pats his back.
"I don't see what is so great about this sport." Dustin pouts.
"Don't be jealous." She clapped when Lucas made a basket after Steve corrected his form.
"I wanted to slam dunk." Lucas whines.
"Slam dunks are awesome but three-pointers win games." He told him. "Now use the defense moves I taught you to keep the ball from me." He passed him the ball.
He was able to keep the ball away for a minute before Steve stole the ball. "Good job," Lyn cheered.
"How was that a good job he took the ball from me?" He huffs.
"Last time it was like ten seconds and now it was a whole minute." She reasoned.
"Try-out is in two weeks and I still suck." He whines.
"Hey, you're decent enough to get you a spot on the bench, that way you'll get a lot of practice and by next year, you'll definitely be a first stringer." He told him.
"You think so." He perks up.
"Man, you only started playing during the summer and you're already where I was during my freshman year. You're a natural. I wouldn't be surprised if you'll be the first pick if someone gets hurt." He put a hand on his shoulder.
"Thanks, Steve. You've been a big help. My dad has been showing me stuff when he can but he's been working overtime. So… it means a lot." Lucas smiles.
"No problem, it's been fun playing again." Steve was happy that one of them was taking an interest in something he liked. It was refreshing to be an expert at something.
Lyn let out a squeal as her heart got overwhelmed by the sweetness. All the guys let out a sigh of embarrassment when people at the park swirled around to see what that strange sound was.
Lyn turned up the radio when she heard a familiar sound that filled her with adrenaline. "Out of the ruins. Out from the wreckage. Can't make the same mistake this time… we are the children. The last generation. We are the ones they left behind … and I wonder when we are ever gonna change, change. Living under the fear 'til nothing else remains." She took a deep breath to shout out the chorus. "… We don't need another hero. We don't need to know the way home. All we want is life beyond the Thunderdome"
Steve and Lyn were meeting the guys and Robin at the pizzeria. They were hoping it was a celebration lunch for Lucas making the team. When the song was over, she turned to him. "Thanks again for helping him."
"You don't have to keep thanking me." Steve enjoys his time with Lucas.
"I know, but it means a lot. With Max icing him out and him wanting to redefine himself for high school. Him learning this new skill has been a great distraction and destresser for him." She is happy to see him growing.
"How have things been with Max?" He asks.
"You know her, it's mostly sarcastic and passive-aggressive comments. She'll open up a little just to slam the door in my face." She huffs at the stubborn teen.
"We're talking metaphorically, right?" He wonders.
"Only literally once. But, that was because she was embarrassed by her mom being sloppy drunk." She grinds her teeth when she thinks of the woman. She understood her husband left her, but come on, the guy was an abusive dirtbag.
"Last time, you got to stay for a whole hour, that's a record." He parked in front of the restaurant.
They went in to see them sitting at a table. "So…" Lyn sat across from Lucas.
"So, I'm officially a jock." He raises his fists in the air. The cheers filled the place making everyone look at them.
"I don't see what's so great about it?" Mike mutters.
"Hey! Lucas has trained for hours, for months to achieve this goal." Steve glares at the two pouting teens.
"As you guys grow you'll have different interests but that doesn't mean you can't still be friends." Lyn had overheard them talking about Lucas going to the dark side.
"That's what I told them. I'm still a part of Hellfire." He hated that they were trying to bring him down.
"Yeah! Look, Steve is different from all of us. He likes sports, hairspray, and trash movies. But, we all still love him." Robin pointed at Steve.
"You infected Lucas." Mike glares.
He rolled his eyes. "You don't like the jock because they're mean to you for being different but you're doing the same thing. That's why I hated nerds, they think they're better than everyone else."
"We think that, you think that," Robin yelled.
"No, we are not tainting this. If you can't celebrate all of Lucas's wins then you're not a real friend." Lyn was done with their behavior.
Dustin took a deep breath before smiling. "It would be cool if the top player also played D&D." "I'm not a top player." Lucas shook his head.
"Not yet." Mike bumps his shoulder. The bright smile on Lucas's face made Lyn forget her worries and enjoy the moment.