Chapter Forty-One
Summer; July 1985
Veronica frantically moved through her bedroom as she tried to find the match to the other sock lying on her bed. The feeling of the July morning was already causing the air to feel sticky and humid, causing her curls to frizz out around her face. A curse slipped from between her lips as she once again dropped to her knees beside her bed and bent over to look beneath the full mattress. From the bedroom beside hers, Jonathan's, she could hear the blare of an alarm going off.
School was out and done and everyone left Hawkins High School to enjoy their summers. But not for Veronica or some of her other friends, instead she was working a summer job. Robin had gotten it in her head that it would be fun, especially with all the jobs that were popping up now thanks to the Mall opening up a few miles out of town. Robin, along with Steve, got a job at an ice cream shop in the food court of the mall. Scoops Ahoy! Steve wasn't exactly thrilled about it, but with him not leaving for college, it would do.
While other teenagers her age were getting jobs at stores, coffee shops, and movie theaters – Veronica found happiness nestled in the corner of the mall that seemed to be quiet even with the chaos of the mall around it. Bernards Books was a quaint little bookstore where Veronica found the luxury of spending her days tucked behind the counter and giving book recommendations to housewives who were in book clubs.
"Jonathan!" Veronica shouted as she scrambled to slip on her sock after finally finding it, "Jonathan! Wake up we're going to be late!"
Joyce had already left earlier in the morning to head in for her shift at the general store in downtown Hawkins and dropped Will off with the Wheelers. Veronica could hear the noise of the alarm still blaring off as she opened her bedroom door, stepped into the hallway, and knocked loudly on the worn-down bedroom door.
"I swear to god Jonathan if you make me late again, I'm going to –," Veronica's sentence was cut off as the door suddenly swung open, her dark eyes widening at who was standing in front of her. Blue eyes looked back at her with the same shock and her lips partly agape. "Nancy?"
"Sorry," She spoke after a moment, a soft chuckle leaving her lips, before moving around Veronica and down the hall.
Veronica stood there for a while, watching as the girl left down the hall and through the front door, before turning back toward Jonathan's bedroom. He stood there with his brown hair a mess atop his head and his shirt haphazardly buttoned. She shook her head and rolled her eyes as she spotted the rumbled sheets behind him.
"Might want to fix your shirt," Veronica pointed out, "How are you getting away with your sleepovers and your mother not knowing?"
Veronica leaned against the doorway slightly as she watched Jonathan rush to finish getting ready.
"Have this be one of our secrets," Jonathan spoke and grabbed his camera off his desk. "Not like you don't spend nights over at Harringtons,"
Veronica scoffed, "Not doing what you and Nancy are doing that's for sure. Need to keep it down, we do share a wall."
Jonathan rolled his eyes with a scoff, but she didn't miss the bright blush that came across his cheeks. "Shut up."
Veronica couldn't help but laugh as she followed behind Jonathan as they left out of the Byers' home. The feeling of the summer air against her skin caused her to groan, already hating the fact she decided to leave her hair halfway down.
"Why isn't Harrington driving you this morning?"
"He doesn't work till tonight. I'm going to hang at Scoops after work, so you don't have to pick me up." Veronica spoke from the passenger seat. "Why didn't Nancy join? Pointless to try and act like she wasn't here this morning,"
Over the last few months, it was becoming obvious that Veronica was becoming more comfortable within herself. Not that there wasn't a moment where the darkness of her past came back to haunt her, but it was an improvement from before. But there were those nights when the past crept a little too close and reminded her of how it used to be.
The loud noise of the crowd in the mall made Veronica's ears ring as she moved through it. Being in more crowded places like this made her feel exposed to too many people at once. She was able to block people off but working long hours and blocking for so long caused it to wane at times. Her nerves were fried, and her head hurt as she went to the food court. All she wanted was a double chocolate sundae.
The bright fluorescent lights hit her eyes the moment she walked into the sailor-themed ice cream parlor. Robin perked up the moment she saw Veronica walk through the front doors of the parlor, feeling the dread of her workday getting a little better. Her face brightened as she smiled toward her.
"Thank god you're here," Robin sighed heavily before she turned around and opened the sliding window behind her. "Dingus!"
"Why do you call him that?" Veronica spoke with a small smile, "You're only making it more annoying for yourself."
"Because it's the only enjoyment as I sling ice cream to teenagers and rotten kids." Robin chuckled as Steve came through the double doors of the back room.
Veronica perked up slightly the moment Steve came into view, a matching smile spreading across his face.
"There is my girl," Steve spoke with a soft sigh, walking around the counter and toward her. "Been missing you, have no idea how hard it's been."
Veronica couldn't help the blush, giggling slightly. "It hasn't even been a day."
"Don't remind me,"
Steve caressed her cheek before bending down and pressing his lips tightly to hers. Veronica sighed softly against his lips and leaned into him more as Steve deepened the kiss slightly. The kiss was soft and sweet, but the two parted after hearing a soft gagging noise from beside them. Veronica turned toward Robin with a playful glare but didn't remove herself from Steve's side.
"Mature," Steve spoke pointedly, "When are you going to get over the fact that we're dating? It's been months now."
"Not till she finally wakes up and realizes how much of a dingus you are." Robin teased back.
"Stop it, you two." Veronica shook her head and turned back to Steve. "Can I have a sundae? Need one after today."
"Of course, sweetheart," Steve spoke sweetly, brushing back her curls, before bending down to kiss her forehead again.
Steve walked back around the counter quickly, and Veronica couldn't help but let her eyes linger as she watched the shorts swish along his thighs. Her eyes traveled up and suddenly Veronica felt a warmth fill her, a feeling she'd never felt before. Well, she had but only over the last few months and only with Steve. Veronica didn't fully understand it, seeing as it was different from the safe feeling he gave her. This was something else.
"Wanna come sit in the back with me?" Steve asked as he passed over the sundae, topped with fudge and a couple of cherries. "I have about twenty minutes left in my break."
"Of course," She spoke happily, before placing a spoonful of ice cream in her mouth.
Veronica gave Robin another smile before disappearing past the double doors with Steve. The noise of the mall was muffled slightly now that they were beyond the doors. Steve could see her visibly relaxed more before she sank into one of the other folded chairs.
"Everything ok?" He asked, shooting her a worried look, and moving his chair closer to hers.
"Tired," Veronica sighed heavily, before taking another spoonful of the sundae sitting in front of her. "Everything and everyone at once, I haven't had to block other's reads for this long."
Steve reached over and gently rubbed her shoulders, "I'm sorry. Wish I knew what to help."
"Little moments like this help a bunch," Veronica tiredly smiled before eating another spoonful, and then giving one to Steve.
The couple fell into a comfortable silence as Veronica ate the sundae that Steve had made for her. The soft murmur of the mall outside the double doors as soft background music.
"Do you want to come over tonight? Feel like we haven't had alone time in a while." Steve spoke, a slight pout on his lips.
"Of course," Veronica rested back into her seat more, "Parents gone again?"
"Yeah, my asshole dad is gone for a conference for the rest of the week and my mom doesn't trust him enough to go alone. So, the Harrington home is once again quiet."
There was an evident frown on Steve's face, and it made Veronica's chest tighten slightly. She knew of the history between Steve and his parents. Since Steve wasn't able to get into any Ivy League or any college, or school after graduation – his father has been particularly hard on him lately. Instead of giving Steve money like he had been for the last four years, he was forcing Steve to get a job. Steve didn't have a problem with it, but his dad giving him a hard time at every turn was making it worse.
"I'm sorry, I'm more than happy to come and have a little movie night. Can drive to work together in the morning?" Veronica asked.
"I would love that," Steve smiled, and she could feel the genuine happiness coming from him, causing a sweeter taste against her tongue.
She reached over and brushed back the long brown locks from his face before pulling Steve closer to her. His lips pressed against hers in a deep, but slow and tender, kiss. Her fingers gripped his hair as he seemed to pull her closer.
But Veronica pulled away quickly and felt a sharp, ice cold, chill move up her spine – causing goosebumps to erupt across her skin. A soft gasp left her lips just as the lights in the parlor shut off, encasing the two of them in darkness.
"What the fuck," Steve spoke, moving to leave out onto the main floor, seeing the entire mall was dark.
Veronica was left frozen in her seat as she stared off into the darkness and felt her entire body feel as if it was encased in ice. Her head turned around quickly as she felt like she was being watched, fully expecting to see someone or something standing there behind her. But instead, it was nothing. Just the seemingly endless darkness that seemed to surround her. But just as quickly as the lights had turned off, everything came back to life quickly, the noise of the mall continuing as normal.
"That was weird," Steve spoke coming through double doors and staying in the doorway, but his brows pulled together tightly as he looked toward Veronica, seeing the scared look on her face. "You ok baby?"
"I-I…" Veronica's mouth opened a few times before a shudder ran through her body. "I-I think so…I-I guess I'm not…used to the dark."
Steve walked closer to her and knelt in front of her, caressing her face gently, and directing her eyes back to her. "Are you sure?"
Veronica let out a slow and shaky breath, "Yeah, I-I'm ok."
Steve stared at her a little longer and nodded his head before pressing a kiss to her cheeks. "Well, I gotta get back to work, want to come and sit with me out there? Can sit at the table by the counter?"
"Ok,"
Steve reached down grabbed Veronica's hand and pulled her away from the small folding table in the back room of Scoops Ahoy!, before exiting back to the main floor. Veronica shuffled toward the small table Steve spoke of, before grabbing out her book from her bag. She sat there alone and sank into the book she'd been reading for the last week or so as Steve and Robin finished off their shift. But as Veronica sat there and tried to forget the eerie feeling that came over her, she couldn't. It was like suddenly something was trying to tell her about something – but she wasn't able to figure it out. She prayed that it was just her paranoia.