Seven
Part II
September 1984
Six Months Later
Veronica fiddled nervously with her hands as she moved up and down the aisles of Hawkins Public Library. She hated how quiet libraries were - the soft noise of shuffling feet and turning pages made her anxiety a little higher. She only walked down the carpeted aisle a little more till she found the book that she was looking for.
All summer, Veronica spent her days studying to play catch up with the rest of the students of the Hawkins high school junior class. She didn't quite qualify, sadly, to join Jonathan for her senior year. That sort of happens when you go "missing" for over twelve years and have to start over. The only reason she was able to score even barely at a junior level was due to studying with Jonathan, Hopper, and Joyce religiously.
Veronica liked the time that she spent studying though. It made her feel like she was finally gaining some of the independence she craved. The independence that was taken from her, thanks to Dr. Brenner and the rest of Hawkins Lab.
Veronica opened the book that was in her hands, slowly walking back down the direction she came down the aisle. She wasn't paying attention much as her dark brown eyes scanned over the slightly worn-down pages of the book. It wasn't till she ran into someone's hard frame that her focus was pulled away from the word in front of her. A small "oof" left her lips along with the muffled sound of multiple books hitting the floor.
"Oh, my god. I'm so sorry." Veronica spoke with hurried and hushed words, bending down to pick up the books that fell at her feet.
"No, no...it's my bad. I should've been paying attention..." a deeper voice spoke. A familiar voice spoke.
Veronica's head popped up towards the sound of the voice, her heart-stopping for a moment with the focused gaze of Steve Harrington on her. A small, gentle smile graced his lips as he gathered the books below them both, handing the one she was holding back to her.
"Thank you," Veronica whispered, feeling a heat move up her neck and rest on her cheeks.
It had been a while since Veronica had seen Steve, with him leaving for most of the summer with his family and Nancy. She never forgot about the boy that left her to feel something she'd never experienced before. It was like something that moved through her body like electricity and felt like it was only pulling her closer to him. That feeling came back almost immediately as she stood in front of him, her fingers grazing against his as Steve passed back her book.
The feeling still confused her.
"Ronnie, right?" Steve asked, his dark brows pulled together slightly. Veronica couldn't speak, she just nodded her head as the fluttering in her stomach started back up again. "Wow...y-you...how have you been?"
"Umm," She bit down on her lower lip slightly, "G-Good...really good."
Her eyes danced as she took him in, noticing how he'd changed over the last few months since she'd seen him. He was a little taller, looming over her frame, with his body looking a little leaner. Steve's hair was also a lot longer than the last time she saw it, now flopping more in front of his eyes when he looked down at her.
"Good," Steve smiled a little wider, and looked down towards the book in her hands, "The Great Gatsby? Guess you're moving through the reading list for school too, huh?"
Her thick eyebrows pulled together in confusion, before looking down at the book in her hand. "Oh," She perked up slightly, "Y-Yeah...Mrs. Gardner sent out a couple we had to get done before school. This is the last one on my list."
Steve stood there in amazement as he listened to the girl in front of him talk. His face showed the shock. The last time Steve spoke with Ronnie, her voice was small and meek along with stuttering through a few sentences. But it was like now, over the last four or so months, she was speaking with clear confidence.
He also noticed how her face looked a little fuller than usual. She looked healthy, and no longer as sickly as she did after escaping the Lab. Her brown eyes seemed to sparkle as she smiled up at him with a rosiness to her cheeks. Steve also couldn't help but notice the freckles that danced across her nose and up each side of her cheeks - he thought that she looked adorable. Cute, even.
But the moment the thought entered his mind, Steve pushed it aside.
You're still with Nancy, asshole, Steve scolded himself
"...and I really didn't understand On The Road...like what was that Jack guy even talking about? I had to read it a few times, and even with Hopper explaining it, I still was lost." Veronica finished rambling, drawing Steve's attention back to her.
When she saw the astonished look on Steve's face, she blushed redder with embarrassment, "Sorry...I-I was rambling."
"No, no," Steve quickly shook his head, causing his brown hair to bounce slightly with the movement, "I understand, trust me, I had Gardener last year...On The Road was confusing for me too."
Veronica ducked her head slightly, before tucking a loose curl behind her ear that escaped from her ponytail.
"Well...um, I gotta go...meeting Hopper at the diner for lunch. Just had to come and check out this book beforehand."
"Y-Yeah," Steve nodded his head as the two of them did a slightly awkward shuffle around each other.
Veronica began to head back down the aisle, before looking over her shoulder and giving Steve a small wave goodbye. She walked out into the busy streets of downtown Hawkins, the sun glaring down on her with the final days of summer counting down. She slipped the book into her small backpack before walking down the street to the small diner she planned to meet Hopper at.
Veronica walked through the double doors, the small above letting out a small jingle, and spotting Hopper at their table in the back. Ever since Veronica found out the truth about her parents, and slowly started to integrate back into the town, she made sure to have a tradition with Hopper.
"We should have something where I can ask you about stuff," Veronica spoke as she sat across from Hopper, who was sitting behind his desk. "I-I...I don't know..."
Hopper sighed and fiddled with a pen that was once sitting on his desk, his brown eyes looked towards Veronica with a pensive look. Before a deep and heavy sigh sounded from him.
"When you were little, and before everything that happened, I used to meet with your mother every few Sundays to spend time with you." Hopper leaned forward slightly as Veronica's eyes connected with his. Eyes that he now realized were the same shape and color as his. "Why don't we have our own, new, Sunday tradition."
Veronica sat up, her voice sounding with elation, "Really?"
Hopper nodded his head, loving the smile that broke out on her face. "Really. We can get to know each other, you can ask questions about stuff...and I'll try my hardest to answer them."
"I would really like that," Veronica smiled so wide that her cheeks started to hurt.
"You're late kid," Hopper playfully grumbled as Veronica slid into the booth across from him. A chocolate milkshake was already ordered for her.
"I had to stop at the library," She rolled her eyes, before grabbing the straw and taking a long sip. "Thank you,"
"Of course," He smiled and finished eating the food that was in front of him, "How's the reading going?"
"Finished On The Road, again. Still don't get it. But," Veronica shrugged her shoulders, "Moving on to Gatsby now."
"That one is a much more enjoyable book, I promise you." The two fell into a comfortable silence, before Hopper spoke again, "You excited to start school tomorrow?"
Veronica didn't look up towards him, instead of letting out a small noise and shrugging her shoulders.
"You seemed more excited last week," Hopper spoke, looking towards her with concern, "What changed this time?"
Veronica debated on what to say, before speaking up after a long pause of silence.
"I don't understand why I can't be Veronica Hopper," She whispered with a deepening frown. "You and Joyce said I could choose my name, but now you're telling me that I can't?"
Hopper sighed, and rubbed his hand over his face, before setting his gaze on the girl in front of him. "Because there is a record that you were found due to sending your DNA off to a lab. That led to questions and some people finding out at the station. The fact that a missing girl from twelve years ago suddenly being found, and then suddenly disappeared is hard to explain to people. Especially with you now mysteriously coming into town."
"But I'm your daughter," She argued, her voice a whisper.
"I know," Hopper frowned, "But going by your name," Veronica glared up towards him, causing him to quickly change his wording, "old name, isn't going to change that. We just have to play it safe, especially with everything that happened."
"I'm Veronica Hopper," She declared.
Jim nodded his head, reaching across the table to gently take her hand, "Just...be Veronica Gray for a little while."
Hopper hated the deeply saddened look that came across her face, a heaviness falling between the two. The rest of the lunch was eaten in silence before Hopper paid and the two left. His Sheriff's Department truck sat parked on the curb right outside the diner.
"Want me to drive you back to the Byers'?" Hopper asked, clicking to unlock the truck quickly.
"Mmmm," She paused in thought for a moment, before shaking her head, "Think I'm gonna walk...think for a moment, clear my head."
Hopper fiddled with his keys, before nodding his head, "Alright...well...just be careful ok?"
"Always am," Veronica spoke, her lips turning up slightly before she stepped forward and wrapped her small arms around his larger frame. Hopper stiffened for a moment before his arms wrapped around her.
Veronica stepped back and watched as Hopper climbed into his truck and pulled off before she made her way out of downtown. She knew that it was going to be a while before she got back home.
But Veronica really felt like she needed it.
To come to terms with the new phase in her life, and also have the twisting feeling in her gut that she wasn't sure if she was ready for it.