Jopper : You make my heart skip a beat

Chapter 25

"I... I'm in love with you." Hopper stopped for a second, watching Joyce's stunned face.

He...he loves me!?

"I'm in love with you, Hop." Joyce said.

He looked so deep into her eyes, she could swear he could see her soul. He was asking permission. Permission to do what she had wanted for a very...very long time. He wants permission to kiss me. Joyce leaned an inch towards him as her answer. I want to kiss him. I need to kiss him.

He pulled her cheek gently towards him and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. The kiss was innocent and chaste at first, but it quickly grew heated. 

Joyce realised, in that moment, what she had been scared to do. She had been scared to lose the person who believed in her two years ago. She had been scared to lose the person who had understood her anger and pain towards the lab and the Upside down and the shadow monster. The one person who understood her. The real Joyce. Not the crazy lady who lives at the edge of town and raises her kids to be weirdos or freaks, that everyone else in town thought she was, bar a few friends. She had been scared of losing her best friend. But I'm not scared anymore. I won't lose him. I love him and he loves me. I will never lose him.

He wrapped a hand around the back of her neck, pulling her in for a deeper kiss. Joyce placed both her hands on his broad chest. She fisted his jumper, wanting him closer to her. I need him closer.

Her mind was exploding, still not really believing this was happening. Although she knew they had to breathe eventually, she was still disappointed when Hopper broke the kiss, pressing his forehead against hers. He smiled a goofy, happy smile and she returned it with a giggle. "I love you, Joyce." Hopper whispered.

"I know. I love you too, Hop."

Joyce bolted awake. Sweat on her forehead. The sun's snowy like light beaming through the window and reflecting on her sweating face. She could see the snow piled up outside, almost the same height as her window. 

The room was slightly cold, the only source of light is the beam coming in through the window. Joyce looked beside her to find an empty bed besides herself. The spot next to hers was never slept in. "Hop..." It was barely a whisper. 

A few tears found their way down her face as she realised.

The midnight movie. The confession. The kiss. The love. It was all a dream. We played the game of cards and the I must have gone to bed, just like the kids. I must have fallen asleep. Dreaming of all the things I wish to be true. I wish for love from Hopper. I wish for my desire to be quenched. My wish for him. My want for him. My need for him. I wish I could tell Hopper how I really felt. If I could just tell him just how much I love him. Then maybe...just maybe...we can be together.

As she was wiping away the last few tears, she smelt the familiar and delightful smell of bacon and eggs coming from the kitchen. What? Who's making breakfast. El and Will definitely won't be up for at least half an hour. Maybe Jonathan did make it home last night. And now, because he always looks out for others before himself, he's making us breakfast. I should go see him. 

Joyce decided not to bother changing out of her pyjamas because it was only Jonathan. She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. 

Her hair was wild but still looked sort of contained. Her clothes were oversized and baggy, hanging loosely from her small frame. Her face showed that she just woke up but although Joyce can't see it, she was still beautiful. Your dream about Hopper was just that. A dream. Nothing more. He slept on the couch and we never kissed. Just act normal around him when he wakes up. Everyone knows he is not a morning person. He won't be up until after the kids wake up.

She opened the wooden door leading away from her bedroom and towards the kitchen. The smell grew stronger and more appetising the closer she moved to the kitchen. She could hear the sizzle of the bacon on the frying pan and the distant sound of someone setting the table. The sound of the cutlery being placed carefully onto the table and the glasses clinking off each other as they were removed from the cupboard and put on the table. She could hear cupboard doors opening and closing and footsteps connecting all the movements taking place in the kitchen.

She stumbled lazily down the hall, still brushing the sleep from her eyes as she entered through the kitchen door. She was quite shocked by the sight in front of her. She had never even thought of this. It had never even crossed her mind as a possibility. The thought of it now was nice. Heart-warming even. It made her feel...loved. But the pure shock of her most recent discovery was the emotion that took over the features of her face. Her face scrunched up in confusion.

The person in front of her had shocked her by their actions. So much so that she was speechless. The other person was completely oblivious to the fact that Joyce was even in the room. She had crept in silently, giving no warning of her presence.

The person in front of her turned and saw her for the first time this morning. He is making breakfast. He smiled happily, slowly putting down the glasses in his hand and placing them on the wooden table.

"Joyce, you know I love it when you scrunch up your nose like that. It's irresistible." Hopper teased while slowly making his way over to her. W-what? What is he talking about. He loves it... Unless he... unless we... Unless my dream wasn't actually a dream...but it was real!

Hopper approached her and wrapped his arms around her waist, a look of concern on his face. "Is everything ok, Joyce?" She placed her small hands on his chest. "Everything is absolutely perfect, Hop." She slide a hand to the back of his neck and pulled him into a kiss. It wasn't a deep kiss. But it was a loving kiss. It was warm. It was welcoming. It was caring. And it showed each other just how much they loved each other. It showed them, that a life together...a family...wasn't impossible. It was probably just what they both needed. And deeply wanted.

I think there will only be one or two chapters left in this book 😭. I can't believe it's almost finished. I hope you guys have enjoyed the story so far and I appreciate every read and every vote and every comment. Thanks for reading and have a Merry Christmas! 🥺🎄