CHAPTER FORTY NINE Family Video, Hawkins, Indiana Spring Break 1986
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"Steve?" Steve turned at the mention of his name. He had been talking to Robin though he probably should have been doing his job, stocking shelves, rewinding video tapes... but he had to admit, he liked slacking off.
Dustin stood at the other side of the counter, looking up at him. Max was stood behind him, frowning, as usual. "Hi there, kid."
"What are you doing here?"
Steve shrugged. "What? Robin got me a job here, like, two days ago?" He glanced back at Robin for assurance and she nodded.
"No." Dustin shook his head. "What are you doing in Hawkins?"
"Ohhh," said Steve. "Right, my trip. I cut it short. I think Cali is just a little too hot for me. The girls, though."
Dustin's face only seemed to grow more confused. "Your trip? I thought you were moving out there."
"Moving?" Steve laughed. "My Dad would absolutely kill me."
"But what about— You know what, not important. I don't have time for you girl drama right now," Dustin said, shaking his head once again. "I need your help."
"We're kinda busy working."
Max looked around the store and the lack of people inside and scoffed. "There's nobody here. And when we walked in, you were hitting on some poor innocent girl."
"Ew." He screwed up his face. "Don't phrase it like that. You make me sound like some type of predator."
"Well..."
Steve opened his mouth to to defend himself but became distracted by what was on the television behind him. 'We come to you live to report the murder of a Hawkins High student that took place in the Forest Hills trailer park...' A chill went through Steve's spine but he tried to play it off. "Did you guys see this? Someone was murdered."
Dustin ignored him. "How many phones do you have?"
Steve thought that was a very nonchalant way to accept that a murder had happened in their small town. "Two... why?"
"Technically three," Robin cut in. "If you count Keith's in the back."
That seemed to be sufficient information for the two teens and they proceeded to hop over the Family Video counter, knocking over all of his recently re-categorized tapes in the process. "Dude! What the hell? What are you doing, man?"
Dustin sat in front of the computer. "Setting up base operations," he said, as if that explained anything at all.
"Get off of that," Steve replied in annoyance. "What do you need that for?"
"I need to look up Eddie's friends phone numbers."
This only increased Steve's announce. "Oh, Eddie? Your new best friend you think is cooler than me because he plays your nerdy game?"
