𝘖𝘜𝘙 𝘛𝘐𝘔𝘌 - 𝘌𝘋𝘋𝘐𝘌 𝘔𝘜𝘕𝘚𝘖𝘕

𝐓𝐖𝐎: 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊

Amanda could see herself in ten years, hands nearly drenched in grease as she served yet another unsatisfied customer. It wasn't that she didn't have ambitions, she just never imagined they would work out. She lived in the shithole of Indiana, and the only thing to provide some sort of inspiration was the woods late at night. And yet, after so many years a place once bustling with people and bright colors had now grown dim and desolate.

And every chance she got, she'd actively try to leave.

"Jesus Christ, Amanda! I can't even take a five minute break?" Steve shouted in frustration, as if he was close to breaking something.

"Not without clocking out, Steve. That's company policy. Five minutes won't even cost you a penny, just clock out." Amanda sent him a look, one in which insinuated he was being idiotic.

"Right, well now I don't want to anymore." Steve sighed, leaning against the wall as he awaited for a customer.

"Where's the kid?" Amanda questioned, looking at the time. It was a quarter till five, meaning Dustin should've been there by now.

"He's got some dorky-ass club tonight. Dungeons and Dragons." Steve pulled a rag over his shoulder, the exhaustion in him making itself prominent by the bags under his eyes.

"Oh, I remember. Eddie used to run that damn club. Dungeons and Dipshits, well that's what I called it anyway." Amanda smiled lightly, reminiscing on the days she spent in high school. Sure, she hated it, but she didn't know how truly blissful it was until she graduated. It was a comfort to her, the school somehow providing her a sense of security when her mother and step-father didn't.

"That name's pretty fitting. Hey, did we ever meet in high school? I could swear I might've seen you before." Steve's obliviousness caused an ache of disappointment in her stomach, one which she willfully ignored.

"No, I don't think so. I kept my head down all four years." Amanda lied, but before he could respond the phone began to ring. Steve was quick to attempt to answer, but was cut off by Amanda gripping the phone with her hand.

"Terry's Subs, what can we make fresh for you today?" Amanda questioned as she gave Steve a gloating face.

"Amanda, we need to talk." Her step-father sounded annoyed, which came as no surprise to Amanda.

"I'm at work. Unless you're calling to order a damn sandwich you can wait the five hours it'll take for me to get off my shift." Amanda spat back, piquing Steve's interest.

"Your mother has left to Nevada, she hasn't specified why but I can only assume it's to clean up another one of your messes." Her step-father had no issue placing blame on her every moment in which he felt helpless.

"Why the hell would I cause anything bad to happen in Nevada? That doesn't make any sense." Amanda was quick to point out, leaning herself against the bar as waves of stress overcame her. Steve sent her a confused look, to which she reciprocated.

"I can't keep living with you anymore if you keep ruining this family. Had you just told your mother that you approved of me then everything-"

"I don't. Maybe if you weren't such an asshole I might actually like you. Now, once again, I'm working. Call here again and I swear to god I'll pour syrup all over your clothes and dresser." Amanda harshly hung up, letting out a very loud, frustrated sigh.

"Syrup? That's an odd way to threaten someone." Steve sent her a soft smile, as if he was trying to lift her mood.

"Yeah, well threatening to beat his ass was getting pretty old. Apparently my mother hopped on a flight to Nevada, don't ask me why because honestly I have no idea." 

"There's jack shit in Nevada, well as far as I know." Steve shrugged, before pulling an empty tin which once held lettuce out of it's holder, heading towards the back. 

"Ever heard of Vegas, Einstein?" Amanda smirked, watching as Steve realized just how dumb he sounded. 

"Well, it's not like I've ever been there." Steve mumbled, placing the tin into the very full sink. Amanda stared at the stained window, smudge marks and small handprints making it harder to see through. She hated days like these, ones where barely anyone came in. 

She didn't like to work, but she hated standing idly. Work gave her something to do, even if she didn't like it. Steve emerged from the back with a tin overflowing with chopped up lettuce, making a face of pure disgust. One you'd expect from a child told to eat broccoli. He carefully placed it between the tins of tomato slices and onions, trying his best to avoid it making a loud clank. 

"I never understood Dungeons and Dragons, y'know? It's all some dumb fake game. I mean, I've heard about it encouraging satanic rituals, but I hardly believe that. It seems like kids and teens can't have fun with anything without it seeming wrong to the public eye. Still, maybe if Eddie didn't run the club I might've joined it." Amanda shrugged, her eyes gazing through the window. Steve stared at her for a moment, wondering why she'd been thinking about it so much. 

He'd come to realize that she was more chatty than usual. He'd become used to her snarky remarks and distasteful jokes, but to hear her speak genuinely was new to him. It was almost as if she was a different person, someone who had no issue sharing her own emotions. But Steve knew above all else that she hated showing emotion. 

"He was too eccentric for my liking, not that he was ever rude to me. He was just so... erratic. It was like I couldn't make any sudden movements around him. Honestly, he seems sort of crazy. Did you know I was friends with him in first grade? We lived across from each other in the trailer park, but then I moved because my mom married my step-dad, and he's financially stable." Amanda's eyes didn't move once, as if she couldn't face Steve. And Steve stood there, waiting silently for her to continue. After a moment, Amanda turned to him, her eyebrows scrunched as she examined his facial expression. 

"What, Harrington?" Amanda annoyingly questioned. 

"Oh, sorry. I've just never heard you say so many words at once."