THE TOWER ━ stranger things

04.

chapter four – extra sprinkles and the return

JUNE 17, 1985

Scoops Ahoy was void of any of its usual customers on the sunny afternoon. Don't be fooled however, the mall was bustling with many vibrant and excited faces but none bothered to make their way to the ice creamery. Irene didn't mind at all; she was happy that she could stay perched against the counter, nose deep in her novel, as her headphones blasted music in her ears. Robin, her co-worker, had to run back home and Irene promised to cover for her. Even though her demeanor seemed relaxed when she reassured the short-haired girl about her departure, inside she was a nervous wreck. She was anxious about dealing with customers all by herself–some of the faces she had come across were nice and didn't say much while others were sour and gave her too hard of a time. She didn't enjoy feeling like her co-workers were her shields, but their presence helped tremendously with bullies. Thankfully, no one had pestered her within the thirty minutes that Robin had been gone.

She was so infused in Mary Shelley's writing that she didn't even notice the lonely fourteen year-old that stood across from her anxiously drumming his fingers against the marble. It wasn't until her eyes peaked over the paperback, after getting an eerie feeling, when she gave the boy standing in front of her an apologetic smile. Her fingers pushed down on the pause button of her walkman, the gentle 'click' sound filling the brief silence between them. The book in her hands was set aside gently before she mindlessly adjusted her cap.

"Che, pibe. Sorry for not seeing you there." Irene's quiet voice was a stark contrast from the loud atmosphere. Her soft eyes were locked on the kid she'd seen a few times prior, "You're...Will right?" She brought her eyebrows together and the boy's face brightened.

Within the three weeks she'd been working at Scoops Ahoy, she had time to meet the infamous gaggle of kids that seemed to cling to her co-worker Steve Harrington. During her first week and first evening shift they asked for Steve, who she thought was running late at the time. Soon, they all realized he was a no show and begged Irene instead to help get them into the theater for free. Robin was supposed to be overseeing Irene's efficiency but had left to use the restroom and it was just Irene at the front slinging ice cream.

"I don't even know you kids," She remembered telling them as her hands quickly shook the sprinkle canister over cups of ice cream before her body rushed to calculate expenses and hand them off to eager customers. They leaned impatiently against the counter, unable to contain both their anxieties and frustrations with the situation.

"But we know Steve and if he was here he would help us," One of the boys pleaded. She mentally proclaimed him as their group's leader; his name she'd later come to know, after Steve made them introduce themselves, was Mike.

"Well Harrington isn't here so I guess you kids are out of luck," Her lips turned into a childlike pout, her shoes skidding against the floor as she turned her back towards them. The four of them all shared looks of both panic and annoyance, bobbing their legs with anticipation as they thought of ways to get the older girl to cave.

The only visible girl in the group, Max, slammed her hand down against the counter and it made Irene's ears perk up. She turned slowly and looked down at the twenty dollar bill stuck underneath the red-heads palm. Her eyes slowly trailed upwards before they locked on the piercing blue ones that seemed to challenge her. Irene could help the quick laugh that came out through her nostrils, her chest moving up and then back down causing her to drop her arms.