The Fate of Hawkins; A Stranger Things Fanfiction

Season Three; Chapter One: Suzie, Do You Copy?

End of June 1985

Y/n's POV

"Morning, Mrs. Wheeler," I greet the older woman as I walked along the side of the pool. My shift at Hawkins Community Pool was starting in five minutes, so I needed to get to the the tower. On the way there, I passed by Mike and Nancy's mom, Karen, who was usually here most days I worked with her friends and little Holly.

"Morning, Y/n," Mrs. Wheeler returned and waved. "Do you know if Billy is working this morning?"

"When I'm here, he's here. We're shift partners," I explain. "Our shifts are almost always together. And since our shift starts in about five minutes, he should be out here shortly."

"Okay. Thank you, Y/n. Have a good shift," Mrs. Wheeler whished.

I did not have a good shift. The sun was beating down on Hawkins today, and even with an umbrella posed over my tower, the air was still too hot for me to be comfortable. The good thing was that I was required to wear a bathing suit while I worked, so it wasn't like I was sweating through my clothes. Plus, being here on most days meant I was working on a pretty nice tan. Today though, it was too hot to focus on that. So instead, I got myself a cold cherry slushie and sipped on it as I scanned over the people in the pool. Aside from the heat, my shift was good, up until it wasn't.

"What the hell, Heather? You were supposed to be here 10 minutes ago," I seethe as Heather finally showed up by the lifeguard tower.

"I got caught in traffic," Heather defended. "Literally everyone is going to the mall today. I guess there's some new movie out at the theater."

"Whatever," I mutter. "I don't have time for this. Next time, just please be on time. I have other things to worry about."

"Okay. I promise," Heather pledged.

"Thank you. See you next shift," I say.

"See ya!" Heather called out as I walked off.

.....................................

I slammed on my breaks, my car lurching slightly as I did. As soon as I was parked, I exited my car quickly, speed walking to the mall's entrance. I glanced down at my watch, cursing when I saw the time. That only made me walk faster. I dodged the group of teens at the entrance and weaved my way through the throng of children in the aisles, and finally, I made it to Scoops Ahoy. I was sweating and out of breath, but I was here.

"Sorry I'm late," I apologize to Robin and Steve as I got behind the counter. "The lifeguard who was scheduled after me took forever to get ready, and I can't leave the pool area until someone else is there to cover me. Plus, it's hot as hell outside, and if I don't stick my face in the cooler, I think I might melt."

"Nice to see you too," Steve waved.

"Right. Sorry. Hi," I exhale and lean in to kiss him. My hands automatically flew to his hair, one of my two favorite features of his, the other being his hands, and when my fingers skimmed the brim of his sailor's hat, I started freaking out. I pulled away from my boyfriend quickly and reached up to my head, and when I didn't feel my own hat, I sighed. "Okay, where is my flippin' hat? I swear I had it when I left the house this morning."

"Babe, calm down," Steve instructed and gestured to the countertop. "It's in your bag."

"Steve, you're a life saver," I breathe out and grab the hat, placing it atop my head.

"How was working at the pool today?" Robin questioned.

"Same as always. Terrible," I reply. "It'd be fine if I could actually get in the pool. But no. I've got to sit atop that stupid lifeguard tower in the blistering heat. It also doesn't help that my shift partner is Billy Hargrove."