𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞 | 𝐬.𝐡

048. Trials of the Board

THE NEXT MORNING CAME QUICK. Mavis awoke to her alarm as she normally did and got dressed for work. Racing out the door when a honk from Steve's car sounded from outside.

As they walked into the Scoops, the two were playfully arguing.

"All we do is watch horror movies... I don't know how you don't get sick of them," he asked.

"How could I get sick of them when your reactions are so funny," she chuckled.

"Pssh, my reactions are not funny," he quickly huffed out.

"Listen, it's like this, I get my horror movies and you get your Billy Joel and Queen. Compromise. Besides, it's okay to be scared of horror movies," Mavis said putting her arms up. His fear was one of the reasons she loved horror movies so much. To her, nothing beat sitting on her couch and watching horror movies with Steve Harrington.

"I wasn't scared," he declared. In his defense, it wasn't an uncommon occurrence for him to play up his fear to get closer to Mavis. However, no amount of faking could take away from the actual fear he felt, no matter how small.

"Then why were you holding onto me for dear life the whole time?" she teased as they made their way behind the counter. She relished in his fear of horror movies.

"Did you ever think that maybe I just like being close to you?" he said semi-defensively. Now that they were in front of an audience, Robin, he felt the need to defend himself.

She held a finger up to her chin looking up, "hmm I don't know, it didn't really cross my mind when I had you screaming in my ear every time there was a jumpscare," she laughed.

"You say that like that's weird," he turned to Robin, who was in the serving window, "Robin let me ask you this. Does a normal person laugh or scream at jumpscares?"

Robin leaned on the window counter intrigued. Her morning had been pretty boring up until this point and she needed some entertainment. "What type of jumpscare are we talking about? Like on a scale of Nightmare on Elm to Gremlins?" she teasingly asked.

"That doesn't matter, just answer the question," he quickly said.

She huffed. "Fine I'd say scream."

Steve practically jumped, "see," he said pointing to Mavis. "Who in the world laughs at jumpscares?"

"Your girlfriend, dumbass," she said playfully as she raised her eyebrows. "I guess I can look past it," he said with a smirk leaning against the wall beside her.

"Oh how noble of you, but I'm afraid it's too late. I've moved on," she teased as she put her hand up. He played into acting like he was shocked, letting his mouth fall agape. But she paid no mind, as she was on a mission.

"I'll be right back," Mavis said as she made her way around the counter

"Where are you goin'?" Robin called to her.

"To meet my secret boyfriend," she joked, winking at the two of them. "I'm just dropping my camera off at the repair place here, I've been putting it off for a month so it's as good a day as any, my shift technically doesn't start for an hour so it's fine!" she called out as she left.

To Mavis's surprise, just checking in her camera at the repair store took the whole hour. The guy spent most of the hour droning on and on about how he was such a good photographer and how Mavis would be better off buying a new camera. He recognized her from school and for some reason felt comfortable enough to carry out this long strenuous conversation. Eventually, he stopped and she was able to leave her camera with him.