Ever since El closed the gate, life went on relatively normal. I got accepted into a local college, where I wanted to get a career in criminal justice and be a detective, but I decided to take a gap year before going so I can help El get adjusted to real life. I got a job at an ice cream shop in the mall called Scoops Ahoy, so now I can eat all the mint ice cream I want. I work there with Steve and another girl named Robin, who is a year younger than us. She's chill, and we're pretty good friends now. I haven't completely ditched Nancy, it's just that her and Jonathan are kinda a thing now, and they've been busy interning at the newspaper.
The kids haven't changed much. They were allowed to see El now, but she couldn't go to any busy places. Dustin has been at a nerdy summer camp all of June, and Mike, Will, Lucas and Max have loved leeching off of the backdoor at Scoops that leads to the movie theatre, where they've been watching things for free. And that's exactly what was happening now. Robin and I were at the cash register, while Steve worked in the back. Mike and the kids very rudely walked up to the counter and started spamming the service bell.
"Hey, dingus, your children are here." Robin announced as Steve opened the sliding window behind us.
"Again? Seriously?" Steve rolled his eyes as I let the kids behind the counter. Steve went and opened the backdoor for them as they walked out into the back halls of the mall.
"Come one. Come on." Steve said. "I swear if anyone hears about this-"
"We're dead" The kids responded at the same time I said: "They're dead."
We went back around to the front, until a few moments later, the power went out.
"That's weird." Steve said.
"Yeah." I agreed with him. Steve walked over to the light switch and flicked it on and off.
"That isn't gonna work, dingus." Robin said to Steve as I put my hands on my hips.
"Oh, really?" Steve responded, flicking the light switch even faster. Soon enough, the power went back on, and everyone continued what they were doing normally.
"Let there be light." Steve said as I chuckled underneath my breath. I suddenly got chills down my spine, and was reminded of when the Mind Flayer possessed Will, but I casually shook it off. It was probably just the ice cream coolers turning back on. That night I went back home, and was ready for the next day of slinging ice cream to begin.
I loved my job, not only because I was making money and getting to eat ice cream all day, also because it was a very amusing job. Now, you might be thinking, what is so amusing about serving ice cream? Steve Harrington trying to make a girlfriend out of the customers, that's what.
"Alrighty, one scoop of chocolate. That's a buck-twenty-five. Anything else?" Steve asked a girl buying ice cream as he noticed her college shirt. "Ooh, Purdue. Fancy."
"Yeah, I'm excited." She responded.
"Yeah, you know, I considered it, Purdue, but then I was like, you know what? I really think I need some real-life experience, you know, before I hit college, see what it feels like. Kinda like, uh, I don't know, see what it's like to earn a working-man's wage, you know? Uh..." Steve continued as I turned around to stifle a laugh as the register started beeping. "Oh, I'm sorry. I think that's, like, really important."
"Yeah, totally." The girl said, not seeming to be interested, but that didn't stop Steve.
"Yeah, anyway, this was, like, so fun. We should kind of like, you know, I don't know, maybe hang out this weekend or-" Steve dropped the girls change. "Oh, sorry about that. Uh... I don't know. Maybe next weekend or-"
"Yeah, I'm busy."
"Oh, that's cool. I'm- I'm working here next weekend so... the following weekend's better for me."
"No. I'm sorry. I can't."
"I... This is... my first day here." Steve sighed as I laughed at him. I looked towards the sliding window behind us. 3...2...1...
"And another one bites the dust." Robin slid over her "You suck" and "You rule" board. She's been tallying the amount of times Steve has failed and successfully gotten girls. "You are oh-for-six, Popeye." Robin added another tally. I'm sure you can guess which side had the six, and which had the zero.
"Yeah, yeah, I can count." Steve said.
"You know that means you suck." Robin added as I tried not to laugh.
"Yep, I can read, too."
"Oh, really?" I joked.
"Since when?" Robin asked.
"It's this stupid hat. I am telling you, it is totally blowing my best feature."
"Yeah, company policy is a real drag." Robin said. "You know, it's a crazy idea, but have you considered... telling the truth?"
"Oh, you mean, that I couldn't even get into Tech and my douchebag dad's trying to teach me a lesson, I make three bucks an hour, and I have no future? That truth?"
"Hey, twelve o'clock." Steve pointed to the customers walking in, a group of girls.
"Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Okay... Uh... I'm going in. Okay? And you know what? Screw company policy." Steve threw his hat as I caught it and put it on top of mine.
"Oh, my God, you're a whole new man." Robin commented.
"Right? Ooh... Ahoy, ladies! Didn't see you there. Would you guys like to set sail on this ocean of flavor with me? I'll be your captain. I'm Steve Harrington." Steve very loudly announced. Robin and I look at each other as I held the two hats on top of my head.
"What do we think? Am I starting a new look around here?" I joked as Robin rolled her eyes and laughed.
"Can I get you guys a little taste of the Cherries Jubilee? No? Anybody? Banana boat? Four people, four spoons?" Steve continued as Robin scoffed and added an extra tally to the board.
Later that night, I got another vision, but this was different. It wasn't Will or Barb or anyone who's been exposed to the Upside Down before.
It was Billy.
