SEVEN at Hawkins (A Stranger Things Fan-fiction)

Chapter 2: Melvald's General Store

Leah Parker wished for a car more than she had ever before as she stood breathing heavily in front of Melvald's General Store. Florence had told her about it so that she could buy all the stuff she needed.

Regaining her long lost energy, she entered the store. A boy her age was standing at the counter reading a book with his feet resting on the counter. He had sandy brown hair and was dressed well for a general store clerk. In fact, he would have been quite cute if he did not have that careless posture and chip crumbles on his mouth.

Leah coughed loudly to get his attention to which his reaction was way too over dramatic.

He jumped, "Oh! Welcome to Melvald's General Store. My name is Jeffrey."

He offered his chip crumble covered hand for Leah to shake. Leah moved backwards and awkwardly nodded, successfully avoiding the messy handshake. She handed her list of items to Jeffrey.

"Oh, you want... me to- to get the items."

Leah realized that this was not the norm for this town but she nodded anyway. Call her selfish but she did NOT want to go through the trouble of picking all the items herself.

Jeffrey tried to make short conversation (which was not short at all) while reading the list over and over again. "So, you must be new. Never seen you around."

"Yeah. I just moved in."

"You must go to Hawkins High School. How do you like it there?"

"No, actually. I will begin working for the Hawkins Police Station after a while."

"You got a job at such a young age?" He asked, his eyes getting over-dramatically wide.

"Well, you're the same age as I am, correct? You have a job."

"But I am a clerk, not a freaking police officer."

Leah paused and reluctantly asked, "Why don't you go to high school?"

Jeffrey looked up at Leah and gave a slow smile. "I didn't have enough money. And after my parents death, I had to support myself somehow."

Leah blinked and felt a pang of guiltiness. He certainly deserved better. She knew what it felt like, kind of-

"Where are your parents?"

"I don't have any." She answered as casually as she could.

"Well, that's not possible, you know? Everyone has-."

"I don't want to talk about it."

"Oh, right. I was getting personal. I'm sorry."

"So... another person works here, right? Joyce Bryers? How is she?"

"She's good. She had her son's meeting to attend so I'm taking her shift."

"Oh. When you see her, tell her that I'm glad Will is back. It must have been so hard for her."

"Sure will." He smiled and handed Leah her shoppers.

Only after she had paid and left is when Jeffrey realized,

"If she is new, how does she know about Joyce Bryer's son?"