Room with a View - [Jopper] ✓

Guilty Silence and Happy Endings

"She didn't come back last night." Hopper sighed as he stared out the window. The rain was still drizzling over Hawkins and it seemed like the perfect mood.

"Man, you gotta stop wallowing in your own sadness, Hop. It won't get you anywhere." Phil replied, clearly absorbed in his Xbox game as the controller rattled in his hand. It was taking Jim everything not to get up and punch the asshole in the head but he was too tired to care anyway.

"She'll come back, don't worry," Calvin added as he sat next to Callahan, also enveloped into the video game.

"But what if she doesn't? What if she moves rooms?" Hopper groaned as the simple thought made his stomach twist into unruly knots.

"Well, she'd have to come back and get her stuff. You'd see her then and you'd get to talk to-FUCK YOU, CAL! THAT'S CHEATING!" Phil shouted angrily, punching his best friend who was laughing.

"So supportive, you two," Jim mumbled under his breath.

He just wanted to know if she was okay, even though she clearly wasn't. Every moment with dumb and dumber only made him miss Joyce more. Just to hear her laugh or see her smile, he'd give anything.

"Hop!" a voice called him back to reality. As he realized it was Phil, he sat up and glared at him. "What?" he grumbled.

"Are you doing the volunteer thing on the PEDS floor today? Powell and I are heading down there soon," he asked as he shut the Xbox off.

"I don't think so. Too tired." Jim replied, rolling back over in bed.

"Well, if you need us you know where we'll be." Calvin sighed as he and Phil left Jim to be alone.

He didn't want to move, let alone put on a face to go color with a bunch of kids. No, he wanted to sit and stare out the window while doing exactly what Phil told him not to; Wallow in his own pity. He had hundreds of better things to do, none that he could think of on the spot but they were there. Hopper knew that trying to find Joyce to apologize would be a futile attempt. Clearly, when she spat 'fuck you' at him, she meant it.

--

When he finally dragged his ass out of bed, Hopper made his way to floor 17 to watch the Pediatric volunteer day. Practically dragging his feet as he walked, he came across a big glass window, revealing the playroom.

Dozens of little kids ran around with the older patients following them. He could see Powell and Callahan playing board games with a couple kids as he looked around the room.

Then, there she was. Wavy auburn locks laying gently on her shoulders while a yellow mask hugged her face. A little girl was sitting in her lap as Joyce read her a story. Hopper's heart melted as he could see the smile on Joyce's face even through the mask. At least she was alright.

She looked so happy with the kids, several of them sitting around her while she read a Doctor Suess book. A sad smile took over Hop's face as he watched her. She looked so beautiful right then and there, like a goddess in a yellow scrub gown.

Hopper could've sworn he locked eyes with her for a single second. One stupid, small, finite second before that invisible smile became an obvious frown. He could hear his heart shatter in his ears as she looked back down at the book as if he weren't even there.

"She just needs time." a voice startled him from behind.

"I know, Jennifer. That's why I'm not bothering her. I just came down to watch what was happening." he sighed, not even bothering to look at the nurse.

"She looks happy. She seems to love the kids." Jenny said with a small smile tugging at the side of her lip.

"Yeah," he replied breathlessly. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. It had nothing to do with lighting, or how her hair gently caressed her shoulders, she just looked beautiful.