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CHAPTER ONE " HOOK, LINE, SINKER, BABY. "
SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE STEPPED OFF A FILM SET, but she was only walking into Family Video. "Hello, Steve," she greeted, her voice was smooth—like homemade butterscotch pudding. Of course, Robin thought. Being King and Queen of their high school, it only made sense for them to interact. Robin slumped in the chair behind the counter, handing her head into the movie rental spread sheet that kept track of who owed what. It was a job that fell on Robin; Steve was only good for customer service.
Steve stood up straighter. "Roslyn! Long time, no see."
"Tell me about it, I was debating NYU, spent the summer in New York—wasn't for me, so now I'm back working in my mom's shop," Roslyn shrugged. "It's alright. How are you?"
"Good, good," Steve stumbled over his words. "I decided to take a year off, too. I was working at the mall but it burned down."
"Good riddance, my mom's business is booming without that mall."
Keith walked out of the back room, an armful of VHS tapes, his eyes widened at the appearance of Roslyn Whitley. "Ros!" He called to her like an old friend. "I've got some more recommendations for you. We got a bunch of new tapes, so yeah."
Robin watched Roslyn's eyes travel from Steve to Keith, her gaze lingering on Robin a millisecond longer than necessary. "Keith," she gave him a nod. "What you got for me?"
Keith hurriedly laid his pile of tapes on the counter and headed back toward the door that read. EMPLOYEES ONLY he had just come out of. "He's a little weird," Steve excused.
"I know, I'm in here all the time. That's why I was surprised to see you," she looked behind Steve once again. Robin looked up from her desk work, hoping that the smile she gave Roslyn was more polite than nervous. "And you too, what's your name?"
"Robin, uh, Buckley."
"Nice to meet you," Roslyn smiled; Robin's heart fluttered. She ignored the fact the two had been at the same school four years prior to this meeting. "I'm Roslyn Whitley."
Robin knew that. Everyone in a hundred mile radius knew that.
Keith rushed out the back room once again with an armful of tapes but this time the tapes for specifically curated for the one and only Roslyn Whitley. Keith placed them on the front desks and started to hold up a few titles. He blocked Robin's view of Roslyn.
"I've got Roman Holiday, All About Eve, How to Catch a Thief..." He continued to shuffle through his list. Roslyn stopped him.
"I'll take the first two, actually." Keith nodded and handed her the tapes.
"Robin could you come ring her in, Steve always gets confused with the classic movies. And I'm a manager, that's not a managerial duty." Keith looked back at her expectantly, she didn't miss the glare he sent Steve.
Robin stood up right away. "Yeah, sure."
Roslyn laid the tapes down in front of Robin, her perfectly manicured nails painted a bright, summer blue though it was now September. "Are you buying or renting?" Robin managed to ask.
"Buying." Roslyn replied. "Keith knows what I like. I trust him enough to buy."
Robin rung up the tapes and declared the total. Roslyn shuffled through her purse. She handed Robin a few crinkled $20 bills. Robin counted up the change.
"So, when did you start working here?" Robin peered up from the cash register, expecting Roslyn to be looking past her, right at Steve Harrington. But instead their eyes locked and it was made obvious Roslyn was talking to her.
"Oh. Like two weeks now."
Roslyn extended her hand and Robin piled a handful of change into her palm. "It'll be nice to see someone that's not Keith for a change then. I'm in here a lot."
Roslyn took out a small coin purse and situated her change. "I better get going. See you soon, Robin. Steve. Keith."
Steve gave Roslyn a goodbye wave. Keith just stood, a glazed expression on his face that for once Robin could relate to. "Yes, see you later."
The door chimed and then shut with a thud. Robin felt like she could finally breathe again.
"She is a Goddess." Keith said his voice breathy, his eyes still trained on the door.
"Keith, that is the first intelligent thing I've heard you say."
Keith finally looked away from the door and down at Robin. "You must be confusing me with Steve. I say intelligent things all the time."
They both turned to Steve. His hands were placed on his hips defensively. "Do I have to remind you two nerds I'm the only one here that was actually friends with that Goddess. How's that for unintelligent?"
Keith and Robin pauses. "He's got a point. He was also with the love of my life—Nancy Wheeler."
"Thank you, Keith." Steve clapped his hands together. "But also sorta creepy since you don't even know Nancy."
Keith narrowed his gaze. "Excuse me, I know Nancy. She used to pick Mike up from the arcade all the time."
"Mhmm," Steve played along. "And how many words do you guys say to each other?"
"She would usually say 'where's Mike' and I'd point."
