By My Side : Steve Harrington

Chapter Two

1973

Casey was laying down on the couch watching cartoons—The Addams Family. Her dad was in the kitchen on the phone, but she didn't know with who. She patiently waiting for him to get off so that she could call Steve. She promised four thirty on the dot. It was four thirty-six now.

Her dad laughed loudly at the dining room table and Casey's face twisted in annoyance. Propping herself up, she looked over the back of the couch. Hopper had a cigarette in one hand and a big grin on his lips.

Being the nosy seven year old she was, she tuned out her cartoons and focused on her father's conversation.

He laughed, "Yeah, yeah." There was a pause as he listened to the voice on the other end, "Well, uh, what do you say about dinner? Tonight at six?"

Dinner? Casey's stomach dropped. Dad going to dinner?

"Alright, that sounds great. I'll, uh, I'll be at your hotel at six." Another pause, and her heart began to race, "Great, see you then."

Jim sighed in content as he got up from his chair and placing the phone back on the hook.

"Who was that, dad?"

He looked up in surprise, almost like he had forgotten his daughter was in the room, "A friend."

Casey removed herself from the couch and began moving into the kitchen, "What's their name?"

"Diane."

Diane.

Casey tried to think if she knew a Diane, but she didn't believe she did.

Hopper caught onto her confusion, especially with the way her nose was crinkling and her brows were furrowed, "She's not from around here. She's from the city."

The brunette interrogated her father like he would one of the people he brings into the station, "How did you meet?"

Hopper smirked at all of her questions, "I bumped into her on at the store. She's visiting family. Very beautiful, sweet, funny."

Casey observed her father standing by the counter. Sure, he had been on dates before in the past, but he never quite acted like this. This time was different.

"So, you're going to dinner?"

Realization settled over his features, and he went into a sort of panic, "Right, dinner. Jesus, I need to get ready. I—I—" He makes eye contact with Casey, his eyes widening, "I need a babysitter. Shit."

"I could just go to Steve's," she shrugged nonchalantly.

Hopper did not like the sound of that, and Casey could see that by the way he rolled his eyes. Ever since the two became immediate best friends their first day of school, Jim hasn't been Steve's biggest fan—even though he's only seven years old.

But, he didn't have many other options. It was too last minute to call Joyce and there was no way he would call Callahan or Powell. Those two could barely handle her for thirty minutes at the station.

With that, he conceded, "Alright, alright." He snatched the phone off the hook and dialed the Harrington's.

He stood there for a few seconds, a hand in his hip, "Hey, Mrs.Harrington. This is Jim, how are you?"

Casey didn't need to stick around for the conversation because she already knew what the outcome would be. She grabbed a bag out of her closet and packed it with a toothbrush, a pair of pajamas, and a set of clothes for tomorrow.

The young girl sat excitedly on the couch, patiently waiting for her dad to finish getting ready. About an passed before walked out of his room dressed very nicely from head to toe. A dark suit jacket, a royal blue button down, and slacks.

He held his arms out, presenting himself, "How do I look?"

Casey nodded, a small smile, "Wow, dad. Very snazzy."

"Thanks, honey." He smoothed his hands over his clothes, "Ready?"

She popped up off of the couch, smiling wide, "Yep."

The drive to Steve's was mostly quiet, the radio filling in the empty space. The father-daughter duo bobbed their head to whatever song came on. Occasionally singing along with the words and before they knew it, Hopper was pulling into the driveway of the Harringtons abode. 

The Harrington's were on the wealthier side of Hawkins, Steve's father being a very successful business man. Casey almost never sees him, he's always working or going out on trips for work. She knows it makes Steve sad not getting to see his dad as much, but he hides it pretty well. 

Jim walked Casey up the steps, hand in hand then rung the doorbell once they were in reach. A few moments later, Mrs.Harrington opened the door with a welcoming smile, "Jim. Casey, how are you?" 

"Hey there, Mrs.Harrington. Thank you for watching her so last minute." 

The older woman waves her hand in dismissal, "It's really no issue. Casey is always welcome."

With that, Hopper kneels to be at level with his daughter, "I'll be back in the morning to pick you up. Have fun—" 

"Be good, be safe. I know, dad." Casey finished with a smirk, and her dad huffed a laugh. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she gave him a hug and he pressed a kiss to the side of her head. 

"Love you, munchkin." 

"Love you too, dad." 

Hopper stood up, he gave a nod and wave to Mrs. Harrington before going to the cruiser. The door was opened wider so that Casey could come inside and she was directed to the backyard where her best friend was waiting for her. 

"Steve!" 

"Casey!" 

The pair collided in a hug, laughing having almost knocked the other one down. However, Casey was quick to become serious, grabbing the young boy's shoulders, "You won't believe it, Steve." 

His brows pulled together, "What?" 

"My dad is going on a date." 

Steve seemed confused, his eyes squinting, "You're dad goes on dates all the time." 

"But this was different," Casey explained, nearly on the edge of being frustrated. "He was laughing, and smiling. This wasn't like all the other times." 

The two found a spot under a tree to sit and Steve asked, "Is that...bad?" 

"I don't know," she thought aloud, "maybe." Her entire life, it has just been her and her dad. She never knew her mom. According to her father, she left a couple months after she was born. Casey  never found herself wondering what her mom was like, or where she was, or why she left. In all reality, how could you miss someone you never properly met. And that was the truth in her young eyes. She never needed a mom, cause she always had her dad and she was perfectly okay with that. But, maybe her dad didn't see it that way. 

"Hey," a gentle hand appeared on her shoulder, pulling her out of her thoughts. "Wanna go play in my room? I just got a bunch of new toys from my dad."

Casey smiled, welcoming a much needed distraction, "Sounds like fun." 

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