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chapter eighteen

HAWKINS WAS ANYTHING BUT QUIET when Diana finally went home for Spring Break. It was a Friday, and Steve had been right about the Hawkins High basketball team making it to the championship game. Hawkins was hosting, and Diana had promised Lucas she would be there.

There were posters wishing the team luck all around town. She could practically feel the excitement radiating off of Hawkins because of the night's coming events. Diana couldn't help but to see a shadow of ruins over her home as she drove her Beetle through its streets. She'd decided that she would fess up to the possibility of all that she'd seen to Steve that night, and to the kids when Saturday came. She couldn't talk to Hopper, but maybe she could get Joyce on the phone, and Joyce could get her friends from the lab on the phone but then it would circle back to them just believing Diana's word.

She had no proof, and she wasn't sure how she could get it. She wasn't even sure she would have to get it. Regardless, she would have to let the visions back in soon, but she was in no hurry to do as much.

Family Video was void of any customers when she entered. The store was tinted red by the neon sign on the back wall. It made the Freddy Krueger cutout near the door a bit more menacing.

Diana ignored it.

There were video tapes everywhere, both new and old. There were even posters of what Diana knew to be quite popular movies hanging on the walls and in the windows. Tears for Fears was quietly emitting from the store's speakers. Dark green signs that explained the best way to avoid late fees were on nearly shelf in the building. The manager, Keith, was at the counter—a novelty since Steve and Robin had been hired.  He wore a dark teal Family Video shirt, which Diana recognized as the same color as Steve's work vest. It successfully matched the color scheme of the store.

"Welcome to Family Video—" he began in a monotonous voice, but when he bothered to look up from his bag of chips, he stopped short, his dark hair flopping slightly into his narrowed eyes. "Oh, it's you."

"You need to work on your customer service skills," she told him, placing her hands on the counter. She was wearing a thin, black long sleeved shirt and jeans. Although the winter chill was receding from Hawkins, it was still too cold for Diana. She wouldn't make the mistake of going out unprepared for the weather ever again. She pointed to the door that was a few yards away. "Is Steve back there?"

He put a cheese puff in his mouth and regarded her with suspicion. "Maybe—" She was heading back before the word was fully out of his mouth. "Hey! No customers in the break room."

She glanced back at him, her hand on the doorknob. She shot him a smile, attempting to distract him into giving her what she wanted. "I won't be long."

He paused for a moment, blinked twice, then waved her toward the door, before turning back to his chips.

She pushed inside to find Steve seated at a table with his back to the door and a pair of headphones over his ears. She let out a breath she hadn't known she was holding at the sight of him. He was slightly bobbing his head.

She tapped his shoulder. He pulled one side of the headphones from his ear, but didn't turn around at first. "I've only got ten minutes left of my break, Keith." He glanced back, but then did a double take, shooting up from his seat. He pulled the headphones from his head and let them meet his cassette player on the table. "Diana."

He attacked her in a hug, lifting her off the ground. "It's nice to see you too," she said, kissing his temple. Despite everything, she'd missed him.

He set her down, his hands remaining on her waist. "You're here early." He surveyed her as she nodded with a small smile on her lips. "You cut your hair."

Her curls stopped a little below her ears now. "Surprise?"

He smiled, placing a kiss to her lips. "You look really beautiful, Di. I thought you were coming at 5. Does anyone else know that you're here yet?"

She took a moment to take him in. In some places, his hair was lighter than she remembered it to be. He had a scar right beneath the right corner of his lip— a reminder of what he'd been through. He was dressed in a white polo and his vest. His brown eyes were lit with excitement.

She shook her head. "Just you. My stuff's still in my car. Everyone's busy, even you, but I was passing by. Is Robin coming in today?"

He shook his head. "She was supposed to, but the new band teacher has them pulling an extra practice for tonight's game." Steve pushed the door closed a bit, pressing closer to Diana for a second. "Are you gonna stay at my place for the break? Because if you wanted to, you totally could. I went grocery shopping the other night, so we won't starve or anything."

Diana gave a teasingly surprised face. "You went grocery shopping?" She smiled at the thought. "Last time I was over, all you had was ketchup, potato chips, and coca-cola."

He chuckled lightly, watching her face, but before he could reply, Keith pushed open the door. Diana moved from Steve's grasp to stand beside him. "Break's over Harrington. We've got customers." Both Diana and Steve peaked into the store over Keith's frame. There were only two men roaming aimlessly through the store.

Steve looked back to their former classmate. "Yeah, uh, can you just give us one second, Keith?"

He gazed between the couple then sighed, his face showing very little emotion. "Whatever. Just take this outside." And as they passed him and headed to the exit, "You've got a minute, Harrington."

She and Steve ducked their heads together as they exited the store. "I can meet you at your place, and we can ride to the game together tonight. I'm gonna go home and wait for my family."

"Yeah that sounds good." He leaned down and kissed her once more. "If you need something just call the store."

She nodded looking up at his caring eye. There were too many upspoken things in the air in the air between them. Diana thought she could almost choke because of it. She quickly looked away from him. "You better get back inside before Keith is forced to keep pretending like he cares." She kissed his cheek and backed away to her car. She bid him goodbye and went home. She didn't dare look back.

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"My baby's back," her mother said, kissing her cheeks and squeezing her tightly. Diana flushed under the attention. It was a little after 4:30, and her mother had been the first one to return home. The woman was smiling widely, despite attempting to chastise her. "You don't even call anymore. I had half a mind to come down there myself and check up on you--"

She sat on the counter, but her mother shooed her off. She immediately moved as her mother began to prepare ingredients for whatever she would be cooking soon. "I got busy. Tests and papers," she explained vaguely.

Her mother shot her a look and rolled her eyes, but then they brightened. "You cut your hair." She reached out, but didn't touch it. She only admired it. "It fits you."

Diana felt her shoulders loosen at her mother's praise. "Thank you." Di checked the time once more. "Where is everyone?"

"Dad's meeting me at the game tonight. He had to finish up some paperwork at work before the break comes." Her mother began slicing into an onion. Her mother's hair, which had been curled to perfection, remained in place even as she moved. The green and white plaid dress she wore complimented her brown skin nicely, and any outsider wouldn't be able to make out that she'd worked a tiresome job that day. Diana could see the slight fatigue in her eyes, though. "Lucas had to stay for game prep. Erica called me earlier to ask for permission to stay after school for a club. She said she wouldn't be coming to the game tonight."

"Oh?"

Her mother shrugged. "You know that little girl. Always busy." She pushed her diced onions aside and moved onto a bell pepper. "I think tonight is your brother's night. I can feel it, Di."

"Maybe so," was all Diana said to that. He had ridden the bench all season and as much as he begged Diana to look into the future for him regarding this, she wouldn't.

Her mother looked up from her task, her eyes shining with hope and pride. "Are you hitching a ride with me to the game?"

"I already promised Steve I would go with him," she said apologetically, though she wasn't entirely sure she even wanted to do so anymore. "If you want me to--"

"No, go have fun," her mother murmured, waving her off. "You know I love Steve."

Diana supposed that she did. "So you won't mind me staying the night at his place for a few days will you?"

Her mother tapped her knife against the cutting board a few times before looking back up. Her expression was knowing but she clearly looked over it. "You're nineteen. All I know is that you better not bring any babies back to my house Diana Taylor." Diana made a noise of protest, but Mrs. Sinclair shook her head. "Nope. I've said my piece. Your dad might brood in silence though. He'll be fine."

"Then you'll let him know for me?" She asked, bringing her hands together in a plea.

"No I will not. You'll do it yourself at the game," her mother leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You should get going if you and Steve want to make it to the gym before 6."

Diana look at her mother's chopped vegetables. "What about you? What are you cooking?"

"Nothing right now. Just prepping," her mother said, a laugh on her lips. Diana sighed and left the house.

She really, really hoped her visions would amount to nothing.

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