CHAPTER ONE
STARRY NIGHT

Mavis Wilson groaned when she heard her alarm go off. It was a fact that she hated waking up early, but sadly, duty called. Or well, school did. At least it was the last day of school before Spring Break, so that gave Mavis some motivation to get out of bed, even if the headaches she had been having recently wanted her to stay home.

It was 6 am when she walked towards the bathroom and jumped in the shower. Ten minutes later, she was back in her room, a towel wrapped around her head as she looked through her closet for what to wear. She decided for a white-and-green striped t-shirt — today was the last basketball game of the season, the championship game, and it wouldn't hurt to show a bit of school spirit —, her favorite jeans, her black Converse and a leather jacket in case it was too cold outside.

After she had dried and styled her hair, she headed downstairs, but not without grabbing her teal Fjällräven Kånken backpack, which was filled with all the things she could need during the day. Her father was nowhere to be seen, and that surprised her. After he had lost his job a few months ago, he wouldn't leave the house, which only worsened stuff for Mavis. She was now responsible for paying the bills and buying the groceries, all the money she earned due to her job at Slatewood Records being spent in keeping her and her father afloat.

She could kiss her dream of leaving Hawkins goodbye if this continued.

But then again, that dream had been fading away piece by piece with every moment she spent with Steve Harrington, a new dream taking its place.

Mavis just couldn't help but fall in love with every little thing he did. Like when he invited her to the drive-in cinema to watch The Breakfast Club after he had heard her talk about it with Robin, or when he brought her her favorite snack when he knew she would be working the whole day. He was just... different from anyone she had ever met: sweet, and caring, and funny, and charming. She would be crazy not to fall for him.

However, she had decided she would take her feelings to the grave. Why? Simple. There was no way he liked her back. He was way out of her league, and Mavis just couldn't risk losing him. She didn't know if she would survive it. So, she would have to be content with being his friend, and nothing more than that.

She jumped slightly when she heard the refrigerator door being slammed shut as she washed her plate, suddenly being brought back to reality. That could have only been her father.

"Mavis!" Scott Wilson screamed at his daughter. "Where is the beer?"

"We don't have any," she answered quietly.

"And why haven't you gone to the store?"

"I haven't had the time..." she sighed as she started to dry her plate. "And dad, you shouldn't be drinking so much... Maybe it's good we don't have any beer left, that way–"

He lunged towards her, grabbing her right lower arm tightly and making her drop the plate, which broke at the impact with the floor.

"Listen to me, Mavis," he spoke, Mavis immediately smelling the alcohol. Of course he was drunk. "You don't tell me what I can or can't do, okay?" his grip tightened, making her bite the inside of her cheek to try and ignore the pain. "I've been on this planet longer than you have, which means I know more than you. So next time, think about that before you open your mouth," he snarled, letting go of her arm harshly. "And you better go to the store and get me some beer before leaving for school," he said before he disappeared into the living room.

She sighed, blinking away the tears as she bent down to pick up the now broken plate. This was her life now: doing everything her father wished to avoid being punished.

After she had finished cleaning up the mess, she grabbed her wallet and headed for the door, ready to do what her father had ordered her to. However, she noticed that a bruise was starting to form in the place he had grabbed her. She couldn't let anyone see it, so she grabbed her leather jacket and put it on, its sleeves hiding the newer bruise. Now she could leave.

The store she frequented was just down the block. The owner didn't give a shit about her being underage and buying alcohol, so this was the main reason why Mavis went there most of the time. That, and that it was close to home. She didn't want to risk people from school or work seeing her buy bottles of beer. It would ruin her.

When she made it back home, her father was passed out on the couch. She headed to the kitchen and put all the beers inside the refrigerator. They would only last a few days given her dad's heavy drinking, but at least that would buy her some time.

Before she left for school, she looked at her dad's figure once again. A few months ago, she would have forgiven his behavior, blaming it on her mother's death. But now? He had lost his job due to his alcoholism and anger issues, yet he refused to get help. Instead, he preferred to let his anger out on his daughter. He was slowly drowning, and he was taking Mavis down with him.

As she rode her bike down the streets, listening to Take on Me by a-ha through the headphones of her walkman, Mavis was suddenly thankful for the game tonight. She wasn't a big basketball fan, only going because Lucas was a part of the team and had asked her to, but now, she was looking forward to it: it gave her a reason to stay away from home longer than usual, that way avoiding any further altercations with her father.

Around thirty minutes after leaving her house, Mavis arrived at the school. She parked her bike in the same bike rack as always, pausing the song and taking out her headphones before she stashed her walkman inside her backpack.

She was about to walk into the school building when she heard someone call out to her.

"Hey Mavis, wait up!"

Mavis smiled, knowing instantly who the voice belonged to. She turned around, smiling when she saw Robin get out of Steve's maroon BMW 733i. He had offered to drive her to school last night when they were on the phone, but she declined. She was scared of what would happen if her dad found out.

Steve smiled instantly when he saw Mavis walk towards his car. She looked so pretty, her now short hair falling down smoothly. He loved that hairstyle on her. In fact, he loved everything about her.

He knew he had it bad for her, Robin reminding him of it on the drive to school to deviate from her crush on a fellow band member. But to be fair, she reminded him of his undeniable crush on Mavis every chance she got. And even if it was annoying, Steve couldn't blame her. He did the same thing with Vickie, after all.

"Hey, Rob," Mavis smiled at the girl who was currently taking out her band stuff from the backseat of the car. "Hi Steve."

"Hey Mav." God, she loved that nickname.

"You ready for the pep rally?" Robin asked her.

"Not really, I'm dreading it," she chuckled slightly. Music to Steve's ears.

"Mav, there was something I wanted to ask you..."

She looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

"Would you–"

"Come on, Mavis!" Robin interrupted him as she started to walk towards the school entrance. "We can't be late!"

"I'm coming!" she said before looking back at Steve. "What were you saying?"

"Uh, it doesn't matter. I'll tell you later," he smiled. "Have fun at the pep rally. Bye, Robin!"

"Bye, dingus!" she said as Steve got into his car, waving the two girls goodbye before driving away. And Mavis couldn't help but ask herself what he would have asked her if Robin hadn't interrupted him.

Get your head out of the gutter, she told herself as she followed Robin down the halls of Hawkins High. It's certainly not what you think.

"I have to go get changed into band gear, but I will catch you once the pep rally is over, okay?" Robin asked Mavis once they arrived in front of the band room.

"Sounds like a plan," she smiled. "I'll go find Dustin and Mike. Break a leg out there, Buckley!"

She rolled her eyes playfully. "I hate you, Wilson," she said before walking into the room, greeting her fellow band members.

Mavis watched her for a bit before she started her walk towards the gymnasium. On the way there, she spotted some of the members of the photography club walking a bit ahead of her, also headed for the gymnasium, she assumed.

She had been a part of the photography club up til her sophomore year, when Jonathan and her stopped talking. The club had actually been how the two had met, instantly bonding thanks to their love for photography and The Clash. So when they had the fallout, Mavis quit the club, not wanting to have to keep seeing him every day. She had planned on joining the club again during her last year of high school, but with Jonathan moving away to California the summer before senior year, and with her dad's behavior just getting worse... She decided against it. She wouldn't have time for it anyways.

However... she still missed it.

Walking into the gymnasium, she looked at the crowd, searching for a certain curly-haired boy wearing a cap and a Hellfire Club shirt. And once she spotted him, she walked towards him.

"Nice cap," she smirked as she stood in the spot next to him.

"Mavis, I know you gave me this cap for my birthday, and as you can see, I love it. But at one point it gets old to greet me with that same sentence every time," Dustin explained.

"Sorry, sorry. I'm just glad to see you're still wearing it," she chuckled.

"Of course I am," he smiled. "It's my favorite cap."

She couldn't hide her smile before she looked behind Dustin. "Hi, Mike. Excited for California?"

The younger Wheeler smiled. "Yes, very. I miss El."

Cute.

"Anyways..."

The two boys started to talk about God knows what, and Mavis looked around the gymnasium, more specifically at the band, who had started to play as the cheerleaders started their routine. Robin looked for Mavis in the crowd, just to be met with Mavis sending her two thumbs up, which only made the former roll her eyes playfully.

Mavis then concentrated on the cheerleaders. Chrissy Cunningham was the head cheerleader and the most popular girl at Hawkins High. Her boyfriend was Jason Carver, and even if Mavis despised him for the way he treated her, she didn't despise Chrissy. She was a sweet girl.

From the corner of her eye, Mavis saw Max take the spot next to Mike so she sent her a smile, the redhead sending a small one in return. Mavis knew that she had been distancing herself from the group, mostly because Lucas had confided in her and told her she had broken up with him, but she couldn't blame her. She had seen her brother die in front of her, and she could only imagine how much trauma she was carrying with herself.

She wanted to help Max, and she did. She didn't explicitly offer her help, because she knew Max would refuse it, but she helped in whatever ways she could, like by helping her with schoolwork, or by going to the arcade with her, or by letting her hang out at Slatewood Records for as long as she wanted. And she hoped she would get better soon.

"Look, I'm not saying that my girlfriend is better than yours," she turned her attention to Dustin as he spoke with Mike. "It's just that Suzie's, like, a certified genius."

"You do realize El saved the world twice, right?" Mike had a point.

"And yet you still have a C in Spanish," he shrugged.

"Stop arguing please, you're not middle schoolers anymore," she teased them with a smile as the Tigers made their way into the center of the gymnasium.

Jason Carver was the first of them, and Mavis couldn't help but glare at him. She didn't like him, in the slightest. He had been mean to her ever since she moved to Hawkins, it only worsening during her junior year. He really was able to get to her, and she hated it.

However, the glare she was sending Jason soon vanished when she saw Lucas, a smile appearing on her face. He spotted her in the crowd and his smile widened as he waved at her, Mavis waving back. He seemed happy, and that made her happy.

Lucas and Mavis had grown closer during the last six months, quickly becoming each other's best friends. They talked about everything and hung out whenever they had the chance. She had been there for him when Max broke up with him, and she had supported him on his choice to join the basketball team. He was the only one who knew about her crush on Steve, and the only one who knew about her abusive father.

They supported each other through every up and down, and Mavis knew she wouldn't be who she was today without him. And the same went for Lucas.

"Good morning, Hawkins High!" Jason yelled into the mic, the crowd cheering for him. "First off, I'd like to thank each and every one of you. Without your support, we wouldn't be here. Give yourselves a big hand," more cheering. "And of course, of course, I have to give a special shout-out to the best and the prettiest fans of all time, the Tiger Cheer Squad." Mavis clapped. The cheerleaders deserved the applause. Not like Jason. "Chrissy... Chrissy, I love you, babe."

"Is he serious?" she whispered to her friends, disgusted by the public act of love.

"Oh, I think he is," Dustin answered.

"You know..." Jason continued his speech. "I think I can speak for all of us when I say it's been a tough year for Hawkins." Oh, if only you knew, Carver. "So much loss. And sometimes I wonder: 'How much loss can one community take?' In dark days like this, we need something to believe in. So, last night, when we were down by ten points at half to Christian Academy, I looked at my team, and I said: 'Think of Jack. Think of Melissa. Think of Heather. Think of Billy,'" Mavis couldn't help but look at Max, just like pretty much everyone was doing. She never liked Billy, but still. Her friend was hurting. "'Think about our heroic police chief, Jim Hopper. Think about each and every one of our friends who perished in that fire. What did they die for? For us to lose to some... some crap school? No. For us to return home with our heads hung low in defeat? No! No. Let's win this game. Let's win this game for them.' And that's exactly what we did!" the crowd bursted in applause and cheers.

Mavis just shook her head in disbelief. Jason Carver really had used the losses Hawkins had lived last year for a fucking speech about sports. Bullshit.

"We embarrassed those candy-asses in their own house, and now tonight, tonight, we're gonna bring home the championship trophy!"

"Tonight?" Mike asked.

"How is that possible?" Dustin wondered.

"They call it a tournament," Max said sarcastically. "You win one game, you go on until there's only one team left."

"Yeah, Max's right. Don't tell me you guys didn't know that?" she asked teasingly.

"We know that. It's just... tonight's Hellfire," Dustin explained.

"Oh."

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"The Devil has come to America. Dungeons and Dragons, at first regarded as a harmless game of make-believe, now has both parents and psychologists concerned."

Mavis was walking through the cafeteria after buying herself some food, headed for the schoolyard where she would meet Robin at their spot, when she heard a familiar voice.

Eddie Munson.

Eddie was a regular at Slatewood Records, going there at least two times a week. And so, Mavis and him had become friends. They bonded over music — they shared a couple favorite songs, even though their taste in music couldn't be any more different — and DnD. He even had named her an honorary member of The Hellfire Club, with her joining the sessions from time to time.

"Studies have linked violent behavior to the game, saying it promotes satanic worship, ritual sacrifice, sodomy, suicide, and even... murder."

"Come on, we all know that's bullshit," she smiled as she approached his table.

He looked at the sudden interruption, ready to call whoever it was off, but he smiled when he saw Mavis. "Well, hello there Wilson."

"Good to see you," Gareth greeted her with a smile, the other Hellfire members greeting her as well. That was when she noticed Dustin and Mike weren't there yet.

"Have I told you she helped me plan 'The Cult of Vecna'?"

"I did not," she chuckled.

"Okay, she didn't," he chuckled. "But you still listened to me rant about it."

"Oh, that I definitely did. You just don't know how to shut up," she answered teasingly and the group laughed in unison.

In that moment, Dustin and Mike sat down at the table, surprised to see Mavis there. She never ate at the cafeteria.

"But going back to the topic at hand..." she spoke, referring to the article Eddie had been reading. "Society has to blame something."

"We're an easy target."

"Exactly. We're the freaks because we like to play a fantasy game," Eddie stood up, slamming his hands against the table before getting on it. "But as long as you're into band or science... or parties... or a game where you toss balls into laundry baskets..."

"You want something, freak?" Jason asked as he stood up, Mavis glaring at him from the table.

Eddie brought both of his hands to each side of his head, making it so his fingers appeared to be devil horns, as he spluttered, his tongue out.

Mavis couldn't help but chuckle alongside the other members of Hellfire. That was another reason why Eddie and her got along: they both disliked Jason.

"It's forced conforming," he said as he walked back to the table. "That's what's killing the kids!" he jumped back down to the floor, smiling due to the fact that he had startled Mavis. "That's the real monster."

"I completely agree, Munson," she smiled.

"Do you want to sit with us? I'm sure our fellow losers won't mind," Eddie suggested.

"Maybe another time, I already have lunch plans. But I will see you later?" he nodded. "Cool. Bye boys, have fun."

As the members of Hellfire waved her goodbye, Mavis left the cafeteria. After a short walk later, she found herself in the schoolyard, a smile appearing in her face when she saw Robin at their spot: under the tulip tree just outside of the yard.

"If it isn't my savior," Robin smiled as Mavis sat down next to her.

"Stop it," she chuckled.

"What? It's true," Robin stated. "You're spending your lunch break with me when you could be headed for work."

"What can I say? Nothing beats spending time with you," she smiled as she took a bite of her apple.

Robin smiled too before she also started eating her lunch, but not without going on her usual rambling.

"So, that pep rally was super annoying, don't you think? And then Jason had the audacity to talk about what happened last year to cheer his own stupid basketball team. As if he knew what went down!" she scoffed. "I'm only going to the game because I have to, but believe me, I would be staying at home if I could, and you know I don't like being at home."

"Oh, I know," Mavis chuckled. "And I agree, I wanted to wipe that smirk off Jason's face after the pep rally. I really don't know what Chrissy sees in him. There are way better guys out there."

Robin froze at her words. This was the opening she had been waiting for. It was now or never.

"Uh, Mavis..."

Mavis looked at her friends, frowning when she saw how serious she was. "Robin? Is everything okay?"

"T-There's something I need to tell you." Mavis grew worried. Had something bad happened to her?

"What is it?"

Robin took a deep breath. "I-I like girls."

Mavis looked at Robin for a few seconds without saying anything, and it made Robin nervous, the girl's hands starting to shake. God, had she ruined their friendship? Only because Steve had accepted her didn't mean Mavis would.

She chuckled slightly. "That's it? You had me worried, I thought it was something serious."

Robin blinked. "W-What?"

Mavis smiled softly at her friend, holding Robin's shaking hands securely in hers. "Robin, I don't care if you like boys, or girls, or both, or none. That doesn't change who you are. And that certainly doesn't change my feelings for you. You're still one of my best friends."

The girl felt herself tear up, so she pulled Mavis into a tight hug.

"I love you, Mavis."

Mavis smiled as she hugged Robin. "I love you too, Rob."

Once they pulled away from the hug, the dark brown haired girl smirked. "Now... I'm guessing you have a crush?"

Robin blushed. "Yeah... Her name's Vickie."

Mavis just knew her best friend would go on another rambling, but now about her crush. And so she did. They talked about Vickie until lunch break was over.

"Saved by the bell," Robin chuckled. The bell had rung just after she had asked Mavis about Steve. "But I won't forget about it."

"Yeah, yeah..." she chuckled nervously. She really hoped Robin wouldn't ask her again. "I'll see you at the game, then. Have fun in class!"

"Oh, I will," she said sarcastically. "Bye Mavis!"

After waving her goodbye, Mavis started to walk towards the front of Hawkins High, wanting to get her bike. She looked at her watch; she still had thirty minutes before her shift began. But still, she preferred to be there earlier than later.

"Mavis!" However, it seemed the universe had other plans.

She turned around just to find Dustin and Mike running towards her. They stopped once they were in front of her, panting.

"I hate high school," Mike said as he brought a hand to his heart, trying to calm down.

"What happened?"

"Do you want to be Lucas' sub tonight?"

She frowned. "What?"

Dustin sighed. "We told Eddie that it's Lucas' game tonight, but he said he isn't going to postpone Hellfire, so we need to find a sub for him."

"And you're our honorary member, so do you want to jump in for him?"

They couldn't be serious. "I can't."

"What? Why?"

"Because I promised Lucas I'd go to his game. And unlike others," she glared at them slightly, "I keep my promises."

Mike sighed. "We want to go to Lucas' game, but we can't go against Eddie. You know how he can get."

Now it was her time to sigh. He was right. Eddie's mood could change quickly.

"Sorry, boys, but I can't. Have you tried everybody?"

"Everybody we could ask, yes," Dustin sighed. "No one in this stupid high school wants to play DnD."

She looked away, trying to think of a solution for their problem. And when she saw a specific sign in front of the school, an idea came to her.

"So, screw it," she smiled.

"Screw what?" Mike asked confused

"Screw high school," she shrugged.

"Can you please speak clearer? We don't have time for your riddles right now," Dustin exclaimed, making Mavis roll her eyes.

"Ask Erica," the two boys just looked at her with a frown in their faces. "What? She knows how to play DnD, and she's pretty good at it too. She's level fourteen."

The boys shared a look.

"She's right, Mike. Erica's our best option."

Mike just sighed.

"Thanks for the idea, Mavis! We owe you one!" Dustin yelled at her before he ran towards the middle school, Mike following him.

Mavis just smiled, shaking her head playfully as she walked towards her bike.

It was time to work.

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Fridays at Slatewood Records were usually pretty busy, but today was the exception. Mavis' boss Dylan had told her it was normal for the Friday before Spring Break to be slow, since most people went on vacation that same day. And apparently, he had been right.

So there she was, bored to death. She loved her job, she really did, but she hated days like this. Luckily for her, she wouldn't be bored for too long. Because as she was stacking some of the records, the door bell rang, signaling someone had come inside.

She turned around to look at the door and smiled when she saw Eddie.

"It's me again, Wilson!" he smiled.

"I can see that, Munson," she chuckled, walking to the counter. "What can I do for you today?"

"To be honest, I'm not here to talk about music. Shocking, I know," he smirked. "I'm here to convince you to be the sub today and–"

She held up her hand. "Stop right there. Dustin and Mike already asked me, and I said no."

He pouted slightly. "But why? Don't tell me you're going to the championship game."

"Yes, I am. Got a problem with that?" she asked as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Yeah, that's not your thing!"

She sighed. "It might not be, but Lucas is part of the team now."

"And?"

"And? He's my best friend. I've gone to every game of the season and I will keep doing it. And you know why? Because I want to support him," she explained. "So, I am not joining Hellfire tonight. End of discussion."

"Okay, okay," he lifted both of his hands up in an apologetic way. "I'm sorry."

"You're good," she smiled slightly.

"It's just..." he leaned against the counter. "I'm worried about what kind of person Dustin and Mike are bringing. They didn't want to tell me anything."

"You're scared they're not cool enough?" she asked teasingly.

"No, I'm worried they're not nerdy enough," he chuckled, Mavis joining in.

"You don't have to worry about that."

"Wait, you know who it is?" she nodded. "Wilson, you have to tell me."

"My lips are sealed, Munson," she smirked, doing the motion of zipping her mouth.

"Not cool."

"I know," she chuckled. "Now, was that all?"

"Not in the slightest," it was his turn to smirk. "You interrupted me when I was about to get to the best part... I have gossip."

Mavis' interest peaked as she leaned on the counter, her elbow on the table and her hand supporting her head. "Do tell."

Eddie leaned closer, making sure that no one could hear them — not like anyone would though, there was no one else in the store.

"Chrissy Cunningham is coming to my trailer after the game."

Her eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

He just smirked. "To buy drugs."

She opened her mouth in shock. "What?! Chrissy 'Girl Next Door' Cunningham?"

"The one and only," he nodded.

"Damn," she leant back, crossing her arms in front of her chest. "I had no idea she was into that stuff."

"To be honest... I don't think she is. From what she told me at lunch, I think she's going through a hard time and just trying to survive it."

She nodded slowly. She had noticed Chrissy was acting weird, but she didn't think it was something so bad she had to rely on drugs.

"Are you going to sell them to her?"

Eddie shrugged. "Yeah? I think so. Like I said, she's coming over tonight, so we'll see. If she's still showing doubt, then I won't give her anything."

"Good."

"Anyways," he started to walk backwards towards the door. "That was all, and I have to leave now. But I'll see you tomorrow?"

"It's my day off tomorrow."

"Right," he smiled. "Sunday, then."

"Sunday," she smiled. "Have fun at Hellfire!"

"Oh, I will. And you better don't get bored to death at the game."

She chuckled. "Bye, Munson." He waved her goodbye with a smile before he exited the store.

Mavis was a bit upset he had left, because that meant it was time to do nothing again. She hated slow days. With her hands on her hips, she looked around, trying to see if there was something she could do.

"I could rearrange some of the records..."

And so she did. But before she started, she went to the record player and put on one of her favorite songs at the moment: Holding Out For A Hero by Bonnie Tyler. It always seemed to put her in a good mood. She started to sing along quietly as she organized the shelves, unaware of a certain brown-haired boy that had just entered the record store, his eyes on her as he leant on the counter with a smile.

Steve was pretty sure he was in love with her. He knew that because, well, he had been in love before, with Nancy. However, something was different this time. The feelings he had for Nancy were nothing compared to the feelings he had for Mavis.

"I never pegged you for a Bonnie Tyler fan," he said teasingly, catching Mavis' attention.

She didn't need to turn around to know who it was. "What can I say? I'm full of surprises, Stevie," she smirked as she turned off the player and walked towards the counter.

"I can see that, Mav," he smirked as well, making Mavis' stomach fill with butterflies.

"Anyways, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well, I just got off work, and I wanted to see you." More butterflies. "And... I still have to ask you a question, remember?"

"Right..." she grew nervous.

"Do you want to go to the championship game with me?"

She froze slightly. Was this supposed to be as friends? Or was it supposed to be a date? She had no idea.

"U-Uh... sure. I'd like that."

Steve smiled. "Cool cool cool cool..." Jackpot. "I'm guessing your shift is ending soon?" he asked, even if he knew for a fact her shift was ending in a couple of minutes — he had memorized her schedule.

Mavis looked at her watch, her eyes widening slightly. "Huh, you're right..." Time had flown by after all.

"So, should I wait for you?"

She bit her lip as she smiled. "Yeah, I'd like that."

He smiled again. "Okay, I'll be waiting in my car," he said before leaving the store and walking to his car, which was parked in front of Family Video.

Mavis started to move around the store, doing everything she needed to do before closing. And since there wasn't a lot to do, she finished in ten minutes, just as it was time to close the store. Perfect.

She grabbed her bag from the back before she exited the store, locking it behind her. Then, she walked over to Steve's car, sitting down on the passenger seat and turning to the backseat to leave her bag there.

That's when she saw the backseats had been leant down, her bike lying there.

"Uh..." Steve spoke. "I figured you wouldn't want to leave your bike here."

"To be honest, I had completely forgotten about it," she chuckled. "So, thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled. "Ready?" he asked her as he started the engine.

"Ready," she answered, putting the seat belt on as Steve started to drive.

Mavis really liked car rides with Steve. He was a very good driver, and he had a great taste in music. Plus, they always engaged in good conversation, it didn't matter if it was small talk or if they talked about deep stuff. Drives with Steve just always seemed to calm her down.

As they drove to Hawkins High, they talked about the game, and wondered if the Tigers were actually going to win, and if Lucas was going to play. Mavis hoped he did, she knew how much he wanted to.

"Does it bother you that we might win a championship right after you graduated?" she asked teasingly as Steve and her walked into the gymnasium, the band playing as the basketball team walked through the court.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Thank you so much for bringing that up, Mav. It really helps my ego," he joked.

Mavis chuckled, the two of them going to find available seats. On the way, they walked past the band, so they waved at Robin, the girl nodding at them.

"Was that Vickie?" she asked Steve as they sat down. "The girl next to Rob."

He looked at her with widened eyes. "You know about Vickie?"

She nodded, a smile on her face. "Robin told me today."

The boy sighed, relieved. "Oh my god, I am so glad she told you. It was killing me to be the only one who knew. But yes, that was Vickie."

"Don't worry, now you can talk about it with me," she smirked, and he did the same.

He was about to speak again, but the band suddenly stopped playing, it catching his attention.

"Everyone now please rise for our national anthem." The crowd stood up. "Singing for us tonight, we have a very special guest. All the way from Nashville, our very own Tammy Thompson!"

Both Mavis and Steve's mouth went agape, the two sharing a look before they looked at Robin, who was looking at them with the exact same expression.

"This is going to be fun," Mavis whispered, making Steve chuckle.

She started to sing, and it was hard for Mavis not to laugh. She looked at Steve and saw that he was looking at Robin.

"Told you," he whispered to her.

"Muppet," Mavis joined in, whispering as well.

"Okay, she does sound like a Muppet," Robin whispered back. And then, Vickie started to talk to her, making both Mavis and Steve smirk.

As Tammy continued with her off-key singing, Mavis looked around, her eyes finding Lucas' figure, who was also looking around, a sad look on his face. Her heart broke slightly at the sight. He had probably noticed Dustin and Mike weren't there. He continued looking around, wanting to see if Mavis at least had made it to his game. And she had.

The biggest smile appeared on his face as she waved at him. He was so happy she was there.

The game started shortly after, and it wasn't looking good for Hawkins. At one point, one of the players was injured, and... Lucas was called in.

"Oh my god, Lucas is going to play!" she exclaimed happily as she looked at Steve, who just looked at her lovingly. She was adorable.

There was only a minute left of the game, and they were losing 52 to 50. It was a very hard game, both teams being extremely good.

"Shoot it!" Steve yelled as he stood up. Mavis stood up as well, the adrenaline getting to her.

It was 69 to 67, only ten seconds on the clock, when Jason called for a time-out. Mavis didn't know why, but Steve explained he probably wanted to talk strategy with the coach and the whole team. And so it was.

The game proceeded shortly after, Jason shooting but missing. The whole audience groaned. But then, Lucas grabbed the ball, dribbled back and then shot the ball as he jumped and the clock buzzed.

Mavis was at the edge of her seat, and so was Steve, the two holding on to each other. It seemed as if it wasn't going to enter the hoop, but then, all of a sudden... it did.

Everyone screamed, cheering loudly for the team.

"Oh my god, he did it! Lucas won the game!" she yelled excitedly.

"He did! Oh my god, he did!" Steve matched her excitement as the two hugged.

She had certainly not expected it, but she just knew this night would be a night she'd never forget.

"Lucas! That was amazing!" Once the game had ended and they were outside, Mavis called out to the boy as she walked towards him, Steve behind her.

"Mavis," Lucas turned to face her, a smile on his face.

She pulled him into a hug, the boy hugging her tightly. "Thank you for coming," he whispered into her ear, making her smile widen.

"Of course," she whispered back. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

"You killed it, man," Steve smiled as the two finished their hug.

"Thanks, Steve. I certainly was not expecting to make that shot," he chuckled.

"Well, like Steve said, you killed it. So you should be proud of yourself."

He smiled. "I am."

"How about we celebrate it?" Mavis suggested. "We could go to the diner."

"I can't," Lucas grimaced. "The team is doing a party at Benny's."

"Oh," she wouldn't lie, but she was slightly disappointed. "It's fine."

"We could celebrate tomorrow though," the younger boy suggested.

"Yeah, that sounds nice," she smiled. "Have fun at the party."

"And don't do anything we wouldn't do," Steve said playfully.

"I'll keep that in mind," Lucas chuckled before he bid the two goodbye and left with the team.

Mavis sighed. "I should probably head home."

Steve pouted. "Oh, come on, really?"

"Yeah..."

"How about in thirty minutes? I'll drive you home then."

She thought about it for a moment, but she couldn't say no to spending more time with Steve. "Okay."

Steve smiled widely. "Great, come on," he took her hand before he started to run somewhere. She chuckled as she ran alongside him, having no idea where they were headed.

But shortly after, her doubts were cleared, a smile appearing on her face as they walked into the playground behind Hawkins High, headed for the swings.

"The playground? Really?"

Steve looked at her with a smile, sitting down on one of the swings. "Yes. I saw you were slightly disappointed when Sinclair declined your offer to hang out, so I figured this might cheer you up."

Her heart skipped a beat at his words. He was the best.

"Thank you, Stevie." God, he loved that nickname.

Sitting down on the swing, she looked up at the sky. It was clear tonight, so the stars and constellations could be seen.

"Did you know that there are 88 different constellations? And that the word constellation comes from the Latin term cōnstellātiō, which can be translated as 'set of stars'?"

"How do you know that?"

She shrugged. "I read about it."

He smiled. "Of course you did."

They spent the rest of their stay in the playground in silence, but it was a comfortable silence. The two of them really enjoyed spending time with each other and it showed. Especially when Steve drove her home and they lingered in his car; neither of them wanted to leave the other.

She had tried to tell Steve she didn't need a ride, that she could just bike home — in reality, she didn't want to risk it. What if her father was away and he noticed? Nothing good would come out of it. However, Steve had always been stubborn, and he wasn't going to take no for an answer. Which led to his car being parked in front of her house.

Eventually, Mavis got out of Steve's car, grabbing her bag and bike before she waved him goodbye and started the walk to her door. The lights were on, but she knew her father would be asleep. It was late, after all.

Steve waited until Mavis closed the door behind her before driving away, and she noticed it, a smile appearing in her face. She really had it bad for him.

She looked into the living room, seeing her dad on the couch, before she went to the kitchen, wanting to get herself a little snack. Opening the refrigerator, she saw that her father had definitely gotten drunk today, but at least there were still some beers left so she wouldn't need to go to the store tomorrow.

After finding some strawberries in the fridge, she closed the door and brought one to her mouth. However, she stopped mid-action as she noticed all the lights start to flicker.

Please no.

『••✎••』

mavis is back!! god, it took me so long to write this chapter, especially because i wanted to cover a lot of things, but now you have a long introductory chapter to act two, so it's a plus😌

i loved a lot of scenes in this chapter: finding out mavis gifted dustin his cap, robin coming out to mavis, lucas & mavis... & obviously stavis🥰

also, check out the lookbook! i updated it with mavis' outfit this episode, one of my favorites to be honest

anyways, don't be a ghost reader & i'll see you next chapter! 💙

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PUZZLE © storyofanotherpaola, 2022.