xxviii
Andrea could never tell you what drove her more insane while she listened to the group that she had known for quite some time. Was it the constant bickering? Maybe. Was it the fact no one ever seemed to take a step back and look at the facts? Also a maybe.
Andrea could absolutely not stand them sometimes. She knew that everything that had happened to them since 1983 was beyond hard to believe. Andrea knew that far too well but that doesn't mean they have to start getting so skeptical.
And as much as Andrea wished things like this had never happened, this was one time where she was one hundred percent sure that they were right and that this... this was nothing human.
"Somebody has to attend to the customers!" Steve shot as he pointed back at the store.
"And we are," Andrea mumbled as she ran her hands through her hair, "Steve, darling, please just think this through. I know you don't want to believe it's happening again..."
"Especially if they're babes, right?" Robin couldn't help but say causing Andrea's head to go up.
"Excuse me?" Andrea questioned as her eyes narrowed, the lights beginning to flicker as she felt the ripples of anger.
"Andrea," Robin let out a sigh as she chewed on her lip.
"Not like that, Andrea, come on," Dustin was losing his patience, "You know..."
"Know what?" Andrea shot as the clock on the wall shattered, "That I'm tired of listening to you all fucking fight and bicker? That I'm tired of none of you wanting to listen to what I have to say until something else fucking happens?! No! Maybe that's why I don't tell you all shit. Or maybe it's the fact you all like to talk about Steve finding other babes, I'm sick of it!"
Everyone's head turned in the direction of the shattered clock before turning back to Andrea, everyone having the same wide-eyed expression as Andrea's face was overcome with anger. Causing a few customers to whisper about gossip.
"Andy," Steve whispered as he placed a hand on her arm, "Breath."
Andrea was in fact breathing, just not in the normal manner, "You all know... You all know that is one way to piss me off more than anything. Am I not a person to you all? Fuck, am I back to being just another fucking experiment? Because damn, guess I'm not the stereotypical babe that you all watch after," And there went the other clock in the wall.
"Hey, not fair. Okay?" Steve shot angrily, not getting fed up with the others, "The babes get us business. You know they mean nothing to me yet that's your defense against me? I attend to all the customers equally, babes and non-babes alike. I have someone unlike you."
Andrea wiped the blood off her nose as she began to pace back in forth in the small section where she stood with Steve. She hadn't actually meant to make the clocks blow up, she had just lost control.
But where would losing control get her? After all, look what she had done to Lucas.
"We've got a very big selection in here. It can be super overwhelming for people," Steve began to point out the movies while he managed to grab Andrea's hand, "Besides, I'm a very taken man. Have you seen the rings my babe made for me?"
Though, Robin seemed to be stuck on the big selection, "Yeah, it can be," She added with a wide grin before turning around.
Andre turned sharp on her heel with a huff, her grip on Steve's hand tightening as he continued to hold onto her making sure that she wasn't going to storm out of the store. She watched as Robin took a seat at one of the computers before she began to type, leaving everyone in the dark.
"What are you doing?" Max asked as she watched Robin work carefully.
Maybe we don't need a last name," was Robin's simple response which caused Steve to tug Andrea behind the counter.
Everyone listened to the continuous clanking of the keyboard keys as Robin typed away. Trying some sort of method to find Reefer Rick so that he could lead them straight to Eddie.
She continued to type before placing a harsh hit on the enter button. The computer slowly loaded before letting out quite a few series of beeps as more names and statuses popped up on the blue screen.
"Twelve Ricks have accounts here," Robin spoke as she looked down at the numbers of Ricks that were slowly loading in onto the blue screen.
"Lot of Ricks," was Max's response as she stared, it could be any of them.
Robin continued to click on the computer as she added, "So, let's narrow it down."
Robin clicked a few more keys before the screen slowly started to load the names and movies that they had recently rented. It was a smart idea because Andrea figured that drug dealers had a specific type of movie that they loved to watch.
"Rick Alderman's latest rentals are Annie and Dumbo," Robin spoke as she watched the movies load onto the screen, "What are the chances our drug dealer has a family?"
"I mean it's possible but probably very low," Andrea shook her head as she leaned into Steve, keeping an eye on the screen.
"What Andrea said, it isn't likely," Max spoke while Dustin shook his head as if he agreed with it being a no.
"Alright," Robin sighed out as she clicked a few more buttons before another Rick popped up, "Rick Conroy. Sixteen Candles, Teen Wolf, Romancing the Stone," She read off from the list.
"No," Everyone said in unison, despite Andrea only knowing what two of those movies were.
"Okay," Robin spoke once again before she tapped away at the keys, "Rick Joiner. Mask, Footloose, and Grease," Robin spoke while Andrea laughed.
"Not bad," She hummed at the movies, "But a no."
"Nah," Everyone else agreed with what Andrea was saying, no drug dealer would rent out those movies.
Going back to the loading screen as Robin pressed a few more buttons, "Rick Kimbrough. The Blue Lagoon and Splash," She read off from the screen.
Everyone let out loud laughs before unanimously agreeing once more, "Definitely not."
Andrea was finding amusement in the movies that these people seemed to rent out. Some of them had fairly good taste but that is not what they needed. They needed someone with a weird taste to pop in so that they could see if he was this Reefer Rick character that they needed to find.
Though, to Andrea, it seemed like it was taking ages to go through these names. At least one of them had to know about Eddie, right? There was no other movie store that this drug dealer could just go to find movies at. He had to be somewhere within this database.
"No way," Steve added as he shook his head in agreement.
Robin continued to click away at the keys before she stopped on another Rick, " Okay. Rick Lipton. Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Cheech & Chong's Next Movie. Cheech & Chong's Nice Dreams. Cheech & Chong's Up in Smoke."
Dustin let out a chuckle while Andrea looked worried at how many Cheech & Chong's movies this guy had rented, "Bingo."
"Lipton?" Max questioned as she looked between Robin and the computer.
"Spelled like the tea. 2121 Holland Road," Robin explained before giving everyone the address.
"That's out by Lovers Lake," Dustin realized as he looked closer at the computer screen.
"Bet you two know where that is all too well," Robin looked back at the couple with a grin.
"Middle of nowhere," Max added with wide eyes.
This was the exact place they needed. There wouldn't be anywhere better to hide. Especially with Eddie being a wanted man, he'd go somewhere he wouldn't be easily found. Somewhere there was no reason to go to because there was nothing around.
"It's a perfect place to hide," Robin had a wide grin on her lips.
"Let's go, gang!" Andrea snapped her fingers as Steve grabbed his jacket out from under the counter and took off with everyone following behind, "I'll buy new clocks later."
Would she? The most Andrea would probably do was come back and clean up the mess.
Everyone ran quickly out the double doors of the family video. Robin was the only one to pause as she turned the sign around and locked up the store.
Andrea got into the front seat along with Steve. Robin piles into the back row with the two teenagers. It was already pretty late in the evening so it would most likely be dark before any of them reached the address near Lovers Lake.
Andrea listened as the engine of Steve's car revved before he was quick to pull out of the parking lot of Family Video. Though, Andrea felt something was off. Something didn't feel right, not like it had the night before when the thing with Chrissy happened but like it had in the school.
Andrea looked around the car causing a few eyebrows to raise at her actions before she settled back in her seat.
"Andrea, are you okay?" Robin asked as she watched the girl carefully, she kept checking her surroundings.
"Something doesn't feel right... something feels off," Andrea muttered out as she caught a glimpse of something out of the corner of her eye.
"Your minds probably just messing with you," Max tried to shrug it off but even she looked a bit worried.
Andrea leaned back into her seat as she kept her mouth shut. She absolutely hated that everyone kept saying her mind was playing tricks on her when she knew it wasn't. This wasn't something that she just made up, this wasn't something she was tricking herself into seeing.
Andrea felt as if she were made out to be crazy by such things. Sure, it was possible she was out of her mind but that didn't mean she made herself believe things. Andrea can't manipulate her own vision or literally anything but they made it seem like she could.
"I'm not crazy," Andrea muttered before turning on the music within Steve's car, "Don't fucking make me sound crazy."
"We aren't but maybe you just..." Robin was cut off by a harsh glare served by Andrea, "You haven't been the same."
Andrea let out a scoff, watching as Steve looked over at her, "Eyes on the road, Harrington. Robin, you really don't get to have a say in knowing me. We may have been friends here and there but you don't know me."
"Why are you getting so defensive?" Max questioned as she became skeptical, "Your hiding something, don't deny it."
Andrea let out a scoff as she turned around in her seat, "Funny thing, Max, I could say the same goddamn thing about you."
"Andrea," Dustin looked at her with a soft look, "No one is trying to be mean here it's just we need to find Eddie - I believe you, trust me, I do it's just..."
"Just you think I'm a whacko too?" Andrea retorted before settling back in her seat, "Great chatting with you too, little bro."
The looks that everyone shared while Andrea looked out the window said it all. They truly did not believe Andrea. Or so Andrea gathered. They looked so skeptical and whenever Andrea tried to say something it seemed like she had to fight to get it out.
"So... uh... Lovers Lake," Max was clearly trying to clear the air from the tense fog that resided over them, "Have you two been there?"
Steve let out an awkward laugh, "Yeah. We've been once or twice."
"Twice, last time we went you fell into the lake," Andrea looked down at her hands as she hid a small smile.
"I was trying to impress you," Steve let out a small scoff, "You just laughed at me."
"It was funny in my defense but I did come and check on you. You tripped over a rock into the water, darling," Andrea lifted her head up as she looked over at her boyfriend.
"He fell over a rock?" Max questioned with a laugh.
Andrea nodded her head as her smile fell, "Yeah. Went straight into the water and when he came back up he was as red as a tomato."
"You were wearing that dress," Steve nodded over to it, "You also wore it when Dustin came home. You always have loved it."
"It's got cute little strawberries, how could I not?" Andrea questioned with a small grin.
Steve let out a small laugh, "You truly have an obsession."
"I do, but I could say the same thing about you with me but you don't see me calling you out," Andrea teased as she popped her neck.
"You just did, hot stuff," Steve let out a fake sigh.
And then silence fell over the car once again. The only sound now is the sound of the music that the car played. Andrea's fingers tapped against the door of the BMW with a small smile.
The sun had set over Hawkins, Indiana leaving the group in the darkness of the world as they pulled into the address that Robin had given them for this... Rick Lipton. Hopefully finding either Rick or Eddie in this damned place.
Andrea was first to get out of the car as they all looked at each other. Steve hooked an arm through his girlfriend's as he grabbed a flashlight and turned it on, giving one to Robin as well. Andrea followed along as everyone went up to the doorbell hoping to get an answer.
So, Dustin walked up and pressed the button causing a loud ring. They waited for a few moments and nothing came of it. So, Dustin rang it again clearly not liking the fact that there had been no answer already but that did not stop Dustin who began aggressively pressing the button before banging against the door.
"Okay. Well, that's settled. I guess he's not here," Steve spoke as he held the flashlight up so that Dustin could see.
"Eddie!" Dustin began to yell before adding, "It's Dustin!"
"Great," Steve looked at his girlfriend with a look while she managed a small smile.
"Let him," She hummed softly before her eyes fell back on her brother.
"Look, we just want to talk, okay?" Dustin yelled while Robin began to inspect something on through the windows. Dustin continued to beat against the door and ring the doorbell, "Eddie! Rick? Reefer RICK!"
"Don't scream that," Steve scolded the boy as he gave him a sharp look.
Dustin continued to beat against the door as he waited to get an answer though one never came. Andrea watched as Max began to walk off as she shined her flashlight around. Robin still peeping through the windows.
"Rick! REEFER RICK!" Dustin continued to yell as he beat against the door.
"He's not there... Just..." Steve sighed as he tried to get Dustin to stop.
"Let me try," Andrea hummed as she tugged away from Steve, "AYO! FUCKING REEFER RICK COME OUT HERE AND SELL ME SOME GOOD SHIT!"
"Andrea!" Steve pulled his girlfriend back as he gave her a scolding look, "No."
Andrea shrugged as she gave an innocent smile, "What? I was just trying to get an answer."
"Maybe he could be really high," Dustin tried to reason as he looked back at the two.
"Is that a foot?" Steve questioned as he looked at something.
"No, that's a shoe," Dustin corrected Steve.
"Hallelujah!" Andrea was trying to amuse herself despite the weird feeling that ran through her body.
"Hey, guys?" Max yelled causing everyone to walk over as she pointed to the lit-up shed.
They began to flash their lights through the windows as they looked around. Andrea tilted her head before she slowly entered in.
"Hello?" Robin called out through the darkness, "Is anyone home?"
"Yeah, the fucking creepers," Andrea cursed as she looked around, "Eddie?"
They continued to walk in before flashing their lights around. Looking at different things that were hung on the wall.
"What a dump," Steve couldn't help but mutter.
They continued to walk around as the floorboards creaked. Though, they didn't see anyone. Andrea was starting to have her doubts as Steve cut his flashlight off. He started to hit the bag in the boat with an oar.
"What are you doing?" Dustin asked Steve as if he were stupid.
"Your mom," Andrea accidentally spoke before looking around as if she hadn't said it, "Did you guys hear that? Something said your mom..."
"What are you doing?" Dustin questioned again as he shook his head at his sister's comment.
"He might be in here," Steve spoke as he continued to poke around.
"So take the tarp off!" The change of pitch in her brother's voice was causing her to laugh.
"If you're so brave, you take the tarp off," Steve retorted to the younger boy.
Andrea had zoned with absolutely no clue what was being said. The most she had understood was that someone had been there and something about an oar.
"Huh?" Andrea questioned as she looked around.
"But considering everyone in this room has nearly died a hundred times, personally, I don't find it funny in the slight-"
Steve was ut off as he was jerked backward causing Andrea to quickly run in the direction, "Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Eddie, Eddie! Eddie, stop!" Everyone began to yell.
Andrea watched as everyone tried to talk him down from it while she had other plans. Focusing carefully on him before she slammed him down to the ground causing a groan. She wiped her nose.
"Andrea!" Dustin yelled at her before he got down on the ground beside Eddie while Andrea pulled Steve behind her, "Eddie... Eddie, it's me, Dustin. This is Steve, Andrea's boyfriend," Dustin pointed back at Andrea who was ready to fight Eddie on spot, "He's not gonna hurt you, right, Steve? Neither is Andrea, right?"
"He puts his damn hands on him again and I'll send him out the fucking-" Andrea was cut off by her boyfriend's hand clamping over her mouth.
"Right. Yeah," Steve spoke as he nodded over at Eddie.
"Steve, why don't you drop the oar and Andrea you...." Dustin just moved his hands as he tried to play peacemaker.
Andrea let out a few curse words against Steve's hand as Steve dropped the oar. Eddie went to get back up and go for the two only to be thrown back down by Andrea, Steve only pulling his hand away so he could wipe the blood away.
"They're cool! They're cool!" Dustin yelled as he tried to stop the madness.
"We're cool," Steve added as he nodded.
And then came Eddie's question, "What are you doing here?"
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