Starting Over

Chapter 7 (Hawkins is My Home)

The journey to Chicago was tedious and quiet. It seemed like an endless drive to reach our new home. I relied on the radio to distract my mind from the worries plaguing me since I wrote that letter to Steve. I had revealed my feelings to him, and now my heart ached even more as I left Hawkins. Moving with my mother was our way of ending the issues between my parents, but was it worth sacrificing my relationship with Steve?

Looking at the scenery around me, it no longer felt like the home I once knew. I began to wonder if I was genuinely ready to start over. Endless thoughts of "what ifs" circled my mind as I tried to process this new place and the feeling of being brand new again. I struggled to find the courage to leave the car, while my mom headed for the U-Haul to unpack. Watching her in the rear-view mirror, removing the boxes and stacking them on top of each other, was when it hit me that this was really happening. Slowly, I reached for the car door handle and stepped out, but I had no motivation to carry any of our belongings into our new house. My mom was already inside, getting ready to settle in and begin our new life here, while I still longed to run back and crash into the arms of the man I called home.

Over the next six months, my experience as a new student in Chicago was not what I had expected. My mother had to use her connections to get me enrolled mid-semester, and being the new girl was not easy. I received strange looks from my classmates whenever I walked down the hallways. One day, while I was grabbing my books at my locker, someone rushed by me and knocked them all to the ground without apologizing. I was constantly made a target and didn't have a single friend to confide in. However, I found solace outside of school, especially when encountering a local record shop on my way home. Listening to music has always been my way of coping, so finding this record shop was like finding a part of myself. The "Music" was now in Steve Harrington's hands, whom I couldn't stop thinking about since arriving here. As I sat down and put on the headphones, the song "Love is a Battlefield" began to play. I couldn't help but wonder if Steve still thought of me.

Back in Hawkins

As each month went by, the summer had arrived before he realized it. The absence of Linda made every day feel like a distant memory. However, the letter he read each night before bed made him feel like she had never left. But he knew he had to face reality and find ways to keep his mind engaged. One day, he came across an advertisement for a job at Scoops Ahoy, a local ice cream parlor at Starcourt Mall. Today was his first day at work, and he hurriedly grabbed his uniform from the closet, dressed, and made a quick breakfast. With only five minutes left to reach the parlor, he glanced at the clock, stuffed the letter into his pocket, and grabbed the hat he hated before rushing out of the door to avoid being late.

Upon arriving at Scoops Ahoy, Steve met Robin, who was already working there. Her personality was unique and different from anyone else he had ever met. She enjoyed discussing anything that caught his attention while occasionally teasing him for fun. As lunchtime approached, Steve informed Robin that he would return in 15 minutes. He then proceeded to the breakroom, sat down, and took her letter from his pocket. He hoped that by reading it one more time, Linda, his loved one, would appear by his side, and everything would be alright. Her memory slowly faded as time passed, and he whispered to himself, "Linda, I wish you were here with me." Before he knew it, his break was over, and he put the letter back in his pocket and returned to his job of scooping ice cream. As he left the breakroom, Robin noticed that he seemed upset and approached him to see if everything was okay. She asked him if he was feeling alright and suggested that the ladies would come around eventually. She even promised to change his board from "You Suck" to "You Rule." Steve chuckled and thanked Robin for lifting his spirits. He went back to serving customers and taking care of his duties.