°🌟27🌟°

🌟CHAPTER 27🌟

*🌟Third Person's POV🌟*~*~3 MONTHS LATER~*~

Robin had dragged Steve to a local video store, a place she was convinced could be their next source of employment. On the drive over, she scrutinized his application.

"You put your mom down as a reference?" Robin asked, climbing out of the car.

"Yeah. Why not? She's, like, super well-respected," Steve said, as if it were the most logical thing in the world.

"You're such a dingus," Robin muttered, leading the way inside.

The interview was, in a word, a disaster.

"Uh, just to be clear, we weren't fired, you know," Robin explained to the manager, a guy named Keith. "The mall burned down and, like, killed a bunch of people."

"Thanks for sharing. Didn't know," Keith said flatly, dropping their resumes on the counter. "Three favourite movies. Go." He pointed at Robin.

"Uh... The Apartment, Hidden Fortress, Children of Paradise," Robin stated confidently.

"You, go." He turned his bored gaze to Steve.

"Favourite movies?" Steve asked, thrown.

"Did I stutter?"

"Uh... Animal House, for sure. Um..." Steve's mind went blank. He stared at the floor, desperately searching for another title.

"Eyes on me, Harrington."

"Yeah. Uh... Star Wars."

"A New Hope?" Keith clarified.

"A new what-now?"

"Which Star Wars?"

"The one with the teddy bears. Duh," Steve stated. The ensuing silence was deafening. Robin and Keith just stared. "No? Uh... Oh, the one that just came out. The movie that just came out. The one with the DeLorean and Alex P. Keaton, and he's trying to bang his mom. The time... Yeah, those are my top three. Classics."

Keith looked unimpressed. "You start Monday," he said, pointing at Robin. He then pointed at Steve. "You start never."

"Will you just, um... Will you give us a minute?" Robin whispered to Steve.

"Why?"

"Because I promised Hailey I'd get you this job," Robin hissed.

That got him moving. Steve shuffled off to a corner, pretending to be engrossed in a rack of horror movies.

"All right, you have to understand, Keith," Robin began, leaning over the counter. "I know his taste is a bit pedestrian, but the dingus has other qualities."

"He's a douchebag of the highest order, Robin."

"He was a bit of a prick to us in high school, I'll grant you that," Robin conceded. "But he remains... a total chick magnet. I mean, even his girlfriend is a total babe."

"Yeah, okay, and this is relevant to me how?"

"Uh, Earth to Keith. The ladies will come in just to see him. They'll come in in droves. Droves, Keith. We sold so much ice cream, they had to get a second shipment in from Michigan. Goddamn Michigan. And these ladies... These ladies are hot. They're so very hot. And there are too many of them for little Steve, and plus he's in a relationship. He needs assistance. He needs your assistance, Keith."

"What's in it for you? You got a thing for him or something?" Keith asked, raising an eyebrow.

Robin burst out laughing. Steve, overhearing, fumbled and nearly tripped over a cardboard standee. "Goddammit. This is..."

"We're just, um... We're just friends," Robin clarified, her laughter subsiding. "And Hailey is perfect for him, and his weirdness."

"Oh! Fast Times," Steve called out from the corner, grabbing a VHS box. "Fast Times. Ever heard of it? Top three for me, Keith."

Across town, the air was thick with a different kind of tension. Hailey was at the Byers house, the rooms now echoey and half-empty, filled with cardboard boxes instead of life. She helped tape the last few shut, her movements slow, each one feeling like a countdown to a heartache she wasn't ready for.

When it was finally time, they all gathered in the driveway. The goodbyes were quiet, layered with a grief that was still too fresh from the summer's losses. She hugged Eleven tight, promising to write. She squeezed Jonathan's arm, telling him to take care of them all. She held Joyce for a long moment, tears silently soaking into the shoulder of Joyce's jacket.

"Thank you for everything," Joyce whispered, her own voice thick. "You're always welcome. Always."

Then it was Will's turn. He stood by the car, looking smaller than ever. Hailey's composure finally cracked. A sob escaped her as she pulled him into a fierce, crushing hug.

"My little wizard," she whispered, her voice breaking. "I'm gonna miss you so much. Who's going to help me with my campaigns? Who's going to tell me my drawings are cool?"

"I'm gonna miss you too," he mumbled into her shoulder, holding on just as tightly. "Promise you'll come visit me. Promise."

"I promise," she said, pulling back to look at him, wiping her tears with the back of her hand. She managed a wobbly smile. "Even if I have to drag Steve there with me. He'll complain the whole way, but he'll come."

Will gave a wet laugh and hugged her one last time. "Okay."

She stood back with Mike, Lucas, and Dustin, a silent, sombre line of friends watching the two cars-the Byers family and El-pull out of the driveway and turn onto the road. They watched until the taillights disappeared, leaving behind a profound emptiness.

Hailey drove to Steve's on autopilot, the hollow feeling in her chest expanding. She knocked softly on his door. It swung open immediately, and he was there, his expression shifting from expectation to concern the moment he saw her red-rimmed eyes.

He didn't say a word. He just pulled her inside and into his arms, holding her tightly for a long moment before leaning down to press a soft, reassuring kiss to her lips.

"How'd it go?" he asked gently, his hand finding hers as he led her upstairs to his room.

"A lot of emotions," she said, her voice tired. She let herself fall backward onto his bed with a heavy sigh, staring up at the ceiling. "And now I feel sad, and like parts of me are empty."

"You did spend most of your time with those kids," he said, lying down beside her and propping his head up on his elbow. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her forehead. "So, I understand why you would feel that way. It's gonna be weird without them."

"True," she whispered. She turned her head to look at him, seeking a distraction. "Oh, how'd the whole job thing go?"

A slow, proud grin spread across his face. "I start Monday."

A genuine smile finally broke through her sadness. "That's great news." She knew exactly what Robin had likely endured to make that happen.

"I guess," he said with a shrug, trying to play it cool.

Hailey reached out, grabbing a fistful of his shirt and pulling him closer. "Maybe we should celebrate," she whispered, her voice low and inviting. She leaned up and left a soft, lingering kiss on his lips.

"I like the sound of that," he murmured, his voice dropping to match hers. He closed the distance between them, this kiss deeper, more passionate, a silent promise of comfort and shared joy. It was a language they both understood perfectly-a quiet, loving celebration of the fact that despite the goodbyes and the empty spaces left behind, they still had each other. And in that moment, it was more than enough.

*~🌟~*