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Steve was angrier than usual. Or more so, frustrated, annoyed, and irritated. He didn’t mean to be, he didn’t want to be, it’s just being trapped in Hawkins for over a year, being trapped in that big empty house, it could get to someone.
It wasn’t just him, though; it seemed like being trapped in this town was slowly getting to everyone.
Still, despite his growing frustrations, there was one thing that always seemed to bring a smile to his face, and that was you.
Every morning since Robin and Steve took over the WSQK radio station and opened up the phone line to listeners, there was one person who would always call in: you. And you and Steve would flirt a little before you requested some lovey-dovey song, something Robin told him was also done to flirt with him. And despite it happening every single morning, it still made Steve’s heart do a funny little flip in his chest and cause the smile on his face to grow and grow.
And today was no different.
“Alrighty listeners, Rockin Robin here, and its that time of the hour where you all can call in and request any song you’d like to hear on our station today, and Soundboard Steve and I will play it for you lucky guys! Oh, and looks like we already have a caller waiting for us. Hello?”
“Hi!” You chirp back, voice crackling slightly through the receiver.
He can’t help it; the second he hears your voice, a smile crosses Steve’s face. He’s never met you in person, at least, he doesn’t think he has, but Steve likes to think that if he heard you talking while he was at the grocery store or crossing the street, he’d recognize you instantly. And hopefully, not make a fool of himself as he tried to get your number.
“Well if it isn’t our favorite caller,” Robin said, sending a quick wink to Steve. “How are you today?”
“Pretty good, about to head out for work, what about you two?”
“Well, I’m great,” Robin says with a nod to Steve’s direction that no one but the two of them can see, “but I’m not sure how Soundboard Steve is doing. Why don’t we ask?”
He smiles, he can’t help it, he always gets like this whenever you call in, and answers through a laugh, “I’m doing better now that you’ve called, sweetheart.”
“Well, I’m glad I could help to brighten your day,” you say through a laugh of your own.
Steve doesn’t know you, doesn’t know anything about you, but he likes to imagine you leaning against the wall, twirling the phone’s cords through your fingers with a smile on your face that’s just as wide as his.
“Oh, you always brighten my day, honey,” he says.
Robin, ever the wing-woman, adds, “It’s true, I’m surprised his face doesn’t hurt from how hard he’s smiling right now.”
Steve shoots the girl a small glare, but the second he hears the sound of your laughter, the look is quickly wiped from his face in favor of a dopey, soft smile. Never had he heard a sound so pretty.
“Well, I’ve got to get going or I’m going to be late for work, but do you think you guys could play ‘Take a Chance on Me’ by ABBA?”
Steve’s already looking for the track as Robin nods her head. “You got it, ABBA coming up right away,” she says at the same time Steve says, “special song for a special girl. Have a good day at work, honey!” While handing Robin the track.
Once the music starts to play and the mics are cut off, Robin shoots Steve a knowing look. One that quickly gets him to roll his eyes.
“What?” He asks almost exasperatedly.
“‘Take a Chance on Me?’” Robin asks with a teasing smile that makes Steve roll his eyes yet again. “I don’t know how it can get more obvious than that, Steve.”
Instead of admitting he had thought the very same thing, Steve only sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he does so. “It’s not like I can ask her to meet up or ask for her number on air.”
Robin only shrugs, fiddling with the other tracks laid across her desk. “I’m just saying,” she mumbles before getting up to tidy up around the room.
Instead of replying, Steve only sighs before moving to help his friend keep the room at least a little bit organized.
***
Steve was not expecting to ever run into you in public.
Sure, Hawkins was a small town, and everyone knows everyone, has gone to school with one another, or knows someone who knows someone. But still, never did Steve think the universe would align in his favor and help him get to meet you. Especially not when he and Robin were heading to the store to buy some ice cream for a movie night at his place.
The two of them were walking to the freezer aisle when they heard a voice that quickly stopped the two of them in their tracks.
“Yeah, she told me things just weren’t working out between them. I’m not really sure,” you said.
You and another girl passed the two of them, coincidentally also headed towards the freezer aisle, as Robin and Steve stared in shock at each other before snapping out of it and quickly walking to the aisle closest to them.
“Do you think-“
“That was her, right?”
They both whispered to each other, hunched close together conspiratorily as if you would be able to hear either of them from the other aisle.
“Steve, you have to talk to her!” Robin whisper-yelled, gently pushing him away from her as he nodded, a newfound determination in his eyes, before he deflated slightly.
“Talk about what?” He whispered back.
Robin only glared at him, a sigh escaping her as she said, “You two flirt all the time on air, and now you can’t even think of something to tell her?”
Steve shook his head, mumbling a “no, no, you’re right,” before walking over to the next aisle, leaving an exasperated Robin by herself as she peered over to the next aisle to watch her friend.
“Um, excuse me,” Steve said, interrupting you and your friend’s conversation as you both looked up at him. And wow, not only did you have the prettiest laugh he’d ever heard, but you were also the prettiest girl he’d ever seen. So pretty, Steve almost thought it wasn’t fair that someone like you existed.
Still, he shook the thought away from his head in an effort to actually be able to hold a conversation with you, and maybe be able to score a date with who he’s sure is the prettiest girl to ever exist.
“I think I know you,” Steve starts off, and it’s like in an instant, something clicks in your brain, and you’re smiling up at him as well. A familiar, happy, knowing smile. And wow, your smile is just so pretty too.
“You do?” You ask through a small laugh. And that laugh is confirmation enough that you were the girl who always called the radio station. Cause not only could he recognize your voice from a mile away, but your laugh was a sound that continuously played on loop in his head. Like a song he couldn’t get out of his head. Not that he would ever want to get the sound of your laugh out of his head, not when it was a sound prettier than any song he’d ever heard.
So, he nods, running a nervous hand through his hair as he says, “yeah, I do,” he murmurs with a smile. “I’d recognize that voice from a mile away,” he tells you, “especially that laugh. Any song requests for tonight?”
“I mean, ‘Take a Chance on Me’ is pretty good, dont you think?” You say through another laugh, and Steve swears he could live off that sound. He wants to hear nothing else but the sound of your laugh for the rest of his life.
“It’s a great song,” he replies with a nod, taking a small step forward, closer to you. “So, can I take a chance and ask for your number? Please?” He adds the last part after a beat, and you can’t help the laugh that escapes you as you nod your head yes.
“Do you have a pen and paper?” You ask.
“I do,” your friend pipes in from beside you, who Steve admittedly completely forgot was there because he was so distracted by you. After digging through her purse, she hands you a pen and an old receipt, where you quickly scribble down your number and your name with a smile.
Steve takes it with a smile, your fingers brushing against each other, causing a small spark of electricity to shock you both. “I’ll call you for a change, yeah?” He murmurs, tucking the paper safely into his wallet.
“Sounds good,” you say with a smile, “I look forward to it,” you say before you and your friend turn to walk away. “Have a good night, Steve!” You call out.
He nods, though you can’t see it with your backs turned. “Have a good night, sweetheart,” he says as the two of you turn the corner.
“This is a cause for celebration,” Robin says from behind Steve, startling him as she opens the freezers and begins grabbing a few pints of their favorite ice creams. “You’re calling her tonight right? After the movie?”
Steve only scoffs, as if his answer should be obvious, as he gently takes the ice cream from his friend’s hands. “Duh,” he says, trying to sound annoyed, but the smile on his face is quick to show his true feelings. That he couldn’t be happier about finally meeting you and finally getting your number.