Chapter Text
The notes start in the beginning of December of your senior year. A simple folded up sheet of notebook paper, carefully slotted into the bottom gap of your locker. It had fallen onto the floor when you opened your locker to get your English textbook.
You should wear your hair up more often. You look so pretty.
There was no name at the bottom of the note. It was written with neat handwriting. But obviously not a girls handwriting, you knew that much. It was the obvious scribble of a boys penmanship.
You had shown your best friend, Kate, the note when you sat down beside her during your shared lunch period. She laughed when she read it, chewing on a piece of bubblegum, "Sounds like someone has a secret admirer." She said teasingly to you as she slid the note back to you, her chunky bracelets clinking together as she did.
You didn't think too much of it after that day, thinking maybe it wasn't even meant for you, maybe it was slipped into your locker by mistake. You carefully tucked the note in the bottom drawer of your nightstand when you got home that afternoon.
It wasn't until the following week when you found another piece of paper slotted into your locker.
You look so beautiful today. Especially with that new lip gloss, it suits you.
You stare down at the note with wide, surprised eyes. It had been the same exact boyish, but neat, handwriting. Meaning only one thing, the same boy wrote to you again.
A moment later, you look up around the crowded hallway, searching for anything that could clue you in on who this could be. But everyone in the hallway goes about their normal day, not even sparing a glance your way. You brush your fingertip against your bottom lip, still glossy with your new makeup. You had decided to wear a new shade of lip gloss today. Bubblegum Pink.
Someone had been looking closely enough to realize your shade of lip gloss was new. Your cheeks burn bright red at the thought of someone looking at you that closely without you even realizing.
You stuff the note in the front pocket of your jeans and try to forget about it until you can talk to Kate about it during your lunch period.
She just laughs again, a more delighted laugh, as you hand her the new note. She shakes her head disbelieving and looks over at you with a grin, "Another note?"
You just sigh as you look at her, a bewildered look in your eyes, "Yes, another note! I don't know if I should be creeped out or flattered by it." You grumble as you take the note from her again and stuff it back into your front pocket.
She just rolls her eyes at your dramatics and flicks her teased hair from her shoulder, "I'd be flattered if I was you. I mean... when was the last time someone was interested in you?" She asks you with a knowing look, her eyebrow raised. "And, no, you cannot count that pitiful date you had with Nick over the summer."
You grimace as you remember that horrible date you had with Nick L. back in July. He had taken you to the drive in and proceeded make out with you the entire second half of the movie. Which would've been fine if he had been a good kisser, but it was more like making out with a slobbering dog. He then decided to try and take you back to his house, without even asking you, and had the nerve to tell you to walk home after you said no to all his advances.
"Okay, there's absolutely no need to bring that up ever again." Your voice comes out more snappy than you intended it to. You rest your head on your hand, looking over at her with a conflicted expression. "Sorry, it's just... you really don't think I should be worried about these notes?"
She takes a bite out of her sandwich as she shakes her head, "No, babe, really it's nothing to be worried about. Probably just some loner guy who has a crush on you and is too scared to tell you. Enjoy it while it lasts."
—————
It's been a rough day, to say the least. You had a huge argument with your mom before you left for school, something so stupid that you can't even remember what it was about, but it left you mood not much to be desired. Then, your period decided to start in the middle of your gym class, completely unexpected. Then to top it off, you had gotten a test back in your trigonometry class and realized you had failed it. Horribly. Even after studying all weekend for it.
So, suffice to say, you're not having the best day.
The note shows up in your locker by 12th period.
I noticed you're having a bad day. I hope it gets better.
If it means anything, I don't think anyone did well on the trig test. I certainly didn't.
Theres a smiley face beside the words and despite everything that's happened today, the note does manage to make you feel a bit better.
But it also leaves you with a question. This mystery boy is someone in your trigonometry class. The only question is who?
—————
Every Friday night, Kate comes over to your house, and you have a girl's night with her. Movies, snacks, painting each other's nails, music, magazines, the whole nine yards.
You've just parked in the snow-covered parking lot of the Family Video store, "I just think that it's obvious which movie is better. I mean Friday the 13th or Nightmare on Elm Street? Its such an easy pick-"
You don't even notice that as you're walking into the video store, eager to get out of the cold, someone is walking out at the same time. Too consumed in your stupid conversation with Kate about which horror movie is better, you collide with the person walking out.
Two strong, warm hands come out and steady you before you fall backwards into the snow and you look up to see no other than Steve Harrington. Your cheeks flush with embarrassment, "Crap! I'm so sorry, Steve. I wasn't looking where I was going." You say as you get your bearings back and move out of the way for him to leave the store.
He just grins and exits the store, zipping up his burgundy jacket, "It's all good. Don't worry about it." He says in a smooth voice as he looks up and down at you.
Kate raises her eyebrow as she watched the exchange between the two of you, a knowing feeling building in her chest.
A nervous laugh leaves your lips as you look at him, the snow falling down on him making him look almost angelic, "Right. Right- not worrying about it." The words spilled from your mouth before you could stop them. You groan as you enter the warm building before you can embarrass yourself in front of him further. You wince at your own lame, flustered response.
Kate laughs from beside you as the door closes behind her, "what the hell was that? I thought you quit having that all-consuming crush on Steve 'the hair' Harrington." She says to you as she walks over to the horror section of the store.
All you can do is groan again, your cheeks turning an even darker shade of red, "Well, I-I don't know! You can't blame me, he's just... so nice to look at..." You trail off in a soft voice, making Kate roll her eyes playfully. "It's not my fault he's pretty, Kate!"
She full on laughs as you try to defend yourself, "I'd understand if Jon Bon Jovi was standing in front of you, but little ol' Steve Harrington, really?"
You just roll your eyes and pick the Friday the 13th VHS tape off the wall, "Just for that comment, I'm making you watch this tonight."
—————
The next note comes the day before winter break starts.
You open your locker to collect the schoolbooks you'll need over break and inside your locker is another piece of familiar notebook paper neatly folded in two. Your heart skips a beat at the sight, and you look around the hallway again before you open it.
I hope you have a good break. I only wish I could spend it with you, beautiful.
You stare down at the note with pinkened cheeks. You feel somewhat embarrassed for being flustered by these secret notes. You only wish you could figure out who it was giving you these notes. You only know it's someone you share a math class with, but that's at least ten guys. It has to be someone you've at least talked too, right? Who else would crushing on you hard enough to start writing you secret love notes? Your mind spirals as you try to figure out who it is writing you these love notes.
You can't stop thinking about it over winter break either. Trying to figure out if you've seen that handwriting before, but your mind comes up with nothing.
—————
When you get back to Hawkins High after winter break, you're already met with another note in your locker the moment you arrive.
I hope these notes aren't weirding you out. I just want you to know how pretty I think you are.
Because you are seriously one of the prettiest girls here.
The hallways are almost empty this early in the morning. Theres a few couples catching up with each other after being separated over winter break and, God, you hope it isn't someone's boyfriend writing you these notes secretly because they can't have their girlfriends finding out. Theres a group of popular girls huddled together as they fix their hair and makeup before class begins. Definitely not them writing you secret notes about how pretty you are. Then there's Steve Harrington by his locker down the hallway. It can't be him... Theres no way Steve Harrington has some secret crush on you... right?
As if noticing someone looking at him, he lifts his head away from his locker and you make eye contact. You immediately turn your head back to your locker, embarrassed that you had been caught staring at him. You carefully fold the note back up and put it in your school bag.
You had such a crush on him your sophomore year of school, like full on blushing and preening whenever he looked your way. Even though he used to be a total douchebag who hung out with his stupid jock friends and would never in a million years go for someone like you. You still hoped he would, but your daydreams quickly came to an end when he ended up dating Nancy Wheeler the beginning of junior year.
Although that didn't completely stop you from thinking he's totally smoking hot since you've come back from summer break, especially now that him and Nancy are done and over with.
But there is no way he is the one with the secret crush on you. Even though Steve is not a douchebag anymore, his 'King Steve' persona completely crushed, and is an all-around decent guy now, there is absolutely no chance he is the one writing you the notes.
You decide to try something new later on that day.
During one of your free periods, you go to the library, and with a sheet of notebook paper of your own, you begin to write.
I'm not weirded out. Although, it would be nice to know who you are, mystery boy.
By the end of that period, you fold up the sheet of paper and carefully situate it in your locker. Just enough so a sliver of the paper hangs out of the bottom gap. Hopefully the mystery boy is smart enough to see it and take it.
The note is gone by the time you get to your locker at the end of the school day.
Another note comes a few days later.
You wouldn't believe me even if I told you.
Then a few lines below that is more of his handwriting.
You should wear that pink sweater more often. It really brings out your cheeks when you blush.
You smile to yourself as you read the note, biting your lip shyly. You carefully tuck it in the front pocket of your jeans and go to your first period class, history.
Theres a smile on your lips while you're in your class, jotting down notes as the teacher drones on about politics in the middle east. Although, your mind is not entirely on the political state the middle east is in, it's on the boy writing to you. All you hope is that it's not the quiet guy who sits in the back of your trigonometry class that has a braided rattail.
You're jolted out of your daydream when you feel a tap on your shoulder. You look over your shoulder at Steve, who happens to sit at the desk right behind yours in this class. "Yeah?" You ask him quietly, wondering why he's tapped you. Though you don't hate it, not when it gives you an excuse to talk to him.
"Do you have the last few notes? I wasn't paying attention." He says sheepishly back to you, a small grin on his lips, bringing out the small dimples on his cheeks. Little did you know, he wasn't paying attention to the teachers' monotonous voice because he was too busy looking at the back of your head.
"Oh, yeah I have them." You say as you give him your notebook to copy off the notes you've taken, trying not to be flustered by the small interaction with him. It only takes him a few moments to copy off the notes you had taken the past few minutes. You glance down at his notebook and, despite looking at it upside down, you could swear that handwriting looks familiar.
Your heart practically leaps out of your chest as you realize where you might've seen that handwriting before.
Your notes.