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The older teens were chatting over by Steve’s car.
“Did you see the l-?” Eddie was interrupted by the slam of a door.
All five teens look at Joyce Byers-Hopper. A look of thunder upon her face. A face that brooked no argument of whatever she was about to say.
Joyce raced down the steps of Hopper’s cabin to the older teens. “Listen up. I had an extremely stressful day. I’m out of cigarettes and stores are closed for the night. Now I’m not proud of what I’m about to say but somebody give me a cigarette. Now!”
“But Mrs. H. we don’t smoke.”
“Cut the crap, Harrington. I work in a store that sells cigarettes. I read the papers. I know that one in five teenagers smoke.” She points at them as she rattled off, “one, two, three, four, five.”
Joyce holds up two fingers, “Now I’m going to close my eyes and when i open them there better be a cigarette between these two fingers. Come on people, hop too!
Joyce closes her eyes. Waiting.
Nancy places a cigarette between her fingers.
Joyce brings the cigarette to her lips. “Light!”
Nancy, Robin, Eddie, Steve, and Johnathan rush over to light her cigarette.
Joyce opens her eyes, finding the kids backing away. “Thank you!”
She races back up the stairs of the cabin to smoke her cigarette in peace. Opening the door, she winks at Nancy.
Shaking her head, Nancy asks, “You think she’s gonna share that with the Chief.”
“Nope.” Johnathan shakes his head. “I’m sure he’s the one who stole her emergency cigarettes. So that’s a no.”
“Well let’s go listen to the free show we’re about to get.”
“They’re not about to start arguing. Kids are in there.” Steve pointed out.
All four stare incredulously at him.
“Those two bicker about everything when given the chance. Mrs. H. had fire in her eyes. She’s not gonna let it go if she runs into him,” said Robin.
“You have a point. Let’s go see if she rips his dick off.”
Johnathan gasps, “that’s my mom you’re talking about!” He smacks Steve upside the head.
He winces away. “Hey I’m just getting over that concussion. Don’t do that.”
“Shut up! We’ll miss the show.” Nancy hisses at them.
They quietly race up the stairs to the cabin to watch the drama. Nancy grins putting her ear by the door to eavesdrop. The rest of them follow.
“- you get those?”
“Not telling you shit.”
Robin had an I told you so look on her face. Steve mouthed “fuck off,” to her.
“C’mon how was I supposed to know it was your last one.”
Joyce scoffed. “It was my last emergency one that you shouldn’t even know about.”
“Don’t leave it in a communal nightstand then.”
“It was in the bottom of tampon box tucked away into the back. So yes you did steal it.”
Johnathan makes a face. Nancy rolled her eyes at him.
Hopper sighed in defeat. “I’ll get you a new pack and an emergency one tomorrow.”
“Thank you!”
“So you willing to share?”
She laughs, “fuck off.”
“Fine, let’s go outside.”
“Shit!” Eddie whispered.
The door opens and all five teens fall in the doorway. Joyce quirks an eyebrow at them, smoking her cigarette while holding an ash tray. All 5 were in a pile with Eddie at the bottom.
“You stick it to the man, Mrs. H.” Eddie gasped from the bottom of the pile.
Hopper looked at all of them. Catching onto her now. Theatrically he said, “really? From kids, Joyce. Have you no shame.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. It was in my pocket after all.” She lied, grinning she hands him the last hit of her cigarette.
He begrudgingly took it.