"Ms. Perfect" - RONANCE

Avoidance.

Two months. It had been two months since Starcourt Mall went down in flames. It had been one month since the Byers family, plus El, moved to California. For everyone else, it's almost as if never happened. The shock had faded. Yet another terrible thing to happen in this cursed town.

It wasn't that way for Nancy Wheeler. She wasn't able to forget about it and move on like all the other students at Hawkin's High. She felt so alone, like the only person who truly knew what went down that night. Although, she wasn't. Her brother, Steve, Joyce, Dustin, everyone- knew. Jonathan knew too. But he wasn't in Hawkins with her anymore, was he? The only person she could confide in was miles away.

That was the only reason this time was so different. She had fought monsters from other dimensions before, but Jonathan was by her side then. Nobody was there for her now. Well, that's what she had convinced herself. Nancy Wheeler was on her own; taking on her role as Ms. Perfect once again. Once being the queen of Hawkin's High, it wasn't so hard acting perfect when you weren't.

This persona didn't work with everyone. Steve, Robin, Mike, and all the rest could tell she was acting strange. She was putting up a barricade, locking them out of her life; once again bottling up all her feelings to seem strong. Nancy was avoiding them.

Robin walked alone in the crowded hallway. Steve had graduated, leaving her with zero friends. She squeezed past people and ducked into her classroom, finding herself to be one of the first people there. Her eyes scanned the room as she found her seat, instantly locking eyes with the one and only Nancy Wheeler. In a panic, she looked away and sat down. After the incident, Robin tried to strike up conversation with Nancy multiple times. Nancy would only respond dryly and bluntly, making it very clear she wasn't interested in being friends. Steve was right, she really was stuck up. Robin didn't blame her though, it wasn't like anyone else wanted to be friends with her.

Robin was herself as usual, unlike Nancy. She was unable to process all the new information that was dropped on her. Other dimensions? Russians? Saving the country? Whatever, Robin hadn't even processed that any of that was true yet. Nothing had changed for her, life went back to how it was before after the entire ordeal was done. Except for having friends. So technically it was better than before.

Steve had been discussing the Nancy situation with Robin, and she avoided telling him about her awkward- almost sad- interactions with Nancy. She hoped Nancy was only acting like that because she was upset, and not because she had a hatred for her.

Nancy stared down at her notebook, which was decorated with stickers and glitter. She had gotten it as a gift from Barb in middle school. After her death, she dug it up from her closet and used it every day in class. Nancy didn't care if it looked stupid and childish. She was lost deep in thought, unaware that the teacher had already started the lecture. Every thought ran back to one person only; Jonathan. He rarely called her, he never sent her letters, and he had yet to come visit. It had been only a month, so he was probably unpacking. Yet something was... weird with him. Almost as if he were avoiding her. Just thinking about him made Nancy feel unwell. Even pissed off.

She wanted to try long-distance for him. She loved him. Nancy was in love with him, truly. But so far it wasn't working so well. She prayed and prayed it would fix itself, but with everything going on it was like she was slowly falling apart. The room suddenly felt louder, and the lights were hurting her head. The sound of teenagers chatting behind her made her aggressively scribble in her notebook to make herself feel better.

"Jonathan doesn't love you anymore. He found someone else. He doesn't care about you anymore. He's too busy for his own girlfriend," said the loudest thoughts in her head. Her vision went blurry and the writing on her paper was no longer readable. Everything was so loud- so bright- so overwhelming.

Robin looked up from her desk, startled, at the loud sound of a chair being moved across the tile. Nancy stood up from her desk and stormed out of the room, the entire classroom now silent. The teacher shouted at her for her to stay in her seat, only to be ignored. What the hell? This was the strangest thing she had done yet. Robin raised her hand a few seconds after.

"Yes, Ms. Buckley?" the teacher asked, lowering her glasses.

"May I use the restroom?"

"No ma'am, you should have asked before class."

"Um- well, I actually just started my period so, I really need to go," Robin said, motioning to the door.

The teacher sighed and nodded, "Alright then. Be back quick."

Robin smiled forcefully and stood up, taking her backpack with her. She looked down each side of the hall for any sight of Nancy, but she wasn't there. She checked the bathroom next, the stalls all empty. Except for one. Robin glanced under the stall, seeing a pair of nice dress shoes. Definitely something Nancy would wear.

Robin knocked on the stall with the back of her hand, "Anyone home...?"

"Robin?" Nancy asked through the stall.

"Yep, it's me. What's going on?"

"Go back to class Robin it's nothing, I just felt sick. I thought I was gonna vomit." Robin sighed in defeat and leaned against the stall door. No way in hell she was believing that bullshit.

"Don't lie to me, Nance. Can you come out?" Robin groaned.

After a pause of silence, Nancy unlocked the door and swung it open, which shoved Robin out of the way of the door. Her eyes were red and puffy, her arms crossed against her blouse.

"What's going on, seriously. Steve and Mike are worried about you, you're acting weird."

"I'm not... acting weird." Nancy shrugged, and Robin just stared back at her. Nancy sighed and shook her head. "I just miss Jonathan, alright? Really, it's no big deal. Why would you care anyway? Aren't you with my ex?"

Robin's eyes widened and she went to defend herself. No wonder Nancy didn't like her. "What? Steve? Uh no, no we are just friends. Platonic with a capital P, Nance!" She started, "We should stick together though, right? You helped us at the mall, you're a part of the group."

Nancy almost didn't believe her. "I guess so. I don't know." She slid down the wall and patted the dirty bathroom floor next to her, waiting for Robin to sit next to her. "I'll give you what you want then, come here, I'll tell you what's wrong."