❛❛I like shiny things, but I'd marry you with paper rings.❛❛
[Max x Fem OC]
When Max Mayfield moved to town, Embry Harrington's life flipped completely upside down. She had never really had very many friends so when the girl came into the town on th...
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The summer of 1985 was just starting and to say the least, Embry Harrington was not having a good time.
"I'm heading out to work Embry, so don't wait up for me for dinner, okay?" her brother Steve yelled from their foyer before the door slammed shut behind him. The teenager sighed, flopping down into the position she was laying in prior to the disturbance moments before. Recently it had felt like all of her days were the same since Steve had graduated high school back in May and was now working at Scoops Ahoy, leaving her alone in their three-story house.
It wasn't that they used to spend time together before, the older brother couldn't care less about what his younger sister was up to during the day, but ever since he had gotten his job he was never around unless he was with his revolving door of girls he'd bring home to bang in the basement.
This had left Embry with the one thing she had dreaded the most; her own mind. It had only gotten worse since their parents had been away on a work trip, so there really wasn't anyone to talk to except the books in her bookcase or her cassette tape replaying "Faithfully" by Journey over and over again.
It didn't help that her "best", well only friend Vivian had gone to live her mother for the summer, leaving the girl all alone to face Hawkins by herself. Half of the town was abandoned, most people going to the Starcourt mall if they needed to buy anything, which made things even worse since the mall was so close to the Harrington household.
Embry had never really enjoyed being in other people's company very much, the thought of her having to be in front of a crowd made her want to vomit, so she instead kept to herself and her books most of the time. Sometimes, if she felt adventurous, she would go and sit in the mall's food court and people watch, but today was not one of those days. She just needed out. Out of her own head and out of the four walls of their house that were starting to feel like a prison.
"Oh for fuck's sake, Steve," the youngest Harrington let out a groan as she glanced to the coffee table to see her brother's Scoops Ahoy hat lain right in front of her to see. She lets out another long sigh before peeling herself off of their living room couch, glancing down at her Mötley Crüe oversized t-shirt and her jeans before shrugging, pulling on her converse. She snatched the hat up before tucking it underneath her arm and heading out the door.
It was only a ten-minute bike ride to the mall from where their house was, so it didn't take her very long to pull up to the mall and dump her bike right next to where everyone else's were. Scoops was located on the first floor so once she got in she flew by all of the people piled on the escalator, earning some dirty looks.
"hey Robin," the girl said timidly to the brunette running the register, and she cracked a smile. "Hey kiddo," she winks before turning around, yelling, "Hey dingus, look who saved your ass again!"
The window to the back slides open, revealing a frazzled Steve and Embry immediately chucks the hat at him, hitting him square in the face.
"What the hell was that for?!" he yelps, getting a giggle from both of the girls in response. "Next time, I'm charging you five dollars in delivery fees. Now stop forgetting that stupid thing or I'll staple it to your goddamn head, Steve." Embry mocks, her arms crossed in front of her chest as a mischievous glint appears in her brown eyes.
"Okay, ouch but thank you little sis. Won't happen again." he nods, pulling on the hat as Embry rolls her eyes. "Yeah sure Steven. I'll believe it when I see it."
"Oh you're in for it now Embry Elise Harrington!" he shouts before hopping the counter, pulling the girl in a headlock and giving her a nuggie.
"What the hell did we just walk into?" a familiar voice says from behind them and immediately Steve lets go of his sister, and she lets out a huff as her hair ruffles in front of her face.
"Just some good ole' brotherly love." Steve says, shoving his sister a bit as she pushes the hair out of her face, examining who was in front of them. It appeared as though Lucas Sinclair was the one speaking, accompanied by Will Byers and Mike Wheeler. As she scanned the lot of them she realized who the last member of their group was and a slight blush tinged Embry's cheeks.
There stood Max Mayfield, her red hair falling to the side of her face as her blue eyes locked with Embry's and she avoided the glance, looking away.
"Shit I didn't know Embry was your sister Harrington?!" Mike blinks, looking in between the two of them and Embry scoffs quietly, "I thought the same last name would give it away."
A small laugh escapes the redhead and Embry looks up, maintaining eye contact before a smile crosses her face. "Enough about that, you know why we're here." Mike stares at her brother intently before Steve sighs.
"Again? Seriously?" he looks at all of them and none of them say a word before he sighs once more before ushering them to follow him, leaving her and robin alone at the counter.
"You like her don't you?" Robin gives her a knowing look and the blush returns to the girl's face. "No I..I" she stumbles over her words which only proves Robin's point more.
The minute Embry fell head over heels for Max Mayfield was the first day she saw her. One of the first few days she was in Hawkins. Embry had been in the arcade that day, reading behind the Pac-Man machine, when the redhead came in, immediately beelining to the Dig Dug console. She sat there for hours as the girl played, her face scrunched up in concentration as she weaved through the game. She sat there in silence until the girl finally managed to get the high score and was satisfied enough to leave.
Few words were exchanged between the two since then, but every one counted in Embry's mind. Max was different, and hopefully she would learn to see that Embry was too.
"I know that look, so don't lie. I see it on myself every day." Robin mutters and Embry feels her eyes widen. "You're..." she starts and Robin nods.
"Yeah, I have been for a while now. I'm guessing you have been too but Steve has no idea."
"God no. I'm so far in the closet I can feel the vent in the wall and that's not gonna change any time soon." Robin opens her mouth to say something else, but before she can the other Harrington enters back into the parlor, shutting down the previous conversation completely.
"Is that all you need from me, Bry, or do you want to try a sample?" Steve leans forward onto the counter, but the brunette shakes her head. "All good. I'll see you at home, Steve." She says before turning on her heel and walking out of the shop back to the house, the only place you'd find her.
