To Hell and Back Again

Chapter Thirty-Two

Nancy opened the driver side door, Robin getting in on the other side of her car. "See ya!" Robin waved through the window towards Steve who stood on the porch. He waved back then disappeared back into the house. Nancy turned on the engine and drove away from Steve's house. "Hey, thanks for taking me home. I really appreciate it." Robin said as she turned her head towards Nancy. Her eyes were wide and focused on the road. Robin fiddled with the radio, turning it on a playing a poppy song.
"I'm so hungover. I can't go home hung over like this." She gripped the edges of the steering wheel, terrified of what her dad would do if he smelled alcohol on her. Robin noticed her knuckles that had gone white from squeezing the wheel.
"Well, come back to my house and take a shower. Get the smell off." Robin offered as she looked out the window. Nancy complied to Robins suggestion, pulling onto the street she lived on. "My dads a little nutty too but he's probably asleep. He works night shift so he sleeps all day." Robin explained. Robin's house was more of a trailer, but not a trailer at the same time. It had kind of the same set up but it was a house. The house was janky and small but large enough for Robin's family. It was something Nancy wasn't necessarily used to. Nancy put the car in park, looking over to Robin. She had already taken off her seatbelt and was getting out of the car. "Come on!" Robin smiled, almost ear to ear, and approached her house with backpack in hand. Nancy opened her door and got out of the car, looking over to the house with peeling paint and unwatered flowers.
"You know what, I'm good. I'll just go home." Nancy smiled to show Robin it was okay. She appreciated the hospitality but she didn't want to intrude. It wasn't her home to take a shower in just because she was drunk the night before. Some actions have consequences.
"No, come on. I insist." Robin opened the door to the house, her keys still in the door knob. Nancy closed her door and followed reluctantly. As Nancy walked into Robin's house she glanced around. An assortment of sized picture frames lined the wall, photos of Robin as a kid, then Robin as a tween. A picture, that seemed to be taken by a professional, was displayed in a large bronze frame in the center of all the other pictures. The picture was of a woman and a man, noticeably older, and a small girl between them. The woman was the only one not smiling. "The bathroom is down the hall. It's one of the ones that has two doors, one of them leads to my room and the other goes into my parent's room. So I'd lock both doors just in case." Robin nodded then disappeared down the hall into her room. She started unpacking her backpack, throwing the clothes into her hamper. Nancy sniffed the air, the house smelled musky but Robin's room smelled like flowers and honey. A small candle was on top of her dresser, flowers and honey.
"Um... I like your room." Nancy admired the pink pinstripe bedding on Robin's bed. A small pink pillow was in the center of two white pillows. A framed picture of Robin and her dad was placed perfectly in the center of her nightstand. The picture was of Robin, maybe two or three years ago. She was holding a fishing rod, her dad standing next to her proudly with a fish in his hands. "It's not what I expected it to look like."
"Thanks! I put a lot of effort into making it the prettiest room in the house. It's not hard to do," Robin laughed. Nancy spotted a vase of flowers sitting on her nightstand, the flowers fresh and alive. "Oh shit, I'm stupid. There's towels in the bathroom. And you can borrow some of my clothes." Robin opened her dresser, pulling out a green stripped shirt and a pair of jeans that were cuffed on the bottom.
"Hey, Robin. Are you..." Nancy was referencing the posters on Robin's walls. One of which was of a woman in a bikini, leaning over a car. Nancy looked over to Robin with wide eyes. "Are you... you know?"
"A what?" Robin smiled and leaned against the dresser. She realized Nancy was moving her eyes between Robin and the poster. "Y-yeah, guilty. Don't worry you're not my type." Robin's heart rate increased. She knew how Nancy reacted to Steve and Eddie. There was no way she'd be cool taking a shower in Robin's house now.
"Oh... cool." Nancy smiled, causing her dimples to reappear on her cheeks. "I just drew the conclusion... cause your posters." Nancy grabbed the handle to the bathroom door, "I don't care, by the way. I think my brother might be... you know." Nancy was trying to show Robin she didn't care but it was just making things more awkward. "Fruity? Oh god, I'm sorry. That's the wrong word."
"Nancy, it's fine." Robin's hands gripped the edge of her dresser. She watched as Nancy nodded nervously, her curls bobbing up and down, then disappeared into the bathroom. She left the door open and crack so Robin pulled her eyes away from the door. The shower started up as Robin left her room, disappearing down the hall.
A couple moments later, Robin came back, a coke in her hand. The shower was stopped. "Hey, Robin. Can you hand me the clothes?" Nancy stood in the doorway to the bathroom, a towel wrapped around her body. The towel rested right below her collarbone. Robin's eyes got wide as she stood and made her way to the dresser. "I'm sorry, I forgot to grab them." Robin grabbed the shirt and jeans off the dresser and took them to Nancy. "Thank you!" The door closed behind Nancy. Robin sat down, cross legged, on her bed. Her eyes were still on the bathroom door. Robin cleared her throat and adjusted herself on the bed. She cracked open the coke, taking a long sip. The door opened. Nancy looked at Robin with a crooked smile. "How to I look?"
"Wow. You look... like me." Robin snorted with her laugh. The shirt was way too big on Nancy, the pants barely staying up on her waist. "I have a belt hold on, we'll fix this." Robin took a belt off the hook on the back of her door. She approached Nancy, placing the belt in her mouth to hold it as she used her hands to stuff the shirt into her jeans. "You gotta tuck it in." Robin adjusted the large shirt on Nancy's shoulders.
"Looks better." Nancy laughed as Robin's hands slid around her waist, tucking the shirt in and adjusting it. Nancy stared down at Robin as she took the belt out of her mouth and wrapped it around Nancy's waist.
"Looks way better." Robin looked up at Nancy, her wet curls were hanging over her face. "I have a blow dryer under the sink."
"Oh.. okay. Thanks!" Nancy straightened out her shoulders and turned away from Robin, walking back into the bathroom. "Hey, do you remember last night?" Nancy said from inside the bathroom, the cabinet under the sink closing with a thunk.
"Not vividly. Why?" Robin sat back down on her bed, grabbing the coke she sat on her nightstand. She flipped to her page in Little Women, reading the page she'd stopped at.
"You don't remember spin the bottle?" Nancy's voice pushed through the sound of the hair dryer. Robin flipped to the next page in her book.
"I remember you kissing Eddie. The look on Steve's face was hilarious." Robin laughed and scanned the page in her book. The hair dryer stopped. Nancy walked out of the bathroom, her hair less curly but still bouncy. Robin definitely remembered that Nancy had kissed her but was not going to say anything about it. The last thing she wanted to do was bring it up and make Nancy uncomfortable.
"I didn't kiss him." Nancy sat down on the bed next to Robin. She pulled her legs up to her chest and looked over at Robin's book. "Little Women?"
"Yeah... my mom gave it to me." Robin flipped another page. Nancy watched as Robin's eyes scanned the page. She let a soft smile crack, not knowing that Robin was the type to sit and read a book... and enjoy it. Nancy leaned her head back onto Robin's headboard. "I'm almost done with it. You should take it and read it. Let me know what you think." Robin smiled as she closed the book and handed it to Nancy.
"Robby!" A voice shouted from down the hall. Robin perked up at the voice but it wasn't the perk you get from excitement. It was more of an alert perk. Nancy leaned her head forward, confused.
"Um... it's my mom. You stay here." Robin stood, gripping the edge of the nightstand as she walked away. Her hands were a tad shaky as she opened her bedroom door and disappeared into the hall. Nancy couldn't help but follow to her bedroom door, listening into the conversation that was happening in the kitchen. "Mom, what are you doing?" Robin's voice was quiet. A quiet whisper responded to Robin's question.
"Baby, you know mom doesn't like friends over." The voice said, her voice was angry and stern but calming like a mother's voice is. "Are you going to introduce me now that you brought someone into my house?"
"No, you're drunk. You can't be drinking."
"But your mother wants to meet your girlfriend. Will you get me another bottle from the party store?" There was a sound of glass clinking around.
"Absolutely not." Robin's voice matched her mom's, stern.
"God you're such a prude. I gave birth to you so the least you can do is this." The conversational whispers turned into more of a shout.
"Mom, I don't want to do this right now. You're going to wake dad up." Robin whispered back, trying to keep the conversation quiet. She was trying not to wake up her dad but she didn't want Nancy to hear also.
"You're such a... an ungrateful..." Robin's mom's words were slurred, her voice loud and angry. The conversation had quickly escalated. "Ungrateful child." She snarled as the sound of breaking glass startled Nancy. She grabbed the door frame, contemplating if she should go help Robin.
"Damn it, mom." Robin was still calm. She had been through this once or twice before, Melissa getting drunk and breaking something. More clinking sounded from the kitchen then the sound of a trash bag rustling.
"It was an accident, Robby!" Melissa shouted as footsteps approached Robin's room. Robin opened her bedroom door, catching Nancy by the door. Robin's eyes were wide and watery.
"Are you okay?" Nancy's arms were crossed, her hand scratching her arm nervously. Robin nodded and pushed past Nancy to the bathroom. Nancy's eyes were stuck on Robin's hand. She was holding her left hand in her right, pressing down on it with her fingers. "Robin, your bleeding." Nancy followed Robin into the bathroom.
"Y-yeah I was picking up glass... I cut myself, I guess." Robin turned on the sink, the water washing over her hand. Nancy took Robin's hand in hers. A long cut was across her palm, blood leaking onto Nancy's hands.
"Okay, we'll get it cleaned up." Nancy looked around for a first aid kit. Robin's other hand reached up to the bathroom sink, opening the cupboard next to it. She pulled out a pack of assorted band-aids.
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry, Nancy." Robin watched as Nancy wiped off Robin's cut then placed a large band-aid over the cut. She wrapped it in gauze that she had found in the cupboard.
"Don't apologize. It's not your fault." Nancy turned on the sink, washing Robin's blood off her hands. Nancy's eyes glanced over to Robin. Her arms were crossed, eyes full of tears. Nancy wiped her hands off on the towel she had used for her shower. "Robin, seriously." Nancy grabbed the sides of Robin's face with her hands. "It's not your fault."
"I shouldn't have brought you over if my mom was home. It is my fault." Robin leaned her head into Nancy's hands. Her voice was shaky, barely getting out the words. Nancy gave Robin a soft smile.
"It's not your fault, Robin." Nancy pushed Robin's hair behind her ear. A soft smile escaped from Robin's lips. The door connected to her parent's room opened. A large burly man was standing in the doorway. Nancy's hands dropped from Robin's cheeks.
"Hey, hon." The man said quietly. He looked at Nancy then quickly darted his eyes to Robin's wrapped hand. "What happened? Melissa?"
"She dropped a bottle. I cleaned it up and it cut me. It's not a big deal, pa." Robin rubbed her hand, making strong eye contact with the large man.
"Who's this?" The man leaned against the door frame. His eyes burned into Nancy's.
"Um, Nancy. She's a friend of Steve's. S-she's my friend too." Robin gestured to Nancy as she waved softly towards the man.
"Nice to meet you, Nancy." His eyes looked back over to Robin. He gave her a wink. Robin scoffed and left the bathroom. Nancy blinked a couple times then followed Robin out of the room. The bathroom door closed then Robin closed her bedroom door. Her hands lingered on the door. She looked back over to Nancy. It was weird how close Robin was with her dad. Well it wasn't weird, it was just unexpected. Especially, because Nancy wasn't close to her dad.
"Your dad knows?" Nancy stood by the bathroom door.
"Y-yeah." Robin sat down on her bed. She looked down at her hand, rubbing the bandage with her thumb. "I'm so sorry." Robin let out a nervous laugh. It was the kind of laugh that just slips out. There was no stopping it.
"Shut up. It's not your fault." Nancy shook her head then sat down next to Robin. Her eyes were focused on Robin's hand. "I should go home. You should come with me." Robin looked puzzled towards Nancy.
"What?"
"No, you should. I don't want to leave you here with your mom like that." Nancy took Robin's bandaged hand in hers and held it up eye level. She made a face to show Robin she was serious.
"I'll be fine." Robin pulled her hand away.
"You worry me." Nancy smiled, her dimples appeared back on her cheeks. "I'll call Steve and tell him you're not complying with direct orders." Nancy tilted her head.
"I'm staying, Nancy." Robin smiled back. Nancy shrugged and stood up. She was sure Robin would change her mind.
"Fine." She pushed her curls out of her face. "I'll call you tonight to check in on you." Nancy crossed her arms. Her big doe eyes shook Robin's heart. She pulled her eyes away from Robin and opened the bedroom door, walking out. Robin leaned her head down into her hands.
"Wait!" Robin ran out the front door, chasing down Nancy's car as the engine hummed. Robin grabbed onto the side of the passenger side window. "You forgot your clothes." Robin breathed heavily. She dropped the clothes into the passenger seat. Nancy gripped the steering wheel. She switched the car into park and got out. "What are you doing?" Robin watched as Nancy walked around the side of the car and wrapped her arms around Robin. She stared off behind Robin.
"Your dad is watching out the window." Nancy looked to the large man standing in the window. Robin smiled and put her hands around Nancy's back. "Creeper." Nancy continued with a laugh. Nancy pulled away from the hug. Her eyes flickered to Robin's.
"Thank you, Nancy." Robin smiled, smile lines appearing on her cheeks as she stared into Nancy's kind eyes. Nancy put a hand on the side of Robin's face, leaving a soft kiss on Robin's lips. Robin didn't know how to react. A light blush spread across her face in response. "W-what..." Nancy looked down at her feet.
"I-I'm so sorry, I don't know where that came from." She looked back up at Robin. Robin's heart felt like it was going to fall out of her chest. She put her hand over Nancy's, ensuring it was okay. Robin's lips lingered inches away from Nancy's. Robin went back in for another kiss, suddenly feeling unstoppable. Nancy's arm tightened around Robin's shoulders. "I- you know I better go." Nancy cleared her throat and walked back around to the driver's side of the car. "Oh god. Please don't tell Steve." Nancy's dimpled smile reappeared. Robin put her hand over her lips that felt like they were buzzing and watched as Nancy drove off down her road. She turned to see her dad standing in the window. He held up a thumbs up, complimented by a wide grin. Robin pumped her fist in excitement and ran back up to the house.

Robin sat quietly on her bed, soft music filling the room as she flipped through her Little Women book. She set down the book, letting out a soft chuckle. I have to tell Steve. But I can't. What if I tell Eddie and he tells Steve? Maybe Dustin? No, Dustin would tell Mike. But if I tell Steve then Nancy will be upset. Her dads voice interrupted her thoughts, "Robby! Pretty girl is on the phone." Robin grabbed the phone next to her, dropping the phone in a nervous panic.
"Hey." She couldn't get rid of the large goofy smile on her face.
"Hey." Nancy's voice responded. There was a quiet pause then a quiet whisper. "Mike! Get off the phone!" Nancy shouted through the phone. There was a clink, like a phone setting down, then Nancy's nervous voice continued, "...so about earlier."
"Yeah, I understand. You don't need to explain yourself because it happens, it just happens you know?" Robin twisted the phone chord on her finger. She was dreading Nancy's response. It was a mistake. I can't see you anymore.
"No, you idiot. I liked it." Nancy's sweet voice whispered through the phone. Robin's heart pounded. Holy Shit.
"Am I dreaming?" Robin laughed as she stood up and peaked out her bedroom door. Her dad was standing in the kitchen, the phone held up to his ear. She waved her hand at her dad, he frowned and hung up the phone.
"No, you're not." Nancy responded, leaving a blush across Robin's face. She held eye contact with her dad. He danced in a circle as he teased Robin about Nancy. She frowned at him and returned to her bed. "How's your mom?" The words shook Robin.
"Asleep. My dad made her lie down." Robin let out an exasperated breath. The last thing she wanted her friends knowing was that her mom was a drunk. Nancy chatted through the phone while Robin sat on her bed and listened. Her voice made Robin forget about her mom. It made her forget about the cut on her hand. She just listened to the sweet girls voice. She liked listening. Especially if it was Nancy talking.

Three weeks later and Robin still couldn't take her mind off Nancy. When she was laying in bed, when she was with her dad, when she was at work. She was always thinking about Nancy. Robin glanced over to her mom, asleep on the living room couch. Robin scoffed and went back to the dishes in the sink, cleaning each one then putting it in the drying rack. There was her mom too. Reliable on everyone but herself. Robin washed the last plate, setting it into the drying rack. Melissa groaned, shifting a bit on the couch. Robin started towards the living room, grabbing the kitchen trash can on her way. She set it in front of the couch, her mom immediately leaned forward and puked into the trash. Robin rolled her eyes and disappeared back into her room. A couple minutes later, Robin's sat on her bed, her eyes on her magazine. A tapping sounded from the corner of Robin's room. Nancy was standing at the window, her eyes barely visible. Robin sat down her magazine, quickly getting off her bed, falling in the process. "Nance," Robin opened her window, struggling to get it open through the rust and water damage. "What are you doing?" A smile crept through her lips as she leaned out the window.
"I brought back your book. Your mom's car was in the driveway so I didn't want to knock on the door." Nancy held up the book to the window. A pink bookmark was sticking out of the top of Robin's copy of Little Women. Robin took the book, dropping it to the floor next to the window.
"Thanks!" Robin stared down at the curly headed girl. They hadn't seen each other since the kiss. They had talked on the phone, plenty, but they hadn't actually seen each other face to face. "So... um..." Robin grabbed the edges of the window.
"It was a good read." Nancy continued on about the book. Her hands fidgeting, her nails picking at her fingers nervously.
"Hey, stop." Robin reached down a hand and swatted at Nancy's fingers. "You'll hurt yourself." Robin knew a thing or two about nervous ticks. Biting her nails was the only thing Robin did in stressful situations. Which meant, she often made her fingers bleed.
"Sorry. I just don't know what to say to you." Nancy gave Robin a nervous smile. The window was a couple inches above her. Robin hung out the window just so she could see Nancy. "Hi." Nancy continued.
"Hi." Robin responded. Her heart felt all fluttery. She regrets making fun of Steve now that she knows how it feels. "Someone's gonna see you sneaking around like this."
"I'm just returning a book!" Nancy smiled. Her smile was contagious, making Robin smile.
"Normal people return books at the front door." Robin leaned on her elbow. Nancy stood below the window, her hands still fidgeting.
"Okay!" Nancy grabbed the windowsill, pulling herself up on her toes. "Goodbye." She left a small peck on Robin's cheek then dropped down back on her feet. She turned to leave, glancing at Robin one last time before she started on her way. Robin smiled watching the small girl walk back to her car. Robin melted out of the window, sliding against the wall below it. She took the book in her hands, she flipped to the page where the pink book mark was residing. The quote "Some people seemed to get all sunshine, and some all shadow..." was underlined in pencil. On the bookmark was written, 'You're all sunshine' in cursive handwriting. Robin smiled and held the bookmark to her chest as she let out a soft sigh.

A/N: Here's a RoNance chapter to fill a bit :)