𝐷𝑜𝑝𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑒, 𝑆𝑒𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑛, 𝑂𝑥𝑦𝑡𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑛- 𝑅𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑛𝑐𝑒

𝑇ℎ𝑖𝑟𝑡𝑦- 𝐻𝑒𝑟 𝑓𝑎𝑐𝑒 𝑖𝑠𝑛'𝑡 𝑎𝑙𝑤𝑎𝑦𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑟𝑦

On days like this, Robin wished that the mall was still around. She wished that she was able to sit in Scoops under the A.C and freezers, avoiding the sun and slacking off of work as much as possible. She wished that she could stroll around the music store, The Gap (even though she despised clothes shopping), and even the bookstore. However, the lonely streets of Hawkins Downtown were all that remained.

Through thought, it became painstakingly obvious that Hawkins was boring. Without friends, it was meaningless rows of neighbourhoods and shitty establishments, worn down buildings and cracking roads. Buckley had absolutely no idea how she'd managed to survive so long without the party, and wondered if she'd even existed before them. Life had travelled so fast since the one summer that she had befriended the supposed heart-throb Steve Harrington, and since then, acceptance into the group had grown as quickly as a snap.

However, the possibility that she was one friend down was hot on her mind. Nancy, she must admit, wasn't a ten on the closeness scale. More of a five, maybe a six at a push- however, it did make up to be quite a guilt.
If not all of the group, then what was the point?

After Jonathan, though, maybe the group would never be whole again.

She truly had no idea why it had effected her so much. Truly no clue. Steve was her best friend- she'd be sad if she'd of seriously angered him- and there were people like Eddie, who wouldn't be fun to have against her either... but for some strange reason, the horrible feelings felt harder when they were to do with Nancy Wheeler. Maybe it was her stern attitude, her ragged glares- or maybe it was just something about her; unexplainable, unknown, undiscoverable.

There was also the underlying feeling of how terrible it was to be alone again without a person by your side through thick and thin, fighting your corner over everything that you do. Wheeler was single once more, and perhaps Robin felt bad because she knew exactly what it was like.
The Family Video worker dreaded the thought of being broken up with after trying so hard to find the one.

The past twenty four hours had been very slow. She occupied an edged seat, hovering over the end of the couch as if she was debating whether to arise or not. There was no sound in Robin's house when no one was visiting, and after a long day at work, the silence seemed to stretch on for miles.

Steve's advice was running laps in her mind, rattling through and attempting escape. She wanted to make things right again- pretty desperately, actually- but the movement to do so did not come easily.
However, she knew that the sooner the better, so with a swift and unthinking reach from her seat, Robin ploughed her way through to the hallway phone and started dialling the Wheeler's household.

Stance against the wall was uncomfortable, fingers intertwining with the twisted wire of the landline. The shrill echo buzzed, waiting for the moment of pickup. Soon enough, someone answered.

"Hey, it's the Wheeler's. Karen speaking."

Robin swallowed down a gulp, kicking herself for making the decision so quickly. She had no idea what to say.
"Hi, Mrs Wheeler- it's Robin."

"Hey, sweetheart. What can I do for you?"

Buckley paused for a moment.
"I was just wondering if Nancy's home?"

Mrs Wheeler's pause seemed like a smile.
"Yeah, she is- but she hasn't been feeling well for the last few days- I'm sure that she'll be up to speaking, though."

A weight seemed to of been lifted from Robin's shoulders. If Nancy was truly upset, surely she would've told someone whose fault it was? Maybe she didn't even tell anyone at all why she hadn't left the house.
"Um, yeah... if you think she's well enough."

"I'm sure she'll be up to speaking to a friend. I'll just shout up to her and tell her to use the telephone in her room."

Friend.

"Thank you- much appreciated."

"Anytime, Robin."

And with the last goodbye, the phone went silent. There was no sound for a moment, just the teasing buzz of the reactivated shrill. Another moment went by with no luck, no sound.
Maybe Karen had told her daughter who it was. Maybe Nancy had decided not to answer- to ignore it, to pretend it never happened, pretend that she never called.

Just as Robin was about to place the object back in its cradle, a thinned voice spoke through the line.

"Robin... it's Nancy."

All of the weight that had been lifted all of a sudden fell back down.
"Hi, I erm, wanted to call."

"Okay...? Are you doing alright?"

A pause.
"Not too great, actually. I wanted to apologise for my unthoughtful actions, and for not letting you reveal the breakup in your own time."

A small sigh travelled through the receiver.
"People will find out sooner or later, anyway. It's tiring having people ask about it all the time, that's all."

The words had come as a comfort.
"So, you're not angry with me?"

"Why would I be angry?"

"You looked mad at me and stormed off."

Nancy chuckled slightly.
"I think that's just my face sometimes, Robin. And I only walked away so I could clear my head. Nothing personal."

"Oh! Well, that's good to know... and you don't look angry all of the time, if that's helpful information, too."

The raw truth forced out a laugh from Nancy Wheeler.
"That is comforting, yes. I'll tell you what- how about we speak about it more when Steve finds his next date? In a more civilised way, perhaps."

Robin blinked, jaw tilted open and expression slightly taken aback.
"You're still up for them?"

"Yeah, why not. Maybe I could even start looking for my next candidate."
The sarcasm wasn't picked up.

Buckley's stomach went warm at the thought, but she couldn't necessarily figure out whether it was a good feeling, or a bad one. Maybe it was a sinking pit at the thought that Nancy could move on so quickly... or maybe it was something else.

"Yeah, I suppose you could. I'll send you the details once I know them. So, probably tomorrow... if not tomorrow, remind me, please."

"Yeah, sounds good."

"Okay."

"I hope you can keep a secret, Robin Buckley. If not... well, I guess I'll have to know one of yours in return."

Both of the women huffed out a slight laugh. Robin's, however, was highly nerved. She already had told somebody- and it was only a matter of time before he'd let it slip and fly out into the world.

That was another thing she'd been insensitive about, and as she was holding the biggest secret out of the party, she knew how important it was not to share information that wasn't yours.
Perhaps she could muster up something else to tell Nancy. Something less important.

"I'll think of something for you, then."

"I'm looking forward to hearing it."

"Alright, goodbye, Nancy."

"Bye, Robin."