BRANCE + RINNEY

the convenience store on main

"Man, I hate this part of Texas
Close my eyes, fantasize
Three clicks and I'm home"
-

The streetlights had grew dim as darkness grew around the quiet roads, stretching the shadows of stray cars and abandoned buildings along lawns and grassy fields. The stars were twinkling, shedding minuscule light on the cold town.

Finn was walking alone, the sounds of nature trying their best to soothe him through his tears. His sniffling had gone on for a little over twenty minutes, chorusing with the sound of crickets and cicadas. He didn't know exactly which direction he was going in (or where he was going at all), but he couldn't stop his feet from walking.

The convenience store lights were on, brightening the small alley that Finn found himself walking through. The sign above the store was flickering, now saying OEN instead of OPEN.

He could've decided to turn around, head back home without knowing his way there. But something in him, something that had formed in his stomach coated in warmth and comfort, told him to continue his journey.

There was a bell that chimed when Finn walked through the convenience store doors. It swayed back and forth as he passed, teetering to the side as if it would fall at any minute.

The store was quiet, which should only be normal considering it was a few minutes until all clocks in the town would strike twelve.

Finn walked through the isles, resisting the urge to let his eyes wander to the teenager behind the cash register. He had seen him many times before now, mainly in fights.

(Fights where he'd subtly chant with others, a mantra of robin!robin!robin!)

Finn grabbed a grape soda from the freezer in front of him, letting the coldness of it wash over his paled hands as he scanned over the listed ingredients. He briefly saw the number 50 by Grams of Sugar, it made him laugh.

"What's so funny?" The voice startled Finn, fingers slipping from the grape soda. The bottle rolled away from him and towards the cashier, who picked it up with a smug grin and crossed arms.

(robin!robin!robin!)

"Nothing! Nothing is funny." Finn cleared his throat and made his way to where the other boy stood, gulping down every word that tried to claw its way out of his tear-kissed lips. "Yeah, sure." Robin, as we've established, handed Finn the grape soda he had had pressed into his palms.

(It was slightly warmer now.)

"Hey aren't you, uh, you're Finney right? Blake kid?" Robin walked around towards the other side of the register, elbows propped up on the counter as he held his head with his palm. Finn nodded. "Yeah."

He turned to walk away, searching for some snacks for him and possibly his little sister if she wasn't an ass when he got back, before the familiar ding of the door caught his attention.

The blonde hair was what caught his eye, the slight swish of it as the seemingly older boy walked into the store. The denim jacket he wore looked worn down, grey from age as Finn would presume.

"Yo, Hopper!" Robin's voice was like that of a lightbulb, broken by someone squeezing it with unused strength. Loud.

The blonde let out a sigh, as if he were annoyed at his own last name, and turned towards where the other two boys stood.

"Arellano. Finney Blake, isn't it?" Vance moved towards the other two, lips formed into a smile as he outstretched a hand.

Finn thought it was weird. Vance Hopper, a handshaker?

Finn shook the boy's hand, a smile on his own face as he nodded his head. "Vance Hopper." The introduction wasn't necessary, both boys knew that. Still, somehow it seemed right.

Vance and Robin soon got to talking and Finn resumed his search for small bags of candy. It took him less than two minutes to find what he was looking for, a grin stretching along his freckled face as he grasped two bags of m&m's in his palms.

Making his way back to where he was before, Finn placed his items on the register counter and smiled at Robin.

"This all?" Robin quirked up an eyebrow, a small smile on his face as Finn nodded his head. The items were scanned quickly and Finn gathered them all up in his arms, almost tripping as the outline of grape soda overtook his line of vision.

"Woah there. Don't spill all your shit now." Vance's voice came out raspy, as if he hadn't been speaking for the past few days. A pair of hands suddenly came by Finn's face, taking away enough of his items to have him see clearly.

"Thank you. But, uh, I'm gonna need those back."' Finn laughed, quiet and soft as if he were too shy to actually do so.

Vance and Robin locked eyes, one smiling while the other nodded his head.

"Here, I'll take you home. Help you with carrying your stuff and what not." Finn's eyes widened, confusion spreading through him like wildfire. "You don't have to. I'm sure I can make it on my own." Vance merely shook his head. "It's fine Finney. Come on."

Finn sighed, though a smile painted over his face in bright colors. Robin waved to him as he turned to leave, grinning when the other reciprocated the action.

"Nice meeting you Finn!"

"It's Finney!"

"I know!"