𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 | stranger things

seventeen

The Starcourt Mall was the latest addition to the smalltown of Hawkins, Indiana. If you had told 14 year old genius Lauren Wheeler that she'd be spending her entire summer before senior year inside of that mall, she would've said that your brain must be damaged. She would never be caught dead inside one of those.

Yet, here she sat at her usual table at Scoops Ahoy, the mall's ice cream parlor, with a book in hand.

Her best friend, Robin Buckley, had gotten a job at the parlor for the summer. Wren saw this as a better option than staying inside her house, but unfortunately, she was "too young" and "not mature enough" to be hired in a serious workplace.

Bullshit.

Wren saw herself as more mature than most of the incompetent people she went to school with. She wasn't addicted to sex, drugs, or alcohol, and she was responsible when it came to keeping a routine. She needed structure in her life, and she would much rather work and get paid than spend her summer "being a kid", which was what the manager had told her when she asked for a job the same day Robin was hired.

Wren looked up at the sound of the bell on the counter ringing. She rolled her eyes and turned her focus back to her book. Her twin brother and his friends had shown up yet again to sneak into the movie theatre through the back hallways.

"Hey, dingus, your children are here!" Robin called.

Steve slid open the textured windows of the staff room, an unamused look crossing his features at the group of young teens. "Again? Seriously?"

Mike sent him a look and dinged the bell again. Steve sighed and motioned for them to come back.

"Hey, Wren," Max greeted her friend.

"Hi," Wren replied monotony, not lifting her gaze from her book. Max sighed softly and followed her friends. Things had been weird between them ever since she officially joined Mike's party.

Robin scooped some mint chocolate chip ice cream into a small bowl, adding a cherry on top. As Steve took over the register, she brought it over to Wren. "Are you really going to spend every day of your summer vacation inside this boring ice cream parlor?" she asked as she sat down next to her.

Wren nodded as she closed her book. "It's either this, being home alone, or going to the pool with my mom and baby sister. At least being here, I get free ice cream."

"Why don't you ever want to go to the movies with your friends?" Robin asked.

"Mike's friends," Wren corrected as she ate a spoonful of ice cream.

"Isn't Max your friend?"

Wren shrugged. "I thought she was. She ditched me to have a boyfriend."

"Oh, yes, the thing you despise most." Robin leaned her head onto her hand. "What's your issue with dating, anyway? You seem very . . . anti-romance . . . which is ironic considering you're reading Pride and Prejudice."

"I don't have anything against romance. I just don't understand why everyone my age is so obsessed with dating. We're children, for crying out loud. Dating has never once crossed my mind. There are more important things like AP test scores and getting high enough grades to make it into an ivy league school. Prioritizing a relationship at this age is just begging for an unwanted pregnancy that would ruin your life, a massive heartbreak, or both. Kids this age don't know what we want. Hell, even most adults don't know what they want."

Wren's face flushed when she realized the entire parlor was staring at her. Even people that were passing the shop sent a quizzical look in her direction. She didn't realize how loud her voice had gotten as her rant went on.