𝐦𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐨𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐥 | stranger things

twenty-five

Wren pressed two fingers to her aching temple, shutting her eyes and exhaling sharply as Steve continued to ramble on about the many girls he was interested in. While she was grateful that he was available to drive her and Robin to school, she couldn't stand being around the constant talk about his love life.

Especially when that talk always brought up sex. Wren didn't like it, she didn't understand it, and she didn't know how to tell Steve to talk about something else without sounding rude.

Maybe this is why Robin told you to make friends your own age last year, she thought. She sighed and rummaged around in her bag for an Advil to help with the pounding in her head.

"Robin! Are you listening?"

Robin, who was doing her make-up in the mirror of the sun visor, jumped at being addressed. "Uh, yes."

"What did I just say?"

"Something about sex with— with Linda!"

"No! I'm talking about Heidi!"

"Can you stop yelling?" Wren asked. "Seriously. My head is killing me, and you're not helping."

"Cut me some slack, please!" Robin scoffed, Wren's comment going unnoticed. The fourteen year old leaned back in her seat, fidgeting with the seatbelt, which now felt too tight. "Your love life is one of labyrinth complexity, and it is seven in the morning, we have to go to this stupid pep rally, and I woke up looking like a total corpse!"

"You're worried about a basketball pep rally?" Steve questioned, doubtful. "You expect me to believe that?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So we all know what this is about. Okay? I'm not buying that bullshit. This is about Vickie."

"Absolutely not," Robin denied.

"Are you blushing, Robin?" Wren asked, her brows furrowing when she saw the light shade of red that was tinting her cheeks.

"No—"

"She is," Steve confirmed. "And you know what else I think, Rob? I think you gotta stop pretending to be someone else when you're around her. Okay? You just gotta be yourself."

"You're literally quoting me to me," Robin stated. "You do realize that."

"It's good advice." Wren shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt to listen to yourself."

"I listened to that advice, and now look at me. Boom. Back in business."

"No one likes a boaster, Steven."

"Shut up, Lauren."

"I want to disown that name," Wren grumbled, crossing her arms. She shook her leg a little, chewing on the inside of her cheek as she stared out the window.

"It's not the same thing," Robin said, shaking her head. "You ask out a girl and she says no. Big deal. Nothing happens. Maybe your ego's a little bruised. But I ask out the wrong girl, and bam, I'm a town pariah."

"Welcome to the club," Wren mumbled. "We have cats, shared trauma, and on Wednesday, we make cookies." She gave a sarcastic smile before allowing it to drop with a roll of her eyes.

"Vickie is definitely not the wrong girl," Steve insisted.

"We just don't know that, do we?" Robin countered.

"She returned Fast Times paused at 53 minutes, 5 seconds. Do you know who pauses Fast Times at 53 minutes, 5 seconds?"

"Please don't say it," Wren begged.