Teenage romance is already difficult enough to navigate.
But when the one you love doesn't love you back? That's the worst pain of all.
STRANGER THINGS | NANCY WHEELER
seasons 1-2
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( the bathtub, pt. ii )
• °:.☆ . ₊°• ☆ . ° .• °:. *₊ ° . ☆
THE INTERIOR OF the bus seems to grow stuffier the longer they wait, their breath only adding to the problem with each exhale. Laura had shed her jacket a while ago. She still feels too warm in her turtleneck and wishes she had worn something else—the fabric hugs her like a second layer of skin. She would much prefer a looser top. Then again, she had dressed in preparation for hunting a monster at night, not fleeing for her life on a bicycle across town in the late afternoon when the sun is strongest. Even on an overcast day in November, it's still enough to make her sweat.
Laura's spine aches from being cooped in one spot for God knows how long. She keeps shifting in an attempt to find a more comfortable position, and she can tell it's annoying Lucas from the way he sets his jaw tight every time she moves, but he doesn't make a snide comment. Probably because he sees her as the only semi-adult figure in their situation and doesn't want to piss her off.
Every time they start to think it's safe to come out of hiding, the sound of the helicopter blades looms overhead again. Laura is grateful that none of them have had to pee yet. Or started to get hungry. She doesn't have any snacks this time, and it's not like they can start eating the ammo stowed in the backpack she'd borrowed from Mike.
Her head rests against one of the seats, its crimson leather cracked enough that the yellow stuffing pokes through. She idly tears more bits of it just to have something to do. Staying in here, even out of necessity, is slowly driving her crazy.
As if adding to her sense of insanity, she starts hearing Nancy's voice.
"Mike, are you there? Mike?"
All of them startle at the sound. Dustin's head jerks toward the back window as if expecting to see her standing right outside. They exchange questioning looks, each wondering if it was a mere figment of their imagination as the bus lapses into silence again.
"You guys hear that?" Dustin asks.
An electronic whirring noise accompanies his question. Mike jumps up and yanks his backpack from one of the seats, rummaging through it until he locates his walkie-talkie, which spouts weird frequency sounds along with a crackly, distorted version of Nancy's voice.
"Mike, it's me, Nancy. Mike, are you there? Answer. Mike, we need you to answer."
"Is that your sister?" Lucas asks, confused.
Laura is also perplexed. The only people with corresponding walkie-talkies are inside this bus—Dustin, Mike, and Lucas. That must mean...
"Is... is she using Will's radio?" Laura questions.
