𝗨𝗚𝗟𝗬 // 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻

054

"I can't believe you almost crashed the car because you were too busy making Googly eyes at your girlfriend!" Steve struts away from Dustin as ahead of me, the tween tries to catch up with him,"no one was hurt!"

"We almost died Steve, next time look at the road!" The Henderson boy is screeching at him, flaying his arms around in anger as we open the wide doors to the quite literally weaponised superstore.

Thousands of men flock around us, multiple staring our group down, eyes glancing uncomfortably over me, Robin and Nancy, either uncomfortable with a woman in this environment, or far too joyous at the idea.

I lean into Erica, "I thought we were supposed to be staying away from angry hicks," the girl looks up at me and laughs, rolling her eyes at the company around us as a large man with a long ginger mullet drops the multiple guns that were in his hands. Stifling a laugh has never been harder.

As we walk down the isles, me and Robin frantically grab anything we can and as I get bumped into another time by an older, larger man, I turn to her and laugh, "you know, if this place started selling plaid shirts they'd make millions."

She laughs before we drift our eyes to where Dustin and Erica are shoving boxes into their cart, you'd think people would bat an eye at seeing children with weapons, but no one seems to care.

There's a rustle behind as Steve slides next me after disappearing to the changing rooms to cover up, much to my disappointment, which doesn't last long as I turn to face my boyfriend, now dressed comfortably in a very flattering camouflaged printed shirt and rusty brown jacket.

A sweet warmth spreads up my neck towards my cheeks before I pry my eyes away, suddenly feeling embarrassed, but I can hear the smirk in his voice, he lets out a sly, "what?"

He moves into a pose, clearly enjoying my embarrassment as the shirt flexes more against his torso, defining every muscle, somehow this outfit is having more of an effect on me then simply seeing him shirtless.

"Nothing, nothings up, nice shirt." I stumble over the words, Steve grins and steps closer, the action causing a strange friction to burn in my chest, I want nothing more than to kiss him right now, but after almost crashing the van just moments ago, I've learnt when it's appropriate not to.

"Nothing?" His eyes glance down at my lips, "nothings up?"

Legs move on their own as I stumble backwards into Robin, who walked further down the aisle to avoid us. I turn away from Steve, flustered, and walk beside her, she nudges me out of my daydreaming, "are you blushing?"

"No."

"You're totally blushing-"

"Not blushing."

A small chuckle as she turns to walk even more down the aisle "oh please you look me every time I see-" her voice fades away into sad disappearance, forcing my curiosity to draw my eyes to where she looks, only to face what could only be described as Robins worst fear.

Vicki, her crush, the girl that makes her stomach flip and lungs lose breath, standing there. Her hair is immaculate, her makeup is perfect, except for her smudged lipstick as she leans forward and once more kisses a boy.

"Oh, Robin I'm.. so sorry."

She doesn't respond, she simply runs away and before I can think I'm following her down the aisle, running towards the changing rooms that Steve just came out of. I pull the red curtains across, and despite the all too large gap between the floor and the curtain, it still feels like we have more privacy than before.

"Robin, I'm sorry."

It's all I can say as tears fall from her lashes, spiking them in a way that makes them look longer than usual.

"You know, I had this weird hope about her." The words come out clothed in sadness, "like maybe she was.. actually.. like me."

The loneliness she's feeling spreads through the air creating a sort of tightened atmosphere. All the chatter and trolleys screeching, all the men shouting outside the curtain and the fear of fear itself, it dies down for a moment, leaving a kind silence that hangs in the air as the only noise left is Robin's sobs.

I reach out a hand and place it gently into hers as I sit opposite her, squeezing it tight, "Robin you will find that," she scoffs, not out of unkind intention, but out of disbelief, "that's easy for you to say, you're in mutual love with your perfect boyfriend."

"Exactly," her head snaps up from where she'd been staring down at the floor, raising a brow at me, "Robin I'm living proof that it happens, I mean this time last year I hated Steve!"

"You never hated him Ruby, we both know that it was just.. complicated." A soft smile spreads across my lips as I lean forward to be closer to my friend, "well maybe things are complicated for Vicki too."

Robin looks confused for a moment before it finally dawns on her, showing itself on her face. I speak once more, "people aren't black and white Robin."

"So her having a boyfriend.. isn't the end?"

My memory glances back at the look on vicki's face as my best friend ran away, the way her eyes lingered on the spot where Robin once stood.

"With the way she looked at you? No. No I don't think it is."

Her hands squeeze my own once more, the type of action that makes you feel safe, reminds you of childhood.

"You've always been good at this."

My turn to raise a brow, "what?"

"Calming me down, making me feel better. I remember the first time Barb ditched us for Nancy I cried and cried, but you hid your sadness and came round with hands full of cupcake ingredients."

I nod, "Those were great cupcakes."

She laughs out the words, "they were!" I join her before our hysterics die down and we're left with silence once more, this time with a different tension still left in the air as she whispers, "if you're gone, I don't know who else would do that for me."

There it is. The argument in the woods. The thread breaking between us.

"Steve." I joke, although probably inappropriately.

"Yeah because Steve's cupcakes will be as good as yours!" The words are laced with valid sarcasm.

I think of burnt toast.

"No! No they definitely would not!"

But then the serious silence returns for a third time and I struggle to hide the tear that threatens to fall from my eye, "I've decided to fight."

My best friend lets out a sigh of relief, "you mean-?"

"I don't want to die, Robin. I want to grow old, with you, with Steve." Her famously bright grin returns anew, as if it had been stolen for a while now.

"Really?" Before I can answer confirming she's launching upwards to wrap me in a hug and once more I'm reminded of our days in middle school, the nights studying, playing in the park, fooling around in class with Barb. Barb.

I suppose that's another round of ammo.

"I thought I was going to lose you," Robin sniffles into my back and I lean backwards as I keep her in my arms, smiling at my closest friend.

"You could never lose me, because you, Robin Buckley, will always be my best friend."

Recognition hangs in the words, "hey you stole that from me!" I chuckle as she lets me go, "no I'm pretty sure I made that up."

Before she exits the curtains I grab lightly onto her arm, "Robin, would you be ok if I spoke to Nancy about.. about Barb? I know you have but-"

She cuts me off, "yes. I think you should."