Dingus | Robin Buckley x Reader

Chapter Six|Go get that girl

I get off at the stop on Main Street, I didn't have enough money for a plane so I got a coach instead. I'm back in Hawkins and I walk the familiar path to my work. I don't have my green vest (my uniform) on me but that's okay. I'm only going there for a pitstop.

I round the corner and walk into the air-conditioned shop. Scanning the shop, I walk up to the counter. Steve is nestled comfortably behind it, reading a magazine.

"Is Robin here?" I ask, causing him to jump.

"No, she called in sick today," he explains, folding his magazine and placing it under the counter. "She sounds really shaken up, you should check on her." This comment causes me to look down and try desperately not to cry.

"Holy shit, did you guys break up?" Steve asks.

"Kinda," I say.

"Who broke up with who?" he asks, wanting details.

"No-one. I, uh, I thought it was Robin on the phone but it was her father. He's-" I can't finish; my heart is in my mouth and my stomach is on the floor. I feel as if I'm going to be sick and as if I'm going to cry at the same time. "He's-" I try again but I still can't.

"He found out?" he detects. I nod my head, not trusting myself to slip up. "Holy shit. But- what'd he say?"

"That he'd tell my parents and tell everyone," I say, erupting into tears. "That I'd never see her again."

Steve walks out from behind the counter and pulls me into a tight embrace, and I cry harder than I've ever cried before. My tears seem to be never-ending and I hate the vulnerability I have.

"If you need me to, I'll beat the crap out of him," he says.

I laugh, temporarily bringing my out of my sorrow. "Yeah, right. You've never won a fight."

"Yeah, I have," he defends. "The Russian!"

"Yeah, but that doesn't count," I pull out of the hug and look up at him, the tears on my face presumably glittering under the cheap lighting.

"Why not?"

"Because I wasn't there."

"Yeah, you were!"

"I was unconscious!"

"Robin saw it," he says but realises his mistake too late. I go silent and stare down at my shoes, the sadness creeping back. "I'm sorry," he tries.

"It's fine," I mumble and lightly shrug my shoulders. It's really not, though. I know that Steve didn't mean it and he slipped up but I feel a sense of annoyance towards him. Steve will still be able to call Robin, to speak to her, to joke alongside her. And then, there'll be me, probably watching them through a window or something like a stalker. Longing for her, to talk to her. I'll end up doing crazy stunts or something to get her and her family to notice me, see me, anything.

"Y/n," Keith's voice snaps me back to reality. "What happened?"

"We broke up," Steve cuts in and I remember the lie.

"No," I say. This causes Steve and Keith to look at me, confused. "I was never in a relationship with Steve. I just didn't want to tell you I didn't want to go out with you. I'm sorry, I should have told the truth."

"Okay," Keith says, not really bothered. "But why are you crying?"

"My mom's in the hospital," I say. It's not exactly a lie, just a diversion from the truth.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Keith states and walks away, probably unnerved by my rare weakness. I'm usually so in control so I can understand.

"I'm going to see Robin," I tell Steve once Keith is in the backroom.

"Fine, just one thing first," he says.

"What?" I ask. Steve pulls out a tissue and rubs my cheeks dry and then rubs my eyes quite harshly. "Cut it out," I protest but he continues.

"No, because this makes you look like you've been crying for hours on end. An old trick of mine," he says as he continues to rub my eyes with the soaked tissue.

"But I have been crying for hours on end. And you're a jerk."

"Yeah, but you're a pretty crier. Your eyes don't stay red. As for the jerk bit, I'm a whole new man," and then he takes the tissue away from my eyes. "Open," he demands and I follow his instructions. "Perfect. Now go get that girl."