Strange as IT Seems

Chapter 22: Rumour Has It

"Did you guys see the new kid?" Robin asks dropping her tray down next to Nancy and Johnathan at their usual table in the cafeteria. They sat in the corner where the noise was less intense to have an actual conversation over the chaos that was high school at lunch.

While never having interacted with one another before senior year, the trio of teens had become better acquainted after the debacle at Starcourt over the summer. After all, Robin was one of the people who translated the secret code and discovered the Russian base underneath the mall and it was Nancy and Johnathan who had broken the story to the public. Even after Nancy faced serious sexism by the staff and the couple were nearly fired from The Hawkins Post for chasing the lead of Communist Russia in their town, the couple got the scoop they needed to prove themselves as legitimate reporters. Their status had improved at the office, but it still wasn't great, especially for the "Nancy Drew" of the group. The two even interviewed Robin and ran her story as a special over the summer months. From that interview, the three bonded to a certain degree. While not considering themselves friends per se, especially since Robin used to see Nancy as a "priss" who had everything, they had decided to stick together considering what they had been through and what they had seen.

"Yeah... that girl Mia right?" Nancy asks.

"That's her," Robin nods. "She's in my English class first period."

"Where is she from?" Johnathan asks.

"Wisconsin."

"Weird to move from there to Hawkins," Nancy comments. "But I guess it's like Max and Billy, coming from California to here."

"I seriously question people's need to come here considering there are Russians living under the mall and that other weird shit that Steve and Dustin talked about. The mutant dogs, your brother's girlfriend's mind powers, and the monster flayer" Robin snorts, stirring her carton of milk with her straw.

"Mind Flayer," Nancy corrects.

"Whatever."

"Maybe it's like a beacon, weird people are drawn to weird stuff," Johnathan suggests. "Like a moth to a flame."

"I appreciate the visual metaphor, but I certainly didn't consider myself that weird..." Robin mutters.

The trio watch as the new girl waits in line for lunch, keeping her eyes downcast, her hoodie up and trying to avoid bumping into anyone.

"She's got something to hide," Johnathan observes quickly, recognizing her introverted behaviour and movements. He himself had adapted similar methods to protect himself; considering the hellish divorce his family went through, the financial hardships to make ends meet, the bizarre circumstances of Will's disappearance, the connection to otherworldly creatures and the scumbag who was his father. He begins to wonder what kind of problems she was dealing with. He doubted it was related to Demogorgons or Mind Flayers, but was it a crappy parent, a divorce, abusive home life, mental illness...? There were a number of possibilities. Coming from a "broken" home himself, he found it better to put up protective armour and avoid people to evade further pain. He was glad that Nancy had helped shatter some of that protection and open up more, but he always knew that the second things went sideways, it was back to start. This barrier around himself was one of the reasons why he hid behind a camera. However, this perspective through the viewfinder allowed him to see more than others might; he could observe a person's state of mind based on subtle hints in their facial expressions and body language.

"Are you sure?" Nancy questions her boyfriend.

"Positive, look at the way she's hiding in her hoodie. She doesn't want to talk to anyone, not even to say sorry if she bumps into them. She's going through a hard time and is trying to hide it."